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Today in Entertainment: Wendy Williams collapses during her live show; ‘House of Cards’ halts production in wake of Kevin Spacey accusations

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Here’s what’s new and interesting in entertainment and the arts:

Wendy Williams collapses during her live show

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

How you doin’, Wendy Williams?

The answer is probably not as positive as usual, as the enthusiastic talk show host suffered a scary — not spooky — moment during Tuesday morning’s live broadcast.

Clad in a glitzy Statue of Liberty costume, Williams began slurring her words while introducing an audience participation segment late in the Halloween broadcast. Eyes wide, the host then went silent and stumbled before collapsing.

The show quickly cut to commercial, and upon returning Williams was adamant that her fall had not been staged.

“That was not a stunt. I’m overheated in my costume and I did pass out. But you know what, I’m a champ, and I’m back,” Williams proclaimed before continuing the show.

“Wendy fainted on-air this morning,” a spokesperson for “The Wendy Williams Show” told The Times via email Tuesday morning. “She is dehydrated and is on her way home to rest and sleep. She has been examined by medical professionals and finished the show in true Wendy spirit. She has never missed a day of work, and will continue all shows as planned. She will address this on-air tomorrow.”

It was a sentiment echoed on Williams’ official Twitter account as well.

“Everybody relax. I’m doing fine, just need some water and electrolytes,” read a tweet posted on Williams’ feed. “On another note, I stayed and laid Halloween, LOL! Shout out to my magnificent Glam Squad and Ceaser Galindo the costume designer. More on this tomorrow.”

Williams’ Halloween show wasn’t a total drag, however. Actor Jerry O’Connell stopped by in a truly disturbing costume attempting to depict multiple Kardashians at once.

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Netflix halts ‘House of Cards’ Season 6 production in wake of Kevin Spacey accusation

Production has halted on “House of Cards” in the wake of a recent accusation levied against Emmy-nominated star Kevin Spacey, Netflix and Media Rights Capital said Tuesday in a joint statement.

“MRC and Netflix have decided to suspend production on ‘House of Cards’ Season 6, until further notice, to give us time to review the current situation and to address any concerns of our cast and crew,” the statement read.

“Star Trek: Discovery” actor Anthony Rapp came forward Sunday night with an accusation that Spacey had made an unwanted sexual advance on him in 1986, when Rapp was just 14.

Spacey quickly responded to Rapp’s allegation with an apology for his “drunken” behavior, which he said he did not recall, before using his official statement to come out as a gay man.

Some in Hollywood criticized Spacey’s timing as opportunistic and damaging to the LGBTQ community for conflating pedophilia and homosexuality.

On Monday, Netflix and MRC announced that “House of Cards” would conclude with Season 6. The companies also released a joint statement calling the accusation against Spacey “deeply troubling” and reporting that both organizations had sent executives to Baltimore to speak with cast and crew members currently on set.

“House of Cards” debuted in 2013 and quickly became a player in the prestige television movement, becoming the first original online-only streaming series to receive nominations in major categories at the Emmy Awards.

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Halloween is finally here, and these celebrities have conquered it

Cardi B channels Cruella de Vil.
(Donald Traill / Associated Press)

This year, a Tuesday Halloween arrives almost as an afterthought to the October costume parties that have flooded social media feeds for weeks.

You’ve seen the Kardashian family flit through dozens of costume combinations and witnessed a handful of celebs skulking down the red carpet as “Stranger Things” favorite Eleven, but have you seen some of the top-of-the-line costumes Hollywood has to offer?

Read on to find out which NBA stars are getting spooky, which couples are getting silly and which Oscar-winning actress is getting spoiler-y with some of the best celeb costumes of 2017.

Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade as Milli Vanilli

Beyoncé and Jay Z as Lil’ Kim and the Notorious B.I.G.

Neil Patrick Harris and family as Carnival of Curiosities

Demi Lovato as Selena Quintanilla

Kristen Bell as Elsa (not Anna) from ‘Frozen’

Steph Curry as Jigsaw

LeBron James as Pennywise

Gwyneth Paltrow as Gwyneth Paltrow’s head (as seen in the movie ‘Seven’) with Brad Falchuk

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Jay-Z to receive Grammy Salute to Industry Icons Award

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The Recording Academy and Clive Davis will honor Jay-Z with the Grammy Salute to Icons Award at Davis’ annual pre-ceremony gala.

A 21-time Grammy winner, Jay is being singled out for his storied rap career, business acumen and philanthropic work.

He will be presented with the award at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel on Jan. 27, the night before the 60th annual Grammy Awards.

“Jay-Z is a quintessential icon and I couldn’t be happier and more excited to share the evening with him,” Davis said in a statement. “What a night this will be!”

The honor comes amid a big year for Jay: He became the first rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, he executive-produced a poignant documentary on Kalief Browder that earned critics’ praise (and saw him feted by the L.A. Press Club) and his comeback effort, “4:44,” was a searing character dismantling that showed the rapper hadn’t lost any hunger in a career that stretches over two decades. He even signed a new 10-year touring deal with Live Nation worth a reported $200 million.

Past honorees include Davis, Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, Irving Azoff, Martin Bandier, Richard Branson, Ahmet Ertegun, David Geffen, Berry Gordy, Lucian Grainge, Debra L. Lee, Doug Morris, Mo Ostin and Antonio “L.A.” Reid.

“We are absolutely thrilled and delighted to honor Jay-Z with this year’s Grammy Salute to Industry Icons Award. His contributions as an industry trailblazer and music visionary only begin to touch on the tremendous impact he’s made both in entertainment and beyond,” Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “Jay-Z also embodies the vibrant spirit of New York City and we couldn’t imagine a more fitting honoree as we return to Manhattan for this year’s Grammy Awards.”

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Niall Horan’s ‘Flicker’ helps One Direction make chart history

Niall Horan on the “Today” show in New York City on Oct. 26, 2017.
Niall Horan on the “Today” show in New York City on Oct. 26, 2017.
(Charles Sykes / Associated Press)

One Direction has been on hiatus for two years, but the boy band is still making a bit of chart history.

With member Niall Horan’s solo debut “Flicker” topping the albums chart, One Direction has now joined the ranks of the Beatles as the only groups to have three of its members hit that No. 1.

“Flicker,” released on Oct. 20 through Capitol Records, moved 152,000 equivalent album units in its first week, according to Nielsen Music.

Horan follows Harry Styles’ album No. 1 earlier this year and a solo effort by Zayn Malik, who left the group ahead of its most recent album.

Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson have yet to release full-length projects, though both have scored hit singles since the band went on hiatus in 2015.

For those not well-versed in Beatles history, members John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison all dropped multiple solo albums that hit No. 1 (Ringo Starr peaked at No. 2).

In an interview with Billboard earlier this year, Horan said he was certain his old band would get back together eventually.

“When it will be, I don’t know,” he said. “I prefer not to do it after I’m 40. I’d prefer the next few years.”

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Rose McGowan on months-old arrest warrant: ‘Are they trying to silence me?’

(Paul Sancya / Associated Press)

Actress Rose McGowan, who has been an outspoken voice in the Harvey Weinstein scandal, said that a months-old warrant for her arrest is an attempt to keep her quiet.

“Are they trying to silence me? There is a warrant out for my arrest in Virginia. What a load of ...,” McGowan tweeted Monday night in response to reports on the warrant.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police Department issued an arrest warrant for the Encino actress on Feb. 1 for suspected possession of a controlled substance.

The felony charge stems from a police investigation of the “Charmed” alum’s personal belongings that were left behind on a United Airlines flight arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport on Jan. 20, and tested positive for narcotics, authorities told The Times.

“The Airports Authority police have attempted to contact Ms. McGowan so she can appear in a Loudoun County, Va., court to respond to the charge,” police said. The warrant was also entered into a national law enforcement database.

As of Monday, the warrant had not yet been served.

McGowan, 44, who appeared in the Weinstein Co.’s “Scream” franchise, is among the scores of women accusing the disgraced mega-producer of serial sexual misconduct and bringing decades-old accusations to light. The “Once Upon a Time” actress tweeted earlier this month that she was raped by a man with the initials “HW,” which she confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter was a reference to Weinstein, the Associated Press said.

The 44-year-old has been rallying her so-called #RoseArmy and victims of sexual harassment and assault to come forward.

Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.

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Stephen Colbert cannot contain his excitement about Paul Manafort indictment

It may be Halloween, but it was more like Christmas for Stephen Colbert, who could not help but break out into songs about Paul Manafort’s indictment on “The Late Show” Monday night.

“It’s almost Halloween, and this year is going to be super spooky for Donald Trump because special prosecutor and off-duty Lurch Robert Mueller just announced the first indictment in the Russia investigation,” Colbert said at the top of his show.

Mueller, of course, has been investigating possible connections between the Trump campaign and any efforts by Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. Manafort, who served as Trump’s campaign manager, and his top aide Richard W. Gates III have been accused of 12 counts of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering.

Colbert made the Halloween-vs.-Christmas comparison before breaking out into various Yuletide tunes gloating about how Manafort was likely “just the first of many.”

Still, the host didn’t let his joy keep him from taking a jab at how the arrest went down.

“The charges were actually filed on Friday but they gave Manafort until today to turn himself in,” said Colbert. “Wow, we white people really do get arrested differently. They might as well have sent him a formal invitation.”

Colbert also had plenty to say about the numerous charges the political consultant faces.

“Manafort’s been charged with 12 counts, including conspiracy to launder money, tax fraud and conspiracy against the United States,” he said. “What’s that crime usually called again? I can’t remember, for some treason.”

In response to the indictment, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders insisted that the situation had “nothing to do with the president … the president’s campaign or campaign activity” and that “the real collusion scandal has everything to do with the Clinton campaign.

But Colbert was not buying it.

“My God, of course,” he said. “Hillary Clinton colluded with Russia to lose the election.”

Watch the segment above.

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A Star Is Born: Dan Rather turns 86 today

(Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

When you report something important for people to know that somebody, somewhere in power doesn’t want them to know, you’re going to pay a price for it. People will try to discredit you.  

— Dan Rather, 2009

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Dan Rather, dogged plaintiff

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Producers Guild doubles down on Harvey Weinstein expulsion: Disgraced mogul is banned for life

The Producers Guild of America voted unanimously in October to expel Harvey Weinstein in the wake of serious sexual harassment and assault allegations. Now that expulsion is for life.
The Producers Guild of America voted unanimously in October to expel Harvey Weinstein in the wake of serious sexual harassment and assault allegations. Now that expulsion is for life.
(Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)

The Producers Guild of America has taken an unprecedented step to solidify its position on disgraced studio mogul Harvey Weinstein, announcing Monday that the organization’s board has voted unanimously to ban Weinstein from the guild for life.

“As was recently reported, the Producers Guild’s National Board of Directors voted unanimously to initiate proceedings to terminate the membership of Harvey Weinstein,” read a statement from the guild issued Monday. “The PGA Constitution requires that members be given 15 days’ notice before disciplinary action is taken. The Guild has received notice that rather than addressing the Guild’s charges, Mr. Weinstein elected to resign his membership in the Producers Guild.”

“In light of Mr. Weinstein’s widely reported behavior — with new reports continuing to surface even now — the Producers Guild’s National Board has voted unanimously to enact a lifetime ban on Mr. Weinstein, permanently barring him from PGA membership,” the statement continued. “This unprecedented step is a reflection of the seriousness with which the Guild regards the numerous reports of Mr. Weinstein’s decades of reprehensible conduct.”

The Guild’s National Board of Directors and Officers voted unanimously to expel Weinstein in an Oct. 16 meeting following high-profile allegations of sexual harassment and assault from dozens of women, including actresses Asia Argento, Rose McGowan and Gwyneth Paltrow.

At the same meeting, the PGA’s National Board — made up of 20 women and 18 men — voted to create a task force to research and address sexual harassment within the entertainment industry. While the membership ranks of Hollywood’s craft guilds reflect widespread gender imbalance across disciplines, 47% of the PGA’s 8,100 members are women.

A Los Angeles Times report comparing gender parity across guild organizations in Hollywood illuminates the stark juxtaposition of representation in the industry: In the Directors Guild, 23.4% of all members (including unit production managers, assistant directors and stage managers) are female and only 15.1% of its director members are women.

In its statement Monday, the PGA reiterated its commitment to forming a Hollywood task force to combat the kind of rampant harassment and abuse that the Weinstein scandal has forced to the fore: “Sexual harassment can no longer be tolerated in our industry or within the ranks of Producers Guild membership.”

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Regrettes’ Lydia Night speaks out after onstage attack at local festival

The Regrettes, from left: Lydia Night, Sage Chavis, Maxx Morando and Genessa Gariano.
( (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times))

Lydia Night, the singer for the L.A. rock band the Regrettes, made her first public statement after being attacked onstage during a performance on Sunday, writing that “someone invaded my safe space in an aggressive manner and that is absolutely not okay.”

The incident took place while the Regrettes performed at the Growlers 6 festival at the L.A. Waterfront in San Pedro. Video from the festival posted on social media shows a woman in a superhero costume fighting through crowds, climbing onstage and shoving Night.

Representatives for the band said that Night does not have plans to file complaints against the festival or its promotion partner, Live Nation. Representatives for the Growlers 6 festival did not return for requests for comment and have not yet made a public statement on the attack.

“Being a performer is one of the most vulnerable things you can do. The last thing I want to worry about during a performance is being in danger in any way. The stage should always feel like a safe space for self expression and art,” Night said.

“Yesterday, someone invaded my safe space in an aggressive manner and that is absolutely not okay. Thank you for all of your concern and love. I am still pretty shocked about what went down, but I will be totally fine. I did not know the girl who attacked me. I was told she was on a lot of drugs and mistook me for someone else. Love you all and I’ll see you next month on the east coast.”

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Hollywood to host ‘Take Back the Workplace’ march in protest of sexual harassment

As allegations of sexual harassment and assault continue to pile up this year, some people are taking their disapproval and frustrations to the streets.

The Feminist Majority Foundation, along with Civican and We for She, are sponsoring a march they’re calling “Take Back the Workplace,” set for Nov. 12.

“We are marching in protest of sexual harassment in the workplace and to send a message to the people who commit it and to those who are complicit by allowing them to do it and covering it up,” reads the event’s official Facebook page.

The march will begin at Hollywood and Highland and wend its way through the streets before concluding outside the CNN building on Sunset Boulevard.

The demonstration arrives during a year rife with sexual assault accusations levied against powerful men, including Roger Ailes, Harvey Weinstein, Donald Trump, Bill O’Reilly and James Toback.

On Saturday, KTTV-TV Channel 11 reporter Lauren Sivan —who alleged she was harassed by Weinstein in 2007 — was announced as the celebrity chair of the event.

“We’re also looking at specific legislation and policies in our government that we can demand be implemented so that no man or women, regardless of the industry, has to face this ever again,” author and comedian Tess Rafferty, who is also the march’s co-organizer, wrote on Facebook.

The march is scheduled to begin with protesters gathering at the Hollywood & Highland shopping center at 10 a.m. before starting at 11 a.m.

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Amid Kevin Spacey fallout, ‘House of Cards’ to end with upcoming season

“House of Cards” will end its run on Netflix with its upcoming sixth season.

Confirmation of the drama’s conclusion comes as its lead actor and executive producer, Kevin Spacey, who plays ruthless politician Frank Underwood, is caught up in allegations of sexual impropriety.

In an article published Sunday on BuzzFeed, “Star Trek: Discovery” actor Anthony Rapp alleged that Spacey made unwanted sexual advances toward him in 1986. (Rapp was 14; Spacey would have been 26.)

Hours later, in a statement responding to the allegations, the Oscar winner apologized for the alleged behavior and came out as gay. Spacey’s statement was met with criticism by the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD and others who say the actor deflected focus on Rapp’s accusation.

Netflix and Media Rights Capital, which produces the show, issued a joint statement Monday about the allegations.

“Media Rights Capital and Netflix are deeply troubled by last night’s news concerning Kevin Spacey,” the statement read. “In response to last night’s revelations, executives from both of our companies arrived in Baltimore this afternoon to meet with our cast and crew to ensure that they continue to feel safe and supported. As previously scheduled, Kevin Spacey is not working on set at this time.”

“House of Cards,” which premiered in 2013, was among Netflix’s early entrants in its push into original programming. The political drama, which also stars Robin Wright, has helped the streaming service’s ambitions to become a Hollywood heavyweight.

The final season, which is currently in production, will consist of 13 episodes and premiere in 2018.

Update, 1:05 p.m.: This story was updated with Netflix’s statement.

This article was originally published at 12:47 p.m.

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Corey Feldman ‘not playing around’ about naming Hollywood pedophiles — if his movie gets funded

Corey Feldman, who last week announced a campaign to fund a movie about alleged pedophiles in Hollywood, had to work to get his message across on the “Today” show Monday morning. Matt Lauer challenged Feldman’s claim that he needs $10 million to make that film.

Feldman said there is “a lot of darkness” in Hollywood right now, and it will keep unraveling, the actor and musician told Lauer. What we’re seeing now is just the tip of the iceberg, Feldman said, and a feature film is the best way for him to share what he witnessed and experienced as a former child actor.

Also, the subject matter he’s dealing with would require him to have a team of lawyers and a security detail to be around him at all times.

“I’m not playing around,” Feldman said. “It’s serious stuff and I vow I will release every single name that I have any knowledge of. Period. And nobody’s going to stop me this time. As long as people support this.”

As of Monday morning, Feldman had raised about $160,000 toward the $10-million goal.

When pressed by Lauer — who noted that “we’ve been down this road before” with Feldman, who said he was going to reveal Hollywood pedophiles in his 2013 memoir, “Coreyography” — the “Goonies” actor explained: “The publisher prevented me from writing the names down. They made me change the names.”

In the book, Feldman did share stories of his own abuse, and that of the late Corey Haim, while the two were young actors. Haim, who struggled with substance abuse when he was older, died in 2010 at age 38. In recent years, his mother, Judy Haim, has tried to distance herself from Feldman.

“If he finally decides to release names and tell the world who they are, for the sake of more victims, I will be 100% behind it. But if he’s waiting to release the names in the movie, I don’t support that. He doesn’t need $10 million to do it,” she said in a statement to “Today.”

Haim was more blunt to the Hollywood Reporter over the weekend, saying: “Come on. It’s a long con. He’s a scam artist. If he was serious about this, he’d share the information he has with the police.”

Feldman explained to Lauer that the statute of limitations had expired in California and, talking to Megyn Kelly on Monday in a different “Today” segment, said it wasn’t easy taking allegations to authorities even when he was within the 10-year period. He said he gave the names to authorities in Santa Barbara County when they were investigating Michael Jackson.

“When you’re an 18-, 19-, 20-year-old kid, you try telling the police, which is a very big thing to do,” he said, “and especially when it wasn’t even my situation, I was just answering for a friend, so the fact that I found the courage to even throw it in there and hopefully get some support, and then they were like, sorry, and they just shut it down.”

In his “Corey Feldman’s Truth Campaign” video, the “Lost Boys” actor linked the movie-financing effort to a recent marijuana-related brush with police and the sudden resignation of several of his band members, whom he said were “afraid for their lives.”

“There are thousands of people in Hollywood who have this same information,” Feldman told Lauer on Monday. “Why is it all on me? Why is it that if I don’t release the names in the next two months, six months, or a year, I’m the bad guy? I’m the victim here. I’m the one who’s been abused. I’m the one who’s trying to come forward and do something about it.”

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Kevin Spacey’s apology for alleged sexual misconduct triggers swift backlash

Zachary Quinto says Kevin Spacey’s coming out was a ‘calculated manipulation to deflect attention’

‘Stranger Things’ star Finn Wolfhard leaves APA as his agent is fired amid claims of sexual assault and harassment

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Zachary Quinto says Kevin Spacey’s coming out was a ‘calculated manipulation to deflect attention’

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Openly gay actor Zachary Quinto spoke out harshly on Monday against Oscar winner Kevin Spacey’s apology for an alleged incident with actor Anthony Rapp decades ago.

The “Star Trek: Beyond” and “American Horror Story” star called Spacey’s declaration “to live as a gay man,” which the “House of Cards” star mentioned in his Sunday apology to Rapp, a “calculated manipulation to deflect attention from the very serious accusation” that Spacey allegedly harassed Rapp when he was 14.

Quinto is among numerous celebrities and organizations to criticize Spacey’s statement. Here’s Quinto’s full statement:

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NBC News terminates Mark Halperin following sexual harassment allegations

NBC News terminated its contract with senior political analyst Mark Halperin following allegations that he sexually harassed a dozen women during his tenure at ABC News.

An NBC News spokesperson confirmed the termination Monday shortly before Eleanor McManus, one of Halperin’s accusers, appeared on the network’s “Megyn Kelly Today.”

Halperin has been off the air since the Wednesday report on CNN that women who worked at ABC News claimed they had been subjected to harassment, inappropriate physical contact or sexual assault by Halperin while he was political director from 1997 to 2007. A second report on Friday had detailed accounts from a total of a dozen women.

McManus, a forrmer CNN producer, appeared on “Megyn Kelly Today” on Monday to talk about one of the alleged incidents that occurred in the late 1990s.

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Kevin Spacey’s apology for alleged sexual misconduct triggers swift backlash

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Hollywood is not happy with Kevin Spacey’s response to “Star Trek: Discovery” actor Anthony Rapp’s allegations that the Oscar-winning actor made an unwanted sexual advance on him when Rapp was 14 years old.

“I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years,” Spacey said in an official statement Sunday night.

Spacey’s statement also confirmed that the notoriously private actor is gay, which did not sit well with celebs and LGBTQ organizations. Many saw that as a craven attempt to shift attention from the issue at hand: the accusations of predatory behavior toward a minor.

“Coming-out stories should not be used to deflect from allegations of sexual assault,” said GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis in a series of tweets Monday morning.

“This isn’t a coming-out story about Spacey, but a story of survivorship by Anthony Rapp & those who speak out about unwanted sexual advances. The media and public should not gloss over that,” Ellis wrote.

Beyond the timing of Spacey’s announcement, others were incensed by what they considered a dangerous conflation of homosexuality and pedophilia, a tactic deployed against the LGBTQ community for decades.

Here’s a sampling of the initial reaction to Spacey’s announcement.

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Selena Gomez details kidney transplant in emotional ‘Today’ interview

Selena Gomez shared the details of her harrowing kidney transplant in an emotional interview Monday morning. And her pal Francia Raisa, who donated her kidney to save Gomez’s life, was right there by her side.

The singer was diagnosed with lupus five years ago and revealed in September that she underwent surgery over the summer after the autoimmune disease started attacking the organ.

Gomez, 25, was suffering from arthritis and she was weeks away from dialysis when her friend stepped up to donate her kidney, Gomez said Monday in the first part of her “Today” show interview.

“I got to the point where it was really kind of life or death. It’s really hard to think about or swallow,” the Disney Channel alum said, explaining that since the transplant her arthritis went away and her blood pressure, energy and life have improved. Her lupus has only a 3% to 5% chance of coming back, she said.

“[Raisa] lived with me at an interesting time when my kidneys were just done. That was it,” Gomez said.

The donor list had been seven to 10 years long, and Raisa, seeing how much pain Gomez was in, volunteered to get tested after no one in Gomez’s family was a match. When they learned Raisa was a match, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” actress went through a grueling panel of testing in a day -- a process that should have taken six months, she said.

“The fact that she was a match, I mean that’s unbelievable. That’s not real,” Gomez added.

The duo, sitting side-by-side for the emotional interview with Savannah Guthrie, rehashed the operation itself and what they had to do to prepare for it. Raisa, 29, had to write a will, “which was scary because there’s no guarantee you’ll wake up,” she said.

Raisa’s procedure went smoothly, then it was Gomez’s turn. When Gomez woke up two hours later, she soon began hyperventilating and experiencing pain. The new kidney was turning around inside her body because one of the arteries had flipped. She had to undergo an additional six-hour procedure to correct in.

The tearful Gomez said her friend saved her life and they shared their story to raise awareness.

“I just really hope that we can help somebody. I don’t think what we went through is easy. I don’t think it was fun. I just hope that this inspires people to feel good to know that there [are] really good people in the world,” the singer said.

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A Star Is Born: Harry Hamlin turns 66 today

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

I’m very lucky in that my career has never gotten to the point that I could sit back and rest on my laurels and buy a big boat or a plane and get fat. I’ve always had to stay reasonably lean and mean if I wanted to continue working.

— Harry Hamlin, 2013

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Harry Hamlin on keeping fit, staying sharp amid hectic acting life

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Kevin Spacey apologizes to Anthony Rapp for alleged sexual advance and says he chooses ‘now to live as a gay man’

Kevin Spacey on Sunday evening issued a public apology to “Star Trek: Discovery” actor Anthony Rapp, who claimed that the “American Beauty” Oscar winner made an unwanted sexual advance on him in 1986. Rapp was 14 years old at the time. Spacey would have been 26.

In the statement, Spacey said he chooses “now to live as a gay man.”

Rapp, 46, came forward with his allegation in a BuzzFeed article published Sunday evening. The piece described an encounter with the older actor that transpired when he was a teen working on Broadway in New York.

After a party at Spacey’s apartment, Rapp said he wandered into the bedroom and spent the evening watching TV. Later, Rapp said, Spacey entered.

“He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold,” he told BuzzFeed’s Adam Vary. “But I don’t, like, squirm away initially, because I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ And then he lays down on top of me.”

“He was trying to seduce me,” said Rapp, whose film credits include “Adventures in Babysitting,” “School Ties,” “A Beautiful Mind” and the musical adaptation of “Rent,” in which he reprised the role he originated on Broadway. “I don’t know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.”

Less than three hours after Rapp’s story appeared online, Spacey responded to the allegation on Twitter.

“I have a lot of respect and admiration for Anthony Rapp as an actor. I’m beyond horrified to hear his story,” Spacey said in the statement.

“I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.”

In addition to apologizing to Rapp, the intensely private Spacey revealed that he is gay.

“This story has encouraged me to address other things about my life,” his statement continued. “I know that there are stories out there about me and that some have been fueled by the fact that I have been so protective of my privacy. As those closest to me know, in my life I have had relationships with both men and women. I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man. I want to deal with this honestly and openly and that starts with examining my own behavior.”

Rapp said that he has wrestled with the events of the night in question for decades and over the years had confided to friends, who confirmed to BuzzFeed that he told them of the encounter. He said that he was emboldened to share his story by recent accusations of severe sexual assault made public by dozens of women speaking out against disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein.

“I came forward with my story, standing on the shoulders of the many courageous women and men who have been speaking out, to shine a light and hopefully make a difference, as they have done for me,” Rapp said in a statement, which was posted to Twitter after the article’s publication.

Representatives for Spacey and Rapp declined to comment further.

“Everything I wanted to say about my experience is in that article, and I have no further comment about it at this time,” Rapp posted.

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A Star Is Born: Gabrielle Union turns 45 today

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Rape is a wound that throbs long after it heals. And for some of us the throbbing gets too loud. Post-traumatic stress syndrome is very real and chips away at the soul and sanity of so many of us who have survived sexual violence.

— Gabrielle Union, 2016

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘Birth of a Nation’ actress Gabrielle Union: I cannot take Nate Parker rape allegations lightly

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A Star Is Born: Julia Roberts turns 50 today

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

I’ve never taken my kids to an event or a premiere. We appreciate privacy. We don’t hide, but we want to keep our family to ourselves. I don’t want my kids photographed. They’re my children.

— Julia Roberts, 2009

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Julia Roberts and a part-time idol’s choices

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Claire Foy ‘can’t wait’ to see Olivia Colman take the reins on ‘The Crown’

Claire Foy, left, plays Queen Elizabeth II in the first two seasons of "The Crown." Olivia Colman has been tapped to take over as the queen in the next two seasons.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times, left; Jonathan Short / Associated Press)

If there’s one (fictional) queen saying “YAS” to news of Olivia Colman joining the cast of “The Crown” for seasons 3 and 4 as Queen Elizabeth II, it’s Claire Foy.

Foy, who played the key role for the first two seasons, had known from the start that her time on the Netflix drama about the British monarch’s long reign would be brief. Series creator Peter Morgan had always intended to replace key cast members in later seasons as the characters aged.

Colman, whose other credits include the U.K. drama “Broadchurch” and AMC’s “The Night Manager,” will now take the crown, the Los Angeles Times confirmed. And her predecessor approves.

“All I want to do is shout from the rooftops!” Foy told The Times by phone Friday afternoon. “I think she’s just amazing. She’s an extraordinary actress. I think the best thing about it is, she’ll completely reinvent it and make it her own.

Foy, who is currently promoting the upcoming second season of “The Crown,” said she and Coleman have talked on the phone about the gig — mostly about what to expect production-wise.

“If she ever wants to know anything about the queen, I’m more than willing to divulge,” Foy said. “But at the same time, everything is out there already. I think the most important thing for her is to just go out and do it and not think about anyone else who has ever done it before.”

“I can’t wait to see her in it,” she added. “I can’t wait. I can’t wait.”

In the meantime, there’s still plenty of Foy as Queen Elizabeth II to see. The second season of “The Crown” comes to Netflix on Dec. 8.

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Simon Cowell back home after brief hospitalization

(Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images)

Reality competition mainstay Simon Cowell is back home after a fall resulted in a brief hospital visit.

The “America’s Got Talent” judge was taken from his house early Friday morning on a stretcher and was seen wearing a neck brace, the Associated Press and TMZ reported. Cowell reportedly fainted and tumbled backward down a steep staircase at his London home.

Upon returning Friday afternoon, the 58-year-old “American Idol” alum was photographed giving a thumbs-up as he walked himself into the mansion.

“I’ve got a bit of concussion. I feel better now,” Cowell told the Daily Mirror.

Cowell is slated to appear as a judge on the new season of the U.K. talent show “The X Factor” on Saturday.

“I will be back, but I don’t know about tomorrow,” he said to the Mirror.

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Rose McGowan delivers fiery speech at inaugural Women’s Convention: ‘It’s time to rise’

In her first public address since helping blow the Harvey Weinstein exposé wide open and igniting the exposure of several more prominent Hollywood figures accused of sexual misconduct and abuse, Rose McGowan addressed a crowd of “Me Toos,” reclaimed her time and roared.

“My name is Rose McGowan, and I am brave — and I am you.”

The filmmaker, actress and activist kicked off the inaugural Women’s Convention in Detroit on Friday with a stirring and personal speech two weeks after accusing Weinstein of rape in a series of tweets.

She began by thanking her “fabulous, strong, powerful” #RoseArmy of supporters.

“I have been silenced for 20 years. I have been slut-shamed. I have been harassed,” she said. “I have been maligned. And you know what? I’m just like you. Because what happened to me behind the scenes happens to all of us in this society. And that cannot stand, and it will not stand.

“We are free. We are strong. We are one massive, collective voice — that is what #RoseArmy is about,” she continued. “No more will we be shunted to the side. No more will we be hurt. It’s time to be whole. It’s time to rise. It’s time to be brave.”

Rose McGowan speaks at the Women's Convention in Detroit on Friday.
(Paul Sancya / Associated Press)

McGowan didn’t utter Weinstein’s name once. She didn’t need to. Acknowledging that seeing “the monster’s face” plastered across media reports in the past few weeks has been difficult for her, she called for resilience and unity in a widening cultural movement that reaches beyond Hollywood’s power structure.

“In the face of unspeakable actions from one monster, we look away to another — the head monster of all, right now — and they are the same. And they must die. It is time. The paradigm must be subverted,” she said.

Encouraging the continued exposure of abusers within and outside of the entertainment industry, McGowan also called for more diverse representation behind the camera.

“Hollywood may seem like it’s an isolated thing, but it is not. It is the messaging system for your mind,” she said. “It is the mirror that you’re given to look into. This is what you are as a woman. This is what you are as a man. This is what you are as a boy, girl, gay, straight, transgender, but it’s all told through 96% males in the Directors Guild of America.”

The DGA’s membership is currently 76.6% male, yet a 2015 study by the DGA found that only 6.4% of all feature film directors were women. And a USC Annenberg study of 900 top-grossing films over the past decade found that women directed a paltry 4.1%.

McGowan capped her speech at the first annual Women’s Convention, coordinated by the organizers of the Women’s March and held this weekend at Detroit’s Cobo Center, by raising her fist in the air: “My name is Rose McGowan, and I am brave and I am you.”

For the record, Oct. 28, 11:48 am: A previous version of this post said that current membership of the Directors Guild of America was 85% male and that women comprised less than 7% of the DGA in 2013 and 2014. According to the most recent statistics from the DGA, the guild’s membership is 76.6% male. Also, the 2013 - 2014 number was an accounting of the number of women who directed feature films, not the total membership.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal.

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Why, Alexander Skarsgård, why? What happened to his hair?

( Nicholas Hunt / Getty Images)

It’s hair today, bald tomorrow for Alexander Skarsgård.

The Swedish tall drink of water debuted a shocking new haircut on the red carpet for Louis Vuitton’s “Volez, Voguez, Voyagez” exhibit in New York on Thursday night.

The “Big Little Lies” and “True Blood” alum shaved the top of his head, leaving a nearly bare scalp and neatly trimmed sides as the remaining evidence of his once-glorious golden locks.

According to Yahoo and TMZ, the new mane — or lack thereof — is believed to be for his role in Kim Nguyen’s drama “The Hummingbird Project,” which he is shooting with Salma Hayek and Jesse Eisenberg.

On the bright side, we’re guessing his hair will grow back. (Please.)

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Watch Taylor Swift battle with her doppelganger in new video for ‘...Ready for It?’

Giving fans another sneak preview of her forthcoming album, Taylor Swift unveiled a new video for the song “...Ready for It?” on Friday.

But maybe you won’t be ready for a CGI-augmented Swift on the prowl, driven by a gritty beat that wouldn’t sound out of place at a Skrillex party.

Directed by recent visual collaborator Joseph Kahn, the video is dense with allusions to our hooded heroine’s labyrinthine psyche. She walks through graffiti-filled corridors, past objects and clues that might or might not mean something.

Where’s she headed? Toward a stage, where a seemingly nude and sexless version of herself is crouched on the ready. The song’s rhythm bangs as, before our very eyes, this Swiftian tabula rasa transforms into some sort of android. Within moments, she’s on an android stallion. (Wait, is this a Björk video?)

Her hooded doppelganger watches this and apparently has an issue with what’s going on. With the touch of an invisible screen, the horse vanishes and android Swift drops to the ground, rendered helpless.

Not so fast, though. (Spoiler alert!) All is not lost.

As this unfolds, the song’s lyrics move into the bridge: “Baby, let the games begin!/ Baby, let the games begin!”

“Reputation” will be released Nov. 10. Watch Swift’s new video below.

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Ken Baker of E! News accused of sexual harassment, reports say

(Leon Bennett / Getty Images)

E! News senior correspondent Ken Baker, who has been an outspoken critic of disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein, has now been accused by two women of sexual harassment and is under investigation at the cable network, according to published reports.

A former E! News employee alleged that Baker invited her to sit on his lap after calling her into his dimly lit office in 2012, according to the Wrap. She said that he often made inappropriate comments or touched her in ways that made her uncomfortable.

In addition, a former E! News intern alleged that Baker repeatedly propositioned her for sex over the years. She also accused Baker of kissing her in 2011 without her consent and sending her a text message in 2015 in which he said he wanted to give her a Tiffany & Co. sex toy with his name engraved on it. The former intern provided a picture of the text message to the Wrap, which published it on Friday.

The women shared their stories about Baker with the Wrap under the condition of anonymity.

Baker did not immediately respond to The Times’ requests for comment. However, in a statement to the Wrap, he said he was “very disturbed by these anonymous allegations, which make my heart ache.”

“I take them very seriously,” he said. “I care deeply for people’s feelings and sincerely live in a way that treats people with dignity and respect.”

The entertainment journalist and author, 47, was also named in a 2007 lawsuit during his time at Us Weekly and was accused of putting his children’s nanny on the magazine’s payroll, sending her inappropriate text messages and threatening to damage a news editor’s career.

Meanwhile, E! News, which is owned by NBCUniversal, told The Times that it “has a longstanding commitment to providing a safe working environment in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity.” The network said that it takes all complaints of misconduct seriously and thoroughly investigates all allegations of harassment.

According to Variety, Baker will not appear on the air while the company investigates the allegations.

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Seth Meyers explains why Fox News seems to prefer ‘an alternate reality where Hillary Clinton is president’

Seth Meyers is not exactly Donald Trump’s biggest fan, but on Thursday night’s episode of “Late Night” the host shared how even members of the political right seem to prefer a world where Hillary Clinton is president.

“The Trump administration seems permanently inundated by scandal and constantly under siege, including from senior members of Trump’s own party,” said Meyers. “Which might explain why many on the right seem to want to live in an alternate reality where Trump actually isn’t president”

Meyers pointed out that despite Republicans’ decrying him as “a threat to democracy and national security,” Trump kept his focus this week on touting his superior intelligence and memory and the unbelievably good things others have said about him.

“Now to be fair, you might also have an inflated ego if there was a whole TV channel dedicated to showering you with praise,” said Meyers, who seemed disgusted with Fox News’ coverage of the president.

In fact, the only thing Fox News hosts seem to like to do more than interview Trump is revisit “debunked and overblown stories” regarding Hillary Clinton, he said.

Meyers then blasted Fox News for trying to claim that the “real” Russia scandal is how the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee helped fund the research that led to the infamous “Russia dossier.”

After reminding viewers that the research was initially funded by a Republican client during the primary, Meyers gleefully slammed Sean Hannity, who has been an especially vocal proponent of this “real” scandal narrative.

For Meyers, it’s perfectly clear why Fox News hosts can’t stop focusing on Clinton.

“Fox News would much rather talk about Hillary than Donald Trump … because the right, in the Trump era, doesn’t have coherent principles or an ideology,” Meyers said. “It just has enemies, which is why they prefer to inhabit an alternate reality where Hillary Clinton is president.”

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A Star Is Born: John Cleese turns 78 today

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

I really have never much enjoyed acting on film. I once compared it to spending three months at Heathrow Airport waiting for your plane to take off. I find it immensely boring and not very satisfying at the end of the day. Whereas if Iain [Johnstone] and I sit down and produce 2 1/2 sheets of words, at 5 o’clock I feel I’ve added something to the sum total of the knowledge in the world.

— John Cleese, 1994

FROM THE ARCHVES: Cleese & Co. Building a Better ‘Fish’

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Tween series ‘Andi Mack’ to feature Disney Channel’s first story arc about a character coming out as gay

“Andi Mack” will feature the Disney Channel’s first story arc about a character coming out as gay.

The tween series will introduce the storyline during its Season 2 premiere on Friday when the titular character’s best friend, Cyrus (Joshua Rush), shares that he has a crush on the same boy she does. Cyrus comes out to his and Andi’s pal Buffy (Sofia Wylie).

“In the season premiere of #AndiMack, a teen girl and her friends model inclusion and respect for others. Friday 8:00 p.m.” said a tweet from the network’s public relations account.

It will be the first time the Disney Channel depicts a character’s journey to self-discovery as an LGBTQ individual, according to ABC News, whose parent company is Disney. The series reportedly consulted child-development experts for the episode and screened it in advance for LGBTQ advocacy groups such as GLAAD, Common Sense Media and PFLAG.

“‘Andi Mack’ is a story about ‘tweens’ figuring out who they are,” a Disney Channel spokesperson said on Tuesday. “[Creator] Terri Minsky, the cast and everyone involved in the show takes great care in ensuring that it’s appropriate for all audiences and sends a powerful message about inclusion and respect for humanity.”

While the storyline is groundbreaking for the network, it isn’t the first time an LGBTQ character has appeared on the Disney Channel. A 2014 episode of “Good Luck Charlie” featured a lesbian couple, GLAAD said.

“With more and more young people coming out as LGBTQ, Andi Mack is reflecting the lives and lived experiences of so many LGBTQ youth around the country,” GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement.

The series revolves around 13-year-old Andi Mack (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) and her contemporary coming-of-age story when she learns that her older sister Bex (Lilan Bowden) is in fact her mother. Her journey to self-discovery is aided by her best friends, Cyrus and Buffy, who are also figuring out their places in the world.

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Twiggy Ramirez responds to assault allegations that got him booted from Marilyn Manson

Guitarist Jeordie White, who made his name as Twiggy Ramirez in Marilyn Manson’s shock-rock outfit, has responded to allegations that led Manson (Brian Warner) to release him from the band.

In a statement addressing a former girlfriend’s accusations that he raped her, White said that he had only recently been made aware of the allegations, which date from more than 20 years ago.

“I do not condone nonconsensual sex of any kind,” White wrote, according to Pitchfork, adding later that “if i have caused anyone pain, I apologize and truly regret it.”

White also told the site Metal Injection that he wishes to “spend this time with my family and focus on maintaining my several years of sobriety.”

Unclear, however, is the precise nature of White’s break from the band. White characterized his departure as “taking a leave of absence from Marilyn Manson.”

Earlier in the week, Manson posted a statement to Twitter that suggested the erstwhile Twiggy had been given his walking papers.

Asked on Thursday morning about the apparent discrepancy in the statements, Manson’s rep told The Times that, according to management, Manson has indeed “parted ways” with White, and added, “Twiggy can say whatever he wants to say but [that] they parted ways is official.”

Update, 12:37 p.m.: The story was updated with a statement from Marilyn Manson’s representative.

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Samantha Bee reminds us that climate change is real with a terrifying song from Ingrid Michaelson

Samantha Bee skipped recapping Donald Trump’s latest feuds and devoted Wednesday night’s entire episode of “Full Frontal” to climate change.

“This week we are taking a break from talking about the president attacking Gold Star families and instead talking about something else: our planet constantly attacking us in every way imaginable,” said Bee.

She was referring to the multiple severe hurricanes and devastating wildfires that have ravaged the country this year.

“Despite all these disasters, climate change is never the top story,” said Bee. “But we can’t avoid the subject any longer.”

While Bee made it clear that climate change didn’t cause the storms or fires, she pointed out that the science behind it does affect the severity of those natural disasters. She even noted how climate change is also linked to the increasing spread of Lyme disease.

“Look, I get it, it’s hard to remember that climate change is slowly destroying the world,” said Bee. “Maybe because it doesn’t have a Twitter account to remind us of our mortality every five minutes.

“Climate change isn’t some far-off threat in the distance future like Beyoncé aging. It is upon us, like Billy Crystal turning back into a baby,” Bee added.

But, of course, there are plenty of climate-change deniers out there. In fact, it turns out that, according to some polls, Americans are more afraid of clowns than climate change.

So Bee enlisted singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson for a little ditty about how much the Earth is not OK. Sure, the song was catchy, but also terrifying.

Bee even used actual physical fear to persuade climate-change skeptics to change their minds by sending them through a special horror house.

You can check out Michaelson’s performance here, and watch Bee join her guests in the horror house here. Both segments contain some adult language.

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But wait, there’s more! ‘Stranger Things’ is getting an after-show on Netflix

There are more Eggo waffles and Easter eggs to be devoured when “Stranger Things” returns for another season this weekend. And fans are getting a seat at the table because the series is getting an official after-show.

“Beyond Stranger Things” will rehash each episode of Netflix’s sci-fi series in a round-table discussion -- strategically set up around a Dungeons & Dragons board game -- with the show’s creators Matt and Ross Duffer, executive producer Shawn Levy, as well as the series’ cast and writers.

REVIEW: ‘Stranger Things’ returns with new tales of terror from the Upside Down

Actor and super-fan Jim Rash will host the show, touching on the inspiration for the spooky series, behind-the-scenes stories and analysis of “Stranger Things 2,” which begins streaming Friday. All seven episodes of “Beyond Stranger Things” will premiere on the same day.

Viewers are advised to watch Season 2 in its entirety before watching the after-show to avoid major spoilers, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The after-show will automatically begin playing once viewers complete the final episode of Season 2.

“Beyond Stranger Things” is the streaming giant’s first go at after-show programming and is billed as a Netflix original series. It is produced by Embassy Row, which produced Netflix’s “Jerry Before Seinfeld” comedy special and currently produces AMC’s “Walking Dead” and “Better Call Saul” after-shows, “Talking Dead” and “Talking Saul,” respectively.

Watch a sneak peek of the new series below.

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Ashley Judd says she made a deal with Harvey Weinstein to escape sexual harassment

Feeling trapped and facing a barrage of propositions years ago in Harvey Weinstein’s hotel room, Ashley Judd says, she made a deal with the now-disgraced producer: She would say yes to his sexual advances after she won an Academy Award for one of his films.

He countered with after she was nominated for one. She held firm.

The actress found herself alone with Weinstein in his room for what she thought was going to be a business appointment, she told ABC’s Diane Sawyer in a clip that aired Thursday on “Good Morning America.” She hadn’t been warned, she said, and had no idea of what he might do.

Judd remembered her stomach lurching when the person at the desk told her she would be meeting with Weinstein in private, rather than somewhere public like the hotel patio. But, she thought, it was a business appointment.

Full coverage: Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal

About what she’d eventually offered Weinstein, the 49-year-old said, “Am I proud of that? I’m of two minds. The part that shames myself says no. The part of me that understands the way shame works says, ‘That was absolutely brilliant. Good job, kid. You got out of there.’”

The interview — more of which ABC will air Thursday on “World News Tonight With David Muir,” “Nightline,” ABC News Digital and ABC News Radio — is Judd’s first public declaration since her statements in a New York Times investigation helped open the floodgates on three decades of sexual harassment allegations against Weinstein.

Ashley Judd escaped Harvey Weinstein's advances by proposing a deal.
(Evan Agostini / Invision)

“There’s this constant grooming negotiation going on ...,” she said of the hotel meeting, during which the producer allegedly pressured her constantly to do what he wanted and steered her into a hallway near a closet where she had no exit.

“I thought with this volley of no’s, which he ignored — who knows, maybe he heard them as maybe, maybe he heard them as yeses, maybe they turned him on.”

She came up with the idea to make a deal.

“Finally, I just said, ‘When I win an Oscar in one of your movies, OK?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, when you get nominated.’ And I said, ‘No, when I win an Oscar.’ And I just fled.”

Inviting young women to his hotel room for a meeting was, she said, “his pattern of sexual predation. That’s how he rolled.”

As for pictures put forth by Weinstein showing him holding her hand at a Vanity Fair Oscar Party when she was in her late 20s, Judd said things like “ick” and “gross.” His camp has said the images prove the two were friends.

“No,” she said. “That’s deny, attack, reverse the order of offender and victim.”

Judd said he had actually grabbed her hand as they crossed paths at the event, and that’s what the picture shows.

ALSO

Actress Natassia Malthe says Harvey Weinstein raped her in 2008

MSNBC political analyst Mark Halperin put on leave over sexual harassment claims

James Toback’s 200-plus accusers now include Julianne Moore

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A Star Is Born: Rita Wilson turns 61 today

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

It’s always good to laugh. And these are hard economic times, hard political times, and I think an escape and the ability to laugh for a while is not a bad thing.

— Rita Wilson, 2011

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Like Family

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Deathstroke movie in the works at Warner Bros. with ‘The Raid’ director and Joe Manganiello

A few weeks before their “Justice League” debut, Warner Bros. is already teasing another DC Entertainment adaptation. But instead of focusing attention on superheroes, this new movie would star a big bad villain, Deathstroke.

Despite the recent pivot to happier, feel-good fare thanks to “Wonder Woman,” and with the swashbuckling “Aquaman” movie finally wrapped, Warner Bros. looks to take a risk on a darker, fairly bloody character.

The Times can confirm that “The Raid” director Gareth Evans is in talks to write and direct a “Deathstroke” feature starring former “True Blood” werewolf Joe Manganiello.

Fun fact: Manganiello was already on the radar to play Deathstroke. Fans even assumed he would appear in either “Justice League” or the standalone Batman movie, especially after Batman himself (Ben Affleck) released some footage of the character (presumably on the “Justice League” set) via Twitter.

However, it looks like most of that cameo has been scrapped in favor of a solo flick.

Deathstroke is a genetically engineered super soldier who goes by the name Slade Joseph Wilson when he’s not moonlighting as a mercenary. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez in 1980, first appearing in the comic “New Teen Titans” No. 2. A highly skilled, hyper-violent killer, Deathstroke’s weapons of choice are a powerful staff that shoots energy blasts and a sword.

After “Suicide Squad” proved there’s money to be made in giving villains a showcase, DC Entertainment has more villain-centric movies in the works, including a Joker origin story in development with Warner Bros. But which movie will actually start production first?

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Tamar Braxton files for divorce from husband-manager-costar Vince Herbert

Tamar Braxton and Vince Herbert at the Grammys in 2014.
(Jordan Strauss / Associated Press)

Tamar Braxton has called it quits on her marriage to Vince Herbert, who is also her manager.

The singer and reality TV personality, who has been in a relationship with the record executive since 2003 and told him “I do” in 2008, filed for divorce Tuesday in L.A. County, according to the Associated Press. The separation happened this month.

The couple have one child, 4-year-old Logan Herbert. While Braxton is asking for joint custody, she also wants their son to live with her.

In March 2016, Braxton suddenly left the show “The Real,” where she had been a cohost for two seasons. Producers said in a statement at the time that the decision to part was mutual and that she was leaving to pursue a solo singing career.

That pursuit has been the focus of the couple’s WEtv reality show “Tamar & Vince,” which Braxton said earlier this month would be back for its fifth season starting Nov. 9. The show is a spin-off of “Braxton Family Values,” also on WEtv.

In mid-September she said on Instagram that “Bluebird of Happiness,” which dropped Sept. 29, would be her “BEST & LAST album.” Herbert helped launch not only Tamar Braxton’s career but also Lady Gaga’s.

Sources told the entertainment site Jasmine Brand that the split had been coming for a while, while a Braxton rep told TMZ the decision to file was “extremely difficult.”

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Eminem wins copyright fight with New Zealand political party over ‘Lose Yourself’ soundalike

(Brian Sevald / NBAE via Getty Images)

Rapper Eminem’s camp prevailed Wednesday in a copyright dispute with a political party in New Zealand that used a version of his song “Lose Yourself” without permission in a 2014 election ad.

The lawsuit was brought by the song’s publisher, Eight Mile Style, which according to the New Zealand Herald was awarded the equivalent of about $412,000 U.S. The court in Wellington, New Zealand’s capital, deemed that sum to be the “hypothetical license fee” the party should have paid for the song in the first place, as well as damages and interest.

“This decision is a warning to soundalike music producers and their clients everywhere,” a Sydney, Australia-based attorney whose firm repped Eight Mile Style told the Associated Press. “It sets a major precedent in New Zealand and will be influential in Australia, the U.K. and elsewhere.”

The ad, which can still be seen online but is no longer on the National Party’s YouTube channel, featured footage of a skilled rowing crew in action on the water contrasted to a floundering rowboat crew going nowhere, with a voiceover urging voters to choose National Party candidates to “stay on course to prosperity.” The instrumental backing track is titled “Eminem Esque.”

The court ruling, according to the Guardian, declared that “Eminem Esque has substantially copied ‘Lose Yourself.’ The differences between the two works are minimal; the close similarities and the indiscernible differences in drum beat, the ‘melodic line’ and the piano figures make Eminem Esque strikingly similar to ‘Lose Yourself’.”

In May, an attorney for Eight Mile Style referred to the Oscar- and Grammy-winning “Lose Yourself,” which was used in the movie “8 Mile.” as “without doubt the jewel in the crown of Eminem’s musical work.” The rapper starred in the movie, along with the late actress Brittany Murphy.

The defense had argued in part that the song was not very original in the first place. The judge agreed with the plaintiff, the AP said, noting that the song is rarely licensed for ads.

However, it also decided that the National Party hadn’t behaved recklessly because it sought what the Herald called professional, commercial and media advice before using “Eminem Esque.” Therefore, damages were restricted to the copyright violation.

Peter Goodfellow, president of the National Party, told the AP in a statement that he was disappointed with the ruling because the party had purchased the music in good faith. The party has already filed claims against the U.S.-based supplier and Australia-based supplier of the soundalike music.

The ad ran on TV 186 times during the party’s successful 2014 election campaign.

Eminem, of course, doesn’t stay out of politics entirely. He just keeps his opinions in the United States.

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Listen to 10 Fats Domino songs that shook the world

Fats Domino performing in 1993 at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.
(Patrick Kovarik / AFP/Getty Images)

When Fats Domino sat at a piano and let loose, he did so with a flair that turned those 88 keys into 88 drums.

An original framer of the rock ‘n’ roll constitution whose way with rhythm was as singular as John Hancock’s signature, Domino delivered melodies via vocal runs that explored desire, heartbreak and the allure of his New Orleans home.

The artist, who died early Tuesday at 89, documented life’s emotional highs and lows while organized chaos swirled around him.

His seminal song “Walking to New Orleans” found him far from home but so desperate to return that he was willing to wear out two pairs of shoes to get there.

He had already indicated the city’s draw on his first record, “The Fat Man.” Written by Domino and his longtime bandleader (and Imperial Records kingpin) Dave Bartholomew, its lyrics connect the singer’s girth with his prowess: “All the girls they love me/ ‘Cause I know my way around.”

Domino in 1980.
(Ralph Gatti / AFP/Getty Images)

That rhythm was driven both by Domino’s fingers and a backbeat courtesy of drummer Earl Palmer, who at the time was a member of Bartholomew’s outfit. Palmer once said that their work on the 1949 recording of “The Fat Man” was the first ever to be propelled solely by a back beat, an approach that came to define early rock ‘n’ roll.

Although Domino lacked the wild onstage energy of Jerry Lee Lewis or Little Richard, when he worked the piano he did so with a raucous dialect that drew upon influential New Orleans pianists Professor Longhair and Champion Jack Dupree.

Across the eras, Domino eased his style into the contemporary conversation and infused his immediately identifiable style into works that spanned genres.

He fueled his version of Hank Williams’ “Jambalaya (On the Bayou)” with an arrangement that suggested a second-line New Orleans brass band. He even did a version of the Beatles’ “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey.”

Check out these 10 essential Domino recordings that forever altered rock ‘n’ roll.

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Metallica, Dave Matthews Band, G-Eazy to play fire benefit concert in San Francisco

Metallica will lend its support to victims of recent fires in the Bay Area.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Metallica, the Dave Matthews Band and rapper G-Eazy are banding together to support Bay Area relief efforts in the aftermath of the catastrophic wildfires that ripped through the region earlier this month.

The acts have teamed up with the nonprofit Tipping Point and a coalition of local businesses calling themselves Band Together Bay Area to put on a benefit concert at San Francisco’s AT&T Park on Nov. 9. More acts are expected to join the set.

The major fundraising campaign will support recovery efforts and raise money for low-income, vulnerable communities hit by the Northern California fires, which left 42 people dead and caused more than $1 billion in damage. The organization has already collected $6.5 million, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public Friday and range from $49.50 to $199.50, with all proceeds benefiting the relief effort. First responders, volunteers and families affected by the fires will have prime seats reserved for them.

Metallica co-founder Lars Ulrich said in a video posted on Twitter that he was saddened and flabbergasted by the devastation. Guitarist Kirk Hammett said that the blazes nearly burned his Sonoma County home and took a “mental and psychological toll,” according to the Chronicle.

“My heart goes out to all those affected by the devastating fires,” Oakland rapper G-Eazy told the newspaper. “The Bay Area is forever my home, my heart and soul, and it hurts to see so many people lose everything.”

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God visits ‘The Daily Show’ to call out Bill O’Reilly for misplaced blame

“The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah was still in disbelief Tuesday that Bill O’Reilly had reportedly paid out a $32-million sexual harassment settlement just before the former Fox News host signed his last contract with the network.

“$32 million? Do you know how much money that is?” asked Noah. “...I’m sorry that I’m stuck on this, but it’s just an amazing amount of money to pay out, especially if you’re not guilty.”

Noah then shared the recording the New York Times released of O’Reilly denying the allegations, claiming he had “shocking evidence” to prove his downfall was somehow “politically and financially motivated.”

“So let me get this straight,” said Noah. “You have evidence. Shocking evidence that would totally exonerate you. But you’re not going to go to court because it will hurt your kids? As opposed to what’s happening now?

“You know how phony that sounds, right? ‘I would take this to trial, but the idea of my kids hearing a judge declare me not guilty would be too much for them,’” he added.

After pointing out that O’Reilly has yet to reveal any “shocking evidence,” Noah did note that O’Reilly has blamed pretty much everybody he could including “his enemies, the liberal media and his former colleagues for the situation that he’s in.”

Oh, and also God.

“Wow. He’s mad at God?” asked Noah. “He’s mad at God for not protecting him? This is one of those times that I wish we could hear what God has to say.”

Luckily, God (played by new “Daily Show” correspondent Dulcé Sloan) was on hand to set the record straight.

“I came to talk about Bill O’Reilly and why he dragged [me] into his drama,” said God. “I’ve had nothing to do with humans, any of y’all basically, since the Titanic.

“I came down to tell Bill O’Reilly to keep my name out of his mouth,” God continued. “Bill O’Reilly did this to himself and now he’s mad at me? Hasn’t [he] ever heard of ‘personal responsibility?’”

Watch the segment, which includes some adult language, here.

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Paul Walker’s daughter settles with Porsche in wrongful-death suit

Paul Walker’s daughter, who previously settled with the estate of the man who was driving in the fatal crash that killed her actor father in 2013, has settled a wrongful-death suit she filed against Porsche as well.

“The matter has been resolved to the satisfaction of all involved,” Jeff Milam, her attorney, told The Times on Wednesday.

Meadow Walker was 16 when she filed suit against the automaker in 2015, alleging that her father initially survived the crash in November 2013 but died because he couldn’t release his seat belt to escape from the sports car as it burned after a high-speed crash in Santa Clarita.

Now 18, the younger Walker reached a settlement with Porsche on Oct. 16, according to documents obtained by the Blast. The deal — terms of which are reportedly confidential — includes a request that the wrongful-death case be dismissed, and also notes that the “Fast & Furious” franchise actor’s father, Paul William Walker III, had also reached an agreement with the car maker.

Meadow Walker’s attorney, Jeff Milam, alleged in 2015 that Porsche’s 2005 Carrera GT was not designed to protect its occupants in a crash, even at speeds below its advertised capabilities. It was marketed as a race car with a 605-horsepower engine capable of up to 205 mph. A sheriff’s report put Rodas’ speed at 80 to 93 mph in a 45 mph zone leading up to the impact.

Porsche attorneys argued in 2015 that the actor was “a knowledgeable and sophisticated user” of the sports car and, as a willing passenger, was responsible for his own death.

A judge previously dismissed a suit against Porsche brought by Kristine Rodas, the widow of Roger Rodas, who was driving when the Carrera GT hit a tree at a high speed and burst into flames. Her suit alleged that design flaws caused her husband’s death. The judge decided a roll cage or racing fuel cell would not have prevented Roger Rodas’ death from blunt force trauma.

Paul Walker and Roger Rodas were longtime friends. The actor’s daughter reached a $10.1-million settlement with Rodas’ estate in 2014. Of that money, about $7.2 million went into a trust for Meadow Walker, while nearly $2.9 million was set aside for legal fees, court records said.

Paul Walker was 40 and a passenger in Roger Rodas’ Porsche Carrera GT when the two left a charity event in Valencia in 2013 and shortly afterward hit a tree and a concrete lamp post, exploding into flames.

A memorial quickly grew around the crash site, and fans’ and friends’ public mourning continued for days. The actor was on a break from production on “Furious 7” when he died, and digital effects were used to complete his performance in the film.

UPDATES

12:27 p.m. The estimated speed of the car before impact was added.

12:12 p.m.: A statement from attorney Jeff Milam was added.

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A Star Is Born: Samantha Bee turns 48 today

(Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

You have to get the story, so you just press the gas pedal and just take a deep breath and go, ‘Ugh.’ If you can feel it down here [points to stomach], way down here in the swamp, you know that you have to ask the question. It does feel terrible, but then everyone’s alive at the end.

— Samantha Bee, 2016

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Samantha Bee goes ‘Full Frontal’ after long ‘Daily Show’ run

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In Netflix’s ‘The Day I Met El Chapo,’ actress Kate del Castillo is ‘not going to stay silent’ about the drug kingpin

Kate del Castillo in her office with her dog, Lola, at her L.A. home in March.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

If ever there was an example of the adverse effects of late-night Twitter use, it’s the story of how Kate del Castillo became entangled in one of the most bizarre stories of modern times.

The outspoken actress has long been a household name in Latin America and beyond thanks to her roles in numerous telenovelas such as “Muchachitas” (“Girls”) and “La Reina del Sur” (“Queen of the South”). Then a 2012 tweet, in which she expressed having more trust in Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman than the Mexican government, thrust her into a media frenzy of a different sort — and captured the attention of the notorious drug lord in the process.

The tweet eventually led to text message exchanges and, ultimately, a secret introduction in Sinaloa in 2015. Del Castillo met with Guzman, who was on the run from Mexican authorities after breaking out of maximum-security prison (a second time), with the intent of making a film about his life after being contacted by his lawyers. Adding a real-life telenovela twist to the encounter: she was joined by actor Sean Penn— with whom, she reveals in the documentary, she developed a brief intimate relationship — who would go on to chronicle the experience for Rolling Stone magazine.

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Notorious photographer Terry Richardson no longer welcome at Condé Nast International

Notorious celebrity and fashion photographer Terry Richardson has been banned from working with any magazines under the Condé Nast International umbrella.

Condé Nast U.S. operates independently of the international group and has not worked with Richardson for years. “Condé Nast has nothing planned with him going forward,” a U.S. spokesperson said Tuesday.

In a leaked memo obtained by the Telegraph, an executive with the overseas media group -- which publishes international editions of Vogue, GQ and Vanity Fair, among others -- told key staff that Richardson shoots already commissioned or those that have been completed but not published “should be killed and substituted with other material.”

Richardson, whom Britain’s Sunday Times called “the Harvey Weinstein of fashion,” has a reputation for sexual content in much of his work. He has teamed with the likes of Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Beyoncé and Kate Upton.

Over the years, a number of less-famous models have gone on the record with various media outlets to allege Richardson’s sexual misconduct during shoots and elsewhere.

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Julianne Moore accuses James Toback of propositioning her twice, says he didn’t remember the first time

Julianne Moore has joined the hundreds of women accusing director James Toback of sexual misconduct.

Since The Times published its investigation of the “Bugsy” screenwriter on Sunday, in which 38 women went on the record about their alleged dealings with Toback, more than 200 more have come forward alleging experiences of harassment with the filmmaker.

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FOR THE RECORD

Oct. 25 12:35 p.m.: A previous version of this article misidentified Toback as the director of “Bugsy.” Toback wrote the movie’s screenplay.

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(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Moore, who stars in George Clooney’s new film, “Suburbicon,” and has publicly shamed disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein over allegations of sexual assault, shared her tale Tuesday in direct tweets to Times reporter Glenn Whipp, who broke the Toback story.

The Oscar- and Emmy-winning actress said that Toback approached her in the 1980s using the same language detailed in The Times investigation and wanted her to audition at his apartment.

“I refused,” she wrote, “One month later he did it again with the EXACT same language. I said don’t u remember u did this before?”

The women accusing Toback reported a pattern of behavior, carried out over four decades, that included the director approaching them in New York and Los Angeles, boasting of his movie credits and relationships with stars such as Robert Downey Jr.

Then, under the pretext of interviews or auditions, he asked explicit questions about their sexual histories, often proposing that they remove their clothes, Whipp reported. The encounters often ended with Toback rubbing up against them suggestively or masturbating in front of them, ejaculating into his pants or onto their bodies, they alleged.

James Toback is accused of sexually harassing hundreds of women.
(Dave Bedrosian / Future-Image)

Moore, 56, becomes the best known star to share her alleged experience with Toback. Louise Post, guitarist and vocalist for Veruca Salt, detailed her story to The Times, and “Today” show anchor Natalie Morales said that she also had an encounter with Toback in Central Park. Meanwhile, “Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn said that he had been warning women about Toback for years.

Since the Times investigation was published, the Los Angeles Police Department has fielded numerous phone calls related to Toback. In New York, the Manhattan district attorney also said women are being encouraged to call the office’s sex crimes hotline in relation to Toback, who lives in New York.

Toback, 72, has denied the allegations, saying that he had never met any of the women in the story or, if he did, it “was for five minutes and have no recollection.”

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Kid Rock says, ‘... no, I’m not running for Senate’ in Michigan

Making full use of SiriusXM’s liberal policy on cussing, Kid Rock told radio host Howard Stern Tuesday morning that he isn’t actually running for office in Michigan.

”... no, I’m not running for Senate,” Kid Rock said. “Are you ... kidding me? Who ... couldn’t figure that out?”

The musician, who was born Robert Richie, had been teasing a run in his home state for months, going so far as to buy and promote a supposed campaign domain, kidrockforsenate.com.

At a Grand Rapids, Mich., concert in September, he walked onto the stage to the tune of “Hail to the Chief” and stood in front of a lectern that read “United States of ‘Merica.”

Turns out that all the while he was promoting — surprise, surprise! — his forthcoming album.

Sounding exasperated that anyone would believe his repeated deceptions, he told Stern that after someone started the rumor of his run earlier this year, he decided to throw caution to the wind and said: “‘Let’s get some signs made!’ We started going with it.”

He fooled at least one of his potential future colleagues.

“Well, maybe this is all a joke — but we all thought Donald Trump was joking when he rode down the escalator at Trump Tower and announced his campaign too,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren said in July, as reported by the Boston Herald.

With Kid Rock’s would-be run now over, he will likely focus on his craft, and whether he can replicate the sophisticated lyricism of his most accomplished couplet: “Bawitdaba, da bang, da dang diggy diggy diggy/ Said the boogie, said up jump the boogie.”

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Writers Guild of America condemns embattled filmmaker James Toback over sexual misconduct allegations

Director James Toback photographed in September at the Venice Film Festival premiere of his new movie, "The Private Life of a Modern Woman."
(Tiziana Fabi / AFP/Getty Images)

As accusations of sexual harassment against director James Toback continue to mount – now numbering in the hundreds – the Writers Guild of America, East, of which Toback is a member, issued a statement Tuesday morning condemning him.

“The allegations against James Toback are deeply troubling. They are both extensive and consistent, and this sort of behavior cannot be tolerated,” the WGAE said.

For now, the guild did not announce any steps to revoke Toback’s membership. But the WGAE stated that it is “conducting a thorough review of all the ways the union can fight to ensure that our members can work in an atmosphere free from sexual harassment and aggression.”

On Sunday, The Times released an investigation detailing dozens of allegations of sexual misconduct involving Toback stretching back decades, a report that prompted a further flood of accusations.

Toback earned an Oscar nomination for his screenplay for the 1991 film “Bugsy” and has written and directed a dozen films, including “The Pick-Up Artist,” “Black and White,” “When Will I Be Loved” and, most recently, “The Private Life of a Modern Woman.”

The WGAE is the only major Hollywood guild of which Toback remains a member. In the past 12 years, he fell out of both the motion picture academy and the Directors Guild of America, in both cases for not paying his dues.

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Seth Meyers just wants Trump to behave like a ‘normal, decent human being’

Seth Meyers has had enough with Donald Trump’s feud with a fallen soldier’s widow.

Back from a weeklong hiatus, the “Late Night” host implored Trump on Monday night to just behave like a “normal, decent human being” by apologizing to Myeisha Johnson, the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson.

Sgt. Johnson was one of the four soldiers killed earlier this month during an ambush on a special forces patrol in Niger. According to his widow and Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson, Trump could not remember Sgt. Johnson’s name when he called to offer his condolences. Trump, of course, took to Twitter to refute their story.

“Look, just stop,” said Meyers. “Stop tweeting. Stop responding. Do what a normal, decent human being would do: Apologize and then be quiet.”

In addition to being critical of Trump’s habit of “attacking anyone who dares to challenge him -- whether it’s the news media, football players or a member of Congress,” Meyers was also unimpressed with the White House’s response to reporters who questioned White House Chief of Staff John Kelly’s comments about Rep. Wilson.

Last week, Kelly, while disputing Wilson’s account of the phone call between Trump and Johnson, criticized the Florida Democrat for listening in on the conversation. He then misrepresented a speech Wilson made at the dedication of a new FBI building in 2015.

“In another authoritarian turn, when the White House was asked on Friday about Kelly misstating those facts, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said reporters cannot question Kelly because he’s a four-star Marine general,” said Meyers.

Meyers then shared a clip of Trump attacking a retired four-star Marine general: Gen. John Allen, who had criticized Trump during last year’s Democratic National Convention.

“That’s right, he’s a ‘failed general,’” said Meyers, repeating Trump’s words. “As opposed to Donald Trump who’s a general failure.”

Watch the segment above.

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A Star Is Born: Drake turns 31 today

(Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)

Hip-hop is all about moments. You look at people who were hot three or four years ago who are sitting around reminiscing. It’s fickle. It’s a game of moments.

— Drake, 2010

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Drake looks to seize the moment — then make it last

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Billy Joel welcomes third child, daughter Remy Anne

(Kris Connor / Getty Images)

It’s another uptown girl for downtown man Billy Joel.

The musician welcomed his third child, the second with wife Alexis, on Sunday, according to the birth announcement posted on Joel’s website on Monday.

The piano man’s daughter Remy Anne was born at 7:50 p.m at New York University Hospital in the Big Apple and weighed in at 7 pounds and 3 ounces. Accompanying the birth announcement was a photo of the three-time dad carrying the pink-clad, wide-eyed newborn.

“Alexis and Remy are doing well and everyone is thrilled,” the announcement said.

Joel, 68, and Alexis, 35, are already parents to 2-year-old daughter Della Rose. The singer-songwriter and his 31-year-old daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, whom he had with ex-wife Christie Brinkley, were both at Alexis’ side as she gave birth, the announcement said.

Joel revealed that he and his wife were expecting again during a Belfast Telegraph interview published this month.

The six-time Grammy Award winner and his fourth wife started dating in 2009 and wed in July 2015 during a secret ceremony at his Long Island estate. They welcomed Della Rosa the following month.

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Kathy Griffin and Lisa Bloom take the gloves off for a public war of words

Lisa Bloom, left, and Kathy Griffin.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times, from left; Rich Fury / Associated Press)

If it wasn’t clear before, it is now: Kathy Griffin and Lisa Bloom are beyond done.

Griffin, who’s on tour in Australia, took a shot at her former attorney Sunday on Twitter: “Dear @LisaBloom pls stop calling me. If you’d like to refund me the tens of thousands of $$ I wasted on your services maybe I’ll talk to you.”

Bloom responded that same day, saying Griffin was the only client she has ever had “who chose to extemporize at a press conference rather than read from notes we planned in advance.” Now, Bloom said in her statement, Griffin blames her for the bad reaction to comments that were decidedly ad-libbed.

In addition to the tweet, Griffin spoke to the Daily Beast about their relationship after discussing it in a Facebook video posted last week.

“If you want my Lisa Bloom statement, anybody, OK, here it is. Yes, I got Bloomed. Yes, I did not have a good experience with her. Yes, I feel that she and her husband exacerbated my personal situation. OK, there ...,” Griffin said in the video, which she offered as a call for women to band together. She added that she doesn’t intend to sue Bloom and or wish bodily harm on her.

Kathy Griffin, right, with Lisa Bloom at Griffin's press conference in June.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Speaking to the Daily Beast several days after that video, Griffin accused Bloom of “fame-whoring” and “badgering” her to go on a national media tour that she didn’t want to do.

Bloom, also speaking to the Daily Beast, disputed the notion that she had been peppering the comic with calls. “Please show call logs then. I sent one text to Kathy in the last three months, and placed one call to Randy [Bick, Griffin’s manager-boyfriend] recently.”

Bloom further noted: “Kathy has now made a video about how women should stand together, and yes she’s attacked me, a lifetime women’s rights attorney, and not the rest of her team, all of whom were men.” Bloom called that “sad,” but she wishes her former client the best.

Interest in Griffin’s opinion about her former attorney was renewed recently; Griffin was the most recent high-profile client Bloom represented before she briefly took on Harvey Weinstein as a client. Bloom quit as his counsel about two days into his sexual harassment scandal.

Griffin’s Facebook video from Oct. 19 appeared to be inspired by reporters from various outlets, including the Los Angeles Times, reaching out for comment on Bloom. The Times profiled Bloom in a story published the same day as the video.

Here is Bloom’s full statement on Griffin’s recent remarks:

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Stevie Wonder to perform ‘Talking Book,’ ‘Innervisions’ albums for 2017 holiday benefit

Stevie Wonder at the 2013 performance in Los Angeles of his 1976 album "Songs in the Key of Life," for his annual holiday benefit show.
(Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Stevie Wonder will perform two of his watershed 1970s albums, “Talking Book” and “Innervisions,” back to back for the 21st edition of his annual House Full of Toys benefit concert, slated to take place Dec. 10 at Staples Center.

“Even though House Full of Toys will be celebrating 21 years,” Wonder said in a statement, “the joy of giving in the spirit of song will make this night such pleasured fun for the old and young.”

The idea to perform two albums follows previous holiday benefit shows in 2013 and 2014, when he focused on his 1976 album “Songs in the Key of Life,” performing the double album in its entirety with numerous guests, including several who performed on the album four decades earlier.

The success of those shows prompted a tour in which Wonder took the presentation to nearly a dozen cities.

“Talking Book,” released in 1972, represented his maturation as a songwriter, instrumentalist, vocalist and producer after he had first gained fame as a wunderkind who scored a No. 1 single and album at age 13 with the hit “Fingertips (Part 1)” and the companion album “Little Stevie Wonder/The 12 Year Old Genius.”

“Talking Book,” arriving nearly a decade later, became his second Top 10 album up to that point in his career, and spawned two more No. 1 singles, “Superstition” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life.” The album also helped earn him a slot as the opening act for the Rolling Stones on their 1972 U.S. tour supporting their “Exile on Main Street” album.

“Innervisions,” which followed in 1973, further demonstrated his remarkable artistic growth and ambition through such career high watermarks as “Higher Ground,” “Living for the City,” “All in Love Is Fair” and “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing.”

Stevie Wonder and Queen Latifah at the 2016 edition of Wonder's annual House Full of Toys benefit show in L.A.
(Randy Lewis / Los Angeles Times)

It earned Wonder his first album of the year Grammy Award, and began a remarkable run of three such awards for his consecutive album releases — “Fulfillingness’ First Finale” in 1974 and “Songs in the Key of Life” in 1976.

When Paul Simon took the award in 1975 for his album “Still Crazy After All These Years,” which was released between “Fulfillingness’ First Finale” and “Songs in the Key of Life,” he famously thanked Wonder “for not releasing an album last year.”

House Full of Toys began more than two decades ago, with Wonder inviting various musician friends to perform for audiences who were asked to bring new unwrapped toys to be delivered during the holidays to underprivileged families around Los Angeles.

Last year’s event featured Queen Latifah, Lionel Richie, John Legend, Rachel Platten, Anderson .Paak and other guests. Performers for this year’s event have not been announced.

Tickets go on sale Oct. 27, and range from $49.50 to $159.50. Full information is available at axs.com.

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Documentary about Harvey Weinstein and Hollywood sexual assault is in the works

Producer Amy Ziering and director Kirby Dick.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Documentary filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering — the duo behind the Oscar-nominated “The Invisible War,” about rape in the U.S. military, and “The Hunting Ground,” a look at sex abuse on college campuses — say they have wanted for years to make a film about sexual assault in Hollywood but couldn’t get cooperation from the entertainment industry.

Then allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein opened the floodgates. And now their Untitled Hollywood Sexual Assault Documentary project has the green light.

“Everyone was frightened about what would happen to their careers, and worried about whether they would be sued. Distributors were unwilling to fund or release the film, and few people were willing to talk on the record,” producer Ziering said in a news release Monday. “Then the Weinstein stories broke, and it’s like an invisible dam collapsed.”

The documentary will focus on “the underlying current of abuse and manipulation at the hands of power,” director Dick said in the news release. “Our film will also underscore the courage it takes to come forward and be a catalyst for change.”

Financing is coming from Impact Partners, a New York documentary-investment group that also worked with Dick and Ziering on “The Hunting Ground.”

A release date has not yet been set.

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Ewan McGregor seen smooching costar Mary Elizabeth Winstead after quiet split from his wife

Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Ewan McGregor.
(Mark Ralston / AFP/Getty Images, left; Charles Sykes / Associated Press, right)

Ewan McGregor and his wife of 22 years have quietly called it quits, and now he looks to have something romantic going now with “Fargo” costar Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

The “Moulin Rouge” actor was photographed “snogging” Winstead in a busy London cafe, the Sun reported Sunday. After an hour in “deep conversation,” they zipped away on his motorcycle, the paper said.

Earlier this month, according to E! News, the two were spotted getting affectionate at a hotel and spa. They had arrived at the English countryside establishment via helicopter, the outlet said.

Turns out McGregor, 46, and Eve Mavrakis, 51, split in May, according to a family source who talked to People. The former couple have four daughters, the oldest of whom, Clara McGregor, is a model in her 20s.

Also in May, Winstead, 32, and her writer husband, Riley Stearns, announced that they had “decided to move on” from their 15-year relationship. “We are still ride or die, just in a different way now,” she said on Instagram in a now-deleted post that was captured by People.

“We still love each other very much, but we’re different people with different paths and different futures. I can’t wait to see where we both end up,” Stearns wrote at the time, also on Instagram, also deleted.

Winstead and McGregor joined the “Fargo” cast in the show’s third season. It shoots primarily in Calgary, Canada, where, according to the actress’ Instagram, it can be “pretty lovely.”

Of course, the locations the show hit in Los Angeles were pretty lovely as well.

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George Clooney and Matt Damon explain what and when they knew about Harvey Weinstein’s conduct

Matt Damon, left, and George Clooney.
(Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images)

Oscar winners George Clooney and Matt Damon on Monday further condemned producer Harvey Weinstein, their former mentor who had a hand in launching their careers in the 1990s.

The “Suburbicon” director and the film’s star have been sucked into the Weinstein narrative since the scandal broke earlier this month. On Monday, instead of promoting their film during an interview on “Good Morning America,” they spoke of the scandal that has dominated Hollywood and of the mogul’s reputation as a bully.

Clooney previously said he was unaware of Weinstein’s misconduct, and Damon has been accused of gutting an earlier investigation of Weinstein, which he denied.

“You had to spend about five minutes with him to know that he was a bully, he was intimidating. That was his legend. That was his whole M.O.: Could you survive a meeting with Harvey?” Damon explained, speaking to Weinstein’s reputation since the days he ran his first studio, Miramax, before touching on the scores of allegations of sexual assault levied against the disgraced producer.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal >>

“When people say ‘everybody knew’ – yeah, I knew he was an asshole,” Damon said. “He was proud of that. That’s how he carried himself. And I knew he was a womanizer.”

What Damon didn’t know, which he said in earlier rebukes of the producer, was the “level of criminal sexual predation.”

Damon, who co-wrote and starred in Miramax’s “Good Will Hunting” and went on to win Oscar gold for the screenplay, said he knew of actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s encounter with Weinstein through writing partner Ben Affleck but never discussed it directly with her. (Paltrow was among the numerous A-listers who came forward to accuse Weinstein of sexual misconduct.)

Meanwhile, Clooney said there had to be “a comeuppance for all of this.”

“We have to make it safe for people to feel that they can talk about this. And in doing that, I think that’ll scare away that kind of behavior,” Clooney said.

The actor-director added that he witnessed Weinstein bragging of affairs with actresses who were friends of his, but he never believed him.

“I didn’t really think that they were going to have affairs with Harvey, quite honestly. And clearly they didn’t,” he added. “But the idea that this predator, this assaulter ... was out there silencing women like that, it’s beyond infuriating.”

As the story unfolds now, Clooney said, he insisted that he wants to know “all of it.” He also said that men who sexually harass people should know that it won’t be tolerated and that they “will be outed.”

“You’ll be out of the business. And more than that, you might be prosecuted,” he said.

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Justin Timberlake to headline Super Bowl halftime show, 14 years after Janet Jackson’s so-called ‘wardrobe malfunction’

Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake at 2004's infamous Super Bowl halftime performance.
(David Phillip / Associated Press)

Justin Timberlake will return to the Super Bowl halftime show next year, the NFL announced Sunday night, 14 years after one of the pop star’s most notorious live performances on that same stage. Blame it on that “wardrobe malfunction.”

Timberlake and his performance partner, Janet Jackson shocked -- shocked! -- an estimated 140 million people with an incident that became known as “Nipplegate.”

At the conclusion of their well-choreographed 2004 performance of Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body,” the singer reached over to Jackson’s chest and tore off a section of clothing to reveal her breast.

The resulting uproar resulted in an FCC fine -- later rescinded -- and a statement from Timberlake that coined a new term: “I am sorry if anyone was offended by the wardrobe malfunction during the halftime performance at the Super Bowl,” he said. “It was not intentional and is regrettable.”

The incident helped propel Timberlake to even greater fame, while simultaneously damaging Jackson’s career.

Asked by NBC Sports analyst Mike Tirico during a sit-down interview as part of Sunday night’s NFL broadcast whether the malfunction was discussed during negotiations, Timberlake responded with a grin and a stutter. “That ... that ... that won’t happen this time,” he said.

Timberlake added that he’s been studying halftime performances to make sure that he doesn’t mimic earlier spectacles.

“What I really want to do is take the opportunity to put together a performance that feels like it unifies,” Timberlake said. “I feel like that would be the ultimate accomplishment, and then the icing on the cake is at some point within that 12 minutes that everybody is shaking their booty.”

Added Timberlake, referring to another NFL analyst: “I have a goal to make Al Michaels dance.” He then pitched a new Twitter meme: “By the way, we can start a hashtag -- #almichealsshakeyourbooty. That would be the icing on the cake.”

Actually, the icing on the cake would be Timberlake inviting Jackson back onto the stage for a true show of unity, which some fans are calling for on social media.

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Loretta Lynn, recovering from a stroke, surprises crowd at the Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony

Looking frail but still speaking with characteristic wit and charisma, the iconic singer Loretta Lynn surprised an excited crowd on Sunday night in Nashville when she appeared at the Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

The singer, who suffered a stroke in May, presented at the behest of superstar Alan Jackson, who was inducted. By tradition, new inductees are introduced by fellow Hall of Fame members; Lynn, 85, is part of that club.

“The first time I ever met Alan, he looked like a scared little boy,” Lynn said after being led to the podium by Jackson. “He was practicing backstage, going through his songs, and I remember I looked at him and said, ‘You’re going to be one of the greatest singers in country music.’ He hasn’t let me down.”

Also inducted on Sunday were the late singer, songwriter and actor Jerry Reed and the songwriter Don Schlitz.

For her part, Lynn is still cracking, although health concerns prompted her to cancel some performances and push back the release of her new album. “Wouldn’t It Be Great” is expected to come out in 2018.

In a statement issued after her stroke via her Facebook page, she thanked everyone for the well wishes: “I’m just letting everybody know that Willie [Nelson] ain’t dead yet and neither am I, and I can’t wait to see all of you on the road!”

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Watch the first trailer for ‘Phantom Thread,’ possibly Daniel Day-Lewis’ final film

The official trailer for “Phantom Thread,” possibly the final role of Daniel Day-Lewis’ acting career, debuted Monday. The three-time Oscar winner announced back in June that he will be retiring.

From famed writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson (“There Will Be Blood,” “Magnolia”), “Phantom Thread” is set in the fashion world of 1950s London. Day-Lewis plays a dressmaker commissioned to design for members of high society and the royal family and who falls in love with a waitress, played by Vicky Krieps. Lesley Manville and Camilla Rutherford also star.

Due out on Christmas, the film is one of the final award-season contenders to be released. Will Day-Lewis nab another nomination come Oscars time? Perhaps.

Check out the trailer below:

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Sam Smith doesn’t bother with a gender title: ‘I feel just as much woman as I am man’

Sam Smith sings at the Hollywood Bowl for the We Can Survive 2017 concert on Tuesday.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)

Sam Smith seems to regret a couple of things in his life. But neither of them has to do with his sexuality. Or his singing.

It’s the tattoos. The ones on his biceps that say “Alone” and “Honesty.”

“They’re dramatic — I don’t know why I got them,” the 25-year-old singer said in a new interview with London’s Sunday Times, reportedly rolling his eyes a tad as he continued. “I look back on them now and I cringe. But I have to respect what I was feeling in the moment, you know?”

So maybe regret is too strong a word? However, two other tattoos give a hint about Smith’s sense of self. On each hand, he has inked the Venus symbol — the gender sign for female. And he knows how to rock that.

“I love a heel. I’ve got loads of heels at home,” says the singer, who was “obsessed” with Marilyn Manson and Boy George when he was 17. For 2½ years when he was in school, full makeup and “huge fur coats” were his style. No “male” clothing. No biggie, except he was the only gay person in his village. He got teased a lot, he said, but also had people who respected his style choice.

He particularly loves one drag shop in Sydney, Australia, which he frequents when he’s on tour Down Under. “Oh my God, I just buy everything — heels, dresses. We have a great time.”

But Smith isn’t quick to label himself, even as more specific terms about gender identity are knocking on the mainstream door. “I don’t know what the title would be,” he said, “but I feel just as much woman as I am man.”

But let’s back up a bit. In February 2015, when Smith was about to win a Grammy for best new artist, he told the Los Angeles Times that at that moment, all the talk about his sexuality was something he was dealing with more than ever.

“The fact that it’s still a headline makes me feel uncomfortable. There aren’t headlines talking about how Lorde is straight or how Beyoncé is straight,” Smith said. “I look at it from a very equal perspective. I want them to talk about my music. I want them to talk about my singing.”

But the singer — who hopes one day to have a Las Vegas residency like Elton John has had — has shifted his mind set a bit since that interview.

“I remember, at the beginning of my career, being called a ‘gay singer,’ and I didn’t want that,” he told London’s Sunday Times. “I wanted to be seen as a singer first, before people spoke about my private life. And now it’s changed — I’ve changed. I realize that maybe I don’t mind that title.”

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And a million hearts just broke: John Stamos is engaged to Caitlin McHugh

(Richard Shotwell / Invision/Associated Press)

John Stamos is engaged to model-actress Caitlin McHugh.

The “Fuller House” star popped the question at Disneyland, sharing the news on Twitter and Instagram on Sunday.

“I asked...she said yes! ...And we lived happily ever after,” Stamos wrote, captioning an illustration of himself and his lady love embracing in front of Sleeping Beauty’s castle.

The “Scream Queens” actor made a short film of romantic moments from several Disney and Pixar films, People reported, and was prompted to “just ask the girl” after finishing it off with a scene from “The Little Mermaid.” (Much to the chagrin of his fans on Twitter.)

After that, he and “The Vampire Diaries” actress celebrated at 21 Royal, a restaurant at the Anaheim resort where Walt Disney once hosted celebrities and dignitaries.

Stamos, 54, first revealed he was seeing a mystery woman during an appearance on “The View” in March 2016. Though he did not refer to her by name, he did disclose her love of Disney. The model-actress, 31, also starred in his short film “Ingenue-ish.”

This will be the second marriage for Stamos, who was previously wed to model-actress Rebecca Romijn from 1998 to 2004.

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A Star Is Born: Ang Lee turns 63 today

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Fear is our strongest emotion. Not even love — fear is the No. 1 thing that tends to make us do the best thing. I don’t think we’re looking for the fall, but we just want to go to the edge.

— Ang Lee, 2012

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘Life of Pi’s’ Ang Lee on going ‘to the edge’

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Read the 1989 Spy magazine story that detailed James Toback’s attempts to pick up women

James Toback at the Venice Film Festival in September.
(Dave Bedrosian / Future-Image)

After The Times published an investigation of writer-director James Toback’s decades of alleged sexual misconduct on Sunday, some readers were reminded that accusations had been percolating for years.

A story in the March 1989 issue of the defunct magazine Spy, titled “The Pickup Artist’s Guide to Picking Up Women: A Case-by-Case Look at Movie Director James Toback’s Street Technique,” compiled testimonies from 13 of Toback’s alleged victims, including the story’s author, Vincenza Demetz.

According to Demetz, the director went to great lengths to impress the women he sought to pick up. Toback flaunted his membership in the Directors Guild of America and the Harvard Club of New York, boasted about being pictured in a book of Helmut Newton photographs and even offered roles in his upcoming films.

“Out in the field, Toback can frequently be spotted casting future major motion pictures in the Fairway Market at Broadway and 74th Street, whiling away entire afternoons importuning females as they shop for fresh fruits and cheeses,” Demetz wrote.

Though Toback initially cooperated for the story, Demetz noted that he soon grew agitated: “If you print this piece, I promise it will be the single thing you regret most in your life.”

Read the full Spy article here. (It begins on page 86.)

ALSO

The Times’ Glenn Whipp explains how he broke the James Toback scandal story

38 women have come forward to accuse director James Toback of sexual harassment

How Harvey Weinstein used his fashion business as a pipeline to models

Bill O’Reilly reportedly paid $32-million harassment settlement before signing new Fox News contract

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‘Bringing down yet another pig’: Hollywood reacts to The Times’ investigation of James Toback’s alleged sexual abuse

Writer-director James Toback attends the Norman Mailer Center's gala in 2013.
Writer-director James Toback attends the Norman Mailer Center’s gala in 2013.
(Michael Loccisano / Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Times revealed Sunday that 38 women have accused “Bugsy” screenwriter James Toback of sexual harassment going back decades. The reaction on social media was swift — and pretty unforgiving.

“Long overdue for this well known sack of ...,” tweeted TV food personality Anthony Bourdain, ending the post with an expletive. Director James Gunn weighed in with a lengthy post decrying Toback, which he shared on Twitter with the message: “Why I’ve despised James Toback for over 20 years.”

Actress and director Asia Argento, who told the New Yorker about how Harvey Weinstein allegedly sexually assaulted her, tweeted in support of the women coming forward, expressing pride for her “sisters” for “bringing down yet another pig.”

Toback’s accusers also took to Twitter to share their stories, with one former reporter sharing a snapshot of a Post-It note Toback gave her on the streets of New York in the 1980s.

Here’s more of the ensuing fallout from The Times’ story:

MORE: The Times’ Glenn Whipp explains how he broke the James Toback scandal story

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‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ director James Gunn says he’s been warning people about James Toback for decades

Director James Gunn, above, responded to The Times' investigation of James Toback's alleged sexual misconduct.
(Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP/Getty Images)

Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct scandal opened the floodgates for victims of sexual assault to come forward with their own allegations of abuse by Hollywood heavyweights. Director James Toback is the latest to be accused.

After The Times broke a story in which 38 women came forward to allege harassment and assault by Toback, 72, “Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn weighed in. He took to Facebook on Sunday morning to back up the mounting allegations, saying that he’s been warning people about Toback for more than 20 years.

“I have personally met at least FIFTEEN WOMEN, probably more, who say that he’s accosted them in NYC,” wrote Gunn in his post.

Gunn accused Toback of using his clout to try to get women to sleep with him. “He essentially goes up to women and says, ‘Hey, I’m James Toback, and I’m a famous director, and I feel like there’s a connection between us.’

“He has done this to three girls I’ve dated, two of my very best friends, and a family member...twice,” Gunn added. “And that’s just people I know.”

Gunn shared the post on social media in a tweet that said “Why I’ve despised James Toback for over 20 years.”

“I don’t have any firsthand information about any of this,” wrote Gunn. “But the stories are so eerily similar, and I’ve heard them again and again from some of the people I trust most in the world, I know the chances of them being untrue, well, it would just be impossible.”

Read Gunn’s entire Facebook post below.

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A Star Is Born: Christopher Lloyd turns 79 today

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Generations coming up have different feelings about what’s pertinent to them. Where they find humor and drama. I guess! What do I know?

— Christopher Lloyd, 2009

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Sunday Conversation - Christopher Lloyd

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Directors Guild announces it has filed disciplinary charges against Harvey Weinstein

(Jordan Strauss / Invision / Associated Press)

The Directors Guild of America has filed disciplinary charges against member Harvey Weinstein, the organization announced Saturday

DGA President Thomas Schlamme said that the guild made the charges over a week ago, on Oct. 13. Typically, the DGA does not make public remarks about “internal union matters, but has decided to make an exception in this case,” according to a guild statement.

The DGA released the news after its quarterly National Board of Directors meeting in New York City on Saturday. In a statement, the guild also condemned sexual harassment, noting that the issue went beyond “one person” and urged those in the industry to break a “shameful code of complicity” by speaking out about the problem.

“As directors and team members who solve problems for a living, we are committed to eradicating the scourge of sexual harassment on our industry,” the statement read, with Schlamme adding the Weinstein controversy had inspired him “to look inside” himself.

“Unless we recognize what has become so acceptable in our culture and how we possibly, even unconsciously, are participants, everything else will be meaningless,” the president said.

The DGA is the last major Hollywood guild to speak out about Weinstein’s behavior. On Oct. 9, SAG-AFTRA called the producer’s alleged misconduct “abhorrent and unacceptable.” A few days later, the Writers Guild of America, East condemned Weinstein, too, calling his actions “deplorable.” And earlier this week, the Producers Guild of America expelled Weinstein and said it would create an anti-sexual harassment task force.

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A Star Is Born: (Judge) Judy Sheindlin turns 75 today

(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

I can’t stand stupid, and I can’t stand slow. I want first-time offenders to think of their appearance in my courtroom as the second-worst experience of their lives ... circumcision being the first.

— Judge Judy Sheindlin, 1993

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Law and Disorder

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Elizabeth Banks is developing DC Comics show ‘Project 13’ with the CW

The CW continues to mine DC Entertainment vault for TV content, and next up is an adaptation of comic book characters Traci Thirteen and her father Dr. Terrance Thirteen.

Officially titled “Project 13,” the project is being developed by the CW with actress and director Elizabeth Banks, The Times has confirmed. The news was first reported by Variety.

The one-hour drama will follow Traci – a twenty-something forensic scientist – who discovers her hidden extrasensory abilities after joining her estranged father to investigate mysterious cases involving the paranormal and other unexplained phenomena. As in the comics, Traci is a believer in the paranormal while Dr. Thirteen is a skeptic -- despite his family name being “Thirteen,” and his repeated encounters with unexplained phenomena.

In the comics, Traci’s abilities include teleportation, fire blasts of magic energy and spell casting. Most recently she appeared as a superhero in the DC Rebirth “Superwoman” series and is in a relationship with Natasha Irons (the niece of John Henry Irons, a.k.a. Steel).

Despite their relatively unknown status in the comics, Traci and Dr. Thirteen have shared panel space with DC heroes including Batman and Superman.

“Bitten” showrunner Daegan Fryklind will serve as the writer and executive producer of the project. Max Handelman is also attached to the project along with Banks as an executive producer. Banks and Handelman’s Brownstone Productions will produce the show in association with Warner Bros. Television.

The CW’s slate of DC superhero series includes “Supergirl,” “The Flash,” “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” and “Arrow” along with the upcoming “Black Lightning.”

No word yet on whether “Project 13,” will join “Black Lightning” as a show outside the “Arrowverse,” but the network is home to plenty of universes-free comic book creations such as “Riverdale” and “iZombie.”

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Former actress says Harvey Weinstein forced her to touch his genitals: ‘This was how things work in Hollywood’

Heather Kerr, right, with attorney Gloria Allred.
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Former actress Heather Kerr said she was sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein at a business meeting in 1989.

Speaking at a news conference Friday alongside her attorney, Gloria Allred, Kerr alleged that Weinstein forced her to touch his genitals and told her that she had to be good in bed and sleep with him, directors and other producers if she wanted a career in Hollywood.

“He told me this was how things work in Hollywood and that all the actresses that had made it had made it this way. He said, ‘name anyone,’” the 56-year-old recalled.

“He told me that first I would have sex with him and then he would take me to parties and show me who I had to sleep with after that. But first he needed to know how good I was.”

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AFI Festival 2017 adds ‘Disaster Artist,’ ‘Call Me By Your Name,’ ‘Hostiles’ and an Errol Morris tribute

The AFI Fest has added centerpiece galas for three festival favorites to this year’s lineup. Luca Guadagnino’s “Call Me By Your Name,” which premiered at Sundance, James Franco’s “The Disaster Artist,” which bowed as a work in progress at SXSW, and Scott Cooper’s “Hostiles,” which was unveiled at Telluride.

In addition, acclaimed documentary filmmaker Errol Morris will receive a special tribute following a screening of his latest work, the hybrid docu-drama Netflix series “Wormwood,” on Nov. 11.

All Gala screenings will take place at the TCL Chinese Theatre and the Errol Morris tribute is set for the Egyptian Theatre.

The festival had previously announced an opening night gala for Dee Rees’ Sundance-premiered Netflix drama “Mudbound” and a closing night gala for the world premiere of Ridley Scott’s “All the Money in the World.”

Individual tickets are available beginning Nov. 1 and more info can be found at the AFI Fest website.

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Singer Ed Sheeran illuminates his struggle with substance abuse

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has shed some light on why he stepped away from his booming music career in 2015: He was dealing with substance abuse-related issues.

Sudden fame had a negative impact on him, the “Shape of You” crooner explained for an upcoming episode of Britain’s “The Jonathan Ross Show,” which airs on Saturday.

“I think you need to, when you get into the industry, adjust to it — and I didn’t adjust because I was constantly working on tour. And all the pitfalls that people read about, I just found myself slipping into all of them. Mostly, like, substance abuse,” he said, via People.

Sheeran, 26, who recently postponed the Asian leg of his tour after injuring himself in a bike accident, said he “never touched anything” but “started slipping into it, and that’s why I took a year off.” He didn’t really notice what was happening because it was going on gradually.

“Then some people took me to one side and were like, ‘Calm yourself down,’… It’s all fun to begin with, it all starts off as a party and then you’re doing it on your own and it’s not, so that was a wakeup call and taking a year off,” he explained.

He took time off starting at the end of 2015, ahead of the release of his third album, “÷,” earlier this year.

Sheeran said he focused on work, which he couldn’t do while under the influence.

“The more I worked, the less [that happened]. I’ve worked my whole life to get to where I am and you can’t lose that over something that you do in your spare time,” he said.

The Grammy winner also credited his girlfriend, Cherry Seaborn, with helping him cope with his issues. The two are living together and that grounded and helped balance him out, he said.

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Hillary Clinton to receive first Wonder Woman award from the Women’s Media Center

Hillary Clinton will be honored by the Women's Media Center on Thursday in New York City.
(Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be honored by the Women’s Media Center, receiving the Wonder Woman honor at the Women’s Media Awards in New York on Thursday.

“Hillary Clinton’s actions have inspired and protected women and men on every continent,” Gloria Steinem, co-founder of the Women’s Media Center, said in a statement Friday.

“She has battled negative forces and helped to maintain a fragile peace with her negotiating skill on behalf of this country and peace-seekers everywhere. She has handled all this with grace, grit, determination, integrity, humor and fortitude while remaining a steadfast feminist, advocate, activist, sister and tireless leader in the revolution. With this award, the Women’s Media Center declares Hillary Clinton our Wonder Woman,” Steinem added.

This is the first Wonder Woman accolade ever awarded by the group, which cited Clinton’s decades of global accomplishments and public service among the reasons she was chosen for the honor.

Clinton joins Maria Hinojosa, Ashley Judd, April Ryan, María Elena Salinas and Gail Tifford as an honoree at the 2017 ceremony, which will also celebrate the 80th birthday of center co-founder Jane Fonda and the film “Hidden Figures.”

The Women’s Media Center is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization co-founded in 2005 by Fonda, Steinem and Robin Morgan to increase the visibility and power of women in media.

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New Taylor Swift song makes us wonder: What happened to the new, cold-blooded Swift?

Anyone hoping that Taylor Swift’s “Reputation” will be a cold blade of revenge will be surprised by the gooey romance of her new single, “Gorgeous.”

Released Thursday night, the song is a hard turn from the angry, slightly unhinged electro-rock of her recent singles. Instead, it’s a maudlin pop ballad about, yep, falling hard for a super-hot dude despite some minor reservations.

It’s built with modern sub-bass and synth pings (albeit with some silly flourishes like sampled baby talk and hokey chimes). But the drippy, devotional lyrics and Swift’s delivery are weirdly indebted to the kind of teen pop heard on mid-2000s TV shows such as “The Hills.”

It’s not quite what we expected from the new, supposedly more cold-blooded Swift we recently heard on “Look What You Made Me Do.”

(And for what it’s worth: Sunset and Vine in Los Angeles is home to a Bank of America, a Walgreens and an apartment block of YouTube vloggers — is that really the corner you want to be falling in love on?)

The song returns Swift to Shellback and Max Martin, the Swedish producers and writers who helped design much of her pop crossover album “1989.” That record was a global smash, and while “Reputation” will need no help hitting the top of the charts, it does seem like it’ll be more all over the map than previously expected.

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TV Academy to vote on disciplinary proceedings for Harvey Weinstein in November

(Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images for IMG)

Disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein is facing potential expulsion from the Television Academy in the wake of the growing sexual harassment and assault allegations levied against him.

Per the academy’s bylaws, the producer, whose Weinstein Co. is behind Emmy-winning series such as “Project Runway” and Netflix dud “Marco Polo,” will be subjected to a vote in November when the academy’s board of governors will decide whether to maintain his membership.

The outcome doesn’t seem promising for Weinstein, who has been accused of harassing dozens of women over the past three decades and is currently under investigation by police departments in Los Angeles, New York and London.

FULL COVERAGE: Harvey Weinstein scandal

“Sexual harassment in any form is abhorrent and totally unacceptable,” an academy spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday. “Television is a collaborative industry and we fully support those who have been affected by these allegations. The Television Academy stands united with those throughout the industry condemning such behavior in the strongest terms.”

The board met on Thursday to discuss the accusations against the producer and, “in accordance with the Academy’s established procedures, it was overwhelmingly decided to initiate disciplinary proceedings.” Such proceedings could result in terminating his membership.

Weinstein has already been ousted from his own studio, the Motion Picture Academy, BAFTA, British Film Institute and numerous other professional organizations that have distanced themselves from the producer. Several of them also moved to enact measures to help reduce workplace harassment.

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Lupita Nyong’o relates her story of inappropriate Harvey Weinstein encounters

Lupita Nyong'o with her Oscar after winning Best Actress for "12 Years a Slave" at the 86th Annual Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

With stories about women allegedly harassed by Harvey Weinstein surfacing all around her, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o decided she couldn’t keep her own story squashed down any longer.

She thought the things that had happened were unique to her, not a larger pattern of what she on Thursday called “sinister behavior.” She blamed herself for much of it.

“I had shelved my experience with Harvey far in the recesses of my mind, joining in the conspiracy of silence that has allowed this predator to prowl for so many years,” Nyong’o wrote in an op-ed for the New York Times.

The “12 Years a Slave” actress was still at Yale School of Drama when she and Weinstein crossed paths at a 2011 awards ceremony in Berlin, where he was introduced to the then-aspiring actress as “the most powerful producer in Hollywood.” Dinner companions told her he was a good man to know in the biz, but someone to be “careful” around because he could be a bully, she wrote.

The interactions that followed between her and the producer went back and forth between seemingly appropriate and uncomfortably inappropriate, Nyong’o said.

The invitation to screen a movie with Weinstein and his children at his Connecticut home turned into a restaurant lunch where he tried to bully her into drinking alcohol, she wrote, followed by him cutting short her viewing of the movie after 15 minutes and taking her to his bedroom where he offered to give her a massage. She said she flipped the situation around.

“I began to massage his back to buy myself time to figure out how to extricate myself from this undesirable situation,” the actress said. Then he wanted to take off his pants, she wrote.

He couldn’t make it to see a production she was in, but invited her to bring anyone she wanted to see a staged reading of “Finding Neverland,” one of his. Dinner followed, with her friends relegated to a non-Harvey table.

“The talk was shop the whole time and Harvey held court with ease. He was charming and funny once more, and I felt confused about the discomfort I had previously experienced,” Nyong’o said.

Lupita N'yongo accepts the supporting actress Academy Award for her work in "12 Years a Slave" on March 2, 2014.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

A couple of months later, he invited her to a screening of “W.E.” followed by a trip to the Tribeca Grill, which she said she assumed would be another group meal. It was not. His assistants, she said, had seemed uncomfortable as they set up the logistics with her.

“Before the starters arrived, he announced: ‘Let’s cut to the chase. I have a private room upstairs where we can have the rest of our meal.’ I was stunned,” Nyong’o wrote. “I told him I preferred to eat in the restaurant. He told me not to be so naïve. If I wanted to be an actress, then I had to be willing to do this sort of thing. He said he had dated Famous Actress X and Y and look where that had gotten them.”

She declined, and his tone changed, she said. As he escorted her out, sans meal, she checked in with him to make sure they were still “good” after she’d said no.

His response, according to the actress: “‘I don’t know about your career, but you’ll be fine,’ he said. It felt like both a threat and a reassurance at the same time; of what, I couldn’t be sure.”

They didn’t cross paths again until the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, which she was attending in support of “12 Years a Slave.”

“At an after-party, he found me and evicted whoever was sitting next to me to sit beside me,” she wrote. “He said he couldn’t believe how fast I had gotten to where I was, and that he had treated me so badly in the past. He was ashamed of his actions and he promised to respect me moving forward. I said thank you and left it at that. But I made a quiet promise to myself to never ever work with Harvey Weinstein.”

Our business is complicated because intimacy is part and parcel of our profession; as actors we are paid to do very intimate things in public. That’s why someone can have the audacity to invite you to their home or hotel and you show up.

— Lupita Nyong’o

The following year, after her Oscar win, he tried to get her in one of his films, showering her with talk of a star-vehicle film in the offing for her later if she’d first take a role in a Weinstein Co. movie she’d already turned down. She held firm.

When she first met the now-disgraced producer, she wrote, she was “entering into a community that Harvey Weinstein had been in, and even shaped, long before I got there. He was one of the first people I met in the industry, and he told me, ‘This is the way it is.’ And wherever I looked, everyone seemed to be bracing themselves and dealing with him, unchallenged.”

Since then, she said, she hasn’t encountered treatment like that from anyone else. Still, she talked about the often-blurry lines in the workplace known as Hollywood.

“Our business is complicated because intimacy is part and parcel of our profession; as actors we are paid to do very intimate things in public,” wrote Nyong’o, who is now 34. “That’s why someone can have the audacity to invite you to their home or hotel and you show up. Precisely because of this we must stay vigilant and ensure that the professional intimacy is not abused.”

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Julia Louis-Dreyfus battles against breast cancer in new Instagram post

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ battle with breast cancer is getting ferocious as the 56-year-old actress took to Instagram Thursday with a fierce and funny selfie.

“Chemo #2 finito. We are NOT [messing] around here,” Louis-Dreyfus wrote in a caption accompanying a photo of herself wearing a black hoodie, aviator sunglasses and a drawn-on mustache.

Louis-Dreyfus went on to quote some particularly apt Katy Perry lyrics that seem to be serving as inspiration for the actress, thanks in no small part to an amazing video made by “Veep” costars Timothy Simons and Tony Hale.

“I’ve got the eye of the tiger. The Fighter dancing through the fire cuz I am a champion and you’re going to hear me ROAR,” Louis-Dreyfus wrote, going on to thank Simons and Hale, as well as Perry herself, for their support and inspiration.

Three weeks ago, the “Seinfeld” star announced her diagnosis via Instagram, acknowledging that one in eight women get breast cancer.

“Today, I’m the one,” she wrote.

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A Star Is Born: Viggo Mortenson turns 59 today

(Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

A lot of people want to get into acting because they want to be famous. I don’t think much of that, but that’s my perspective. It doesn’t mean you’ll be a bad actor if you’re a shallow person — in fact, maybe it helps.

— Viggo Mortenson, 1997

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Viggo Mortenson / Actor

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Quentin Tarantino admits he ‘knew enough to do more’ about Harvey Weinstein

Director Quentin Tarantino.
Director Quentin Tarantino.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

In an interview with the New York Times published Thursday, director Quentin Tarantino admitted that he has known some details of Harvey Weinstein’s alleged misconduct toward women for decades.

“I knew enough to do more than I did,” he said. “There was more to it than just the normal rumors, the normal gossip. It wasn’t secondhand. I knew he did a couple of these things.”

In the article, Tarantino, who has seen every one of his films since “Pulp Fiction” released by Miramax or the Weinstein Co. and is perhaps the Hollywood director most closely tied to the fallen producer, admitted to being told by his former girlfriend Mira Sorvino about Weinstein’s unsavory actions. He also revealed that he knew actress Rose McGowan, who says she was raped by Weinstein, had reached a settlement with the producer.

“I wish I had taken responsibility for what I heard,” he said. “If I had done the work I should have done then, I would have had to not work with him.”

“What I did was marginalize the incidents,” he added. “Anything I say now will sound like a crappy excuse.”

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Howard Stern says ‘big fat guy’ Harvey Weinstein and his ilk are ‘freaks’

Howard Stern’s own wife doesn’t see him nude unless they’re about to get busy in bed. So why, he wonders, do certain men think women are going to be turned on by their similarly imperfect naked male bodies?

“All these guys who do sexual harassment, they’re freaks,” Stern said Wednesday on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

“This big fat guy, what does he think? He says to a woman —here’s his standard move, according to all these women who’ve accused him. He goes, ‘Listen, I’m gonna get in the shower. I want you to watch me nude,’ ” the radio host said.

“Now, I’m a man. If you saw me naked, you’d throw up.”

No woman in the world is going to get turned on by seeing Weinstein naked, Stern said.

Ditto for Bill O’Reilly, who had a similar see-me-in-the-shower technique, he said. And then, he added, there’s Anthony Weiner, who was texting women shots of his man parts.

It’s definitely hit the fan when the onetime king of raunch — who said his show has evolved from the sex fest it was three or four decades ago — is grossed out by what you’ve done.

“The one thing women don’t want to see,” Stern said emphatically, “is a guy’s penis. They want to see you’ve got a job. They want to see you treat ‘em nicely.”

See his comments in full above, starting around the 4:40 mark.

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Women in animation industry call for an end to sexism and sexual harassment

As the fallout from Harvey Weinstein’s sexual abuse scandal continues, 217 women -- and gender-nonconforming people -- in the animation industry have come forward with an open letter to more than a dozen studios demanding an end to sexism and sexual harassment in their field.

“In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, many of the women who work in animation have begun discussing more openly issues that we have dealt with quietly throughout our careers,” the letter begins.

“As we came together to share our stories of sexism, sexual harassment and, in some cases, sexual assault, we were struck by the pervasiveness of the problem.

“We resolve to do everything we can to prevent anyone else from being victimized. We are united in our mission to wipe out sexual harassment in the animation industry, and we will no longer be silent,” the letter concludes.

The document was sent Thursday to executives at major animation studios that include Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, Cartoon Network, DreamWorks and Sony.

The Times obtained the letter, and you can read it in its entirety here.

Rebecca Sugar, photographed in July at Comic-Con in San Diego, is among 200-plus animators who signed a letter imploring their industry to address sexism and sexual harassment.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Among the more than 200 names who signed the letter is Rebecca Sugar, creator of Cartoon Network’s “Steven Universe”; Fox’s “Bob’s Burgers” writer and producer Wendy Molyneaux; and contributors to multiple animated projects such as “BoJack Horseman,” “The Powerpuff Girls” and “Adventure Time,” among others.

The news comes in the wake of claims of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior by Chris Savino, the 46-year-old creator of the Nickelodeon series “Loud House.” Among those who came forward about Savino was “BoJack Horseman” director Anne Walker Farrell, who wrote on Twitter that she was harassed by Savino when she was 20 years old. (Farrell was among those who signed the open letter.)

The website Cartoon Brew reported that as many as 12 women have come forward with allegations against Savino, who was reportedly placed on leave of absence by the network last week.

When asked for comment about Savino and his employment status, a Nickelodeon spokesperson released a statement to the Times: “Viacom is committed to the safety and well-being of our employees, and to fostering a workplace free from harassment,” it read.

“As a matter of policy, we do not comment on specific employee matters, but we take all allegations of this nature very seriously, investigate them thoroughly and take any necessary actions as a result.”

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AFI Fest to close with Ridley Scott tribute and ‘All the Money in the World’

The AFI Fest will close with the world premiere of “All the Money in the World” on Nov. 16, along with a tribute to the film’s director, Ridley Scott.

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams and Kevin Spacey, the film tells the story of the kidnapping of teenage John Paul Getty III in 1973 in Italy. Williams plays the young Getty’s mother, Gail Harris; Spacey portrays his grandfather, oil tycoon John Paul Getty; and Wahlberg plays a family advisor.

The cast also includes Charlie Plummer, Romain Duris, Timothy Hutton and Andrew Buchan, and the film’s screenplay is by David Scarpa based on the book by John Pearson.

The film festival’s tribute to Scott will precede the screening and include a moderated conversation about his work. Scott is a four-time Academy Award nominee, as producer on “The Martian” and director of “Black Hawk Down,” “Gladiator” and “Thelma and Louise.”

“For five decades, Ridley Scott’s tremendous visions of cities, new worlds, histories and science have transformed and influenced not only film, but our culture,” AFI Fest director Jacqueline Lyanga said in a statement. “We’re honored to be celebrating the artistry of a director whose work has had an indelible influence on cinema culture, and the lexicon of visual style.”

“All the Money in the World” is to be released Dec. 8.

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Directors Guild of America to address sexual harassment at board meeting

Harvey Weinstein's downfall has prompted the Directors Guild of America to address sexual harassment in the industry.
(Chris Pizzello / Invision/Associated Press)

On Thursday, the Directors Guild of America released a statement that it “will be addressing the very serious issue of sexual harassment in the industry” in its upcoming quarterly board meeting.

This makes the DGA the last of the major guilds to tackle the issue in the ongoing fallout from revelations of decades of sexual harassment and assault by disgraced producer and former studio head Harvey Weinstein.

The Producers Guild of America board of directors voted unanimously earlier this week to terminate Weinstein’s membership. The Writers Guild of America, East released a statement condemning Weinstein’s “deplorable misconduct.”

The WGA West’s statement asserted that the guild “stands in solidarity with the women who have spoken out.” Also in a statement, SAG-AFTRA called Weinstein’s behavior “abhorrent and unacceptable.”

Also on Thursday, the British Film Institute stripped Weinstein of its prestigious fellowship.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal.

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Get a sneak peek of Margot Robbie in new Tonya Harding biopic, ‘I, Tonya’

Shortly after the film was recognized with two nominations for the Gotham Awards on Thursday morning – for best feature and best actress for star Margot Robbie – a teaser trailer was released for “I, Tonya.” (Watch it above, and note that it contains some adult language.)

Directed by Craig Gillespie from a screenplay by Steven Roger, “I, Tonya” tells the story of Tonya Harding, the infamous figure skater who was banned for life from the U.S. Figure Skating Assn. in the fallout of the 1994 attack on her rival Nancy Kerrigan.

Or as it is referred to in the movie, “the incident.” The movie became one of the most talked-about films at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival after its world premiere.

Staking out an extremely unusual tone – a card at the opening of the film declares it “irony free, wildly contradictory, totally true” – the movie conveys a remarkably sympathetic portrait of Harding, in no small part through Robbie’s performance that deftly combines a satirical wit with a deep emotional pathos.

The movie also features performances by Sebastian Stan as Harding’s husband Jeff Gillooly and Allison Janney as Harding’s mother, LaVona Golden.

“I, Tonya” opens in limited release on Dec. 7.

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Shia LaBeouf gets anger management, probation after racist rant against Georgia police

(Warren Toda / EPA)

Shia LaBeouf has reportedly been sentenced to anger management and probation related to a public drunkenness arrest in June that included a racially charged, expletive-laden rant against police.

He was sentenced in Savannah, Ga., on Thursday to anger management sessions after pleading guilty to obstruction and no contest to disorderly conduct, TMZ reported. The original drunkenness charge was tossed out.

LaBeouf, who was arrested while in Georgia to work on the movie “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” was slapped with a year’s probation and alcohol evaluation, plus nearly $2,700 in fines, TMZ said.

Before he was arrested in early June, he had asked a bystander and a police officer for a cigarette around 4 a.m., according to the Savannah Morning News. After he was refused, the actor started spewing profanity and vulgar language, the paper said, and refused to leave the area, allegedly acting aggressively toward the officer when he was ordered to leave.

N.Y. man punched for looking like Shia LaBeouf: ‘It’s like ... your face makes me angry’

LaBeouf fled to a hotel when the officer tried to arrest him but was taken into custody later in the lobby, the Morning News said.

Shortly after posting $7,000 bail, the actor issued a statement that characterized the incident as “a new low,” apologized to police and said he was once again working on sobriety.

“My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst,” he said on social media.

LaBeouf has been arrested numerous times, including in January, when he allegedly got into a scuffle related to his “He Will Not Divide Us” video-art project, and rather spectacularly in June 2014 after drunkenly disrupting a Broadway production of “Cabaret.”

After the theater incident, he said through his rep that he was voluntarily getting treated for alcoholism, just not via an inpatient program. The court later sentenced him to rehab.

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British Film Institute withdraws fellowship — its highest honor — from Harvey Weinstein

(Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images)

The Harvey Weinstein fallout continues as the embattled producer faces another professional penalty.

Following the numerous sexual misconduct allegations that have dogged the Hollywood titan for the last few weeks, the British Film Institute has withdrawn its prestigious fellowship from the mogul.

“The serious and widespread allegations about Harvey Weinstein’s appalling conduct are in direct opposition to the BFI’s values,” the organization said in a statement on Thursday.

The BFI board met and decided to withdraw the BFI Fellowship because “sexual harassment, abuse and bullying is unacceptable under any circumstances.”

“Everyone working in the film industry — in any industry — should be safe and respected in the workplace. We wholeheartedly support those brave enough to come forward and speak out. The film industry needs more women represented on every level, on and off screen,” the statement continued.

Weinstein had been given the institute’s “highest honor” alongside his brother, Bob Weinstein, for their “outstanding contribution to cinema” in 2002. At the time, the producers were co-chairmen of their first company, Miramax, which they sold in 1993, before they started the Weinstein Co.

The fellowship has also been awarded to Cate Blanchett, Danny Boyle, Clint Eastwood, Vanessa Redgrave and numerous others since it launched in 1983. Bob Weinstein still holds the title.

The news comes less than a week after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences expelled the producer from the Oscar-distributing organization to “send a message that the era of willful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behavior and workplace harassment in our industry is over.”

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts also suspended Weinstein’s membership last week as several organizations rebuked him.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal.

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Lena Waithe discusses how ‘Master of None’s’ ‘Thanksgiving’ episode was ‘art doing its job’

Emmy winner Lena Waithe stopped by “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” on Wednesday night to help pay homage to Chicago, where the show has been based this week largely to dispel misconceptions about the city.

And while she was there, Waithe dropped some knowledge about the true power of art.

Waithe, a Chicago native, sat down with Noah to discuss her work on “Master of None,” her historic Emmy win and her new show, “The Chi.”

In September, Waithe became the first black woman to win the Emmy for writing in a comedy series for co-writing the “Thanksgiving” episode of “Master of None” with the show’s co-creator, Aziz Ansari. In fact, she was the first black woman ever to be nominated in the category.

“I’m happy to have that honor. To be the ‘first,’” said Waithe, who credited the milestone to the many funny women of color who came before her. “But it’s just my mission to make sure I’m not the last.”

When asked about her acceptance speech, which included a shout-out to the LGBTQ community and how “the things that make us different … are super powers,” Waithe explained her belief that “people respond to the things about you that make you different.”

“I wouldn’t be standing up there if I wasn’t a gay black woman,” said Waithe. “Because being a gay black woman is my story, and me telling that story is the thing that so many people related to.”

But to Waithe, the true legacy of that episode was how it resonated with more than gay black women.

“The cool thing about the episode is even though it’s about coming out, it’s about being a person of color, but it’s also just about being different and trying to come to terms with that,” said Waithe. “I think everybody has a thing about them that makes them different or makes them unique.”

“That really makes me happy. That a queer brown girl’s story could make people go, ‘Oh,I see myself in that.’ That’s when art is doing its job,” said Waithe.

Watch the segment above.

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Netflix’s ‘The Punisher’ gets release date that sparks superhero showdown

Jon Bernthal of "The Punisher" at Comic-Con 2017.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Marvel’s “The Punisher” is coming, and it’s going to take every member of DC’s Justice League to stop him.

Netflix released a new trailer for its upcoming comic book adaptation Thursday, hyping the adventures of vigilante Frank Castle and finally announcing a release date for the mysterious series.

And it’s a doozy.

“The Punisher” will be debuting on Netflix Nov. 17, the same day as DC’s “Justice League” makes its bow in theaters.

The streaming service provider initially played fast and loose with announcing when audiences might finally get to see the Jon Bernthal-anchored series, with a September trailer that obscured the release date, revealing only that “The Punisher” would be released at some point this year.

The Netflix series has seen a bit of turmoil in the run-up to its release. An event in Paris was canceled, as was a New York Comic-Con panel, in the wake of gun-related violence in Las Vegas earlier this month.

When Castle was first introduced in Marvel Comics in 1974, it was as a vigilante who used the instruments of war to fuel his vendetta after the murder of his family. Castle often enacts realistic (and bloody) killings, which remains mostly an anomaly in mainstream comic books.

(Warning: This trailer includes graphic violence.)

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E!’s ‘Fashion Police’ will end next month

Joan Rivers and "Fashion Police" writer Tony Tripoli in 2014.
( Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

The well-heeled Joan Rangers will sign off for the last time next month when E!’s iconic “Fashion Police” comes to an end.

The long-running series that combined the dual passions of late comic and fashion-phile Joan Rivers will end with a series finale. “Fashion Police: The Farewell” will air on Nov. 27, the cable network announced Wednesday.

The special will include scenes from a never-before-seen ‘80s-themed episode featuring Rivers. Watch a clip below.

The stand-up diva had been a mainstay on the network since the early 1990s while providing witty commentary on nearly every major award show and fashion event until her untimely death in 2014. She relaunched her career with her irreverent, unfiltered red-carpet coverage, and that carried over into the often-controversial television series when it debuted in 2002.

Her daughter, Melissa Rivers, who co-created the series and served as executive producer, succeeded the veteran comic as the host in 2015, dishing her mother’s signature one-liners and celebrity-aimed zingers. E! personality Giuliana Rancic, stylist Brad Goreski, reality star NeNe Leakes and comedian Margaret Cho now serve as panelists alongside her, along with a slew of celebrity guests who weigh in on notable fashion hits and misses.

“Joan’s beloved no-holds-barred style fueled the franchise’s clever approach to fashion and comedy, and we are incredibly proud of its long-running success,” E! President Adam Stotsky said in a statement. “We are also especially grateful to Melissa, as well as Giuliana, Brad, Nene, Margaret and the entire ‘Fashion Police’ team, who have continued to deliver the laughs and make this iconic franchise truly one of a kind.”

In the statement, Melissa Rivers thanked the network for “having the vision to see the potential of ‘Fashion Police,’” and credited the show with changing the entertainment and fashion industries.

“I am truly proud to be part of this legacy,” she said.

The network said it will continue its red-carpet coverage and fashion analysis through other programs such as “Live from the Red Carpet,” “E! News Look Book” and digital platforms.

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Tom Jones was propositioned early in his career: ‘If you’ve done something wrong, you’ve got to pay for it’

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The harassment that happened to Tom Jones early in his career “wasn’t bad,” he says, but it still made him feel “terrible.”

The music industry has always been as full of sexual harassment as the film biz, the 77-year-old singer told BBC Radio 5 on Thursday. Performers talk about things they’re “expected to do to get a record contract, just like a film contract.”

Jones was obviously being asked about the scandal surrounding disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein. The “What’s New Pussycat?” singer’s solution was to “avoid it,” he said, and simply walk away.

Tom Jones sells L.A.-area home and parcel next door for $11.3 million

Men in entertainment, he said, experience some of the same things women do. In his case, it “wasn’t bad, just somebody tried to pull ... . It was a question, and I said, ‘No thank you.’ ”

“[Y]ou think, ‘Well, I’ve got to get away from this person, and it can’t be like this,’ ” he said. “You should know that yourself, you don’t do things just because you think, ‘I should do this.’ Your own mind will tell you that, not just in show business, but in anything you’re in.”

Jones has little sympathy for abusers. “[J]ustice will out. If you’ve done something wrong, you’ve got to pay for it, or prove that you haven’t done anything wrong,” he said.

In recent years, Jones has been discussing his career-long image as a sex symbol who for decades has fielded women’s panties onstage during his shows. It’s something he’s been trying to escape.

“I wasn’t being taken seriously as a singer,” he told CBS News in 2016. “They saw that more than they heard what I was singing.”

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Chelsea Handler is ending her Netflix series to shift to social activism

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Hollywood is losing one of its rare women on late-night television, but in exchange, it’s gaining an agent of change.

Chelsea Handler announced Wednesday that her eponymous Netflix late-night talk show will conclude at the end of its current season, but for a good cause.

“Like so many across the country, the past presidential election and the countless events that have unfolded since have galvanized me,” Handler said in a statement released on various social media platforms. “From the national level down to the grassroots, it’s clear our decisions at the ballot box next year will mark a defining moment for our nation.”

Handler explained that these politically pertinent times have compelled her to become a more knowledgeable citizen and commit herself more fully to causes she is passionate about.

“My goal is to be better informed, raise my voice, and participate in a more meaningful way,” Handler continued. “I want to travel the country and visit areas and people I don’t know enough about, speak at colleges and listen to students, and gain a better understanding of our political divide. I have joined forces with EMILY’s List to elect more women to public office, register people to vote, and campaign for candidates who are fighting for women’s rights.”

That doesn’t mean she’s ending her partnership with Netflix. Handler also announced that she and the streaming service provider will be working together on a documentary featuring Handler engaging with diverse groups of people she typically wouldn’t meet.

“Chelsea” debuted its second season in April. Handler’s statement confirmed that new episodes will continue to air weekly through the end of this year.

Representatives for Netflix did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Thursday morning.

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‘Get Out’ leads Gotham Awards nominations and gets a head start on film awards season

The Gotham Awards announced their nominees on Thursday morning, and the sleeper hit horror film “Get Out” leads the nominations with recognition in four categories, including best feature and breakthrough director and best screenplay for writer-director Jordan Peele.

“Call Me By Your Name,” “Lady Bird,” “The Florida Project” and “Columbus” each had three nominations each.

Along with “Get Out,” the other nominees for best picture are Luca Guadagnino’s “Call Me By Your Name,” Sean Baker’s “The Florida Project,” Josh and Benny Safdie’s “Good Time” and Craig Gillespie’s “I, Tonya.”

Handed out by the Independent Filmmaker Project, the awards ceremony will take place in new York City on Nov. 27 and be hosted by John Cameron Mitchell.

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A Star Is Born: John Lithgow turns 72 today

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

As a character man, the three things they want you for are a scoundrel, a fool or a comic. Basically, you have to be willing to be very different from yourself. That’s just how I grew up thinking about acting. For me, if acting doesn’t have that quality, it’s no fun or it’s like I’m not doing my job — or they’re not letting me do my job. When I play a conventional leading man, I think I’m terribly boring.

— John Lithgow, 1996

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Between a ‘Rock’ and a Bard Place

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Molly Ringwald shares stories of harassment in Hollywood — and gets an unusual apology

(Angela Weiss / AFP/Getty Images)

Molly Ringwald’s experiences with Harvey Weinstein were, she says, more a matter of bad taste than bad behavior. But that can’t be said about the rest of Hollywood when she was a career-on-fire young actress.

When it came to the disgraced producer, “I was lucky,” Ringwald wrote Tuesday in an essay for the New Yorker. “Or perhaps it was because, at that moment in time, I was the one with more power. ‘The English Patient,’ Weinstein’s first Best Picture winner, was still a few years away.”

After sharing some unsavory stories involving men she called “all the other Harvey Weinsteins,” the actress also talked about her reception after she’d moved to Paris and pulled back on her career, coming home to the U.S. only occasionally to work.

“The magazine Movieline decided to feature me on its cover ...,” she wrote. “In that article, the head of a major studio — and, incidentally, someone who claims himself to be horrified by the Harvey allegations — was quoted as saying, ‘I wouldn’t know [Molly Ringwald] if she sat on my face.’”

Enter Jeffrey Katzenberg, to whom Movieline had attributed that quote and who in a statement Tuesday to the Hollywood Reporter denied having said it. Then he apologized to Ringwald anyway.

Somewhat lost in the discussion as Weinstein was ruled out of the story and Katzenberg became part of it have been the inappropriate, sexually charged workplace situations the “Sixteen Candles” actress said she experienced during her early years in the industry. And there were quite a few.

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Johnny Depp sues former lawyers, alleging malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty

(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Johnny Depp has sued his former attorney Jacob Bloom, accusing him and his firm of legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment and more related in part to loans procured on the actor’s behalf by his former management company.

Bloom and his firm allegedly “engaged in self-dealing and pursued and undertook transactions in the face of undisclosed conflicts of interest for their own financial benefit over that of their clients” and failed to disclose “years of misconduct” by Depp’s business managers and collected more than $30 million in fees without a written contract, according to court documents filed Tuesday (via Deadline).

“In light of the longstanding relationship between the Bloom Firm and Mr. Depp, the Firm is extremely disappointed that Mr. Depp has decided to file this lawsuit,” a spokesperson for Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette Feldman Schenkman & Goodman LLP said in a statement to The Times/ The firm intends to defend the lawsuit “vigorously.”

After the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor sued his former business manager, the Management Group, in January, alleging fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and more, the management company filed a cross-complaint saying in part that Depp’s money problems were a result of his “voracious spending” rather than any mismanagement.

The latter complaint has since been cut down by a judge to an allegation of promissory fraud, even as the management company added the 54-year-old’s friends and relatives as defendants.

Depp in recent months has been selling off various real-estate holdings, with inconsistent success.

In August, it was reported that the Securities and Exchange Commission was taking a look at the Management Group’s business practices.

Depp is seeking compensatory and punitive damages in an amount to be determined at trial.

UPDATE

Oct. 26, 4:35 p.m.: This story was updated with a comment from the Bloom Firm.

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Watch Julianne Moore, Emma Stone and others urge voters to #RejectTheNRA in new spot

The advocacy organization Everytown for Gun Safety and an affilliated group, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, released a star-studded public safety announcement Wednesday targeting the National Rifle Assn. in the wake of the largest mass shooting in modern American history.

Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Tunde Adebimpe and Zazie Beetz all appear in the new #RejectTheNRA video that urges voters to contact their elected officials and encourage them to reject legislation that would roll back gun-silencer laws and to reject so-called concealed carry reciprocity.

In the video, stars encourage voters to send a text message “REJECT” to the number 644-33 to be connected to their representatives and to urge officials to commit to supporting gun safety.

“No matter what our day jobs are, we all have a role to play in the fight for gun safety and I’m thrilled that my friends and colleagues have stepped up to encourage more people to take action,” said Moore, who serves as the chair of the Everytown Creative Council, in a statement Wednesday.

“Calling your elected officials and making your voice heard is easier than it seems and makes the crucial difference in stopping bills that would weaken gun safety.”

The video also features celebrities including Jack Antonoff, Elizabeth Banks, Sheryl Crow, Anna Deavere Smith, Laura Dern, Kether Donohue, Gina Gershon, Bill Hader, Kathryn Hahn, Sam Harris, Bob Kerrey, Melissa McCarthy, Moby, Janel Moloney, Natalie Morales, Julianne Nicholson, Zac Posen, Cynthia Rowley, Emily Saliers, Adam Scott and John Slattery.

The PSA is part of a grassroots movement by Moms Demand Action, which aims to direct 1 million phone calls to reject the NRA and its agenda.

“Some members of Congress are bought by the NRA, and we are all paying the price,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, in a statement announcing the initiative Tuesday. “There is so much more we can do to prevent gun violence, and we’ll start by sending Congress a clear message: Vote with us, or we will vote you out.”

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Billy Joel, 68, and his wife, 35, are expecting another child

(Larry Busacca / Getty Images for Clear Channel)

Billy Joel will soon be back on diaper duty.

The 68-year-old Piano Man confirmed during a lengthy Belfast Telegraph interview that his wife, Alexis Roderick, is pregnant again.

“We are due next month,” the six-time Grammy winner said in the story published on Saturday. (It appears that the interview took place in late September, meaning Roderick is likely due this month.)

He and his wife, 35, are already parents to 2-year-old daughter Della Rosa, who made an appearance in the article, along with their dog, Jack. Joel also has an adult daughter, Alexa Ray, 31, with his second wife, model Christie Brinkley. The musician said he has remained friends with his three ex-wives.

Joel and his fourth wife started dating in 2009 and wed in July 2015 during a secret ceremony at his Long Island estate. They welcomed Della Rosa the following month.

The legendary singer-songwriter has the newborn slog fresh in his memory, sharing that Della Rosa is now sleeping through the night and hopes “the next one will.”

His advancing age isn’t preventing him from making time for his kids, though (nor the process of making them, it would appear). He said he hangs out with Della Rosa for fun and watches “her little wheels spin.”

“She’s a hoot. She’s a funny kid. She loves to laugh. I like to make her laugh,” he said, adding that he’s taking her to Dublin, Ireland, next summer for a show because “she has Irish roots.”

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Tom Petty’s daughter shares intimate photos from his private memorial service

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician Tom Petty was laid to rest on Monday in a private service at the Self Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in Pacific Palisades, the same place where the funeral for his friend and former Traveling Wilburys bandmate, Beatles guitarist and songwriter George Harrison, took place in 2001.

Petty’s daughter, AnnaKim Violette Petty, shared several photos on her Instagram account, along with comments that reflected the broad swath of emotions her father’s death and the service elicited in her.

She included several photos of herself with photos of her father on display at the service. With one, she wrote, “This is very hard for me.”

She also posted a shot of herself with her sister, Adria, with the caption, “We care about each other and love our bad ass father💜.”

In another photo of herself sipping from a glass on a sandy beach with lapping waves in the background around sunset, she wrote, “Drunk muppet heart broken but in love with life lets love til dawn.”

Petty died Oct. 2 after going into cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu. He was 66. Just five days earlier, in his final interview, he told The Times that the Heartbreakers’ just-completed 40th-anniversary tour was immensely rewarding for him and that he anticipated there would be more music to come from the long-running band.

“I think we’re still on a mission for good,” he said. “I’m so touched by [fans’ response during the tour]. This year has been a wonderful year for us. This has been the big slap on the back we never got. And it’s really felt good.”

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Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Alex Rodriguez raise $35 million for Puerto Rico

Finally, some good news for Puerto Rico as it continues to recover from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria last month.

Entertainment superstar Jennifer Lopez, singer Marc Anthony and baseball great Alex Rodriguez’s joint efforts have raised more than $35 million for the island’s rebuilding.

NBC announced Monday that the “One Voice: Somos Live!” telethon raised that staggering amount in pledges during the Oct. 14 event, which was broadcast on dozens of outlets including NBC, Telemundo, Univision and Viacom channels.

Performers included Anthony and Lopez — who were married from 2004 to 2014 — as well as Demi Lovato, Maroon 5, Ricky Martin, Maxwell, Gwen Stefani, Stevie Wonder, Chris Martin and Mary J. Blige.

Anthony’s and Lopez’s parents came to the United States from Puerto Rico, while Rodriguez — who has been dating Lopez since early 2017 — traces his family back to the Dominican Republic, which also saw extensive damage from Maria.

Donations can still be made to Somos Una Voz, the alliance of artists behind the concert/telecast, online at somosonevoice.com (English) or somosunavoz.com (Spanish) or by texting SOMOS to 50555.

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‘Facts of Life’ star Mindy Cohn reveals five-year battle with breast cancer

(Angela Weiss / Getty Images for Heifer International)

October is breast cancer awareness month, and “The Facts of Life” star Mindy Cohn has revealed that she’s been battling the disease for five years.

The actress, best known for playing Natalie Green in the 1980s sitcom and voicing Velma in the “Scooby-Doo” cartoons, noticed something was amiss in 2012, according to a new interview with People. After visiting the doctor, getting scanned and having a biopsy, she learned she had breast cancer.

“I kept that secret for a long time,” said Cohn, 51.

The TV star decided to take a break from Hollywood and underwent what she called a “siege,” a draining series of treatments including a lumpectomy, double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation.

“I’ve always been an optimist,” she told People. “But the cancer metastasized. It kept spreading and coming back. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, and then it would. And then I’d wait for another shoe to drop, and it would. I was frustrated and enraged. I couldn’t control any of this. I couldn’t fix it.”

So she retreated to a farm in upstate New York to battle the disease and recover. She is now cancer-free and “feeling great.” Cohn said she plans to climb Machu Picchu in Peru next year and has her sights set back on Hollywood. (She appeared on Food Network’s celebrity edition of “Worst Cooks in America” last year.)

“I think I’m a good actress, and I have a lot to offer,” she said. “I’m excited to see what I get to do next!”

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David Letterman stops by ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ to defend giving Conan O’Brien a horse

The tenor of late-night comedy has changed a lot in recent years to better reflect the world we live in. And there’s nothing like a member of the old guard to remind us of that.

David Letterman stopped by “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Tuesday night, ostensibly to promote his upcoming Netflix interview series, but more pressingly to refute a recent Conan O’Brien story involving a surprise horse.

TBS late-night host O’Brien was a guest on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Friday and delivered his side of the story, which involved Letterman’s gifting him a horse, which he then had to figure out what to do with.

Letterman started his tale by explaining to Kimmel that he is a celebrity, which means that the onus is on him to give extravagant and expressive gifts.

In some cases, that means giving his niece a set of four, individually wrapped tires for her wedding or sending Kimmel all of Letterman’s old ties upon retirement, or, as in the case of O’Brien, sending a horse.

“The idea will be that he’ll have the horse on the show and the horse will take a dump on the show and it’ll be hilarious,” Letterman explained to Kimmel.

And then things really started to fall apart. Watch Letterman’s delightful story about O’Brien’s equine disaster above. (And his full interview with Kimmel is below.)

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Donna Karan ‘hadn’t been paying attention’ when she praised Harvey Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein and Donna Karan in 2007
(Rick Maiman / Associated Press)

Donna Karan has remained in Los Angeles since her role in the Harvey Weinstein story erupted. On Oct. 13, she spoke on the phone with WWD’s executive editor, Bridget Foley. She said she couldn’t fully explain the “asking for it” comment, adding that she couldn’t believe those words came out of her mouth. That they did is now Karan’s albatross to bear.

Here are excerpts from the interview.

What were you asked about Harvey exactly?

What did I think about what happened to Harvey. And I was confused by the question. I mean, I hadn’t been paying attention to any of the news, and you hear little stories here and a little story there. And quite honestly, it wasn’t my place to say anything. Sometimes the press can kind of gear you on, and I didn’t feel it was appropriate.

But you did say something.

I talked in general that under no circumstances, absolutely none, whether it’s Harvey, whether it’s any man, [no one] has any right whatsoever to touch a woman, to — I mean it’s unacceptable. I mean, certainly from me. That’s just who I am as a woman, as a mother.

But that’s not what you said. So let’s go back. ...

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At Women in Hollywood gala, actresses share their stories of sexual assault

Tessa Thompson, left, Margot Robbie and Riley Keough were among the evening's honorees.
(Stefanie Keenan / Getty Images for Elle)

On a night set up to be a celebration of empowerment, Elle magazine’s Women in Hollywood gala turned into an evening of shared stories about sexual assault and harassment.

At the star-studded event Monday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, actresses including Jennifer Lawrence, Reese Witherspoon, Lake Bell, Tavi Gevinson and Bellamy Young were upfront about their personal experiences in wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

Here are a few of their stories:

Tavi Gevinson: “I’ve experienced really inappropriate things on commercial sets. And what was more shocking than what happened was the number of people around who were just kind of designated to be the handler to a grown man who acts like a baby.”

Riley Keough: “I’ve had men joke about sexual favors I can exchange for jobs, and I’m used to men commenting on my appearance rather than my performance. And all these things, which I generally laugh off as silly or write off, but they’re not silly, and it’s up to us as women in our industry to change this conditioning by bringing awareness to these instances.”

Diane Ladd: “I picked up his hand and I threw it aside,” Ladd said of the late Harry Cohn, then-president of Columbia Pictures, who had invited her to have a drink poolside before proceeding to grope her inner thigh. She was 17 at the time. “And he laughed, got up to walk away and said, ‘Kid, you’ll never be a star like that.’ So I went on to New York, and I have fought most of my life to make this industry better for the next generation.”

Jennifer Lawrence: “When I was much younger and starting out, I was told by the producers of a film to lose 15 pounds in two weeks. During this time, a female producer had me do a nude lineup with about five women who were much, much thinner than me.”

Cicely Tyson: The veteran actress told a story about selling plastic bags on the streets of New York as a kid when she was accosted by a much older man: “That was my first encounter or introduction to what I later came to know as sexual molestation.”

Reese Witherspoon: The Oscar winner talked about the disgust she felt after being assaulted by a director when she was 16, which she said was not an isolated incident during her career.

Bellamy Young: “All of us have either kept quiet out of fear or shame or complicity, but now we can’t.”

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A Star Is Born: Esperanza Spalding turns 33 today

(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

I don’t really believe that jazz has become elitist, but ... maybe people forget that not everybody is used to this music anymore. Maybe we do need to do a little extra work to make sure everybody knows what we’re trying to do up here. Because it’s very enjoyable.

— Esperanza Spalding, 2010

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Esperanza Spalding, liberation fighter for jazz

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L.A. city attorney urges sexual harassment victims to seek justice

(Mike Balsamo / Associated Press)

As allegations pile up against disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and others in his orbit, Los Angeles’ city attorney, Mike Feuer, is urging victims of sexual harassment and abuse to come forward so officials can champion them.

“We know this is not just a Hollywood thing — it’s a workplace thing, arising all too often in virtually every industry,” Feuer said in a statement Tuesday, pledging to believe victims and, when possible, prosecute the people who have wronged them.

His office is encouraging victims of harassment or abuse that took place in L.A. to contact the Los Angeles Police Department.

Sex crimes detectives in New York and London are investigating allegations from at least five women who say they were raped or sexually assaulted by Weinstein, but as of Monday, no such police reports involving the movie producer had been filed in Los Angeles.

Here is Feuer’s full statement:

“The Weinstein allegations have placed a bright spotlight on sexual harassment and sexual abuse, especially in the workplace. As brave victims come forward, others have been encouraged to do the same. And our nation must now confront these significant issues in a profound way.

“From our prosecutions in this area, I know it takes tremendous courage for women and men to share often intimate details of sexual harassment or abuse. We know this is not just a Hollywood thing — it’s a workplace thing, arising all too often in virtually every industry.

“Indeed, while most people don’t work in the entertainment industry, victims of sexual harassment and abuse share many of the very same concerns we’ve heard about in recent days: Will my job be on the line if I say something? Will I be publicly humiliated? Will anyone believe me — and will anyone stand up for me?

“I am here to say we will. We take allegations like these very seriously, and where the facts support conviction, we will prosecute. I’m very pleased that LAPD recently issued a call for alleged victims to come forward so LAPD can investigate. Please come forward so that your cases — and justice — can be pursued.”

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Canadian actress Larissa Gomes alleges Harvey Weinstein sexually harassed her

(Lilly Lawrence / Getty Images)

A Canadian actress added her voice to the chorus of women bringing allegations against Harvey Weinstein, saying the producer asked her to bare her chest and tried to kiss her on the lips while name-dropping famous actresses and dangling career opportunities.

Larissa Gomes was a 21-year-old actress about 17 years ago when she was working on the Toronto set of “Get Over It,” a Miramax-produced teen flick, she wrote in an account emailed to The Times this week. Weinstein approached her and asked for her opinion about the production, and mentioned multiple films his company shoots in Canada each year.

“I had literally just began acting … and here I was meeting the most powerful producer of the time,” she wrote. “It was intoxicating, it was validating.”

Gomes, who has since appeared in the film “Saw VI” and television shows “Supernatural” and “La Femme Nikita,” said Weinstein asked her for her personal number through an assistant, then set up a breakfast meeting at his hotel. The first meeting was professional, after which he asked to meet again in his hotel room, this time in the early evening, Gomes said.

After plopping down a stack of scripts in front of her that he said he wanted her to read, he went into his bedroom and asked her to come in, she recounted.

Weinstein was on his bed, saying he had a headache, she said. He asked her to lie down with him and asked her to take her shirt off so he could see her breasts, Gomes said. She left the room, and he followed in a bathrobe and started massaging her shoulders and neck despite her saying she didn’t want it, Gomes said.

“He would not stop. He just kept pushing his hands close to my chest forcefully until I finally was able to get up and away from him,” she wrote.

Weinstein told her, “You know, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ashley Judd were exactly where you are at one point. Look at them now,” Gomes recounted.

Gomes said she made an excuse to leave at that point, and Weinstein, at the door, grabbed her and tried to kiss her on the lips. She said she turned her head, and he sneered. She never saw or spoke to him again.

“I was silent … I wasn’t even sure if this was considered assault, in my mind I thought that since I got away then it isn’t,” she wrote. “I was very young and vulnerable, and that was what he was banking on.”

In an interview, Gomes said she never got over her encounter with Weintein.

“I was so incredibly discouraged and disillusioned. I didn’t know if I wanted to be a part of the industry any more if this is what it was,” she said. “This was definitely...something I’d never forget.”

More than 30 women have alleged they were sexually harassed or assaulted by Weinstein. The disgraced mogul has expressed remorse about his behavior but has denied having nonconsensual sex with women.

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Amid Weinstein scandal fallout, film academy president pledges the group will support the ‘vulnerable’

John Bailey, cinematographer and president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
John Bailey, cinematographer and president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
(Stephen Shugerman / Getty Images)

On Tuesday, just days after the film academy expelled disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein from its ranks, academy President John Bailey emailed the group’s more than 8,000 members to reinforce the organization’s support of the battle against sexual harassment.

In its statement kicking Weinstein out of the group in the wake of allegations of sexual assault and harassment against him, the academy’s board said that it was working to establish “ethical standards of conduct” for all members.

To many, that immediately raised questions about whether other members who’ve been charged with sexual misconduct, such as Bill Cosby and Roman Polanski, might also be purged.

In his email to members, Bailey, who is a respected cinematographer, did not address those questions head-on but suggested that the academy “cannot, and will not, be an inquisitorial court.”

Rather, he wrote, “We can be a part of a larger initiative to define standards of behavior, and to support the vulnerable women and men who may be at personal and career risk because of violations of ethical standards by their peers.”

What form that “larger initiative” might take remains to be seen. But at Elle magazine’s Women in Hollywood event Monday night, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, who is a member of the academy’s board of governors, said that she has asked her fellow board members to take steps toward creating a commission that would be “charged with the task of developing new, industrywide protections against sexual harassment and abuse.”

Read Bailey’s entire letter below:

In the Matter of H. Weinstein... and Beyond

Dear Fellow Academy Members,

Danish director Carl Dreyer’s 1928 film “The Passion of Joan of Arc” is not only one of the visual landmarks of the silent era, but is a deeply disturbing portrait of a young woman’s persecution in the face of the male judges and priests of the ruling order. The actress Maria Falconetti gave one of the most profoundly affecting performances in the history of cinema as the Maid of Orleans.

Since the decision of the Academy’s Board of Governors on Saturday October 14 to expel producer Harvey Weinstein from its membership, I have been haunted not only by the recurring image of Falconetti and the sad arc of her career (dying in Argentina in 1946, reputedly from a crash diet) but of Joan’s refusal to submit to an auto de fe recantation of her beliefs.

Recent public testimonies by some of filmdom’s most recognized women regarding sexual intimidation, predation, and physical force is, clearly, a turning point in the film industry— and hopefully in our country, where what happens in the world of movies becomes a marker of societal Zeitgeist. Their decision to stand up against a powerful, abusive male not only parallels the cinema courage of Falconetti’s Joan but gives all women courage to speak up.

After Saturday’s Board of Governors meeting, the Academy issued a passionately worded statement, expressing not only our concern about harassment in the film industry, but our intention to be a strong voice in changing the culture of sexual exploitation in the movie business, already common well before the founding of the Academy 90 years ago.

It is up to all of us Academy members to more clearly define for ourselves the parameters of proper conduct, of sexual equality, and respect for our fellow artists throughout industry. The Academy cannot, and will not, be an inquisitorial court, but we can be a part of a larger initiative to define standards of behavior, and to support the vulnerable women and men who may be at personal and career risk because of violations of ethical standards by their peers.

Yours,

John

Academy President

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Lena Headey becomes latest actress to accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment

Lena Headey
(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

An actress famous for her role on a television series infamous for its ability to render powerful women powerless has shared her own story of being victimized in Hollywood.

Lena Headey, star of HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” became the latest actress to allege that disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein sexually harassed her in a series of tweets Tuesday morning.

The Emmy-nominated actress recalled first meeting Weinstein at the Venice Film Festival in 2005, where her film “The Brothers Grimm” — distributed by Miramax — was showing.

“At one point Harvey asked me to take a walk down to the water, I walked down with him and he stopped and made some suggestive comment, a gesture,” Headey said in her tweets, mentioning that she was sure it was all a joke.

“It’d be like kissing my dad!!,” Headey said she told Weinstein, before suggesting they return to the others in their group. “I was never in any other Miramax films.”

But that was not Headey’s only encounter with Weinstein. Years later, she agreed to meet him in Los Angeles, certain that he wouldn’t bother propositioning her because of her harsh refusal in Venice.

After a discussion of films and filmmaking over breakfast, Weinstein then invited Headey back to his room, according to the actress’s account, where he wanted to give her a script.

But on the way to the elevator, the mood changed.

“My whole body went into high alert,” Headey said, “And I said to Harvey, I’m not interested in anything other that work, please don’t think I got in here with you for any other reason.”

After Headey established her position, she said that he was silent and furious. When the key card for his hotel room didn’t work, Headey said that he marched her through the hotel and deposited her at the valet, warning her not to tell anyone what happened.

“Don’t tell anyone about this, not your manager, not your agent,’” Headey recalled Weinstein telling her. “I got into my car and I cried.”

Dozens of women have come forward in recent weeks to allege misconduct by Weinstein, ranging from harassment to rape.

FULL COVERAGE: The Harvey Weinstein scandal »

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In #MeToo campaign, America Ferrera alleges she was only 9 when she was sexually assaulted

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

As stories of sexual abuse and harassment ramped up online, prompted by Alyssa Milano’s #MeToo campaign, actress America Ferrera’s revelation was particularly heartbreaking.

The first time a man sexually assaulted her, she alleges, she was only 9 years old.

The Emmy-winning “Ugly Betty” alum, 33, shared her story on social media Monday, just as several high-profile stars including Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Lawrence and singer Björk publicly recounted their own in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

Ferrera did not elaborate on what her alleged abuser did, nor who he was, instead focusing on how he made her feel.

“I told no one and lived with the shame and guilt thinking all along that I, a 9-year-old child, was somehow responsible for the actions of a grown man,” Ferrera wrote.

The “Superstore” actress said she had to see the man on a daily basis for years to come.

“He would smile at me and wave, and I would hurry past him, my blood running cold, my guts carrying the burden of what only he & I knew,” she wrote, “that he expected me to shut my mouth and smile back.”

Ferrera called on her thousands of followers across Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to “break the silence” so that the next generation of girls won’t have to experience similar ordeals.

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Björk details alleged harassment; Lars von Trier denies accusations

(Santiago Felipe / Getty Images)

Björk, who on Sunday said she had been sexually harassed by a Danish film director years ago, went into more detail Tuesday about what allegedly happened.

Calling it “extremely difficult” to go public on the topic and expecting immediate ridicule “from offenders,” the singer wrote on Facebook that she could “fully sympathise with everyone who hesitates, even for years. but i feel it is the right time especially now when it could make a change.”

Once again, Björk didn’t name the director involved, but coverage of her on-set relationship with “Dancer in the Dark,” director Lars von Trier verifies that she is referring to him. That the two didn’t get along has been public for years.

Björk opens up about her experience with sexual harassment

Von Trier on Monday denied the harassment accusations.

“That was not the case,” the director told the online edition of Danish daily Jyllands-Posten (via the Guardian). “But that we were definitely not friends, that’s a fact.”

On Tuesday, Bjork listed a number of things she alleged happened on set, starting with being touched without giving permission.

“[A]fter each take the director ran up to me and wrapped his arms around me for a long time in front of all crew or alone and stroked me sometimes for minutes against my wishes,” wrote the singer, now 51. When she complained about it two months in, she said, the director “exploded,” threw a chair and then sent everyone home, “like someone who has always been allowed to fondle his actresses.”

There were graphic, whispered sexual offers, she said, often with the director’s wife nearby. While on location, she alleged, he threatened to climb from his hotel balcony to hers in the middle of the night with sex in mind. Björk asserted that fake stories about her being “difficult” were planted after she finally stood up for herself.

“[T]his matches beautifully the Weinstein methods and bullying” she wrote, then referenced one story in particular: “[I] have never eaten a shirt. not sure that is even possible.”

Von Trier has previously told versions of incidents mentioned by Björk.

In a 2009 article about the director, CNN wrote, “It is rumored Björk became so unhinged filming ‘Dancer in the Dark’ she ate her own cardigan. Von Trier claimed each morning she would say, ‘Mr. Von Trier, I despise you,’ and spit at him.”

He had addressed the chair-throwing incident in a 2011 interview with GQ. One day, he said, he came up to her and instead of saying hello to him, she spat on the ground and temporarily refused to speak to him; when she finally did, he apparently was overwhelmed by how humiliating her behavior was.

“I took a chair and there was a big monitor right beside her and I just smashed it,” Von Trier told the magazine. “For no reason, or for the reason of the whole thing. And I walked out. What was so strange is that she came to me and for the first time in our whole relationship she was nice to me, and — you won’t believe this — she said, ‘I want to ask you something — is it OK that I write a song about how much you’ve given me?’ And I didn’t even answer, I remember. Because it was so absurd, because of the violent hostility that we had been through. It was so completely crazy.”

Björk said Sunday that she thinks her resistance affected the director’s future work and relationships with actresses.

“[T]he director was fully aware of this game and i am sure of that the film he made after was based on his experiences with me,” she wrote. “[B]ecause i was the first one that stood up to him and didn’t let him get away with it.”

“Dogville,” starring Nicole Kidman, followed “Dancer in the Dark” as Von Trier’s next movie project.

“Driven by a Hobbesian conception of human beings as engaged in a war of all against all, Von Trier uses the familiar conceit of an individual in crisis as a springboard for his usual fixations,” film critic Manohla Dargis wrote in a 2004 review of “Dogville.”

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How did Carrie Fisher handle a studio head who sexually assaulted her friend? She sent him a cow’s tongue

(Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)

Not even death can stop Carrie Fisher from having the perfect response to the wave of sexual assault allegations coming to light within Hollywood.

Screenwriter Heather Robinson – who also goes by Heather Ross – called in to a Tucson radio show Monday to share her own experience with a lecherous unnamed studio executive, only to reveal she had a secret ally looking out for her.

Robinson told “The Morning Mix with Greg Curtis and Mrs. Grant” on 94.9 MIXfm that she moved to California in 2000 and met with an Oscar-winning producer who proceeded to sexually assault her while the two were on their way to lunch.

“I felt safe thinking, ‘I’m overweight, I’m not attractive to these people, I’m not looking to become an actress,’” Ross recalled of the incident, which she was publicly silent about for years, fearing she had somehow invited the behavior.

After she fought the producer off, Robinson said, he told her, “You’ll never make a movie in my town and get the F out of my car.”

But redemption for Robinson came after sharing her story with Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher, whom she had befriended online.

Two weeks after sharing her story with Fisher, Robinson got a message from the actress, telling her that she had seen the producer in question at Sony Studios, so she hand-delivered a Tiffany box, wrapped with a white bow.

And what, precisely, was inside that pristine package?

“It was a cow tongue from Jerry’s Famous Deli in Westwood with a note that said, ‘If you ever touch my darling Heather or any other woman again, the next delivery will be something of yours in a much smaller box,’” Robinson recounted.

“It felt validating to know, ‘OK, first of all, this woman who I love as a friend was not just a fake Hollywood friend.’ That’s who she was. She spoke out and she put things out there in your face,” Robinson said.

Fisher was famous for being uncompromising and never shying away from speaking her mind. Fisher died in December at the age of 60.

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Screenwriter close to Harvey Weinstein declares ‘everybody ... knew’ what the producer was up to

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Screenwriter Scott Rosenberg went on the record about Harvey Weinstein’s “reprehensible” open secret, pulling back the curtain on the disgraced producer’s reputed behavior and why the industry overlooked it.

The writer, who worked on “Con Air” and “High Fidelity,” worked closely with brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein from the mid-’90s to the early 2000s — an era that included several of the producers’ beloved and award-winning films at their previous studio, Miramax.

It was also an era in which many of the former studio mogul’s accusers allege that he sexually harassed or assaulted them. Harvey Weinstein has since been fired from the Weinstein Co., ejected from the Motion Picture Academy and is under scrutiny at the Producers Guild and by several police departments in the wake of the bombshell allegations, several of which he denied.

FULL COVERAGE: The Harvey Weinstein scandal

In an expletive-filled novella posted on Facebook on Monday (re-published here), Rosenberg detailed the embarrassment of riches that came along with the studio boss’ success and asserted — at least five times — that “everybody-[expletive]-knew” about Weinstein’s illicit activities. (It’s unclear if the post has since been deleted or was only viewable privately.)

Unlike those issuing a “sanctimonious denial and condemnation” of the producer’s decades of questionable behavior, Rosenberg apologized, saying he was “eternally sorry” and ashamed for being complicit by not saying or doing anything about it. Weinstein had been “wonderful to him,” and since he reaped the rewards, he kept his mouth shut.

Rosenberg explained that even if insiders didn’t know the degree of Weinstein’s alleged behavior, they were at least aware of “a certain pattern of overly-aggressive behavior that was rather dreadful.” He knew this because he “was there,” and Rosenberg talked about it with everyone, including colleagues, rival studio chiefs, journalists and politicians.

LIST: Harvey Weinstein’s growing number of accusers

But Weinstein was showing them the best of times, making their movies and regaling those in his inner circle with the spoils of success, he said, equating him to a generous monarch and a mafia don in his “fervent need for abject loyalty from his capos and soldiers.”

“Golden Geese don’t come along too often in one’s life... As the old joke goes: We needed the eggs,” he said, before apologizing. “Okay, maybe we didn’t NEED them. But we really, really, really, really LIKED them eggs. So we were willing to overlook what the Golden Goose was up to, in the murky shadows behind the barn....”

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Morrissey releases appropriately mopey video for ‘Spent the Day in Bed’

Morrissey always pines for the devotion of others, and in the new video for “Spent the Day in bed,” he finally has someone doting on him full time.

The singer’s new video finds UK soccer star Joey Barton carting him around in a wheelchair to a semi-abandoned social club, where Moz performs the organ-driven new single and the cabaret artist David Hoyle twirls behind veils onstage.

The song is the latest sneak peek at Morrissey’s new album, “Low in High School,” which is set for release on Nov. 17. He’ll likely preview the album when he headlines the Hollywood Bowl on Nov. 10-11, with Billy Idol opening.

And considering the recent reissue of “The Queen Is Dead,” the landmark album by his former band, the Smiths -- plus a stage series based on his work and a new movie about his early days -- hopefully Morrissey will be in more upbeat spirits than he is in his new video. (Ah, who are we kidding?)

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Chicago is the ‘Murder Capital’? Hardly, says Trevor Noah

Trevor Noah kicked off “The Daily Show’s” weeklong Chicago residency on Monday by challenging the city’s various nicknames.

After an opening bit that paid homage to “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” Ben Stein cameo and all, Noah made his case that the city’s nicknames are inappropriate.

“I just have to acknowledge that the Windy City is less of a nickname and more of a fact,” said Noah. He insisted that “nicknames are supposed to be edgy, supposed to give you something different,” but the Windy City fails on both accounts.

“There is another nickname... and it’s way worst than the Windy City,” said Noah. “It’s the Murder Capital.”

Noah took “The Daily Show” to Chicago partly to confront that misconception. Noah explained that being from South Africa, he knew “what it’s like to come from a place where everyone labels you just through crime.”

“This week we’re in Chicago because we figured that Chicago is a microcosm for all the issues that the rest of the country faces,” explained Noah. “So we figured, why not come out to this great city and explore it for ourselves?

“Because if I just believed what I saw on TV, I would never want to come to Chicago...,” continued Noah. “According to the president, Chicago is basically Syria but with different pizza.”

After a mashup of clips featuring Donald Trump talking about violence in Chicago, Noah broke down the problem with its reputation as the most dangerous city in America: It’s not really true.

Noah explained the concept of murders per capita and how there’s actually a difference between the number of murders in a city and a city’s murder rate.

“If other cities in America have more violence per capita, then why would the right be so obsessed with Chicago?” Noah pondered, before playing a series of clips from right-wing news commentators discussing how President Obama was “failing” his hometown of Chicago.

“I get it. When there’s shootings, Obama is from Chicago,” said Noah. “All the other times he’s from Kenya. Now it makes sense. ... These people don’t care about Chicago’s murder rates. They care about how they can use Chicago to score political points.”

Watch the full segment above.

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Jennifer Lawrence says producer had her do a naked lineup as weight-loss inspiration

Jennifer Lawrence accepts an award at the 24th Elle Women in Hollywood event on Monday.
(Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images)

Jennifer Lawrence, who famously called the hacking of stolen nude pictures of herself a sex crime, said Monday that producers on one of her first films told her she had to lose 15 pounds in two weeks for a role and made her take her clothes off to get psyched to do it.

Oh, yeah, they had also fired the actress who had the role before her, she said, because that woman wasn’t thin enough. No pressure.

“A female producer had me do a nude lineup with about five women who were much, much, thinner than me,” the “Hunger Games” actress said Monday at Elle’s 24th Women in Hollywood Celebration in Los Angeles, via People. “We are stood side-by-side with only tape on covering our privates.”

Then the woman told Lawrence she should use the naked pictures “as inspiration” for her diet.

The actress said she brought it up with a male producer, only to be told that he didn’t get why folks thought she was “so fat.” He, for one, considered her perfectly — well, perfectly acceptable as a potential sex partner.

Why did Lawrence, who won her first Oscar for her work in the Weinstein Co.-produced “Silver Linings Playbook” but said last week that Harvey Weinstein never harassed her, think she had to put up with that kind of treatment? She said she felt as if her career depended on it.

The 27-year-old was one of eight honorees at the event, which was held at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles in Beverly Hills.

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Google’s new Doodle celebrates the life and legacy of Tejano icon Selena

Selena, the iconic Tejano singer who died in 1995, was celebrated Tuesday with a Google Doodle that commemorates the day EMI Latin released her eponymous album in 1989.

The video cartoon on Google’s search bar is set to the singer’s cumbia hit “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” as a young Selena (born Selena Quintanilla) and her family are seen throughout her career — from playing at quinceañeras and parties to headlining tours across the country.

The artwork was two years in the making and included Selena’s family as collaborators, Google said. The Doodle is featured in 14 different countries, including the U.S. and Mexico.

“Selena has always transcended cultural boundaries, and having this Doodle featuring a strong, Latina woman on the homepage of Google around the world is a perfect example [of] that,” Suzette Quintanilla, the late singer’s sister, said in a statement.

The Selena Museum also partnered with Google for “Fotos y Recuerdos,” an online exhibition of her awards, costumes, fan art and other items that are on display at the museum, which launched Tuesday.

“It’s incredible that Selena’s legacy grows even larger with time,” Perla Campos, Google Doodle’s global marketing lead, wrote in a blog post. “She continues to show Latinx, immigrants, and bicultural communities around the world to be proud of who they are and to embrace their differences.”

The Mexican American singer’s music topped Billboard charts, and she won a Grammy for best Mexican American album for “Selena Live!” in 1994.

Selena was shot and killed by Yolanda Saldívar, the singer’s former fan club president, on March 31, 1995.

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#MeToo: Reese Witherspoon says a director sexually assaulted her when she was 16

Reese Witherspoon arrives at the Elle Women in Hollywood Awards at the Four Seasons Hotel Beverly Hills on Monday.
(Jordan Strauss /Invision/Associated Press)

Stories of sexual assault have resonated throughout Hollywood in the weeks following the revelation of decades of harassment claims made against former super producer Harvey Weinstein.

Monday night at the Elle Women in Hollywood event in Los Angeles, Reese Witherspoon added her tale to the mix.

“This has been a really hard week for women in Hollywood, for women all over the world, for men in a lot of situations and a lot of industries that are forced to remember and relive a lot of ugly truths,” Witherspoon said during her introduction for “Big Little Lies” co-star Laura Dern.

“I have my own experiences that have come back to me very vividly, and I found it really hard to sleep, hard to think, hard to communicate,” she continued. “A lot of the feelings I’ve been having about anxiety, about being honest, the guilt for not speaking up earlier or taking action.”

The star, who won an Oscar for her performance in 2006’s “Walk the Line,” talked about the disgust she felt after being assaulted by a director when she was 16, which she said was not an isolated incident during her storied career.

“I’ve had multiple experiences of harassment and sexual assault, and I don’t speak about them very often. But after hearing all the stories these past few days and hearing these brave women speak up tonight, the things that we’re kind of told to sweep under the rug and not talk about, it’s made me want to speak up and speak up loudly because I felt less alone this week than I’ve ever felt in my entire career,” she shared.

Witherspoon went on to speak directly to the young women in the room, assuring them that the rest of Hollywood had their backs and that moving forward, part of the key to solving the industry’s issues with women, is to make sure that women hold power at every level of the process.

“If we can raise consciousness and really help create change, that’s what’s going to change this industry and change society,” Witherspoon concluded. “So I’m so sad that I have to talk about these issues, but it would be, I would be remiss not to.”

The “Legally Blonde” star is the latest celebrity to share her experience with sexual assault within the industry. And Alyssa Milano’s “Me Too” social media campaign has revealed how widespread the problem is well beyond Hollywood.

Witherspoon’s representatives did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Tuesday morning.

FULL COVERAGE: The Harvey Weinstein scandal »

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Britain’s royal baby No. 3 is due in April, palace confirms

Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s new sibling will arrive in the spring, Kensington Palace has said.

The third child of Britain’s Prince William and wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is due in April -- the same month the couple will celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary.

“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to confirm they are expecting a baby in April 2018,” said a tweet from the palace on Tuesday.

As with her other pregnancies, the 35-year-old duchess is suffering from severe morning sickness; she has kept a low profile since the September pregnancy announcement.

However, on Monday, during a charity event at Paddington Station, her husband confirmed to a royal subject that “she is feeling much better.” (A little prenatal math figures the former Kate Middleton is likely four months along, putting her in her second trimester.)

The child will displace William’s younger brother, Prince Harry, as fifth in line to the British throne, which has been held by 91-year-old Queen Elizabeth II since the death of her father, King George VI, in 1952. (Her coronation took place a year later.)

Currently, the line of succession names Elizabeth’s son Prince Charles, 68, as the heir apparent and her grandson William, 35, and great-grandchildren George, 4, and Charlotte, 2, as her direct successors, respectively.

Princess Charlotte will remain fourth in line to the British throne thanks to a law enacted in 2015 that preserves her succession even in the case of the birth of a younger brother, who previously would have usurped her claim.

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A Star Is Born: Eminem turns 45 today

(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Lots of people also don’t understand the skill that is involved in rap. They’ll just look at the last rhyme in a line. The challenge in hip-hop is to do compound syllable rhymes so that you have a flow to the sentence that carries the words along. That’s the secret of what makes rap so cool.

— Eminem, 2002

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Chilling Out -- for Him

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Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander reportedly tie the knot with a destination wedding

(Jennifer S. Altman / For the Los Angeles Times)

Actors Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander have reportedly tied the knot.

The “Shame” star and his Oscar-winning partner wed over the weekend in Ibiza, Spain, exchanging vows at the luxurious La Granja resort, People reported.

Reps for the couple did not immediately respond to the Los Angeles Times’ requests for confirmation.

The pair was spotted wearing wedding rings on the Spanish isle, according to photos obtained by the Daily Mail. They were photographed toasting with family and friends and kissing at a casual outdoor celebration, which the outlet proposed was a post-wedding brunch.

Fassbender, 40, and Vikander, 29, met three years ago while filming the drama “The Light Between Oceans” and have kept their romantic relationship fairly low-key, save for a few promotional appearances timed to the film’s release last year.

Vikander also famously planted a kiss on the “Assassin’s Creed” and “X-Men” actor just before accepting her 2016 Academy Award for supporting actress in “The Danish Girl.”

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In saying #MeToo, Alyssa Milano pushes awareness campaign about sexual assault and harassment

(Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images)

The #MeToo campaign on social media, which Alyssa Milano initiated on Sunday, is seeing stars including Evan Rachel Wood, Sophia Bush, Rosario Dawson, Lady Gaga and more speaking up as survivors of sexual violence, along with plenty of people who aren’t famous.

“If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet,” Milano tweeted, saying the hashtag idea was “suggested by a friend” who noted that perhaps getting multiple voices to chime in with that status “might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.”

FULL COVERAGE: Harvey Weinstein scandal

The “Charmed” actress isn’t the first to seize on the phrase “me too.”

Tarana Burke, an organizer and youth worker who’s a sexual assault survivor herself, has been working on “me too” since the mid-2000s — particularly with young women of color — as a means of what she calls empowerment through empathy.

“Somebody asked me, does this [campaign] amplify your work? And it does in a certain way, but also when this hashtag dies down, and people thinking about it, I’ll still be doing the work,” Burke told The Times on Monday.

To keep the ball rolling, she said, celebrity survivors could disclose not only their status but also what kind of personal work they’ve done to recover — “their trajectory for healing.”

“For me, it’s about helping people find an entry point to healing,” explained Burke, who gave the keynote address at the 2014 March to End Rape Culture in Philadelphia. “They cannot just let it be a hashtag.”

Of course, even if the current campaign has morphed a bit from Burke’s work so far, having celebrities’ social media reach behind it doesn’t hurt. Here are a few of the folks who’ve weighed in so far.

Lady Gaga, who went public at the 2016 Oscars as a victim of sexual assault, tweeted only the hashtag on Sunday, as did Ali Fedotowsky-Manno of “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” Tatiana Maslany of “Orphan Black” and Kristin Bauer of “True Blood,” to name a few.

“Westworld” star Wood went into more detail in appearing to offer an explanation about why she hadn’t told her story sooner than 2016.

“Because I was shamed and considered a ‘party girl’ I felt I deserved it,” Wood tweeted Sunday. “I shouldnt have been there, I shouldn’t have been ‘bad.’”

OPINION: Survivors of sexual violence don’t owe anyone our stories. Here’s why I’m telling mine. #MeToo

More than a quarter-million people were discussing #MeToo on Facebook around midday Monday, and Instagram had almost 350,000 posts tagged with that label.

“#MeToo And I want you too know, THEY will always be WRONG, but YOU can end up STRONG!,” “NCIS” actress Pauley Perrette tweeted Sunday. A day later, she retweeted a story about losing her virginity to rape when she was 15.

Rose McGowan, who has been a key, outspoken figure in the Harvey Weinstein scandal, tweeted “#metoo” along with quotes from author-filmmaker-scholar Jackson Katz, whose Mentors in Violence Prevention program focuses in part on bringing men and boys into the conversation around sexual violence.

Hilarie Burton, who went public last week to accuse Ben Affleck of groping her in 2003 during a taping of “Total Request Live” — he has since apologized — posted to the hashtag on Instagram.

Meanwhile, conservative commentator Dana Loesch, in a series of tweets, talked about threats of sexual violence she’d received in response to her political views, especially her support of 2nd Amendment rights.

Also popping up along with the #MeToo campaign were comments asking why the discussion didn’t specifically include men, people of color and non-binary people.

The issue of sexual assault is “bigger than Harvey Weinstein. It’s bigger than Bill Cosby. It’s bigger than R. Kelly. And we have to let young people know that healing is possible ... that joy is possible. It’s our job as adults and our job for each other,” Burke said.

“Nobody is floored by the realization that Hollywood is riddled with sexual predators ...,” she continued. “For every Harvey Weinstein, there’s a Joe Blow who’s doing the same thing in his community.”

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AFI Fest announces New Auteurs and American Independents programs

Shoniqua Shandai, Kid Twist, Rory Uphold, Calum Worthy, director Joseph Kahn, Jackie Long, Dumbfounded, Dizaster, from the film "Bodied."
( Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The AFI Fest continued the programming roll-out for their upcoming 2017 edition on Monday with the announcement of their New Auteurs and American Independents sections. This year’s festival runs Nov. 9-16 with screenings at multiple venues in Hollywood.

This year both sections will feature 11 films. The American Independents section brings highlights from other festivals to Los Angeles for the first time, including Joseph Kahn’s Toronto International Film Festival premiere “Bodied” and Aaron Katz’s SXSW Film Festival entry “Gemini.”

“The New Auteurs and American Independents programming speaks to a singular mandate of AFI Fest: ensuring that emerging filmmakers from around the globe have a world-class venue to present their stories to an eager audience,” Lane Kneedler, AFI Fest’s director of programming, said in a statement. “These films embody the promise of women and men who strive to lift our spirits through comedy, documentary, drama, science fiction and even a great American western.”

Also playing in the American Independents section will be Jared Moshé’s “The Ballad of Lefty Brown,” Mike Ott’s “California Dreams,” Joshua Bonnetta and J.P. Sniadecki’s “El Mar La Mar,” Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead’s “The Endless,” Laura Terruso’s “Fits and Starts,” Antonio Méndez Esparza’s “Life and Nothing More,” Noël Wells’ “Mr. Roosevelt,” Matt Porterfield’s “Sollers Point” and Cory Finley’s “Thoroughbreds.”

The international New Auteurs lineup will include Léa Mysius’ “Ava,” Kantemir Balagov’s “Closeness,” Andrea Pallaoro’s “Hannah,” Liu Jian’s ‘Have A Nice Day,” Jenna Bass’ “High Fantasy,” Rungano Nyoni’s “I Am Not A Witch,” Valérie Massadian’s “Milla,” Júlia Murat and Matias Mariani’s “Pendular,” Carla Simón’s “Summer 1993,” Iram Haq’s “What Would People Say” and Hlynur Pálmason’s “Winter Brothers.”

As previously announced, this year’s AFI Fest will open with Dee Rees’ “Mudbound” and also present a retrospective of 12 films by director Robert Altman. Single tickets will be available beginning Nov. 1. For tickets and membership information, go to AFI.com.

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Producers Guild expels Harvey Weinstein and creates task force to combat sexual assault in Hollywood

The Producers Guild of America’s board of directors has voted unanimously to terminate Harvey Weinstein’s membership, the organization announced Monday.

The decision was reached during an emergency meeting held today by the PGA’s National Board of Directors and Officers in the wake of a rapidly escalating controversy that has seen dozens of women, including high-profile actresses Rose McGowan, Asia Argento, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie, accuse the former mogul of abuse and harassment.

In addition to voting to expel Weinstein from the group, PGA leaders announced the creation of an anti-sexual harassment task force to research and address sexual harassment within the entertainment industry.

“This morning, the PGA’s National Board of Directors and Officers decided by unanimous vote to institute termination proceedings concerning Harvey Weinstein’s membership,” read a statement from Gary Lucchesi and Lori McCreary, presidents of the Producers Guild of America, on behalf of the PGA National Board of Directors and Officers.

“Sexual harassment of any type is completely unacceptable. This is a systemic and pervasive problem requiring immediate industry-wide action. Today, the PGA’s National Board and Officers – composed of 20 women and 18 men -- created the Anti-Sexual Harassment Task Force specifically charged with researching and proposing substantive and effective solutions to sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.”

“The PGA calls on leaders throughout the entertainment community to work together to ensure that sexual abuse and harassment are eradicated from the industry.”

Weinstein and his brother Bob were the recipients of the guild’s highest honor, the Milestone Award, in 2013.

Per the group’s bylaws, Weinstein, who was booted from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Saturday, will have until Nov. 5 to respond to the PGA decision before the termination of his membership is finalized.

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Weinstein Co. in sale negotiations to ‘stabilize the company’s current operations’

(Jordan Strauss / Invision)

The Weinstein Co., beset by sexual harassment and assault allegations against ousted co-founder Harvey Weinstein, announced Monday that it is in negotiations to sell part or all of itself to Colony Capital.

The company — known for producing films such as “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Django Unchained” and “The Iron Lady,” as well as the reality television series “Project Runway” — also said it has a preliminary agreement for Colony Capital to give it an immediate cash infusion.

“We believe that Colony’s investment and sponsorship will help stabilize the company’s current operations, as well as provide comfort to our critical distribution, production and talent partners around the world,” Weinstein Co. board member Tarak Ben Ammar said Monday in a statement. “Colony’s successful experience and track record in media and entertainment will be invaluable to the company.”

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African American Critics Assn. dubs 2017 ‘Year of the Woman in Cinema’

Directors Dee Rees, Patty Jenkins and Kathryn Bigelow.
(Brent N. Clarke / Invision / Associated Press, left; Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times, middle; Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times, right )

Kicking off awards season, the African American Film Critics Assn. proclaimed 2017 the “Year of the Woman in Cinema,” in a statement Monday announcing the honorees for its ninth annual awards ceremony.

“There is no argument that women have made a bold step forward this year in Hollywood,” said Gil Robertson, the AAFCA’s president. “The evidence demonstrated during the past year speaks for itself both in terms of box office and critical recognition by women and we predict that there will be continued momentum going forward.

“We are also pleased that African American women are a part of this progress and are taking advantage of increased opportunities to make their cinematic imprint.”

Films helmed by women this year include Patty Jenkins’ critically and commercially successful “Wonder Woman,” Niki Caro’s “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” Amma Asante’s “A United Kingdom,” Sofia Coppola’s “The Beguiled,” Kathryn Bigelow’s “Detroit” and Angela Robinson’s “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.” There are more to come by the end of the year, including Dee Rees’ “Mudbound” and Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird.”

The organization, which was founded in 2003 and is now the largest group of black film critics, also notes that with Ava DuVernay’s highly anticipated “A Wrinkle in Time” due next March, “the change appears headed towards normalcy as women in general, and African American female directors in particular, receive increased opportunities on the big screen.”

“Women wrote, produced and directed some of the year’s most compelling, provocative and culturally relevant movies,” said Shawn Edwards, who co-founded the AAFCA with Robertson. “However, there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that women have a permanent place at the table with equal representation.”

The AAFCA also announced recipients of its special achievement honors: “Get Out” writer-director Jordan Peele, Alcon Entertainment’s co-CEOs Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove, Los Angeles Film Festival President Claudia Puig and ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey.

The AAFCA’s Celebration of Women in Cinema is set to take place during the organization’s awards ceremony on Feb. 7, 2018.

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New ‘Black Panther’ trailer has Chadwick Boseman weighing fate of the world

Chadwick Boseman stars in the latest trailer for Marvel’s “Black Panther.”

Welcome once again to Wakanda, where the “third-world country, textiles, shepherds, cool outfits” thing is all a front, and the revolution will be live.

The first full-length trailer for “Black Panther” dropped Monday, bringing with it a more intense look at Chadwick Boseman, a.k.a. Prince T’Challa, a.k.a. the sexy, serious, bodysuit-clad lead character in director Ryan Coogler’s first Marvel Studios release.

“My son, it is your time,” says T’Challa’s queen mother, Ramonda, played by Angela Bassett.

“You get to decide what kind of king you are going to be,” says top spy Nakia, played by Lupita Nyong’o. Good on that, because apparently the fate of the world rests on what happens.

As we learned from a teaser back in June, the kingdom of Wakanda is more than it seems, and the new trailer reveals much more. In it, the Black Panther shows up in city streets as well as in African landscapes full of waterfalls and fire (and yes, OK, very cool outfits).

Boseman’s character also puts a hard-core big-cat twist on Marvel’s hallmark superhero landing.

“The revolution will be live,” the actor said Monday on Twitter, where he also shared a new poster for the movie.

“Long live the king,” Nyong’o said on Instagram as she posted the clip. Michael B. Jordan, who plays Erik Killmonger, did the same. “Isn’t it amazing!!,” Forest Whittaker said on Instagram.

The trailer comes fresh off Friday’s release of “Marshall,” which sees Boseman playing a different sort of action hero: Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to be named to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Black Panther” hits theaters Feb. 16, 2018.

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Duchess Catherine dances with Paddington Bear at surprise charity appearance

(Jonathan Brady / Getty Images)

There once was a princess who danced with a bear at a train station.

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before...

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, made a surprise appearance at a charity event Monday, where she was greeted by Paddington Bear at his famed namesake station.

The duchess, who is pregnant with her third child and is still suffering from extreme morning sickness, joined husband Prince William, brother-in-law Prince Harry and the cast and crew of “Paddington 2” to send off 130 children from their Charities Forum for a train ride to the English countryside.

The former Kate Middleton has kept a low profile since the palace announced in September that she was expecting again.

The duchess seemed in high spirits Monday, according to People. The appearance comes just a few days after the 35-year-old debuted her baby bump at World Mental Health Day.

She enjoyed a dance -- twirl and all -- with the costumed, marmalade-loving character just before boarding the train to speak with the children, several of whom were survivors of the summer’s catastrophic Grenfell Tower fire. The trio spent 45 minutes chatting with the children aboard the vintage Belmond British Pullman train before seeing them off, according to the Telegraph.

(Neil Hall / EPA-EFE / REX / Shutterstock)

When a woman from the Child Bereavement UK charity asked Prince William about Catherine, he said, “She is feeling much better.”

“Paddington 2” star Hugh Bonneville praised the royals’ charity work.

“Wherever they go, awareness is brought to the causes they do wonderfully support,” the “Downton Abbey” alum told the British newspaper. “It’s just fantastic when they can bring a bit of a spotlight to shine on these fantastic causes. Paddington is equally happy to smear them in marmalade!”

“Paddington 2” opens in the U.K. on Nov. 10 and in the U.S. on Jan. 12.

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A Star Is Born: Angela Lansbury turns 92 today

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

On the one hand, I love the success [of ‘Murder, She Wrote’] and am enjoying that tremendously. On the other, I resist this takeover that it represents of my life. You’re caught in a trap -- that’s what I’m not sure about. It’s awfully hard to walk away from success, isn’t it?

— Angela Lansbury, 1985

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Angela Lansbury Clues Us In

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Kehinde Wiley will paint Obama’s official presidential portrait

Kehinde Wiley, known for his vibrant, large-scale paintings of African American subjects, has been commissioned to paint the official presidential portrait of President Obama for the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery at Obama’s request, the museum revealed Friday.

Wiley, a Los Angeles native, is world-renowned for his portraits of young black men adorned in the latest in hip-hop street style. The artist has painted portraits of influential hip-hop figures such as the Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Ice T, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and Michael Jackson, among others.

At the end of each presidency, the National Portrait Gallery partners with the White House to commission one official portrait each of the president and the first lady. The two sets of official portraits (one for the White House and one for the National Portrait Gallery) are financed through private funds and have been a tradition beginning with former President George H.W. Bush.

Georgia native Amy Sherald will paint former First Lady Michelle Obama. The two paintings will be unveiled at the museum in early 2018 and will be added to the National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection.

“The Portrait Gallery is absolutely delighted that Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald have agreed to create the official portraits of our former president and first lady,” said Kim Sajet, director of the National Portrait Gallery. “Both have achieved enormous success as artists, but even more, they make art that reflects the power and potential of portraiture in the 21st century.”

Check out some of Wiley’s work below:

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Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are getting married!

Fans on Twitter on Sunday were blindsided by the news that “Game of Thrones” star Sophie Turner and singer Joe Jonas are getting married.

The 28-year-old singer and 21-year-old actress took to Instagram to share the news, each posting the same tight shot of just their hands.

Nick Jonas also shared the photo, congratulating his brother and “sister in law to be” on their engagement. He also commented “YES!!!” under Joe’s engagement photo on Instagram while their brother Kevin chimed in similarly with “Yeah!!!!!!!”

The couple has been dating since November and has been Instagram-official since January. Most fans on Twitter vacillated between shock and jealousy with more than a few “Game of Thrones”-related jokes thrown in.

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French president has ‘taken steps’ to strip Harvey Weinstein of his Legion of Honor award

In 2012, France’s then-president, Nicolas Sarkozy, awarded film mogul Harvey Weinstein with the Legion of Honor award, the highest military and civilian honor, after the Weinstein Co.’s “The Artist” won five Oscars. Now French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking to revoke it, according to the Associated Press.

Macron said in an interview with TF1 television on Sunday that he has “taken steps” to strip Weinstein of the honor over the multiple accusations of sexual assault and harassment currently swirling around the Hollywood titan.

“Yes, I’ve begun the procedures to withdraw the Legion d’Honneur,” Macron said. “Because his actions lack honor.”

Weinstein has recently been ousted from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which awards the Oscars. Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong is another American to lose the Legion of Honors distinction in recent years.

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Woody Allen ‘sad’ for Weinstein, hopes scandal doesn’t spark ‘witch hunt’

(AFP/Getty Images)

Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment scandal has sent shock waves through Hollywood, with high profile figures like Quentin Tarantino and Jane Fonda speaking out against the film mogul. Controversial director Woody Allen is the latest to chime in with his opinion, speaking to the BBC to admonish Weinstein’s actions. Kind of.

“No one ever came to me or told me horror stories with any real seriousness,” he told the BBC. “And they wouldn’t, because you are not interested in it. You are interested in making your movie. ... But you do hear a million fanciful rumors all the time. And some turn out to be true and some — many — are just stories about this actress, or that actor.”

Allen went on to say he is “sad” for Weinstein, who was recently ousted from the Motion Picture Academy after a number of women came forward to accuse him of assault.

“The whole Harvey Weinstein thing is very sad for everybody involved,” Allen told the BBC. “Tragic for the poor women that were involved, sad for Harvey that [his] life is so messed up.”

The director, who was accused of abusing adopted daughter Dylan Farrow in 2014, went on to say he hoped the scandal wouldn’t lead to a “witch hunt.”

“You also don’t want it to lead to a witch hunt atmosphere, a Salem atmosphere, where every guy in an office who winks at a woman is suddenly having to call a lawyer to defend himself. That’s not right either.”

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Björk opens up about her own experience with sexual harassment

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

In the wake of Harvey Weinstein’s scandal, several actors and actresses have come forward to share their own experiences with harassment in the entertainment industry. Sunday morning, Icelandic singer-songwriter and actress Björk shared her own experience of sexual harassment at the hands of an unnamed director.

“I am inspired by the women everywhere who are speaking up online to tell about my experience,” Björk wrote. “I became aware that it is a universal thing that a director can touch and harass his actresses at will and the institution of film allows it.”

She went on to describe an on-set encounter with the director, who punished her and framed her as being “difficult” for turning down his advances. “It was extremely clear to me when I walked into the actresses profession that my humiliation and role as a lesser sexually harassed being was the norm and set in stone with the director and a staff of dozens who enabled it and encouraged it,” she wrote.

“Let’s hope this statement supports the actresses and actors all over.”

Read the full statement below:

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‘Saturday Night Live’ takes on the Weinstein scandal

While “Saturday Night Live” was criticized for not taking shots at Harvey Weinstein on its Oct. 7 episode, the long-running sketch show addressed the scandal with this weekend’s edition.

The show featured two segments related to the disgraced film mogul, including jokes from Colin Jost and Michael Che during “Weekend Update” and a return of the sketch centered around an actress round table discussion featuring fictional “classic Hollywood” star Debette Goldry, played by Kate McKinnon.

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A Star Is Born: Penny Marshall turns 74 today

(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

I came up in such a whole backwards way that’s so different from most of the girls now. I mean, I didn’t care, I didn’t want [fame]. I wasn’t trying to get it. So I don’t have the anger. I didn’t go beating down any doors saying, ‘Accept me for this.’ I was trying to get a date. You know?

— Penny Marshall, 1990

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Backpedaling to Fame

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Kate Winslet savages Harvey Weinstein in new interview: ‘He was bullying and nasty’

Kate Winslet walks backstage after winning the Oscar for "The Reader" in 2009.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

When Kate Winslet won the lead actress Oscar for “The Reader” in 2009, she thanked 19 people by name, along with many others in general.

She did not mention Harvey Weinstein, whose company financed and distributed the movie.

“That was deliberate. That was absolutely deliberate,” Winslet told The Times in an interview Saturday.

“I remember being told. ‘Make sure you thank Harvey if you win.’ And I remember turning around and saying, ‘No I won’t. No I won’t.’ And it was nothing to do with not being grateful. If people aren’t well-behaved, why would I thank him?”

“The fact that I’m never going to have to deal with Harvey Weinstein again as long as I live is one of the best things that’s ever happened and I’m sure the feeling is universal,” Winslet added.

Winslet made her first movie, Peter Jackson’s psychological drama “Heavenly Creatures,” for Weinstein’s Miramax Films — a fact, Winslet says, that the now-disgraced producer brought up every time she saw him.

The fact that I’m never going to have to deal with Harvey Weinstein again as long as I live is one of the best things that’s ever happened and I’m sure the feeling is universal.

— Kate Winslet

“For my whole career, Harvey Weinstein, whenever I’ve bumped into him, he’d grab my arm and say, ‘Don’t forget who gave you your first movie.’ Like I owe him everything. Then later, with ‘The Reader,’ same thing, ‘I’m gonna get you that Oscar nomination, I’m gonna get you a win, I’m gonna win for you.’”

“But that’s how he operated,” Winslet continues. “He was bullying and nasty. Going on a business level, he was always very, very hard to deal with — he was rude. He used to call my female agent a [vulgar name for a woman] every time he spoke to her on the telephone.”

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National Organization for Women urges Hollywood to ‘end the silence that surrounds sexual abuse’

The National Organization for Women quickly praised the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the expulsion of Harvey Weinstein on Saturday, but warned Hollywood not to be complacent about systemic abuse of women in the industry.

The Academy decision was made in an emergency vote after dozens of women had come forward to accuse the Weinstein Co. co-founder of sexual harassment and assault.

NOW President Toni Van Pelt issued a statement Saturday that read in its entirety:

The Motion Picture Academy did the right thing by revoking Harvey Weinstein’s membership. The National Organization for Women was one of the first to call for the Academy to remove Harvey Weinstein from their membership roster, and we are gratified they faced their responsibility today. But Hollywood still has a pervasive problem with the systematic abuse of women by powerful men who believe their power and privilege will always protect them.

Every studio, every talent agency, every entertainment lawyer and every business that participates in the “star-making machinery” has an obligation to women — and to humanity — to end the silence that surrounds sexual abuse. It shouldn’t take a Harvey Weinstein to change the way Hollywood deals with abusers. This sort of harassment and criminal assault takes place every day. When people in Hollywood see something, they should say something. It shouldn’t take a newspaper or magazine expose to hold people like Harvey Weinstein accountable.

The Motion Picture Academy made a good start today. But the hard work of changing the culture and holding abusers accountable for their crimes is just beginning.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal.

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With news of Harvey Weinstein’s film academy expulsion, Twitter wonders, ‘Who’s next?’

(Jordan Strauss / Invision/Associated Press)

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted to expel Harvey Weinstein during an emergency meeting Saturday following accusations against the Hollywood producer of sexual harassment and assault -- and the reaction on social media was immediate.

Celebrities touted the academy’s announcement, which it said in a statement was meant to “send a message that the era of willful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behavior and workplace harassment in our industry is over.”

Many voiced the inevitable question: With Weinstein out, which other embattled figures might next face censure? Still active among the academy ranks are a number of controversial figures, including Bill Cosby and Roman Polanski, both of whom have faced accusations of sexual assault.

Other Twitter reactions turned their focus to President Trump.

FULL COVERAGE: The Harvey Weinstein scandal>>

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Academy expels Harvey Weinstein, will establish ethical standards of conduct

Harvey Weinstein
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Harvey Weinstein — a once-dominant force in the Academy Awards who rewrote the rules of Oscar campaigning — has been expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in response to mounting allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault against him.

The film academy’s 54-member Board of Governors, which includes such industry luminaries as Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Kathleen Kennedy and Whoopi Goldberg, voted in an emergency meeting Saturday to remove Weinstein from the organization’s ranks in an unprecedented public rebuke of a prominent industry figure. The move marked the latest blow in Weinstein’s stunning downfall and, in symbolic terms, amounts to a virtual expulsion from Hollywood itself.

In removing Weinstein from its ranks, the academy said in a statement, “We do so not simply to separate ourselves from someone who does not merit the respect of his colleagues but also to send a message that the era of willful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behavior and workplace harassment in our industry is over. What’s at issue here is a deeply troubling problem that has no place in our society. The Board continues to work to establish ethical standards of conduct that all Academy members will be expected to exemplify.”

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Bob Weinstein describes ‘living nightmare’ of accusations against brother Harvey, hopes film academy ousts him

Harvey and Bob Weinstein
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Bob Weinstein has finally broken his silence about the numerous public allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault recently made against his older brother, Harvey Weinstein, denying that he had any knowledge of any non-consensual sexual activity and calling for his brother’s expulsion from the film academy.

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, the Weinstein Co. co-founder described the days since learning about the accusations against his brother as “a living nightmare” while unequivocally denying that he had any knowledge of the extent of his brother’s actions.

“For the last five years, I’ve probably talked to my brother 10 times on any personal level,” Weinstein admitted, regarding the pair’s strained relationship. “That’s the fracture that’s gone on. Since Dimension [Films] started, we ran two separate companies.”

But Weinstein did know some unsavory realities about his older sibling.

“I was also the object of a lot of his verbal abuse — at one time physical abuse,” he said.

The younger Weinstein was emphatic that his experiences did not compare to those of the victims who have come forward in recent days. He begged his brother to get help.

Bob Weinstein also shared that he knew Harvey was a known philanderer but said he had no idea that the encounters might not have been consensual.

He did know, however, that the elder Weinstein often was verbally abusive to his employees.

“Harvey was a bully. Harvey was arrogant. He treated people like ... all the time. That I knew. And I had to clean up for so many of his employee messes.

“I would often counsel people and say, ‘You know what? You have a choice here. Leave. Leave, please leave.’ ”

When asked directly whether Harvey Weinstein should be expelled by the film academy’s Board of Governors, which is meeting Saturday to make that decision, the younger brother’s answer was emphatic.

“Yes, I do. I was gonna actually write [to the academy]. And I will do it. I am gonna write a note to them saying he definitely should be kicked out of the academy.”

As for the film empire they co-founded, Bob Weinstein is desperate to keep the Weinstein Co. afloat and rebuild it without the taint of a familial name.

“This brother is not that brother,” the younger Weinstein said of himself. “This brother made just as much money, ran a successful division [Dimension Films], more successful financially than Harvey’s. But I’m a different guy and I run it differently, and people know it.”

When asked about his own past anger issues, Weinstein freely admitted that he previously has struggled with his temper, but he said he has worked to better himself.

“There are those that do the work and those that don’t. I did it. I’m not that guy, and that’s not the way I operate,” he said.

Weinstein said he does not see that same level of self-awareness in his brother.

“This hurts, but I don’t feel an ounce of remorse coming from him, and that kills me too.”

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Producers Guild meeting on fate of Harvey Weinstein postponed until Monday

The Producers Guild of America, which had been scheduled to hold an emergency meeting Saturday to discuss the possible expulsion from its ranks of embattled film mogul Harvey Weinstein, has moved that meeting to Monday morning.

In a statement, the PGA said the meeting of the group’s board of directors was postponed “to ensure confidentiality of its proceedings.”

Since allegations of sexual harassment and assault against Weinstein surfaced on Oct. 5, numerous individuals and organizations in Hollywood associated with Weinstein have scrambled to distance themselves from him.

The board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences scheduled a special meeting for 10 a.m. Saturday to review Weinstein’s membership.

In a statement Wednesday, the film academy condemned Weinstein’s alleged behavior, calling it “repugnant, abhorrent, and antithetical to the high standards of the Academy and the creative community it represents.”

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A Star Is Born: Usher turns 39 today

(Damon Winter / Los Angeles Times)

I always approach things like I’m new at it. It’s funny because people tell me I act like I haven’t sold records before. But in my mind, every album is a restart and a rebirth.

— Usher, 2012

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Usher finds a fresh groove in ‘Looking 4 Myself’

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Film academy may decide to revoke Harvey Weinstein’s membership at emergency meeting today

(Jordan Strauss / Invision)

In 10 short days, Harvey Weinstein has been fired from his company and denounced by many of the celebrities he helped launch to stardom. On Saturday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences could deliver another blow when it meets to decide whether to boot him from its ranks.

The academy’s 54-member board of governors scheduled the emergency meeting after reports emerged in the New York Times and the New Yorker that the film producer sexually assaulted or harassed multiple actresses, models and former employees.

Under academy bylaws, the board -- of which nearly half are women -- could vote to suspend or expel Weinstein.

In a statement issued earlier this week, the board called the allegations “repugnant, abhorrent, and antithetical to the high standards of the Academy and the creative community it represents.”

Suspending Weinstein wouldn’t be unprecedented, but the move is rare. In 2004, the academy kicked out actor Carmen Caridi, who shared promotional versions of movies with an acquaintance who put the films on the internet.

If Weinstein is booted, the academy may be forced to take a closer look at some of its other members. Bill Cosby, for example, is facing a retrial on three counts of aggravated assault. Several women have accused him of drugging and raping them over a span of decades. And director Roman Polanski fled the country to avoid jail time for drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl in 1977.

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Michael Moore proposes a plan for ‘A World Without Harveys’

Michael Moore in New York in August.
(Michael Noble Jr. / Associated Press)

As stories of assault, harassment and misconduct involving disgraced movie producer and studio chief Harvey Weinstein have rolled in at a rapid pace, many have wondered about the response from two star filmmakers who have operated in his orbit: Quentin Tarantino and Michael Moore.

Tarantino was finally heard from late Thursday, when actress Amber Tamblyn posted a statement online from the director, declaring himself “stunned and heartbroken about the revelations that have come to light about my friend for 25 years Harvey Weinstein.”

On Friday afternoon, documentary filmmaker Michael Moore posted a lengthy message to his Facebook page under the heading “USE THIS MOMENT TO CREATE A WORLD WITHOUT HARVEYS.”

Weinstein was involved with the distribution of Moore’s 2004 documentary “Fahrenheit 9/11.” That film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and went on to earn more than $220 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing documentary of all time. Moore would later settle a lawsuit with Harvey and Bob Weinstein over profits from the film.

Moore’s 1,108-word statement on Friday made no mention of the film project “Fahrenheit 11/9,” about the 2016 election of Donald Trump, for which it was reported the Weinsteins purchased worldwide rights earlier this year.

Moore’s statement began “Anyone with a flicker of a conscience or a modicum of decency stands, as I do, with the women who’ve summoned the courage to tell the truth about Harvey Weinstein.… But well-meaning platitudes of support for the abused are simply not enough.”

Moore went on to lay out four suggestions on how to change Hollywood.

1. “Put all abusers on notice NOW.”

2. “To those abusers who ignore the above warning and choose to stay in power ... you will be exposed, publicly shamed and hopefully removed. Avoid this cruel end by resigning now.”

3. “To the men who do treat women as equals and behave toward them with respect and dignity: This is your moment!... This is on us. MEN, step forward, NOW!”

4. “The boards of directors of the Hollywood studios -- and all across corporate America -- must declare gender parity the new priority”

Moore concluded: “We need to create a new economy where women and men have the same opportunities and are paid the same, an economy that no longer condemns generations to poverty and where their only option is to serve at the pleasure and the whim of the rich.… We must ALL commit to doing this. I believe our collective conscience will ultimately settle for nothing less, and the result will be a better world.”

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Minka Kelly, latest Weinstein accuser, apologizes for ‘obliging his orders to be complicit’

(Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)

Minka Kelly is among the many young actresses claiming she was inappropriately propositioned by disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein.

She’s also among those who have declined his alleged advances, Kelly said in an Instagram post she shared Friday.

However, the actress, who appeared in the Weinstein Co.-distributed Lee Daniels film “The Butler” in 2013, felt the need to apologize for “obliging his orders to be complicit in protecting his behavior,” making him “feel OK about the gross things he was saying” and not insisting that her reps “never allow anyone to take a meeting in a hotel room” with him or anyone else.

She did not specify when the encounter took place.

Here’s the list of Harvey Weinstein’s accusers

Kelly, 37, wrote that when she first met Weinstein at an industry party, her agent told her the next day that the producer wanted to set up a general meeting in his hotel room.

The “Friday Night Lights” alum wasn’t comfortable with that and opted to meet with him and his assistant at a hotel restaurant instead. Weinstein, she said, gave her the usual spiel referenced by several of his accusers about putting her in his movies. He then dismissed the assistant.

“As she walked away, he said, ‘I know you were feeling what I was feeling when we met the other night,’ and then regaled me with offers of a lavish life filled with trips around the world on private planes etc. IF I would be his girlfriend,” Kelly wrote. “Or, ‘We could just keep this professional.’ ”

As not to offend “this very powerful man” and to get out of the situation as quickly as possible, she shut him down gracefully by telling him she was flattered. He agreed to keep their relationship professional and asked her not to tell anyone about the exchange, she said.

“I immediately told my agent what happened. We marveled at his audacity, reinforced my instinct not to offend him & laughed at how glad I was to get out of there. Neither of us were that surprised as this wasn’t far off from the day-to-day... of being an actress.”

Read Kelly’s full Instagram post here.

And read more of the Times’ coverage of the Weinstein scandal here.

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‘It’s happening for a reason’: Here’s the final trailer for ‘Stranger Things’ Season 2

What better day than Friday the 13th for Netflix to release the final trailer for Season 2 of “Stranger Things,” which finds the gang still facing the monster in all its Upside Down glory.

“It’s not like it was before,” says police Chief Jim Hopper, played by David Harbour. “It’s grown.”

Hmm. It was pretty big last season, so this doesn’t bode well. Fortunately, a few new characters have joined the core group as the story picks up in 1984, a year after the first season’s events. And Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) still has that spiked baseball bat in his trunk.

SPECIAL REPORT: The age of horror

According to twin showrunners Matt and Ross Duffer, reality-shifting kiddo Will Byers, played by Noah Schnapp, will be in the spotlight this time around.

New episodes start streaming Oct. 27.

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Robin Thede’s ‘The Rundown’ shows promise -- and some bite -- in its BET debut

Robin Thede
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Late-night comedy welcomed a new face to its lineup Thursday night, and with her debut episode of “The Rundown,” Robin Thede is already off to a promising start.

Thede already knows the landscape as a former contributor to Larry Wilmore’s canceled “The Nightly Show” on Comedy Central, where she also became late-night’s first black female head writer. In her new show for BET produced by Chris Rock, Thede took aim at some familiar targets but with a fresh perspective.

After a short opening skit involving Thede acting out a sort of outreach for a Donald Trump supporter, the show began with the segment that gives the show its name. Thede stood before a chart listing her night’s topics, which included Eminem’s freestyle rap that took aim at Trump at BET’s Hip-Hop Awards early this week.

Recounting some of the unfavorable comments the song earned from Fox News, Thede playfully teased the rapper and the over-the-top praise he earned in other circles, calling him “Marshall Luther King.” (Warning: The video below contains explicit language.)

She also wasn’t afraid to hit harder on race issues. “You feel like you’re watching a magic show when you see white people interact with cops?” she asked, replaying a video that had gone viral of what appeared to be a young white man leading a police officer on a chase.

In revealing the video’s twist that the man was not white, Thede said, “Cops aren’t afraid of brown people, just brown skin,” which earned a low “oooh” from the crowd. She grinned through the brief bubble of silence and kept moving.

She went on to recount the controversy surrounding ESPN commentator Jemele Hill, who was suspended for her comments about the NFL’s stance on player protests, which drew Trump’s ire.

With a backdrop that superimposed Hill’s face on the cover of Lauryn Hill’s landmark album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” Thede referenced a beauty pageant contestant who criticized Trump more pointedly, and noted a theme among those who draw the president’s anger. “Trump likes his targets like we like Magic Johnson Theaters,” she said. “Black and loud.”

READ MORE: Robin Thede ready to give ‘The Rundown’ on BET late night

The first segment recalled Samantha Bee’s “Full Frontal” on TBS in look and structure, but an in-depth piece on the NFL’s concussion controversy was reminiscent of John Oliver’s longer takes on “Last Week Tonight.”

Featuring a clip of Malcolm Gladwell, the piece noted that former NFL running back Rashard Mendenhall is now a TV writer after fears of CTE (a degenerative brain disease) led him to retire. “Yes, it was on ‘Ballers’ but don’t hold that against him,” Thede said in a dig at HBO.

But none of Thede’s late-night competitors would likely ever finish their show with rising rapper Duckwrth performing his song “Michuul” at a giddy pop-up concert inside a bodega. It was just one more example of why Thede’s new show is one to watch.

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Ashley Judd to be celebrated with Speaking Truth to Power honor at Women’s Media Awards

Ashley Judd will be honored by the Women's Media Center on Oct. 26 in New York City.
(Jordan Strauss / Invision / Associated Press)

Ashley Judd will be feted by the Women’s Media Center, receiving the Speaking Truth to Power honor at the Women’s Media Awards in New York on Oct. 26.

Judd was a critical and high-profile source in the New York Times’ recent bombshell story about Harvey Weinstein’s decades of alleged sexual harassment and assault.

“It’s crucial to call out those like Harvey Weinstein who misuse big power, and also to reward those who risk what small power they have by telling the truth,“ Gloria Steinem, co-founder of the Women’s Media Center, said in a statement Friday.

“I would like to pay tribute to my friend Ashley Judd, who travels the world encouraging women and girls to tell the truth about being prostituted and sex trafficked, and who now has led global truth-telling in the most powerful way — by example,” Steinem added.

The “Kiss the Girls” actress already works closely with the organization, serving as the chair of WMC Speech Project, which seeks to raise awareness about online harassment and how it taxes women’s civic and political involvement.

Judd joins Maria Hinojosa, April Ryan, María Elena Salinas and Gail Tifford as an honoree at the 2017 ceremony, which will also celebrate the 80th birthday of WMC co-founder Jane Fonda.

The WMC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization co-founded in 2005 by Fonda, Steinem and Robin Morgan to increase the visibility and power of women in media.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal »

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Jason Momoa apologizes for 2011 joke about rape in fantasy world of ‘Game of Thrones’

Jason Momoa, right, with Kit Harington, left, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau at Comic-Con International San Diego in 2011.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Jason Momoa, the “Game of Thrones” actor who plays Aquaman in Warner Bros.’ upcoming movie “Justice League,” has apologized for a “truly tasteless” joke he made six years ago about being able, as a fantasy character, to rape beautiful women and then have them fall in love with you.

“I awoke in Australia to the justified reactions by many people to a distasteful joke in Hall H for which I am sorry,” the 38-year-old said in an Instagram post that went up late Thursday, U.S. time. “I am still severely disappointed in myself at the insensitivity of my remarks that day.”

Momoa has been Down Under working on the standalone “Aquaman” movie, due out next year. On “Thrones,” his character, Dothraki chieftain Khal Drogo, was part of a fictional culture that prides itself on raping an enemy’s women after triumphing in battle. Drogo also raped his wife, Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen, shortly after she was handed over to him by her brother.

“I know my sincerest apology now won’t take away those hurtful words, said Momoa, who is married to actress Lisa Bonet. “Rape and sexual harassment can reach anyone and I have seen first hand its painful torment among members of my own family and friends.”

He described his apology as one made with a “heavy heart.”

As for Warner Bros., it has no plans in the wake of the resurfaced footage to take the actor off promotional rounds for “Justice League,” which hits theaters Nov. 17, Deadline reported Friday.

Of course, rape in the context of “Game of Thrones” — not to mention the show’s gratuitous female nudity, plus rape in general on TVhas been an issue for years, with some fans saying along the way that they were tuning out because they were tired of it.

The comment, made in July 2011, at the “Thrones” panel in Comic-Con International’s top-billed Hall H, resurfaced in the context of producer Harvey Weinstein’s sexual-harassment scandal. (Watch it here.)

Momoa talked about what it was like working on “Thrones,” then segued into why he enjoys working in the fantasy genre on HBO.

“It was like going to acting school. It was really phenomenal. The level of talent was through the roof,” he said. “But as far as sci-fi and fantasy, I just love that genre. You do so many things you can’t do, like rip someone’s tongue out of their throat and get away with it, and rape beautiful women, you know? And then having them fall in love with you, you know what I mean? Next question.”

After the crack, as broad laughter from the crowd continued, Momoa hid his face behind his jacket and looked to the other panelists, who also were laughing.

FULL COVERAGE: Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal

A question followed for Clarke, who plays Daenerys Targaryen, the character who falls in love with Drogo shortly after he rapes her.

Asked for “pointers or tips” on playing a “strong but realistic” woman, Clarke commented about women in general. “We’re strong. We’re good. We’re powerful. We’re sexy. ... Own it,” she said.

Momoa, who was seated next to her, applauded.

It wasn’t the first time he had to talk about rape doing the rounds for “Game of Thrones.” Speaking to MTV News in January 2011, the actor was asked about what it was like to film rape scenes with Clarke for the HBO series.

“I’ve never raped a woman before — which is a good thing — and you don’t really get to research that,” he said. “Research on that is like, ‘Honey, do you mind if I try something?’ It doesn’t work.

“It’s very hard. It’s one of the hardest things I ever had to do because I love Emilia,” Momoa continued. “She’s someone I love and I adore to this day, and you just have to kind of separate and lots of kisses and ‘I’m sorry’ afterward. It’s horrible, but I’m Khal Drogo, and that’s what he does.

A few years later, in March 2014, Conan O’Brien brought up Khal Drogo while chatting with Momoa on late-night TV.

The “Conan” host suggested that Drogo’s “forceful male presence” had resulted in “a lot of women that say that your character improved their sex lives because they were able to say, ‘That’s what I want.’

“Men are becoming so, ‘Oh, what would you like? I want to make you so happy,’ ” O’Brien said, mimicking the tone of a wimpy man. “And then your character came along.”

Momoa joked in reply, “It’s like, ‘Woman. Here. Now. Me.’ They’re looking for a little assertive[ness]. Assertive and aggressive. ... I tried it on my wife. It didn’t work.”

Even Betty White laughed at that one.

ALSO

Ben Affleck apologizes for groping Hilarie Burton in 2003

Rose McGowan implores Jeff Bezos to ‘stop funding rapists’ via Amazon Studios

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Back on tour, country star Jason Aldean preaches unity

(Sue Ogrocki / Associated Press)

Country star Jason Aldean returned to the stage Thursday night, resuming the tour he set aside in the wake of the deadly Las Vegas shooting.

In Tulsa, Okla., the “Burnin’ It Down” singer launched into a five-minute speech about the tragedy and cursed the shooter, who killed 58 people and injured more than 500 others before dying. Aldean was onstage at the Route 91 Harvest music festival when gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on concertgoers on Oct. 1. (Police are still investigating a motive in the tragedy.)

The Georgia native addressed the mass shooting three songs into his set, the Associated Press reported, and honored the victims by telling attendees to resist living in fear and live in unity instead.

“Sometimes this country can be really divided and that’s a really unfortunate thing to see,” Aldean said, according to video obtained by TMZ. “But it’s been really cool to see all the love and support that’s been going on over the last 10 days or so because of what happened in Las Vegas. And I just feel like if we can do that on a daily basis, the world would be a lot better place.”

Describing it as a “a tough week and a half” for him and his crew, Aldean added that he was glad they were able to resume the tour.

“These people are going to continue to try to hold us down and continue to try to do things to us that make us live in fear or be scared. ... To those people that keep trying to do that, I say ... you,” Aldean said, using an expletive as an enthusiastic crowd that cheered him on.

It’s been really cool to see all the love and support that’s been going on over the last 10 days or so because of what happened in Las Vegas. And I just feel like if we can do that on a daily basis, the world would be a lot better place

— Jason Aldean

“I want to play the show for you guys that the people in Las Vegas came to see and didn’t get a chance to,” he said, noting that even though people may not have physical injuries, “it’s gonna be a mental thing for a lot of people for a long time.”

Aldean is touring in support of his album “They Don’t Know” and canceled three shows in California last weekend out of respect for the victims. He then made a surprise appearance in New York to open “Saturday Night Live” with a somber Tom Petty tribute, then visited shooting victims at the Las Vegas hospital where they were being treated on Sunday.

Thursday’s arena show at the BOK Center in Tulsa required concertgoers to walk through metal detectors and police presence was visible, AP said.

ALSO

If we can’t gather for a concert without fear for our lives, we are doomed

In Las Vegas, the casino is always watching — and yet it missed Stephen Paddock

In the solitary world of video poker, Stephen Paddock knew how to win. Until he didn’t

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‘Weird Al’ Yankovic will embark on an ‘Ill-Advised Vanity Tour’ next year

'Weird Al' Yankovic, shown at his home in Hollywood, will embark on a tour "for the hardcore fans" in 2018.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

“Weird Al” Yankovic is ditching his usual costume changes, video screens, elaborate stage production and, for the most part, the hits that have dominated his concert performances in recent years. Instead, he’ll embark on a high- (or is it low?) concept outing next year called the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour.

He’ll be bringing the show — featuring himself and three band members — to smaller spaces, in stark contrast to the Mandatory World Tour, which incorporated elaborate set pieces, costumes and light-show effects for virtually every number.

“The light show has gotten a lot bigger and better over the years,” he told The Times earlier this year. “This last tour was our biggest and, I think, our best. We played venues we never dreamed we’d be playing: We sold out Radio City Music Hall in New York; we did two nights at the Hollywood Bowl. This is all crazy.

“Having said that, we’re going to take this year off the road entirely, and when we come back next year and we are going to do a much, much smaller tour, in all aspects,” he added. “We’ll probably do about 50 dates in North America, without any of the production we normally take with us. Sort of a palate cleanser.

“I think we [made] this show about as big as we could possibly make it,” he said, “and now we’re going to do a show just for the real hardcore fans.”

That means deeper tracks and non-parody material from his 14 albums released since his 1983 debut album through his most recent, 2014’s “Mandatory Fun,” which became the first comedy album to enter the Billboard 200 Albums chart at No. 1.

Yankovic said each night’s set list will be unique.

The tour opens Feb. 27 in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and includes an L.A. date May 11 at the Theatre at Ace Hotel downtown before wrapping June 10 in Green Bay, Wisc. Tickets for all the shows go on sale Oct. 20 at noon in various time zones. Fans may sign up to get tickets at Yankovic’s official website.

In November, Legacy Recordings is releasing a 15-LP box set with each of his 14 albums remastered, many of them being released on vinyl for the first time, plus a bonus rarities disc and a 120-page career-spanning book with photos, biographical and other information, housed in a replica accordion case.

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Steven Seagal faces allegations in the wake of Harvey Weinstein scandal fallout

Steven Seagal is the latest Hollywood player to get caught in the crossfire of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal. Actress and “Inside Edition” correspondent Lisa Guerrero recently told Newsweek about an uncomfortable audition she had with the actor-producer in the 1990s.

She alleged that in 1996, when she was 31, Guerrero was asked to audition at Seagal’s home for a role in the film “Fire Down Below.”

Hesitant to go alone, Guerrero said that her casting agency sent someone to accompany her, and when she and her female companion arrived at Seagal’s home, he greeted them wearing only a silk robe.

Once she had returned home, Guerrero said that her manager told her that Seagal wanted her for the lead role, but that she’d have to return to his house that night for a private rehearsal. Guerrero declined.

Guerrero did earn a small role in “Fire Down Below” but recounted a story of how on set Seagal whispered to male colleagues extensively before he invited her to visit his dressing room. Again, she declined.

Guerrero is not, however, the first woman to accuse Seagal, 65, of inappropriate conduct.

In a 1998 interview with Movieline, former Playboy model Jenny McCarthy recalled her audition for “Under Siege 2” during which she claimed that Seagal repeatedly told her to take off her dress, which resulted in McCarthy fleeing in tears.

A spokesman for Seagal denied McCarthy’s claims to the Daily Beast.

In 2010, Seagal was sued by a personal assistant accusing him of sexual harassment and illegal sex trafficking. The case was later withdrawn and documents submitted to the court did not mention if a settlement had been reached.

Representatives for Seagal did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Friday morning.

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‘Morning Joe’ host Joe Scarborough officially leaves Republican Party

Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

“Morning Joe’s” Joe Scarborough made his breakup with the Republican Party Twitter-official on Thursday.

The MSNBC host and former Republican congressman confirmed that he has left the GOP and is now registered as an independent.

Scarborough shared his disillusionment with the party and announced plans to leave it in July after he and Mika Brzezinski, his cohost and fiancee, found themselves frequently in President Trump’s cross hairs for being critical of him.

Taking a few more cracks at Trump, the former Florida politician shared a photo of himself with an elections official in Connecticut smiling with a voter form. That form, he quipped, actually was the president’s birth certificate, proving the birther conspirator was indeed “born in Nambia” — a country of Trump’s own invention.

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Linkin Park shares ‘Carpool Karaoke’ segment with late frontman Chester Bennington

An episode of “Carpool Karaoke” featuring Linkin Park and frontman Chester Bennington taped just a week before Bennington’s death in July is now showing, with his family’s blessing, on Apple Music’s series.

Bennington and bandmates Mike Shinoda and Joe Hahn join the segment’s host, former “Dr. Ken” star Ken Jeong. With Bennington behind the wheel, the collective offers up OutKast’s “Hey Ya,” the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under the Bridge” and Linkin Park’s own 2003 hit “Numb” while cruising through the streets.

The clip is preceded by a note that advises viewers, “With the blessing of Chester’s family and his bandmates, we share this episode, and dedicate it to the memory of Chester.” It also shows a photo of Bennington with the words “In memory of Chester Bennington, March 20, 1976-July 20, 2017.”

Bennington died at his home in Palos Verdes in what the Los Angeles County medical examiner ruled to be a suicide.

ALSO:

Chester Bennington’s widow thanks James Corden for his sensitivity about ‘Carpool Karaoke’ episode

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Seth Meyers takes aim at Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein and systemic misogyny

It’s been a week — a long, long week — since the New York Times revealed decades of sexual harassment claims against Harvey Weinstein.

On Thursday night’s episode of “Late Night,” Seth Meyers broke down the systemic misogyny that infects not just Hollywood and Washington, D.C., but the country at large.

“Of course, we have a president who built his political career almost entirely on bullying,” Meyers began, focusing his “A Closer Look” segment on both Donald Trump and Weinstein. “His campaign and now his presidency have been, in many ways, a performance of dominance — a performance that has, in many cases, been explicitly misogynist.”

Meyers went on to talk about Trump’s merciless treatment of Carmen Yulín Cruz, the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“What did you do after the hurricane?” Meyers wondered of Trump. “You took a week to even send FEMA. You reminded them about their debts. And then you showed up two weeks after that and chucked paper towels like a teenager in the break room at Costco.”

That was a perfect example of male entitlement, Meyers said.

The former “Saturday Night Live” cast member then pivoted to the president’s own history with sexual harassment accusations, and the fact that during his campaign, 12 women came forward to accuse him of misconduct.

Women, Meyers reminded viewers, whom Trump promised to sue after the election.

“And as we know, Donald Trump keeps all his promises, so those women were sued and found guilty at a trial held right next to the finished Mexican border wall on the same day that Obamacare was repealed,” Meyers quipped.

The late-night host had plenty of scorn left over for the accusations against Weinstein as well, waxing about how the Miramax co-founder had been labeled a “dinosaur” by former advisor Lisa Bloom.

“Dinosaurs don’t learn new ways! They go extinct. They didn’t survive because they learned to type,” Meyers said in exasperation. “If you’re a dinosaur, then this is your ice age, buddy! And unlike real dinosaurs, no one is ever gonna try and bring back Harvey Weinstein.”

Watch the segment above.

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Quentin Tarantino, ‘stunned and heartbroken,’ still processing Weinstein mess

Quentin Tarantino needs a minute — actually, a few more days — to process his reaction to the Harvey Weinstein sexual-harassment mess.

“For the last week I’ve been stunned and heartbroken about the revelations that have come to light about my friend for 25 years Harvey Weinstein,” Tarantino said Thursday night in a statement tweeted by Amber Tamblyn.

Either through Miramax or Weinstein Co., the embattled industry executive has produced all of Tarantino’s films since 1994’s “Pulp Fiction.”

Tamblyn also explained that she was the messenger of the day after “a long dinner with my friend Quentin Tarantino,” who asked her to share his words.

Tarantino, a writer-director who’s won screenplay Oscars for “Django Unchained” and “Pulp Fiction,” said he needed “a few more days to process my pain, emotions, anger and memory and then I will speak publicly about it.”

Weinstein, who is now reportedly in rehab, has been barraged by allegations that he serially sexually harassed and sexually abused women in Hollywood.

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A Star Is Born: Marie Osmond turns 58 today

(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

People perceive Marie Osmond as naive, a goody-goody. They have the teeth jokes. That’s all fine, but if they believe I’m naive, they are very naive. You cannot grow up in this business and see the things I have seen. I have seen everything.

— Marie Osmond, 1994

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘Sound’ is music to her ears

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Jane Fonda ‘ashamed’ she didn’t speak up about Harvey Weinstein sooner

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Hollywood legend Jane Fonda has revealed that she became privy to Harvey Weinstein’s reputed behavior about a year ago when actress Rosanna Arquette told her of an encounter she had with the former Weinstein Co. co-chairman.

Fonda, speaking to CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Thursday, said that she was “proud it’s coming out and that fellow actors are speaking up” but that she was “ashamed” she didn’t say anything about the disgraced movie producer right then.

“I was not that bold,” the two-time Oscar winner said, declining to share details of Arquette’s encounter. “I guess it hadn’t happened to me, and so I didn’t feel that it was my place.”

FULL COVERAGE: The Harvey Weinstein scandal

Arquette, who starred in the Weinstein-produced “Pulp Fiction” while he was still running Miramax, told the New Yorker that Weinstein placed her hand on his erect penis in the early 1990s when she went to his hotel room to get a script. She and several other women -- from young actresses to A-listers -- have come forward with additional sordid stories recalling the times they’ve been “Harveyed.”

Fonda, an avid women’s rights advocate, said that she wasn’t personally assaulted by Weinstein because she met him when she was much older, but was well aware of his reputation and the mindset that men like him have.

“It’s not only sexual predation. ... These tend to be men who treat other people not well. Not people they need. Not people like Meryl Streep or me in my old age. He didn’t treat the people that worked with him well. He was just not a nice person. Although he could be nice when he needed to,” she said.

Though Weinstein’s alleged behavior has been called an open secret in Hollywood, Fonda said she wasn’t really that aware of it. She also said it wasn’t unique to her industry.

“Let’s not think this is some unique, horrific [incident]. This goes on all the time,” she said. “It’s this male entitlement -- in Hollywood, and everywhere. In offices and businesses all over the world, in bars, and restaurants and stores, women are assaulted, abused, harassed and seen for just being sexual objects, there for a man’s desire, instead of as whole human beings.”

She also shared her own story of harassment at the hands of a director when she was in her 20s. On her first French film, the director, whom she did not name, flew to Los Angeles to pitch her the story. He told her that her character had to have an orgasm and he really needed to know “what kind of orgasms” she had, propositioning her to sleep with him.

She turned him down and got the part anyway. (A little bit of sleuthing reveals that Fonda starred in 1964’s “Joy House,” directed by French director René Clément.)

“You have to say no,” Fonda advised young actresses who find themselves in similar situations. “You have to understand that you have control over your body and that you have to say no. And you have to talk and tell when something like that happens. If we all talked and told, then they’d all be afraid to do it, I think. I hope.”

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Rose McGowan claims Harvey Weinstein raped her, urges Jeff Bezos to ‘stop funding rapists’

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and actress Rose McGowan.
(Spencer Platt / Getty Images, left; Rex Buckner / Zuma Press / TNS, right)

After being temporarily suspended on Wednesday, actress Rose McGowan returned to Twitter with a vengeance Thursday afternoon, calling out Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos.

Kicking off her series of tweets, McGowan said that she had “told the head of [Bezos’] studio that HW raped me,” using initials to suggest that she was speaking about Harvey Weinstein.

This is the first time McGowan has been so direct about what happened between her and the Miramax producer in 1997 after an incident at the Sundance Film Festival resulted in Weinstein paying the then-23-year-old actress $100,000.

In 2016, McGowan tweeted about her ex selling their movie to Weinstein, a statement that some thought was in reference to McGowan’s ex-boyfriend Robert Rodriguez and the sale of “Grindhouse” to the Weinstein Co. in 2007.

McGowan went on to accuse Amazon of canceling a script she had in development at the studio after she raised concerns over Weinstein. In another tweet, she also told Bezos that any awards his company won while working with sexual predators were tainted.

At IFP Film Week in Brooklyn, N.Y., in September 2016, McGowan reported that she had sold a show to Amazon. Two months earlier, Roy Price, the head of Amazon Studios, tweeted a selfie with McGowan.

As for Amazon’s “dirty Oscar,” as McGowan called it, it’s possible she was referring to “Manchester by the Sea” and accusations of sexual misconduct made against Casey Affleck in 2008 and 2009.

Read MoreRead The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal.

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Weinstein Books gets the ax at Hachette

Harvey Weinstein
(John Carucci / Associated Press)

Hachette Book Group terminated its Weinstein Books imprint on Thursday, it said via an internal email obtained by BuzzFeed Books and Publishers Lunch. Hachette is the latest entity to distance itself from Harvey Weinstein after a flood of allegations of sexual harassment and assault. The Weinstein Co. dismissed Weinstein on Sunday.

Investigations published this week by the New York Times and the New Yorker detail Weinstein’s alleged misconduct over decades.

Weinstein Books was launched as Miramax Books in 2001 and published titles by public figures such as Rudy Giuliani and Madeleine Albright. Its partnership with Perseus Books, part of Hachette Book Group, began in 2009.

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Casting Society of America announces international open call for trans actors

Alexandra Billings, from left, Laverne Cox, Shadi Petosky and Jill Soloway at the Television Critics Assn press tour.
(Chris Pizzello / Invision/Associated Press)

In a first of its kind move, the Casting Society of America announced Thursday an international casting call for transgender actors. To take place Oct. 22, the initiative aims to provide greater talent to ensure more inclusive films and television.

“The reasoning a non diverse ‘star’ gets to play a diverse role is because there weren’t enough talented, diverse options is an industry myth,” said Russell Boast, the society’s vice president, in a statement. “We’re going to do something about that.”

The open call is part of the CSA’s inclusion commitment within the entertainment industry “to challenge unconscious bias, empower casting directors to lead the inclusion conversation, and discover, educate, and promote the next generation of extraordinary talent within a wide range of diverse communities,” a statement said.

The decision, in which over 30 society members around the world will open their offices to union and nonunion actors, comes after a landmark year in which the trans community has verbalized discontent in the lack of trans representation in film and on television. Much of the criticism has been of cisgender men playing transgender women, as seen with Jeffrey Tambor in “Transparent” and Eddie Redmayne in “The Danish Girl,” among others.

“Trans people have worked hard to hone their craft, but rarely get the chance to be seen since so few are represented,” said Ann Thomas, founder of Transgender Talent, a listing service for trans performers and artists. “Thank you for giving us this opportunity, CSA.”

Auditions will take place in Chicago; Los Angeles; New York; Portland, Ore.; Toronto; Montreal; and London, and on the following Monday in Barcelona, Spain.

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Writers guild is latest to condemn Harvey Weinstein’s ‘deplorable misconduct’

(Richard Shotwell / Invision/Associated Press)

The Writers Guild of America, East is the latest entertainment organization to condemn the actions of Harvey Weinstein, joining the British Academy of Film and Television and several film festivals.

WGA East President Beau Willimon and executive director Lowell Peterson issued a statement Thursday in the wake of dozens of accusations levied against Weinstein about inappropriate sexual conduct.

Here’s the entire WGA East statement:

“Harvey Weinstein’s deplorable misconduct has become public knowledge because of brave women and intrepid reporters. Regrettably, sexual harassment and assault have long been hallmarks of the entertainment industry. The vast majority of incidents go unreported. Those who have the courage to speak out often do so at professional and emotional risk. All too often no action or insufficient action is the result.

“We believe the Writers Guild of America, East has a role to play in moving our industry in the right direction. More immediately, our responsibility is to make sure our members can do their work free from harassment and assault. When this inappropriate behavior does take place, members should be fully supported by the union to make sure that proper action is taken.

“The WGAE’s elected leaders and professional staff are undertaking a thorough review of the tools we currently possess and of additional steps the union can take to facilitate prevention, reporting, review, counseling and protection. As part of that work we will ask members for input on their experiences and how they think the union should tackle this issue.

“There might be some uncomfortable features of this struggle against harassment and abuse. The culture of silence will be difficult to change. Sometimes our own members might be perpetrators. In the long run it will be imperative to address the industry’s lack of diversity – the profound imbalance of power in the business of creating and distributing stories. This is a project to which the WGAE is fully committed.”

The Writers Guild of America, West has not issued a statement regarding Weinstein. Representatives of WGA West did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Thursday.

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Kate Beckinsale: Harvey Weinstein ‘is an emblem of a system that is sick’

(Theo Wargo / Getty Images)

Kate Beckinsale says she was only 17 when what appeared to be a routine business meeting at a hotel with Harvey Weinstein turned out to be a meeting with a bathrobe-clad Weinstein, who offered her alcohol in his personal hotel room at the Savoy — an encounter that left her “uneasy but unscathed.”

However, it didn’t appear to make much of an impression on the producer, according to the actress, now 44, who shared her experience Thursday on Instagram.

Weinstein asked her a few years later whether he’d “tried anything” with her when they first met, Beckinsale said, and she realized “he couldn’t remember” if he had assaulted her.

Here’s what happened, according to the “Aviator” star: “He opened the door in his bathrobe. I was incredibly naive and young and it did not cross my mind that this older, unattractive man would expect me to have any sexual interest in him. After declining alcohol and announcing that I had school in the morning I left, uneasy but unscathed.”

FULL COVERAGE: Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal>>

As the years went on, Beckinsale said, she “said no to him professionally many times” despite knowing it had “undoubtedly” harmed her career. (The post was unclear as to whether she meant she had refused job offers or his come-ons.)

She told a story about a male friend who was told he would never work on a Miramax movie again a day after he warned a young actress to be careful with Weinstein during a dinner date; it turned out that actress and the producer were already involved, Beckinsale said, and the young woman had told Weinstein that she had been warned, and by whom.

In praising those who had come forward with allegations of sexual harassment in the past week, the “Underworld” actress cited “an atmosphere of fear that it seems almost everyone has been living in” and pledged to be part of a paradigm shift in the industry fueled by people working together in numbers.

“Let’s stop allowing our young women to be sexual cannon fodder,” Beckinsale said, “and let’s remember that Harvey is an emblem of a system that is sick, and that we have work to do.”

ALSO

Seth MacFarlane reveals the truth about his 2013 Harvey Weinstein joke

Harvey Weinstein ‘not doing OK,’ he says before jetting off to rehab

A full list of Weinstein’s accusers and their allegations

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Weinstein scandal prompts actors Terry Crews, James Van Der Beek to share harassment stories

Actors Terry Crews, left, and James Van Der Beek.
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times; Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, actors Terry Crews and James Van Der Beek have also blasted some high-powered men in Hollywood for harassing them.

In separate revelations on Twitter this week, the “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star and “Dawson’s Creek” alum, respectively, shared their tales of being victimized by industry heavyweights, whom they did not name. Their stories served as additional examples of a purported rampant culture of sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry -- a culture being scrutinized because of the downfall of the former Weinstein Co. co-chairman.

Crews, giving his account in 16 tweets on Tuesday, claimed that the Weinstein scandal gave him post-traumatic stress and alleged that he had been groped by a “high level Hollywood executive” during an industry function he was attending last year.

“Jumping back I said What are you doing?! My wife saw everything n we looked at him like he was crazy. He just grinned like a jerk,” he tweeted, adding, “I was going to kick his ass right then— but I thought twice about how the whole thing would appear.”

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal >>

The optics of a 240-pound black man stomping a Hollywood honcho were not ideal for him, the former NFL star explained, and an altercation likely would have landed him in jail.

The “Everybody Hates Chris” alum said that he talked to everyone he knew about what happened and the exec even called him the next day to apologize, but “never really explained why he did what he did.”

He decided to let it go because he didn’t want to be ostracized.

Though the actor said he loves what he does, he added that it’s a shame and disappointing when someone tries to take advantage of that.

As for the accused, Crews said “he knows who he is” and that Crews had revealed his identity to “everyone who needed to know.”

“I understand and empathize with those who have remained silent. But Harvey Weinstein is not the only perpetrator,” he tweeted. “Hollywood is not the only business [where] this happens, and to the casualties of this behavior— you are not alone.”

The 49-year-old hoped that telling his story would “deter a predator and encourage someone who feels hopeless.”

Since then, Van Der Beek offered his story on Thursday for anyone “judging the women who stayed silent” and for perspective on the “boys being boys” defense that’s been made to excuse wrongdoers’ actions.

“What Weinstein is being accused of is criminal. What he’s admitted to is unacceptable - in any industry. I applaud everybody speaking out,” the 40-year-old tweeted.

Van Der Beek wrote that when he was younger he had been cornered by “older, powerful men” who fondled him and engaged him “in inappropriate sexual conversations,” adding, “I understand the unwarranted shame, powerlessness & inability to blow the whistle. There’s a power dynamic that feels impossible to overcome.”

As the actor’s revelation gained traction, Van Der Beek amended his complaint by saying that the people he accused of harassment were relatively unknown to most; two of them were charged by others and punished and the other has since died.

“Apologies to any mentors & champions and wonderful friends I’ve made in this industry who may have been pulled into wrongful speculation,” he wrote. “I realize I left a door open by not initially naming, but please don’t impugn innocent people w/out cause. That’s not fair. Or right.”

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Harvey Weinstein ‘not doing OK,’ he says before jetting off to rehab

(Richard Shotwell / Associated Press)

Harvey Weinstein is not OK, he told photographers and videographers assembled outside the Los Angeles-area home of one of his daughters Wednesday afternoon. As of Thursday morning, he was said to be in Arizona receiving treatment at a rehab facility amid a storm of sexual harassment allegations.

Answering questions shouted at him Wednesday afternoon, Weinstein said, “I’m hanging in, I’m trying my best.... Guys, I’m not doing OK but I’m trying. I gotta get help, guys. You know what, we all make mistakes, second chance I hope,” according to video published by TMZ.

The embattled mega-producer is facing fallout from bombshell stories published in the last week in which models, actresses and other women who worked in the entertainment industry accused him of serial sexual harassment, including rape.

LIST: Harvey Weinstein’s accusers and their stories>>

“Don’t follow me. I’m being good,” the 65-year-old told the paparazzi, pleading more than once to be left alone once they got their pictures.

He also appealed to the group’s sense of fair play, saying: “You know what, I’ve always been loyal to you guys” before noting, with a great deal of profanity, that he was unlike other people — presumably celebrities — who treated them, shall we say, poorly. “I’ve been the good guy,” said the former co-chairman of the Weinstein Co.

At some point that day, he was also photographed flipping the bird with both middle fingers as he entered the office of one of his attorneys.

This week it’s been a bit of a game of “Where’s Weinstein?” Or more accurately, “Where’s Weinstein going?”

Entertainment Tonight” was among those reporting early Tuesday evening that Weinstein was headed overseas, bound for an inpatient rehab facility — perhaps in Switzerland — where he would receive treatment for sex addiction and behavioral issues. Shortly after that, Page Six cited “sources close to Weinstein” as saying he’d checked into a facility in the U.S.

“He wants to come back with fresh, new ideas,” a source told TMZ.

STORY: Has anyone fallen faster than Harvey Weinstein?>>

On Wednesday morning, however, he was seen storming out of his daughter Remy’s home in the Los Angeles area, with TMZ video also showing law enforcement at the house in response to what was described as a “family dispute” that spilled into the street.

“Harvey and Remy had a yelling argument, and Harvey left her house upset,” a source told People. “He seemed stressed out and very unhappy.”

Wednesday night, according to “ET,” Weinstein had flown to Wickenburg, Ariz., instead of Switzerland, destined for the nearby treatment facility the Meadows on the advice of his brother. “Plane issues” had held up the flight the day before, a source told “ET.”

He ultimately touched down in Scottsdale, Ariz., TMZ reported Thursday morning. The destination was a last-minute change, the website said, citing “well-connected sources” who told the website that Weinstein was getting treatment somewhere in the Scottsdale area.

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Numerous film festival officials condemn Harvey Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein walks the red carpet during the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Cinema’s most prestigious international film festivals have condemned the alleged actions of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Cannes Film Festival President Pierre Lescure and general delegate Thierry Frémaux issued a joint statement on Wednesday that said they were “dismayed” to learn of the accusations of harassment and sexual violence against the embattled former Weinstein Co. honcho.

FULL COVERAGE: The Harvey Weinstein sex scandal

“These actions point to a pattern of behavior that merits only the clearest and most unequivocal condemnation,” the statement said.

“Our thoughts go out to the victims, to those who have had the courage to testify and to all the others,” Frémaux and Lescure said. “May this case help us once again to denounce all such serious and unacceptable practices.”

The Venice Film Festival in a statement to The Times called Weinstein’s alleged behavior “unacceptable and shameful.”

“It makes it even more inexcusable [that] it comes from a powerful man, who used his position to perform extreme violence against women. But we cannot forget that every day and all over the world a lot of defenseless women are compelled to suffer similar humiliations and offenses,” the statement said, expressing hope that the disclosures would lead to “a deep change in relationships between men and women.”

The Toronto International Film Festival issued a statement on Twitter, responding to Anne T. Donahue’s tweet soliciting stories from users about their own experiences with sexual predators.

“No woman should have to face sexual harassment,” the tweet said.” TIFF salutes the courage of all who speak up.”

Berlin Film Festival director Dieter Kosslick said that it was “scandalous” that the producer’s alleged actions had been covered up for years, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

“We must thank the brave women who now have publicly come forward. We all owe a debt of gratitude to the courageous women who have come forth publicly,” Kosslick said. “Sexual abuse and sexual attacks are crimes -- a fact that society unfortunately still needs to be reminded of.”

Some of the festivals (as well as other high-profile events) have been criticized because they were allegedly used as venues for several assaults, according to Weinstein’s accusers. The Oscar-winning producer has attended numerous festivals over the years where a number of his beloved films were selected for competition.

The 65-year-old studio mogul was fired from his namesake company on Sunday and has been mired in controversy since several actresses and models came forward with allegations of decades of sexual misconduct against him.

The former studio head has denied some allegations and has said that he is seeking counseling and hopes to “rebuild” his marriage with Marchesa fashion brand co-founder Georgina Chapman, who announced she was leaving him in the wake of the scandal.

ALSO

Has anyone fallen faster than Harvey Weinstein?

With shock and anger, Hollywood responds to the Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct scandal

From fledgling actresses to Hollywood royalty, here’s a full list of Harvey Weinstein’s accusers and their allegations

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Rose McGowan was suspended from Twitter amid Weinstein scandal. Here’s why

Rose McGowan said late Wednesday that Twitter had suspended her from tweeting.
(Richard Shotwell / Invision/Associated Press)

Rose McGowan was temporarily suspended from Twitter Wednesday night, after several days of ferociously advocating for victims of sexual assault in the wake of the allegations against Harvey Weinstein.

The “Charmed” actress turned to Instagram after learning of her suspension, sharing an image of Twitter’s notification of suspension and lodging a plea to her followers.

“Twitter has suspended me,” McGowan wrote in all caps. “There are powerful forces at work. Be my voice.” She then included the hashtags #RoseArmy and #WhyWomenDon’tReport.

In the image shared by McGowan, Twitter stated that it had been determined that her account had violated Twitter rules and had thus been temporarily limited to sending direct messages. It additionally stated that McGowan’s account would be reinstated after 12 hours, which could be hastened by deleting the offending tweets.

Though the tweets that resulted in her suspension weren’t initially identified, Twitter clarified the issue to the Los Angeles Times.

“We have been in touch with Ms. McGowan’s team,” Twitter’s chief spokesperson told The Times in an email Thursday. “We want to explain that her account was temporarily locked because one of her Tweets included a private phone number, which violates of our Terms of Service. The Tweet was removed and her account has been unlocked. We will be clearer about these policies and decisions in the future.

“Twitter is proud to empower and support the voices on our platform, especially those that speak truth to power,” the rep continued. “We stand with the brave women and men who use Twitter to share their stories, and will work hard every day to improve our processes to protect those voices.”

McGowan had been unrelenting in her advocacy since last week’s New York Times article detailing decades of sexual harassment allegations against Weinstein.

McGowan – who reached a $100,000 settlement with Mr. Weinstein in 1997 following an alleged hotel-room incident at the Sundance Film Festival – had been vocal in recent days about the culpability of those in Hollywood she claimed knew about Weinstein’s actions but did nothing.

Twitter has faced a social media firestorm after McGowan’s suspension, with the actress’ name becoming a trending topic Thursday morning, with more than 100,000 tweets sent featuring her name.

The move spurred additional criticism of Twitter, which has previously had issues with how the company does and does not stem abuse and threats on its platform.

McGowan was unavailable for comment for this story.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual-harassment scandal.

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Samantha Bee tears into Harvey Weinstein and warns Hollywood creeps: ‘We are coming for you’

Samantha Bee ripped into Harvey Weinstein, Republicans and “creepy” men during Wednesday’s episode of “Full Frontal.”

Devoting her entire first segment to “this season’s second giant vortex of destructive moisture named ‘Harvey,’” Bee immediately criticized the “apology-like statement” Weinstein issued after the decades’ worth of sexual harassment allegations first made headlines last week.

“Give me a break, white Cosby,” said Bee. “Don’t blame the ‘60s and ‘70s for your [terrible] decision-making. It’s serial sexual harassment, not a Monkees tattoo.”

After detailing some of the allegations, Bee pivoted to the Republicans who immediately latched on to the Weinstein scandal to spin it for partisan gain.

Bee was also not having it with these Republicans who have accused Democrats (including the “Hollywood elite”) for not being as vocal (or as immediate) in reacting to the Weinstein scandal as they did with Trump’s “Access Hollywood” tape.

“Yes, Weinstein is exactly as bad as Trump,” said Bee. “I demand that we impeach Harvey Weinstein immediately. Call your representative in the Hollywood congress and demand they act now!”

But Bee points out that sexual harassment is not a problem limited to just Democrats or Republicans. It’s society-wide and plagues all professions.

“This is about men,” said Bee. “Sorry, woke bros, but guys can be creeps [and] the extent of their creepiness seems to be a surprise to everyone except women.”

In fact, Bee found out that women can’t even escape sexual harassment in Antarctica.

But Bee did save her most severe words for the men of Hollywood and issued them a very specific warning.

“Listen up, creeps of Hollywood. We know who you are,” said Bee. “Weinstein isn’t the only cool Democrat lurking in film festival hotels waiting to play a jolly masturbation prank. Women talk to each other. And we talk to journalists, and we talk to lawyers.

“It’s 2017, we don’t have to put up with this,” continued Bee. “We are coming for you.”

“Talk to every woman you work with like she has the New York Times on speed dial .… Talk to every woman like she has me on speed dial. My show is only once a week. I’ve got some free time,” Bee said.

Watch the full segment (which contains adult language) here.

And for anyone who needs tips on how not to sexually harass women, Bee also created a special public service announcement (which also contains NSFW language) that you can watch here.

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Unreleased Whitney Houston recordings included in 25th anniversary ‘The Bodyguard’ package

Whitney Houston shown performing in 1993, around the time she was touring behind "The Bodyguard" soundtrack.
(Ted S. Hawkins / Los Angeles Times)

Previously unreleased live recordings by Whitney Houston and alternate takes from the sessions for her blockbuster hit soundtrack album to the film “The Bodyguard” will make up a new collection to be released Nov. 17.

“Whitney Houston—I Wish You Love: More From The Bodyguard” will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the film and the companion album. It includes an alternate mix of the hit single from the film, “I Will Always Love You” (a cover of the Dolly Parton song), as well as live performances from Houston’s 1993-’95 The Bodyguard tour, including a version of the song “Run to You” that she rarely performed.

The new album will be released 25 years to the day of the original release date in 1992 for “The Bodyguard” soundtrack, which became the first album of the SoundScan era that began just a year earlier, to sell 1 million copies in a single week.

The album will be available on CD and in digital form. A two-LP set on purple vinyl will be available later, at a date still to be determined. It can be ordered in advance of the release date here.

Additionally, on Oct. 31, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is releasing a 25th anniversary edition of the film with special features to select digital retailers. The film also will be available on DVD and Blu-ray.

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A Star Is Born: Hugh Jackman turns 49 today

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

The battle between animal and human, I broke that down to be the most essential thing to focus on with [Logan/Wolverine]. We can all relate to that. Maybe not in the same extreme level, but we wrestle every day with that argument between chaos and control and freedom and discipline.

— Hugh Jackman, 2009

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Hugh Jackman: ‘There’s a lot of Mike Tyson in Wolverine’

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Seth MacFarlane reveals truth about his 2013 Harvey Weinstein joke

Seth MacFarlane at the announcement of the 2013 Oscar nominees.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

As allegations against disgraced Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein pile up, more and more celebrities are coming forward to either confirm or deny their own preexisting knowledge about the situation.

On Wednesday, Seth MacFarlane explained the origins of a 2013 joke he made at Harvey Weinstein’s expense during the announcement of Academy Award nominations.

MacFarlane cracked his joke immediately after he listed the nominees for supporting actress. “Congratulations,” he said. “You five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein,” which got a considerable response from the room.

“In 2011, my friend and colleague Jessica Barth, with whom I worked on the ‘Ted’ films, confided in me regarding her encounter with Harvey Weinstein and his attempted advances,” MacFarlane said in a statement on social media Wednesday. “She has since courageously come forward to speak out. It was with this account in mind that, when I hosted the Oscars in 2013, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to take a hard swing in his direction.”

Barth was one of several women who shared her experience in Tuesday’s New Yorker story about Weinstein’s alleged sexual harassment and assault.

“Make no mistake, this came from a place of loathing and anger,” MacFarlane continued. “There is nothing more abhorrent and indefensible than abuse of power such as this. I respect and applaud my friend Jessica and those sharing their stories for their decision to come forward, and for being champions of the truth.”

The “Family Guy” creator went on to host the 2013 Oscars in a show remembered by many for its many jokes made at the expense of women, including references to bulimia and an extensive song-and-dance routine about Hollywood actresses titled “We Saw Your Boobs.”

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal.

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Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony anchor star-studded ‘One Voice: Somos Live!’ telethon for disaster relief

Jennifer Lopez will co-host 'One Voice: Somos Live!" with Marc Anthony and Alex Rodriguez on Oct. 14.
(Michael Noble Jr. / Associated Press)

A bevy of pop music stars, actors and other entertainers will pitch in for a disaster-relief concert telethon on Saturday that will be shown over an unprecedented simulcast by NBC and the two largest Spanish-language television networks, Telemundo and Univision.

“One Voice: Somos Live!” will be hosted by Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Alex Rodriguez, and will feature live performances from stages in Los Angeles and Miami by Anthony, Lopez, Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, Daddy Yankee, Gwen Stefani, Maroon 5, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Ricky Martin, Demi Lovato, DJ Khaled, Camila, Prince Royce, Alejandro Sanz and others.

Among other celebrities who will make appearances during the event are Christina Aguilera, the Chainsmokers, Selena Gomez, Ryan Seacrest, Debra Messing, Tyler Perry, Jada Pinkett Smith, Ciara, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Seth Green, Heidi Klum and Nas.

Lopez recently announced a $1-million pledge to help with recovery efforts in Puerto Rico, which was ravaged by Hurricane Maria.

Proceeds will benefit a half-dozen aid organizations, including the United Way, UNICEF, Habitat for Humanity, Feeding America, Save the Children and Unidos for Puerto Rico. The aim is to help victims of recent natural disasters in the southwestern United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Caribbean.

The telecast will begin at 8 p.m. Pacific and Eastern time on Univision and Telemundo (broadcast in Spanish), and then NBC will join the simulcast in English for the final hour at 10 p.m.

Performances will originate from a soundstage in Los Angeles and in Miami from Marlins Park Stadium. Tickets for the Miami concert, with proceeds also benefiting disaster relief, are available here.

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Andy Cohen to join Anderson Cooper for CNN’s New Year’s Eve show, replacing ousted Kathy Griffin

Longtime pals Anderson Cooper, left, and Andy Cohen will co-host CNN's New Year's Eve special.
(Michael Loccisano / Getty Images)

After Kathy Griffin was unceremoniously booted from the gig, Anderson Cooper’s New Year’s Eve companion will be his longtime pal, Andy Cohen, CNN announced Wednesday.

The CNN anchor will be joined by Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” host for this year’s installment of the cable network’s “New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.”

Cohen replaces Griffin, who was terminated from the program in May after participating in a bloody photo shoot in which she held a fake severed head in the likeness of President Trump. She apologized, but the damage was done.

Cooper, who hosted the annual show for a decade alongside Griffin, distanced himself from the comic during the fallout. On Wednesday, he had plenty of praise for his new bubbly co-host.

“Andy is the life of the party wherever he goes, and what bigger party is there than New Year’s Eve? It is going to be a blast!” Cooper said.

Cohen also tweeted the news, writing that he “could not be more excited.”

“I’ve been friends with Anderson for twenty-five years,” he said in a statement. “We’ve traveled the world together and performed in 30 plus cities with ‘AC2’ and it’s all led to this one huge night!”

CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live,” which broadcasts from New York’s Times Square on Dec. 31, is in its 11th year and highlights celebrations from around the world, with plenty of banter and giggles from Cooper and his co-host.

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‘Being Mary Jane’ will end its run on BET with a two-hour movie in 2018

After four seasons, “Being Mary Jane” will end its run on BET in 2018.

The drama, which stars Gabrielle Union as a broadcast journalist navigating a hectic work and personal life, launched as a movie-length pilot in 2014. The finale will also be a two-hour TV film.

“Being Mary Jane has been a landmark series not only for BET, but for African American women around the world who saw themselves in Mary Jane, her family, friends and coworkers,” Connie Orlando, BET Networks executive vice president and head of programming, said in a statement. “From the captivating storytelling, to the richly complex characters, to the powerful issues tackled on the series, we remain immensely proud. “We look forward to closing out Mary Jane’s journey with a series finale that is sure to blow fans away!”

The series was one of BET’s first scripted dramas and was developed by Mara Brock Akil and her husband and producing partner, Salim Akil (“The Game”).

During its run, “Being Mary Jane” weathered changes and hurdles. The Akils left the series in May 2016 after signing a multi-year deal with Warner Bros. A few months later, Union, who is credited as an executive producer on the series, sued the network for breach of contract (the lawsuit was eventually settled).

The fourth season of the show wrapped its run last month.

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Film academy to hold emergency meeting to discuss Harvey Weinstein’s membership

Weinstein Co. is facing a crisis amid sexual harassment allegations against co-founder Harvey Weinstein.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday that it will hold a meeting Saturday to discuss Harvey Weinstein’s membership. The decision comes just days after bombshell reports were published alleging he has sexually assaulted a number of industry actresses.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced Wednesday that Weinstein’s membership in the organization had been suspended, effective immediately.

While suspending a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a highly rare act, it did happen in 2004 when actor Carmine Caridi was booted for sharing film screeners with a pirate who made the pictures available online.

If the academy’s 54-member board of governors, of which nearly half are women, makes such a decision, they will make use of Article 10, Section 3 of their bylaws which reads in part:

“Any member of the Academy may be suspended or expelled for cause by the Board of Governors. Expulsion or suspension as herein provided for shall require the affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of all the Governors.”

Read the film academy’s full statement below:

“The Academy finds the conduct described in the allegations against Harvey Weinstein to be repugnant, abhorrent, and antithetical to the high standards of the Academy and the creative community it represents. The Board of Governors will be holding a special meeting on Saturday, October 14, to discuss the allegations against Weinstein and any actions warranted by the Academy.”

Update, 2:41 p.m.: This story was updated with more details about academy bylaws.

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Ben Affleck apologizes for groping Hilarie Burton in 2003

(Jordan Strauss / Associated Press)

A day after condemning Harvey Weinstein’s behavior, Ben Affleck said he was sorry Wednesday for groping actress and producer Hilarie Burton on camera in 2003 when she was a host on MTV’s “Total Request Live.”

“I acted inappropriately toward Ms. Burton and I sincerely apologize,” Affleck tweeted.

In a statement Tuesday, the actor-director said Weinstein’s conduct made him “sick,” only to be called out on social media by actress Rose McGowan and others, including one Twitter user who brought up the 2003 incident involving Burton.

“This is completely unacceptable, and I find myself asking what I can do to make sure this doesn’t happen to others,” Affleck said in the Tuesday statement.

McGowan had promptly accused Affleck of lying, tweeting at him, “‘I TOLD HIM TO STOP DOING THAT’ you said that to my face. The press conf I was made to go to after assault. You lie.”

McGowan reached a six-figure settlement with Weinstein in 1997, when she was 23, linked to an incident in a hotel room at the Cannes Film Festival, according to the New York Times exposé that opened the accusation floodgates last week.

As for Burton, after noting that she “was a kid” when Affleck groped her, tweeted Tuesday, “Girls. I’m so impressed with you brave ones” and included a link to an “MTV TRL Uncensored” video in which she talks about Affleck grabbing her left breast. “I had to laugh back then so I wouldn’t cry. Sending love,” Burton said.

Affleck has worked on 17 projects connected to Miramax, including “Good Will Hunting,” which brought him his first Oscar and counts Weinstein brothers Bob and Harvey as executive producers.

In addition to what appeared on “MTV’s TRL Uncensored,” there is a video floating around from 2004 in which Affleck pulls Montreal TV host Anne-Marie Losique onto his lap during an interview, holds her close, tickles her, comments extensively on her breasts and makes fun of people who have cerebral palsy.

“What I want to do is sit down and talk. Let’s just talk. It doesn’t have to be about sex all the time. All you want to do is have sex all the time ...,” he jokes as she giggles — seemingly uncomfortably — through the end of the on-camera encounter. “You don’t listen to what I have say. ... It hurts my feelings. I feel used and exploited. I feel undervalued and objectified by you.”

Losique, however, told E! News that even though she was sitting on his lap, she and Affleck were just playing “a game for the cameras” during a long day of junket interviews.

“Nothing improper ever happened,” she said.

A spokesperson for Affleck did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Updated, 2:50 p.m. Oct. 12:This story was updated with Losique’s explanation of the second video.

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Get a sneak peek at Sam Smith’s upcoming album, ‘The Thrill of It All’

Sam Smith fans can get a glimpse into the making of the English singer-songwriter’s forthcoming album, “The Thrill of It All,” with a new trailer showing him and other musicians at work in the studio.

The album is due Nov. 3 and includes the recently released single “Too Good at Goodbyes,” which has logged more than 95 million views on YouTube since the official video was posted on Sept. 18.

“The Thrill of It All” is the much-anticipated follow-up to his 2014 debut album, “The Lonely Hour,” for which Smith collected four Grammy Awards, including best new artist.

Smith enthusiasts who pre-order the album at Smith’s website will receive a second track, “Pray,” along with “Too Good at Goodbyes.”

Among the guest contributors on the new album are Timbaland, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Malay, Stargate and Smith’s friend and collaborator Jimmy Napes.

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Hollywood Film Awards to honor Mary J. Blige, ‘I, Tonya’ cast, newcomer Timothée Chalamet

Mary J. Blige will be among the honorees at the Hollywood Film Awards next month.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The Hollywood Film Awards -- the show that has literally trademarked itself “the official launch of the awards season” -- has announced its first batch of honorees.

Singer turned actress Mary J. Blige, up-and-comer Timothée Chalamet and the cast of the Tonya Harding biopic “I, Tonya” will all receive prizes at the award show, which “Late Late Show” host James Corden will MC for the third year in a row.

The Hollywood Film Awards, which take place at the Beverly Hilton, in the same ballroom as the Golden Globes, will be held on Nov. 5. Not that you’ll ever get to see them, unless you’re one of the industry elite. After a brief stint on CBS, the award show has yet to find another broadcast partner, so the event will not be televised.

Which is unfortunate, because the stars who attend the Hollywood Film Awards have been known to make some pretty amazing jokes about what, exactly, the Hollywood Film Awards are. The show was founded in 1997 by Carlos de Abreu, an entrepreneur from Mozambique, and he and a team of a dozen secret panelists vote on who gets their prizes each year.

“A Hollywood Film Award sounds like something Michael Bay gives to himself on Christmas morning just to feel less alone,” Corden joked at last year’s ceremony.

In any event, Blige will be turning up to receive the Hollywood breakout performance by an actress award for her turn in Dee Rees’ drama “Mudbound.” Chalamet, 21, is getting the breakout performance by an actor prize for his work in the gay love story “Call Me By Your Name.” And the cast members from “I, Tonya” who will be on hand? Margot Robbie, who plays the famous figure skater, Sebastian Stan and Allison Janney.

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BAFTA suspends Harvey Weinstein’s membership, calling his alleged behavior ‘unacceptable’

(Andy Kropa / Invision/Associated Press)

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced Wednesday that Harvey Weinstein’s membership in the organization has been suspended, effective immediately.

In a statement released on the BAFTA website, the group declared that the extensive sexual harassment allegations levied against Weinstein were beyond the pale and the academy could not stand idly by.

“Whilst BAFTA has previously been a beneficiary of Mr. Weinstein’s support for its charitable work, it considers the reported alleged behavior completely unacceptable and incompatible with BAFTA’s values,” the statement said. “This has led to Mr. Weinstein’s suspension, and it will be followed by a formal process as laid out in BAFTA’s constitution.”

The announcement comes after nearly a week of bombshell accusations made against Weinstein suggesting decades of inappropriate sexual contact involving dozens of victims.

“We hope this announcement sends a clear message that such behavior has absolutely no place in our industry,” continued the statement from BAFTA.

“BAFTA will continue to work with the film, games and television industries to improve access to rewarding and fulfilling careers in safe, professional working environments.”

It’s unclear whether others arts organizations will follow suit and take action against Weinstein.

Representatives for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Television Academy did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Wednesday morning.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual-harassment scandal.

For the record: This post originally misidentified BAFTA as the organization responsible for the Golden Globes. The Hollywood Foreign Press bestows the Golden Globes.

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Lindsay Lohan posts — and quickly deletes — videos supporting Harvey Weinstein

(Javier Lopez / EPA)

Lindsay Lohan might be the one person right now who has Harvey Weinstein’s back — though she decided rather quickly to take down a couple of short, supportive videos she had posted Tuesday night via Instagram.

So maybe she changed her mind? Nope.

“As someone who has lived their life in the public eye,” Lohan said in a statement Wednesday to DailyMailTV, “I feel that allegations should always be made to the authorities and not played out in the media.”

After saying she was “saddened” by allegations against her “former colleague,” the “Mean Girls” actress urged anyone who felt they had been harmed by Weinstein to contact “relevant authorities.”

While still not condemning the producer, the statement was a bit of a shift from Lohan’s videos.

“I feel very bad for Harvey Weinstein right now,” she said previously over Instagram Stories. “I don’t think it’s right what’s going on. I think Georgina needs to take a stand and be there for her husband.”

Georgina Chapman, Weinstein’s wife, announced Tuesday that she is leaving him, telling People, “My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions.”

Lohan, who said Tuesday she was speaking from her home in Dubai, described her own experience with the disgraced mogul.

“He’s never harmed me or done anything to me,” she said. “We’ve done several movies together. And so I think everyone needs to stop. I think it’s wrong. So stand up.”

Though the videos were reportedly deleted, Buzzfeed celebrity editor Lauren Yapalater got a copy of them in time and posted them to Twitter.

Meanwhile, Rose McGowan — whose name and reported six-figure settlement were part of the original expose on Weinstein published last week — urged people to “go easy” on Lohan.

“Being a child actor turned sex symbol twists the brain in ways you can’t comprehend,” the onetime “Charmed” actress tweeted Wednesday morning.

Updated, 10:38 a.m.: This post has been updated to include comments from Lohan’s statement to DailyMailTV.

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Hey, who invited Matt Damon to Chris Hemsworth’s interview on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’?

In the gag that just keeps on giving, Matt Damon made an unexpected appearance on last night’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” as an unwelcome member of Chris Hemsworth’s backstage posse.

Hemsworth dropped by the show before the Los Angeles premiere of “Thor: Ragnarok” Tuesday and brought a few buddies from the cast with him to chill in the green room backstage.

Among them were the film’s director, Taika Waititi, and “Avengers” costar Mark Ruffalo, but then someone crashed the party.

“I didn’t invite him,” Hemsworth assured Kimmel as Damon began video-bombing Waititi and Ruffalo backstage.

“Why are you friends with him?” Kimmel asked, to which Hemsworth responded, “I feel sorry for him. He has nothing.”

The bit, of course, is just the latest entry in the epic mock feud between Damon and Kimmel, which has lasted more a decade on the show. Damon perpetually exists in a green room backstage, forever bumped from the program.

Eventually, Damon “hacks into the system” and appears looming behind Hemsworth and Kimmel’s interview.

“I’ve been here a long time, Jimmy,” Damon said. “I’ve learned a lot of stuff.”

Though not seen on “Kimmel,” rest assured that everyone made it out of the experience alive. Both Hemsworth and Damon were seen hours later on the red carpet for “Thor: Ragnorak.”

Watch the segment above.

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A Star Is Born: Emily Deschanel turns 41 today

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

I realize we can all get stuck in negative thoughts and negativity. I do it myself. But I try to fight against it. It’s a struggle, but I’m not an unhappy person! I’m not an extremely dark person. It’s important to embrace certain dark things. I guess, dark thoughts? In order to accept them and move on.

— Emily Deschanel, 2007

FROM THE ARCHIVES: She’s L.A. to the bone

For the record: This post originally misstated Deschanel’s age. She turns 41 today, not 42.

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USC rejects $5-million pledge from Harvey Weinstein to fund foundation for women filmmakers

Harvey Weinstein arrives at the 84th Academy Awards in 2012.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

As allegations of sexual harassment against embattled film mogul Harvey Weinstein continue to unfold, the USC School of Cinematic Arts said Tuesday that it is rejecting a $5-million pledge Weinstein had made to fund a program for female filmmakers.

Weinstein referenced the pledge last week in a statement to the New York Times in response to the paper’s exhaustive story detailing accusations of sexual misconduct against him going back decades. “It will be named after my mom, and I won’t disappoint her,” he wrote.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, USC said simply, “The USC School of Cinematic Arts will not proceed with Mr. Weinstein’s pledge to fund a $5M endowment for women filmmakers.”

The announcement follows shortly after a USC student named Tiana Lowe launched a petition on Change.org calling on the school to refuse what she called “Harvey Weinstein’s blood money.”

“We are blessed with the expansive and charitable Trojan family,” Lowe wrote. “We don’t need this money. What we need is some damn principles.”

Within hours the petition had gathered more than 300 signatures.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal.

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Barack Obama condemns previous political donor Harvey Weinstein

Former President Obama says he and wife Michelle are 'disgusted' by Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual abuse.
(Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images for Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)

Former President Obama responded on Tuesday to the allegations of sexual harassment that continue to swirl around film mogul and longtime Democratic donor Harvey Weinstein.

“Michelle and I have been disgusted by the recent reports about Harvey Weinstein,” Obama said in a statement. “Any man who demeans and degrades women in such fashion needs to be condemned and held accountable, regardless of wealth or status.

“We should celebrate the courage of women who have come forward to tell these painful stories,” he added. “And we all need to build a culture -- including by empowering our girls and teaching our boys decency and respect -- so we can make such behavior less prevalent in the future.”

Obama’s statement follows one released by former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who also repudiated Weinstein, saying such behavior “cannot be tolerated.”

Over the years, Weinstein raised millions of dollars for Democratic organizations and candidates, including Obama and Clinton, and hosted a number of fundraisers that Obama attended while in office. The Obamas’ 19-year-old daughter, Malia, interned for Weinstein Co. this year.

Since last week’s New York Times story detailing accusations against Weinstein, numerous conservatives have pointed to Weinstein’s support for Democratic causes and lobbed charges of hypocrisy given previous attacks from the left on the likes of Roger Ailes, Bill O’Reilly and Donald Trump over issues of sexual harassment.

A number of Democratic officeholders have condemned Weinstein in recent days, and some, including Sens. Charles E. Schumer, Elizabeth Warren and Al Franken, have said they are giving his donations to charity.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual-harassment scandal.

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Read Jeffrey Katzenberg’s scathing email to Harvey Weinstein

Jeffrey Katzenberg publicly released an email he sent to Harvey Weinstein condemning the producer's behavior.
(Leon Neal / AFP/Getty Images)

In a continuing turn of events equal parts dizzying and sickening, the allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault against Harvey Weinstein have mounted quickly since the initial report appeared in the New York Times last week.

On Sunday, Weinstein was fired from the company that bears his name, Weinstein Co. In the hours leading up to that announcement, Weinstein had been sending an email to other top executives in Hollywood in a desperate attempt to somehow keep the Weinstein Co. board, including his brother Bob Weinstein, from firing him.

Among those who received a message from Harvey Weinstein was Jeffrey Katzenberg. Katzenberg, currently running the digital media firm WndrCo, was chairman of Walt Disney Studios when Disney acquired Weinstein’s Miramax Film Corp. in 1993.

In a story the Hollywood Reporter published Tuesday, Katzenberg said he did not initially know how to respond to Weinstein’s message, and began calling others for advice.

“I have to say there was not a single person that didn’t say, ‘You need to answer this,’” Katzenberg said. “So I sat down and wrote a response and I called them back and I read it to them. There wasn’t a single person who didn’t say, ‘Send it.’”

Katzenberg sent his response about an hour and a half after receiving the email from Weinstein, and a few hours before the announcement that Weinstein had been fired.

Here’s Katzenberg’s email response:

Hey Harvey, Here is the bottom line. You stated in your email below that “A lot of the allegations are false as you know.” Well actually I don’t “know” and given the timing of the circumstances, I have no way of knowing.

However, you yourself, in your quotes, have acknowledged that you have behaved inappropriately … so it seems to me we are now down to degrees of horrible.

You have done terrible things to a number of women over a period of years.

I cannot in any way say this is OK with me.… It’s not at all, and I am sickened by it, angry with you and incredibly disappointed in you.

There appear to be two Harvey Weinsteins … one that I have known well, appreciated and admired and another that I have not known at all.

As someone who has been a friend of yours for 30 years, I’m available to give you advice on how to at least try to make amends, if possible address those that you’ve wronged, and just possibly find a path to heal and redeem yourself. Having watched your reactions, seen the actions you have taken and read your statement, I will tell you, in my opinion, you have gone about this all wrong and you are continuing to make a horrible set of circumstances even worse.

I doubt this is what you want to hear from me and most likely you aren’t interested in my advice but this is the way I see it. I remain available. JK.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal.

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Benedict Cumberbatch says he is ‘utterly disgusted’ by Harvey Weinstein revelations

British actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who stars as Thomas Edison in the coming Weinstein Co. period drama “The Current War,” said Tuesday that he is “utterly disgusted” by the revelations of allegations of sexual harassment and assault against Harvey Weinstein.

Weinstein served as a producer on “The Current War,” which chronicles the battle between Edison and George Westinghouse over their competing electrical systems and is slated for release next month.

But in the wake of the bombshell New York Times story last week detailing accusations of sexual misconduct against him stretching back decades, his name has been removed from the film.

“I am utterly disgusted by the continuing revelations of Harvey Weinstein’s horrifying and unforgivable actions,” Cumberbatch said in a statement. “We need to collectively stand up and support victims of abuse such as the brave and inspiring women who have spoken out against him and say we hear you and believe you.

“That way others may be emboldened by our support to come forward and speak. But we shouldn’t wait until there are any more stories like this,” Cumberbatch continued. “We, as an industry and as a society at large, need to play our part. There has to be zero tolerance of any such behavior in any walk of life. We owe that to these women’s bravery in coming forward.”

Cumberbatch earned a best actor Oscar nod for his turn as computer science pioneer Alan Turing in the 2014 Weinstein Co. film “The Imitation Game.”

Weinstein Co. had harbored Oscar hopes for “The Current War,” but those have faded since the film’s premiere last month at the Toronto Film Festival, where it was met with a less than enthusiastic response. It is slated to hit theaters Nov. 24.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal.

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Harvey Weinstein’s wife, Georgina Chapman, says she’s leaving him

Georgina Chapman announced she’s leaving Harvey Weinstein over the sexual harassment and assault allegations that have broken over the last week.

“My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions. I have chosen to leave my husband. Caring for my young children is my first priority and I ask the media for privacy at this time,” the 41-year-old fashion designer and actress said in a statement to People.

Weinstein and Chapman have been married since December 2007. They have two children, India Pearl and Dashiell Max Robert.

Chapman co-founded the fashion label Marchesa, whose gowns are frequently spotted on the red carpet. She is also one of the judges on “Project Runway: All Stars,” which Weinstein executive produces.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual-harassment scandal.

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L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti on Harvey Weinstein scandal: ‘There’s no place for this — sorry, Harvey’

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti had no shortage of harsh words Tuesday for embattled producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of sexual assault and harassment by numerous women, including high-profile actresses Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie.

But the mayor also took pains to note that Hollywood’s lackluster record on its treatment of women extends beyond the current scandal, which the New York Times and the New Yorker ignited with explosive stories about Weinstein’s alleged misconduct.

Garcetti, speaking at an appearance at the Sacramento Press Club on Tuesday, said he had little personal interaction with Weinstein, noting he met the producer and his wife just once around five years ago.

The mayor said he had received one political contribution from Weinstein; campaign finance records show the producer donated $1,300 to Garcetti’s 2013 mayoral campaign. Garcetti said that money has been donated to the Downtown Women’s Center, which offers services to homeless women.

“Look, it was disturbing to learn. It is disturbing the response,” Garcetti said. “And it falls short of what I would expect of any leader of any industry, so I think what has happened to him is right and just.”

Garcetti said he hoped the recent stories will inspire more women to speak out, not just about the powerful mogul, but their own experiences of abuse, pointing to what he called an “amazing Twitter thread” by writer Anne T. Donahue, in which women recounted tales of their “own Harvey Weinsteins.”

Harvey Weinstein at the Academy Awards in 2016.
(Jean Baptiste Lacroix / AFP/Getty Images)

“There’s no place for this. There never was a place for it — sorry, Harvey,” he continued. “But it is something that we have to continue to make sure that people realize it happens all the time.”

Garcetti then turned his attention to Hollywood more broadly, noting research by USC Annenberg that found that few women in the industry hold positions of power, such as studio heads, producers or directors.

“For a liberal industry, it has one of the worst records, just as tech is a liberal industry,” Garcetti said. “Whether it’s with people of color, women — we’ve got to do better.”

The mayor touted his administration’s own efforts to combat the gender-power imbalance by offering job placements to female students and students of color, arguing that instilling empowerment at an early age will make a sexist industry less so.

“But we should all collectively raise our voice against it whenever we see it,” he added. “And I’ll leave it up to every Democrat what to do, or even Republicans he might have given to. I didn’t want that money anymore.”

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal.

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Former actress and screenwriter Louisette Geiss is latest Harvey Weinstein accuser

Attorney Gloria Allred, left, and client Louisette Geiss speak during a news conference at Allred's office on Tuesday.
(Emma McIntyre / Getty Images)

Harvey Weinstein faces new accusations of sexual harassment after a Tuesday news conference held by feminist lawyer Gloria Allred and her client, former actress and screenwriter Louisette Geiss.

The news came after a morning full of new allegations against Weinstein, with multiple women, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie, sharing stories of inappropriate behavior from the Weinstein Co. co-founder.

Geiss alleged that her encounter with Weinstein took place at the Sundance Film Festival in 2008, where she was shopping a screenplay. Geiss met with Weinstein at a restaurant near closing time to discuss her pitch and said that he invited her to his office — adjacent to his hotel room — to continue their meeting.

Because of rumors she had heard during her time in the industry, Geiss told Weinstein that she would continue the meeting at his office only if he promised not to touch her. According to Geiss, Weinstein laughed off the insinuations and they shook hands in agreement.

Geiss claimed that, 30 minutes later, Weinstein excused himself and returned naked, wearing only a bathrobe, and instructed Geiss to continue talking as he got into the hot tub, before later asking that she watch him masturbate.

“I do not think that Harvey Weinstein understands or comprehends how much pain and suffering this brings to me and scores of other women,” Geiss said during the news conference, her voice thick with emotion.

For Geiss, whose alleged harassment took place in Utah, the statute of limitations expired in 2012.

Allred — whose daughter Lisa Bloom briefly worked as an advisor to Weinstein last week — urged Weinstein to waive the civil statute of limitations and allow both sides an opportunity to make their case.

“I am inviting him to agree to engage in an arbitration of these claims with these alleged victims and with an agreed-upon retired judge,” Allred said. “The women could present their claims of sexual harassment, and Mr. Weinstein could present his defense.”

Answering a question about why Weinstein would ever waive the statute of limitations, Allred said, “Why would he do it? Because I think he wants to work in this town again.”

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal.

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Hillary Clinton ‘shocked and appalled’ by Harvey Weinstein allegations

Hillary Clinton and producer Harvey Weinstein at a gala in New York in 2012.
(Larry Busacca / Getty Images for Time)

Hillary Clinton weighed in Tuesday on allegations of sexual misconduct levied against former campaign contributor Harvey Weinstein.

The former secretary of State released a statement on Twitter via communications manager Nick Merrill after days of agitation for Clinton’s reaction to the mounting accusations.

“I was shocked and appalled by the revelations about Harvey Weinstein,” Clinton said in her statement, adding that such behavior “cannot be tolerated” and applauding the women who have come forward.

Weinstein has a longstanding affiliation with the Democratic Party, making donations to several prominent politicians over the years and holding fundraisers for both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama during their presidential runs.

Several senators – including Kamala Harris of California and Charles E. Schumer of New York – have sought to distance themselves from Weinstein in recent days, giving the funds he donated to their campaigns to charities.

Clinton’s statement did not comment on whether she will return or redistribute the contributions she has received from Weinstein.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal.

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Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie detail ‘unacceptable’ encounters with Harvey Weinstein

Oscar winners Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie have revealed that they, too, were victimized by disgraced Miramax and Weinstein Co. mogul Harvey Weinstein.

Weinstein was credited with helping to launch Paltrow’s career, aiding in her Oscar win for “Shakespeare in Love” and turning her into the “first lady of Miramax.”

Before that, though, Paltrow claimed that the film producer assaulted her when she was 22 after he summoned her to his hotel suite at the Peninsula Beverly Hills for a work meeting about 1996’s “Emma.” There, he placed his hands on her and suggested they go to the bedroom for massages — a story that has been echoed by several Weinstein accusers.

“I was a kid. I was signed up; I was petrified,” she told the New York Times, which last week exposed decades of sexual misconduct allegations against Weinstein. He was fired from his namesake studio Sunday despite taking a leave of absence and issuing a bizarre public apology.

Paltrow said that she confided in her boyfriend at the time, actor Brad Pitt, who later confronted the producer. But Weinstein threatened to fire the Goop founder if she talked about it again.

“He screamed at me for a long time,” she said. “It was brutal.”

Actress-director Angelina Jolie.
(Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images)

Jolie, who starred in Miramax’s “Playing By Heart” (1998), “Pulp Fiction” star Rosanna Arquette and French actress Judith Godrèche also told similar tales, the New York Times said.

“I had a bad experience with Harvey Weinstein in my youth, and as a result, chose never to work with him again and warn others when they did,” Jolie told the outlet. “This behavior towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable.”

Those stories came just as the New Yorker published a report on Tuesday detailing more victims stories, some of which included allegations of rape. In the report, Weinstein’s spokeswoman, Sallie Hofmeister, denied the allegations of non-consensual sex and that Weinstein retaliated against women for refusing his advances.

“Mr. Weinstein obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr. Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual,” she said. “Mr. Weinstein has begun counseling, has listened to the community and is pursuing a better path. Mr. Weinstein is hoping that, if he makes enough progress, he will be given a second chance.”

Several well-known celebs have publicly decried Weinstein’s actions. Actors Jennifer Lawrence, George Clooney and Ben Affleck excoriated the disgraced movie producer on Monday and Tuesday, as did Oscar winners Meryl Streep, Judi Dench and Julianne Moore.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual-harassment scandal.

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Bananarama reunion tour will hit U.S. shores for four shows in 2018

The reunited Bananarama includes original members Siobhan Fahey, left, Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward.
(Grant Pollard / Invision)

Brit pop trio Bananarama has reunited and will embark on a brief four-city tour of North America next year, 30 years after the original lineup split.

Founding members Siobhan Fahey, Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward will play a string of shows across the United Kingdom this fall. They will then cross the Atlantic for a run of dates starting Feb. 20 at the Novo Theater in Los Angeles, also making stops in San Francisco, Toronto and New York.

Bananarama formed in London in 1981 and eventually placed more than 30 hits on the U.K. charts, four of which also charted in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100. Their biggest U.S. hit was “Venus,” which reached No. 1 in 1986; “Cruel Summer” and “I Heard a Rumour” also reached the Top 10 in this country.

Fahey left in 1988 and joined a rival group, Shakespeare’s Sister, while Dallin and Woodward brought in Jacquie O’Sullivan to take over for her. O’Sullivan left in 1991 and Dallin and Woodward continued as a duo.

The group first performed in the U.S. in 1989, after O’Sullivan had replaced Fahey. This will be the first time the original lineup has played in North America. Tickets go on sale Friday, with a special fan presale starting Wednesday.

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Jennifer Lawrence, George Clooney, Ben Affleck call out Harvey Weinstein’s ‘inexcusable’ and ‘indefensible’ behavior

"Silver Linings Playbook" producer Harvey Weinstein talks with Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence at the 2013 Oscars Governors Ball.
“Silver Linings Playbook” producer Harvey Weinstein talks with Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence at the 2013 Oscars Governors Ball.
(Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)

Oscar winners Jennifer Lawrence, George Clooney and Ben Affleck are the latest high-profile celebrities to speak out against ousted producer Harvey Weinstein and the sexual misconduct allegations lobbied against him that span three decades.

Lawrence, the young actress who won her first Oscar with the Weinstein Co.’s “Silver Linings Playbook” (2012) and thanked Weinstein in her Golden Globes acceptance speech, said in a statement Tuesday that she was “deeply disturbed” to hear the news of the extended allegations against Weinstein.

“I worked with Harvey five years ago, and I did not experience any form of harassment personally, nor did I know about any of these allegations. This kind of abuse is inexcusable and absolutely upsetting,” she said.

“My heart goes out to all of the women affected by these gross actions. And I want to thank them for their bravery to come forward.”

Harvey Weinstein and George Clooney attend the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures Awards reception in 2006.
(Evan Agostini / Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Clooney, who credited Weinstein with giving him his first major acting break in “From Dusk Till Dawn” (1996) and directing opportunity with “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” (2002), had much more to say on the matter.

The director-producer spoke at length about the latest scandal to rock Hollywood in an interview with the Daily Beast on Monday, in which he called Weinstein’s reported actions “indefensible.”

“That’s the only word you can start with,” the multi-hyphenate said. “Harvey’s admitted to it, and it’s indefensible.”

Clooney said that he’s known the former studio mogul for 20 years and explained that Weinstein was celebrated for making beloved and unique films. That, in part, was a reason people put up with him.

“I had knock-down, drag-out fights with him over the years, but he was also making films that other studios weren’t willing to make, and he was making films that everybody loved, so you just put up with certain bad behavior because you felt like, well, if he yells and screams but he gets ‘Pulp Fiction’ made, who cares if he yells and screams?” Clooney said.

“But it’s a very different conversation when you say, it’s not that he yells and screams but that he’s cornering a young, scared lady in a restaurant and telling her to stand there and be quiet while he [masturbates],” Clooney added. “That’s a very different kind of behavior, and had that been a public thing, I think there would have been some different results. I hope there would be.”

There’s nothing to say except that it’s indefensible

— George Clooney on the Harvey Weinstein scandal

Clooney, like actress Glenn Close, admitted that he had heard rumors dating back to the 1990s that certain actresses slept with Weinstein to get roles, but, to him, “it seemed like a way to smear the actresses and demean them by saying that they didn’t get the jobs based on their talent.” So, he said, he “took those rumors with a grain of salt.”

What worried Clooney is the part of the New York Times investigation that alleged that eight women had been paid off for their silence. The “Suburbicon” director said he’d never heard anything about that before and didn’t know of anyone else who had.

“That’s a whole other level, and there’s no way you can reconcile that. There’s nothing to say except that it’s indefensible,” he said, calling it “harassment on a very high level.”

On the heels of last week’s New York Times expose, the New Yorker on Tuesday published an exhaustive report from women who detailed sordid encounters with the studio mogul. That report appeared to prompt Ben Affleck to add his voice to the choir excoriating Weinstein.

“I am saddened and angry that a man who I worked with used his position of power to intimidate, sexually harass and manipulate many women over decades,” the two-time Oscar winner said Tuesday in a Facebook post.

“The additional allegations of assault that I read this morning made me sick. This is completely unacceptable, and I find myself asking what I can do to make sure this doesn’t happen to others,” Affleck added.

Affleck’s remarks come in the wake of statements made by several A-listers, including Oscar winners Meryl Streep, Judi Dench and Julianne Moore, following Weinstein’s firing from his namesake production company on Sunday.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual-harassment scandal.

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Donna Karan walks back praise of Harvey Weinstein: ‘I have spent my life championing women’

Donna Karan apologized Monday after defending Harvey Weinstein amid allegations of sexual harassment.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Designer Donna Karan has clarified her Sunday comments praising Harvey Weinstein and suggesting that poor treatment of women might have something to do with the way they dress.

On Monday, Karan released a statement apologizing for her statement at the CineFashion Film Awards red carpet during which she referred to Weinstein and his wife as “wonderful people.”

“I have spent my life championing women,” Karan said in her Monday statement. “My life has been dedicated to dressing and addressing the needs of women, empowering them and promoting equal rights.”

On Sunday, Karan pondered what part women play in how they are treated.

“To see it here in our own country is very difficult, but I also think, how do we display ourselves?” Karan said to a reporter from the Daily Mail. “How do we present ourselves as women? What are we asking? Are we asking for it by presenting all the sensuality and all the sexuality?”

A day later, Karan took back those words, saying, “My statements were taken out of context and do not represent how I feel about the current situation concerning Harvey Weinstein.”

Harvey Weinstein and Donna Karan in 2007.
Harvey Weinstein and Donna Karan in 2007.
(Rick Maiman / Associated Press)

Karan’s original comments rankled several in Hollywood, adding to a growing list of outraged celebs. Actress Rose McGowan, who was named in the New York Times piece that revealed Weinstein’s long history with sexual-harassment allegations, called the fashion designer “deplorable.”

Chef and TV personality Anthony Bourdain also went on the online attack, posting an old Donna Karan ad with a seductively dressed woman and wondering how many teenagers Karan has outfitted in an “asking for it” style.

“I believe that sexual harassment is not acceptable and this is an issue that must be addressed once and for all regardless of the individual,” Karan’s statement concluded. “I am truly sorry to anyone that I offended and everyone that has ever been a victim.”

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual-harassment scandal.

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Sharon Jones’ final album, ‘Soul of a Woman,’ due Nov. 17

Sharon Jones, shown performing in 2008 at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, was battling pancreatic cancer while working on her final studio album, "Soul of a Woman."
(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

“Soul of a Woman,” the final studio album soul singer Sharon Jones recorded with the Dap-Kings before her death at 60 from cancer last year, has been scheduled for release on Nov. 17.

Jones was being treated for pancreatic cancer as she and her longtime band were working on the 11-track collection, which, according to Tuesday’s announcement, is “a lush, orchestral affair [featuring] both their rawest and most sophisticated recordings to date.”

“The last couple of years, Sharon was battling,” Dap-Kings bassist and album producer Bosco Mann said in the statement. “When she was strongest, that’s when we’d go into the studio. Sharon couldn’t phone it in, so we would only work when she was really feeling it.

“Side one is the more raw live side,” Mann said, “while side two is more moody and orchestrated — more of a departure from her carnivorous live persona.”

A video for the song “Matter of Time,” directed by Jeff Broadway and Cory Bailey, has been released ahead of the album’s street date.

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New Yorker report alleges that Harvey Weinstein assaulted multiple women

(Andrew Gombert / EPA)

Five days after the New York Times’ bombshell report on Harvey Weinstein, the New Yorker has published an exhaustive investigation by Ronan Farrow that includes even more jaw-dropping allegations of systematic intimidation and serial sexual harassment and assault by the film studio co-founder.

Accusers who share their stories in the piece, reported over a 10-month period, include well-known actresses such as Rosanna Arquette, Mira Sorvino and Asia Argento, as well as a number of aspiring actresses and producers. The report also features an audio recording apparently of Weinstein pressuring one of his accusers, an Italian model named Ambra Battilana Gutierrez.

Some of the key claims in the article:

  • Actress Lucia Stoller, then a college student, says Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex on him during what was billed as a casting meeting at the Miramax offices in 2004.
  • Actress-director Argento alleged that Weinstein invited her to what was supposed to be a party at a hotel on the French Riviera in 1997. When she arrived, only Weinstein was there. After changing into a bathrobe, he forcibly performed oral sex on her. Argento entered into what she describes as a years-long coercive sexual relationship with him. “After the rape, he won,” she told Farrow.
  • Actress Sorvino says that Weinstein tried to give her a massage and “chas[ed] her around” in a hotel room at the Toronto Film Festival in 1995, and later showed up at her New York apartment in the middle of the night. She believes her rebuff of his advances damaged her career.
  • Gutierrez, an Italian model and beauty pageant contestant, says she was groped by Weinstein during a meeting in 2015. She reported the assault to the New York Police Department, and the next day, wearing a wire, met with Weinstein at the Tribeca Grand Hotel. In audio footage obtained by the New Yorker, Gutierrez objects to Weinstein’s behavior the day before and an agitated Weinstein can be heard telling Gutierrez, “I’m a famous guy ... I’m used to that,” and repeatedly urges her not to “embarrass” him. Despite the recording, the Manhattan district attorney declined to pursue criminal charges, possibly because Gutierrez had once attended a party thrown by Silvio Berlusconi and was not considered “credible.”
  • French actress Emma de Caunes alleges that in 2010, Weinstein invited her to his hotel room in Paris to discuss a book he wanted to adapt. He emerged from the bathroom naked and with an erection. She fled the room.
  • Actress Arquette says she went to the Beverly Hills Hotel in the early ‘90s to get a script from Weinstein. He showed up at the door in a bathrobe and asked for a massage, then placed her hand on his erect penis. She says her career suffered after she rejected Weinstein.
  • According to employees, Weinstein often enlisted female executives as “honeypots” to attend meetings with actresses and models in order to make them feel safe, but then would be dismissed.
  • Assistants kept track of these young women, who were filed under the label “F.O.H.” -- “friend of Harvey.”

Through a representative, Weinstein issued a statement to the New Yorker:

“Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein. Mr. Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances. Mr. Weinstein obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr. Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual. Mr. Weinstein has begun counseling, has listened to the community and is pursuing a better path. Mr. Weinstein is hoping that, if he makes enough progress, he will be given a second chance.”

Update, 9:45 a.m.: This story was updated with Weinstein’s statement.

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Sylvester Stallone set to direct Michael B. Jordan in ‘Creed 2’

Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan are ready to get back in the ring.

Stallone announced via Instagram late Monday that he will be directing and producing a sequel to the 2015 boxing hit “Creed,” which revitalized the venerable “Rocky” franchise, grossing $174 million worldwide.

“Looking forward to directing and Producing The incredibly talented Michael B Jordan in CREED 2 next year,” Stallone wrote. “One more Round!”

Stallone, who shot to fame in 1976 as the zero-to-hero boxing champ Rocky Balboa, has directed four previous films in the “Rocky” series, the most recent being 2006’s “Rocky Balboa.” “Creed,” which saw the aging Balboa shifting into the role of coach to Jordan’s up-and-coming boxer, was directed by Ryan Coogler, whose own next project, the Marvel superhero film “Black Panther,” is set for release next year.

For the 71-year-old Stallone — who initially resisted starring in “Creed” — the reinvention of the franchise that launched his career for a new generation has been a pleasant surprise.

As he told The Times in 2015, “Rocky is the one thing I’ve done right. I’d say my life is about 96% failures, but if you just get that 4% right, that’s all you need.”

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Female late-night TV writers weren’t exactly shocked by Harvey Weinstein allegations

The female writers of “Late Night With Seth Meyers” were disgusted but not at all surprised when they first heard the news of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual-harassment allegations.

On Monday, other late-night TV hosts, including Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, addressed the former Weinstein Co. executive’s scandal.

“Late Night” host Seth Meyers invited writers Amber Ruffin, Ally Hord and Jenny Hagel to comment on the “stunning” allegations that Weinstein has been paying off his accusers for decades, as well as the producer’s “equally stunning” apology.

Except unlike Meyers, none of the female writers were actually shocked by the news.

After “applauding the women who went on the record to detail Harvey Weinstein’s terrible behavior,” the writers riffed on TV reporter Lauren Sivan’s account of being cornered by Weinstein 10 years ago and forced to watch him masturbate into a plant.

“And then the plant got a three-picture deal,” quipped Ruffin.

The trio then tore into Weinstein’s apology, pointing out that blaming his behavior on the fact that he “came of age in the ‘60s and ‘70s” doesn’t make sense unless he skipped over the last 50 years of progress via a time machine.

Hord insisted that Weinstein’s attempt to deflect by mentioning his plans to “go after the NRA and Trump” just made things worst, since it’s not “as if [their] shared politics makes his sexual assault OK.”

They were also unimpressed by Weinstein’s efforts to repent by “starting a scholarship for women directors.”

“That’s just him being around more women,” Hagel pointed out. “That’s not the solution, that’s the problem.”

In fact, the “Late Night” staffers were so appalled by Weinstein’s apology, they created a reaction video full of spit-takes.

Meyers concluded the segment by asking his writers how they think society’s problem with sexual harassment can be changed.

“Sexual harassment training,” suggested Ruffin.

“Believing women when they come forward with complaints,” added Hagel.

“Also men could just stop being such … creeps,” said Hord.

Watch the segment above.

Read The Times’ full coverage of the Harvey Weinstein sexual-harassment scandal.

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A Star Is Born: Ben Vereen turns 71 today

(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

We dancers defy gravity. We go down, we go up, we move through air, we tilt. We do marvelous, wonderful things with space. Oh, it’s wonderful to be able to loosen the body and write poetry in motion.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: No Taming Her Country

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New ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ trailer digs into Rey’s past and it scares Luke

The debut of a new “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” trailer is here, and the fanfare is so big ESPN used the evocative movie text crawl to promote Monday Night Football.

Lucasfilm premiered their latest “Star Wars” trailer during the Minnesota Vikings-Chicago Bears. Get a glimpse of the further adventures of Rey, Luke, Finn, Leia, Poe and Kylo Ren.

In the initial teaser trailer, we saw Rey (Daisy Ridley) studying with Luke (Mark Hamill) and using the Force to reach out as images and quick-cut action sequences flowed by. This time, we get a bit more plot as the last Jedi -- seemingly Luke Skywalker and Rey -- continue to be hunted.

A new poster was also unveiled.

Written and directed by Rian Johnson, the film stars Ridley, Hamill, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Benecio Del Toro, Carrie Fisher, Andy Serkis, Laura Dern, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie and so many more. IMDB even lists Tom Hardy as Stormtrooper (rumored) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a voice -- everyone wants in on the “Star Wars” super destroyer bandwagon.

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” will hit theaters December 15, and the frenzy of ticket sales starts today.

MORE STAR WARS:

Everything we learned about ‘The Last Jedi’ from the Star Wars Celebration panel and first trailer >>

Carrie Fisher’s ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ scenes will not be changed, plus new details about the Han Solo film >>

For more ‘Star Wars’ coverage, go to latimes.com/starwars >>

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Radio host Delilah announces leave of absence after son’s suicide

Delilah Rene Luke, shown at the iHeartRadio Ultimate Valentine's Escape in Las Vegas in 2015. Rene announced on Facebook on Saturday that her son took his life.
Delilah Rene Luke, shown at the iHeartRadio Ultimate Valentine’s Escape in Las Vegas in 2015. Rene announced on Facebook on Saturday that her son took his life.
(Andrew Estey / Invision/Associated Press)

Syndicated radio host and patron saint of the lovelorn Delilah Rene Luke will take a leave of absence after the death of her teenage son from suicide.

“My dear friends, I need to share some devastating news with you,” Delilah said Saturday on Facebook. “In the early morning hours, Tuesday, October 3, my son, Zachariah, took his life.”

The iHeartMedia host, heard locally on KFSH 95.9-FM, said her son was being “treated, counseled, and embraced fiercely by family and friends” during an ongoing battle with depression and that her heart was broken by his death.

She did not give her son’s age.

“I will be absent from the radio and on social media for a time as I grieve and try to process this loss with my family,” she wrote.

Delilah is the mother of 13 children, 10 of whom she adopted. In 2012, her 16-year old son Sammy died of sickle cell anemia.

“Please pray for my beloved Zacky, and I will pray for all suffering from this debilitating disease called depression,” Rene concluded.

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Chris Hillman postpones Troubadour show following Tom Petty’s death

Chris Hillman, left, and Herb Pedersen shown performing in February for the Recording Academy's MusiCares Person of the Year salute to Tom Petty.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Country rock pioneer Chris Hillman’s album release show that had been scheduled for Oct. 16 at the Troubadour in West Hollywood has been postponed following the death last week of Tom Petty, who produced the album.

The show will now take place Oct. 23 at the Troudabour.

The founding member of the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers and the Desert Rose Band said through a spokeswoman that the show will be rescheduled out of respect for Petty’s family.

Petty and some members of his long-running band the Heartbreakers played on Hillman’s latest album, “Bidin’ My Time,” which was released on Sept. 22 and included his version of Petty’s song “Wildflowers.”

It was anticipated that some of the guests who contributed to the album would appear at the Troubadour show.

A spokesman for the Concord Music Group, parent company of Rounder Records, which released “Bidin’ My Time,” said the show is expected to take place “within the next two months.”

Petty co-produced the album with Hillman’s longtime friend and frequent musical collaborator, Herb Pedersen.

Petty, Hillman and Pedersen all described the project as a joyful one.

For Petty, who spoke fondly to The Times of the recording sessions during his final interview just days before he died, it put him back in a recording studio with several of his own musical heroes, including two of his former band mates in the Byrds, Roger McGuinn and David Crosby, who are featured with Hillman on separate tracks.

Updated (Oct. 10, 5:00 p.m.): This post was updated to include the new concert date.

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Meghan McCain makes her debut as co-host on ‘The View’

Meghan McCain made it official Monday, joining ABC’s “The View” as its newest co-host.

Rumors had been circulating that McCain would join the morning talker, after conservative voice Jedidiah Bila abruptly exited the show last month.

“I’m honored and proud to be part of such an iconic show with a diverse, smart, strong and interesting group of women,” McCain said in a statement released by the network. “I’ve been a fan of the show for many years, so taking my seat at that table is definitely a career highlight!”

“Meghan is smart and well-informed, with passionate opinions that will create a new and exciting dynamic at the table” said Estey McLoughlin, senior executive producer of “The View,” in a statement. “She has a unique perspective and life experience that will bring a fresh, multigenerational voice to the show. We know she’ll be a great addition to ‘The View.’”

McCain is the 21st co-host on the series, which made its debut in 1997. She joins a panel that includes Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Paula Faris, Sara Haines and Sunny Hostin.

“To be the conservative on this show is something I take very seriously and I’m excited to bring a different perspective to the show,” McCain, daughter of Republican Arizona Sen. John McCain, said during her Monday debut.

To co-host Behar, she quipped, “I don’t think we’re going to agree on anything, Joy.”

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‘American Horror Story: Cult’ cuts gun violence scene in light of Las Vegas shooting

The recent Las Vegas concert massacre has prompted FX to air an edited version of this week’s episode of “American Horror Story: Cult,” which included a scene involving gun violence.

FX confirmed that “American Horror Story” co-creator Ryan Murphy and the show’s producers have made “substantial edits” to the opening scene of Tuesday’s episode.

The episode begins with a mass shooting at a political rally. The scene in question was filmed two months ago and, as FX said in its statement, “portrays an occurrence of gun violence that has sadly become all too common in our country, contains a sequence that some viewers might find traumatic.”

The network’s announcement follows remarks by Murphy at a New Yorker Festival panel over the weekend about making adjustments to the episode following the Vegas shooting. This season of the anthology horror drama focuses on the creation of a cult in the aftermath of the 2016 election.

“My point of view was I believe I have the right to air it, but I also believe in victims’ rights, and I believe that now is probably not the week to have something explosive or incendiary in the culture because someone who was affected might watch that and it could trigger something or make them feel upset,” Murphy said at the festival, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “So our decision was to re-edit it and I felt that that was the right move.”

Murphy also noted that the intention of the graphic scene was to make “an obvious anti-gun warning about society,”

The edited episode will air on the FX linear channel. The unedited version of the episode will be available to view on the VOD platform of cable, satellite or telecom providers, as well as on the FX Network’s digital platforms, FXNow and FX+.

Update 2:03 p.m.: This post has been updated with additional information about the episode. It was originally published at 11:43 a.m.

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Actually, James Woods is not retiring from Hollywood, but thanks for caring

(Slaven Vlasic / Getty Images)

As it turns out, James Woods is not retiring from the entertainment industry, and he’s definitely not announcing it in a real estate listing.

The two-time Oscar-nominated actor on Saturday debunked reports of his Hollywood ending, but not before he saw how the mistake would play out in the media, which scrambled to report out the bizarre means of “retirement” communication last week. (This publication included.)

“My career is not going to end in a real estate announcement,” the “Family Guy” actor told the Washington Post. “It’s just funny.... My agent said, ‘Are you retired?’ I said, ‘I don’t think so, am I?’”

The faux retirement announcement came via another of Woods’ representatives: real estate agent Allen Gammons, who is listing the actor’s Exeter, R.I., lake property.

According to the Associated Press and the Providence Journal, Gammons said in a news release for the property that the 70-year-old wanted to simplify his life by selling his many real estate holdings on both coasts and hoped to spend more time on passions including photography, antiquing and poker.

In fact, Gammons told the Post that Woods had said he wanted to simplify by having less property as he goes “toward retirement,” but Gammons’ erroneous draft went viral.

“I was not paying attention” when Gammons read him the draft while he was driving, Woods said. “I somehow didn’t hear ‘retirement.’”

The self-proclaimed “world’s biggest tease on Twitter” said he doesn’t take himself seriously “in any way” and decided to leave the error uncorrected to see what would happen.

“Who would care if I were?” Woods wondered.

More than a few people, apparently.

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Jason Aldean visits Las Vegas shooting victims

(Cooper Neill / Getty Images)

Jason Aldean returned to Las Vegas on Sunday, a week after the deadly Oct. 1 mass shooting rocked the desert playground.

The country star, who was onstage at the Route 91 Harvest music festival when gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on concertgoers and killed 58 people, visited the hospital where several of the victims were being treated.

University Medical Center of Southern Nevada thanked the “Burnin’ It Down” singer for visiting on Sunday in a Facebook that showed their “extreme gratitude.”

“Jason spent time with our patients who were critically injured during the Las Vegas shooting. His visit helped heal hearts and cheer those who were wounded in this tragedy. #vegasstrong, said the post, which was accompanied by a photo of the singer in front of the hospital’s trauma department.

The Georgia native was joined by his pregnant wife, Brittany Aldean, who marked their visit with an Instagram photo featuring them embracing in front of the Mandalay Bay, where Paddock shot at concertgoers from the 32nd floor.

“Feels surreal being back in Vegas today,” she wrote. “Visiting some of the strongest people we have ever met… fighting the toughest battle of them all… for their lives. You have helped us try to begin the healing process by seeing the strength each one of you have. Thank you for today. We will never forget.”

On Saturday, Aldean made a surprise appearance on “Saturday Night Live” in New York to perform the late Tom Petty’s classic anthem of defiance, “I Won’t Back Down.”

However, Aldean declined to participate in a UFC ceremony at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena that honored the victims and first responders, a furious UFC President Dana White told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. After the shooting, Aldean canceled three appearances in California, including a concert set for last Friday night at the Forum.

His tour is expected to resume Oct. 12 in Tulsa, Okla.

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Meryl Streep on Harvey Weinstein: ‘The behavior is inexcusable ... abuse of power familiar’

(Hollywood Foreign Press Association / EPA)

Meryl Streep has weighed in on the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment allegations, calling the news “disgraceful” and championing the women who came forward as “heroes.”

In a statement Monday to the Huffington Post, Streep chastised the man she once referred to as “God” during her 2012 Oscar acceptance speech for “The Iron Lady.”

But Streep was also quick to disavow any prior knowledge of Weinstein’s alleged bad behavior, acknowledging that to her he was only ever “exasperating but respectful.”

Streep went a step further and suggested that if Weinstein’s conduct were common knowledge, then surely the media would not have “neglected for decades to write about it.”

Sunday night, Sharon Waxman of the Wrap wrote about that same issue, but from the media’s point of view, alleging that she wrote about Weinstein’s behavior for the New York Times in 2004, but outside pressure forced the news outlet to gut the story.

Three-time Academy Award-winner Streep concluded her statement by praising the women who spoke out about their experiences and the media that amplified their voices.

“The behavior is inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar,” Streep said. “Each brave voice that is raised, heard and credited by our watchdog media will ultimately change the game.”

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John Oliver slams Harvey Weinstein’s response to sexual harassment allegations

“Last Week Tonight’s” John Oliver blasted Harvey Weinstein on Sunday, becoming the first late-night TV host to directly address reports that the movie producer has been accused of sexually harassing women for decades.

While recapping the “both hectic and depressing” week, Oliver noted that the one-year anniversary of the release of the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape was marked “with a series of grim stories concerning the treatment of women.”

Oliver kicked off his list with the New York Times’ story detailing numerous allegations of sexual harassment, and the paying off of accusers, against Weinstein, across decades..

“[Weinstein’s] response was infuriating,” Oliver said. “Because he and his attorneys admitted he needs help while also denying the charges and threatening to sue the [New York] Times.”

Oliver then blasted Weinstein for the statement he issued, in which the former executive (who was fired from his position at the Weinstein Co. on Sunday) blamed his behavior on the fact that he “came of age in the ‘60s and ‘70s.”

“Your excuse isn’t an excuse,” said Oliver. “In fact it isn’t even an excuse for that behavior in the ’60s: ‘Well back then we had no idea that women didn’t want to be forced to look at [male genitalia]. That wasn’t discovered by scientists until 1998. It was a different time.’”

Since the initial story, more women have come forward to share their own accounts of their interactions with Weinstein. Oliver mentioned an incident recounted by TV reporter Lauren Sivan, who said that 10 years ago she was trapped in a hallway by Weinstein as he masturbated in front of her.

“Step aside ‘Chocolat.’ You are no longer the most horrifying picture that Harvey Weinstein has ever produced,” Oliver said.

Oliver’s segment stood out especially because many in Hollywood, including the other late-night TV programs, have remained mum about the Weinstein situation.

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A Star Is Born: Sean Lennon turns 42 today

(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

I feel very strongly about experimenting with different styles. That’s what appeals so much to me about the Beastie Boys records and Beck’s records today and the Beatles records before. That’s what the future of music needs to be all about.

— Sean Lennon, 1998

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Karma Boy

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A Star Is Born: Bruno Mars turns 32 today

(Jennifer S. Altman / For The Times)

You wouldn’t believe how many label presidents I’ve heard say, ‘Bruno doesn’t have what it takes, we don’t know how to market him, we don’t know what kind of music he does.’  You know, ‘Who’s this beige-looking kid with curly hair? We can’t figure him out.’ It was devastating.

— Bruno Mars, 2011

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Caught in Mars’ orbit

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Hulu’s Stephen King drama series ‘Castle Rock’: A first look

Not much is known about the upcoming Stephen King drama series “Castle Rock,” but the author’s fans got some hints Sunday when Hulu unveiled its first-look teaser at New York Comic Con.

It features Sissy Spacek and Bill Skarsgard prominently as well as Andre Holland (“Moonlight,” “The Knick”) skulking around a very creepy town. There are anxiety-inducing shots of a funeral procession, a missing-child poster, lethal injections and a Shawshank Department of Corrections vehicle sinking into a lake.

The show is set to debut on the streaming service in 2018 with at least two King alums. Skarsgard is coming off his terrifying portrayal of Pennywise the Clown, which helped to catapult New Line Cinema’s “It” to become the highest grossing horror film of all time (domestically and internationally).

Spacek’s portrayal of Carrie in the 1976 film of the same name led to one of the most enduring cult classic horror films of all time.

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Jason Aldean opens ‘Saturday Night Live’ with remarks on Las Vegas shooting and covers Tom Petty classic

Like its late night brethren during the week, “Saturday Night Live,” sadly, has been no stranger to trying to figure out how to handle national tragedies.

Saturday night, the venerable sketch show opened on a somber, but ultimately hopeful, note with a surprise appearance from Jason Aldean and his band performing the late Tom Petty’s classic anthem of defiance “I Won’t Back Down.”

The Georgia native was the performer onstage at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas Sunday when a gunman opened fire from the Mandalay Bay Casino and Hotel killing 58 and injuring 489.

Instead of a cold open sketch, Aldean and his band stood on the stage where the monologue is usually performed and Aldean offered these remarks:

“This week we witnessed one of the worst tragedies in American history. Like everyone, I’m struggling to understand what happened that night and how to pick up the pieces and start to heal. So many people are hurting, there are children, parents, brothers, sisters, friends that are all part of our family. So I want to say to them, we hurt for you and we hurt with you. You can be sure that we’re going to walk through these tough times together, every step of the way. Because when America is at its best, our bond and our spirit is unbreakable.”

And with that, Aldean lit into the tune, itself serving as a tribute to rock and roll icon Petty, who died on Monday at 66.

Aldean then kicked off the show with the classic “Live from New York it’s Saturday night!” tagline.

Following the shooting, Aldean canceled his three California appearances this weekend including a show Friday night at the Forum. His tour is expected to resume Oct. 12 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

In a statement on Instagram, Aldean thanked fans for their support. saying “You guys have no idea how much you have helped get us through this tough time.”

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Rapper Nelly accused of rape, arrested outside Seattle

Police have arrested rapper Nelly after a woman said he raped her in Auburn, Wash., outside Seattle.

The Grammy Award winner’s attorney staunchly denied the charge.

Auburn police spokesman Cmdr. Steve Stocker said officers arrested Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., early Saturday morning in his tour bus at a Wal-Mart store.

Nelly is scheduled to perform in Ridgefield, Wash., on Saturday night.

Nelly’s attorney, Scott Rosenblum, said the allegation was false and motivated by “greed and vindictiveness.”

Stocker says Nelly was in jail and will have his first appearance before a judge “at some point.”

Nelly is known for his hits “Hot in Herre,” ’’My Place” and “Over and Over.” He also appeared in the 2005 film “The Longest Yard.”

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A Star Is Born: Yo-Yo Ma turns 62 today

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

To be a good performer you have to have a very strong ego. But to be a really good performer you have to make sure that your ego is not the center but at the service of something else. To go one on one with Beethoven, you have to figure out who the guy is, what he’s doing, and how that’s encoded in the music. And then ... you have to realize that you are not Beethoven.

— Yo-Yo Ma, 1997

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Instrument of Change

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First ‘Marvel’s Runaways’ trailer shows what happens when teenagers find out their parents are super villains

What would you do if you discovered your parents were super villains? In “Marvel’s Runaways,” estranged childhood friends decide to join forces in order to take them down (or at least that’s what they did in the comics).

Hulu has released the very first teaser trailer of the comic-book adaptation “Runaways.” This first look shows just how TV’s newest teen superhero team comes to be: by watching their parents perform a ritual sacrifice in their hidden lair.

Based on the beloved series by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, “Runaways” follows Alex Wilder (Rhenzy Feliz), Nico Minoru (Lyrica Okano), Karolina Dean (Virginia Gardner), Gert Yorkes (Ariela Barer), Chase Stein (Gregg Sulkin) and Molly Hernandez (Allegra Acosta) as they learn their parents are members of a super-villain team called the Pride.

There’s plenty to unpack for fans in this glimpse. So let’s get to it:

For one, it looks like the Hulu series is keeping to the established origin story, ritual sacrifice and all. Other blink-and-you-might-miss-it moments include Nico discovering what looks to be the Staff of One, Molly getting ready to unleash some of her superhuman strength and even the appearance of Gert’s genetically engineered dinosaur Old Lace.

The trailer also gives a glimpse of Karolina’s alien form. As a Majesdanian, Karolina can absorb solar energy and her body glows with rainbow light.

Of course, not everything on the show will be completely black and white, heroes vs. villains. Josh Schwartz, one of the showrunners, previously mentioned that “there are no true villains in the show.” In fact, the show’s second episode will revisit the story told in the premiere from the parents’ perspective.

“Marvel’s Runaways” is scheduled to debut on Hulu on Nov. 21.

Watch the trailer (which contains some adult language) below.

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James Woods announces his retirement from acting — via a real estate listing [Updated]

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

James Woods is retiring from the entertainment industry and news of his exit came in the most unusual of ways on Friday: through a press release related to a property he’s selling in Rhode Island.

UPDATE: Actually, James Woods is not retiring from Hollywood, but thanks for caring

The Oscar-nominated star’s news came via the real estate agent Allen Gammons, who is listing Woods’ Exeter, R.I., lake property, according to the Associated Press.

Gammons said the 70-year-old “Ray Donovan” alum wants to relax and simplify his life by selling his many real estate holdings on both coasts, the Providence Journal reported. He added that since Woods’ brother and mother recently died, the veteran actor hopes to spend more time on passions including photography, antiquing and poker.

The $1.39-million property sits on Boone Lake in Exeter and is one of Woods’ four Rhode Island homes, the Journal said. It includes two lakefront houses and has been in the Woods family for decades. Woods will also keep a pied-à-terre in the state, he added.

The outspoken conservative actor, whose major credits include “Casino,” “Once Upon a Time in America,” “Rudy,” “Too Big to Fail” and his Oscar-nominated turns in 1986’s “Salvador” and 1996’s “Ghosts of Mississippi,” has said his political views have made it challenging to find work in Hollywood. However, Gammons said Woods’ decision to retire was not political.

The move comes on the heels of last month’s Twitter brouhaha with Armie Hammer and Amber Tamblyn, who accused Woods of hitting on her when she was 16 — an allegation that he called a lie.

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Pink refuses to work with Dr. Luke because ‘he’s not a good person’

(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)

Pink is the latest artist to come out against record producer Dr. Luke, saying that she refuses to work with him and has told him so to his face.

The singer, who collaborated with Dr. Luke — whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald — on her 2006 album “I’m Not Dead,” declared in an interview published Thursday that she won’t work with him again because “he’s not a good person.”

Though Pink said she didn’t know much firsthand about singer Kesha’s abuse allegations against him, she told the New York Times it was “his karma and he earned it.”

Pink’s commentary echoes that of “American Idol” alum Kelly Clarkson, who scored some of her biggest hits alongside Dr. Luke but spoke out against him last year, saying she refused to share a writing credit with him on 2009’s “My Life Would Suck Without You” because she believed he was “not a good guy.”

Pink, whose real name is Alecia Beth Moore, said that Dr. Luke “doesn’t do good business,” that “he’s not a kind person” and “he doesn’t do the right thing when given ample opportunities to do so.”

And, she said, “I don’t really feel that bad for him.”

The producer, who denied all of his former protégée Kesha’s allegations during their protracted legal battle, declined to comment on Pink’s statements.

Incidentally, Pink’s words were not as harsh for former Epic Records chairman Antonio “L.A.” Reid, her mentor, who also has been accused of sexual harassment.

She also said she hasn’t experienced much overt sexism firsthand in the music business: “People think I’m insane and aggressive and I’ll bite them.”

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Attorney Lisa Bloom on Harvey Weinstein: ‘I think he has changed’

Lisa Bloom, attorney to the stars — and the star-adjacent —appeared on “Good Morning America” on Friday to explain what moved her to sign on to represent Harvey Weinstein in the face of sexual harassment allegations.

In an interview with George Stephanopoulos, Bloom was candid that Weinstein’s past behavior was unacceptable and said she had agreed to help the producer because she saw it as an opportunity to be on “the other side” of a sexual misconduct case.

“I’ve done a lot of cases for women and I’ve often thought, ‘Gee, I wish I could get on the other side and smack that guy around a little bit verbally,’” Bloom said. “Here was an opportunity of a guy saying, ‘Lisa, what should I do? I have behaved badly.’ I’m like, ‘Good. I’m going to tell you what to do. Be honest. Be real.’”

Bloom was frank about the Miramax co-founder: “What Harvey Weinstein has done is wrong,” she said. “He has caused pain. He’s said that.”

The lawyer also was firm in her belief that Weinstein can improve.

“I think he has changed in the year I’ve known him,” she said.

But at the same time, Bloom pushed back a bit, including against the classification of Weinstein’s actions as sexual harassment.

“You’re using the words ‘sexual harassment,’ which is a legal term. I’m using the term ‘workplace misconduct.’ I don’t know if there’s a real significant difference to most people, but sexual harassment is severe and pervasive,” Bloom said.

Stephanopoulos countered by pointing out the specifics of some of the Weinstein allegations: “‘If you have sex with me, you’re going to do better in your career.’ That is sexual harassment,” he said.

Shortly after explaining that “Harvey has authorized me to be very forthright because he is ashamed of his behavior,” Bloom told Stephanopoulos some of what she’s teaching Weinstein in response to his request that she “tutor” him.

The lessons, she said, have included: The way you conduct private conversations with friends is not appropriate in the workplace; cursing and sexual stories are not appropriate in the workplace; hitting on women is not appropriate in the workplace.

Upon hearing the attorney’s tips, Stephanopoulos responded, “Shouldn’t a 65-year-old man know that?”

“Of course he should,” Bloom said.

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Security at this weekend’s Cal Jam 2017 a ‘top priority’ after Las Vegas shooting

Belongings are scattered and left behind at the site of the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas.
Belongings are scattered and left behind at the site of the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas.
( (Drew Angerer / Getty Images))

While Sunday’s deadly mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas added fuel to the ongoing debate over gun control, the attack has also raised concerns about the vulnerability of open-air venues hosting large-scale outdoor concerts and festivals.

This weekend upward of 30,000 fans are expected to file into Glen Helen Amphitheater in San Bernardino for Cal Jam 2017, a two-day rock music blowout.

Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age are set to headline the event, and more than a dozen acts including Cage the Elephant, Liam Gallagher and Bob Mould also top the bill.

Following Sunday’s attack in Las Vegas, where a gunman shot into a crowd of fans attending the country music festival, leaving nearly 60 dead and wounding hundreds more, Cal Jam officials told The Times they were working with local law enforcement officials to beef up security measures for that venue.

“Additional security measures have been established, both seen and unseen, including bag searches with size limits and metal detectors, along with enhanced security and law enforcement presence,” Cal Jam officials said in a statement.

“We look forward to bringing music fans together for maximum rock and safety at Cal Jam this Saturday.”

With a capacity of 65,000, Glen Helen is the largest amphitheater in the U.S.

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Men charged with shooting on set of Denzel Washington sequel to ‘The Equalizer’

Two people have been charged in a shooting on the set of a Denzel Washington movie in Boston that injured two security guards.

The shooting happened early Saturday in the city’s Roxbury section, on the set of a sequel to the “The Equalizer,” authorities said.

Police said nothing was being filmed at the time, and that it does not appear the guards were targeted.

The guards, a 40-year-old woman and 33-year-old man, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were released from the hospital.

Police said they arrested two 18-year-olds, Dionte Martinez and Thomas Perkins in connection with the case. They are charged with assault with intent to murder and gun offenses.

The Suffolk County district attorney’s office said they were due to be arraigned Friday in Roxbury Municipal Court.

It was not immediately clear whether either man has an attorney.

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‘Pacific Rim Uprising’ trailer has John Boyega ready for war — or the apocalypse

John Boyega stars in the “Pacific Rim: Uprising” trailer.

John Boyega keeps finding himself gearing up for apocalyptic warfare.

The “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” star is at the center of the new “Pacific Rim: Uprising” trailer that Legendary Pictures released Friday, leading a new generation of heroes to take the evolved aliens of the futuristic franchise to task.

“We were born into a world at war,” Boyega’s rebellious Jake Pentecost narrates in the teaser.

“Between the monsters who destroyed our cities and the monsters we created to stop them, we thought we had sacrificed enough,” he says. “But the war we thought we finished is just beginning. And the only thing standing in front of the apocalypse is us.”

“Pacific Rim Uprising” is the sequel to Guillermo del Toro’s 2013 “Pacific Rim,” which, according to Legendary, was “only a prelude to the all-out assault on humanity” featured in the latest chapter.

(Del Toro’s film, starring Charlie Hunnam and released by Warner Bros. before Legendary was sold to China’s Wanda Group, was considered only a modest success, hauling in $411 million globally at the box office on a production budget approaching $200 million.)

Boyega’s Pentecost, whose father, Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba), gave his life to secure humanity’s victory against the monstrous Kaiju in the previous film, struggles to live up to his dad’s legacy and abandons his robotic Jaeger pilot training only to get tangled up in the criminal underworld. But with a new threat that promises to end humanity looming yet again, Jake is enlisted by his estranged sister, Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi), to help lead the next generation of pilots, including gifted rival Lambert (Scott Eastwood) and 15-year-old Jaeger hacker Amara (Cailee Spaeny), against the formidable and cantankerous aliens featured in the trailer.

Del Toro, who penned the original script and has stayed on the project as a producer, turned over directing duties in April 2016 to “Daredevil” and “Spartacus” director Steven S. DeKnight. DeKnight was given a new script written by Jon Spaihts, but that one underwent another rewrite by Derek Connolly a short while later.

The film, which also stars Jing Tian, Burn Gorman, Adria Arjona and Charlie Day, is due in theaters March 23.

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Trump’s ‘Access Hollywood’ video playing on 12-hour loop at D.C.’s National Mall

As Hollywood continues to react to a report detailing decades of sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein, Washington, D.C., is getting a 12-hour public screening of the president’s lecherous “Access Hollywood” video.

The demonstration being held on the National Mall is organized by UltraViolet, a women’s advocacy group, to commemorate the almost one-year anniversary of the hot-mic tape’s release by the Washington Post.

“The ‘Access Hollywood’ video was a disgusting display of Trump’s true colors. It was not so-called ‘locker room talk,’ it was a man bragging about sexually assaulting women. That man may now sit in the Oval Office, but we will not let him — or anyone else — forget the tape or those comments,” Shaunna Thomas, co-founder of UltraViolet, said in a statement released Thursday.

“Following the release of this footage, numerous women came forward to accuse Trump of sexual assault, and we have only seen this boorish behavior continue since taking office. The Donald Trump on that tape is the same Donald Trump that sits in the Oval Office every day, aggressively pursuing an anti-woman agenda, including the active dismantling of legal protections for survivors of sexual assault. That is why we are showing the video on loop in D.C., and that is why it is all the more important that we stand up and ‘grab back,’ ” Thomas concluded.

UltraViolet’s protest Friday took place at the same time as the Trump administration‘s rollback of Obama-era legislation that forced employers to provide women with contraceptives at no cost as part of their health plans.

In addition to the “Access Hollywood” perpetual screening from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time, UltraViolet also held a “Rally to Grab Back” at noon in D.C.’s Lafayette Square. The group was joined by Planned Parenthood, Working Families and NARAL to continue to lobby for women’s rights.

The group also has a bone to pick with the Weinstein Co.

On Thursday, UltraViolet co-founder Nita Chaudhary released a statement calling for the producer’s dismissal.

“Harvey Weinstein’s decades of predatory behavior towards the women his company employed with zero consequences is the textbook example of rape culture in Hollywood,” Chaudhary said. “Weinstein’s attempts to justify his behavior are flat out insulting to all sexual harassment survivors, including the women who were forced to endure his abusive, creepy and relentless advances.”

Weinstein is just the most recent high-profile figure to have a history of sexual harassment come to light.

The past 18 months have seen the late Roger Ailes, Bill O’Reilly and L.A. Reid all ousted from positions for inappropriate contact with female employees, with additional allegations against Cinefamily founders, Alamo Drafthouses Devin Faraci, Ain’t It Cool News movie blogger Harry Knowles, R. Kelly, Louis C.K. and Amazon studio chief Roy Price.

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Weinstein Co. withdraws from Outfest Legacy Awards amid Harvey Weinstein’s controversy

Weinstein Co. is facing a crisis amid sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Amid controversy surrounding Harvey Weinstein, Weinstein Co. has “decided to withdraw” from Outfest’s Legacy Awards, where the company was set to be honored as a corporate trailblazer by the LGBTQ festival later this month.

The festival’s executive director, Christopher Racster, said in a letter that after conversations with the company, the following message was received Friday morning:

“Because we wholeheartedly support Outfest and its mission to preserve LGBTQ cinema, we have decided to withdraw from The Legacy Awards at this time. We do not want to overshadow the extraordinary achievements of the other honorees.”

Outfest’s Legacy Awards, set for Oct. 22, is an annual fundraiser for the organization. It will continue, honoring Laverne Cox and Rita Moreno with trailblazer and ally awards, respectively.

“Both of these women have fought and stood up for the basic human rights of all people to be treated fairly, especially within a culture in Hollywood that has at times discriminated against them,” Racster continued in his letter.

Weinstein Co. was originally selected for the corporate honor “for its innovative portrayal of the LGBT community” in film, a previous news release said. It has released award-winning pictures such as “Carol,” “The Imitation Game,” “Philomena” and “Transamerica.”

The funds from the gala, which started 12 years ago, support the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project, which preserves LGBTQ moving images.

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Sam Smith announces ‘The Thrill of It All,’ details 2018 tour

Sam Smith.
Sam Smith.
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Sam Smith’s highly anticipated follow-up to his Grammy-winning debut arrives next month.

Titled “The Thrill of It All,” the new album will drop Nov. 3.

Opening with his comeback single “Too Good at Goodbyes,” the 10-track record sees Smith working with longtime collaborator and friend Jimmy Napes as well as widening his palette and drafting Malay, Stargate, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd and, probably most surprising, Timbaland.

The British crooner also revealed the first dates of what will be a lengthy world tour in support of the new record.

The tour, which is named after the album, opens June 18 in Toronto and includes a two-night stint at Staples Center on Aug. 28-29 before wrapping in Calgary, Canada, on Sept. 13.

To mark the announcement, Smith also shared the album’s closing track, “Pray.” Produced by Timbaland, the gospel-tinged track is a stirring number about searching for hope. Those who pre-ordered the album on streaming services got their hands on the track today.

“I lift up my head and the world is on fire / There’s dread in my heart and fear in my bones / And I just don’t know what to say,” he sings. “Maybe I’ll pray.”

Tickets for the North American run go on sale Oct. 12, with a special pre-sale for fans on the singer’s website.

Each ticket purchased will come with a physical copy of Smith’s new album.

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Lin-Manuel Miranda releases a star-studded Puerto Rico tribute song, ‘Almost Like Praying’

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Almost Like Praying” tribute to Puerto Rico is over and the fundraising song was worth the wait.

The Tony-winning “Hamilton” creator released the song at midnight Thursday night, featuring a murderers row of Latin superstars including Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Camila Cabello, Gloria Estefan, Fat Joe, Luis Fonsi, John Leguizamo and Rita Moreno.

“I was like every Puerto Rican with ties to the island, with family on the island. We all had a terrible few days of silence. For some, those days were weeks,” Miranda told the Associated Press. “For me, that helplessness turned into, ‘OK, well, what can I write that will help? Can I write a tune that we can monetize?’”

Inspired by “Maria” from “West Side Story” — a tune that shares a name with the hurricane that ravaged the island on Sept. 20 — “Almost Like Praying” mentions all 78 towns in Puerto Rico, from the coast, to the mountains, to the smaller islands along the shore.

Other artists featured in the song include Ruben Blades, Pedro Capo, Dessa, Juan Luis Guerra, Alex Lacamoire, Ednita Nazario, Joell Ortiz, Anthony Ramos, Gina Rodriguez (the “Jane the Virgin” star raps!), Gilberto Santa Rosa, Tommy Torres and Ana Villafane.

Ricky Martin and Daddy Yankee were also invited to take part but were already too busy assisting with hurricane recovery to participate.

Miranda was excited about how fervent people’s desire to aid Puerto Rico has been, but couldn’t say the same for the federal government.

“This was an unprecedented disaster and requires an unprecedented federal response. They have not yet gotten an unprecedented federal response,” Miranda said to the AP. “I am longing and waiting and jumping up and down for a federal response to match the response of our people.”

All proceeds from downloads and streams of “Almost Like Praying” go to the Hispanic Federation’s disaster relief fund.

The song is available on Spotify, iTunes, Tidal and more.

The Hispanic Federation’s disaster relief fund is accepting donations online.

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Stephen Colbert and celebrity puberty photos raise $1 million for Puerto Rico

If there’s one thing that Stephen Colbert and actor-comic Nick Kroll’s #PuberMe fundraising campaign established, it’s that celebrity awkwardness may be just as valuable as celebrity beauty.

On “The Late Show” on Thursday night, Colbert shared the final tally of the philanthropic endeavor, with Kroll calling from Argentina to weigh in.

The celebrity puberty photos shared raised $233,000, provided by the AmeriCone Dream Fund, Colbert announced. Kroll then shared that the cast and crew of his Netflix series “Big Mouth” would be fronting an additional $100,000 for Puerto Rico.

To that news, Colbert revealed that Les Moonves and CBS had decided to match that amount, bringing the total funds raised to $666,000.

“That’s the devil’s donation, Stephen,” Kroll said of the number.

“Yes,” Colbert agreed, “If the devil was nice, that’s how much he’d give.”

But wait! There’s more.

Colbert then shared that thanks to the more than 75,000 tweets generated by #PuberMe from non-celebrities, the AmeriCone Dream Fund was offering an additional $266,000 to Puerto Rico.

Not to be outdone, Kroll offered an additional $67,000 from “Big Mouth,” joking that he had “sold a kidney” to garner the extra funds.

But that leaves just $999,000 for Puerto Rico. A shame, really, that they didn’t have one more awkward celebrity offering to make it an even $1 million.

Enter star of stage and screen Lin-Manuel Miranda!

Miranda stopped by “The Late Show” to share a childhood video of himself singing sadly about missing Puerto Rico and hating New York City, a delightful way to celebrate the spirit of #PuberMe fundraiser.

Of course, Miranda had also stopped by to promote “Almost Like Praying,” his new song dedicated to raising money for Puerto Rico, available to purchase on Spotify, iTunes and Tidal.

In celebration of the $1 million earned by the #PuberMe campaign, “The Late Show” released a small video of its own, so now people can revel in all the celebrity awkwardness in one place.

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A Star Is Born: Elisabeth Shue turns 54 today

(Beatrice De Gea / Los Angeles Times)

I was nervous about playing Isabelle [in ‘Amy and Isabelle’] and scared. But I have learned over the years it is the only reason to play a character. It means you are going to be pushing yourself beyond the boundaries you know you have.

— Elisabeth Shue, 2001

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Family Secrets

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Lollapalooza twist suggests Las Vegas shooter didn’t care which type of music fan he hurt

Concertgoers on Aug. 5 at the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago's Grant Park, across the street from where Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock may have booked a hotel room that same weekend.
Concertgoers on Aug. 5 at the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago’s Grant Park, across the street from where Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock may have booked a hotel room that same weekend.
(Rob Grabowski / Associated Press)

Thursday’s news that someone using the same name as Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock had booked two rooms at Chicago’s Blackstone Hotel overlooking the Lollapalooza music festival prompted new questions about who the gunman was targeting.

During the earliest days searching for a motive in Sunday’s attack on the Route 91 Harvest Festival, some wondered if the shooter had specifically targeted Las Vegas, where he frequently spent time gambling, or if there was another reason he wanted to inflict harm upon the all-ages gathering of country music fans.

Then on Wednesday, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo confirmed earlier reports that the shooter rented space in a condo tower with a clear view of another music festival, Life Is Beautiful, the weekend before his attack.

The demographics of Route 91 are markedly different from Lollapalooza, which took place the first weekend in August, and Life Is Beautiful. They suggest that the shooter may not have been targeting a specific type of music event.

Lollapalooza and Life Is Beautiful featured as headliners the Chicago hip-hop star Chance the Rapper, arena rock band Muse, superstar pop singer Lorde and commercial punk band Blink-182.

There was no overlap with the Route 91 lineup, which was dense with commercial country singers including headliners Jason Aldean and Sam Hunt.

The country music base is well off, according to a 2016 report by Nielsen Music, earning 26% more than the average adult. Its fans are also older than those of other music genres, with an average age of 44, although in recent years millennials have been flocking to the music.

By contrast, Life Is Beautiful and Lollapalooza draw younger, more racially diverse fans. According to a 2015 report in the Chicago Tribune, from 2012 to 2014 there was “a 10% decrease in the number of concertgoers between the ages of 35 and 54, and a corresponding increase in the number of patrons from 18 to 24.” Forty percent of that audience was 25 to 34, with attendees 55 and older representing a mere 3 percent of patrons.

What about politics? Chance the Rapper, who may have gone to prep school and grown up in a middle-class Chicago neighborhood, has seen his share of violence as a young black man and donates to anti-violence campaigns.

Chance the Rapper.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Country singer Aldean, from Macon, Ga., has been less forthcoming about his politics, but a 2012 study by the music data company Echo Nest found that his music was a favorite among “artists whose fans are most correlated to Republican” beliefs.

The suggestion? The gunman had no regard for the “who” of his targets.

What Paddock might have missed, however, is that even with their differences, the two music communities are united by a core set of American values.

As Aldean wrote in an Instagram post after the shooting, “At the end of the day we arent Democrats or Republicans, Whites or Blacks, Men or Women. We are all humans and we are all Americans and its time to start acting like it and stand together as ONE!”

FOR THE RECORD

5:46 p.m.: An earlier version of this post referred to the Las Vegas gunman as Richard Paddock. His first name was Stephen.

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George Clooney to receive AFI Life Achievement Award

The American Film Institute announced Thursday that George Clooney will receive the 46th AFI Life Achievement Award. The award is to be presented to Clooney at a gala tribute on June 7, 2018, broadcast on TNT and TCM.

Clooney, 56, is an actor, director, writer and producer who will see his latest project, “Suburbicon,” which he directed and co-wrote, opening in theaters Oct. 27.

An eight-time Oscar nominee, Clooney won an Academy Award for best supporting actor for 2005’s “Syriana” and as a producer won the award for best picture with 2012’s “Argo.” He has been nominated for best actor for “Michael Clayton,” “Up In The Air” and “The Descendants.” He was nominated for best director and best original screenplay for 2005’s “Good Night, and Good Luck” and best adapted screenplay for “The Ides of March.”

Other recent recipients of the AFI Life Achievement Award include Diane Keaton, John Williams, Steve Martin, Jane Fonda and Mel Brooks.

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Nobel winner Kazuo Ishiguro has a long relationship to the movie screen

The British novelist Kazuo Ishiguro was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature on Thursday, in recognition of a body of work that has spanned multiple genres. The breadth of his work is illustrated in the difference of two of his best known novels, 1989’s “The Remains of the Day” and 2005’s “Never Let Me Go,” which were both adapted into movies. Ishiguro also wrote the screenplay to 2005’s “The White Countess.”

Directed by James Ivory from a screenplay credited to Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, the 1993 adaptation of “Remains of the Day” was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including best picture, best director and best adapted screenplay. Both lead actors, Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, were nominated as well.

It was perhaps fitting that Ishiguro’s story of a butler coming to question his years of dedicated service be adapted into a film, for as Ishiguro stated in a 2014 article in the Guardian, the main character of Stevens the butler had some inspiration from Gene Hackman’s character in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Conversation.”

In her original 1989 review of the novel for The Times, Patricia Highsmith noted, “The author’s subtlety and coolness are fascinating. … The humor is sly, unwitting, and charged with social comment,” all elements that would later come through in Ivory and Jhabvala’s adaptation of the story to the screen.

“Never Let Me Go” was adapted to the screen in 2010, directed by Mark Romanek from a screenplay by Alex Garland and starring Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield. The film’s tale of a dystopian love triangle in a slightly altered universe received largely positive reviews but failed to catch on with audiences at the time.

In his review of the movie, Kenneth Turan noted “it’s the power of Ishiguro’s original conception that finally holds us, a view of life from the other side of the looking glass that comments powerfully on our situation as well.”

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Gun-heavy series ‘The Punisher’ pulled from events by Marvel and Netflix in response to Las Vegas massacre

“The Punisher” won’t be bringing his guns to Paris or New York this week.

Netflix and Marvel have canceled the rookie series’ two upcoming promotional appearances in response to the Las Vegas massacre.

The streaming service and the comic giant scrapped an event in Paris following a similar decision to bow out of their panel scheduled for Saturday at New York Comic-Con.

Netflix and Marvel had originally planned to screen the first two episodes of “The Punisher” — a series starring Jon Bernthal and trading in bloody visuals and brutal gun violence — during the Nuit Noire (Black Night) event in Paris on Saturday, according to Variety. The event was also slated to simulcast the show’s New York Comic-Con panel. But both were canceled out of respect for the shooting victims.

FULL COVERAGE: Massacre in Las Vegas

“We are stunned and saddened by this week’s senseless act in Las Vegas,” Netflix and Marvel said in a joint statement on Thursday. “After careful consideration, Netflix and Marvel have decided it wouldn’t be appropriate for ‘Marvel’s The Punisher’ to participate in New York Comic-Con.”

The companies added that “their thoughts continue to be with the victims and those affected by this tragedy.”

The streaming service released the first official trailer for “The Punisher” last month. The long-gestating show stars “The Walking Dead” alum Bernthal as combat veteran Frank Castle, who goes on a vengeful tear after his family is murdered. The comic book on which the character is based has long been considered one of Marvel’s darkest and most violent.

Bernthal’s Castle first appeared in the second season of Netflix’s “Daredevil,” and the streaming service announced plans for Castle’s spin-off in April 2016.

No official premiere date has been announced but, according to its trailer, “The Punisher” is supposed to debut sometime this year.

ALSO

Céline Dion dedicates show to Las Vegas shooting victims

Jason Aldean cancels three Southern California shows ‘to mourn the ones we have lost’

Perspective: If we can’t gather for a concert without fear for our lives, we are doomed

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Nobel literature winner Kazuo Ishiguro’s work is a mix of Austen, Kafka and a bit of Proust, committee says

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Kazuo Ishiguro is the winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, the awarding Swedish Academy said Thursday. Born in Japan and raised in Britain, Ishiguro is best known for the novels “The Remains of the Day” and “Never Let Me Go.”

He is one of a handful of authors who write bestselling books while winning prestigious literary awards.

In its citation, the Nobel committee praised Ishiguro, who “in novels of great emotional force, has uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world.”

Sara Danius of the Swedish Academy said, “If you mix Jane Austen and Franz Kafka you have Ishiguro in a nutshell — and you have to add a bit of Proust into the mix.”

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Tom Petty’s song sales surge nearly 6,800% after his death

Tom Petty is shown at his Malibu home just days before his death.
Tom Petty is shown at his Malibu home just days before his death.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

In the days since Tom Petty’s death, fans have turned to the rock star’s music — and, in turn, sales from his back catalog have spiked dramatically.

Petty’s discography has seen 6,781% growth in song sales following his death, according to data analysis company BuzzAngle Music.

On average, the four days prior to his passing saw the musician log 950 tracks sold. That number surged to 60,000 on Monday and Tuesday. The news that Petty had been hospitalized after going into cardiac arrest broke around noon on Monday, setting off a flurry of premature reports of his demise. He died that evening.

The song fans have turned to the most is 1989’s “Free Fallin,’” followed by “I Won’t Back Down” and “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” which became a trending topic Monday as people posted lyrics on social media.

“You Don’t Know How It Feels,” “Learning to Fly,” “American Girl” and “Wildflowers” also saw massive surges in consumption.

Petty’s top-selling albums in the days after his death were 1993’s “Greatest Hits” collection, “Wildflowers,” “Anthology: Through the Years,” “Damn the Torpedoes” and “Full Moon Fever,” according to Nielsen Music.

In addition, streaming service Pandora reported additions of Petty stations increased by 8,962%.

------------

FOR THE RECORD

3:15 p.m.: An earlier version of this article said song sales spiked Sunday. They spiked Monday and Tuesday.

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Rock & Roll Hall of Fame reveals 19 nominees for 2018 induction

Some of the newest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees.
(Rock and Roll Hall of Fame / Los Angeles Times)

New Jersey-bred rockers Bon Jovi, singer-activist Nina Simone, new wave outfit Eurythmics and pioneering rapper LL Cool J are among this year’s nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Historically, the ballot has been capped at about a dozen acts, but last year, that figure rose to 19, which repeats itself this year.

Ten of these, including Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, the Cars, J. Geils Band, MC5, the Meters, Link Wray, the Zombies and Depeche Mode, have been nominated before, but there were notable first-timers, including Simone and the Eurythmics.

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Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling lose it completely during ‘Blade Runner 2049’ interview

Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling barely kept it together during an unhinged chat to promote “Blade Runner 2049” in London.

The stars stopped by “This Morning” on Wednesday for what turned out to be an off-the-wall exchange with interviewer Alison Hammond, and pretty much nothing went as planned. Or did it?

To be fully appreciated, the clip, above, must be watched.

At one point, questions from an upbeat, wide-awake Hammond — whom Ford gruffly urged, over his coffee cup, to cheer up even more — prompted Gosling to pour himself a drink from a tiny booze bottle, explaining that he felt like “that’s where this is headed.”

The host joined him in his cocktailing in short order.

In one of the few moments of clarity, Ford said he found the stunts on their upcoming action film “extremely difficult” and mentioned accidentally punching his costar in the face for real.

“That’s show business,” Gosling quipped.

“The story is that I missed him 99 times and I hit him once,” Ford continued.

Gosling interjected: “They say don’t meet your heroes. I would say don’t get punched by them. Turns out it doesn’t matter who you’re getting punched by, it’s still just getting punched.”

We’ll toast to that.

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Hillary Clinton gets a self-esteem blast from Miley Cyrus and women of ‘The Tonight Show’

In case anyone was wondering, Miley Cyrus and the women writers on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon” love love love Hillary Clinton, and they got a chance to tell her to her face on the show Wednesday night.

During a special edition of “Thank You Notes” — the segment where Fallon sits at his desks and pens amusing missives of gratitude on various oddball topics — a handful of writers plus the pop star took the chair to gush over the former presidential candidate, who was Wednesday night’s guest.

Amid handshakes and sincere messages, a few jokes were had:

“Thank you, Hillary, for all the work you’ve done for public healthcare,” Jo Firestone wrote. “Ever since the election I’ve really depended on my government-subsidized anti-anxiety medicine.”

“I was with her, I’m still with her, and right now I literally am with her,” said Becky Krause. “Can I take a selfie?” (Note: You can see that selfie three pictures into the Instagram post below.)

Meanwhile, Cyrus got through about two words before choking up as she thanked Clinton for being a role model, inspiration and a voice of reason. “I could go on and on,” she said, “but I’d like to get right to the point. Can I give you a hug?”

The answer, of course, was yes. Then, after being showered with kind words, Clinton took a seat behind the desk herself to pen her own note.

“Thank you Miley, the ‘Tonight Show’ writers and all of the women and young girls out there,” Clinton said. “You are smart, strong and deserving of every opportunity. Together we’ve made our voices heard, we’ve done great things and we’ve come a long way. But as Miley would say, ‘We can’t stop. And we won’t stop.’”

Miley cheered — not minding that the former first lady has a bit of work to do on the segment’s trademark faux penmanship.

Sitting down with Fallon to chat ahead of that segment, Clinton discussed everything from the Trump administration’s response to the devastation in Puerto Rico to Kate McKinnon’s impersonation of her on “Saturday Night Live.”

In addition to criticizing President Trump’s Puerto Rico priorities, Clinton also slammed the GOP’s ties to the National Rifle Assn. and Republicans’ refusal to reevaluate their position even in the aftermath of tragedies like the massacre Sunday in Las Vegas.

“The vast majority of Americans and the vast majority of gun owners know we need common-sense gun safety measures,” said Clinton.

To Fallon’s relief, she promised to to keep speaking out about gun control and other issues.

FOR THE RECORD

10:05 a.m.: An earlier version of this article stated that Clinton chatted with Fallon after the “Thank You Notes” segment. The interview came before the segment.

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A Star Is Born: Kate Winslet turns 42 today

(Christina House / For The Times)

Because of the person I am I won’t be knocked down — ever. They can do what they like. They can say I’m fat, I’m thin, I’m whatever, and I’ll never stop. I just won’t. I’ve got too much to do. I’ve too much to be happy about.

— Kate Winslet, 1999

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Winslet Sets a New Course

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Gabrielle Union recounts struggles with infertility and a college rape

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Gabrielle Union is sharing harrowing life details with candor in her new book “We’re Going to Need More Wine,” particularly the emotional toll of suffering through a slew of miscarriages as well as being raped in college.

“I never wanted kids,” the “Being Mary Jane” actress told People, which excerpted passages from her memoir. “Then I became a stepmom, and there was no place I’d rather be than with them.”

Upon marrying NBA star Dwyane Wade in September 2014, Union began raising three boys: His nephew Dahveon Morris, 16, and his two sons from a previous marriage, Zaire, 15, and Zion, 10.

But having her own biological children has remained a challenge. Union has struggled with infertility, including “eight or nine miscarriages” and three rounds of failed in vitro fertilization.

“For three years, my body has been a prisoner of trying to get pregnant — I’ve either been about to go into an IVF cycle, in the middle of an IVF cycle, or coming out of an IVF cycle,” she said.

But the actress hasn’t lost hope and said she and her husband “remain bursting with love and ready to do anything to meet the child we’ve both dreamed of.”

The “Birth of a Nation” star, who previously discussed the impact of her rape in a 2016 essay for The Times, went into further detail about the incident in her memoir as she recounted her journey as a survivor. Union was raped the summer before her sophomore year at UCLA. The stranger held her up at gunpoint at the Payless ShoeSource where she worked.

“The way my dad looked at me after [he heard what had happened], oh my God, is still a nightmare,” the 44-year-old wrote.

Union sued Payless for negligence but said she “wanted to sue them for my dad looking at me like that.”

“The look was: Damaged. Victim. Guilt. Fear. I was the kid you bragged about. I got great grades. Was the perfect athlete. Blah blah blah. And in that moment, I was damaged,” she wrote.

The man who assaulted her was caught and took a plea deal of 33 years in prison. Union won her case against Payless because the company had given no warning to employees about the assailant despite him being positively identified prior to her rape for robbing a different Payless location, People said.

The actress said she didn’t leave her house for a year after the incident except to go to court or therapy. She likened the incident to an “infection you can’t treat.”

“We’re Going to Need More Wine” hits shelves on Oct. 17.

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Céline Dion dedicates show to Las Vegas shooting victims

(Denise Truscello / Getty Images)

Céline Dion’s Las Vegas show went on as scheduled at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Tuesday night, but not until after the singer acknowledged the victims of Sunday’s deadly shooting at the nearby Route 91 Harvest country music festival.

The 49-year-old entertainer also said she and her show partners AEG Presents and Caesars Entertainment would donate all proceeds from the concert to the victims of the mass shooting, which was the worst in modern U.S. history.

FULL COVERAGE: Massacre in Las Vegas

“I hope that you’re doing OK,” the tearful Dion said, addressing the crowd in attendance, according to video obtained by TMZ. “I never start the show like this — standing in front of the curtain, just talking — but tonight is very different.

“After Sunday night’s incredibly tragic event, all of us here find ourselves asking a similar question: For you it’s, ‘Do we still go to Céline’s show on Tuesday night, only two days after the nightmare?’ For me, it’s, ‘Can I still do my show? Should I still do my show only two days after the nightmare?’ So I want you to know that the proceeds for tonight’s show are being donated to victims’ families on your behalf,” she said to a whooping round of applause.

“Thank you so much for being here tonight.”

According to People, Dion also said that on Sunday “we lost too many beautiful, innocent souls, and so many are still suffering. But tonight we’re going to let these families know that we are supporting them and that we will help them through their tragic loss.”

The Grammy-winner, who stood alongside signs reading #VegasStrong onstage, also dedicated the evening’s show to the first responders, the doctors and nurses “who are working around the clock to save lives” and to “so many heroes who did whatever they could to help complete strangers in a time of desperate need.”

TIMELINE: Deadliest U.S. mass shootings, 1984-2017

Other artists were affected by Sunday’s shooting and modified their upcoming performances accordingly.

Country star Jason Aldean canceled several shows in Southern California this weekend out of respect for the victims. He was performing onstage when gunman Stephen Paddock started firing on the crowd assembled at the outdoor music festival from a suite at the Mandalay Bay hotel nearby. The shooting left 59 people dead and injured more than 500 concertgoers.

“It is the right thing to do,” Aldean said in a statement. “It has been an emotional time for everyone involved this week, so we plan to take some time to mourn the ones we have lost and be close with our family and friends.”

Singer Jennifer Lopez, who’s been fundraising for hurricane victims in Puerto Rico and whose “All I Have” residency at the Axis at nearby Planet Hollywood was set to continue Wednesday, postponed three shows and issued an apology to ticket holders.

“Jennifer is heartbroken that such a senseless tragedy occurred,” her rep told People. “Her thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.”

Several other headliners canceled Monday night performances, according to TMZ. Blue Man Group, Penn & Teller, David Copperfield, Wayne Newton and Chippendales resumed their performances Tuesday.

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‘Bob’s Burgers’ movie ordered up by Twentieth Century Fox

Twentieth Century Fox is cooking up a “Bob’s Burgers” movie.

The studio announced Wednesday that it is developing a film based on the animated Fox comedy series, which last month won its second Emmy for outstanding animated program. Chronicling the misadventures of the Belcher family, owners of a struggling hamburger restaurant in a seaside town, the series recently kicked off its eighth season with a special fan-drawn episode.

The movie, produced by Fox Animation, is slated to hit theaters on July 17, 2020.

“We know the movie has to scratch every itch the fans of the show have ever had, but it also has to work for all the good people who’ve never seen the show,” series creator Loren Bouchard said in a statement. “We also know it has to fill every inch of the screen with the colors and the sounds and the ever-so-slightly greasy texture of the world of Bob’s — but most of all it has to take our characters on an epic adventure. In other words, it has to be the best movie ever made. But no pressure, right?”

“A ‘Bob’s Burgers’ film fits perfectly with our initiative to redouble our family and animation efforts,” said Stacey Snider, chairman and CEO of Twentieth Century Fox Film.

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Kate Winslet and James Cameron to reunite in ‘Avatar’ sequels

Kate Winslet will work with James Cameron again on the upcoming sequels of “Avatar.”
(Christina House / For The Times)

Evidently, someone’s decided to pay Kate Winslet a lot of money.

Deadline reported Tuesday that the Oscar-winning actress is joining the ongoing “Avatar” saga in the role of Ronal.

The news comes as a surprise for individuals who remember the stories of screaming and near-drownings that surfaced after Winslet’s time filming Cameron’s epic historical love story “Titanic.”

“You’d have to pay me a lot of money to work with Jim [Cameron] again,” Winslet infamously told The Times in a 1997 interview after filming had concluded.

Though the actress suggested in a later interview with Rolling Stone that her quote had been misinterpreted, she stood by the nightmarish stories from the set.

But in 2012, during the red carpet for the “Titanic” 3-D rerelease, Winslet defended Cameron‘s actions during filming, explaining that “he only ever lost his temper for really, really good reasons.”

It appears that Cameron is not holding any grudges either.

“Kate and I have been looking for something to do together for 20 years, since our collaboration on ‘Titanic,’ which was one of the most rewarding of my career,” Cameron told Deadline. “I can’t wait to see her bring the character of Ronal to life.”

Avatar 2” began filming last week, and Winslet will be joining returning cast members Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang. The sequel has a planned premiere date of Dec. 18, 2020.

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Brooke Shields dishes about Donald Trump’s pick-up line

While Jimmy Kimmel is doing late-night television’s heavy lifting, agitating for healthcare reform and gun control, Andy Cohen and “Watch What Happens Live” have a different mission: uncovering every celebrity President Trump has tried to date.

Last month, Cohen got the scoop from Murphy Brown herself, as Candice Bergen recounted a wholly uninspiring date with the future president.

Tuesday night, it was actress Brooke Shields who was spilling the POTUS tea.

Shields revealed that Trump asked her on a date shortly after his divorce.

When Cohen suggested that the encounter took place after Trump’s divorce from Marla Maples in 1999, Shields agreed.

In reality, Trump’s proposition came after his divorce from his first wife – Ivana – in 1992, The Times has confirmed with Shields’ representatives.

Trump called Shields while she was filming a movie, she said, and told the actress, “I really think we should date because you’re America’s sweetheart and I’m America’s richest man and the people would love it.”

Shields refused the offer, stating that her boyfriend probably wouldn’t go for it. And, judging by the look on her face as she recounted the tale, she likely immediately hung up and took a scalding hot shower.

UPDATES:

12:55 p.m.: This article was updated with timeline clarification from Brooke Shields’ representatives.

This article was originally published at 12:08 p.m.

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Fourth woman comes forward to accuse director Roman Polanski of rape

(Janek Skarzynski / AFP/Getty Images)

A fourth woman has come forward to accuse beleaguered director Roman Polanski of sexual assault.

Renate Langer, 61, a German former actress, told Swiss police that the “Chinatown” filmmaker raped her at his mountain chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland, when she was 15 years old, according to the Associated Press. The model had traveled there because the director indicated he was interested in casting her in a movie, she said. (She would later appear in his film “Che?”)

In an interview with the New York Times published Wednesday, Langer said she’s bringing the claim against the 84-year-old “Rosemary’s Baby” director now because she believes the statute of limitations, which Switzerland has eliminated in child sex abuse cases, would allow her complaint to be investigated. She said she waited to report the incident, which allegedly took place in February 1972, largely out of concern for her parents, who died recently.

“My mother would have had a heart attack,” Langer told the newspaper. “I felt ashamed and embarrassed and lost and solo.”

St. Gallen police met with Langer last week, and the St. Gallen prosecutor’s office told the AP that the case would be transferred Wednesday to the “appropriate authorities” in the Bern regional prosecutor’s office, which will decide whether to pursue it.

French lawyer Herve Temime, who represents the French-Polish filmmaker, told the AP that he plans to discuss the allegations with Polanski, but had not yet spoken to him. Jan Olszewski, Polanski’s lawyer in Poland, told Reuters that he was aware of Langer’s “notification” and dismissed it as an “absurd” attempt to generate media attention.

Samantha Geimer is surrounded by cameras as she arrives at Los Angeles County Superior Court in June 2017.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

News of Langer’s complaint comes just days after Polanski — who was at the Zurich Film Festival promoting his new film “Based on a True Story” — addressed his protracted case stemming from his 1977 admission to having sexual intercourse with a minor in Los Angeles.

“As far as what I did: It’s over. I pleaded guilty,” Polanski told the Hollywood Reporter in Zurich. “I went to jail. I came back to the United States to do it, people forget about that, or don’t even know. I then was locked up here after this festival [in 2009]. So in the sum, I did about four or five times more than what was promised to me.”

What was promised to him has been a matter of contention over the years.

In March 1977, the director, then 44, was arrested on suspicion of drugging and raping Samantha Gailey, then 13, at a party at Jack Nicholson’s house three days after “Chinatown” was released.

As part of an “open plea” deal struck later that year, he admitted having sex with the teen and agreed to undergo 90 days of psychiatric evaluation at a state prison. He was released after serving 42 days. Prison officials advised the judge that test results showed his sentence should not include additional incarceration.

However, a day before sentencing in early 1978, Polanski fled the country to avoid what he feared would be serious prison time if the judge — who was under intense scrutiny at the time — decided to ignore the plea arrangement. He has lived in France, which does not extradite its citizens, as well as Poland and Switzerland.

Since then, there have been several attempts to have the case dismissed, including pleas by Gailey (now Samantha Geimer) to put an end to the media spectacle that has dogged her for decades.

The Times does not normally publish the names of alleged sex crime victims unless they make their accusations publicly.

In 1993, Polanski settled a civil lawsuit with Geimer, agreeing to pay her $500,000 plus interest. But in 2009, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office initiated extradition proceedings. Polanski was arrested during the Zurich Film Festival but later released and allowed to return to France.

Langer is the latest woman to publicly accuse Polanski of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager. In 2010, British actress Charlotte Lewis, who appeared in Polanski’s 1986 film “Pirates,” accused him of “forcing himself” on her in 1982 in Paris when she was 16.

Last month, a third woman who identified herself as Robin went public with her claim that Polanski sexually victimized her in 1973, when she was 16.

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See Bernie Sanders and Larry David learn they’re related (It’s shock and awe)

Not since “The Patty Duke Show” has America been so taken with a pair of (not quite) identical cousins.

In July, Larry David revealed that Sen. Bernie Sanders — whom David famously spoofed on “Saturday Night Live” during the lead-up to 2016 election — was actually a distant cousin.

“I was very happy about that,” David told journalists at the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Beverly Hills. “I figured there was some connection.”

But seeing is believing, and “Finding Your Roots,” the PBS genealogy series that discovered the connection, has released a clip from the Season 4 premiere featuring the men learning about their family tree.

While David initially seems flummoxed by the reveal, exclaiming, “What the hell?!,” Sanders appears to be delighted.

“He does a better Bernie Sanders than I do!” the Vermont Democrat said.

So let’s take a moment to reminisce about two years ago, when “SNL” was spoofing the Democratic debates — featuring David as Sanders and Alec Baldwin merely as Jim Webb (remember him?) — when Anderson Cooper was still friends with Kathy Griffin, and when it was still possible for satirists to be more ridiculous than the politics they were satirizing.

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Pauley Perrette confirms she’s leaving CBS procedural ‘NCIS’

Pauley Perrette
Pauley Perrette
(Chris Pizzello / Invision / AP)

Abby Sciuto is signing off.

Pauley Perrette confirmed rumors Wednesday that she is indeed leaving CBS’ unstoppable procedural “NCIS” after this season. The actress, one of the show’s remaining original cast members, has played the quirky forensic scientist on the long-running crime drama since it debuted in 2003.

“It was a decision made last year. I hope everyone will love and enjoy everything Abby not only for the rest of the season but for everything she has given all of us for 16 years,” she said in a note posted on Twitter. “All the love, all the laughter, all the inspiration. I love her as much as you do.”

Perrette also shut down “false stories” about her departure, saying, “no I don’t have a skin care line and no my network and show are not mad at me!”

The ensemble series about Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents said farewell to another original cast member in 2016 when Michael Weatherly, who played Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, left the show after a 13-season stint.

“NCIS,” which also stars Mark Harmon and David McCallum, kicked off its 15th season on Sept. 26.

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Jason Aldean cancels three Southern California shows ‘to mourn the ones we have lost’

Country music star Jason Aldean has canceled three upcoming shows in Southern California as a result of Sunday night’s deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas.

Aldean was onstage performing when 64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire on concert-goers attending the Route 91 Harvest, the outdoor country music festival taking place across the street from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. At least 59 people were killed and 500 more were injured.

He and his band were quickly removed from the stage as the panicked crowd dispersed. Aldean touched base with his fans on Instagram shortly after the incident, but fleshed out his sentiments more fully Tuesday.

FULL COVERAGE: Massacre in Las Vegas

“I feel like out of respect for the victims, their families and our fans, it is the right thing to do,” the musician said in a statement. “It has been an emotional time for everyone involved this week, so we plan to take some time to mourn the ones we have lost and be close with our family and friends.”

Shows scheduled for Oct. 6, 7 and 8 in Los Angeles, San Diego and Anaheim have been canceled. Refunds will be available at point of purchase.

Aldean, 40, and his band plan to resume the “They Don’t Know Tour” on Oct. 12 in Tulsa, Okla.

“Our first time back onstage will be a very tough and emotional thing for us, but we will all get through it together and honor the people we lost by doing the only thing we know how to do -- play our songs for them. I hope everyone understands why we can’t play this weekend and I’m sorry if anyone is disappointed.”

TIMELINE: Deadliest U.S. mass shootings, 1984-2017

Aldean said he was grateful for the “outpouring of love” from friends and fans over the last couple days.

“You guys have no idea how much you have helped get us through this tough time,” he said.

The announcement came hours after Aldean shared an emotional note on social media in an effort to unite the nation. Fear, anger, heartache and compassion were among the emotions he said he’d felt since the Sunday massacre rocked Las Vegas and beyond.

The “Burnin’ It Down” crooner decried the mass shooting as a “senseless act” and urged people to “come together to stop the hate.”

“Something has changed in this country and in this world lately that is scary to see. This world is becoming the kind of place I am afraid to raise my children in,” Aldean said. “At the end of the day, we aren’t Democrats or Republicans, Whites or Blacks, Men or Women. We are all humans and we are all Americans and it’s time to start acting like it and stand together as ONE!”

That, he said, is the only way to make America “better than it has ever been, but we have a long way to go and we have to start now.”

ALSO

Perspective: If we can’t gather for a concert without fear for our lives, we are doomed

Tearful Jimmy Kimmel demands action: ‘Thoughts and prayers are insufficient’ after Las Vegas shooting

Festival attacked by Las Vegas shooter had been success story in creating outdoor music destination

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Stephen Colbert blasts Trump’s Puerto Rico visit in scathing play-by-play

President Trump visited Puerto Rico on Tuesday, nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria made landfall, and Stephen Colbert was ready and waiting to do an official play-by-play.

Upon arriving in San Juan, the president talked a little about his previous visits to Puerto Rico and how the island had just the best weather —save for the hurricanes.

“This is Trump-splaining at its best,” Colbert joked.

“You probably didn’t notice with all your beautiful weather but you guys had a hurricane,” Colbert continued, via his Trump impression.

“The Late Show” host then turned his scorn to Trump’s comments about how Puerto Rico’s devastation was really inconveniencing the budget.

“That’s like a fireman rescuing you out of a burning building then saying, ‘You do understand what our water bill is going to be now, right? Do you have any idea how many sexy calendars we’re going to have to sell just to pay for this?’” Colbert said.

The hits kept coming for the president as Trump moved on from public speaking to speaking directly with the public.

Colbert showed a clip featuring Trump making small talk with a San Juan local who, after explaining how his family made it through the storm, was encouraged by the president to “Have a good time.”

“You’re at a disaster site,” Colbert exclaimed, “Not working the floor at your casino!”

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A Star Is Born: Susan Sarandon turns 71 today

(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Any time they want to be dismissive, say, when you tell them that more African Americans should be cast in movies as lawyers, they say it’s ‘politically correct.’ And the fact is that there are a lot of people of color who are not drug dealers or hookers. It’s correct storytelling, not correct politics.

— Susan Sarandon, 1994

FROM THE ARCHIVES: She’s Her Own Best Counsel

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From Moscow to Las Vegas, a timeline of mass murder at entertainment events

Las Vegas’ Route 91 Harvest country music festival was tragically cut short Sunday night when a gunman opened fire on the crowd, killing 59 people and wounding more than 500 others. The attack took place during the headlining set by Jason Aldean, who later called the events “beyond horrific.”

FULL COVERAGE: Las Vegas shooting live updates »

The incident was the most recent in a long line of attacks and mass killings perpetrated at live events and theaters, from the disorder and death at a Northern California rock festival to the recent bombing of a Manchester, England, pop concert.

People lay flowers outside the Moscow theater that Chechen gunmen seized in 2002.
(Anna Shevelyova / Associated Press)

OCT. 23, 2002 | Moscow theater hostage crisis

During a sold-out performance of the musical “Nord-Ost,” the Dubrovka Theater was seized by more than 40 armed Chechen separatists, led by Movsar Barayev, who were demanding Russia’s withdrawal from Chechnya. The attackers took 850 hostages and killed two of them after two days. On the fourth day of the standoff, Russian special forces pumped an unidentified chemical gas into the theater’s ventilation system, which ended up killing all of the attackers but also 130 of the hostages.

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Bob Seger postpones remaining tour dates due to health issue

Rocker Bob Seger performs at a concert in San Diego in 2015. Seger announced Tuesday the postponement of 19 concert dates due to an unspecified medical concern.
(Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Rock ‘n’ roll will have to wait, as Bob Seger on Tuesday announced the postponement of 19 upcoming concert dates on his “Runaway Train” tour, including his Nov. 4 stop at the Forum in Inglewood.

The delays come on doctor’s orders, due to an urgent medical issue involving the 72-year-old singer’s vertebrae, Seger’s camp said on his website.

The news comes on the heels of last Saturday’s postponed concert in Columbus, Ohio.

“I’m so disappointed to have to suspend the tour as the band is on a great roll,” Seger said in a statement. “It’s a privilege to play for our amazing fans. Hoping to be back out on the road very soon.”

The “Runaway Train” tour began in August, and Seger’s upcoming album, “I Knew You When,” is scheduled for release on Nov. 17, the date the tour was originally scheduled to end with a show in Chicago.

The postponed concerts have yet to be rescheduled, but tickets already sold will be honored on the new dates.

Here’s the full list of postponed shows:

  • Sept. 30 – Columbus, Ohio
  • Oct. 5 – Greenville, S.C.
  • Oct. 7 – Atlanta
  • Oct. 10 – Des Moines
  • Oct. 12 – St. Louis
  • Oct. 14 – Kansas City, Mo.
  • Oct. 19 – The Woodlands, Texas
  • Oct. 21 – Frisco, Texas
  • Oct. 24 – Austin, Texas
  • Oct. 26 – Denver
  • Oct. 28 – Phoenix
  • Nov. 2 – Oakland
  • Nov. 4 – Inglewood
  • Nov. 7 – Boise, Idaho
  • Nov. 9 – Portland, Ore.
  • Nov. 11 – Seattle
  • Nov. 13 – Billings, Mont.
  • Nov. 15 – St. Paul, Minn.
  • Nov. 17 – Chicago
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Jared Leto will play Hugh Hefner in upcoming biopic; internet says, ‘Nah’

Jared Leto, right, will portray the late Hugh Hefner in an upcoming film.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times; Andy Kropa / Associated Press)

Brett Ratner’s long-simmering Hugh Hefner biopic is back on track, with Jared Leto slipping into the Playboy founder’s iconic smoking jacket.

The project originally pitched by Ratner in 2007 found new life this year, entering early development with the director’s RatPac Entertainment even before Hefner’s death last week, the Hollywood Reporter said Tuesday.

“Jared is an old friend,” Ratner told THR about his new leading man. “When he heard I got the rights to Hef’s story, he told me, ‘I want to play him. I want to understand him.’ And I really believe Jared can do it. He’s one of the great actors of today.”

The internet, however, appears less enthused about the Ratner-directed project, which is something of a perfect storm of problematic people.

Ratner hastily resigned from producing the 2012 Oscars after a rapid-fire series of incidents involving controversial statements about his sex life and use of a homophobic slur.

Leto went above and beyond with his Method acting on the set of “Suicide Squad,” including sending dead animals — and live ones! – to his co-stars, as well as maybe, just perhaps, sending people bodily fluids?

And then there’s Hefner, whose recent death unleashed a slew of memorials praising his destruction of puritanical ideas regarding sex and scathing critiques about his treatment of women and his reinforcement of unobtainable beauty standards.

In short, the most common response on social media to the upcoming project for dudes, by dudes, about dudes can be summed up in a single sentiment: “Keep it.”

Wanna bet the all-girl “Lord of the Flies” team is breathing a little easier now?

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Watch: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ 2002 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction speech

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers are inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame

For all his unimpeachable credentials as a rock star, Tom Petty was first and foremost a rock fan, as can be heard during his induction into the Rock amd Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland with his band the Heartbreakers.

“The music overcame me at a very early age and has consumed my life,” Petty said as he finally accepted the honor in 2002, 26 years after he and the band released their eponymous debut album. “I love everything about it.”

Above, watch a clip that includes a snippet of their performance of “American Girl” at the ceremony.

Below, watch all the band’s remarks, which came on the heels of an introduction by Jakob Dylan, Bob Dylan’s son. (Warning: Petty drops an F-bomb around the 3:30 mark.)

The “Southern Accents” singer died Monday at age 66.

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Cardiac arrest, infections listed as causes of Hugh Hefner’s death

Hugh Hefner died from cardiac arrest, but the perennially robe-clad trailblazer was dealing with a number of medical issues at the time, reports indicate.

The 91-year-old Playboy founder, who revolutionized American sex culture with his bunny-filled empire, also suffered from respiratory failure and had contracted septicemia (a blood infection) and an E. coli infection that was “highly resistant” to antibiotics, according to a death certificate obtained by TMZ and the Blast.

GALLERY: Hugh Hefner’s ‘Playboy’ life in pictures

The infections occurred six days before he died, the document said, but cardiac arrest — when the heart’s electrical system malfunctions — was Hefner’s immediate cause of death, according to the reports.

The certificate, filed by his attorney, Michael Whalen, listed “Playboy Founder” as Hefner’s occupation and said he died at his residence (the famed Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills) at 5:06 p.m. Sept. 27.

Per his wishes, Hefner was laid to rest next to Marilyn Monroe on Saturday during a private funeral and memorial service attended by his widow, Crystal Harris, and four children.

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Hugh Hefner’s life in quotes

Hugh Hefner preached sexual liberation, but he never stopped exploiting women’s bodies

Was Hugh Hefner a sexist, or wasn’t he? Readers on the essential question about the Playboy founder

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who shook up American morality with an ideal of swinging singlehood, dies at 91

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Quvenzhané Wallis, Oscar nominee at 9, is a published author at 14

Quvenzhané Wallis arrives at the BET Awards in Los Angeles in June 2016. Wallis is releasing two children's books.
Quvenzhané Wallis arrives at the BET Awards in Los Angeles in June 2016. Wallis is releasing two children’s books.
(Jordan Strauss / Associated Press)

Actress Quvenzhané Wallis is quickly compiling a resume that most adults would envy.

On Tuesday, Simon & Schuster released two children’s books by 14-year-old Quvenzhané, who garnered an Oscar nomination at age 9 for her performance in the movie “Beasts of the Southern Wild.”

“A Night Out With Mama” is a picture book inspired by Quvenzhané’s experience attending the Academy Awards in 2013, and “Shai & Emmie Star in Break an Egg” follows the adventure of two best friends at a performing arts school.

Co-written with Nancy Ohlin, “Break an Egg” is the first in a series of chapter books by Quvenzhané; the second book will be released in January.

Qulyndreia Wallis, the young actress’ mother, told the Associated Press that the collaboration with Ohlin was seamless.

“[Nancy] helped fine-tune [Quvenzhané’s] thoughts and put it together. From there, we would proofread and make sure it was said in a way she would say it and the books were formed,” her mother said.

“I really hope that people my age enjoy reading these books,” Quvenzhané said. “I’m excited about experiencing new things and sometimes it gets to the point where I might get a little obsessed with it. But I really enjoy writing, and I can’t wait to do more.”

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What if you never saw Tom Petty live? Watch him burn up Super Bowl halftime in 2008

When a revered artist such as Tom Petty dies, there’s always that inevitable pang of regret that sets in among fans when they realize that they’ll never see the artist perform again — or, for those who never saw the performer in concert, that they never will get the chance.

For both camps mourning the loss of Petty, YouTube is tremendous, but one performance that stands out as particularly worth revisiting is Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Super Bowl halftime show in 2008. A four-song medley only scratched the surface of his band’s enormous catalog of hits. Watch the video here and you may be struck, much like our reporter who saw Petty storm the Hollywood Bowl just two weeks ago with an evening loaded end to end with indelible songs.

The Tom Petty road show may have ended, but so many go on.

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Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler debunks speculation that he had ‘a heart attack or a seizure’

(Lukas Barth / Associated Press)

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler’s health and humor appear to be intact after medical issues forced the cancellation of the band’s tour last week.

In a statement posted to Aerosmith’s website and on social media, the 69-year-old rocker said Monday that it broke his heart to have left the tour early, then poked fun at the erroneous theories that flooded the news cycle after the announcement last week.

“I give you all an A+ for creative speculations but I certainly did not have a heart attack or a seizure ((unless [bandmate] Joe Perry is takin’ a rippin’ lead)),” the jovial rocker said.

So dream on, kids.

The four-time Grammy Award-winning group canceled its tour’s final four shows in Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Mexico last week. Although Tyler’s “unexpected medical issues” weren’t life threatening, they were something he said he had to attend to “immediately.”

Apologizing for cutting the tour short, the “Walk This Way” singer explained he “had to have a procedure” that only his doctor in the U.S. could perform — and a final quip in his message may have hinted at the nature of said procedure.

Or maybe that’s just more creative speculation ...

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Listen: Maren Morris releases ‘Dear Hate’ in wake of Las Vegas shooting

Maren Morris released "Dear Hate" on Monday evening. Morris is donating profits from the song to the Music City Cares Fund, in honor of the Las Vegas shooting.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Maren Morris is “sick of not doing enough.”

That’s what the country music star wrote on her Instagram page Monday night. Morris performed at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas on Saturday night, one day before a gunman opened fire on the festival, killing 59 people and injuring hundreds more.

The comment was part of Morris’ announcement that she was releasing her song “Dear Hate,” featuring Vince Gill, and that any profits would be donated to the Music City Cares Fund.

“I wrote this song 3 years ago, recorded it last year with Vince Gill, and always have fans asking when I’ll put it out,” Morris wrote. “I never knew when would be the right time, but I realized today that there’s never a right time.”

She continued: “Hate is everywhere, and I’m sick of not doing enough. In the darkest tunnel, there is still love & music. That’s what it’s here for. Here is Dear Hate.”

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Stephen Colbert has a #MAGA challenge for Trump: Pass common-sense gun control laws

Stephen Colbert, during his cold open for “The Late Show” on Monday night, urged Congress in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre to “think about what you need to do, and then pray for the courage to do it.”

Politicians didn’t have to rise very far, he said.

“The bar is so low right now that Congress can be heroes by doing literally anything. Universal background checks. Or come up with a better answer. Enforce Obama’s executive order that denied the mentally ill gun purchases. Or a better answer. Reinstate the assault weapons ban. Or come up with a better answer.”

He continued: “Anything but nothing. Doing nothing is cowardice. Doing something will take courage.”

Colbert’s remarks also included a direct plea to President Trump.

“Want to make America great again? Do something the last two presidents haven’t been able to do,” Colbert challenged. “Pass any kind of common-sense gun control legislation that the vast majority of Americans want.”

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Bruce Springsteen mourns death of Tom Petty, his ‘long lost brother’

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Bruce Springsteen has joined the droves mourning the death of rocker Tom Petty.

“Down here on E Street, we’re devastated and heartbroken,” the Boss tweeted Tuesday morning, referring to the “Free Fallin’” singer as a “long lost brother.”

“Our hearts go out to his family and bandmates,” said the New Jersey singer-songwriter, who will take the stage for the first “Springsteen on Broadway” preview show Tuesday night in Manhattan.

“I’ve always felt a deep kinship with his music,” he continued. “A great songwriter and performer, whenever we saw each other ... it was like running into a long lost brother. Our world will be a sadder place without him.”

Petty, a three-time Grammy Award winner, died Monday at age 66 after suffering cardiac arrest Sunday at his home in Malibu.

Musicians Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Jon Bon Jovi and numerous others have taken to social media and beyond to send tributes to their fellow showman.

Read MoreALSO

Why losing Tom Petty feels like losing a piece of ourselves

The heartbreaking Instagram dispatches Tom Petty’s daughter sent as the rock star clung to life

From the Archives: Tom Petty breaks down 10 of his songs, including big hits and obscure gems

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Seth Meyers urges D.C. to be honest ‘if it’s going to be thoughts and prayers from here on out’

On “Late Night” on Monday, host Seth Meyers took the opportunity in the wake of the mass shooting in Las Vegas to talk directly to the nation’s politicians and praise first responders.

“It always seems like that the worst displays of humanity in this country are immediately followed by the best,” he said of the massacre that killed 59 people and injured more than 500. “And sadly that is followed by no action at all. Then it repeats itself.”

Noting that gun violence had been addressed previously on the show, he continued, “I’m not sure what else I can say. I also know nothing I say will make any difference at all. But to Congress, I would just like to say, are there no steps we can take as a nation to prevent gun violence? Or is this just how it is and how it’s going to continue to be?”

He challenged politicians to “just be honest” about their intentions, if those intentions were not to talk further about gun violence and not to take action.

“If it’s going to be ‘thoughts and prayers’ from here on out,” Meyers said, “the least you can do is be honest about that.”

Meyers then gave a nod to the first responders in Las Vegas, drawing a round of applause from the studio audience.

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Conan O’Brien: ‘How could there be a file of mass shooting remarks for a late-night host? ‘

In what has sadly become an American tradition, late-night TV hosts — Conan O’Brien among them — took to their shows Monday in the wake of a mass shooting, this time in Las Vegas, to address gun violence and gun control.

On “Conan,” host O’Brien was in disbelief at the amount of times he has had to address mass shooting recently on TV.

“I’ve been doing this job for more than 24 years, and when I began in 1993, occasions like this were extremely rare,” O’Brien said. “For me or any TV comedy host back then to come out and need to address a mass shooting spree was practically unheard of. But over the last decade, things have changed.”

He said a writer on the show had approached him with a file of comments he’d made on the air after prior shootings.

“How could there be a file of mass shooting remarks for a late-night host? When did that become normal? When did this become a ritual? And what does it say about us that it has?” he asked.

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A Star Is Born: India.Arie turns 42 today

(Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

I have to make sure that I protect my head and not let things get in. My attitude toward what I’m doing creates everything else that surrounds it. If I decided to get upset because someone calls [one of my songs] preachy, when in my opinion it’s just being really honest, then somewhere in the back of my mind, I wouldn’t be able to do that again, just pour everything out.

— India.Arie, 2003

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Who needs critics?

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Tom Petty’s daughter sent heartbreaking Instagram dispatches as the rock star clung to life

In the hours before Tom Petty died Monday evening, after the rock star suffered from cardiac arrest and was hospitalized Sunday, his youngest daughter, Annakim Violette, posted a series of dispatches on Instagram that provided a window into the hope and heartbreak the family was experiencing.

Though one of Violette’s posts lashed out at a publication that prematurely reported Petty’s death, most of the dispatches were full of expressions of love and images from Petty’s life as a rock icon and devoted family man.

One detail Violette shared was that Petty “had matching stage clothes made” for himself and his daughter. “When I got the call to come to the hospital,” she wrote in a post showing a piece embroidered with skulls, hearts and diamonds, “I grabbed this jacket and I’m still wearing it.” (See the Times photo below of Petty wearing the jacket.)

As the day wore on and conflicting reports emerged about Petty’s condition, Violette revealed that members of her father’s Heartbreakers band had arrived at the hospital. She also shared her memories of attending Petty’s Hollywood Bowl concert, which was just last week.

Finally, as official confirmation came that Petty had died, she posted an image of her dad’s debut album “Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers,” and the simple message “RIP.”

Tom Petty in 1996 wearing the jacket he had duplicated for his daughter.
(Ellen Jaskol / Los Angeles Times)
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Tearful Jimmy Kimmel demands action: ‘Thoughts and prayers are insufficient’ after Las Vegas shooting

Jimmy Kimmel delivered a heartfelt monologue Monday night in response to the mass shooting in his hometown of Las Vegas in which at least 59 people were killed and hundreds more injured.

With his voice trembling, the visibly distraught ABC late-night host addressed the shooting during “Jimmy Kimmel Live”: “Here we are again – in the aftermath of another terrible, inexplicable, shocking and painful tragedy,” he said. “This time – in Las Vegas. Which happens to be my hometown.

“Of course,” he continued, “we pray for the victims – and for their families and friends and we wonder ‘why,’ even though there’s probably no way to ever know ‘why’ a human being would do something like this to other human beings, who were at a concert having fun and listening to music.”

Kimmel lamented that as a result of the massacre, “we have children that are without parents and fathers that are without sons, mothers without daughters.”

“It’s the kind of thing that makes you want to throw up. Or give up,” he added.

And Kimmel, noting the mass shootings that took place in Orlando, Fla., Newtown, Conn., Aurora, Colo., and San Bernardino, doesn’t accept that nothing can be done about such tragedies.

“I disagree with that, intensely,” he said, “because… there are a lot of things we could do about it… but we don’t.”

He bemoaned the lack of true action wrapped in words of thoughts and prayers from politicians. He said that even if gun-control measures were proposed, the National Rifle Assn. “will smother it all with money, and over time, we’ll get distracted and move onto the next thing.”

At one point, he put up a photo of the 56 U.S. senators who, following last year’s Orlando shooting, voted against closing loopholes that allow people to buy weapons without background checks.

“Your thoughts and prayers are insufficient,” he said.

Kimmel, who has found his political voice as a healthcare activist in the wake of his son’s health battle, added that he wished he could return to working for laughs on his show, but that’s an impossible task in recent months.

“It feels like someone has opened a window into hell,” he said.

ALSO

Stephen Colbert has a #MAGA challenge for Trump: Pass common-sense gun control laws

Seth Meyers urges D.C. to be honest ‘if it’s going to be thoughts and prayers from here on out’

Conan O’Brien: ‘How could there be a file of mass shooting remarks for a late-night host?’

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Tom Petty remembered by musicians, artists and celebs

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Though Tom Petty didn’t die until Monday night, conflicting reports about his health status — plus, perhaps, a national mood heightened by sadness and shock over the mass shooting in Las Vegas — meant eulogies were widespread on social media starting earlier that day, ahead of his journey into the great, wide open.

“My [broken heart] has many emotions today. Yesterday was a living nightmare,” singer Jake Owen, who had performed at the Route 91 Harvest festival shortly before the shooting started, said Monday. “More sad news today losing Tom Petty. Life is short. Live it. Love u all.”

Peter Frampton tweeted: “I can’t believe we have lost Tom Petty on this already horrible day. My love to his wife & children and the entire Heartbreaker family.”

Petty’s 40-plus years in the music industry made for an influence that was felt far and wide. Here are some more social-media memorials to the three-time Grammy winner.

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Five performances that show how Tom Petty was a one-of-a-kind music video star

When considering artists that helped set the direction of the music video era, a pantheon of pop stars and chart fixtures emerges that includes Madonna, George Michael and Michael Jackson, whose videos made such a huge impact that MTV’s Video Vanguard Awards now bears his name.

Not as frequently cited is Tom Petty, whose catalog of indelible hits is packed with equally memorable videos.

With his long face and toothy grin, Petty didn’t fit in among the usual camera-ready rock stars of the time or, frankly, this one. But he was among the first artists to recognize the potential of the medium, and -- with the help of an arsenal of hits and a willingness to take chances -- he was a fixture on both MTV and the radio for decades.

By way of example, his 1982 album “Long After Dark” is not among the first mentioned in his catalog of hit records. But his video for “You Got Lucky” that same year was among the first to leave an impression on his fans, and was the first to open with a minute-long, non-musical introduction.

For those familiar, who could forget the post-apocalyptic “Mad Max” atmosphere, the creepy synth melody, and the egg-shaped future-car a gun-slinging Petty and lead guitarist Mike Campbell crawl from before meeting the band in . . . a plastic-wrapped electronics graveyard-slash-rock history museum. (Okay, it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it also didn’t look like anything else on a still-nascent MTV.)

It was a far cry from Petty’s earliest, more performance-oriented videos with the Heartbreakers, which still made a splash for songs from his 1979 breakthrough album “Damn the Torpedoes” like “Refugee” and “Here Comes My Girl.” These were followed by the striking 1981 summit meeting between two heavyweights in “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” from Stevie Nicks’ solo album “Bella Donna.” The song, as those who watched the 2017 HBO documentary “The Defiant Ones” know, became a contentious point between Petty and their mutual producer at the time, Jimmy Ioviine.

But maybe Petty’s biggest splash on MTV came in 1985 with the lysergic clip for “Don’t Come Around Here No More.” Set in a surrealistic impression of “Alice in Wonderland” with Petty as a leering Mad Hatter (and the Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart as a hookah-smoking caterpillar), the video split the difference between a haunting bad trip and playful costume party, culminating with the nightmarish image of Petty and the band feasting on a screaming Alice as if she were an office sheet cake.

Even out of the context of the Heartbreakers, Petty kept the hits coming into the late ‘80s and ‘90s. Where “Don’t Come Around Here” reveled in a nightmarish quality, the equally omnipresent “Free Fallin’” plays like a dreamy Southern California idyll.

Though the video hits a variety of sunny, geographically specific touchstones such as backyard pool parties, mall escalator rides and halfpipe aerials, the tone is mostly melancholy, and nostalgic for a time that may or may not be as innocent as remembered.

Back with the Heartbreakers for 1991’s “Into the Great Wide Open,” Petty again went with a narrative concept with the album’s title track. At over six minutes, the song finds Petty narrating the up-and-down rock ‘n’ roll life of Eddie Rebel, who’s portrayed by Johnny Depp.

Directed by “The Great Rock and Roll Swindle” documentarian Julien Temple, the cautionary tale also features cameos from Faye Dunaway, Gabrielle Anwar and, weirdly, a pre-fame Matt LeBlanc alongside cameos from the Heartbreakers. Eddie Rebel crashes out of rock stardom, but don’t worry: At the video’s close, Petty dryly assures us “and they all lived happily ever after.”

Researching Petty’s output of music videos can quickly become overwhelming (the Winsor McCay-inspired animation of “Runnin’ Down a Dream” is a personal favorite). But no list such as this would be complete without “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” which appeared on the band’s greatest hits compilation in 1993.

Winner of best male video at the 1994 VMAs, the blue-hued clip is another instance of Petty’s taste for video narratives falling more in line with the big screen than television. Kim Basinger plays a corpse who catches the eye of Petty’s well-meaning morgue assistant, who sneaks away with the body for a candlelit romantic evening (it’s oddly sweeter than it sounds) before letting her slip away under the moonlight in Leo Carillo State Park.

“I don’t know, but I’ve been told, you never slow down you never grow old,” Petty at one point sings. He never did, either.

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Update: Tom Petty has died after being hospitalized for cardiac arrest

Tom Petty performs with the Heartbreakers at the Hollywood Bowl on Sept. 21, 2017.
Tom Petty performs with the Heartbreakers at the Hollywood Bowl on Sept. 21, 2017.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Update 9:10 p.m: Tom Petty has died.

Petty’s manager Tony Dimitriades announced the news this evening with this statement:

“On behalf of the Tom Petty family we are devastated to announce the untimely death of of our father, husband, brother, leader and friend Tom Petty. He suffered cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu in the early hours of this morning and was taken to UCLA Medical Center but could not be revived. He died peacefully at 8:40pm PT surrounded by family, his bandmates and friends.”

- Tony Dimitriades, longtime manager of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers on behalf of the family.

Read the full confirmation and obituary here.

Below is the story from earlier Monday.

Tom Petty was taken to UCLA Medical Center for a cardiac incident Sunday night, law enforcement has confirmed to The Times, but as of 1:15 p.m. Monday there was no official confirmation that the 66-year-old rock musician had died.

The Los Angeles Police Department, which had been cited in a report by CBS News and subsequently by other outlets that picked up the CBS story, tweeted Monday afternoon that “Initial information was inadvertantly provided to some media sources.”

CBS updated its report even as the likes of John Mayer, Jake Owen and Peter Frampton — not to mention multitudes of non-celebrity fans — were sharing their sadness and Tom Petty memories on social media.

Earlier Monday, an LAPD spokesperson told The Times that the department had no role in the matter because no crime had been committed.

At noon Monday, TMZ reported that Petty had been rushed to the hospital. It updated its story a half hour later, saying a decision had been made to pull life support. An hour after that, it reported Petty was “still clinging to life,” though a chaplain had been called in around 10:30 a.m.

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‘Blade Runner 2049’ premiere nixes red carpet in light of Las Vegas shooting tragedy

The stars will still come to celebrate Tuesday night’s world premiere of “Blade Runner 2049,” but they will not walk a red carpet in light of Sunday night’s mass shooting tragedy in Las Vegas.

Warner Bros., Sony and Alcon Entertainment announced Monday that they are canceling the pre-screening red carpet, but not the full premiere event, celebrating the Ryan Gosling-Harrison Ford sci-fi sequel Tuesday night at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

“In light of the tragic events of last night, Warner Bros. Pictures, Sony Pictures, and Alcon Entertainment are canceling the red carpet for tomorrow’s screening of ‘Blade Runner 2049,” Warner Bros. said in a statement. “We join the rest of the country in sending heartfelt thoughts and prayers to all those affected by this tragedy.”

The death toll in Sunday night’s mass shooting at a country music festival has now risen to 59 and more than 500 were injured in the violent attack by a white male assailant identified by authorities as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock of Mesquite, Nev.

As the world mourned the loss of life Monday morning, Open Road Pictures canceled the red carpet premiere of their Thurgood Marshall film “Marshall” which had been scheduled to take place tonight at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre.

“Blade Runner 2049” opens nationwide Friday.

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Fyre Festival organizer pleads not guilty to fraud

Amenities for patrons at the Fyre Fest on Exuma included tents and a portable toilet.
Amenities for patrons at the Fyre Fest on Exuma included tents and a portable toilet.
(Jake Strang / Associated Press)

Fyre Festival organizer Billy McFarland pleaded not guilty to fraud charges over the Bahamian music event that went viral this spring when ticket holders offered real-time social-media coverage of its disastrous collapse.

McFarland appeared in Manhattan federal court Monday morning where he waived his right to be charged via an indictment brought by a grand jury; instead, he agreed to move forward facing charges of wire fraud and making false statements to a bank that were presented by prosecutors in a document known as an “information.”

That likely signals a plea deal is in the works.

The 25-year-old was arrested in June on charges that he defrauded investors who poured $1.2 million into two companies associated with April’s ill-fated festival. Authorities said McFarland provided false documents inflating Fyre’s revenue.

If convicted, he could face 20 years in prison. He’s currently free on bail.

“McFarland promised a ‘life changing’ music festival but in actuality delivered a disaster,” Joon Kim, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement upon the organizer’s arrest.

Hyped as “the cultural experience of the decade,” the inaugural Fyre Festival — set for the weekends of April 28 and May 5 — aimed to bring a level of luxury unseen by any destination music event by staging the action on a remote island in Fyre Cay in the Exumas, a string of islands in the Bahamas.

Blink-182, Disclosure, Kaytranada, Migos, Rae Sremmurd, Tyga, Desiigner, Pusha T., Major Lazer and two dozen other artists and surprise-guest headliners were promised as were $1 million in cash prizes and the chance to cozy up to A-list ambassadors including Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid.

What happened instead was a spectacular failure, one that saw McFarland, co-founder Ja Rule and festival staffers canceling the event just hours before it started.

Poor planning by organizers left the festival grounds in chaos during its first hours as guests arrived to find unbuilt tents, trash-filled grounds, overwhelmed workers and subpar food — far from the posh glitziness that was promised in the months leading up to the event.

More than a dozen lawsuits alleging fraud, breach of contract and other claims have been filed, and the festival continues to be a potent punchline. Last weekend, “Saturday Night Live” included a joke made at the festival’s expense.

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Country music’s Caleb Keeter after Vegas shooting: ‘We need gun control RIGHT. NOW.’

Caleb Keeter, the guitarist for the Josh Abbott Band, who performed Sunday at the Route 91 festival in Las Vegas, wrote that the tragedy had already changed his mind on the need for gun control.

“I’ve been a proponent of the 2nd amendment my entire life. Until the events of last night,” he said. “I cannot express how wrong I was.”

Keeter wrote that the band and crew felt utterly powerless and terrified during the shooting, and that crew members who had concealed-carry permits couldn’t use them for fear of being mistaken for the shooter.

“Writing my parents and the love of my life a goodbye last night and a living will because I felt I wasn’t going to live through the night was enough for me to realize that this is completely and totally out of hand,” he said.

The band made an official statement on the shooting as well. “Everyone in our band and crew are safe. I (Josh) had just left and was in the Mandalay Bay on the 20th floor with my fiancé during the shooting just a few floors away. The band & crew were on the concert grounds and saw people get shot. Some of my crew members were hit with shrapnel, but not injured. We are deeply disturbed by this horrific act of violence and send our thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families. It was a long awful night but we are blessed to be alive and healthy. Hug your loved ones tight.”

Keeter’s remarks suggest that the tragedy may be a turning point in how country artists talk about gun culture and gun control. “We need gun control RIGHT. NOW.” he said. “My biggest regret is that I stubbornly didn’t realize it until my brothers on the road and myself were threatened by it.”

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‘Marshall’ premiere canceled in wake of Las Vegas mass shooting

Open Road Films has canceled the planned red carpet premiere of its Thurgood Marshall biopic, “Marshall,” in the aftermath of the Sunday mass shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas.

In a statement Monday, a spokesperson for the distribution company acknowledged a “day of national mourning.”

The spokesperson said: “Tonight’s event will be a private screening of the film for the cast, filmmakers and invited guests. Our thoughts are with the the victims of the tragedy in Las Vegas, their families and all of those affected.”

The premiere was scheduled to take place Monday night at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

In “Marshall,” which opens theatrically on Oct. 13 and is directed by Oscar-nominated “Django Unchained” filmmaker Reginald Hudlin, Chadwick Boseman (“Black Panther”) stars as the young Marshall, who grew up to become the first African American justice to serve on the Supreme Court. Josh Gad, Sterling K. Brown and Kate Hudson costar.

Marshall was sworn into his historic office on this day in 1967. Open Road had planned a high-profile awareness campaign around the 50th anniversary of Marshall’s achievement, celebrating Oct. 2 as “Thurgood Marshall Day” with the support of prominent figures such as Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-San Pedro), Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-N.J.), Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) and State Senator Bobby Powell (D-Fla.).

Authorities are still investigating the shooting that killed 58 people and injured more than 500 others who were attending the Route 91 Harvest country music festival.

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Site of Las Vegas mass shooting is key venue in effort to make the city a live-music destination

Concert-goers flee as gunfire from across the street hits the Route 91 Harvest festival at Las Vegas Village on Sunday.
(David Becker / Getty Images)

Before it became the site of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, the Route 91 Harvest festival was one of a handful of concert blowouts aiming to burnish the Las Vegas Strip’s reputation as a live-music destination.

Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Sam Hunt, Lauren Alaina, Big & Rich, Lee Brice, Maren Morris and Jake Owen were all on the bill for the three-day, sold-out festival at Las Vegas Village, which attracted 25,000 guests a day to the same event last year.

The 15-acre plot near Luxor and Mandalay Bay is one of two open-air venues on the Strip owned by MGM Resorts International.

For years, event organizers have been trying to turn the Village and the much larger Las Vegas Festival Grounds into preeminent destinations for music fans in a city with unlimited entertainment options.

The Live Nation-promoted Route 91 Harvest, which launched in 2014, was the first festival in Vegas dedicated to country music.

Route 91 was a success out of the gate and served as an example of what could be pulled off on the Strip. In its inaugural year, when Aldean, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert headlined, the event lured 30,000 fans to a parking lot that had been converted into a festival space.

Aside from the main stage, the festival boasted a platform for emerging acts (called the Next From Nashville stage), line dancing and, because it’s Vegas, nightclub-like lounges on site from sponsors such as House of Blues and Malibu Rum.

In 2015, MGM attempted to up the ante on the festival front with the massive, multi-genre Rock in Rio at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars and No Doubt headlined the inaugural, two-weekend event.

As with Las Vegas Village, the Festival Grounds acreage once housed vehicles: It served as a recreational vehicle campground for Circus Circus before MGM decided to diversify its entertainment offerings and explore outdoor festival events.

At 40 acres, the Festival Grounds is much larger than Las Vegas Village, the latter of which also hosts the iHeart Radio Music Festival’s smaller “Daytime Village” lineup. However, with the exception of the 4th ACM Party for a Cause Festival in April 2016, the Festival Grounds venue has gone largely unused since Rock in Rio quietly decided not to return after its first year.

As Route 91 grew in popularity, MGM wanted to explore moving the festival to the larger space but festival organizers had a different idea: Keeping it smaller and more low key. That’s what the popular Life Is Beautiful festival has done each year in downtown Vegas.

“The ‘look’ of that site … is one of the things that makes Route 91 so great,” Live Nation executive Brian O’Connell told the Las Vegas Review-Journal last year amid chatter of a move. “The casino’s bright lights and that real Vegas look. You go north, you lose a little of that, and we don’t want to lose Vegas. That’s why we are here.”

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Las Vegas shooting aftermath: Find loved ones, donate blood, donate funds

Police sweep through a convention center area during a lockdown Monday at the Tropicana Las Vegas.
(Chase Stevens / Las Vegas Review-Journal via Associated Press)

As Monday morning dawned in Las Vegas, the country began to get a sense of the scope of the tragedy that befell the city the night before.

After a gunman opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest festival, killing at least 58 people and injuring more than 500, people were scrambling both for help and to help.

Given the popularity of the festival and the typical crush of individuals on the Las Vegas Strip, many across the country and the globe were anxious for updates from family and friends on the ground.

People looking for a loved one in Las Vegas can call (866) 535-5654. The number doubles as Nevada’s 211 number to connect residents with health, human and social services.

A family reunification center has been set up at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department headquarters at 400 S. Martin Luther King Blvd., Building B, in Las Vegas.

The Reno-Tahoe airport has also offered its services, via social media, encouraging families looking for private space to contact their local airline representative at the airport for assistance.

Individuals looking to help in the immediate Las Vegas area are encouraged to donate blood at the Labor Health & Welfare Clinic at 7135 W. Sahara Ave. in Las Vegas, or with United Blood Services at various locations in Nevada.

For those not currently in the greater Las Vegas metropolitan area, Clark County Commission Chair Steve Sisolak has started a GoFundMe campaign for the victims of Sunday night’s shooting.

Though live for only three hours, the fundraiser has already surpassed its original $500,000 goal, with donations from more than 2,300 people and counting.

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Jason Aldean calls for prayer after ‘beyond horrific’ shooting in Las Vegas

Jason Aldean performs at the 52nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards in April. Aldean was performing in Las Vegas on Sunday when a gunman opened fire.
(Chris Pizzello / Invision )

Just hours after a gunman opened fire during his performance at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Sunday, Jason Aldean turned to Instagram to check in with fans and call for prayers.

Aldean had been in the middle of his set as the first shots were fired, and he and his band were quickly removed from the stage as the panicked crowd dispersed.

“Tonight has been beyond horrific,” the singer wrote. “I still don’t know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that Me and my Crew are safe.”

“My Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight. It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night,” the country music artist concluded.

Monday morning, the death toll in the Las Vegas shooting stood at 58, with 515 injured.

Aldean’s words echoed those of Ariana Grande in the aftermath of the Manchester, England, bombing in May, which targeted fans as they left Grande’s concert. Twenty-two people were killed and more than 250 were injured in that attack.

The “Night Train” singer had spoken out about concert violence previously, after incidents marred a number of high-profile country concerts in 2014.

“You want people to come out to your show to enjoy it and everybody to wake up the next day and talk about what a great time they had. You don’t want somebody to come to the show and never make it home,” Aldean told Rolling Stone. “Unfortunately that kind of stuff is out of our hands.”

UPDATE

10:40 a.m.: This story was updated with an Aldean quote from 2014.

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How ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ came up with that fatwa storyline

As outrageous as ever, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” returned to HBO on Sunday night after six long years off the air.

In the Season 9 premiere, “Foisted!” Larry David goes on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” to promote his latest project, “Fatwa! The Musical,” inspired by the years that author Salman Rushdie spent in hiding after the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini called for his death.

In a highly meta twist, the show’s fictional ayatollah issues a fatwa on Larry for writing a musical about the real fatwa, kicking off what will be a season-long arc about our misanthropic protagonist’s brush with fundamentalism.

The storyline is true to the spirit of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which has always taken an irreverent approach to religion. But it actually evolved as a way to address the show’s long hiatus, as Jeff Schaffer, director of “Foisted!” and a writer-producer on the series, recently explained.

In David’s mind, “Every season of ‘Curb’ is the last season that will ever be,” he said. “I actually figured out why. He pours all his ideas into a season. I would never want to do a season, he thinks, if I didn’t have any good ideas, and he’s the only person on the planet that thinks he won’t have any more good ideas.”

After Season 8, which aired in 2011, David stayed busy with the HBO movie “Clear History” and the Broadway play, “Fish Out of Water.” The years went by.

In the winter and spring of 2016, David and Schaffer began discussing a potential film project, but David kept suggesting their ideas would be better for “Curb.”

“I said, if you want to do ‘Curb,’ well why don’t we just do ‘Curb’?”

That led to still more discussions, starting with how to address the significant time lapse between seasons. Just what had Larry been doing? Various possibilities were floated, but it was David’s idea that his character had spent the years toiling away at “Fatwa! The Musical.”

Recalled Schaffer: “Once we knew that Larry writing a musical about Salman Rushdie’s fatwa would get him a fatwa, then I knew, OK, that’s a great season arc.”

And, yes, they have considered the possibility that the fictional fatwa plot could land David in real-life trouble.

“There’s no bad publicity. I’m not too nervous about it,” Schaffer said. “Knowing where the season starts, you will not expect where it ends, which is another thing I’m very happy about this season.”

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Country artists who performed at Route 91 Harvest festival react to mass shooting

People take cover at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas on Oct. 1 after gunfire was heard.
(David Becker / Getty Images)

As Jason Aldean was performing on the main stage, a burst of weapons fire disrupted the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas on Sunday night. Officials reported more than 50 dead and at least 406 injured.

Witnesses said shots appeared to be come from an upper floor of the nearby Mandalay Resort and Casino, and police temporarily shut down parts of the Strip as they established a triage center for the wounded.

The suspected gunman was killed in a clash with police, authorities said.

LIVE UPDATES: Las Vegas concert shooting

Aldean was the final act of the festival, and dozens of others had played over the course of the weekend, including Eric Church, Sam Hunt and Maren Morris. In numerous tweets, artists communicated with fans and followers, expressing their sorrow and prayers for anyone injured and telling loved ones that they were safe.

Jake Owen, who played the main stage before Aldean, tweeted: “Praying for everyone here in Vegas. I witnessed the most unimaginable event tonight. We are okay. Others arent. Please pray.”

Here are more messages from artists who performed this weekend at the festival:

UPDATES

6:48 a.m.: This post was updated with a revised toll of the injured.

4:16 a.m.: This post was updated with a revised toll of the dead and injured.

1:45 a.m.: This post was updated with a revised toll of the dead and injured.

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J.B. Smoove’s ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ audition story is eerie, poignant and full of awesome Leon-isms

J.B. Smoove has become such a favorite of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” fans, it’s easy to forget that his character, Leon Black, Larry David’s eminently quotable sidekick/seemingly permanent houseguest, joined the HBO series only in Season 6.

For those who’ve missed Leon’s colorful insight during the show’s six-year absence, Smoove has a new book written in the voice of his character, “Leon Black: The Philosophy of a Fool.” He also returns in “Curb’s” long-awaited ninth season, which premieres Sunday night.

We recently caught up with Smoove, looking dapper in a fedora as he discussed Leon’s unique rapport with Larry and the sequence of events that led to getting cast on “Curb.”

You joined “Curb” in Season 6. Were you already a fan? What was the audition like?

A bunch of things had to happen for me to even be a part of that show. I was working with “SNL” as a writer. My fourth season I didn’t get renewed, but I was already a huge fan of “Curb.” My wife was washing dishes one day and she said: “You gonna be on that show one day because you say crazy stuff all the time. You would fit right in!”

All this happened within a month or two. I signed with a new agent, my buddy passed away and I had to come to L.A. for one day. I said, while I’m in L.A. I’m gonna go visit my new agents. And then the agent comes, says: “Hey man, I got an audition. How long are you in town?” I said: “I leave town tomorrow. What’s it for?” He said, “ ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm.’ ” I said “Get the … out of here, that’s impossible!”

I left his office, went straight to the audition. I never go into the room as myself. I always walk into the room as my character.

So I walk into the room and Larry is standing in the middle of the room, and I said, “Holy ….”

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Interpol and Music Tastes Good happened this weekend. Here’s why that matters

Corey Wolford, 27, of Long Beach, stands next to a sculpture installed at Music Tastes Good in honor of the festival's late co-founder, Josh Fischel.
Corey Wolford, 27, of Long Beach, stands next to a sculpture installed at Music Tastes Good in honor of the festival’s late co-founder, Josh Fischel.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Live music happens at all hours of the day in Los Angeles. Here are two shows that happened over the weekend, one a concert and one a festival, that we think are worth remembering.

Interpol’s emotional return to ‘Bright Lights’ and 9/11-era anxiety

By August Brown

It’s hard to believe that the New York indie boom of the early 2000s already feels like classic rock. But, well, we’re as far away from 2001 as the mid-’80s were from the Summer of Love.

We have oral histories, reissues and reunions aplenty documenting a time when the Lower East Side wasn’t just a never-ending grid of condos and bank branches. One when the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, LCD Soundsystem, the Strokes and Interpol made the most exciting rock music since the grunge era.

On Saturday, at the newly renovated Los Angeles State Historic Park, Interpol became the first band to explicitly revisit that era with a front-to-back, full-album live set of the band’s moody and nervy 2002 album “Turn on the Bright Lights.” The record was a near-flawless vision at the time — retro enough in its Joy Division references, modern enough in its post-9/11 malaise — and it made Interpol an instant superstar. The group has had ups and down since — an underrated second LP, a major-label brass-ring grab and a late-career return to its indie brooding.

But Saturday’s show was an eerie, emotional return to a time when New York was reeling but its bands were better than they had been since the Ramones.

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Aaron Freeman, a.k.a. Gene Ween, at the Music Tastes Good festival in Long Beach.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Ween fans rule Music Tastes Good festival on a day with pointed messages from Slaves and Protomartyr

By Randall Roberts

Wearing a dark suit jacket and mismatched pants, holding a cigarette in one hand and a cup of beer in the other, lead barker and could-be middle-manager Joe Casey of Detroit band Protomartyr wasn’t about to let the Pacific breeze soften his message on the first day of the Music Tastes Good food and music festival in Long Beach.

As seagulls shot past a drone humming overhead, Protomartyr, performing in support of its excellent new record, “Relatives in Descent,” triggered hardened post-punk frequencies that seemed to penetrate the wind like bullets through feathers. Casey sang of “vomit and rage spewing forth in the drive-thru,” of “fussing and fighting eternally” and of “false news beamed right in — male plague!”

With the deadpan misanthropy of “American Splendor” writer Harvey Pekar or Charles Bukowski, Protomartyr’s Casey looked at the modest crowd during this second installment of Music Tastes Good and uttered, “False happiness is piled high” as the band — distorted guitar, looping bass and minimalist, snare-heavy drum patterns — crafted punk tones that echoed with jagged remnants of Joy Division and Interpol.

It was indeed a lovely day for tunes near the ocean, where Long Beach- and Torrance-born punk band Joyce Manor, joke rock iconoclasts Ween, Cameroonian expat Laetitia Tamko (who records as Vagabon), Argentine experimental pop artist and actress Juana Molina and glam-fueled L.A. outfit Diane Coffee performed Saturday.

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Once the shock wears off on ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm,’ Larry David leaves us with plenty to think about

Especially in these times where everyone is worried about the big things, and rightly so, someone has to take care of the little things. Someone has to be the champion of the petty indignities and the minutiae, and Larry’s our guy.

— Writer-director-producer Jeff Schaffer

Larry David has been called a lot of names — most of which can’t be repeated here — over the course of “Curb Your Enthusiasm’s” eight seasons.

But few have recognized Larry for what he really is: a great moral philosopher who is able to identify and illuminate the codes that dictate our daily interactions with other humans. Kant introduced the world to the theory of the categorical imperative; Larry, the chat-and-cut.

Then there’s his rampant disregard for political correctness. Like a liberal Donald Trump, he is beloved by fans not in spite of his capacity for insulting women, religious minorities, people of color, the LGBTQ community and the disabled, but because of it. In the ninth season, premiering Sunday on HBO after a six-year hiatus, Larry is as incendiary as ever, stomping like a drunken elephant through a minefield of taboos.

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‘Ghosted’ stars Craig Robinson and Adam Scott on monsters, explosions, chase scenes and ‘squeezing it all in’

Given Adam Scott and Craig Robinson’s collective comedy credentials — “Party Down,” “Parks & Recreation,” “The Office,” “Knocked Up,” “Pineapple Express” and, of course, “Hot Tub Time Machine 2” — seeing their names atop the new Fox series “Ghosted” sets up some expectations for the series premiere on Sunday.

While it capitalizes on their comedy backgrounds, “Ghosted” draws as much from the sci-fi, horror and action genres with its wormholes, secret government bureaus and the occasional headless bad guy. Scott plays a disgraced research scientist who teams with Robinson, a former LAPD detective, to battle unexpected adversaries on a show that looks to ‘80s action-comedies for inspiration, a detail underlined by a synth-heavy score.

The two comic actors chat about the genre-straddling nature of “Ghosted,” which Robinson tidily summarizes as “Be afraid. Be kind of afraid.”

I believe in the paranormal and that there’s other things out there. I just don’t talk about it.

— Craig Robinson

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A Star Is Born: Zach Galifianakis turns 48 today

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

It just makes me uncomfortable to talk about because the lifestyle I think people think one lives and the whole machine of Hollywood — it’s not for me, whatever that is. I just like to work, and I’m incredibly grateful. I used to tell diarrhea jokes in cafes in Culver City. That is still me. I can’t escape that person.

— Zach Galifianakis, 2016

FROM THE ARCHIVES: With movie comedies ‘a little bit one-note,’ Zach Galifianakis tackles TV

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