Did You Hear ...? James Toback is accused, Ashley Judd shares Weinstein details and more from the week in entertainment
Another Hollywood type stood accused, a disgraced producer’s fall continued, a comic trashed her ex-lawyer, a pop star got a do-over and a British pop-soul singer rejected labels. Here’s all that news and more from this week in entertainment.
Hundreds accuse ‘Bugsy’ writer James Toback of harassment
As if the Harvey Weinstein scandal weren’t enough, The Times published an investigation Sunday in which 38 women accused Oscar-nominated writer-director Toback of sexual harassment. By week’s end, that number had risen to more than 300, including “Suburbicon” actress Julianne Moore, who said that when Toback allegedly sexually harassed her a second time, he didn’t remember he’d done it before. Rachel McAdams and Selma Blair also detailed their interactions with Toback. As Hollywood as a whole reacted and the Writers Guild condemned the “Bugsy” screenwriter, “Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn said he had been warning people about Toback’s alleged tactics for years. Gunn, it seems, wasn’t the only one.
How Ashley Judd got out of Harvey Weinstein’s hotel room
As the drip-drip-drip of new Weinstein accusers continued, floodgates-opener Ashley Judd shared more details about being alone in a hotel room with the producer as he made unwanted sexual advances. Finally, she said, she struck a sort of deal with him that allowed her to flee. Actress Natassia Malthe, though, allegedly wasn’t that lucky. Now the Directors Guild of America has filed disciplinary charges against Weinstein, and he’s suing his namesake company in pursuit of documents he says he could use to defend himself and the company. That last bit could become important, as one accuser says people at the Weinstein Co. knew what was going on.
Kathy Griffin isn’t giving Lisa Bloom a good Yelp review
Griffin took the gloves off and lashed out at Lisa Bloom, her former attorney, whom she hired after Griffin’s disastrous photo shoot that involved a severed head in the likeness of Donald Trump. The women’s relationship was back on the radar after Bloom bailed on Weinstein, so a cranky Griffin tweeted at the attorney to stop calling and texting unless she wanted to refund some “wasted” money. Bloom publicly replied that she hadn’t been bombarding anyone with calls or texts and noted in her statement that at Griffin’s widely panned press conference in June, the “My Life on the D-List” lady had done something unadvisably unique: She ad-libbed. And then, well, she took it all back.
NFL gets over ‘Nipplegate,’ hires Justin Timberlake again
Come February, Justin Timberlake will return to the scene of the not-quite-a-crime that gifted the world with the phrase “wardrobe malfunction” 14 years ago. Yep, he’s been inked as the halftime headliner for the 52nd Super Bowl. Fun facts: While JT and Janet Jackson’s “Nipplegate” mess didn’t make it to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012, “wardrobe malfunction” did make it into the Oxford English Dictionary in 2014. But only time will tell whether Jackson will be invited to join a show that Timberlake hopes will be 12 minutes of “all for one and one for all”-style booty shaking.
Sam Smith has his own rhythm, and labels give him the blues
Enough with the labels, people! Sam Smith might have made peace with being seen as a “gay singer,” but that doesn’t mean he’s eager to check any more boxes that define his sexuality and gender identity. Turns out he feels just as much a woman as he is a man. And, he says, he does “love a heel.”
Domestic Goods — and Bads: John Stamos and Caitlin McHugh are engaged. … Turns out Ewan McGregor and wife Eve Mavrakis separated months ago, which is good because he and “Fargo” costar Mary Elizabeth Winstead were just seen canoodling. … Billy Joel now has three children. … Tamar Braxton filed for divorce from Vince Herbert. … Paul Walker’s daughter Meadow has reached an agreement with Porsche related to his 2013 death.
Trumped: Seth Meyers just wants Trump to behave like a “normal, decent human being.”
R.I.P.: Fats Domino, rock ‘n’ roll pioneer and New Orleans hero, died at 89. Robert Guillaume, Emmy-winning actor in ‘Soap’ and ‘Benson,’ died at 89.
New Trailer:
Bonus Links: Sarah Gadon, Frankie Shaw, Brandon Micheal Hall and other new faces to watch out for on TV this fall. … But wait, there’s more! “Stranger Things” is getting an after-show on Netflix. Photographer to the stars Terry Richardson is no longer welcome at Condé Nast International.
Did You Hear …? runs Saturday in Entertainment at latimes.com.
cdz@latimes.com
Twitter @TheCDZ
The biggest entertainment stories
Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
