Hoda Kotb has been named as the new co-anchor of the Today show, taking up the position vacated by Matt Lauer after he was fired from NBC after sexual misconduct allegations in November. Kotb made her official debut on Tuesday, alongside co-host Savannah Guthrie, directly after a statement from NBC chairman Andy Lack announced her promotion. Kotb and Guthrie will co-host the 7 to 9 a.m. hours of theTodayshow, and Kotb will continue to host the 10 a.m. hour ofTodayalongside Kathie Lee Gifford, NBC News said in a statement.... [Read Full Story]
Justin Timberlake announced that his fifth studio album will be released Friday, Feb. 2, two days before he takes the halftime stage at Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis. A single from the album will drop this Friday, January 5. In the teaser for the video, Timberlake talks about his wife, Jessica Biel, and the impact she and their son have had on his music. He said that more than any other album he’s written it’s also inspired by Tennessee, where he originates from.... [Read Full Story]
Maria Menounos married her fiance Keven Undergaro, her beau of 20 years, during the live broadcast she was hosting of Fox’s New Year’s Eve special from Times Square in New York City. Her co-host, talk-show and game-show king Steve Harvey, officiated. The idea for the on-air ceremony came just two weeks ago when a producer mentioned to Menounos that she had hoped for an on-air wedding of a different couple, unless she and Undergaro wanted to finally get hitched. The guest list included her parents, Constantine and Litsa Menounos,who has stage 4 brain cancer.... [Read Full Story]
As a symbol of continuity and momentum from 2017, over 300 women fromHollywood signed “Time’s Up,” an 2018 anti-harassment initiative that launched Jan. 1, 2018. Lead by attorney Anita Hill, the initiative includes legal defense funding and an open letter detailing their plan of action. Members that make up the 300 includeactresses Ashley Judd, America Ferrera, Rashida Jones, Emma Stone, Natalie Portman, Reese Witherspoon, Kerry Washington, and Eva Longoria, chairwoman of Universal Pictures Donna Langley, and lawyers Nina L. Shaw and Tina Tchen. The new initiative aimsto help working-class women with fundingand support for workplace harassment outside of the typical circles of power and influence.... [Read Full Story]
The 75th Golden Globe Awards is coming up soon, and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been naming the stars that will be on hand to present awards. The association shared several big names on Thursday, including “Wonder Woman” leading lady Gal Gadot, Grammy winner Kelly Clarkson, “Scandal” star Kerry Washington, three-time former Golden Globe host Amy Poehler, Oscar winner Halle Berry and comedian Seth Rogen, among others. Seth Myers is set to host the live broadcast for the first time, which will air on NBC on January 7th at 8PM ET.... [Read Full Story]
This week Solange Knowles took to Instagram and shared with fans that she’s been “quietly treating” an unnamed autonomic disorder and will no longer be performing atAfroPunk Fest Johannesburg. The performance, which was announced in early May, was scheduled for New Years Eve 2018. Solange expressed how “saddened” and “sorry” she was to cancel, mentioning that South Africa and its native residents remain near to her heart. Ending the statement, Solange thanked AfroPunk and other festivals that have both kept the news concerning her health confidential plus “gone out of their way” to make her comfortable. ... [Read Full Story]
A year after Carrie Fisher’s death, some of the people who knew her best are paying tribute to the beloved actress. Many celebrities and fans shared heartfelt messages about Fisher, best known for her role as Princess Leia in “Star Wars.” Fisher died at age 60 just two days after Christmas in 2016, following a heart attack she had on a flight from London to Los Angeles. Among those who remembered the actress on Wednesday was Mark Hamill, who appeared alongside Fisher in the iconic franchise as Luke Skywalker, and her daughter, Billie Lourd, who posted on Instagram revealing that she traveled to Norway to honor her late mother.... [Read Full Story]
More details emerged about the 8-hour “flight to nowhere” that model Chrissy Teigen live-tweeted Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning. Teigen, who was traveling with her husband, R&B superstarJohn Legend, sent out a flurry of tweets after her plane to Japan was forced to turn around because a passenger had somehow boarded her flight with a ticket from another airline. Now U.S. government officials state that two brothers went through security at Los Angeles International Airport with proper boarding passes, booked on separate flights to Tokyo, but the brothers were able to board Teigen’s flight together since the machine that scans tickets before boarding malfunctioned. There is no indication anyone was ever in danger.... [Read Full Story]
Many Lorde fans took to Twitter to blast the singer for cancelling a planned June 2018 concert in Tel Aviv under heavy pressure from anti-Israel activists and organizations. But some also slammed the “Royals” singer’s willingness to perform in Russia — a country with a shaky human rights record — and giving in to the same pressures that caused Elvis Costello, Lauryn Hill and Gorillaz to cancel scheduled shows in Israel. Lorde announced her 2018 “Melodrama” world tour back in June and the performance was scheduled for the Tel Aviv Convention Centre on June 5, 2018.... [Read Full Story]
THE 40th Annual Kennedy Center Honors was broadcast on Tuesday, Dec. 26 on CBS. The honorees for the 40th Annual Kennedy Center Honors was actress, dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade, singer-songwriter and actress Gloria Estefan, hip hop artist LL COOL J, television writer and producer Norman Lear and renowned musician and record producer Lionel Richie. The annual event took place in Washington, DC just as it has in past years with one glaring exception – the Commander in Chief was absent from his seat in the presidential box. However despite President Trump’s non-attendance, the honorees received the full red-carpet treatment.... [Read Full Story]
Luann de Lesseps appeared in court wearing handcuffs afterher arrest for battery of a police officer and resisting arrestin Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday, December 24. The Real Housewives of New York star, 52, appeared before a judge after her arrest. As previously reported, de Lesseps was charged with battery of a law enforcement officer, disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest with violence and corruption by threat. Three of the four charges are felonies. The judge told de Lesseps, “I don’t know if you have a drinking problem, but stop drinking. That seems to be the problem here.” He then warned her to stop speaking in case she incriminated herself. She was released without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on January 25.... [Read Full Story]
Queen Elizabeth II officially welcomed Meghan Markle into the royal family during her annual Christmas Day message, just hours after the duchess-to-be was spotted with fiancé Prince Harry attending church service. The queen, while sitting beside a photograph of Harry and Markle and other photos during a pre-recorded address, said she was excited to welcome new members into her family in the upcoming year. Markle, who got engaged to Harry in early November, was all smiles during her first public appearance with the queen and members of the royal family. She was spotted walking next to Middleton as she held Harry’s arm while arriving at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham for traditional Christmas service on Monday.... [Read Full Story]
Reality star Khloe Kardashian is pregnant. Kardashian confirmed the news on Instagram that she is expecting her first child with boyfriend Tristan Thompson. She included a photo of her pregnant belly with the post, saying she is “thankful, excited, nervous, eager, overjoyed and scared all in one” and called the pregnancy “my greatest dream realized.” Kardashian is the younger sister of Kim Kardashian West. Thompson plays center-forward with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The couple’s pregnancy had been rumored for months, but Kardashian said in her post that they intentionally kept the news quiet so they could “enjoy this between our family and close friends as long as we could privately.”... [Read Full Story]
The world got another look at the future of Britain’s royal family with the release of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s official engagement photos. The new photos show Harry, 33, and Markle, 36, embracing each other, posing with Markle’s hand on Harry’s knee and walking hand-in-hand. All three photos showcase Markle’s engagement ring, which features diamonds from Botswana and the personal collection of Harry’s mother, the late Princess Diana. The photos were released Thursday by Kensington Palace. The third photo, showing Markle and Harry embracing as they walk, was shared later on Instagram at the couple’s request.... [Read Full Story]
Lady Gaga will be getting a residency show in Las Vegas. The 31-year-old singer confirmed the news in a series of Instagram posts Tuesday, saying she would begin a two-year residency at MGM’s Park Theater. MGM said in a news release that Lady Gaga’s residency will begin in December 2018. Performance dates and ticket information will be announced in the coming months. Gaga posted “The rumors are true I will have my own residency in Las Vegas at MGM’s Park Theater. “I am SO HAPPY and excited beyond belief to make my own brand new show here with my new Vegas family.”... [Read Full Story]
Mindy Kaling is a mom. The 38-year-old actress has given birth to a baby girl named Katherine, welcoming the baby last Friday. Kaling has not revealed the identity of the baby’s father, but the “Mindy Project” star said she was excited to be a mother. A rep for Kaling did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Kaling has not alluded to her happy news on social media, either. Her most recent Instagram post on Tuesday promoted “Ocean’s 8.”... [Read Full Story]
Sandra Bullock gathers a crew of seven uniquely skilled women to plot a major jewel heist in the new trailer for “Ocean’s 8.” Warner Bros. released the official trailer for the “Ocean’s” film spin off on Tuesday morning, December 19. In the movie, Bullock stars as Debbie Ocean, the estranged sister of Danny Ocean (the character made famous by George Clooney in the original “Ocean’s” films.) The all female cast include Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Rihanna, Sarah Paulson, Mindy Kaling, and Awkwafina, The film, directed by Gary Ross and produced by George Clooney, hits theaters on June 8.... [Read Full Story]
Michael Peña and Diego Luna will star in the upcoming fourth season of “Narcos.” The announcement was made by Netflix in a short teaser video on Tuesday. Production of the new season is already underway in Mexico City, Mexico. The first two seasons of the Netflix drama focused on Pablo Escobar’s cartel, and Season 3 segued to Colombia’s Cali cartel, ending with plot suggestion the storyline would move to Mexico in Season 4. No official date has yet been announced on when the new season will debut.... [Read Full Story]
Kim Jonghyun, the lead singer of the K-pop group SHINee, died on Monday, December 18. He was 27. Jonghyun was found unconscious at a rented apartment studio in Cheongdam-dong in southern Seoul, South Korea, and was then transported to a nearby hospital under cardiac arrest. He received emergency CPR treatment but did not regain consciousness, and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The cause of death is still unclear, though Jonghyun’s sister told authorities that she believed her brother had died by suicide after she received a text message from him that read, “I’ve had a hard time. Please let me go and say that I did a good job. This is my last goodbye.”... [Read Full Story]
Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias reportedly welcomed twins over the weekend, following a pregnancy so private that nobody even knew about it. The former tennis star reportedly gave birth to a boy and a girl in Miami on Saturday named Nicholas and Lucy. Kournikova and Iglesias have been together since 2001; they briefly separated in 2013 and have since sparked marriage rumors after she was photographed sporting a massive ring on her finger. The couple has long kept their romance away from the public eye and have rarely shared any details of their relationship with media.... [Read Full Story]
Dustin Hoffman faces more sexual misconduct allegations, including accusations of him exposing himself to two teen girls years ago in New York, from five women whose stories were published by Variety and the Hollywood Reporter. The newest allegations included one from a friend of his daughters when she was just 16 years old. Two other women told Variety they were sexually assaulted by Hoffman. Representatives for the 80-year-old actor, who has already been publicly accused of sexual assault and misconduct by three other women, did not immediately return requests for comment on the new allegations. However, Hoffman’s attorney told Variety the accusations were “defamatory falsehoods.”... [Read Full Story]
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is on track to gross an estimated $220 million in 4,232 theaters in the U.S. and Canada this weekend, marking the second-highest domestic opening of all time, behind only its predecessor Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which debuted to $248 million in 2015. The Last Jedi is just the fourth film in history to open north of $200 million, joining The Force Awakens, Jurassic World, and The Avengers. It’s also set to add $230 million overseas, for a worldwide bow of $450 million, which would rank fifth all time. The Last Jedi has met with excellent reviews from critics and also garnered an A CinemaScore from moviegoers. ... [Read Full Story]
The Walt Disney Company announced Thursday it will acquire entertainment assets from 21st Century Fox in a deal worth more than $52 billion in stock. As part of the all-stock purchase, Disney will acquire the 20th Century Fox film and television conglomerate and assume nearly $14 billion in Fox debt. The total value of 21st Century Fox’s assets is estimated at $66.1 billion, Disney said. Under the agreement, the Fox Broadcasting Network and its stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, Fox Sports 1 and 2, the Big Ten Network and Fox’s Hollywood film lot will spin off into a separate company, which is expected to have revenues totaling about $10 billion.... [Read Full Story]
Talk show host and broadcast journalist Tavis Smiley is the latest high profile man to be accused of sexual misconduct involving women that they’ve worked with or associated with professionally. PBS issued a statement on Wednesday in which they claim to have received “credible allegations” of misconduct following an investigation launched earlier this year. The investigation ultimately led the network to the decision to suspend Smiley and his program indefinitely. Shortly after news of his suspension broke, Smiley took to social media to respond to the allegations. Addressing the public in a video, he denied the allegations and criticized PBS for “overreacting” and running “a sloppy investigation.”... [Read Full Story]
John Stamos and his fiancée,Caitlin McHugh, announced they are expecting their first child together. The big news come two months after theFull Housealum proposed to McHugh. Stamos revealed that although he has wanted to be a father for as long as he can remember, he was worried it was too late. He said: “I always wanted to be a dad. Clearly I had to do some work on myself first.” He also credited his work on hit TV show ‘Fuller House’ and its predecessor ‘Full House’ for giving him experience in being a father. He said: “I’ll be a fun dad. I’ve been practicing for a long time.”... [Read Full Story]
The 2018 Screen Actors Guild Awardnominations were announced on Tuesday, as Olivia MunnandNiecy Nash revealed the nominees live from Los Angeles. Many famous faces are featured on this year’s list, and some of the biggest movies and TV shows of the year have been honored as well. Morgan Freemanwill receive the 2018 Life Achievement Award, and actress Kristen Bellwill host the show live on January 21st. ... [Read Full Story]
Jimmy Kimmel returned to his late-night talk show Monday night with son Billy in tow to provide an update on his son’s health, and to once again call on Congress to fully fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Kimmel thanked the doctors and nurses at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles before making an impassioned plea for healthcare. He slammed Congress for failing to approve new funding for CHIP. Billy was born with a rare heart defect April 21 and underwent open heart surgery just days later.... [Read Full Story]
Congratulations are in order for Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson and girlfriend Lauren Hashian, who are expecting their second child together. The former WWE wrestler turned Hollywood actor announced the news on Instagram. After making the announcement on social media, Johnson and Hashian walked the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of his movieJumanji: Welcome to the Jungle onMonday night. Hashian, a singer-songwriter, showed signs of a growing baby bump.... [Read Full Story]
The 2018 Golden Globe nominations were announced on Monday and “The Shape of Water,” which is about a mute custodian who forms an unusual relationship, leads with seven nominations, including best movie screenplay, best original score, best supporting actor and actress, best movie actress and best director. “The Post” and “Three Billboards” follow with six nominations each. In the television category, HBO’s “Big Little Lies” earned six nominations, including best TV movie or limited series, and nominations for stars Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon as best actress in a limited series. ... [Read Full Story]
Celebrity chef Mario Batali is stepping away from the TV show “The Chew” and the day-to-day operations of his restaurant empire after a report detailed sexual misconduct allegations from multiple women spanning at least two decades. Inan investigationpublished Monday by food website Eater, four women — three of whom had worked for Batali in some capacity — said he touched them inappropriately. Batali did not deny the allegations against him, saying in a statement Monday that “although the identities of most of the individuals mentioned in these stories have not been revealed to me, much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted.”... [Read Full Story]
