Celebrity Scoop – 04/12/2021

RAP ICON DMX DEAD AT 50 – (04/12/2021)

DMX died on Friday (April 9th) at age 50.  The rap icon was on life support for one week at New York’s White Plains Hospital after suffering a heart attack on April 2nd.  He had no brain function after being deprived of oxygen for nearly 30 minutes and brain function never returned. By Thursday (April 8th), his organs began failing and by Friday (April 9th) his family made the decision to take him off of life support.

According to XXL, DMX’s family released a statement, saying, “We are deeply saddened to announce today that our loved one, DMX, birth name of Earl Simmons, passed away at 50 years old at White Plains Hospital with his family by his side after being placed on life support for the past few days.”

The statement continued, “Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end.  He loved his family with all of his heart and we cherish the times we spent with him. Earl’s music inspired countless fans across the world and his iconic legacy will live on forever. We appreciate all of the love and support during this incredibly difficult time. Please respect our privacy as we grieve the loss of our brother, father, uncle and the man the world knew as DMX. We will share information about his memorial service once details are finalized.”

Despite reports that an alleged drug overdose caused his heart attack, DMX’s attorney shared in a statement to The Associated Press that he did not know what caused the heart attack and was not able to confirm TMZ’s report that it was caused by a drug overdose.

MEMORIAL PLANS

Meanwhile, DMX could have a statue or a street named after him in his hometown of Yonkers, NY.  According to TMZ, a source close to DMX’s family said that there will be a private and public memorial and there will be a meeting today (April 12th) to finalize plans.

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said that he is in favor of X’s family holding the memorial service at Yonkers Raceway, which is the city’s largest outdoor venue. Spano added that he is open to a statue or a street naming in X’s honor but that would depend on what the rap icon’s family would want to do.

DMX is survived by his 15 children and fiancee, Desiree Lindstrom.

‘NOMADLAND’ WINS BIG AT BAFTAS 2021 – (04/12/2021)

Chloe Zhao’s drama Nomadland confirmed its position as an Oscar front-runner with four wins at the 74th BAFTA Awards. The film snagged best film, cinematography, Zhao took best director and Frances McDormand won for leading actress. 

McDormand did not attend the hybrid virtual-in-person ceremony.  Zhao attended virtually.

“Thank you for showing us that ageing is a beautiful part of life,” she said. “A journey that we should all cherish and celebrate. How we treat our elders says a lot about who we are as a society and we need to do better.”

Edith Bowman and Dermot O’Leary co-hosted the event, which featured video beam-ins from nominees. Prince William was set to attend, but dropped out after the death of his grandfather, Prince Philip. “In light of The Duke of Edinburgh’s passing, The Duke of Cambridge will no longer be part of BAFTA programming this weekend,” said BAFTA in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the Royal Family, to whom we offer our deepest sympathy at this time.”

Other wins included Anthony Hopkins, 83, who became the oldest-ever male acting winner for The Father, beating the heavily favored Chadwick Boseman, who was expected to emerge victorious for his role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. 

The Father’s screenwriters Florian Zeller and Christopher Hampton won best adapted screenplay. Another big winner was Promising Young Woman, directed by Emerald Fennell, which snagged outstanding British film. 

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PRINCE PHILIP DIES AT 99 + HARRY PLANS TO RETURN FOR FUNERAL WITHOUT MEGHAN – (04/12/2021)

Prince Philip died at age 99 on Friday. In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.”

The husband of Queen Elizabeth II, Philip was the longest-serving consort in British history. Since 1952, Philip participated in more than 22,000 public engagements. He was known for his sense of humor and frankness, his passion for the monarchy and his advocacy of wildlife conservation, athletics and science.

Elizabeth and Philip were married for 73 years. He retired from public duties in August of 2017, but still attended the weddings of their grandchildren, including: Prince Harry to Meghan Markle in May 2018, Princess Eugenie to Jack Brooksbank in Oct. 2018 and Princess Beatrice to Edoardo Mozzi in July 2020.

His last public event was a military ceremony at Buckingham Palace in July 2020.

Philip was never crowned king, but Elizabeth credited him with a lot behind the scenes.

MOURNING & FUNERAL

The Queen has entered an eight-day mourning period. The funeral arrangements are being modified due to COVID. The funeral will take place next Saturday; his coffin will be processed through Windsor Castle. 

The funeral will be at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle at 3 p.m. U.K. time (10 a.m. ET) and will be broadcast live. The first details were confirmed at a briefing held by palace officials on Saturday. 

His grandson Harry and his wife Meghan paid tribute to Philip by taking down their Archewell Foundation website and replacing it with a message of mourning. 

Meghan, who is pregnant with their second child, will not join Harry in the U.K., nor will their son Archie. 

Harry is set to return in the coming days. It will be his first time in the U.K. in more than a year, and the first time he will see family members since he and Meghan left their senior royal roles. 

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TODAY’S CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS:

  • David Letterman (former late night TV host) (74)
  • Ed O’Neill (actor, Modern Family, Married…With Children) (75)
  • Shannen Doherty (actress, Beverly Hills 90210, Charmed) (50)
  • Andy Garcia (actor, The Untouchables, The Godfather: Part III, Things To Do In Denver When You’re Dead) (65)
  • Claire Danes (actress, Homeland, Romeo + Juliet, Little Women, The Hours, Evening, Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines) (42)
  • Herbie Hancock (jazz musician, wrote the pop instrumental “Rockit”) (81)
  • Brooklyn Decker (model-actress, Just Go With It) (34)

Celebrity Scoop – 04/08/2021

KESHA PLANS TO FILE COUNTERCLAIM AGAINST DR.LUKE – (04/08/2021)

As Kesha’s battle with Dr. Luke wages on, the singer plans to use New York’s recently enacted anti-SLAPP law to assert a new counterclaim. 

The two have been battling it out in court since 2014 with Dr. Luke pursuing Kesha with the claim that she has smeared him with false rape allegations. The new law could make it harder for the producer to prove his case and might leave him responsible for the singer’s court costs, including attorney fees. 

The case is set to go to trial this fall.  

DOES PRINCE WILLIAM THINK PRINCE HARRY PUTS FAME OVER FAMILY? – (04/08/2021)

Prince William and Prince Harry’s strained relationship took another nosedive after Harry’s tell-all talk with Oprah Winfrey in March, sources tell Us Weekly. 

“The conversation Harry and William had after the big interview didn’t end well,” the insider says of the brothers, who “haven’t seen each other for over a year” since Harry’s initial step back from the royal family with wife Meghan Markle.

Watching Harry and Meghan settle in Santa Barbara with Archie hasn’t been pleasant for William.

“William feels that Harry has gotten too big for his boots since moving to California — that success and Hollywood have gone to his head,” the source adds. “He’s already accused [Harry] of putting fame over family after the big interview.”

During the interview, Harry said of William: “I was trapped, but I didn’t know I was trapped. My father [Prince Charles] and my brother, they are trapped. They don’t get to leave. And I have huge compassion for that.”

The pair of brothers are set to reunite for the unveiling of a statue dedicated to their late mother, Princess Diana. 

While “William is insisting” to see Harry before the special event, the source tells Us that the Archewell cofounder “is refusing to meet up” and “won’t be bossed around.”

Meanwhile, just a day after Meghan and Harry announced their first Netflix series, which will focus on the Invictus Games, the Duchess of Sussex’s organization announced a date for the next event. The latest round of the games will take place in The Hague in the Netherlands from April 16-22 in 2022, it was confirmed on Wednesday.

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PIERS MORGAN SAYS THE ROYALS LOVE HIM: Members of the royal family have messaged Piers Morgan with thanks, he told Extra. Morgan quit his job instead of apologizing to Good Morning Britain viewers for dragging Meghan Markle following her and husband Prince Harry’s March tell-all with Oprah Winfrey. “I’ve had some messages communicated to me on behalf of several members of the royal family who were grateful … that somebody was standing up for them,” the 56-year-old said.

SOPHIE TURNER ADMITS THAT ‘PERECTLY FINE’ IS A BOP – (04/08/2021)

There’s nothing but respect between Joe Jonas’s famous ex and his current wife, Sophie Turner. 

Taylor Swift released “Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version)” From The Vault on Wednesday (April 7th), a song written in 2008 about her breakup with Jonas. Turner wrote in her Instagram Story that the song is “not NOT a bop.”

Swift shared the story to her own page and wrote of the former Game Of Thrones actress, “forever bending the knee for the [queen] of the north.” 

Earlier that day, the “Cardigan” singer reflected on the release of the song by writing, “Me in 2020: life is chill, writing songs based in fiction to avoid drama, feeling pretty grown up. My 2008 music from the vault, in a goblin voice: REELEEEEEEASE MR PERFECTLY FIIIIIIIINE”.

ANDY COHEN TO HOST KUWTK REUNION: What What Happens Live host Andy Cohen is bringing his hosting and interviewing skills to the table for a Kardashian-Jenner interview covering and celebrating all 20 seasons of the show. The family pranked him with a FaceTime call to share the news. 

PARIS HILTON ATTENDS BILL SIGNING: Paris Hilton was there to see a bill that regulates treatment centers for troubled teens get signed into law in Utah. The bill gained final approval after Hilton gave emotional testimony of her own experience in teen centers. She first opened up about the abuse she says she suffered in a YouTube doc titled This Is Paris. 

TODAY’S CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS:

  • Julian Lennon (singer-songwriter; son of John Lennon) (58)
  • Patricia Arquette (actress, Boyhood, True Romance, Flirting With Disaster) (53)
  • John Schneider (The Dukes of Hazzard’s Bo Duke) (61)
  • Robin Wright (actress, The Princess Bride, “Jenny” in Forrest Gump, ex-wife of actor Sean Penn) (55)
  • Richard Hatch (Survivor winner with IRS problems, The Celebrity Apprentice) (60)
  • Taylor Kitsch (actor, Friday Night Lights, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, John Carter) (40)
  • Katee Sackhoff (actress, Nip/Tuck, Longmire, Riddick) (41)
  • Ezra Koenig (lead singer, Vampire Weekend) (37)

Celebrity Scoop – 04/07/2021

‘FORBES’: KIM KARDASHIAN IS OFFICIALLY A BILLIONAIRE – (04/07/2021)

Kim Kardashian is officially a billionaire, Forbes reports. The reality star and lawyer-in-training is worth $1 billion now, up from $780 million in October. Forbes reports that Kim “borrowed” from her sister Kylie Jenner’s “playbook,” founding KKW Beauty in 2017, after Kylie’s success with Kylie Cosmetics. 

KKW Beauty, Skims, cash, KUWTK and endorsement deals ballooned her worth, Forbes reports. 

Kylie was famously dubbed Forbes’ youngest billionaire in 2019, but later the magazine claimed its own report was wrong, and that  Kylie’s Cosmetics, was “significantly smaller, and less profitable, than the family has spent years leading the cosmetics industry and media outlets.” Her revised net worth? $900M. Kylie disputed Forbes’ later report. 

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TYLER PERRY SETS UP VAX SITE – (04/07/2021)

Tyler Perry wants his crew back on-set, and he’s ready to invest in their health to make it happen. After getting his COVID-19 vaccine on TV in January to reduce public fear about it, he’s now helping his crew get vaccinated.

The film and TV mogul set up a site at Tyler Perry Studios production facility in Atlanta, Georgia, funding it himself, but working in collaboration with the nearby Grady Hospital to make it happen. He opened the doors to crew, and their family and friends. 

“There’s still a lot of vaccine hesitancy out there,” Perry tells The Hollywood Reporter, noting that 55 percent of his crew agreed to get vaccinated. “It’s my hope that people will just get out and get the vaccine, and know that I have it and other members of my staff have it and we’ve no issues, no problems.”

For the past year, when in operation, the studio has been working in a bubble; the vaccine rollout would help ease that. Perry is one of the first in Hollywood to aggressively pursue vaccinated crew members; most studio have told cast and crew that they need to line up their own shots.

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MEGHAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY ANNOUNCE FIRST NETFLIX PROJECT – (04/07/2021)

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s first project with Netflix will focus on the Invictus Games, a Paralympics-style competition for wounded soldiers and veterans. Harry founded the organization in 2014. 

The pair will release the docuseries project through Archewell Productions. Titled Heart of Invictus, it will follow athletes as they prepare for the Games in The Hague, set for 2022. 

In a statement, Harry said: “Since the very first Invictus Games back in 2014, we knew that each competitor would contribute in their own exceptional way to a mosaic of resilience, determination, and resolve. This series will give communities around the world a window into the moving and uplifting stories of these competitors on their path to the Netherlands next year.”

Oscar-winning British director Orlando von Einsiedel and producer Joanna Natasegara have also signed on. Harry will both produce and appear on-camera. 

“The multi-episode series will join the competitors as they train, and along the way reveal powerful stories of resilience and hope. The series will also follow the organizers as they work to prepare for the Games, postponed until next Spring, and as they partner with each nation’s team to support their competitors over the coming year,” according to the project’s press release.

Meghan and Harry’s deal with Netflix calls for them to make documentaries, docu-series, feature films, scripted shows and children’s programming exclusively for the streaming giant.

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BEBE REXHA WILL PERFORM AT WRESTLEMANIA – (04/07/2021)

Bebe Rexha will be the opening act for WWE’s WrestleMania 37. 

The “I’m A Mess” singer will perform “America The Beautiful” live at the ceremony, which will take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay on Saturday (April 10th)

She wrote on Instagram, “I’m so excited for this!!!!! Have a dope special guest with me. STAY TUNED!!!”

ARIANA GRANDE GIVES FANS A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES OF ‘POSITIONS’ – (04/07/2021)

Ariana Grande gave fans a peek behind the scenes of the making of “Positions” on her Instagram page Tuesday (April 6th).

The nearly five-minute clip shows the singer in the studio working on the vocal arranging of the “Positions” bridge. 

This isn’t the first glimpse that Grande has given fans of her recording process. Last week (March 30th), she shared a video of herself working on the song’s outro.

TODAY’S CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS:

  • John Oates (singer, Hall and Oates) (73, disputed)
  • Jackie Chan (actor/martial arts star) (67)
  • Francis Ford Coppola (director, The Godfather, The Conversation, Peggy Sue Got Married, Apocalypse Now, The Rainmaker) (82)
  • Russell Crowe (Oscar-winning Australian actor, L.A. Confidential, The Insider, Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man) (57)
  • Bill Bellamy (actor-comedian, Any Given Sunday) (56)

Celebrity Scoop – 04/06/2021

BTS’ ‘DYNAMITE’ BROKE BILLBOARD’S DIGITAL SONG SALES RECORD – (04/06/2021)

BTS’s “Dynamite” broke Billboard’s record for the most weeks spent at No. 1 on the Digital Song Sales Chart.

“Dynamite” debuted at the summit on Sept 5th, 2020 and has spent 18 weeks at the top, surpassing Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s 17-week reign with “Despatico”.

SHAWN MENDES GOT HIS STOLEN G-WAGON BACK – (04/06/2021)

Shawn Mendes’s stolen G-Wagon was returned to him earlier this week. 

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the vehicle was found parked on a residential street in Beverly Hills and was in surprisingly good condition.

Mendes and Camila Cabello were at home in LA when burglars broke through a window and stole the keys to the SUV in late March. 

GUILLERMO DEL TORO OVERCOMES PLAGIARISM CLAIM: Guillermo del Toro has won a copyright suit filed against him claiming The Shape of Water infringed  on the work of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Paul Zindel. A spokesperson for Searchlight (one of the co-defendants) released the following statement: “David Zindel, the son of Paul Zindel, author of Let Me Hear You Whisper, acknowledges, based on confidential information obtained during the litigation process, that his claims of plagiarism are unfounded. He acknowledges Guillermo del Toro as the true creator of The Shape of Water.  Any similarity between the two works is coincidental.” The suit was filed in February of 2018. 

JAMIE SPEARS WANTS BRITNEY TO PAY FOR HIS LAWYERS – (04/06/2021)

Jamie Spears wants $2 million of his daughter’s money to help pay the lawyers who are fighting to keep her conservatorship in place.

According to court records obtained by Radar, all of the money would be paid out of Britney Spears’ bank accounts.

Jamie says he needs to pay $1 million to lawyers who worked for him from November 2019 to February 2021 and he needs an additional million for other costs.

KIM KARDASHIAN, KRIS JENNER SEND SUBTLE SIGNALS ON RELATIONSHIP STATUS – (04/06/2021)

Kim Kardashian and her momager Kris Jenner appear to be sending subtle messages about the status of her relationship with her estranged husband, Kanye West.

SUPPORT

In a post on social media, Kim showed ongoing support for Kanye by sporting a new pair of Yeezy slides. 

BUT DISTANCE

However, per Kris’ post, Kim has stopped using Kanye’s last name. She shared a pic of her kids’ golf bags, and Kim’s personalized one featured her maiden name: “Kim Kardashian.”

According to reports, the pair are focusing on co-parenting and aren’t currently speaking. 

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KHLOE KARDASHIAN WORKS TO TAKE DOWN UNFLATTERING SHOT: Khloé Kardashian’s team is working tirelessly to get what they see as an unflattering shot of her taken down. “The color edited photo was taken of Khloé during a private family gathering and posted to social media without permission by mistake by an assistant,” Tracy Romulus, chief marketing officer for KKW Brands, said in a statement. “Khloé looks beautiful but it is within the right of the copyright owner to not want an image not intended to be published taken down.”

TYRESE GIBSON RIBBED ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR TALKING ABOUT MOM’S DRINKING HABITS – (04/06/2021)

Tyrese Gibson got dragged on social media for posting a comment about his mother’s alcoholism during an Instagram Live. The 42-year-old Fast & Furious star shared the info with more than a million web viewers, who were watching The Isley Brothers and Earth, Wind & Fire go head-to-head on the “Verzuz” web series.

“Hate that my mother used to drink everyday – but SHE’s the reason I know REAL MUSIC!” he wrote in the chat.

Twitter users went on the attack. 

“How do we cancel Tyrese’s account?? enough is enough,” one commenter tweeted.

“Tyrese is the king of over sharing,” another wrote.

“If we can get through just ONE #verzuz without Tyrese revealing some personal trauma…I would be so grateful,” a third viewer tweeted.

In December, Gibson asked for prayers for his mom, Priscilla Murray Gibson, during an unnamed health struggle. 

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TODAY’S CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS:

  • Zach Braff (actor, Scrubs, Garden State) (46)
  • Candace Cameron (actress, Full House, Fuller House) (45)
  • Paul Rudd (actor, Admission, Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, Knocked Up, Clueless, I Love You Man, Role Models, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) (52)

Celebrity Scoop – 04/02/2021

JUSTIN BIEBER COMMITTED TO HELPING INMATES AT LA PRISON – (04/02/2021)

Justin Bieber committed to providing buses to transport family members who have been unable to visit their incarcerated loved ones while visiting Los Angeles County’s California State Prison last week (March 23rd).

Billboard reports that during the visit, Bieber, his wife Hailey and pastor Judah Smith visited with prisoners involved in The Urban Ministry Institute and the Paws For Life Rescue program, which allows prisoners to train dogs to become service animals for military vets.

Bieber said in a statement, “It was a life-changing experience that I will never forget. It was such an honor listening to their stories and seeing how strong their faith is.”

JUDGE ISSUES NIKE’S REQUEST FOR A RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST LIL NAS X’S ‘SATAN SHOES’ – (04/02/2021)

At the request of Nike, a judge has halted the sale of Lil Nas X‘s “Satan Shoes.”  As previously reported, Nike sued MSCHF for trademark and infringement  after the company partnered with Lil Nas X to customize the Air Max 97s that are said to feature a drop of human blood. The also asked a judge to block the sale of the shoes.

The court granted the brand’s request yesterday (April 1st) and for a temporary order against MSCHF, which blocks the company from fulfilling any orders.

The sneakers — which were going for $1,018, sold out of its 666 pairs within minutes when it went on sale earlier this week. Due to the restraining order, MSCHF will not be allowed to ship them to customers awaiting the shoe.

After Lil Nas X announced the shoe, Nike immediately released a statement saying that they had no connection to the shoe or Lil Nas X and that they did not authorize the production of them.

‘GODZILLA VS. KONG’ DEBUTS MID-WEEK WITH BEST OPENING DAY DURING PANDEMIC – (04/02/2021)

Godzilla vs. Kong roared into movie theaters in the U.S. on Wednesday, grabbing $9.6 million in box office receipts, the best opening day a movie has seen during the COVID era. The monster film, starring Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry, was screened at 2,409 venues Wednesday, and will land in 3,064 by Friday. 

At this point, more than 94% of U.S. theaters have reopened. Godzilla vs. Kong is expected to be the biggest domestic debut of the year. Tom & Jerry holds the current crown. 

The industry is especially enthusiastic because the film is available on HBO Max already as well. 

“So people still go to see movies in theaters even when available at no extra cost on a streaming platform at home,” Rich Greenfield of LightShed wrote on Twitter. “Looks like Hollywood can learn from [Warner Bros.] and [WarnerMedia CEO] Jason Kilar.”

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COMING 2 AMERICA IS NO. 1: Coming 2 America, the long-awaited sequel to Eddie Murphy’s 1988 classic, was the most streamed title in the U.S. when it premiered March 4th on Amazon, Nielsen reports. The film snagged 1.413 billion minutes of viewing time in the U.S. alone during that week. 

REBEL WILSON IS TAKING A BREAK FROM SOCIAL MEDIA – (04/02/2021)

STATIONS: Please note the following story contains language that could be considered offensive to your audience.

Rebel Wilson is stepping away from social media, but not because she’s over it. Wilson announced her break on Instagram from a rooftop in London. 

“I’m going to sign off for a bit because I’m filming a movie here in the U.K. that needs my full attention,” Wilson shared. “It’s a very different type of role for me, so I’ve really gotta immerse myself in it.” 

She assured her followers that she would be back, adding, “It’s time for me to work my a** off, once again.” 

Fans followed Wilson’s ups and downs closely during the pandemic when she shed about 60 pounds during her “Year of Health,” and as she got together, and then split from Jacob Busch. 

Wilson is currently in pre-production for the drama The Almond and the Seahorse, a film adaptation of the Katie O’Reilly novel.

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OLIVIA RODRIGO TO RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM ON MAY 21ST – (04/02/2021)

Olivia Rodrigo will release her debut album on Friday, May 21st.

She released the album’s second single and it’s accompanying music video, “déjà vu” on Thursday (April 1st). 

Rodrigo said in a statement, “The concept of deja vu has always fascinated me and I thought it would be cool to use it in a song around the complex feelings after a relationship ends. I started writing and recording ‘deja vu’ last fall and had so much fun creating the different melodies and sonic textures that you hear throughout.” 

The track enteredthe  iTunes Top 10 and #10 on the day of its debut. 

TODAY’S CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS: 

  • Dr. Demento (radio personality) (80)
  • Christopher Meloni (actor, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Oz) (60)
  • Jesse Carmichael (keyboardist, Maroon 5) (42)
  • Michael Fassbender (actor, Shame, X-Men: First Class, Jane Eyre, Inglorious Basterds, 12 Years A Slave) (44)

Celebrity Scoop – 03/31/2021

ARIANA GRANDE IS JOINING ‘THE VOICE’ – (03/31/2021)

Ariana Grande will be taking Nick Jonas’s spot on Season 21 of The Voice. 

The “Positions” singer made the announcement on Instagram, Tuesday (March 30th), writing, “Surprise!!! I am beyond thrilled, honored, excited to be joining @kellyclarkson @johnlegend @blakeshelton next season…@nickjonas we will miss you.” 

Legend welcomed her to the show in the comments while Jonas wished her well in an Instagram story that read, “Congrats @arianagrande! You’re going to kill it next season! Welcome to the family.”

Clarkson and Shelton also shared the big announcement in their stories, with the “Since You’ve Been Gone” singer writing, “Next season we are bringing y’all some powerful female energy!”

MEGHAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY PLANNING A HOME BIRTH? – (03/31/2021)

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are reportedly planning to welcome their second child at their Montecito estate, Page Six reports. They will welcome their daughter in early summer, royal sources say. 

This baby will make history, as the first royal born in the U.S. Meghan also hoped to welcome Archie at home in the U.K., but after he was a week overdue, Meghan was taken to London’s private Portland hospital, where she gave birth to Archie on May 6, 2019. 

If her last maternity leave was any indication of things to come, Meghan will stay busy. During her leave, she guest-edited British Vogue and finalized a capsule wardrobe for the Smart Works charity. 

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‘GAME OF THRONES’ TO HIT BROADWAY – (03/31/2021)

George R.R. Martin is bringing Game of Thrones to Broadway. A dramatic stage show spectacular is in development with Martin penning the story along with award-winning playwright Duncan MacMillan (1984) and acclaimed director Dominic Cooke (The Courier), and Simon Painter and Tim Lawson (The Illusionists), in partnership with Kilburn Live producing. 

The production will mark the first time several iconic characters will be brought back; the as-yet-untitled play is set during The Great Tourney at Harrenhal, a contest that took place just 16 years before the events in Game of Thrones. “The play will for the first time take audiences deeper behind the scenes of a landmark event that previously was shrouded in mystery,” reads the play’s official description. “Featuring many of the most iconic and well-known characters from the series, the production will boast a story centered around love, vengeance, madness and the dangers of dealing in prophecy, in the process revealing secrets and lies that have only been hinted at until now.”

While no characters have been announced, it’s expected that young iterations of Ned Stark, Lyanna Stark, Jaime Lannister, Robert Baratheon, Rhaegar Targaryen, Oberyn Martell and Barristan Selmy will likely be among them. Younger characters from the series – such as Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow and Arya Stark – were not yet born.

Broadway could reopen as soon as September if the vaccine rollout continues as planned. 

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SETH ROGEN CLARIFIES EMMA WATSON’S BEHAVIOR ON-SET – (03/31/2021)

Please note the following story contains language that could be considered offensive.

Seth Rogen is setting the record straight after an interview he conducted with British GQ was misinterpreted. The actor and director said that Emma Watson did not in fact “storm off set” on This Is the End, after objecting to a scene in which she was to interact with Danny McBride as a cannibal and Channing Tatum on a leash. 

“I mean, I don’t look back on that and think, ‘How dare she do that?’ You know, I think sometimes when you read something, when it comes to life it doesn’t seem to be what you thought it was,” Rogen told the magazine of Watson choosing not to do the scene. “But it was not some terrible ending to our relationship. She came back the next day to say goodbye. She helped promote the film. No hard feelings and I couldn’t be happier with how the film turned out in the end.” 

Rogen objected to the way Watson’s behavior was characterized by GQ, he noted on Twitter. 

“Emma Watson did not ‘storm off set’ and it’s s***ty that the perception is that she did,” Rogen wrote. “The scene was not what was originally scripted, it was getting improvised, changed drastically and was not what she agreed to. The narrative that she was in some way uncool or unprofessional is complete bulls**t.” 

Rogen noted that he should have “communicated better” about the anecdote, and added that Watson was “put in an uncomfortable position.” 

“She and I spoke on the night, it was overall a s**ty situation and it must have been hard for her to say something and I’m very happy and impressed that she did,” he continued. “We agreed on her not being in the scene together.”

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RACHEL BILSON TALKS RAMI MALEK – (03/31/2021)

Please note the following story contains language that could be considered offensive.

Rachel Bilson is opening up about that time that Mr. Robot’s Rami Malek asked her to delete a throwback shot of them that she’d posted on Instagram. She told Dax Shepard on his “Armchair Expert” podcast: “I had posted a throwback of us from our senior trip to New York, Broadway. We were super-nerdy, just the dorkiest picture of both of us. But I throw it up ’cause it’s funny, and I think it’s so important to be able to make fun of yourself, and he had like a gold chain, and I’m like, ‘Rami where’d you get the gold chain?’ Whatever. So I’m just being funny, we were good friends.”

But she said that he immediately reached out and asked her to take it down. “I was like, ‘Oh, s–t! OK.’ I get really hot and start sweating. I’m all nervous, like, ‘Oh God! What did I do?’ He was a good friend, it’s a funny picture … you know? I don’t take myself that seriously,” Bilson continued.

And then he never reached out to her again. “But I was super-bummed because he was always so nice and we were good friends, and I’m a big fan of not taking yourself seriously, especially at that level of fame and talent,” Bilson explained. “But look, he wants to be super-respected, it’s his thing, so I respected it. I took it down. I was just a little bummed at how it was handled.”

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TODAY’S CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS:

  • Al Gore (former Vice President, environmental activist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize) (73)
  • William Daniels (actor, Boy Meets World, St. Elsewhere) (94)
  • Shirley Jones (actress, The Partridge Family’s Shirley Partridge) (87)
  • Ewan McGregor (Scottish actor, Star Wars Episodes I, II, and III, Big Fish, Moulin Rouge) (50)
  • Christopher Walken (actor, Pulp Fiction, The Deer Hunter, True Romance) (78)
  • Jack Antonoff (guitarist, Fun) (37)

 

Celebrity Scoop – 03/30/2021

JUSTIN BIEBER has become the first male solo act to open atop the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 in the same week.  The singer’s latest album, Justice, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 while his single “Peaches” opened at the top spot on the Hot 100.  Billboard also reports that “Peaches” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon is the biggest song in the world, opening at No. 1 on both the Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts.  

LADY GAGA’S DOG WALKER HAD PART OF HIS LUNG REMOVED – (03/30/2021)

Lady Gaga’s dog walker, Ryan Fisher, has not had an easy path to recovery.  

After being shot in the February 24th kidnapping of Gaga’s French bulldogs, Fisher thought he was healing quickly.  He wrote on Instagram Monday (March 29th), “I was recovering remarkably fast. In days I had gone from bleeding out on a sidewalk, to overly-active ICU patient (which they were VERY not used to), to just waiting for my lung to heal so I could go home: everything appeared quite straight forward.”

However, he found himself back in the hospital only a week later.  A “strange hissing and glugging” coming from his chest turned out to be a collapsed lung. Ultimately, the damage from the bullet wound was too great for the organ to heal and portions of his lung had to be removed. 

Fisher reflected, “The journey is hard, it’s assuredly painful… And somewhere within that I find the absurdity and wonder and beauty this life offers us all.”

SHARON OSBOURNE EXITS ‘THE TALK’ WITH MASSIVE PAYOUT – (03/30/2021)

Sharon Osbourne is exiting CBS’ The Talk with a massive payout amid accusations of racist behavior. A source tells Page Six: “Sharon is walking away with a $5 to $10 million minimum payout and was able to spin that it was her decision [to leave the show].” 

Another source said: “Sharon will talk when she is ready. She still wants to give her side of the story. She has been on that show for 11 years and knows all the secrets.”

CBS announced she was leaving Friday, two weeks after she got into an argument with co-host Sheryl Underwood, over her defense of Piers Morgan, who has been criticized by many for his treatment of Meghan Markle. 

Following the controversy, CBS conducted an internal investigation, and she was accused by host Elaine Welteroth and her hairstylist of perpetuating an allegedly “racially insensitive and hostile environment.” 

Former co-host Leah Remini claimed Osbourne used racist and homophobic slurs when talking about others on the show. 

Osbourne responded that the allegations were “crap, all crap.”

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NIKE SUES COMPANY OVER LIL NAS X’S ‘SATAN SHOES’ – (03/30/2021)

Nike has filed a lawsuit against art collective company MSCHF, who collaborated with Lil Nas X on his “Satan Shoes,” which appear in Nas X’s new video “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” According to a report from TMZ, Nike has accused the company of trademark infringement because the Nike Swoosh logo still appears on the reworked sneaker. The sneaker giant is suing for damages and wants a judge to stop all future sales of the shoe. It’s worth noting that Lil Nas X isn’t listed in the lawsuit.

Lil Nas X responded to the lawsuit by sharing a clip from an episode of Nickelodeon’s Spongebob Squarepants on Twitter where the character Squidward is begging for spare change. He captioned the upload, “Me after the nike lawsuit.”

The sneaker featured in the video, which has also been listed for sale, is a black and red Nike Air Max 97 shoe that contains one drop of human blood in its sole, a pentagram pendant and “Luke 10:18” embroidered on the side of the shoe. The referenced Bible verse is about Satan’s fall from heaven.

The shoe is going for $1,018 and 666 pairs were made. All of the shoes reportedly sold in under one minute.

TODAY’S CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS:

  • Warren Beatty (actor, Splendor In The Grass, Bonnie & Clyde, Bugsy, Reds, Dick Tracy) (84)
  • Eric Clapton (rock singer and guitarist) (76)
  • Piers Morgan (British TV personality, winner of Celebrity Apprentice in the U.S.) (56)
  • Paul Reiser (actor-comedian, Mad About You) (65, disputed)
  • Ian Ziering (actor, Steve on Beverly Hills 90210) (57)
  • Norah Jones (singer) (42)
  • Tracy Chapman (singer, “Fast Car”, “Give Me One Reason”) (56)
  • MC Hammer (rapper) (59)
  • Mark Consuelos (actor, husband of Kelly Ripa) (50)