Director Paul Feig is reflecting on the immense pressure he faced just ahead of the release of his Oscar-nominated hit “Bridesmaids.” Feig – who is set to release his latest movie, the sequel “Another Simple Favor” starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick this spring – was at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas on Friday, where he talked about how so much was hinging on the success, or failure, of the 2011 comedy. “So many female writer friends of mine were going out and pitching female-led comedies, and they all heard from the studios: ‘We have to wait and see…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Pierce Brosnan still cherishes his time as 007 in the James Bond franchise and hopes the new owners treat the property with “respect” and “dignity.” Last month, Amazon MGM Studios announced that Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, the producers who have overseen Bond for three decades, would remain co-owners of the franchise while handing over the creative reins to the Jeff Bezos-founded company. Brosnan, who famously played Bond between 1995 and 2002 under Broccoli and Wilson’s stewardship, told the Sunday Telegraph in an interview published Sunday that the franchise’s change of hands “does come with a certain lament.” “I…
Doechii’s already impressive year has just reached new heights. The rapper has been named Billboard’s 2025 Woman of the Year and will be honored at an event later this month, the publication announced on Monday. A relative newcomer to the rap scene, Doechii has seen her popularity skyrocket with viral hits like “No Scrubs” and “Denial is a River,” which peaked at No. 21 on the Hot 100. In January, she won her first-ever Grammy for her 2024 album “Alligator Bites Never Heal” in the best rap album category, becoming only the third woman in the award show’s history to…
Brian Littrell’s son is carving out his own niche in the music industry, and that’s precisely how he wants it. Baylee Littrell, the 22-year-old son of the Backstreet Boys member, made his father proud with his recent “American Idol” audition. New judge Carrie Underwood quickly recognized the younger Littrell, noting his familiarity before he revealed his famous father’s identity. Littrell then spoke about opening for the group as a child and witnessing his father’s career and popularity. “When you’re a kid you’re not afraid,” he said of performing as an opening act for the Backstreet Boys. “But when you start…
Conan O’Brien recounted a story that Tina Fey might wish had stayed untold. During Monday’s episode of his podcast, “Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend,” the former late-night host shared with guest Amy Poehler an anecdote about recently seeing Tina Fey and her husband, composer and actor Jeff Richmond, at “Saturday Night Live.” “And I’m sorry, Jeff, but my mind immediately goes back to when we first used Jeff Richmond, and he played Cupid,” O’Brien said. “He was in a diaper, suspended on a rope, holding a bow and arrow, with some glitter in his hair and no shirt.” According to…
Celine Dion has issued a warning regarding AI-generated songs that are circulating online. The Canadian star stated in an Instagram post on Saturday, “It has come to our attention that unsanctioned, AI-generated music purporting to contain Celine Dion’s musical performances, and name and likeness, is currently circulating online and across various Digital Service Providers.” “Please be advised that these recordings are fake and not approved, and are not songs from her official discography.” While Dion does not specify any particular recordings, the use of AI is becoming an increasingly debated topic within the music industry. Related article: Katy Perry, Billie…
Tony Hinchcliffe, a comedian and podcaster who generated controversy with racially charged jokes at an October rally for the then-presidential candidate, has secured a contract with Netflix. The agreement involves three specials under Hinchcliffe’s “Kill Tony” brand, his weekly live podcast streamed on YouTube. The inaugural special is slated to be filmed at The Comedy Mothership in Austin, Texas, and will debut on Netflix on April 7. “Myself and our entire crew of Austin comedians, peers, and up-and-comers are excited for the opportunity to share our chaotic, insane show with a whole new segment of the globe,” Hinchcliffe said in…
President Donald Trump has likened Mahmoud Khalil to a terrorist sympathizer. Others portray him as a Palestinian activist, singled out for his outspoken support for his own people. But long before he was arrested by federal agents Saturday night, Khalil told CNN he felt called to advocate for the liberation of both the Palestinian and Jewish people as a refugee. “As a Palestinian student, I believe that the liberation of the Palestinian people and the Jewish people are intertwined and go hand-by-hand and you cannot achieve one without the other,” he told CNN last spring when he was one of…
The thoughts come quickly for Bianca Panelosa – make toilet paper and napkins from old rags, dilute juice and milk for cereal, ask the kids to eat less. The single mother of three, with a fourth on the way, waits in the cold predawn hours outside a food fair in north Houston, brainstorming ways to make ends meet so she can feed her children. “I’m just trying to work it out,” says Panelosa. “I’m still thinking.” Panelosa remembers how she beat the odds before: surviving domestic violence and escaping homelessness after a divorce – which forced her to move back…
New York fired more than 2,000 prison guards Monday for failing to return to work after a weekslong wildcat strike that crippled the state’s correctional system, but said enough officers had come back on the job to declare the illegal work stoppage over. “After 22 days of an illegal strike, the governor and I are happy to report it is now ended,” Commissioner Daniel Martuscello said during a virtual press briefing. The state and the guards’ union struck a new deal to end the strike this weekend, but it was contingent on at least 85% of staff returning to work…
