Entertainment category, Page 105
Norman Lear, revolutionary TV producer of ‘All in the Family,’ has died at 101
Norman Lear, the writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime time television with “All in the Family” and “Maude,” propelling political and social turmoil into the once-insulated world of sitcoms, has died. He was 101. Lear died Tuesday night in his sleep, surrounded by family at his home in Los...
Taylor Swift is named Time’s person of the year
NEW YORK — Is the year of Taylor Swift over now? Not yet. Time magazine named Swift its person of the year on Wednesday, a week after Spotify announced she was the most-played artist on the streaming platform. Swift was picked from a group of nine finalists that included Barbie,...
Mariah Carey rocks Pittsburgh with soulful performance of holiday hits
Santa hats and sparkly outfits adorned the crowd Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena in Uptown Pittsburgh, and with so much holiday bling, there’s only one show it could have been for — singer Mariah Carey’s “Merry Christmas One And All!” tour. Opening the concert with an overture to “Sugar...
Denny Laine, founding member of the Moody Blues and Paul McCartney’s Wings, dead at 79
NEW YORK — Denny Laine, a British singer, songwriter and guitarist who performed in an early, pop-oriented version of the Moody Blues and was later Paul McCartney’s longtime sideman in the ex-Beatle’s solo band Wings, has died at age 79. Laine, inducted five years ago into the Rock and Roll...
In ‘Wonka,’ Timothée Chalamet finds a world of pure imagination
Hugh Grant learned some years ago that if a filmmaker doesn’t make something from the heart, it shows. The films that work best, and are most loved, he’s found, are the ones that the directors really meant. It applied to his romantic comedies with Richard Curtis as well as “Paddington...
Desert island albums: Here’s what Grace Potter, Nicotine Dolls, Barns Courtney and others would bring with them
It’s a simple enough question: If you were stranded on a desert island, what three albums would you want with you? Plenty of bands who either played or were scheduled to perform in Pittsburgh this fall offered their choices, with albums ranging from big band to gospel to alternative rock,...
Rockstar releases trailer for ‘Grand Theft Auto VI’ early amid leak
Looks like Christmas came early for fans awaiting a sneak peek at Rockstar Games’ long-awaited “Grand Theft Auto VI.” The gaming company posted Friday on X (formerly Twitter) that the trailer would arrive Tuesday. However, a now-suspended X account leaked the trailer early and prompted the company to officially release...
AP’s top albums of 2023: Music from Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, the Rolling Stones and more
LOS ANGELES — Ten of the top albums of the year, as chosen by Associated Press Music Writer Maria Sherman. It was a blockbuster year across genres, but only a few could make AP’s list. (SZA’s “SOS” released in December 2022, Ice Spice’s “Like…?” isn’t a full-length release, and the...
Former Pirates player Cole Tucker reportedly marries actress Vanessa Hudgens
Former Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Cole Tucker has a new position to play: husband. The Pirates’ first-round draft pick in 2014 married “High School Musical” actress Vanessa Hudgens over the weekend, according to several media reports. People Magazine broke the story, reporting the couple married on Saturday in Tulum, Mexico. TMZ...
Red Hot Chili Peppers to bring Unlimited Love tour to PittsburghVideo
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are extending their Unlimited Love tour into 2024, with a show scheduled for the Pittsburgh region. The veteran funk rockers, who released two albums in 2022, will play July 2 at the Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown. Kid Cudi and IRONTOM will open the...
Kennedy Center Honors fetes new inductees, including Queen Latifah, Billy Crystal and Dionne WarwickVideo
WASHINGTON (AP) — The newest group of Kennedy Center honorees, including comedian Billy Crystal and actor Queen Latifah, were feted Sunday night at a star-studded event commemorating their lifetime achievement in arts and entertainment. Opera singer Renée Fleming, music star Barry Gibb and prolific hitmaker Dionne Warwick were also honored...
The year in review: Influential people who died in 2023
Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2023 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available): JANUARY Fred White, 67. A drummer who backed up his brothers Maurice and Verdine White in the Grammy-winning ensemble Earth, Wind & Fire. Jan. 1. Ken Block, 55....
Spotify axes 17% of workforce in 3rd round of layoffs this year
LONDON — Spotify says it’s axing 17% of its global workforce, the music streaming service’s third round of layoffs this year as it moves to slash costs while focusing on becoming profitable. In a message to employees posted on the company’s blog Monday, CEO Daniel Ek said the jobs were...
Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ is No. 1 at the box office with $21 million debut
Beyoncé ruled the box office this weekend. Her concert picture, ” Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” opened in first place with $21 million in North American ticket sales, according to estimates from AMC Theatres Sunday. The post-Thanksgiving, early December box office is notoriously slow, but “Renaissance” defied the odds. Not...
Kiss say farewell to live touring, become first U.S. band to go virtual and become digital avatarsVideo
On Saturday night, Kiss closed out the final performance of their “The End of the Road” farewell tour at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden. But as dedicated fans surely know — they were never going to call it quits. Not really. During their encore, the band’s current lineup...
Taylor Swift to rake in $100M as Spotify’s top artist of 2023
Taylor Swift didn’t just enchant Spotify as its top artist of 2023, but she’s also to track to earn more than $100 million in royalties from the streaming service this year. The “Enchanted” singer, 33, will take home that gorgeous figure after hitting 26.1 billion streams around the world since...
Classic rockers Styx, Foreigner tour hitting Star Lake in 2024Video
A pair of veteran classic rock bands that haven’t played together in 10 years are touring next summer, including a stop outside Pittsburgh. Styx and Foreigner are launching the Renegade & Juke Box Heroes tour, including a show on July 31, 2024, at the Pavilion at Star Lake. John Waite...
Local celebrities make guest appearances in Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s ‘The Nutcracker’
Kristine Sorensen recalled going to see the performance of “The Nutcracker” with her sister and their mother, Barbara. “It is one of my favorite holiday traditions as a child,” said Sorensen, anchor of the 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. KDKA-TV newscasts and Kidsburgh reporter, via email. “Then I performed in...
Review: Violent Femmes debut, a cult favorite, turns 40 with an expanded new editionVideo
In 1983, Milwaukee trio Violent Femmes released their self-titled debut, an album that would quickly enter the college-rock pantheon for its spirited acoustic punk. Forty years later, Craft Recordings has released a deluxe edition of the record, in which the cult band turns back the clock to a moment of...
Will an earlier Oscars broadcast attract more viewers? ABC plans to try the 7 p.m. slot in 2024
Academy Awards enthusiasts won’t have to stay up quite as late to hear the best picture winner in March. The 96th Oscars will begin one hour early, with the official show starting at 7 p.m. Eastern for the first time, ABC said Thursday. The official pre-show will also begin earlier,...
Shane MacGowan, lead singer of The Pogues and a laureate of booze and beauty, dies at age 65
LONDON — Shane MacGowan, the boozy, rabble-rousing singer and chief songwriter of The Pogues, who infused traditional Irish music with the energy and spirit of punk, died Thursday, his family said. He was 65. MacGowan’s songwriting and persona made him an iconic figure in contemporary Irish culture, and some of...
Shannen Doherty says cancer has spread to her bones but she’s ‘not done with living’
Shannen Doherty is sharing more bad news about her eight-year cancer battle: The disease has now spread to her bones. Despite the bleak development, the “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Charmed” star said she still has a lot more living to do. “I don’t want to die,” the People cover star...
Highmark First Night Pittsburgh turns 30 this year
Pittsburgh’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration turns 30 years old on Dec. 31. It’s a six-hour arts-focused family-friendly free production of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The event takes place in a 14-block area of the Cultural District, Downtown. Live music, dance, theater, visual arts, magic, kids’ activities and a community...
Actor Jonathan Majors in court for expected start of jury selection in New York assault trial
NEW YORK — The actor Jonathan Majors appeared in court in New York on Wednesday for the expected start of jury selection in a trial in which he is accused of injuring his then-girlfriend during an argument last spring. The trial could wind up playing a big role in what...
Taylor Swift is Spotify’s top artist of 2023, surpassing Bad Bunny
2023 really is Taylor Swift’s year. In news that should surprise no one, Swift — who this week hit $250 million at the global box office for the filmed version of her Eras concert tour — will close out the year as Spotify’s most-streamed artist worldwide, beating out three-timer Bad...
