Warner Bros. Discovery taps James Gunn and Peter Safran to head DC superhero unit

October 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Nick Fury had his Avengers, Amanda Waller had her Suicide Squad and now Warner Bros. Discovery has two new leaders for its superhero team: James Gunn and Peter Safran.

As previously reported, Warner Bros. Discovery had been searching for someone to take the reins of its DC Studios in an effort to best capitalize on its deep bench of superhero properties, as Kevin Feige has for Marvel Studios.

In the end, Warner Bros. Discovery tapped its own dynamic duo: writer-director Gunn, and his Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad producer Safran. While the former is arguably most famous for his Guardians of the Galaxy films for Marvel Studios, the latter also produced the DC hero hits Aquaman and Shazam, as well as the successful Conjuring and Annabelle horror franchises.

The pair “will be responsible for the overall creative direction of the storied superhero franchise across film, TV, and animation under [a] new unified banner,” according to the company’s announcement.

In a shared statement, Gunn and Safran noted, “We’re honored to be the stewards of these DC characters we’ve loved since we were children” and that they’re aiming to “create an integrated, multilayered universe that still allows for the individual expression of the artists involved.”

They also commented, “Our commitment to Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Harley Quinn, and the rest of the DC stable of characters is only equaled by our commitment to the wonder of human possibility these characters represent. We’re excited to invigorate the theatrical experience around the world as we tell some of the biggest, most beautiful, and grandest stories ever told.”

Rihanna announces all-star lineup for ‘Savage X Fenty Vol. 4’

October 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Bergdorf Goodman

The all-star lineup for Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty Vol. 4 show has finally been released.

The highly anticipated fashion event promises to dazzle with major celebrity performances and appearances. Rihanna dropped a teaser for the show on Instagram, where she announced that global music stars Anitta, Burna Boy, Don Toliver and Maxwell will be performing.

Additionally, the show will feature special appearances from celebrities like Bella Poarch, Taraji P. Henson, model and actress Cara Delevingne, Emmy winner Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Marvel Cinematic Universe actors Simu Liu and Winston Duke.

According to the official press release, the show will blend “Emmy Award-winning choreography, style, and music with the hypnotic essence of nocturnal nature” with a “star-studded cast all wearing the newest Savage X Fenty looks.”

Rihanna will serve as both executive producer and creative director for Savage X Fenty Vol. 4, which streams Nov. 9 exclusively on Prime Video.

Niall Horan teams up with Lewis Capaldi for new documentary

October 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Modest! Golf

Niall Horan and Lewis Capaldi have made a documentary together, titled Niall Horan’s Homecoming: The Road to Mullingar.

The best friends created the film while on a road trip to Niall’s old stomping grounds in Ireland. The movie covers their friendship and their sense of adventure, while also delivering nonstop jokes. And we learn how the two became best friends.

Niall explained in a statement, “It was St. Patrick’s Day, we had a couple of Guinness. Seriously, he is the funniest person I know, when you’re with Lewis you never quite know where a night will go, but you’re guaranteed a good time.”

Of course, they also bond over their love of a good pint in the movie and learn how to pour Guinness at the world famous Guinness Storehouse. The two do become certified pint-pouring experts. Not only that, they learn the story behind the famous stout and enjoy a drink while overlooking the panoramic view of the Irish city.

They also hit up the St. James Gate brewery and mingle with tourists in Dublin’s Grafton Street.

Niall says during his travels, “Every time I come home I’m just blown away by the creativity here. Not in a Hollywood way, it’s real, authentic talent, people going out there and doing it for the pure love of the craft.”

While Lewis, who is Scottish, and Niall put their friendship front and center in the film, the movie’s intent is to shine a spotlight on Ireland.

Niall Horan’s Homecoming: The Road to Mullingar is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.

AC/DC’s Brian Johnson releases new memoir; says he’d “love to” record and tour again with band

October 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Brian Johnson‘s new memoir The Lives of Brian was released Tuesday. In a new Rolling Stone interview, the AC/DC frontman chats about the book while also revealing his feelings about recording and touring with the band again.

Regarding the possibility of making a new AC/DC album and hitting the road once again with the band, Johnson says, “I would love to. It’s as simple as that. I think everybody would. There’s a groundswell of people just asking. But I hate talking about the future, because, f***, we were ready two years ago, and the pandemic came, and it screwed everything up. So I’m terrified to say what could happen and what couldn’t.”

He adds, “And I hate talking for a band. If a couple of other boys [from the band] was with us, I could probably have an answer, but I cannot take the responsibility.”

In The Lives of Brian, Johnson tells his life story, which includes joining AC/DC in 1980 and recording one of the best-selling album’s of all time, Back in Black. He also discusses the hearing issues that forced him to temporarily retire from the band in 2016.

While Johnson co-wrote all of Back in Black‘s songs, in the book, he addresses long-circulating rumors alleging that some lyrics credited to him were actually penned by Brian’s predecessor in the band, the late Bon Scott.

Explaining why he decided to write about the issue, Brian tells Rolling Stone, “[E]very now and again, a fan would come up and say, ‘This guy’s saying this.’ And factually, it wasn’t true … I thought it was awful I had to explain meself and that’s why in the book, I went, once and for all, I want to put this baby to bed.”

Blake Shelton gets “pumped up” on beef jerky before ’The Voice’ taping

October 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Blake Shelton has a secret weapon to get energized for The Voice.

While driving to the set in Los Angeles, Blake’s wife — and fellow Voice coach — Gwen Stefani reveals they often carpool to work. But Blake has his eyes on something other than the road.

“I’m so excited, I get to go to work with Blake, we’re carpooling together,” Gwen says, panning the camera over to her husband, who’s munching on a piece of beef jerky while in the driver’s seat.

“Having a little jerky. This is how I get pumped up, have a little protein, headed into the Battles,” the country singer remarks as he steers the wheel and bites off a piece of the jerky.

“Finally letting y’all in on how I get pumped up for show days… it’s alllllllll in the jerky! Now let’s do this thing!” he adds on Twitter.

The Voice is currently in the Battle Rounds of season 22, with Jimmie Allen serving as the advisor for Blake’s team.

What’s in Kelsea Ballerini’s bag? “Chaos”

October 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Kelsea Ballerini has a bag of tricks with her out on the road.

After a “very chaotic” five weeks of traveling, the hitmaker took a moment to play a round of “what’s in my bag” while riding on her tour bus.

Self-care and snacking are two prominent themes among the many items she pulled from her purse, including makeup wipes, a small bag of goldfish, an RXBAR, a little bottle of perfume and multiple pairs of sunglasses and beauty blender brushes.

She also has a fidget device she uses to calm her ADHD while on video and phone calls, and threw in a sentimental touch with pair of earrings a fan made for her. “I’m obsessed with them, so I carry them with me,” she says.

The singer is resourceful, carrying her old phone with her in case she loses her current phone. “Because that’s my vibe,” she admits, also revealing that she has a phone charger that’s missing an end.

A variety of writing utensils, travel size hand sanitizer and a hairbrush round out the goodies from the bottom of her bag.

“Chaos,” she concludes.

Kelsea’s single, “HEARTFIRST,” is currently climbing up the top 30 on country radio.

Parkway Drive announces US tour behind ’Darker Still’ album

October 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Parkway Drive has announced a 2023 U.S. tour in support of the band’s new album, Darker Still.

The headlining outing, which will also feature Memphis May Fire and Currents on the bill, is set to kick off January 31 in Los Angeles and will wrap up February 16 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit ParkwayDriveRock.com.

Darker Still, the follow-up to 2018’s Reverence, was released in September. It includes the single “Glitch.”

Parkway Drive hasn’t toured the U.S. since 2019. The Australian band had planned a North American tour for earlier this year, but it was canceled due to mental health reasons.

‘Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium’ special on Disney+ will include special guests

October 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Elton John‘s final U.S. show at Dodger Stadium on November 20 will be livestreamed on Disney+ and will include some surprises.

The artwork for the show has been unveiled and it reveals that the concert is billed as “featuring special guests.” Since the show is taking place in LA, and Elton is friendly with pretty much every celebrity you can think of, there’s no end to the possible guests who might show up. In the last few years alone, Elton’s collaborated with everyone from Ozzy Osbourne and Miley Cyrus, to Dua Lipa and Britney Spears, to Nicki Minaj, Stevie Nicks and Stevie Wonder.

The Dodger Stadium show will be a special full-circle moment for Elton, who famously played two concerts there in October 1975 to 55,000 people a night. They were the first concerts played in that venue since The Beatles in 1966.

The three-hour livestream gets underway with Countdown to Elton Live from Dodger Stadium, starting at 10:30 p.m. ET, while the concert begins at 11 p.m. ET. In a statement, Elton says of the show, “To feel the energy from the best fans, not only in Dodger Stadium again, but this time around the world from those watching live at home, will be truly extra special for me.”

“I’m thrilled to celebrate this momentous evening globally,” he adds. “I hope everyone feels the power and joy of performing on a stage as iconic as Dodger’s. Just like I did almost 50 years ago.”

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Kevin Bacon gets kidnapped in trailer to ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’

October 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Kevin Bacon goes from an inside joke in Guardians of the Galaxy to a bona fide Marvel Cinematic Universe co-star in the new trailer to The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

Written and directed by Guardians‘ series director James Gunn, and billed as a “Marvel Studios Special Presentation,” the trailer shows Chris Pratt‘s Peter Quill/Star-Lord still bummed about his love, Zoe Saldaña‘s Gamora, going missing at the end of Avengers: Endgame.

To cheer him up just in time for Christmas, Sean Gunn‘s Kraglin, Karen Gillan‘s Nebula, Pom Klementieff‘s Mantis, Dave Bautista‘s Drax, and of course Bradley Cooper‘s Rocket and Vin Diesel‘s Groot hatch a plan.

The Guardians land on Earth and plot to snatch “the legendary Kevin Bacon” as a gift for Star-Lord, but obviously a gray giant and “that chick with the antennae,” as Rocket refers to Mantis, breaking into the star’s home doesn’t sit well with Bacon.

He flees in vain.

Bacon’s connection to the MCU so far has been in name only: Quill, who was snatched from Earth as a child, refers to Bacon as a hero in Guardians and apes Footloose in the “dance off to save the galaxy” at the film’s climax.

In Avengers: Infinity War, Mantis asks Thor if Bacon is one of “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes,” to which Thor suggests he “may have joined” the Avengers in his absence from Earth.

In the same film, Quill asks Tom Holland‘s Peter Parker/Spider-Man if Footloose is “still the greatest movie ever made” on his native planet, to which Peter jeers, “It never was.”

For his part, Bacon told Esquire in 2021 that Gunn name-dropping him into MCU was a happy surprise.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Balthazar owner gives “Last Word” on James Corden restaurant affair

October 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

©2022 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved/Terence Patrick

It appears the beef at Balthazar is now just for serving: Keith McNally, owner of the New York City hotspot, took to Instagram Tuesday afternoon to give the “last word” on the James Corden affair, following the chat show host’s apology on Monday night’s The Late Late Show.

As reported, McNally took Corden to task for reportedly berating staff members there. While an apology via phone was both accepted and subsequently rescinded by the restaurateur — when Corden seemed to dodge responsibility during a New York Times interview — McNally has officially buried the hatchet.

“James Corden very graciously apologized for his outburst at Balthazar,” McNally began the new Instagram post. “It takes a real man to do this,” he added, noting, “In the past I’ve behaved much worse than Corden and wasn’t man enough to apologize.”

McNally added, “For this reason I’m going to lift the ban on Corden, and impose one on myself instead.”

Giving himself a two-week timeout, McNally commented, “People in glass houses…”

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