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Alec Baldwin seeks to dismiss crew member’s lawsuit over ‘Rust’ shooting

January 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Attorneys for embattled actor Alec Baldwin argued in court Monday that a judge should toss a lawsuit filed against him by a crew member on his movie Rust.

On October 21, 2021, Baldwin discharged a round from a pistol he believed to be unloaded, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

Mamie Mitchell, the film’s former script supervisor, claims in her lawsuit against Baldwin and other crew members that she was standing just a few feet away when he fired the fatal shot. Mitchell, who called 911 from the movie’s New Mexico set, alleges she suffered pain and ringing in her ears as well as emotional injuries.

She further alleges that the actor failed to double-check to see if the gun was unloaded, and also accuses the producers of cutting corners, leading to unsafe conditions.

Mitchell’s suit also names the movie’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, and David Halls, the first assistant director who reportedly handed the gun to Baldwin after declaring it “cold,” or safe to handle.

Baldwin’s attorneys alleged, in court filings obtained by ABC News, that because the fatal shooting was a workplace accident, Mitchell must seek “recompense” from New Mexico’s workers compensation system.

Further, his lawyers claimed, “nothing about [Mitchell’s] allegations suggest that any of Defendants, including Mr. Baldwin, intended the Prop Gun [sic] to be loaded with live ammunition.”

It should be noted the Colt revolver wasn’t a “prop gun,” but a real firearm loaded with a live round.

However, Baldwin’s lawyers claim he couldn’t have known that.

His attorneys also claimed Mitchell wasn’t injured in the incident, and that she, “raced to the courthouse in California… apparently to get her claim in… [before]…the two individuals who were hit by the live round.”

An investigation into the shooting is still ongoing.

Dylan McDermott in after Julian McMahon’s exit from ‘FBI: Most Wanted’

January 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Actor Dylan McDermott is jumping from one show from producer Dick Wolf to another, according to Deadline.

The actor, who plays crime boss Richard Wheatley on Law & Order: Organized Crime, is moving to FBI: Most Wanted, days after it was announced that series lead Julian McMahon will be leaving the show in April.

It’s not known who McDermott will play on Most Wanted, but with McMahon’s team leader Jess LaCroix exiting, it’s easy to envision McDermott picking up his mantle.

The trade also reports McDermott will join the CBS series as his time on NBC’s L&O winds down. His Organized Crime character was only supposed to appear in the show’s inaugural season, but it proved to be so popular as the nemesis to Christopher Meloni‘s Det. Elliot Stabler that McDermott was given a very “lucrative” deal to shoot eight episodes for the Law & Order spin-off’s second season, according to Deadline.

El Chapo conviction upheld

January 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld the conviction of the Mexican drug lord known as El Chapo.

Joaquin Guzman sought to overturn his conviction in Brooklyn federal court on ten grounds. The appellate court concluded “none of these claims has merit.”

Among Guzman’s arguments, the strict conditions of his confinement before trial inhibited his rights to prepare a defense and benefit from the assistance of counsel.

“The District Court did not err in concluding that Guzman was able to assist in his own defense and receive a fair trial, despite the conditions of his pretrial confinement,” the decision from the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals said. “The conditions of Guzman’s pretrial confinement, harsh as they were, do not provide a basis for disturbing his conviction.”

“While respecting the Court’s ruling, we’re disappointed that substantial allegations of grave jury misconduct continue to be swept under the rug and left wholly unexamined in a case of historic proportion — all, it appears, because of the defendant’s matchless notoriety,” said Guzman’s attorney, Marc Fernich, in a statement Tuesday.

Guzman was convicted in 2019 of conducting a continuing criminal enterprise, including large-scale narcotics violations and a murder conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracies, unlawful use of a firearm, and a money laundering conspiracy. He is currently serving a life sentence.

El Chapo was the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. Under his leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel imported more than a million kilograms of cocaine and hundreds of kilograms of heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine into the United States. Trial evidence proved the cartel used murder, kidnapping, torture, bribery of officials, and other illegal methods to control territory throughout Mexico and to subdue opposition.

In November, Guzman’s wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine, meth, heroin and marijuana for import into the U.S; money-laundering and helping run the Mexican drug cartel in which her husband was the boss.

ABC News’ Luke Barr contributed to this report.

Elton John tests positive for COVID, postpones two Dallas shows

January 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

After finally re-launching his long-delayed Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour last week, Elton John has now been forced to postpone two concerts — because he’s tested positive for COVID.

Elton’s two shows in Dallas, TX tonight and Wednesday night are being rescheduled, and tickets for the original shows will be honored. A statement notes, “Fortunately, Elton is fully vaccinated and boosted, and is experiencing only mild symptoms…Elton and the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour look forward to returning to the stage shortly.”

On his Instagram Stories, Elton wrote, “It’s always a massive disappointment to have to move shows and I’m sorry to anyone who’s been inconvenienced by this but I want to keep myself and my team safe.” Elton adds that he’s “fully expecting to make the Arkansas shows this weekend.”

Ahead of the tour’s launch, Elton’s longtime guitarist and musical director Davey Johnstone told ABC Audio that all COVID-19 precautions were being taken.

“There’s no backstage, there’s no guests. There are no backstage passes. There are no wives or girlfriends or anything,” said Johnstone, adding, “Everybody’s super masked up and getting tested every two days to make sure everybody on the tour stays safe.”

Rob Gronkowski announces incredible opportunity for NFL fans to watch the Big Game from his home

January 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Although Rob Gronkowski will not play in this year’s Big Game, he’s paying it forward to the NFL fans who supported him through another tremendous season.

The Buccaneers tight end teamed with Groupon and is handing the keys to his 4,486 square-foot Foxborough, MA, home over to one lucky fan so they can watch the Big Game in style. Oh, and they can invite up to 15 friends, too.

“I got the whole setup down to perfection at my house,” he told ABC Audio, saying it is more than just ensuring his guests have their fill of good, local food and drink. “We got a pool… we got an indoor bounce house! We got indoor mini golf. These experiences are going to be amazing.”

Gronk says part of the experience is seeing what it’s like to party like a football player. “Everyone knows me. I used to party back in the day. I still have a good time, but obviously, I’m not 20 to 23 anymore,” he laughs. “It’s going to be popping.”

Because he is going over-the-top with his “Party like a Player” experience, he said he wanted the winner to not stress or feel pressure about who to invite. “You’re going to be able to bring everyone that you know,” promises Gronk. “It’s a true party experience.”

So, who does he think his guests will watch play on one of his big screen televisions?

“I’m going to go with the Kansas City Chiefs. Their offense is red hot,” said Gronk, noting their intense match against the Buffalo Bills. “And I’m going to say the San Francisco 49ers… That’s my prediction.”

Those over 21 and are U.S. residents have until February 2 to enter on Groupon’s Party Like a Player website.

Michael Bublé turns the “Celine Dion Challenge” into a hockey lovefest

January 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

As a fellow Canadian pop superstar, it’s no wonder that Michael Bublé wanted to get in on TikTok’s hilarious #CelineDionChallenge — but of course, being Canadian, he couldn’t help working hockey into the equation.

The #CelineDionChallenge involves lip-syncing to Celine’s hit “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” while wearing some kind of coat, blanket or cover-up, and then throwing it off to reveal a glamorous gown, as confetti showers down and a fan — or a hair dryer, or a leaf blower — dramatically starts blowing your hair and outfit around.

In Michael’s version, he’s standing on ice skates guarding a hockey goal, holding a stick and wearing goalie gloves. As he hits the “Baby, baby, baby” part, he throws off his gloves and the stick and then grabs the Stanley Cup — apparently, it’s real — while some dude runs behind him holding a Canadian flag and someone else kneels in front of him and pops confetti.

“Finally had the time to put in the effort that this trend deserves,” Michael wrote on Instagram. “I love you @celinedion.”

Michael’s new single “I’ll Never Not Love You” comes out on Friday.

Keith Urban adds new dates to Las Vegas show

January 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Keith Urban continues to expand his Las Vegas show.

The country superstar has added five new dates to his Keith Urban Live – Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in March and April. The new shows take place on March 25, 26 and 30 and April 1 and 2. They join previously announced shows on May 27, 28, 29.

Keith will take to The Colosseum to perform many of his hit songs, bringing his arena show to a theatre setting.

Keith Urban Live – Las Vegas launched in January 2020, but several shows scheduled throughout the year were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He resumed the residency in 2021.

Tickets for the new dates go on sale January 31 at 1 p.m. ET.

Neil Young wants Spotify to remove his music unless it stops streaming Joe Rogan’s podcast

January 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Neil Young has demanded that Spotify either stop hosting the popular podcast The Joe Rogan Experience or remove his music from the streaming service.

Rolling Stone reports that Young recently posted online a now-deleted letter he sent to his manager and record label in which he explains that he’s giving Spotify this ultimatum because he feels the podcast “is spreading fake information about vaccines — potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them.”

Young then tells his reps in the letter, “Please act on this immediately today and keep me informed of the time schedule.”

Neil continues, “I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform. They can have [Joe] Rogan or Young. Not both.”

Young’s demand comes after, according to Rolling Stone, 270 doctors, physicians, and science educators signed an open letter last month asking Spotify to stop spreading what they consider Rogan’s misinformed and baseless claims regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Neil adds in his letter, “With an estimated 11 million listeners per episode, JRE, which is hosted exclusively on Spotify, is the world’s largest podcast and has tremendous influence. Spotify has a responsibility to mitigate the spread of misinformation on its platform, though the company presently has no misinformation policy.”

At the time Rolling Stone published its article, it says Spotify hadn’t responded to the magazine’s question about whether they intended to remove Young’s music from the service. You could still stream Neil’s recordings on Spotify as of this morning.

Tiffany Haddish addresses grief and her DUI arrest on ‘The Tonight Show’

January 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Tiffany Haddish appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Monday night, and while other celebrities might have, she didn’t shy away from her recent DUI arrest.

Haddish was arrested on suspicion of DUI early in the morning of January 14, after cops investigated a report of a driver asleep behind the wheel of her car on a Georgia highway.

Haddish told Fallon in the Zoom interview, “I’ve been praying to God to send me a new man. A good man. And God went ahead and sent me four…in uniform.”

Haddish added, “And now I got a really great lawyer, and we’re going to work it out. I’ve got to get my asking of things to God a little better!”

Tiffany explained the last few months have been rough for her, what with her break up from boyfriend Common, and the deaths of both her friend and “mentor” Bob Saget and her grandmother.

“[Saget] was like a big mentor to me, a big brother, a father figure,” she explained.

“He meant a lot to me. Funny man. He was the first white man to ever tell me, ‘Just be yourself, just be who you are, Tiffany. Don’t worry about nothing. Just be you.’ That was huge for me.”

The Girls Trip star added solemnly, “And then, my grandma passed away, and she saved my life. That’s my heart. She was like my soulmate. So that’s been… really hard to process, all this…grief.”

“My next special is going to be about grief. And it’s going to be hilarious,” she added, explaining that would help her, “figure out how to process it all.”

“Kids get to cry whenever they want to, wherever they want to. As an adult you can’t do that,” Haddish joked.

Marilyn Manson’s lawyer denies Evan Rachel Wood’s ’Phoenix Rising’ allegations

January 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

A lawyer for Marilyn Manson has denied the allegations made by Evan Rachel Wood against the disgraced shock rocker in her new documentary, Phoenix Rising.

In the film, Wood accuses Manson, born Brian Warner, of physical, sexual and psychological abuse, and details how he allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted her while filming the video for “Heart-Shaped Glasses.”

“I was essentially raped on-camera,” Wood says in the doc, according to People.

In a statement obtained by E! News and Pitchfork, Warner’s lawyer Howard King calls Wood’s allegations “false” and an “imaginative retelling.”

“Evan was not only fully coherent and engaged during the three-day shoot but also heavily involved in weeks of pre-production planning and days of post-production editing of the final cut,” the statement reads. “The simulated sex scene took several hours to shoot with multiple takes using different angles and several long breaks in between camera setups. Brian did not have sex with Evan on that set, and she knows that is the truth.”

Wood, who previously spoke for several years about her experience with domestic violence, publicly named Warner as her abuser in a February 2021 social media post. At the time, Warner denied allegations as “horrible distortions of reality.”

Following Wood’s post, more women came forward with allegations of sexual, physical and emotional abuse against Warner, including actor Esmé Bianco, model Ashley Morgan Smithline, and Warner’s former assistant, Ashley Walters, all of whom filed lawsuits against him. Through lawyers, Warner has denied the allegations.

The first installment of the two-part Phoenix Rising premiered over the weekend at the Sundance Film Festival. The whole doc is set to debut on HBO in March.

For anyone affected by abuse and needing support, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or if you’re unable to speak safely, you can log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 1-866-331-9474.

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