Entertainment

With just seven suitors remaining and hometown dates looming, Monday’s episode of The Bachelorette saw Katie face her toughest rose ceremony yet.

Tensions were already running high in the house as two of the men, Brendan and Mike, were still waiting for a coveted one-on-one date with Katie.  When the date card arrived, it went to Mike, leaving Brendan to question if he still has a chance with the Bachelorette.

Brendan’s worst fears were later confirmed when he confronted Katie, who admitted she didn’t think they could establish a connection in time for hometowns. Brendan, to his disappointment, was sent home.

Katie, who revealed beforehand that she felt something for Mike, hoped their date would lead to a connection — but they weren’t meant to be, either.  After a day with “Cuddle Queen Jean” Franzblau, who guided them through a series cuddling positions aimed at helping them strengthen their bond as a couple, Katie realized her other relationships were stronger and, because of that, she sent Mike home, too.

Elsewhere, Justin, Andrew, Blake and Michael A. joined Katie on an artistic exploration inspired by artist Jacqueline Secor, who tasked the men to create “sensual” or “thought-provoking” art that expressed their feelings for Katie.

However, their thoughts were more focused on the after-party and who would earn the rose and the first hometown date.  That honor went to Michael A.

Greg earned a rose and the next hometown date after a successful second one-on-one date with Katie.  Greg recreated her home state of Washington and the two shared a romantic kiss in the rain. 

Heading into the rose ceremony with just two roses to spare, Katie had to decide between Blake, Justin and Andrew.  Faced with an agonizing choice, she settled on Blake and Justin, but found herself second-guessing her decision.

The next day, Andrew stopped by Katie’s room and shared an emotional goodbye. However, before leaving, he slipped the Bachelorette a note that read, “If you change your mind…I’ll be waiting.”

Upon reading it, Katie sprinted after Andrew and presented him with an offer: “If there’s a way to stay a little longer, would you want to?”

Wanting nothing more than to say yes, Andrew ultimately turned down the offer, explaining that he wanted his future wife to choose him, but Katie had chosen someone else.

Here are the four men whose families Katie will meet:

Blake, 30, a wildlife manager from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Greg, 27, a marketing sales rep from Edison, New Jersey
Justin, 26, an investment sales consultant from Baltimore, Maryland
Michael, 36, a business owner from Akron, Ohio

The Bachelorette returns with a special “Men Tell All” episode on Monday, 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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Ryan Reynolds thanks his lucky stars for wife Blake Lively, who helped him raise three young daughters through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking on the SmartLess podcast recently, the 44-year-old actor opened up about how lockdown affected his children: six-year-old James, four-year-old Inez, and Betty, who’s one.

“They had a tough time,” said Reynolds, noting how his two older daughters struggled to adjust to going to school over Zoom. 

To try and make it easier for his children, the Deadpool star said he sought out “external help left and right. I was reading books. I was trying some way to steer the ship.”

Reynolds shouted out his wife, saying Lively “was so much better at it than I was because I’m also a child.”

The Canadian actor also revealed how he managed to woo his wife of nearly nine years, or “45 years in Hollywood terms.”

“I met Blake on the darkest crease in the anus of the universe called Green Lantern,” he joked, referencing the 2011 movie they both starred in. “We were friends and buddies and about a year and a half later we went on a double date but we were with separate people.”

“We hung out and kind of, you know, we always kind of kept in touch but sort of casually,” said Reynolds. “And then next thing you know, she was going to Boston. I was going to Boston. So I was like, ‘I’ll ride with you!'”

“We got on the train and rode together and then I was just begging her to sleep with me,” Reynolds joked, but admitted their romance was something “like out of a fairy tale.”

“A week later, I was like, ‘We should buy a house together,’ Reynolds grinned. “And we did!”

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NBA legend Scottie Pippen has a special message for the US Olympic men’s basketball team, competing for their fourth consecutive gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

“They will do well and bring home the gold,” declared the former Chicago Bulls player, who was a first-time Olympian himself when he joined the 1992 Dream Team alongside Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Saying the team features “the best [players] in the world,” Pippen told ABC Audio, “I think those players have truly shown — throughout their careers — that they’re some of the top in the game,” adding that they “will bond and gel throughout their practices and their preparation [and] training.”

Pippen, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, shouted out Kevin Durant.  The Brooklyn Nets player is primed to win his third gold medal at this year’s Olympics.  

“I’m wishing him to bring home the gold for Team USA,” Pippen said. “I think his leadership will truly be needed in this year’s Olympic Games, especially on the basketball stage.” 

Pippen also reminisced about his time playing in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, noting the pressure athletes face when they compete on the world stage.

“You’re representing the country. The amount of people that are behind you and pulling for you, it’s an amazing feeling,” he recalled. “It’s something I will never forget.”

The US Olympic men’s basketball team tips off against France this Sunday at 8 a.m. ET.

Three lucky people and their friends can watch the Olympics from Pippen’s Chicago mansion, which is available on Airbnb for three one-night stays on August 2, 4, and 6.

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With DIY home improvement projects taking off amid the pandemic, the Property Brothers have some valuable tips for beginners.

Speaking with ABC Audio, Drew and Jonathan Scott listed some projects that someone starting off can tackle without professional help.

“The easiest thing in the world is paint,” Jonathan said, stressing the importance of investing in “a good, quality paint.”

“It’s all about the prep,” the HGTV star continued, “as long as you prep the walls properly, clean them, sand down anything that’s not great, use a great primer, tape off all the areas you’re not going to be. You can tackle a room and make a huge difference just with that.  And then, maybe, you tackle trim.”

Jonathan quickly added “swapping a light fixture” is another easy way to transform a room into “something fresh and something new.”

Though Scott noted the current “booming” prices of construction materials might slow DIY enthusiasm, he assured the trend will not be permanent and that he’s noticed “a lot of those materials [are starting] to come back down.”

For those who really don’t want to tackle a project by themselves, Drew recalled a “strategy” his twin brother successfully used when they were younger.

“A painting party is great to have friends come over to help you,” he laughed, “Jonathan told us, ‘Come over, I’ll have pizza and drinks and we’ll have a great time’… So we painted this whole space and, at the end, he brings out a personal pan pizza — a tiny little pizza — and a jug of water!” 

If you want more home renovation tips from the Property Brothers, they’re offering a Bright session on August 6 about transforming the bedroom.  Tickets are $25 and available now.

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The numbers are in, and Loki apparently enchanted audiences. 

According to data compiled by viewing tracker app Samba TV, the series not only scored the best premiere for a Marvel Studios show on the streaming platform, but its sixth and final episode, “For All Time,” was watched by 1.9 million viewers in the U.S. between Wednesday when it dropped, and Sunday. 

The performance bested the 1.7 million viewers who watched the finale of its predecessor The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and the 1.4 million households that watched the finale of Marvel Studios’ first series, the multiple-Emmy nominated WandaVision.

Overseas, Loki‘s final installment also out-performed its predecessors, with 300,000 pressing play in the U.K., and 96,000 in Germany over the respective first five days the finale was available.

Unlike WandaVision and TFAS, the last episode of Loki also teased a second season for the series headlined by Marvel movies star Tom Hiddleston.

Marvel Studios is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News. 

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Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, is ready to tell his life story.

Harry, 36, plans to release a memoir late next year that he says will be a “firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.”

““I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become,” Harry said in a statement released by Penguin Random House, the publisher. “I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story — the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned — I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.”

Harry calls it a “firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.”

Harry, the youngest son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, stepped down from their senior roles with the royal family in 2020. The couple now lives in California with their two children, Archie, 2, and Lilibet, who was born on June 4.

The Sussexes have been very candid about the difficulties they say they faced as senior members of Britain’s royal family, including their explosive, tell-all interview earlier this year with Oprah Winfrey.

Harry has also been open about the mental health struggles he faced following the death of his mom, Princess Diana, in 1997.

Penguin Random House describes it as an, “intimate and heartfelt memoir from one of the most fascinating and influential global figures of our time.” 

Harry’s book will be published in late 2022 initially in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

The terms of Harry’s book deal were not released. He will be donating proceeds to charity, according to Penguin Random House.

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(NOTE LANGUAGE) Yes, Kate Beckinsale looks stunning at 47, and no, good doctors can’t take the credit. The Underworld series star put it plainly in a chat with the UK’s Sunday Times that she hasn’t had any work done. 

“I’m not against people having it,” she allows. “[But] I do get pi**ed off. It’s sort of a given that I’ve had it, which I just literally haven’t.”

The actress explains it’s her mother — who Beckinsale says at 76 is still “f***ing radiant and amazing” — who scared her away from getting any tweaks.

Beckinsale says of Botox, “I’m frightened of paralyzing my face. My mum’s voice is in my head, very loud, at all times. I know if I did do Botox, I’d be the one that would get the droopy eye and my mum would go, ‘I f***ing told you! See? You should never do that.'”

Beckinsale, promoting her new Amazon Prime action film Jolt, noted women in showbiz can’t win. “I think women are damned anyway,” she said. “You’re seen as too young, you’re too old. Where is the f**king sweet spot for women? At some point you just have to go, b**** – this is me.”

Jolt, which also stars Laverne Cox, Stanley Tucci, Susan Sarandon, and Jai Courtney, hits Amazon Prime on July 23.

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OWN has released a preview clip for Oprah Winfrey‘s new primetime special OWN Spotlight: Oprah and Jennifer Hudson.

Centering on Hudson’s upcoming portray of Aretha Franklin in Respect, the special will air Tuesday, July 20 at 10 pm ET. on OWN. It will then be made available on Discovery+ the following day. In addition to discussing her new role as the legendary singer, J-Hud will share the impact that the church had on her life and perform the classic gospel song Amazing Grace.

In related news, ahead of Respect‘s highly anticipated release August 13, Fandango is giving moviegoers early access screenings starting August 8. Fans who attend will also view Becoming: Aretha, a Rotten Tomatoes Original Pre-Show program. A limited number of tickets are now on sale on Fandango.com.

Meanwhile, Jerrod Carmichael has been added to Alicia Vikander‘s upcoming HBO series Irma Vep, Variety reports. He joins Adria Arjona, Carrie Brownstein, Fala Chen, and Devon Ross who were also announced. The limited series follows Vikander as Mira, an American movie star “disillusioned by her career and a recent breakup” who takes a role in Irma Vep — a remake of the French silent film classic, Les Vampires. Carmichael stars as Eamonn, Mira’s ex-boyfriend who’s in Paris for a film. A release date for Irma Vep has not been announced.

Finally, Starz has tapped The Book of Eli co-director Albert Hughes to direct the first and third episodes of the three-installment event series The Continental, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Based on the hit John Wick action movies starring Keanu Reeves, the series is set 40 years before the events of the Wick films. It will center on a young man named Winston, who becomes the character played by Ian McShane in the Wick franchise.

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Lionsgate will release the third Clerks film from writer-director Kevin Smith.

Quoting Tao Te Ching on Twitter — pretty high falutin’ for the guy who got famous from the potty-mouthed low-budget film — Smith noted, “To be great is to go on. To go on is to go far. To go far is to return.”

The third movie is about to get underway in New Jersey, where the original black and white film was shot. Smith thanked the studio, noting, “On August 2, for my 51st birthday, I return to Quick Stop – the little store that started it all – with my friends Dante, Randal, Jay, Silent Bob, Becky, & Elias!…”

The 1994 film was shot on a shoestring budget, at the convenience store Smith worked at the time. It centered on lament-filled employee Dante, played by Brian O’Halloran, and Jeff Anderson as his goof-off pal Randal, as they negotiated a day in their lives as hourly working stiffs. Smith had a role as Silent Bob, the mute yin to Jason Mewes motor-mouthed weed dealer Jay’s yang.

The film made Smith famous, and spawned a sequel in 2006, which added Rosario Dawson and Trevor Fehrman to the ensemble; they’re returning for the third, Smith confirmed.

According to a press release, the film will follow Randal surviving a near-fatal heart attack, and then enlisting his pals to immortalize his life in film.

Smith himself survived a near fatal heart attack in 2018.

Smith called the return to the Garden State, “an ode to both the enduring allure of cinema and the resourcefulness and lunacy of its storytellers.”

He added, “Years ago, Dante and Randal made me a filmmaker – so now it’s time I return the favor.”

“To be great is to go on.
To go on is to go far.
To go far is to return.”
On August 2, for my 51st birthday, I return to Quick Stop – the little store that started it all – with my friends Dante, Randal, Jay, Silent Bob, Becky, & Elias! Thank you @Lionsgate for making CLERKS III! https://t.co/7IUNdleg8f

— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) July 19, 2021

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Theater legend Andrew Lloyd Webber has made the “heart-breaking decision” to close his anticipated Cinderella musical before it opened in London’s famed West End. 

Webber took to Twitter to post his disapproval of the government’s “impossible” COVID-19 regulations, which he blamed for the decision. 

Ironically, the multiple Tony-winner’s statement comes on ‘Freedom Day,’ declared by Prime Minister Boris Johnson‘s celebration of the end of the U.K.’s pandemic restrictions.

Webber explained two of the show’s preview performances were cancelled when one performer with a “cameo role” tested positive for the virus. Although other performers tested negative, he said, the shows were cancelled as a precaution. Subsequent to that, the main performers re-tested negative, and the show was to go on.

“Despite this, the impossible conditions created by the blunt instrument that is the Government’s isolation guidance, mean that we cannot continue,” Webber wrote. “We have been forced into a devastating decision which will affect the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of people and disappoint the thousands who have booked to see the show.”

The big-budget production, written by Promising Young Woman Oscar winner Emerald Fennell, was to open on July 20. “Cinderella was ready to go,” Webber added. “My sadness for our cast and crew, and our loyal audience and the industry I have been fighting for is impossible to put into words. Freedom Day has turned into closure day.”

A statement from Andrew Lloyd Webber pic.twitter.com/a47FN1anG3

— Andrew Lloyd Webber (@OfficialALW) July 19, 2021

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