Alan Cumming is not happy Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion still doesn’t have a sequel.
The Tony-winning Traitors star told The A.V. Clubhe’d “love” to reprise his role from the 2005 hit comedy in which he starred with Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino if given the chance. However, that chance hasn’t come yet. “I think the fact that there hasn’t been is a really big example of the misogyny of Hollywood,” the actor laments.
Cumming also hinted Hollywood may also be resisting the sequel because Kudrow and Sorvinoare in their 50s. He said, “I think that the things I’ve heard about why, sort of like, ‘Oh, you know, they’re getting on a bit, older women, blah blah blah.’ Terrible, when it’s such a popular film. If it was two men in that, you know, two men successful film, we would’ve had six by now.”
He adds, there have been “rumors” of a sequel for years, but nothing has come of it so far. “I’d be very game for it,” he continues. “You know, I have such fond memories of that film, and obviously it’s sort of this cultural iconic thing. Everybody of a certain generation, it’s really such a special thing for them.”
Kudrow and Sorvino appeared last year on The Late Late Show with James Corden and literally toasted the film’s 25th anniversary. “Why not?” Kudrow said then of the possibility of a sequel.
“There seems to be a hunger for Romy and Michele, still,” Sorvino said, adding, “it might be the most important thing I’ve ever been a part of.”
The first trailer for the White Men Can’t Jump remake is here. The beloved 1992 sports comedy is getting a 2023 makeover, starring rapper Jack Harlow and Sinqua Walls.
Harlow and Walls respectively put their twist on the characters inspired by those played by Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes in the 1992 original. The trailer begins with Harlow, who stars as Jeremy, approaching Walls’ Kamal on a court and saying, “I probably should have asked this earlier, but how much cash do you have on you?”
“Did you not bring enough money to cover this game?” Kamal asks, which leads Jeremy to confess, “I brought, like, 80 — minus 60.”
Another scene sees Harlow’s Jeremy calling himself “the P.T. Anderson of psychological warfare” and learning his hustling buddy has no idea who he’s talking about.
“[He’s] our greatest living director,” Jeremy explains and balks at Kamal correcting him with, “Spike Lee is our greatest living director.”
“Spike Lee is not even a good Knicks fan,” Jeremy retorts. That seemingly offends Kamal, who deadpans, “I knew this was a mistake.”
White Men Can’t Jump, directed by Charles Kidd II and written by Kenya Barris, starts streaming May 19 on Hulu.
Harry Styles is probably still soaking in the fact he won this year’s Album of the Year Grammy, and his former One Direction buddies are piling on the congratulations.
Harry beat out the likes of Beyoncé, ABBA, Adele, Bad Bunny, Coldplay and more for the prestigious trophy, which is something Liam Payne appears particularly proud of.
Sharing a black-and-white snap of Harry accepting his award to Instagram, Liam wrote, “Wow… this image is really something to wake up to and when you write music like you do Harry you deserve every millisecond of that moment looking down smiling at the trophy you’ve earned. God bless you brother congratulations.”
Niall Horan also celebrated Harry’s win and shared a snapshot of his television, which was playing the moment Harry was announced as the big winner. “Very proud” he wrote and tagged his former bandmate.
Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson have not yet reacted to Harry’s win. Coincidentally, Harry has yet to issue a social media statement about his multiple Grammy wins.
In addition to Album of the Year, Harry’s House won Best Pop Vocal Album.
(NEW YORK) — FTX’s new chief executive told a bankruptcy court Monday there is “a danger” to authorizing an independent investigation of the crypto exchange’s collapse.
John Ray said he had no use for prior court-supervised investigations into other companies he steered through bankruptcy.
“Neither in Enron nor in Residential Capital did I make use of that report,” Ray testified during a hearing before U.S. Bankruptcy Judge John Dorsey in Delaware. “They’re almost a curated gathering of statements that failed to take real opinions as to what occurred.”
The Enron investigation cost $90 million and the Residential Capital investigation cost $100 million, Ray said, adding that neither was helpful. Ray’s testimony came as the judge considered whether to appoint an examiner in the FTX collapse as requested by the Justice Department.
“This is just too fragile an environment for me to accept yet another seat at the table,” Ray testified. “We’ve come too far to allow that to happen.”
The collapse of FTX spurred criminal charges against its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, who has pleaded not guilty to eight criminal charges, including fraud and conspiracy.
Ray testified that FTX has furnished 70,000 documents to federal prosecutors, who have asked 156 times for information.
“It’s virtually an ongoing exercise, but the last 90 days have been an extremely intense effort to provide the information the government has requested,” Ray said.
Ray said the company is also working with federal prosecutors in California, New York, Hawaii and Maryland.
FTX has sent confidential messages to political figures, political action funds and other recipients of contributions by Bankman-Fried asking them to return the money by the end of February, the company said in a press release Sunday.
The messages follow an announcement in December that FTX arranged for voluntary return. Otherwise, FTX said in a release Sunday, the company would “reserve the right to commence actions before the Bankruptcy Court to require the return of such payments, with interest accruing from the date any action is commenced.”
Recipients were cautioned that using the money to make a donation to a third party, including a charity, would not prevent FTX from trying to get the money back.
The Sisters of Mercy have announced a U.S. tour for the first time in 14 years.
The headlining outing will run from May 10 in Silver Spring, Maryland, to June 9 in Denver. Tickets go on sale Friday, February 10, at 10 a.m. local time.
You can also catch The Sisters of Mercy at the Sick New World festival, taking place May 13 in Las Vegas.
The current incarnation of The Sisters of Mercy features frontman Andrew Eldritch as the only remaining original member, along with, of course, the trusty drum machine Doktor Avalanche. The group hasn’t released a new album since 1990’s Vision Thing, which spawned the #1 alternative radio hit “More.”
The Bruce Springsteen fanzine Backstreets, which has been covering all things The Boss since 1980, announced over the weekend that it was shutting down.
The announcement came with a quote from Springsteen’s song “Nebraska”: “For a little while, sir, we had us some fun.” Editor-in-chief Christopher Phillips explained that the decision to shut down stemmed from disillusionment regarding the ticket debacle surrounding Springsteen and the E Street Band’s current tour, which saw many fans priced out of tickets due to Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing.
“After 43 years of publishing in one form or another, by fans for fans of Bruce Springsteen, it’s with mixed emotions that we announce Backstreets has reached the end of the road,” Phillips wrote. Noting the ticket controversy, Phillips continued, “ … too many Springsteen fans got thrown to the wolves, pushed aside in a way that seems as unfathomable as it was avoidable.”
He added, “Whatever the eventual asking price at showtime and whether an individual buyer finds it fair, we simply realized that we would not be able to cover this tour with the drive and sense of purpose with which we’ve operated continuously since 1980. That determination came with a quickening sense that we’d reached the end of an era.”
In a statement to Variety, Bruce’s manager Jon Landau said they were “very sorry to hear the news” of the mag’s closing, adding they “want to thank Chris Phillips for his 30 years of dedication on behalf of Springsteen fans everywhere.”
(NEW YORK) — A Florida man and a Maryland woman have been arrested on federal charges of plotting to attack multiple energy substations with the goal of destroying Baltimore, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday.
The suspects, Sarah Clendaniel of Catonsville, Maryland, and Brandon Russell of Orlando, Florida, were allegedly fueled by a racist extremist ideology as they “conspired to inflict maximum harm” on the power grid with the aim to “completely destroy” Baltimore, U.S. Attorney Erek Barron and a top FBI official said at a Monday morning press conference.
Russell is quoted in court documents saying that attacking power transformers is “the greatest thing somebody can do.” He is accused of providing instructions and location information for the substations he and Clendaniel allegedly sought to target as part of their plot, federal prosecutors said.
Clendaniel allegedly told an FBI confidential source she was “determined” to carry out the attacks aimed at Baltimore’s infrastructure, saying, “It would lay this city to waste.”
“Their actions threatened the electricity and heat of our homes, hospitals and businesses,” said Thomas Sobocinski, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore field office. “The FBI believes this was a real threat.”
Sobocinski said the two suspects “had extremist views” and believed that by conducting the attack, they would bring further light to their views. Sobocinski declined to go into specifics when pressed by reporters.
The arrests come after a series of attacks on energy substations nationwide, including one in December in North Carolina that left 45,000 utility customers without electricity for days and prompted local officials to declare a state of emergency.
What otherwise would have been a somber moment for music lovers turned into outrage for Aaron Carter fans. The singer was absent from the Grammy Awards’ “In Memoriam” tribute on Sunday.
Aaron’s photo was absent from the televised video montage, which saw singers like Sheryl Crow, Quavo and Kacey Musgraves performing tributes for the singers who passed away over the past year.
“That was cold,” one fan wrote after noticing the omission, while another said it was despicable to not honor the late singer. Most fans felt Aaron deserved recognition for his impact on the music industry and the price they felt he paid for growing up in the public eye.
Aaron’s fiancée, Melanie Martin, told TMZ she is confused and doesn’t understand why he was left out of the televised tribute. She likened the omission to a slap in the face to his legacy and those who supported it. Martin, like many fans, hopes the Recording Academy offers an apology.
Nick Carter, Aaron’s brother, has not publicly reacted to the controversy.
It should be noted the Grammys did pass around a printed program at the ceremony, and People confirms Aaron’s name was listed under the tribute section.
Aaron was found dead in his California home on November 5 at the age of 34.
Credit: (c) Paul McCartney/ Photographer: Linda McCartney
Paul McCartney will be the subject of a brand-new documentary, Man on the Run, which will be directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville.
The film will focus on McCartney’s post-Beatles life, including how he dealt with the Beatles breakup. It’ll also address his personal with wife Linda McCartney, the eventual formation of his band Wings and his hugely successful solo career. The documentary will include archival footage that has never been seen before, along with new interviews.
The film is described as “the definitive document of Paul’s emergence from the dissolution of the world’s biggest band and his triumphant creation of a second decade of musical milestones — a brilliant and prolific stretch” that featured such songs as “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Band on the Run,” “My Love,” “Live and Let Die” and more.
“As a lifelong obsessive of all things McCartney, I’ve always felt that the 1970s were the great under-examined part of his story,” says Neville, whose directing credits include 20 Feet from Stardom and others. “I’m thrilled to have the chance to explore and reappraise this crucial moment in a great artist’s life and work.”
(NEW YORK) — More than 2,300 people are dead after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria early Monday, according to officials.
The pre-dawn quake was centered in the town of Pazarcik in Turkey’s southeastern Kahramanmaras province and was followed by several powerful aftershocks. Thousands of buildings were toppled on both sides of the border, and the death toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched for survivors in the massive piles of rubble.
Both Turkey and Syria have declared a state of emergency.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Feb 06, 11:03 AM EST
More than 4,200 buildings destroyed
More than 2,800 buildings across Turkey have been completely destroyed, according to Turkey’s Emergency Management Agency, while over 1,400 buildings were demolished in Syria, according the Syrian Civil Defense Agency.
At least 45 nations have pledged to send volunteers and other aid to Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
Feb 06, 10:45 AM EST
Death toll climbs to 2,300
At least 2,343 people have died in Turkey and Syria.
The death toll in Turkey has climbed to 1,500 across 10 Turkish provinces, according to the Turkish Emergency Management Agency.
In Syria, at least 843 people have been killed in three cities, according to the Syrian Health Ministry.
Feb 06, 9:54 AM EST
Biden ‘deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation’
President Joe Biden tweeted that he’s “deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation” from the earthquake.
“I have directed my team to continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with Turkey and provide any and all needed assistance,” he tweeted.
Feb 06, 9:14 AM EST
UK deploys emergency response teams to Turkey
The United Kingdom announced Monday it is “immediately” deploying emergency response teams to Turkey to assist rescue efforts following a deadly earthquake and powerful aftershocks.
According to a press release from the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, 76 U.K. search and rescue specialists, four search dogs as well as rescue equipment will arrive in Turkey on Monday evening. A U.K. emergency medical team is also being sent to assess the situation on the ground.
“We stand ready to provide further support as needed,” U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement.
In northwestern Syria, where the quake was also felt, the U.K.-aid funded volunteer organization White Helmets has activated a significant search and rescue response and mobilized all its resources to respond to emerging needs. The U.K. government is in contact with the United Nations on emergency humanitarian support to those affected in Syria, according to the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
“The British Embassy in Ankara is in close contact with the Turkish authorities to understand how we can best support those on the ground,” Jill Morris, British Ambassador-Designate to Türkiye said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with all those affected by the earthquakes today We pay tribute to the brave Turkish first responders working to save lives.”
The U.K. government’s announcement came on the heels of the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) declaring a “level 4 alarm” in the wake of the pre-dawn earthquake, calling for international assistance.
Feb 06, 7:25 AM EST
Monday’s quake was as powerful as the strongest ever recorded in Turkey
Monday’s deadly earthquake in Turkey, which was felt in Syria and other surrounding countries, was as strong as the most powerful one on record in Turkish history.
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Turkey in 1939, killing approximately 30,000 people. Monday’s quake in southeastern Turkey had the same magnitude, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Earthquakes frequently occur in Turkey, which is situated on top of major fault lines.
Some 18,000 people were killed in powerful earthquakes that hit northwestern Turkey in 1999.
Feb 06, 7:02 AM EST
7.5 magnitude aftershock hits Turkey
Several hours after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked southeastern Turkey early Monday, a powerful aftershock measuring 7.5 hit the country’s Kahramanmaras province around 1:30 p.m. local time, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Feb 06, 5:42 AM EST
Death toll jumps to over 1,200 in Turkey, Syria
Monday’s earthquake has killed at least 912 people in several Turkish provinces and injured 5,382 others, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced during a press conference.
Thousands of buildings were destroyed, Erdogan said.
Turkey’s disaster and emergency management agency, AFAD, is deploying 1,898 search and rescue workers along with 150 vehicles in response to the deadly earthquake. Turkey’s national police force has deployed 130 tactical unit members with mobile command centers and kitchens to the city of Kahramanmaras, near the quake’s epicenter. A total of 300,000 blankets were also sent to the region, which is deep in winter weather.
Meanwhile, at least 239 people were killed and some 600 were injured in government-held areas of Syria, according to Syrian state media. In rebel-controlled areas, at least 147 people were killed, according to the Syrian civil defense and medical group that operates in opposition-held areas, known as the White Helmets.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a United Kingdom-based monitoring group, put the overall death toll at 320.
Feb 06, 12:12 AM EST
US ‘profoundly concerned’ by ‘destructive earthquake’ in Turkey, Syria
The United States “is profoundly concerned” by the reports of the “destructive earthquake” in Turkey and Syria, and “will continue to closely monitor the situation,” U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement late Sunday night.
“We stand ready to provide any and all needed assistance,” Sullivan added, noting that U.S. President Joe Biden “has directed USAID and other federal government partners to assess U.S. response options to help those most affected.”
The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake in Turkey at magnitude of 7.8.
