The Hollywood Reporter made headlines Tuesday with an exclusive story that the beleaguered Golden Globe Awards were returning to former home at NBC sooner than most predicted.
The trade reported the show could return to the network on January 10, 2023.
However, the network has made no formal announcement, and a source told ABC Audio the headline was “premature.”
ABC Audio reached out to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group behind the once-annual event, and the organization apparently won’t be commenting on the news.
The Golden Globes found itself embroiled in controversy early in 2021, after accusations of sexism and racism were leveled at the organization. The HFPA had long maintained its status in Hollywood despite having zero minority journalists in its voting ranks and engaging in other “unethical conduct,” as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
What’s more, its former president was ousted after an email from him surfaced in which he allegedly referred to Black Lives Matter as a “racist hate movement.”
In response, NBC severed its ties with the organization, as stars like Scarlett Johansson, Shonda Rimes and Mark Ruffalo publicly dragged it. Tom Cruise even went so far as to return his three acting trophies from the organization in protest.
The HFPA subsequently vowed it would be making “transformational changes” to boost minority membership and representation, and increase transparency into the organization and its inner workings.
The Globes didn’t air in 2022, though they were held at a private event in Beverly Hills that was shunned by the industry at large.
While the annual event was a ratings draw for the network, it remains to be seen if it will be embraced again by the entertainment industry if the show does get back on the air as quickly as The Hollywood Reporter is predicting.
Denise Dowse, best known for her roles in Insecure, Beverly Hills, 90210 and Grey’s Anatomy, is currently in a coma after contracting meningitis, her sister Tracey Dowse revealed over the weekend.
“I am requesting support and prayers be offered me and my sister, and my only immediate family Denise Dowse,” Tracey wrote on the actress’ Instagram. “She is currently in the hospital in a coma brought on by a virulent form of meningitis. Her doctors do not know when she will come out of the coma as it was not medically induced.”
Tracey adds that her sister “is a vibrant actor and director that should have many years ahead of her” and that “thoughts, prayers and support are greatly appreciated.”
Most notably, Dowse played Mrs. Yvonne Teasley on Beverly Hills, 90210. Her other roles included playing Judge Rebecca Damsen on CBS’ The Guardian and Dr. Rhonda Pine on HBO’s Insecure. Her numerous TV credits also include Grey’s Anatomy, The Resident, Good Trouble, The X-Files and Criminal Minds.
Dowse made her feature film directorial debut with the upcoming biopic Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story, which follows the legendary gospel singer’s contribution to the Civil Rights Movement, as well as her friendship with Martin Luther King Jr.Keith David. Corbin Bleu and Vanessa Williams are set to star.
(NEW YORK) — Inflation continues to be the top economic concern for most Americans.
In July, the consumer price index rose 8.5% compared with the same month a year prior. While still high, the inflation rate eased from the near-historic pace in June.
Eighty-two percent of Americans are worried about the negative effect of inflation on the purchasing power of their income over the next six months, according to a recent survey from Allianz Life. Further, 71% said their income is not keeping up with rising costs.
Here’s an explainer about why inflation is so high and what happened last time prices rose at such a fast pace:
Why is inflation so high?
Like so many economic problems, inflation comes down to an imbalance between supply and demand.
Hundreds of millions across the globe facing lockdowns replaced restaurant expenditures with couches and exercise bikes. The surge in demand followed a pandemic-induced flood of economic stimulus. Moreover, that stimulus brought about a speedy economic recovery from the March 2020 downturn, triggering a hiring blitz.
But the surge in demand for goods and labor far outpaced supply, as COVID-related bottlenecks slowed delivery times and infection fears kept workers on the sidelines.
In turn, prices and wages skyrocketed, prompting sky-high inflation. Such price increases have bedeviled countries across the globe, some of which have suffered much worse inflation than the U.S. In Argentina, inflation stands at 64%; in Turkey, it’s nearly 80%.
What is the government doing to bring down prices?
The Federal Reserve has embarked on an aggressive series of rate hikes which raise the cost of borrowing. In theory, the rate hikes should cut demand, slow down the economy and lower inflation.
At meetings in each of the past two months, the central bank has increased its benchmark interest rate 0.75% — dramatic hikes last matched in 1994. After a data release last week showed that hiring in July vastly exceeded expectations, the Federal Reserve is widely expected to institute another rate hike at its next meeting in September.
Meanwhile, Congress has taken action that could reduce inflation over the long term.
On Sunday, the Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which raises $739 billion in new revenue and puts at least $300 billion toward deficit reduction.
If it becomes law, the bill would very slightly raise inflation over the next two years but would reduce inflation by the late 2020s, according to a study by the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania that looked at an early version of the bill.
When was the last time inflation reached this level and how did it get resolved?
The last time inflation was this high was 1981. Back then, high prices combined with a weak economy to bring financial misery for many Americans.
The dynamic put central bankers in a difficult position. If they raised interest rates and slowed down the economy, it might push the economy into a recession, causing more pain. But if they cut rates, then it would stimulate the economy and potentially drive inflation even higher.
Paul Volcker, who took over as Fed chair in 1979, vowed to raise rates until inflation got under control — no matter how much it slowed down the economy. The short-term economic pain far outweighed the long-term damage of inflation, Volcker argued.
In 1981, the Fed’s benchmark interest rate rose as high as 20%. By comparison, after multiple rate hikes this year to tackle inflation, the interest rate still stands at a range of 2.25% to 2.50%.
Back in 1981, those high interest rates helped push the U.S. into a recession and drove the unemployment rate above 10%. By comparison, the unemployment rate today matches a 50-year low reached right before the outset of the pandemic in 2020.
But Volcker’s aggressive approach did bring down inflation. When Volcker left the position in August 1987, inflation had fallen to 3.4% from its peak of 9.8% in 1981.
Powell, the current chair of the Fed, has vowed to bring down inflation. He said last month the central bank expects additional rate increases will prove necessary to dial back inflation to its target rate of 2%.
But, as in the early 1980s, an economic slowdown induced by the Fed could bring short-term pain before smoothing out inflation. Or, if the central bank achieves what economists call a “soft landing,” then the central bank could lower inflation while avoiding a recession.
Arturo Holmes/MG22/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Normani is shutting down speculation about her work ethic.
On Tuesday, the singer hopped on Twitter to clap back at a user who claimed that she no longer has “motivation” to make music.
According to Billboard, in a since deleted tweet, one user wrote, “No idea where Normani’s motivation (no pun intended) has gone but I just don’t see the same passion from her as I used to.”
They continued, “Before y’all start, its not depression so don’t even go THERE!”
Another user replied, adding, “What happens when you’ve gotten comfortable and you’re not HUNGRY anymore.”
Normani then entered the conversation, tweeting, “Just shut the f*** up.”
Following the comment, another Twitter user seemed to empathize with the “Wild Side” singer, writing, “It’s so interesting that people that have no clue what it’s like to be in the music industry & the complexities that can come with that, but will dish out unwanted & rude opinions all the time smh.”
The 26-year-old singer seemed to agree with sentiment, responding, “On top of real life s*** going on in my personal life.”
The whole ordeal appears to be over the fact that Normani has yet to share a release date for her debut album. Her debut single, “Motivation,” was released in 2019, followed by 2021’s Cardi B-assisted “Wild Side.” Her latest song, “Fair,” was released in March.
(WASHINGTON) — Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate was searched by federal agents Monday morning in what an outside expert called a “major escalation” of one of the investigations he faces.
Sources told ABC News that the raid, carried out by the FBI, was related to the 15 boxes of records that the former president took to his Florida home when he left the White House.
Trump, who was not present for Monday’s search, said in a statement that the agents obtained access to his safe as they executed the search warrant. Sources told ABC News that the safe referenced was in Trump’s office on the compound; people close to Trump said that agents did not ask for the code and instead broke it open.
Law enforcement experts unconnected to the case called the raid a notable step forward in the federal probe — which appears to trace back to a National Archives referral to the Department of Justice reported early this year — and they explained the significance of federal search warrants and what they indicate about the general timeline of a case.
“[The search is] absolutely unprecedented and is a major escalation,” Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, told ABC News.
“We haven’t heard much from [Attorney General] Merrick Garland in the past year and a half, but this is a clear indication that the Department of Justice is going to move forward,” Rahmani added.
The DOJ opened the grand jury investigation after National Archives officials confirmed in a letter to the House Oversight Committee that some of the documents recovered from Mar-a-Lago were marked classified. The National Archives referred the matter to the attorney general.
While little has been reported publicly about the probe, in keeping with department policy, experts said that in order to obtain a search warrant, investigators needed to have probable cause of a violation of federal law.
That means authorities would need to prove that there is sufficient reason based on known facts to believe that a crime has been committed, or that a certain property is connected with a crime.
The raid, however, doesn’t mean prosecutors have determined Trump committed a crime. In his statement, he labeled Monday’s raid an act of political persecution.
While probable cause is a lower legal standard than beyond a reasonable doubt or preponderance of evidence, experts said it’s likely the federal case is airtight given the gravity of raiding the residence of a former president.
“This thing would have to be bulletproof,” Nick Akerman, a former Watergate special prosecutor, told ABC News.
“This would be a very detailed affidavit that would almost present a case beyond reasonable doubt, such that there’s no way you could ever fault a judge or a prosecutor issuing this warrant,” he said.
The issuance of a federal warrant also likely means investigators received new information justifying such a seizure.
“The probable cause cannot be stale,” Akerman said. “This can’t be based on something that happened 18 months ago when Trump left office, it has to be something that happened more recently.”
In response to the warrant, many leading Republicans have echoed Trump in accusing the DOJ of being politically motivated. Some invoked the looming November midterm elections.
“The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in a statement. “When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned.”
Trump said the search was an “an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024.”
Generally speaking, the DOJ avoids major actions involving political candidates in the months just before an election. But that rule is not written into law — as was seen when the FBI publicly commented on its investigation into how Hillary Clinton handled classified material in the final days of the 2016 presidential race — and Trump has not declared he is running again in 2024.
The indication that the FBI search was in relation to Trump’s handling of government files has raised questions about one statute in particular: Section 2071 of Title 18 of the United States Code.
The law states that anyone who “willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, falsifies or destroys” government records faces a fine or up to three years in prison and is “disqualified from holding any office under the United States.”
But legal scholars have long been torn about whether the statute, which was also in the spotlight when Clinton used a private email server to conduct government business while secretary of state, could actually bar Trump from seeking another term given that the Constitution sets out the sole qualifications to be president.
Apple TV+ has given a season order to Land of Women, a limited series starring and executive-produced by Eva Longoria. The dramedy, per the streamer, follows “a New York empty nester whose life is turned upside down when her husband implicates the family in financial improprieties, and she is forced to flee the city alongside her aging mother and college-age daughter.” The women flee to Spain where they hope to “start anew and hope their identities will remain unknown, but gossip in the small town quickly spreads, unraveling their deepest family secrets and truths.” Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown‘s Carmen Maura will also star in the series, which is based on a best-selling novel by Sandra Barneda…
Netflix released 10 new images from Cobra Kai‘s upcoming fifth season that confirm the return of The Karate Kid Part III star Sean Kanan to the franchise as Mike Barnes, according to Entertainment Weekly. “As Terry Silver — played by Thomas Ian Griffith — calls upon some old friends to put the Valley in a stranglehold, Daniel and Johnny — played respectively by Ralph Macchio and William Zabka — are going to need all the help they can get to stop Cobra Kai in its tracks,” executive producers Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg teased at Netflix’s Tudum event on Tuesday. Cobra Kai season five launches September 9…
Deadline reports Jane Lynch will leave Broadway’s Funny Girl even earlier than expected, the play’s producers announced on Tuesday. Lynch will end her run on August 14 — several weeks before her previously announced September 4 date, which was already earlier than the originally planned Sept. 25 date. The host of NBC’s The Weakest Link had a long-scheduled vacation set to begin on Monday, August 15 and was set to return to the show on Tuesday, August 23, before departing for the Creative Arts Emmys on Thursday, September 1, producers said in a statement. “Rather than return for one week of performances, the producers have agreed to adjust her final performance to Sunday, August 14.” Lynch is an Emmy nominee in the Best Comedy Guest Actress category for her work on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building…
(NEW YORK) — Inflation data released on Wednesday revealed that price increases slowed in July, easing the strain on household budgets as the Federal Reserve fights inflation with a series of borrowing cost hikes that in theory should slow down the economy, slash demand and cut prices.
While still elevated, price hikes waned from the near-historic pace reached in June, giving hope to policymakers and consumers that inflation has peaked.
The consumer price index, or CPI, rose 8.5% year-over-year in July, a marked slowdown from 9.1% in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
On a monthly basis, the consumer price index rose 1.3% in July, remaining unchanged from the rise seen in June, according to the bureau.
The inflation data arrives as other indicators have sent mixed signals about the the economy in recent weeks.
A slowdown in the inflation rate emerged in part because the national average price of gasoline, which makes up a key portion of the consumer price index, has declined for more than 50 consecutive days, according to AAA.
Meanwhile, a government report on Friday revealed that hiring in July more than doubled economists’ expectations, defying Fed efforts to slow the economy and rebuking fears of a recession.
The significant uptick in hiring last month — an added 528,000 jobs and unemployment rate drop to 3.5% — came alongside elevated wage increases that may put upward pressure on consumer prices.
The heightened wage increases match a pattern that stretches back months. A closely observed measure of U.S. wages, called unit-labor costs, rose 9.5% over the second quarter of this year, the fastest rise of that metric since the first quarter of 1982, according to data released by the federal government on Tuesday.
When facing high inflation, policymakers fear what’s referred to as a price-wage spiral, in which a rise in prices prompts workers to demand raises that help them afford goods, which in turn pushes up prices, leading to a self-perpetuating cycle of runaway inflation.
The Fed has sought to avoid a price-wage spiral with a series of borrowing cost increases, Maurice Obstfeld, a professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley, told ABC News. At meetings in each of the past two months, the central bank has increased its benchmark interest rate 0.75% — dramatic hikes last matched in 1994.
“The data is telling us not that rate hikes have been ineffective but that the Fed will have to go quite a bit further,” Obstfeld said.
However, other data suggests that inflation fears have waned significantly.
A survey released by the New York Federal Reserve on Monday showed that consumers expect inflation to slow down.
Individuals who responded to the July survey said they expect inflation to run at a 6.2% pace over the next year and a 3.2% rate for the next three years, both of which marked significant declines from the inflation expectations expressed by consumers in the month prior.
(NEW YORK) — When the first lesion appeared on Jeffrey Todd’s right cheek in mid-July, the 43-year-old didn’t pay too much attention to it.
“I noticed I had like a pimple or like a blemish on my cheek and it had this very odd-looking raised white circle around the outside of the blemish and it felt indented a little bit like a crater,” Todd, who lives in Hollywood, California, told ABC News.
Being aware of the monkeypox outbreak spreading across the U.S., Todd said he did a Google search of what monkeypox rashes look like and “one of the images looked exactly like my blemish.”
He thought, however, the blemish would disappear by morning.
Over the next two days, Todd developed a series of bumps on the back of his right arm and back and a lesion appeared on his neck. He was itchy and had backaches, fatigue and shooting pain down his legs — all telltale signs of monkeypox.
Being diagnosed
Todd was first tested on July 13 but it took a while to get his results. He didn’t know at the time that the first clinic he visited sent the sample to a lab. The sample though was spoiled by the time it got there so it couldn’t be tested, he said.
As his condition continued to worsen, he went to the emergency room at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where staff performed an in-house test. The next day, Todd got his test results back and found out he was positive for monkeypox.
He is one of the more than 8,900 Americans who have tested positive for the disease across 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico as of Tuesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared the outbreak a public health emergency, 78 days after the first case was detected in the country in mid-May.
The outbreak has mostly affected men who identify as gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men, although the CDC has warned it is not a sexually transmitted disease and anyone is at risk of infection.
Todd, who identifies as gay, said he was contacted by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The nurse assigned to his case believes he contracted monkeypox at an event during Pride weekend in Los Angeles in late June.
“I was at a dance party,” he said. “It was enclosed. It was hot, sweaty. I was shirtless. It was really jam-packed — a lot of physical touching and close proximity to people. So that seems very much like where it probably happened.”
The CDC has said most cases in this outbreak have occurred from skin-to-skin contact or direct contact with a patient’s rash, lesions or body fluids.
The disease can also spread from prolonged contact of objects or fabrics used by a monkeypox patient, but it is a lower risk form of transmission, according to the CDC.
‘Traumatizing’ lesions
There are no treatments specifically for monkeypox. The disease is a cousin of smallpox, so antiviral drugs developed to treat smallpox may be used.
Tecovirimat, known as TPOXX, which is a two-week course of pills, can be considered for people at high risk of severe illness, such as those with weakened immune systems.
Todd said he heard about this treatment from friends of his in New York but it was difficult for him to access it.
After being tested for monkeypox the first time, he asked his physician if he could get on the antiviral medication. He said his physician referred him to an infectious disease specialist.
“He called me immediately and was like, ‘You know, I will try to get you on this medication but it’s a lot of red tape. Only the county is able to prescribe it but I’ll do the paperwork and get this going for you,'” Todd said.
After the county received his positive test from Cedars Sinai, Todd said he was approved for TPOXX two weeks after his symptoms first began.
Although his condition has improved since starting treatment, Todd said his lesions have caused him some pain. In late July, the lesion on his face scabbed over and fell off, leaving behind a small hole.
“My doctor said that the lesion was killing the tissue inside of my face,” he said. “It literally was so traumatizing to me.”
He continued, “I was expecting that to happen … I was excited that the scab was falling off and then part of my face was coming out.”
Todd said his doctor told him that hole will eventually heal but he will be left with a scar.
Raising awareness about monkeypox
Todd has made several videos showing the progress of his condition, including the “gruesome” nature of his lesions, which he has shared to social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
While he says some of the messages have not been kind, he said the overwhelming majority have been positive. He’s also encouraged some of his friends to get vaccinated.
Vaccines are recommended for those who have been exposed to monkeypox and for those who may be more likely to get it.
Data from Africa has shown two doses of vaccination with the smallpox vaccine, JYNNEOS, is at least 85% effective in preventing monkeypox infection.
Todd, who is officially ending his 28-day quarantine on Tuesday, said he wants to raise awareness of what it can be like to have a case of monkeypox.
“Please know that this can happen and I think that’s the dialogue that needs to be out there,” he said. “When I see people don’t take it seriously, they think, ‘Oh, it’s like Chickenpox.’ But no, it’s horrible and now I have a hole in my face.”
He went on, “I don’t want anyone else to go through what I’ve been going through.”
(NEW YORK) — It’s time to say “bye-bye” to bug bites.
As summer is still in full effect, so are lots of bugs that are ready to bite or sting exposed skin. Whether you are headed on a nature walk or out for a pool dip, everything from mosquitos and ticks to bees and other insects are ready to pounce.
But there are ways to prevent and treat your skin against some of those pesky stings, itches, bumps or marks left behind.
ABC News’ Good Morning America consulted with board-certified medical and cosmetic dermatologist Dr. DiAnne Davis, as well as board-certified pediatrician and expert on Bug Bite Thing’s medical advisory board Dr. Mona Amin to find out how to prevent and treat bug bites this season.
Are there any key indicators that would let someone know that they have a bug bite versus other skin irritations? How are you able to tell the difference?
Amin: With bug bites, you will usually see a lump or bump of redness and surrounding irritation — this is generally where the insect bit you and a telltale sign. Some people report seeing or feeling an insect bite them and then noticing the rash develop. Others have seen the rash begin as a hive, where the skin surrounding the bite looks red and puffy — our bodies create a histamine response to the irritant, which is the saliva of the insect.
What’s the first thing you should do when you have identified that you have a bug bite?
Davis:I know this is easier said than done, but the first thing you should try to do is not scratch the bug bite. For bites that itch, apply an ice pack or an over-the-counter anti-itch cream, such as hydrocortisone. Another option is to take an over-the-counter oral antihistamine.
To reduce swelling, apply an ice pack to the bite. If it’s a painful bite, take an over-the-counter painkiller, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
What’s a top product you recommend when treating a bug bite and why?
Amin:I recommend using Bug Bite Thing immediately after you notice the bite as it will reduce the itching, stinging and swelling within seconds. The product only uses suction and is chemical-free, making it a safe option for people of all ages, including infants and toddlers.
How do you go about getting rid of the sting, itch or pain associated with any bug bites or stings?
Davis:Topical steroids, which also encompass over-the-counter anti-itch creams, can really help to ease the inflammation that occurs with bug bites and reduces the itching.
What are some best practices to help ease inflammation caused by bug bites?
Amin: The best thing is to minimize scratching as soon as you see the bite. When we scratch our skin, this leads to more inflammation. More inflammation leads to more scratching. It’s what we call the “itch-scratch” cycle. Using a cool compress can also help ease inflammation after a bite.
Are most bug bites treatable at home? When is it necessary to seek professional help?
Davis:If you experience any serious symptoms after a bug bite, such as a rash, fever, body aches, difficulty breathing, chest pain, swollen lips, tongue, and/or face, dizziness, vomiting, or a headache, contact your doctor or a board-certified dermatologist immediately. Make sure you tell the doctor about your recent bite so that they can examine you for a transmitted disease.
(NEW YORK) — One person is dead and five others seriously injured after a bus overturned on the New Jersey Turnpike Tuesday, according to state police.
The fatal accident took place around 6:53 p.m. on the southbound Turnpike just before the Grover Cleveland Service Area, when a double-decker bus overturned and came to a stop on the entrance ramp to the service area, New Jersey State Police Sgt. Lawrence Peele told reporters Tuesday night.
During the collision, the bus hit a Ford F-150 pickup truck, Peele said. No one in the truck was injured.
The bus in the accident is a Megabus. The company told ABC News New York station WABC-TV there were 19 passengers and a driver on board from New York to Philadelphia. It did not provide additional details.
The entrance ramp near the crash is still shut down, N.J. State Police told ABC News.
The service area is located in Woodbridge, about 22 miles outside of New York City.
