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Barry Manilow to miss premiere of his new stage musical ‘Harmony’ after testing positive for COVID

April 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The official New York City premiere of Barry Manilow‘s stage musical Harmony is taking place tonight, but unfortunately the legendary singer and songwriter won’t be able to attend the event because he’s contracted COVID-19.

“I am heartbroken to say that I have just tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t be able to attend tonight’s opening night performance of my new musical, Harmony,” the 78-year-old Manilow says in a statement. “This just might be the cruelest thing that has ever happened to me: 25 years waiting for this show to premiere in New York and I can’t attend.”

He adds, “Even in the face of this pandemic, we New Yorkers remain the toughest, staunchest people on the planet — so, put on a mask and go see a show!”

As previously reported, Harmony is being presented by the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene in the Edmond J. Safra Hall Theatre at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. Previews began on March 23, and regular performances will run through May 8.

Harmony features music composed by Manilow and a book written by Bruce Sussman. It first premiered at California’s La Jolla Playhouse 25 years ago. It was initially set to make its NYC debut in 2019, but was bumped to 2020 and then postponed again until this year due to the pandemic.

According to the show description, Harmony is based on the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, “a group of six talented young men, Jewish and gentile, who came together in 1920s Germany and took the world by storm with their signature blend of sophisticated close harmonies and uproarious stage antics.”

For more details about Harmony, visit NYTF.org.

Broadway’s ‘Aladdin’ cast hails Gilbert Gottfried: “Thank you for your voice”

April 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Last night, as reported, Gilbert Gottfried‘s fans, both famous and not, took to social media to mourn the comedian’s passing. But he was applauded on Broadway, too, thanks to the cast of Disney’s Aladdin the Musical.

After the performance of the show on Tuesday evening, Don Darryl Rivera, who plays Iago, stepped forward, still in costume. “We’d like to take a moment to salute a comedy legend,” the actor began. “A funny man with an indelible voice. The man who breathed life into Iago for the animated film, Mr. Gilbert Gottfried.”

Rivera continued, “I along with five other actors worldwide have the distinct privilege to bring Iago to life on stage and I think one of the main reasons this character is who he is, is because of what Gilbert brought to the animated film: his comedy and that voice.”

The actor added, “That voice, that voice that The New York Times once said ‘sounded like a busted Cuisinart,'” drawing laughter from the audience.

Rivera recalled that he first met Gottfried after a show, remembering that “he put his arm around me, and we snapped a few photos.”

He then pulled a copy of Aladdin on VHS from his costume and revealed he’d asked Gilbert to sign it when they met.

“He signed it for me, and it’s still one of my most treasured possessions,” said Rivera, who called Gottfried “really kind and sweet, and surprisingly soft-spoken.”

Rivera closed his tribute by saying, “Mr. Gottfried, thank you for the laughs,” bringing the house down.

Gottfried died early Tuesday morning from Recurrent Ventricular Tachycardia due to Myotonic Dystrophy type II. He was 67.

Chris Rock’s brother Kenny Rock wants Will Smith to meet him in the boxing ring

April 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Chris Rock‘s younger brother Kenny Rock recently told TMZ that he signed a deal to participate in a celebrity boxing match and that he’d be willing to meet Will Smith in the ring.

In the video clip, he revealed that the match is set for June 11, and while he hasn’t yet solidified an opponent, he says he’s looking to be the one to fight Smith, not his brother.

“I’ll let the hands do the talking,” he said, when asked if he had a message for Smith. He was then asked if, despite the height difference between him and Smith, he thinks he can take Will down. “No if, ands or buts about it,” he responded.

Rock also spoke about Smith’s 10-year ban from the Academy, the consequences of the King Richard actor walking on stage at the 2022 Oscars and slapping Chris Rock in the face. Kenny said, “We have to see if he’s actually going to get the 10-year ban. They might say a 10-year ban and after three years they’ll think we may have forgot about it.”

Rock previously spoke about the incident in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. He said that it bothers him to re-live the moment. “It eats at me watching it over and over again because you’ve seen a loved one being attacked and there’s nothing you can do about it,” he maintained.

Kenny Rock’s boxing match is scheduled for June 11 at the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida.

The Kid LAROI announces new single release date, disses ex-manager Scooter Braun on Twitter

April 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

It seems Taylor Swift isn’t the only artist who’s got a bone to pick with superstar manager Scooter Braun.

The Kid LAROI announced on Instagram today that his new single, “Thousand Miles,” is coming out April 22. But on Twitter, he posted a photo of himself listening to what appears to be a clip of that song — he’s captioned the tweet “4/22” — with the lyrics, “here goes another mistake/ I know I’m gonna make tonight/ and I will never change.” A thought bubble underneath him reads, “Show me ur last mistake. Use this audio.” That’s followed by three photos of Braun.

So why would LAROI call Braun his “last mistake?” Well, in June of last year, he left his original management and signed with Braun, who handles his friend, duet partner and mentor Justin Bieber. In September, LAROI left Braun and signed with a new manager, Adam Leber, who handles Lil Nas X and Labrinth, among other acts.

In October, a source told Billboard that LAROI left Braun because the manager had promised that he’d be directly involved with his career. But once LAROI was signed, the source noted, the Australian Grammy nominee felt that Braun wasn’t participating enough, and he also had “significant problems” with Allison Kaye, the president of Braun’s company, SB Projects.

In the Instagram post announcing his new single, LAROI included a message that reads, “Thank you for being so patient with me, family. I love you all eternally.”

Cuba Gooding Jr. pleads guilty to forcible touching to settle sex assault charges

April 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

In a Manhattan courtroom Wednesday, Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor forcible touching charge to resolve his forcible touching and sex assault case in Manhattan.

The actor had been accused of forcibly kissing a woman at a nightclub in September 2018. He also admitted to subjecting two other women to non-consensual physical contact in October 2018 and June 2019.

The actor could avoid jail time if he continues for six more months the alcohol and behavior modification treatment he began in 2019, and have no new arrests. If he does both, the Jerry Maguire star is allowed to re-plead to a lesser charge of Harassment in the Second Degree, with a sentence of time served and a permanent stay of sealing. If he does not comply, he faces up to one year in jail.

Gooding’s next court date is October 13, 2022.

Gooding, 53, was arrested in June 2019 after a 29-year-old woman said he squeezed her breast at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge in Times Square. Prosecutors added additional charges after two other women came forward and accused him of unwanted sexual overtures, including a server at TAO Downtown and another woman at the nightclub LAVO.

Gooding had long denied the charges, with his attorneys contending he was unfairly accused in the fervor of the #MeToo era.

“I’ve got to do the things that matter”: What Cody Johnson learned from his song, “‘Til You Can’t”

April 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Sure, Cody Johnson owes a whole lot of success to his song, “‘Til You Can’t” — the song was a number-one country radio hit, and earned him one of his two trophies at the 2022 CMT Awards. But it might have had an even greater impact on who he is as a person.

“It gave me a new perspective of, I’m only here for a little while,” Cody explains to People about the song’s significance. “I’ve got to do the things that matter. Spend time with your wife, spend time with your kids, push your career, do it while you’re here. Don’t wait for the next chapter. Make it the next chapter.”

Cody was living out those words of wisdom at this week’s CMT Awards, soaking up the milestones as he claimed his trophies for Male Video of the Year and CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year.

The night out also doubled as date night: Cody brought his wife, Brandi, to the show with him.

Britney Spears worries about being a good mom: “The media destroyed me when I first became a mother”

April 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Britney Spears is both excited and nervous to welcome her third child, and in a new Instagram post, admitted she’s worried about how the media will critique her parenting.

“With a baby on the way my thought this morning was ‘I’m so scared to make a mistake … will I be thoughtful enough ??? Will I be instinctive enough???'” she wrote Wednesday. “God knows I’m no saint but the media destroyed me when I first became a mother.”

This will be the third child for the singer, who shares sons Sean, 16, and Jayden, 15, with ex-husband Kevin Federline. The singer was sometimes portrayed as an unfit mother in 2007, headlines that were recently revisited by the New York Times for its Framing Britney Spears documentary on Hulu.

Britney explained of the nasty coverage, “I got pregnant at 24 … I thought about it last night … I was a baby raising 2 babies.”

“I didn’t know how to play the game !!! I was clueless and I wasn’t the brightest bulb on the tree either !!! I know that’s no excuse but it is what it is,” she continued, adding she is well aware of what was being said about her at the time. “The media has always been EXTREMELY rude to me.”

“I don’t want to be an angry pregnant person eating donuts every morning … then I thought about it … It’s going to be ok !!! Just be me and stop trying so hard !!! So I reeled it in [and] came back to reality,” Britney wrote.

The singer also flirted with the idea of doing a podcast about her pregnancy, and shouted out Ariana Grande for sending in some of her “awesome” r.e.m. beauty products. “Thank you Ariana for this amazing gift,” Britney raved, adding, “I needed eyeshadow !!! How did you know ???”

Men at Work teaming up with Rick Springfield and John Waite for US summer tour

April 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Fans of ’80s pop rock have a treat in store this summer, as Men at Work, Rick Springfield and John Waite will be hitting the road together for an 18-city U.S. tour.

The cross-country trek gets underway August 5 in St. Augustine, Florida, and is mapped out through a September 3 concert in Las Vegas.

The tour will celebrate the 40th anniversaries of Men at Work’s chart-topping debut album Business as Usual and Springfield’s RIAA-Platinum-certified Working Class Dog.

To check out a full list of shows and to purchase tickets, visit ColinHay.com/MenatWork.

The trek with Springfield and Waite as just part of what’s shaping up to be an extremely busy year for Men at Work frontman Colin Hay. He’s currently playing a series of U.S. headlining shows in support of his recently released solo album, Now and the Evermore, that’s scheduled through a May 12 performance in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Then, starting June 2 in Boston, Colin heads out on tour as a member of Ringo Starr‘s All Starr Band. That trek’s first leg currently is plotted out through a June 26 performance in Clearwater, Florida, while a just-announced second leg is scheduled from a September 23 concert in Bridgeport, Connecticut, through an October 19-20 stand in Mexico City.

Amanda Bynes and her fiancé drop single

April 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Amanda Bynes hasn’t said anything on her social media since her mother’s conservatorship of her affairs was terminated last month, but on her Instagram, she just posted that she and her fiancé, Paul Michael, have just dropped a single.

“Diamonds,” a song on which Michael raps, and Bynes provides the chorus, is available on Spotify and other streaming services.

“Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds on my neck, on my wrist,” Bynes chants, following with what sounds like, “diamonds, diamonds, diamonds on my fish, yeah I wish.”

While not assessing the quality of the track, which is apparently about partying and dropping money in Los Angeles, Bynes’ rapping style might be judged to be culturally questionable.

‘Dopesick’, ‘Hacks’, ‘Pen15’ among this year’s Peabody Award nominees

April 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The nominations are out for the 82nd Annual Peabody Awards, spotlighting 2021’s “most compelling and empowering stories released in broadcasting and streaming media2.”

Among the nominees this year are Questlove‘s Oscar-winning documentary Summer of Soul (…Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Hulu’s opioid crisis drama Dopesick, which previously earned Michael Keaton an Emmy award, and ABC’s reboot of The Wonder Years.

Other nominees in the Entertainment category include Netflix’s lockdown comedy special Bo Burnham: Inside; Hulu’s coming of age comedy Pen15; HBO Max’s post-apocalyptic drama Station Eleven; FX’s heralded comedy Reservation Dogs, HBO Max’s Sort Of; HBO’s Emmy-winning comedy Hacks; The Underground Railroad from Amazon Studios; Showtime’s black comedy Yellowjackets; PBS’ miniseries The Long Song, and Peacock’s punk music-celebrating series We Are Lady Parts.

“Demonstrating the immense power of stories, these nominees exposed our societal failures and celebrated the best of the human spirit,” noted the organization’s executive director Jeffrey Jones. “They are all worthy of recognition, and Peabody is proud to celebrate them.”

All told, PBS led the nominations with thirteen; HBO earned eight; Hulu and Netflix tied with five nominations; The New York Times and NBC both earned four; and ABC, Amazon Prime, BBC, and Showtime tied with two apiece.

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