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Former ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett to be sentenced in racist hoax attack

March 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(CHICAGO) — Former Empire actor Jussie Smollett will get one last chance to publicly admit to fabricating a 2019 hate-crime attack on himself before learning whether a judge sentences him to prison.

Smollett, 39, is scheduled to appear Thursday afternoon in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago to hear his fate after a jury convicted him in December on five of six felony counts of disorderly conduct stemming from him filing a false police report and lying to police, who spent more than $130,000 investigating his allegations.

During his trial, the actor testified in his own defense, maintaining his story that two masked men wearing hats bearing former President Donald Trump’s “MAGA” motto assaulted him on a street and put a noose around his neck.

“There was no hoax,” Smollett testified.

Judge James Linn is allowing news cameras into Thursday’s hearing, in which Smollett is expected to be granted an opportunity to speak.

Several supporters of Smollett, including civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson and actor Samuel L. Jackson, have written Linn letters vouching for Smollett’s character and asking him for leniency, according to ABC Chicago station WLS-TV.

“Jussie has a long track record of being a deeply engaged and contributing citizen,” the Rev. Jackson wrote in his letter to Linn. “Jussie has already suffered.”

Samuel L. Jackson and his wife, actress LaTanya Jackson, sent a letter to Linn asking him to “please find an alternative to incarceration.”

The maximum sentence Smollett faces is three years in prison. But Linn could consider Smollett’s lack of criminal history and sentence him to probation.

The judge could also order Smollett to pay a fine, restitution, or both.

Smollett’s lawyers have said they plan to appeal the conviction and that Smollett is “100% confident” he will win.

The openly gay actor told police that on Jan. 29, 2019, he was walking on a street near his Chicago apartment around 2 a.m. when he was set upon by two men. The attackers allegedly shouted racist and homophobic slurs before hitting him, pouring “an unknown chemical substance” and wrapping a rope around his neck.

Chicago police said Smollett’s story of being the victim of an attack began to unravel when investigators tracked down two men, brothers Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, who they said were seen in a security video near where Smollett claimed he was assaulted and around the same time it supposedly occurred.

The Osundairo brothers testified during Smollett’s trial that the actor paid them $3,500 to help him orchestrate and stage the crime.

In a stunning move, Cook County District Attorney Kim Foxx’s office initially dropped all charges against Smollett in March 2019 despite acknowledging Smollett fabricated the street attack on himself in a bizarre attempt to get a pay raise.

Prior to the decision to drop the charges, Foxx recused herself from the Smollett probe after it surfaced that she had been in touch with Smollett’s family. She left the decision on the disposition of the case to Joe Magats, the first assistant state attorney in Cook County.

As part of an agreement with prosecutors, Smollett forfeited 10% of a $100,000 bond and preemptively completed community service prior to the charges being dropped.

Watch new music video for Elton John recent duet with Stevie Wonder, “Finish Line”

March 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

On his recent collaborative album The Lockdown Sessions, Elton John teamed up with a lot of famous artists, perhaps none more legendary than his old friend Stevie Wonder, with whom he recorded the song “Finish Line.” Now, an emotional and heartwarming music video for the tune has premiered on Elton’s official YouTube channel.

The clip, which was directed by Zack Sekuler, features a montage of vintage home movies, other footage and photos depicting or capturing pivotal moments in people’s lives, including couples with their babies, weddings, family gatherings, retirement parties and more.

The video also includes recent footage of scenes from the pandemic, including nurses and other front-line workers, and people going about their everyday lives while wearing masks. In addition, the clip boasts film clips and photos of Elton and Stevie together at various events throughout their lives, including concert performances, as well as in the music video for “That’s What Friends Are For,” their 1985 chart-topping hit that also featured Dionne Warwick and Gladys Knight.

On his official website, Elton explains that after almost 50 years of friendship, “Finish Line” marked his first-ever vocal duet with Stevie, who also played harmonica and acoustic piano on the track.

“It sounds simply incredible. Stevie sounds like he’s 19 again,” Elton says. “It was a special experience making this record with Stevie.”

Released in October 2021, The Lockdown Sessions peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200 and topped the U.K. albums chart.

Original Sponge guitarist Mike Cross has died

March 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Mike Cross, the original guitarist for the ’90s alt-rock outfit Sponge, has died.

“It is with heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of Mike Cross,” reads a post on the Sponge Facebook page. “One of the musical architects and founding member of Sponge. His influence and talent will be missed.”

Cross was 57, according to Blabbermouth. The cause of death was not announced.

Cross co-founded Sponge in 1992 alongside his brother Tim Cross and vocalist Vinnie Dombroski after the three had played together in the Detroit band Loudhouse. Sponge released their debut album, Rotting Piñata, in 1994, which spawned rock and alternative radio hits in “Plowed” and “Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain).”

Sponge released two more albums, 1996’s Wax Ecstatic and 1999’s New Pop Sunday, before the Cross brothers left the group in 2000. The band has since released six more albums, with Dombroski as the sole remaining original member.

Cross, meanwhile, had recently started a new project called MC Roads. The band’s debut EP, No Nostalgia, was released just last September.

Gwen Stefani says No Doubt’s ‘Return of Saturn’ album helped inspire her makeup line, GXVE

March 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Gwen Stefani can thank the music she wrote in 2000 for inspiring her all-new makeup line, GXVE.

Speaking with Vanity Fair, the singer explained how the No Doubt album Return of Saturn, which she wrote when she was depressed and confused, made her want to pursue her passion project. Gwen said she revisited her 2000 work about seven years ago, when her life was “falling apart,” admitting she previously avoided listening to the record because of how much it stung.

“Everything was written in those songs,” she explained. “It’s like a diary.”

But listening to such a raw body of work made her want to chase her dream of creating her own beauty line: “This is what I’ve prayed about. This is the rest of my life… This is my creativity and my give-back,” said Gwen.

The Grammy winner said she’s been invested in makeup “since birth,” adding she grew up next to Disneyland and worked at a makeup counter in Anaheim, California. Gwen recalled of her old job, “What I loved about it was the feeling people would get from me: when we were done and they looked at themselves and said, ‘I had no idea I was this pretty,’ or ‘I didn’t know I could look like this.'”

Gwen carried that with her over the years, and revealed, “For every show I’ve ever played live, I’ve done my own makeup. That’s part of the ritual to [become] the person that needs to be out there.”

Added Gwen, “Maybe that’s why I got this far, because I love it.”

Return of Saturn’s original name was Magic’s in the Makeup, after another song on the record. “I think about those lyrics all the time,” Gwen says. “I always wished that song was heard by more people.”

‘Our Flag Means Death’ explores insanely true story of “The Gentleman Pirate” Stede Bonnet

March 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The premise of the new pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death is so crazy, it just has to be true — and it is. The HBO Max series is based on the real life of Stede Bonnet, an 18th century wealthy English landowner turned pirate.

Show creator David Jenkins first learned about Bonnet from his wife and then ran to Wikipedia for more information. He tells ABC Audio that Bonnet “had a health crisis and left his family and became a pirate. And then, he very quickly got stabbed and then he met Blackbeard, the greatest pirate.”

“And then there’s wonderful holes in the narrative,” he adds. “Why did he leave his family? He says he was being nagged, but you’re like, dude, what did you do? How did you mess this up? I want to know. And then are you with Blackbeard? What’s up with that?”

While Jenkins couldn’t help but research about the Barbadian pirate, Rhys Darby, who plays Bonnet on the show, jokingly tells ABC Audio he didn’t do any research to play the role.

“You don’t have to do any. I mean, all these people are raving on about research. I mean, the audience aren’t doing research. They’re not ticking off a box. ‘Oh, he didn’t do that!’ And if they are, you know, shut up and just watch the entertainment,” he quips.

Even without doing research, Darby says that pirate life is often romanticized, but in practice doesn’t seem that great.

“There’s an element of everyone imagining what that might be like,” he explains. “Imagine being James Bond, having those mad skills. But you’d only ever want to do it for five minutes because, you know, it’s a horrendous life.”

Our Flag Means Death is streaming now.

Kelsea Ballerini’s getting a tour bus makeover in the new season of ‘Get Organized with the Home Edit’

March 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Season 2 of Get Organized with the Home Edit is coming to Netflix, and this time around, Kelsea Ballerini is among the celebrity clients getting professionally organized.

In the show, Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin bring their organizational skills to spaces everywhere, turning clutter into cleanliness and delivering much-needed order to chaotic living spaces.

The first round of the series featured some big names, including Kane Brown and his wife Katelyn, who got a transformed kitchen pantry on one episode of the show.

This time around, Kelsea’s tour bus is up: A trailer for the show goes inside the bus and finds Clea and Joanna giving Kelsea’s space a complete makeover, including a perfectly organized snack drawer.

TV Insider reports that singer-songwriter Tyler Hubbard — who is one half of the currently defunct superstar duo Florida Georgia Line — will get the Home Edit treatment this season, too.

The show resumes April 1 on Netflix.

“That’s so cool”: Elton John’s delighted that ultra-hip streetwear brand put his face on a skateboard

March 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Sure, you can buy a $50 Elton John concert t-shirt if you go see his Farewell Tour, but if you’ve got deeper pockets and more upscale taste, a new collection is launching Friday that features Elton’s mug plastered across some high-end streetwear.

Palace, the London-based skateboard and clothing brand worn by the likes of Justin Bieber, Rihanna and The Weeknd, is bringing out a capsule Elton John collection called “The Bitch Is Back,” after Elton’s hit of the same name.

It features short- and long-sleeved tees decorated with iconic photos of Elton at the height of his career in the ’70s, with a focus on images from his legendary show at Dodgers Stadium in 1975. “An extraordinary time in my career, a very happy time in my life,” Elton says in a video in which he shows off the new merchandise.

There’s also a sweater, two tracksuits and a rug with one of the Dodgers Stadium images on it.

The pièce de résistance, though, is the custom skateboard deck featuring an image of Elton in his Dodgers Stadium outfit, with the word “Palace” written across his chest, rather than “Dodgers.”

All the items will become available online Friday at 11 a.m. ET, and in the Palace stores in New York and Los Angeles at 11 a.m. local time.

“It’s so cool to have your face on a skateboard; I never thought that would happen,” Elton says in the video. “That’s so cool!”

The website Hypebeast quotes Elton as saying of the collection, “It really captures the essence of youth and freedom from my time on the road in the ’70’s. I’ve never been a skateboarder but that’s not going to stop me wearing the lot!”

Kelsea Ballerini co-hosting the CMT Music Awards with actor Anthony Mackie

March 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Kelsea Ballerini is returning to her co-hosting gig at the CMT Music Awards for 2022. Billboard reports that she’s sharing the stage this year with actor Anthony Mackie.

Last year, Kelsea co-hosted the CMT Awards with Kane Brown, in what was her first time as a host on the show. Kane’s not returning this year, but Anthony — known for his roles in The Hurt Locker and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier — is stepping in to fill his shoes.

Though he isn’t technically in the country world, Anthony has a little bit of history with the CMT Awards. Last year, he presented the final award of the night, Video of the Year, which went to Carrie Underwood and John Legend’s “Hallelujah.”

The 2022 CMT Music Awards will take place on April 11. For the first time, it’s airing on CBS, live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

Nominees for the fan-voted awards show will be revealed on March 16.

Billy Joel biopic ‘Piano Man’ gets the green light, but none of his music will be used

March 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

A Billy Joel biopic has just been green-lit, but, unfortunately, it seems that none of the Piano Man’s legendary hits will be included in the project.

Variety reports that the movie, called Piano Man, will focus on Billy’s early years, starting with when he was discovered at age 16 by his first manager, Irwin Mazur. The film will follow Billy as he performs in various bands in the ’60s, through to 1972, when a live recording of his song “Captain Jack” went viral on East Coast radio and led to him to sign a deal with Columbia Records.

However, a rep for Billy says that because the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer isn’t involved in the project, no rights to his music, life story, name or likeness will be granted.

So how will the movie be made? Variety reports that the studio has acquired the life rights of Mazur, who managed Billy from 1965 to 1972. Mazur will be an executive producer and Variety quotes him as saying the film will depict “the real-life events I witnessed first-hand.”

Adam Ripp, whose dad Artie Ripp signed Billy to his first solo recording deal and produced his debut album, Cold Spring Harbor, will also executive-produce the movie, in addition to writing and directing it.

In a statement, Adam says, “Billy Joel has been a part of my life since my father signed him to his record label when I was 4 years old…it’s been a dream of mine as a filmmaker to explore and celebrate the untold story of how Billy Joel became the Piano Man.”

In 2019, Billy told Billboard that if a biopic is ever made of his life, “I just hope they don’t get a short, fat, ugly guy to play me.”

BTS makes their grand return to performing after period of res

March 10, 2022 by WDNY Radio

BTS is rested up after their well-deserved holiday break and made their grand return to performing on Thursday.

Rolling Stone reports the Grammy nominees kicked off their three-day Permission to Dance on Stage show, which is taking place at the Olympic Stadium in Seoul, South Korea. Thursday’s performance marked the first time in two years BTS performed in their home country. Their last live show was in October 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic derailing their plans of future performances.

Because of ongoing COVID-19-related restrictions, the 70,000-seat venue limited the crowd to just 15,000 fans. In addition, masks were mandatory at the event and fans were discouraged from screaming, cheering and singing along with BTS.

The septet dove into their biggest hits for their first show, performing “Dynamite,” “Butter,” “DNA,” “Burning Up (Fire),” “On” and “Permission to Dance.”

International fans can catch BTS’ concert on March 12 at their local cinema, thanks to the BTS Permission to Dance on Stage — Seoul: Live Viewing streaming event. The concert will simultaneously premiere in theaters in over 60 countries on Saturday starting at 4:30 p.m. EST.

Unfortunately, U.S. fans will be unable to nab tickets to BTS’ upcoming Las Vegas shows this April, as pre-ticket sales gobbled up every available seat for all four nights.

Live events aside, BTS is gearing up for their next era in music. Their label, Big Hit, confirmed the group is working on a new album but did not disclose a release date.

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