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Gov. Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, NY AG probe finds

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was found to have sexually harassed multiple women, including current and former state employees, New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced Tuesday morning after a four-month probe into the allegations.

In at least one instance, the investigation determined that the governor sought to retaliate against a woman who leveled accusations against him, identified in a report released by the AG’s office as Lindsay Boylan.

According to James, the probe found that Cuomo and his staff fostered a toxic work environment. Cuomo, in a statement released after James’ announcement, denied any wrongdoing.

The attorney general’s 168-page report, released during her press conference, determined that “the governor engaged in conduct constituting sexual harassment under federal and New York State law.”

“Specifically, we find that the Governor sexually harassed a number of current and former New York State employees by, among other things, engaging in unwelcome and nonconsensual touching, as well as making numerous offensive comments of a suggestive and sexual nature that created a hostile work environment for women,” the report said.

At Tuesday’s press conference, employment discrimination attorney Anne Clark, one of the investigators assigned to lead the probe, presented a litany of findings from the report, including specific examples of the governor making suggestive comments and engaging in unwanted touching that eleven women — some named, others anonymous — found “deeply humiliating and offensive.”

In an instance involving one of Cuomo’s unnamed executive assistants, the governor was found to have “reached under her blouse and grabbed her breast,” according to the report.

The same woman also recounted a circumstance in which “the Governor moved his hand to grab her butt cheek and began to rub it. The rubbing lasted at least five seconds,” the report said.

In another instance, the report describes how Cuomo sexually harassed a state trooper assigned to his protective detail, including by “running his hand across her stomach, from her belly button to her right hip, while she held a door open for him at an event” and “running his finger down her back, from the top of her neck down her spine to the middle of her back, saying ‘Hey, you,’ while she was standing in front of him in an elevator.”

In his televised statement issued Tuesday afternoon in response to the report, Cuomo said that “the facts are much different than what has been portrayed” — and gave no indication that he would heed calls for his resignation.

“I want you to know directly from me that I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances,” he said.

Without directly undermining the attorney general’s report, Cuomo claimed that “politics and bias are interwoven into every aspect of this situation.”

Cuomo met with investigators for 11 hours last month and offered “a combination” of denials and admissions, Clark said Tuesday.

“There are some incidents he admitted to but had a different interpretation of, and there were other things that he denied or said he didn’t recall,” Clark added.

Once considered a leading voice among national Democrats for his aggressive response to the coronavirus pandemic, Cuomo has suffered a meteoric fall from grace in recent months under a deluge of negative headlines.

When sexual harassment claims against Cuomo emerged in March, federal investigators were already reportedly probing his administration over concerns that it withheld damning data about nursing home deaths in New York. Cuomo has also faced scrutiny over reports that he prioritized testing for his family in the early days of the pandemic.

At least six women, including several who previously worked for the three-term governor, have accused Cuomo of inappropriate behavior and unwanted advances — claims that he has either dismissed as an exaggeration or outright denied.

“Wait for the facts,” Cuomo said in March. “An opinion without facts is irresponsible.”

Reports of the alleged misconduct prompted James to launch an independent investigation, tapping two seasoned investigators to lead the probe.

As part of the fallout from the sexual harassment claims, Cuomo faced calls from several high-profile Democrats — including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. — to resign. Cuomo has rebuffed those calls.

Sandra Oh says she’s enjoying transitioning into “the mother stage of my career”

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Sandra Oh, who turned 50 last month, says she realizes that her roles are becoming more matronly as she ages, but says she’s not terribly bothered by that.

Speaking to The Cut, the Killing Eve star revealed, “I am moving into the mother stage of my career, and I know classically, a lot of actresses my age are upset and say, ‘Oh, I have to play the mother or the wife.'”

Instead, Oh said she’s looking forward to the challenge, adding, “There is tremendous richness in all of these experiences and relationships.”

The Golden Globe winner said she understands why some actresses may balk at playing the mom, adding, “When Me Too was happening, and many A-list actresses were getting together, and they realized that their experience was so isolated because many times in films, there’s only really one part for a woman.”

Oh said that hasn’t been her experience and referenced her 10-year run on Grey’s Anatomy when explaining, “Cristina Yang changed in real time, she developed in real time, and it was believable.”

The actress added that, while she’s sought roles that offered “dimensionality,” the pandemic further influenced her decision making.

“The pandemic shifted so many things for everyone, and I definitely opened and deepened and questioned my points of view and belief systems,” she said. “I feel in great creative shape and grateful to work on projects that are challenging the unbelievable pressure of being a modern woman.”

Oh will play Ming, an overprotective mom, in the upcoming Disney/Pixar animated film Seeing Red, due out March 11, 2022.

On the dramatic side, Oh’s set to star as Amanda in the supernatural horror Umma, which she says delves into “generational trauma” and will “question how mothering is challenging.” A release date is forthcoming.

The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” getting mashed-up with Salt-N-Pepa for upcoming ‘Cinderella’ film

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Forget the ball — Cinderella’s going to Wichita.

The White Stripes‘ “Seven Nation Army” is featured on the soundtrack to an upcoming new film based on the classic fairy tale, starring pop sensation Camila Cabello in the title role. According to the album’s track list, the 2000s alt rock classic will be sung by Nicholas Galitzine, who’ll play the Prince, and the Cinderella cast as a mash-up with — believe it or not — “Whatta Man,” Salt-N-Pepa‘s 1993 hit with En Vogue.

We have no idea what a “Seven Nation Army”/”Whatta Man” mash-up sounds like — we’re guessing it might somehow involve the line “From seven to seven he’s got me open like 7-Eleven” — but we’ll find out when the Cinderella soundtrack is released September 3. The album also features a rendition of Queen‘s “Somebody to Love,” as well as a mash-up of The Struts‘ “Could Have Been Me” and with a new Cabello song, “Million to One.”

Cinderalla the film premieres September 3 on Amazon Prime Video.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for another alternate version of “Seven Nation Army,” you can listen to Glitch Mob‘s electronic remix, which was finally officially released this past April 10, years after it was originally recorded.

Garth Brooks praises fans’ “character,” working on rescheduling Nashville stadium show

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

After intense thunder and lightning storms led to a cancellation of his show at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Saturday, Garth Brooks is actively working to reschedule the performance.

On Inside Studio G Monday night, Garth expressed that he was “heartbroken” that the weather forced him to postpone his first show at the Music City stadium, which drew more than 70,000 fans. He says he and his team are in the process of collaborating with the Nissan Stadium staff to work around the Tennessee Titans’ schedule and find a new date for the show.

“There is a rescheduled date that we’re working with, but we can’t confirm it yet. We’ve got to line it up with our stuff. But we’ll figure out what we do,” Garth explains.

The superstar went on to praise his loyal fans, who had to take shelter inside the concourses of the venue during the storm, lifting one another’s spirits with sing-a-longs to “Friends in Low Places.”

“They say that character is not created in crisis, it is displayed in crisis, or it is revealed. The one thing that I’ll brag about against anybody is the Garth crowd, ‘G City.’ Those people? Friggin’ amazing,” Garth raves. “My hat’s off to the Titan organization, to Nashville, the EMTs, all the first responders — amazing. The firemen, the police, everything. And then, of course, for the people that sat in those seats. So sweet.”

The Property Brothers reveal what inspired them to evolve and improve their brand over the years

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

The Property Brothers celebrated the 10th anniversary of their eponymous first show this year, which they reveal experienced some turbulence when they tried getting it off the ground.

Brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott told ABC audio why they continue to challenge themselves to grow and evolve their brand, ten years into the journey. It stems from not taking “no” for an answer, reveals Jonathan.

“What’s interesting is, in the very beginning, [HGTV] actually turned down our show, initially,” he explained, saying the network wasn’t particularly interested in the idea of two brothers renovating homes. So, the twins took their concept to Canada, where Property Brothers became a smash hit.

“We brought it here and the same thing happened,” said Jonathan.

As for what inspired the Scotts to create Property Brothers, Jonathan said they wanted to create an accessible home renovation show that is “fun, but also educational.” The two also built their brand on positivity, saying they treat every property they touch as “if they were our own home.”

“We want to do stuff that actually makes people’s lives better,” said Jonathan. “And then we evolved it.”

The Property Brothers has sparked at least 10 spin-off programs, with both brothers promising more on the way.

Drew remarked how their brand has gone from keeping up with current trends to becoming a trendsetter.

“I think that’s something that’s really exciting for us to be able to bring forward new innovation and new ideas,” he explained, noting how he and Jonathan embraced smart home technology, which is now increasing in popularity. “You know what they’ve been watching and you know how they got that!”

Colts guard Quenton Nelson to have foot surgery, out 5-12 weeks

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(INDIANAPOLIS) — Indianapolis Colts left guard Quenton Nelson will have foot surgery Tuesday afternoon, head coach Frank Reich announced on Tuesday.

It is the same procedure that starting quarterback Carson Wentz had on Monday.

Reich said this injury was likely something Nelson was born with, unlike Wentz, who had a high school foot injury.

Nelson will be out 5-12 weeks, the same length as Wentz.

The third-year pro has been named an All-Pro each year of his career. He is the fifth player in the past 50 years to achieve that feat.

Breaking Benjamin announces tour dates with Papa Roach

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Breaking Benjamin has announced a fall tour with Papa Roach joining on select dates.

The headlining outing is set to begin September 11 in Gilford, New Hampshire, and will wrap up September 22 in Huntington, West Virginia. Tickets go on sale this Friday, August 6, at 10 a.m. local time. Members of the Breaking Benjamin fan club will have access to a pre-sale beginning Wednesday, August 4.

For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit BreakingBenjamin.com.

Breaking Benjamin’s most recent album is 2018’s Ember. In 2020, they released a compilation titled Aurora, featuring reworked, acoustic-driven versions of past songs, as well as the brand-new single, “Far Away.”

Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett’s new album, ‘Love for Sale,’ due October 1

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Lady Gaga and legendary crooner Tony Bennett, who turns 95 today, will release their new duets album, Love for Sale, on October 1.

The record, which will be Bennett’s final studio recording, features him and Gaga singing songs penned by the iconic composer Cole Porter. The first single, “I Get a Kick Out of You,” is out today.

Tonight, Gaga and Bennett will take the stage at New York’s Radio City Music Hall for the first of two performances; the second takes place Thursday night. The video for “I Get a Kick Out of You” will debut on MTV, MTV Live, MTVU and its network of channels on August 6 at midnight. It’ll also be screened on an electronic billboard in New York’s Times Square.

Doing an entire album of Cole Porter songs was an idea that came up after the success of Gaga and Bennett’s first album, 2014’s Grammy-winning Cheek to Cheek, but it wasn’t recorded until after Bennett had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He received the initial diagnosis in 2016, but his family only revealed his condition in February of this year.

Here’s the track listing for Love for Sale:

“It’s De-Lovely”
“Night and Day”
“Love for Sale”
“Do I Love You”
“I Concentrate On You”
“I Get a Kick Out of You”
“So In Love”
“Let’s Do It”
“Just One of Those Things”
“Dream Dancing”
“I’ve Got You Under My Skin” (DELUXE VERSION)
“You’re the Top” (DELUXE VERSION)

Biden to announce 110 million vaccine doses shared worldwide as NGOs call for more

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Even as the delta variant is causing higher COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations across the United States, President Joe Biden will discuss his push to help get people around the world vaccinated in remarks Tuesday, highlighting that the U.S. has already shipped 110 million doses abroad.

The push to share vaccines globally is an effort to halt the rise of any future variants of the virus, which global health experts warn could potentially compromise vaccine immunity.

Biden will announce that the first of 500 million Pfizer vaccine doses the administration ordered for global distribution will begin shipping at the end of August. Of those doses, 200 million are expected to ship in 2021, with the remaining 300 million to follow in 2022.

Biden announced the 500 million-dose commitment at the G-7 summit in the United Kingdom in June, as part of an effort to drum up additional contributions from allies.

“We’re gonna help lead the world out of this pandemic, working alongside our global partners,” Biden said in remarks ahead of the summit. He added that the U.S. had a “responsibility” and a “humanitarian obligation to save as many lives as we can.”

Biden will also tout a vaccine-sharing milestone Tuesday: that the U.S. has already shipped more than 110 million doses to more than 60 countries around the world, mostly through COVAX, the World Health Organization’s vaccine-sharing initiative. The U.S. has shared more doses than every other country combined, according to U.N. data.

In April, Biden first committed to sharing 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which were purchased by the U.S. but never received FDA emergency use authorization. Biden also pledged in May to share another 20 million doses of the three available vaccines in the U.S., totaling a pledge of 80 million doses. Tuesday’s remarks will highlight the fact that U.S. contributions worldwide have already outpaced that 80 million-dose pledge.

Still, global public health experts warn that wealthier nations need to step up their efforts, noting that the longer it takes for poorer countries to become vaccinated, the longer the pandemic will persist worldwide.

Various non-governmental agencies, including the Center for Strategic International Studies, the Duke University Global Health Institute and the Center for Global Development penned an open letter to the Biden administration Tuesday, calling on the U.S. to ramp up its efforts.

“The US and G7 allies have taken important but modest steps to close the global vaccine gap, including by accelerating large-scale production and delivery of high-quality vaccines, increasing financial support to COVAX, and committing to share roughly 900 million doses over the next year (including 580 million from the US). But these actions fall far short of the true scale and urgency required,” the letter says.

“Getting 110 million doses out is really helpful, but in the scale that we need to find a way to get 10 billion plus doses out, it’s not even in the order of magnitude to make a difference,” said Dr. Krishna Udayakumar, director of the Duke Global Health Innovation Center. “The U.S. has done more than any other country so far, but that’s more an indictment of the whole response, as opposed to the U.S. standing out in any positive way.”

Udayakumar warned that while the focus continues to be on worldwide vaccine supply, distribution challenges will soon come to the fore.

“We have under-invested on the ground in ensuring vaccines can turn into vaccinations. My biggest concern is we’re going to see vaccines sitting in freezers around the world.” he said.

‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ documentary to be screened at Italy’s Venice Film Festival next month

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

The upcoming official Led Zeppelin documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin has been added to the lineup of the 2021 edition of Italy’s Venice International Film Festival, which runs from September 1 through September 11.

The movie will be screened as part of the out-of-competition section of the festival.

As previously reported, Becoming Led Zeppelin features new interviews with band members Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones, as well as archival interviews with late drummer John Bonham.

The film, which was directed by Bernard McMahon, follows the individual paths of Led Zeppelin’s four members through their various groups and musical endeavors en route to becoming part of one of the biggest and most influential rock bands in the world. The documentary ends in 1970, at the height of Led Zeppelin’s meteoric rise.

“With Becoming Led Zeppelin my goal was to make a documentary that looks and feels like a musical,” McMahon says in a statement. “I wanted to weave together the four diverse stories of the band members before and after they formed their group with large sections of their story advanced using only music and imagery and to contextualize the music with the locations where it was created and the world events that inspired it.”

McMahon adds, “I used only original prints and negatives, with over 70,000 frames of footage manually restored, and devised fantasia sequences, inspired by Singin’ in the Rain, layering unseen performance footage with montages of posters, tickets and travel to create a visual sense of the freneticism of their early career.”

McMahon also directed American Epic, an award-winning documentary series focusing on American roots music and its impact on the world.

Becoming Led Zeppelin was co-written and produced by Allison McGourty, who also co-wrote American Epic.

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