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Nick Jonas and wife Priyanka are producing new Broadway comedy ‘Chicken & Biscuits’

September 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Nick Jonas is currently on tour with the Jonas Brothers, but apparently, he still has time to dabble in theater. He and his wife, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, have just joined the producing team of a new Broadway show called Chicken & Biscuits, which is currently in previews at New York City’s Circle in the Square Theater.

Chicken & Biscuits was written by Douglas Lyons and is directed by  Zhailon Levingston, who at 27 is the youngest Black director in Broadway history. It follows the Jenkins family, who deal with family infighting and secrets while planning their father’s funeral.

Nick has a major background in Broadway, having appeared in productions of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Les Misérables. In a statement, he says, “Broadway has always had a special place in my heart, it helped launch my career. And after the last year and a half, Broadway is exactly what we need in this world.”

“This play highlights the importance of love, laughter, and family,” adds Nick, who visited the cast and creative team this past weekend. “It’s got energy, it’s got style, and it’s got heart. The kind of vibe that is so unique to live theater.”

Priyanka notes that this is her first foray into Broadway, but adds, “It’s time we see some more diversity on the stage, and this cast and production team is making history on that front.”

Broadway, of course, is a small world: Nick worked with another Chicken & Biscuits producer, E. Clayton Cornelious, and one of the show’s co-stars, Michael Urie, on the upcoming new movie version of the musical Jersey Boys. Nick also appeared with Urie in How to Succeed.

Chicken & Biscuits officially opens October 10 for a limited engagement that runs through January 2.

‘True Lies’ TV series finds its Helen in ‘She-Hulk’ and ‘Kenan’ star Ginger Gonzaga

September 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

The CBS adaptation of the 1994 James Cameron hit True Lies now has its main couple.

Variety reports that actress Ginger Gonzaga, who will be seen in the Marvel Studios Disney+ show She-Hulk and currently appears on NBC’s Kenan, will be playing Helen, which was Jamie Lee Curtis‘ role in the movie.

As in the movie, Helen is fed up with her workaday life as her husband travels for his boring day job. But after years of typical married life boredom, she discovers Harry has actually been a bullet-dodging deep-cover operative for a secretive spy agency.

Arnold Schwarzenegger played Harry in the film; the trade reports Shameless veteran Steve Howey will be filling Arnold’s big shoes for the small-screen version.

Cameron, who adapted True Lies from the 1991 French film La Totale!, will executive-produce the series with his longtime Lightstorm Entertainment producer, Rae Sanchini.

The original True Lies film, which made more than $378 million worldwide, also starred Tom Arnold as Harry’s bumbling partner, Albert “Gib” Gibson; actor-turned Oscar-winning producer Grant Heslov as their tech expert, Faisal; and the late Charlton Heston as their spy agency boss. The late Bill Paxton also starred as Simon, a “pathetic” used car salesman who pretends to be a secret agent to woo Helen behind her husband’s back.

Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus is “cancer free”

September 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

In a very welcome bit of good news, Mark Hoppus is now “cancer free.”

The Blink-182 bassist/vocalist shared the announcement in an Instagram post Wednesday.

“Just saw my oncologist and I’m cancer free!!” Hoppus wrote. “Thank you God and universe and friends and family and everyone who sent support and kindness and love.”

Hoppus added that he still needs to “get scanned every six months” and that it will take him “until the end of the year to get back to normal.”

“But today is an amazing day and I feel so blessed,” he wrote. “Can I get a W in the chat?”

Hoppus revealed he’d been diagnosed with cancer back in June. He’d been documenting his journey through chemotherapy over the last few months with the sincerity and humor he’s known for. He even changed his Twitter bio to describe himself as a “cancer haver,” which has now been triumphantly changed to “cancer destroyer.”

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Hayley Williams deems Paramore’s ’Brand New Eyes’ “our ‘Some Kind of Monster’”

September 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Atlantic

Metallica and Paramore may not seem that similar on the surface, but Hayley Williams relates to one particular part of the metal legends’ history.

On Wednesday, the Paramore Twitter account marked the 12th anniversary of the band’s 2009 album Brand New Eyes. “12 years ago today we were obviously mad as hell at each other,” the post reads. “Thank y’all for the grace.”

Williams then retweeted her band and added, “This was our ‘Some Kind of Monster,'” referring, of course, to the 2004 documentary that explored the personal turmoil and intra-band strife that marred the recording process behind Metallica’s 2003 album, St. Anger.

Brand New Eyes was the much-anticipated follow-up to Paramore’s 2007 breakout album, Riot! While Brand New Eyes earned critical and commercial accolades, Paramore, much like Metallica, was dealing with personal issues and fracturing relationships between band members. Just a year after the album’s release, brothers and founding members Josh and Zac Farro left the band.

Zac eventually returned to Paramore in 2017, and is featured on their latest album, After Laughter.

this was our ‘some kind of monster’ https://t.co/REZRNdKN5w

— hayley from Paramore 🥀 (@yelyahwilliams) September 29, 2021

50 Cent launches entrepreneur program for Houston high school students

September 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has created an entertainment empire with his G-Unit music label, and several TV series, including the Power franchise and his latest production, BMF. Now he’s mentoring future entrepreneurs with a new business program for teenage students in Texas.

On Monday, he inducted 75 students from three Houston high schools into the G-Unity Business Lab, which he created and is partially funding with $300,000 from his G-Unity Foundation.

“When you grow up with the circumstances that I grew up under, it starts to feel like the biggest restraint is the financial restraint,” Jackson told the kids, according to the Houston Chronicle. “I worked really hard against that, like I did things to try to not to be under those circumstances. And I just want to be able to help provide programs that allow you the information to do it the right way.”

The students will attend a 12-week after-school program and learn business concepts. Then 50 Cent will select winners who will receive seed money to start their own companies.

Houston Independent School District Superintendent Millard House II said students “will graduate with critical thinking opportunities and problem-solving possibilities, learning core business concepts, like writing a formal business plan, with the support of HISD teachers, Houston business leaders and the foundation.”

Meanwhile, Jackson, Snoop Dogg, T.I., Flo Rida, Monica, Kash Doll, La La Anthony and Jeremih were among the celebrities attending the BMF premiere on September 23 in Atlanta. The crime drama debuted Sunday night on Starz.

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Funko announces Metallica ’Black Album’-themed Pop! figures

September 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Move over Diamond plaques and Grammy trophies, because Metallica‘s The Black Album has now earned the most prestigious honor there is: a Funko Pop! recreation.

The toy company has announced a Black Album-themed set in its ever-popular line of adorable, big-headed vinyl figures. The collection includes period-appropriate plastic versions of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and former bassist Jason Newsted, along with a Funko replica of the record and its cover artwork.

You can pre-order the package now exclusively via Walmart.com.

The Black Album celebrated its 30th anniversary in August. Earlier this month, Metallica released a deluxe reissue of the record, as well as The Metallica Blacklist, a 53-track tribute compilation featuring covers of each one of the original album’s songs.

Walker Hayes calls “Fancy Like” a love song for normal people

September 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Walker Hayes‘ career has had a big, big boost thanks to the viral success of “Fancy Like,” a move that was anything but calculated. The Alabama native is still blown away by how much the song has propelled him and his music, especially now.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen to a 41-year-old dude with a wife, six kids, two dogs and two gerbils,” Walker concedes to People, adding that it’s really geared to the everyday American.

“It’s a love song for people with mortgages and kids,” he says. “That’s it — that’s what we accidentally did. We wrote about everybody who lives in a strip-mall town, and they’re fine with it. And you know what’s cool about it is, that’s me.”

While Walker might be famous, he insists he’s just like the people he’s singing to on “Fancy Like.”

“My wife and I live in a cookie-cutter suburban neighborhood with a ballpark and a Y and some schools and strip malls — Chick-Fil-A, Kroger, Burger King, Waffle House, Applebee’s …We’re obviously like a lot of people, and really, it’s freeing because, wow, there’re more dudes out there like me,” he says.

NBA tells unvaccinated players they won’t get paid for missed games

September 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The NBA is warning players unvaccinated for COVID-19 that they will not be paid for games they miss due to local executive orders governing requirements for shots.

“Any player who elects not to comply with local vaccination mandates will not be paid for games that he misses,” Mike Bass, the NBA’s executive vice president of communications, said in a statement Wednesday morning.

The new rule, initially reported by ESPN, could pose problems for teams like the Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors because New York and San Francisco are among the cities requiring COVID-19 vaccines to enter those teams’ basketball arenas.

The Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the Nets’ home court, requires one coronavirus shot to enter. At the same time, San Francisco’s Chase Center, where the Warriors play, mandates that only fully vaccinated people can enter.

On Friday, the NBA announced it had “reviewed and denied” Warriors player Andrew Wiggins’ request for a religious exemption and that he would not be able to play in Warriors home games until he meets San Francisco’s vaccine mandate. The Warriors’ first regular-season home game is scheduled for Oct. 21.

During the Warriors’ media day on Monday, Wiggins told reporters that his vaccination status is “private” but acknowledged his “back is definitely against the wall.”

“I’m just going to keep fighting for what I believe,” Wiggins said. “I’m going to keep fighting for what I believe is right. What’s right to one person isn’t right to the other and vice versa.”

Wiggins’ annual salary is $31.6 million.

Nets star Kyrie Irving, who makes about $34 million a year, was forced to participate in the team’s media day at Barclays Center on Monday via Zoom as a result of the vaccine mandate in New York. However, he refused to discuss his vaccine status.

“That doesn’t mean that I’m putting any limits on the future of me being able to join the team,” Irving, vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, said without elaborating.

The Nets home opener is scheduled for Oct. 24.

The vaccine mandates in San Francisco and Brooklyn only apply to players who compete in those markets, according to the NBA. Out-of-town players are exempt from executive orders.

The New York Knicks previously said its entire organization, including all players, is fully vaccinated and in compliance with the New York City law.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James publicly revealed on Tuesday that he got the vaccine.

“I think everyone has their own choice to do what they feel is right for themselves and their family and things of that nature,” James told reporters. “I know that I was very (skeptical) about it all. But after doing my research and things of that nature, I felt like it was best suited for not only me but for my family and my friends. And, you know, that’s why I decided to do it.”

The NBA is set to tip-off its regular season on Oct. 19 and teams are expected to play a regular 82-game schedule for the first time since the 2018-2019 season.

Wave Brenda & Eddie hello: Video for Billy Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” premieres Thursday

September 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

It was never a single, but Billy Joel‘s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” from his 1977 album The Stranger, is one of his most beloved tracks. Billy’s lyrics paint such a vivid picture — a bottle of red, a bottle of white and those sweet romantic teenage nights with Brenda and Eddie — that it’s no wonder it’s finally inspired a music video after all these years.

The animated clip will premiere on Billy’s official YouTube channel at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday. There will also be a live chat with the video’s creative director, Steve Cohen. Another creative director, Ryan McAllister, explains the impetus behind the video in a preview posted on Billy’s socials.

“There’s a whole catalog of music that existed before music video,” says McAllister. “That led to a discussion of, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to make a music video for one of these classic hits that never had [one]?'”

He continues, “It’s been about a year since we started working on this. And we’re super-stoked to see it out in the world. This project was sorta like the beginning of the path back from the darkness that started with the pandemic, so it has a really special place for all of us.”

October will mark the 50th anniversary of the release of Billy’s debut album, Cold Spring Harbor, and his five-decade career is being celebrated with Billy Joel – The Vinyl Collection, Vol.1, a nine-LP set coming out on November 5.

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Watch teaser for Dave Chappelle’s stand-up special ‘The Closer’; Toni Braxton returns to Lifetime with film series

September 29, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Dave Chappelle is headed back to Netflix with The Closer, a brand-new stand-up comedy special that will premiere on October 5.

Netflix released a teaser on Wednesday which shows Chappelle on stage telling an audience that “Comedians have a responsibility to speak recklessly.” Billed as “the sixth chapter,” the special serves as a potential ending to the comedian’s previous specials, which include The Age of Spin, Deep in the Heart of Texas, Equanimity, The Bird Revelation, and Sticks & Stones. Stan Lathan, who directed Chappelle’s previous Netflix specials, also returns to direct The Closer.

In other news, Toni Braxton is deepening her relationship with Lifetime. According to Deadline, the singer has returned to the network to star and exec-produce a series of television movies based on the Hollis Morgan mystery book series by R. Franklin James. In the first film installment, tentatively called The Fallen Angels Book Club, Braxton plays Hollis Morgan, an “ex-con turned amateur sleuth who sets out to investigate a series of murders at her book club.” As previously reported, Braxton made her TV movie debut with Lifetime’s Twist of Faith. She later went on to executive-produce and star in two other projects for the network. The Fallen Angels Book Club is expected to premiere sometime in 2022.

Finally, Ruth Negga is teaming up with Daniel Craig for a Broadway production of Macbeth, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. This play marks Negga’s Broadway debut and Craig’s return to Broadway after recently ending his run as James Bond in No Time to Die. Negga will play Lady Macbeth, while Craig will take on the titular role. Directed by Tony winner Sam Gold, opening night for Macbeth is set for April 28, 2022 at the Lyceum Theatre. Additional casting has yet to be announced.

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