Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence head up an all-star cast in Netflix’s new apocalyptic dark comedy Don’t Look Up, the teaser for which just dropped.
The teaser intercuts DiCaprio’s rumpled astronomer character hyperventilating in a bathroom, as the world gets chaotic thanks to a planet-killing comet hurtling towards Earth.
“You’re breathing is stressing me out!” Jonah Hill later says, apparently as an aide in the Oval Office.
“This will affect the entire planet!’ protests DiCaprio.
“I know, but it’s, like, so stressful,” Hill says, mocking him breathlessly.
Lawrence’s character also tries to convince the president, played by Meryl Streep: “There’s a comet heading directly towards Earth.”
Streep replies skeptically, “Do you know how many ‘The world is ending’ meetings we’ve had over the past two years?”
Hill’s character agrees: “Drought, war, famine, hole in the ozone, it’s sooo boring.”
The snippet also shows an apparent attempt to avert disaster with a slew of ballistic missiles headed towards space, escorted by a space shuttle with Ron Perlman in the cockpit.
Directed and written by The Big Short Oscar-winner Adam McKay — the guy also behind Step Brothers and the Anchorman movies — Don’t Look Up also stars Timothée Chalamet, Michael Chiklis, Ariana Grande, Tyler Perry, and Oscar winners Mark Rylance and Cate Blanchett.
The film, no doubt a metaphor for real-life climate catastrophe from environmentalists DiCaprio and McKay, hits Netflix on December 24.
Luke Bryan was beaming with pride when he walked his niece, Jordan Cheshire, down the aisle at her wedding, filling the empty spot left behind by his late brother-in-law, who passed away in 2014.
Taking to Instagram recently, the wedding planner shared the magical moment of the country crooner escorting Jordan, 26, and rubbing her hand as they glided down the aisle. Bryan, 45, even took a moment to adjust his niece’s veil, so she looked perfect before walking up to Clint Eudy, her future husband, at the altar.
The couple married at the Troubadour Golf and Field Club in Tennessee.
“So many hard working hands over many months, and 20 days on-site led to THIS magical moment,” planner Emily Clarke Events wrote in the caption. “This is why we do what we do!”
In their Instagram stories, the planner also revealed that Luke also danced with his niece to Phil Collins‘ “You’ll Be in My Heart” and consoled her during the emotional tribute.
Bryan and his wife Caroline helped raise Jordan and her two brothers after both their parents passed away. His sister, Kelly, unexpectedly passed away in 2007 and his brother-in-law, Ben Lee Cheshire, died of unknown causes in 2014 at age 46.
Jordan was 19 when her father died. Her brothers, Kris and Til were 16 and 12, respectively.
The American Idol judge previously opened up to People about staying strong for his niece and nephews, telling the outlet in July, “I’ve had so many tragedies in my life…Maybe [my brother] Chris and Kelly and Lee have moved some puzzle pieces around to make my life so fortunate. When I say my prayers at night, I have to say, ‘Thank y’all for looking after us down here.'”
(VIRGINIA) — Like many educators this fall, Jill Biden headed back to the classroom at Northern Virginia Community College Tuesday as the first presidential spouse to hold a full-time job while also serving her duties as first lady.
She was also the first second lady to continue with her full time career while her husband was serving as vice president.
Biden is teaching two sections of an introductory academic writing course this semester, with one section fully in-person and the other being a hybrid model of in-person and online learning, according to the college’s course catalogue.
Throughout the pandemic Biden has advocated for the importance of returning to in-person instruction, writing for ABC’s “Good Morning America,” “I know that classrooms are so much more than places where our children learn math and reading.”
Elizabeth Natalle is a founding and board member of the First Ladies Association for Research and Education, an organization that promotes and publicizes the contributions of first ladies.
She said Biden’s dual career as a first lady and a professor is not only historic but it more accurately reflects the reality of American women which is a reality that embodies both being a working professional and having families.
“I think Jill Biden is very purposefully being quite vocal about her title, about her professionalism, about her work as a way to inspire and be a role model for American women and for girls growing up,” she said.
Having been an educator for over 30 years and continuing to teach during her husband’s two terms as vice president, Biden had already established some precedent that she could do both, according to Anita McBride, the director of the First Ladies Initiative at American University, which studies the influence of first ladies on politics, policy and public diplomacy.
“It’s something that she made clear that ‘It’s not just what I do, it’s who I am,’ and she prepared the country for the fact that she would continue to do so,” McBride said.
Over the past few presidencies, the country has been inching towards having a first lady who also has a job to balance with presidential spousal duties, McBride said. And Biden is not unlike other first ladies in her efforts to move America forward on its views about working women.
“You can point to almost any first lady in our history and show where they have risen to the occasion and tried to move the country forward and just push the envelope a little bit further on various issues,” she said.
Biden, who goes by “Dr. Biden” in class, has her doctorate of education in educational leadership from the University of Delaware. Last December, an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal that garnered explosive reactions called on Biden to drop the title.
The op-ed’s author, Joseph Epstein, wrote that the use of doctor by Biden “sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic.”
In a tweet, Biden responded by saying “Together, we will build a world where the accomplishments of our daughters will be celebrated, rather than diminished.”
Natalle said that first ladies are embroiled in a paradox of public criticism for either being too involved in political matters and not focusing on other duties or not being involved enough — and Biden is no exception.
“First ladies, no matter what they do, find themselves between a rock and a hard place,” she said.
While Biden has been vocal about continuing to teach and the importance of returning to in-person learning, she keeps a low profile about her second job as first lady.
The two courses she is teaching are listed on the semester’s course schedule as being taught by “Tracy, J.” — which is her middle name.
According to her Rate My Professor profile, which is a website that allows students to review college professors, one student wrote that “I mean, who — in her position — would continue here with all that’s going on in her family’s very public life? But in the classroom she’s simply Dr. Biden.”
She is also classified as a “tough grader” but also a “wonderful teacher” by student reviews.
Natalle hopes that Biden’s commitment to continue in her profession will create a lasting impact.
“I hope that she sets a precedent for future first spouses, whether that’s a man or a woman, to be a working person who’s respected for that,” she said.
Twenty One Pilots has announced a virtual concert with Roblox, the massively popular online game platform.
The show is set to premiere next Friday, September 17, at 7 p.m. ET. Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun will perform five-song “dynamic” set list, meaning the tracks will be chosen by fans in real-time.
Those watching will also have access to “metaverse-spanning pre-concert quests involving some of Roblox’s most popular experiences that also feature custom portals that will transport users into the pre-concert venue,” which we assume makes sense to people who play Roblox.
“Twenty One Pilots is a band that has spent their entire career figuring out how to reach the most people possible,” says Mark Eshleman, the “Stressed Out” duo’s longtime creative director.
“From selling out the small room and moving to the big venue next door, to now launching a virtual experience with Roblox for millions of users, the goal has always been the same,” Eshleman continues. “The Roblox team has made an effort every step of the way to honor the band’s fans, its lore, and history to make sure this experience aligns with what people can expect from a show.”
Twenty One Pilots released their new album, Scaled and Icy, in May, featuring the singles “Shy Away” and “Saturday.” They’ll perform “Saturday” this Sunday at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards.
The pandemic proved to be a time of introspection for Andy Grammer, and now he’s released a super-upbeat single inspired by what he learned about himself during that time.
The song is called “Damn It Feels Good to Be Me,” about which Andy explains, “The pandemic forced me to spend nearly two years stripped of the identity I had worked hard to create for myself in the world. I had the gift of time to re-examine a lot and realized that sometimes, in an effort to fit in with culture, I am tempted to turn myself down for the fear of not being accepted.”
“So, I wrote ‘Damn It Feels Good To Be Me’ as a reminder to myself to follow the beat of my own drum,” he adds. “I want this song to be for those who have come to that point in their life where they’re just FINALLY enjoying the freedom of self-acceptance.”
“I’m no good at being you/Ain’t got nothing left to prove/man, I’m finally free/damn it feels good to be me,” Andy sings in the song.
“Damn It Feels Good to Be Me” is the first official single from Andy’s upcoming fifth album, which will be out in early 2022. He previously released the song “Lease on Life,” inspired by the arrival of his and his wife’s second daughter, Izzy, during the pandemic last year.
This Thursday, September 9, would’ve been late soul legend Otis Redding‘s 80th birthday, and to commemorate the milestone, his home state of Georgia will declare that day to be “Otis Redding Day.”
The official proclamation will be announced during an event Thursday at The Otis Redding Museum in Macon, Georgia. The museum also will unveil a new collection of Redding memorabilia that day that will celebrate the singer’s life, legacy and his influence on the world. The display will feature handwritten notes, rare photos and more. More information about the exhibit can be found at OtisReddingFoundation.org.
Meanwhile, coinciding with Redding’s 80th birthday on Thursday, new immersive Dolby Atmos mixes of seven of Otis’ popular recordings — “These Arms of Mine,” “Pain in My Heart,” “Love Man,” “That’s How Strong My Love Is,” “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember” and the classic holiday covers “Merry Christmas Baby” and “White Christmas” — will be available on high-res streaming platforms.
Also on Thursday, DJ D-Nice will host a Redding birthday celebration as part of one of his Club Quarantine virtual parties on Instagram, starting at 8 p.m. ET. In addition, for his support of Redding’s legacy, D-Nice will receive the Award of RESPECT from The Otis Redding Foundation, a charitable organization that was established in 2007 by Otis’ widow, Zelma.
In other news, a series of special remixes of classic Redding songs created by various artists will be released this fall. The first of the series, which will arrive this Thursday, will be a remix of Otis’ classic 1967 duet with Carla Thomas, “Tramp,” by Australian electronic duo Korky Buchek.
Redding died in a December 10, 1967, plane crash, just three days after he finished recording his enduring soul ballad “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay.” He was 26.
In season two of Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Ashton Sanders, who reprises his role as Wu-Tang Clan founder Bobby “RZA” Diggs, says fans will get to see the making of one of the group’s most iconic albums.
“This season is solely focused on the making of 36 Chambers,” Sanders tells ABC Audio of the hip-hop group’s debut album. “I think it’s something that the fans were wanting [in] season one. I think [in] season one, we spent a lot of time getting to know these guys before they became the RZA and Method Man, and so on and so forth. So this season, we see them become these these people. Bobby becomes the RZA [and] Ason becomes ODB.
36 Chambers, formally called Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), is considered one of the most influential hip-hop albums from 1990s. It helped set the blueprint for hardcore rap and influenced many other New York emcees, including Nas, Biggie, Mobb Deep and Jay-Z. Produced by RZA and inspired by martial-arts films like Enter the Dragon and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, the album also had commercial success, eventually going triple platinum in 2018.
Sanders says in this season of the show, “We’re definitely witnessing [Wu-Tang’s] rise to fame through the production of this album, 36 Chambers, and how big of an impact it can potentially have in hip hop, which is pretty exciting.”
He adds, “I feel like that’s the meat of the series, the music in this first iconic album of 36 Chambers.”
The second season of Wu-Tang: An American Saga is now available to stream on Hulu.
Foo Fighters have announced an intimate, surprise show in Washington, D.C.
Dave Grohl and company will play the 1,200 capacity 9:30 Club tomorrow, September 9, in celebration of the legendary venue’s re-opening week. Tickets went on sale Wednesday morning and sold out immediately.
The Foos were scheduled to play a much bigger D.C.-area show last summer at FedExField to celebrate the band’s 25th anniversary on July 4. However, that concert, along with the rest of their 2020 plans, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, Foo Fighters have been touring in celebration of their 26th anniversary. Following the D.C. date, the tour will continue September 15 in Syracuse, New York.
Jimmie Allen is joining the 30th season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars! The news was announced on Good Morning America from one of Jimmie’s favorite places: Disneyland.
“It feels great,” Jimmie gushed. “I proposed to my wife at Disney. We had our baby reveal at Disney. I’ve gone like 70 times since 2012. It’s pretty bad. But there’s worst things to be addicted to. So why not give all my money to the Mouse?”
Jimmie has spoken to several former DWTS competitors, including some of his friends in the country music community.
“I talked to Chuck Wicks, he did it,” Jimmie says. “Lauren Alaina. I actually talked to AJ [McLean]. Rashad Jennings, Bobby Bones. I know Nelly did it last season. They said it’s gonna be difficult, but it’s fun, and they’re not lying. These rehearsals … I never ballroom danced a day in my life. It’s rough.”
Other cast members include JoJo Siwa, Sunisa Lee, Brian Austin Green, Amanda Kloots, Olivia Jade and more.
Season 30 of Dancing with the Stars will premiere on Monday, September 20, at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
(NEW YORK) –There was mid-flight chaos on one American Airlines flight over the Labor Day holiday after a passenger began growling and berating the flight attendants on board.
“What? What? What? What are you going to kick me off this flight?” the 61-year-old man taunted the flight crew.
At one point, a flight attendant had to block him from gaining access to the galley.
“Now!” the flight attendant shouted. “Sit Down Now!”
Once the plane landed in Salt Lake City, authorities boarded the aircraft and took the passenger, who they said was intoxicated, into custody.
“Really? Really? Really?” the man says as he is taken off the plane.
“His behavior was so bizarre,” Dennis Busch, a fellow passenger, told ABC News. “Not particularly threatening towards us other passengers but it was very surreal.”
The man was later cited for disorderly conduct and public intoxication.
Monday’s incident is just the latest in a surge of aggressive behavior on planes.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it has received nearly 4,200 reports of unruly passengers since the start of the year. More than 3,000 of them are people who refuse to wear a mask.
The subsequent fines for unruly behavior during flights have soared in 2021, with the FAA reporting last month that it has proposed more than $1 million in penalties this year alone.
Airline crews have reported incidents in which visibly drunk passengers verbally abused them, shoved them, kicked seats, threw trash at them, defiled the restrooms and in some cases even punched them in the face.
The FAA had hoped its zero-tolerance policy for in-flight disruptions, which could lead to fines as high as $52,500 and up to 20 years in prison, would be enough to deter potential offenders, but they’ve still seen hundreds of incidents per month.
In-flight tensions are unlikely to wane as the mask requirement for planes was extended from September into January.
FAA Administrator Steve Dickson has urged airport police to arrest more people who are unruly or violent on flights.
“While the FAA has levied civil fines against unruly passengers, it has no authority to prosecute criminal cases,” Dickson told airport executives.
He said they see many passengers — some who physically assaulted flight attendants — interviewed by local police and then released “without criminal charges of any kind.”
The agency has looked into more than 682 potential violations of federal law so far this year — the highest number since the agency began keeping records in 1995. But it is unclear how many people have actually paid the FAA’s proposed fines.
ABC News’ Sam Sweeney, Gio Benitez, and Amanda Maile contributed to this report.
