AP National Entertainment News

By KATIE MARIE DAVIES Associated Press When Vietnamese singer Duc Phuc held aloft the crystal cup trophy in Moscow’s Live Arena on Saturday night, he became the inaugural winner of new song contest Intervision — a Russian answer to Eurovision that some say is as much about politics and power as it is about performance.

Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Taylor Swift is heading back to the big screen next month, and fans are already lining up for tickets. AMC Theatres announced on Friday that it will host a release party for Swift’s 12th studio album, “ The Life of a Showgirl,” which is set to debut Oct. 3.

By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer Sonny Curtis, a vintage rock ‘n’ roller who wrote the raw classic “I Fought the Law” and posed the enduring question “Who can turn the world on with her smile?” as the writer-crooner of the theme song to “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” has died at 88. Curtis, inducted

By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Bassem Youssef, the Egyptian satirist whose “Daily Show”-like program was canceled after the military seized the once pro-democracy government, watched the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel with an immediate sense of familiarity. “My Fellow American Citizens,” Youssef wrote on X. “Welcome to my world.” Youssef’s show

By SAJJAD TARAKZAI Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — A dating show modeled on “Love Island” that features Pakistani contestants has sparked anger in the Muslim-majority country, despite no episodes being aired yet, and the series being only accessible on YouTube. The country’s broadcasting regulator said Saturday it was not in a position to act on

By DAVID BAUDER and BERNARD CONDON Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The decision about whether to keep Jimmy Kimmel on his late-night ABC show depends on far more than his jokes. The choice is complicated by a web of business and regulatory considerations involving ABC’s parent company, other media companies and the Trump administration.

By The Associated Press President Donald Trump’s contentious relationship with U.S. news organizations has led to a host of legal battles and disputes, the latest of which came with ABC’s suspension and — days later — return of the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” show. Trump had celebrated the suspension of Kimmel, a veteran late-night comic and

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer WWE’s partnership with ESPN begins Saturday with Wrestlepalooza from Indianapolis. The biggest question from fans, though, isn’t what the result will be in the mixed tag team match when World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch take on CM Punk and AJ Lee. It is

By KATHY McCORMACK and JOSH FUNK Associated Press Grammy award-winning country songwriter Brett James, whose string of top hits includes “Jesus, Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood and “When the Sun Goes Down” by Kenny Chesney, died in a plane crash in North Carolina, authorities said Friday. He was 57. The small plane with three

By BEATRICE DUPUY Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — For fashion lovers, movie spoilers aren’t really about the plot. A leaked photo or paparazzi snapshot of an actor strutting in fiery red Jacquemus slingback heels or carrying a Coach handbag on set can speak volumes. This summer, social media users were served a visual feast

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Frida Kahlo’s face is one of the best known in art, thanks to her bold and challenging self-portraits. A lesser-seen self-depiction by the Mexican artist is going up for auction at Sotheby’s in what could be a record-setting sale. With an estimated price of $40 million to

By LINLEY SANDERS and ITZEL LUNA Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — As late-night talk shows undergo major changes and controversy, a new poll finds that while most Americans don’t watch them regularly, the ones who do make such programming part of their routine are more likely to be Democrats. Only about one-quarter of Americans say

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (AP) — Actor Gary Busey has been sentenced to two years probation for a sexual offense stemming from an appearance at a 2022 horror convention in New Jersey, according to court records. The sentence was handed down Thursday during a virtual hearing in state court in Camden. Busey did not speak during

By STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Farm Aid — the annual fundraising concerts launched by Willie Nelson,Neil Young and John Mellencamp during the farm crisis of the 1980s — celebrates its 40th anniversary on Saturday in Minneapolis. The star-studded festivals are still raising public awareness of the challenges facing family farmers, and assisting

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. AP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Seven years after her landmark debut “Invasion of Privacy,” Cardi B has returned. And, in typical fashion, she’s doing it with plenty of spectacle. The Grammy winner made her long-awaited sophomore album “Am I the Drama?,” released Friday, feel like prime-time theater. Friday’s release

By CHRIS MEGERIAN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — When it was all over, Kamala Harris couldn’t believe it. “I could barely breathe,” she writes in her new book about learning she had lost the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump. One of her aides peeled “Madame President” off celebratory cupcakes before serving them to crushed

By AUDREY McAVOY and HALLIE GOLDEN Associated Press Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers hosted their late-night shows Thursday using a mix of humor and solidarity with suspended ABC host Jimmy Kimmel. Stewart opted for satire to critique ABC suspending “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” indefinitely following comments he made about the assassination of

By MAE ANDERSON and MATT SEDENSKY Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Two ABC affiliate owners spoke out against late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel ahead of ABC’s decision to suspend the presenter over comments he made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Their comments highlight the influence local TV station owners

By JUSTIN SPIKE and NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has waged an aggressive campaign against the media unlike any in modern U.S. history, making moves similar to those of authoritarian leaders that he has often praised. On Wednesday, Trump cheered ABC’s suspension of Jimmy

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer The Federal Trade Commission and a bipartisan group of state attorneys general sued Ticketmaster and its parent company Thursday, saying they are forcing consumers to pay more to see live events through a variety of illegal tactics. The FTC said Live Nation and its subsidiary, Ticketmaster, have deceived artists

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension from late night is not the first time a TV host has faced pushback or punishment for their on-air comments or off-air actions. Career fabrications, romances, racial discussions, conflicts of interest, slurs, lewd language and sexual assault: TV hosts have faced career

NEW YORK (AP) — Fresh off its historic 50th season, “Saturday Night Live” is kicking off its 51st with some familiar faces: Bad Bunny, Amy Poehler and Sabrina Carpenter. The trio, no stranger to Studio 8H, will host the first three episodes of the season, NBC announced Thursday. All three were heavily involved in the

By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Jimmy Kimmel’s television future hung in the balance Thursday after ABC suspended his late-night show following the host’s comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, leaving the network’s parent company to decide whether supporting him is worth the risk to its business. Two other companies

WASHINGTON (AP) — ABC took comic Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show off the air indefinitely Wednesday, just hours after Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr called his comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassination “truly sick.” Carr is a longtime FCC commissioner named as chairman by President Donald Trump in November. In the months since, he has launched

By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Japanese author Haruki Murakami will be honored this December in Manhattan with an evening of words and music. The Japan Society and The Town Hall are presenting “The Murakami Mix Tape,” which will include readings from Murakami’s books and performances by jazz artist Jason Moran