AP National Entertainment News

By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writer SAN DIEGO (AP) — Alec Baldwin says the year since his trial suddenly ended with a dismissal has been far better than the few years that preceded it, and the affect that time has had on him has been “immeasurable.” “Something as powerful as that happens in your life,

By ANTHONY McCARTNEY AP Entertainment Writer SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Grid took over Comic-Con on Friday, bringing the stars of the new “Tron: Ares” films to unveil footage and reveal the story behind the franchise’s third movie. The film stars Jared Leto, Jeff Bridges, Greta Lee and Jodie Turner-Smith as the story brings the

By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer With this week’s FCC approval, the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media is expected to be completed in the coming weeks at a value of $8 billion. The question for the new company is whether the psychic cost is much higher. It has been a particularly rough few

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer The opening chords of Rick Derringer’s hard-rock guitar would play over the arena sound system. Instantly, 20,000 Hulkamaniacs — and many more as wrestling’s popularity and stadium size exploded — rose to their feet in a frenzy to catch a glimpse of Hulk Hogan storming toward the ring. His

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Grid has overtaken Comic-Con. Disney unveiled details about “Tron: Ares,” which stars Jared Leto, Jeff Bridges and Greta Lee at an evening presentation in Comic-Con’s famed Hall H. It will be the third feature film in the “Tron” franchise that kicked off with the hit 1982 film and had a

LONDON (AP) — British actor Micheal Ward has been charged with rape and sexual assault, police said Friday. The 27-year-old faces two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault, the Metropolitan Police force said. The charges relate to one woman and the offenses reportedly took place in January 2023. Ward denied the charges

By ROBERT BARR Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Cleo Laine, whose husky contralto was one of the most distinctive voices in jazz and who was regarded by many as Britain’s greatest contribution to the quintessentially American music, has died. She was 97. The Stables, a charity and venue Laine founded with her late jazz musician

By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writer SAN DIEGO (AP) — “South Park” co-creator Trey Parker had the briefest of responses Thursday to anger from the White House over the season premiere of the animated institution, which showed a naked President Donald Trump in bed with Satan. “We’re terribly sorry,” Parker said, followed by a long,

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS and MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Business Writers NEW YORK (AP) — Federal regulators on Thursday approved Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance, clearing the way to close a deal that combined Hollywood glitz with political intrigue. The stamp of approval from the Federal Communications Commission comes after months of turmoil revolving around President

By ITZEL LUNA Associated Press Rapper GloRilla was arrested this week on felony drug charges after “a significant amount of marijuana” was found by police while they investigated a burglary at her home in Atlanta. GloRilla, whose real name is Gloria Woods, voluntarily turned herself in Tuesday and was released on $22,260 bond the same

By The Associated Press They were icons of the 1980s, known for their outlandish exploits onstage and in the ring, who later redefined their images in the 2000s by starring alongside their families in reality shows. And, this week, both Ozzy Osbourne and Hulk Hogan died. Hogan lived a lot of lives before his death

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Two-time Grammy Award-winning musician Chuck Mangione, who achieved international success in 1977 with his jazz-flavored single “Feels So Good” and later became a voice actor on the animated TV comedy “King of the Hill,” has died. He was 84. Mangione died at his home in

By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer CBS News said Thursday it has selected Tanya Simon as the top producer at “60 Minutes,” elevating a respected insider in a closely-watched appointment given the turmoil that enveloped the newsmagazine with the settlement of President Donald Trump’s lawsuit. Simon, daughter of the late “60 Minutes” correspondent Bob Simon,

By CURT ANDERSON and ED WHITE Associated Press CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Hulk Hogan, the mustachioed, headscarf-wearing, bicep-busting icon of professional wrestling who turned the sport into a massive business and stretched his influence into TV, pop culture and conservative politics during a long and scandal-plagued second act, died Thursday in Florida at age 71.

By The Associated Press Hulk Hogan, perhaps the most recognizable showman of professional wrestling with his muscles for miles, long blond locks and handlebar mustache, has died. He was 71. Hogan, whose given name was Terry Bollea, was WWE’s biggest star and an actor who once had his own reality show, “Hogan Knows Best.” He

By RONALD BLUM Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Verdi can be played on original instruments, too. While historically informed performances of Baroque music are not surprising, Will Crutchfield and Teatro Nuovo are using period pieces for the rarely heard initial version of “Macbeth.” “You wouldn’t think that architecture from the mid-19th century would resemble

MILAN (AP) — Art restorers have removed a deteriorating piece of graffiti by the street artist Banksy titled “The Migrant Child” from the side of a building overlooking a Venetian canal to preserve the work for future public display, officials said Thursday. The removal from the wall of Palazzo San Pantalon was carried out in

By JUSTIN SPIKE Associated Press BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary banned the Irish-language rap group Kneecap from the country Thursday ahead of their scheduled performance at the popular Sziget Festival, with officials arguing that the musicians’ presence would pose a risk to national security. The Belfast trio, scheduled to play on Sziget’s closing day on

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (AP) — Tens of thousands of fans — many in costumes — descended Thursday on Comic-Con International, the four-day pop culture spectacle that will feature updates on the new “Predator” movie, “Alien” series and a special appearance by George Lucas. Fans packed into the convention’s famed Hall H for updates on the

By BEN FINLEY and KRISTIN M. HALL Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — They were in love once. Four years before Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” became one of the best breakup records of the 1970s — and, many might say, all time — Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were relative unknowns, a young couple putting out

WASHINGTON (AP) — Venus Williams’ winning return to the professional tennis tour also came with a surprise announcement: She is engaged. After becoming the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match, Williams gave thanks to her fiance, who was in the stands at the DC Open. He is Andrea Preti, who is a Danish-born

By PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine admitted Wednesday that he violated the conditions of his supervised release from prison by possessing drugs, marking his latest run-in with the law since he completed a federal prison sentence on racketeering and conspiracy charges. The 29-year-old performer, whose real name is Daniel

By LORNA PETTY and DANICA KIRKA Associated Press BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Ozzy Osbourne’s fans had sensed the end was near. At his final show just a few weeks ago, admirers watched the heavy metal icon perform while seated on a black throne and knew it would likely be the last time they saw the

By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer NEW YORK (AP) — “Happy Gilmore” was born on the range. When Adam Sandler was a kid growing up in New Hampshire, his father was an avid golfer. He’d often take his son along to hit balls at the driving range. But Sandler was uninterested in the sport, and

By The Associated Press Heavy metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne died this week at 76, just weeks after his farewell show and about five years after announcing he had Parkinson’s disease. Here’s what to know about the disease: What is Parkinson’s? Parkinson’s is a neurologic disease that robs people of control over their movements. It typically

By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — They’re not going their own way anymore. After much speculation, Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham announced Wednesday the reissue of “Buckingham Nicks,” more than 50 years after the release of their only full-length album as a duo. Originally released in 1973, “Buckingham Nicks”

NEW YORK (AP) — Luca Guadagnino’s “After the Hunt” will open the 63rd New York Film Festival, Film at Lincoln Center announced Wednesday. “After the Hunt” will first premiere at the Venice Film Festival, but on Sept. 26, it will kick off the New York Film Festival. An Amazon MGM Studios release due out this

By ANDREW DALTON and ITZEL LUNA Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — A doctor who was a primary target in the sweeping investigation of actor Matthew Perry’s overdose death pleaded guilty Wednesday to supplying the “Friends” star with ketamine despite knowing he was a struggling addict. Dr. Salvador Plasencia became the fourth of the five

By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer The U.S. Court of Appeals on Tuesday denied an appeal by The Associated Press for a hearing on its efforts to restore full access to cover presidential events, not ending its case but allowing the White House to continue its control over access to President Donald Trump. The news