AP National Entertainment News

By DEREK GATOPOULOS and PETROS GIANNAKOURIS Associated Press ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece is honoring the late clarinetist Petroloukas Chalkias, whose hypnotic, note-bending performances over the course of more than 70 years made him a hero of mountain folk music. Chalkias, who died at 90 over the weekend, lay in state Wednesday at the Athens

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Jeff Ross, a comedian known for hosting brutal roasts of celebrities, is coming to Broadway this summer with a one-man autobiographical show that will offer fans a softer, more intimate side. “The hard part for me is letting go of a bit of my armor

By COLLEEN BARRY AP Fashion Writer MILAN (AP) — Francesco Risso is stepping down as Marni creative director after a decade, the OTB Group announced Tuesday, marking yet another high-level creative shift in the fashion world. OTB Chairman Renzo Rosso called Risso “a unique designer and an artist at heart,” adding, “I wish him only

By JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — TV chef Anne Burrell, who coached culinary fumblers through hundreds of episodes of “Worst Cooks in America,” died Tuesday at her New York home. She was 55. The Food Network, where Burrell began her two-decade television career on “Iron Chef America” and went on to other

ANDREW DALTON LOS ANGELES (AP) — An actor who worked on the Tyler Perry-created TV drama “The Oval” has filed a lawsuit alleging Perry leveraged his industry power to repeatedly sexually assault and harass him while keeping him quiet. The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by actor Derek Dixon, who appeared on 85

CHICAGO (AP) — R. Kelly collapsed in prison and was hospitalized, attorneys said in court filings this week, adding the details to the singer’s extraordinary allegations of a murder plot by prison officials that he argues require temporary release on home detention. Government lawyers have dismissed the claims as a “fanciful conspiracy.” Kelly, 58, is

LONDON (AP) — Alfred Brendel, a pianist and poet renowned for his refined playing of Beethoven over a six-decade career, died Tuesday at his home in London. He was 94. Brendel’s death was announced by the public relations agency Bolton & Quinn. Born in what is now the Czech Republic, Brendel gave his first recital

By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer Thirty-five years after Tom Cruise received his first Oscar nomination, he’s finally getting a trophy. It’s not for his death-defying stunts, either. At least, not exclusively. Cruise, choreographer Debbie Allen and “Do The Right Thing” production designer Wynn Thomas have all been selected to receive honorary Oscar statuettes at

By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — A century after the city of Berlin banned swimming in the Spree River because it was so polluted it could make people sick, there’s a push by swimmers to get back into the water. Around 200 people jumped into the slow-moving, greenish water Tuesday to show that

By MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The possibility that music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs might testify at his federal sex trafficking trial all but vanished Tuesday after his lawyer predicted a defense presentation lasting as little as two days and a judge said jurors could begin deliberations as

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. AP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James may be daydreaming about Prime Day deals in his new Amazon commercial, but there’s no fantasy when it comes to his real-life focus: getting his knee healthy in time for training camp. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar plans to return for his

By THOMAS ADAMSON AP Culture Writer PARIS (AP) — The Louvre, the world’s most-visited museum and a global symbol of art, beauty and endurance, has withstood war, terror, and pandemic — but on Monday, it was brought to a halt by its own staff, who say the institution is crumbling under the weight of mass

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. AP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — “How to Train Your Dragon” took flight at the box office this weekend, proving that some remakes still have teeth. The Universal live-action adaptation of the beloved animated franchise soared to a strong $83.7 million debut in North American theaters, according to Comscore estimates

By COLLEEN BARRY Associated Press VENICE, Italy (AP) — Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have invited celebrity friends like fellow space traveler Katy Perry, Oprah Winfrey, Mick Jagger and Ivanka Trump for their Venice nuptials later this month, but the couple hopes to put a spotlight on Venice’s traditions during the celebrations. They are sourcing

By JAYLEN GREEN Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — It is one of the largest repositories of Black history in the country — and its most devoted supporters say not enough people know about it. The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture hoped to change that Saturday, as it celebrated its centennial with a

By RONALD BLUM Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Metropolitan Opera season attendance dropped slightly following the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown that coincided with a decrease in tourists to New York. The Met sold 72% of capacity, matching 2023-24 and down from its 75% projection. “We were on track to continue to improve,” Met general

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. AP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hip-hop legend Slick Rick is proving his creative spark is far from fading. The English-born rapper — known for his signature eye patch and masterful storytelling — returned to the booth with his first new project in nearly three decades. He’s reminding the world

By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The Beach Boys’ Mike Love was inducted into the 2025 Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday night, just one day after it was announced that his inimitable bandmate Brian Wilson had died. The actor — and lifelong Beach Boys fan — John Stamos introduced him.

By ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — There was bad blood at Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers. Not just on the ice. Pop superstar Taylor Swift and boyfriend Travis Kelce were among the celebrities that flocked to Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday to

By JOHN CARUCCI Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Mike Love is looking back fondly on Brian Wilson, his cousin and Beach Boys collaborator who died Wednesday at 82. “It’s a tough one,” Love told The Associated Press Thursday. “Life ends for all of us, but he had a wonderful life in terms of how

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ananda Lewis, the former MTV and BET host who became a beloved television personality in the 1990s with her warmth and authenticity, has died. She was 52. Her sister, Lakshmi Emory, confirmed Lewis’ death in a Facebook post Wednesday. Lewis had been battling breast cancer. “She’s free, and in His heavenly

By MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A lawyer for Sean “Diddy” Combs protested the rising tide of secrecy at the hip-hop icon’s federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial on Thursday after Combs and the public were excluded from arguments over whether another famous rapper’s name could be disclosed.

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Dutch writer Yael van der Wouden won the Women’s Prize for Fiction on Thursday for her debut novel “The Safekeep,” a story of repressed emotion and suppressed historical memory in the Netherlands after World War II. British physician Rachel Clarke won the Women’s Prize for Nonfiction for

By THOMAS ADAMSON Associated Press PARIS (AP) — The Paris Games may be over, but the flame is still rising — just don’t call it Olympic. The helium-powered balloon that lit up the French capital’s skyline during the 2024 Games is making a dramatic comeback to the Tuileries Gardens, reborn as the “Paris Cauldron.” Thanks

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The Recording Academy has tweaked some of its rules for the 2026 Grammy Awards, including carving out a stand-alone category for best album cover — a day after Sabrina Carpenter sparked considerable discourse unveiling what is believed to be the cover for her next album.