Entertainment category, Page 114
SAG-AFTRA members rally in Pittsburgh as Hollywood strike drags on
Randy Kovitz is a middle-class actor. It’s a title he says he’s proud of, with a resume showing credits from film, television and commercials. His first role was in George Romero’s cult classic and genre-defining movie “Dawn of the Dead,” a cult classic, filmed at Monroeville Mall. He received $50...
Paul Reubens, aka Pee-wee Herman, dead at 70Video
Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian whose character Pee-wee Herman became a cultural phenomenon through films and TV shows, has died. Reubens died Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement. “Please accept my apology for not going...
Kanye West’s X account reinstated after antisemitism suspension
X, formerly Twitter, has reinstated Kanye West’s account after he was suspended eight months for a series of antisemitic posts. West, whose legal name is now Ye, had not sent any new posts as of Sunday afternoon. The “All of the Lights” artist, 46, assured X executives he would not...
Book review: True crime meets history in Sara DiVello’s 1920s murder mystery ‘Broadway Butterfly’
“Broadway Butterfly” by Sara DiVello (Thomas & Mercer) The unsolved murder of the beautiful Dot King captivated New York. But the hype around the case proved insufficient motivation to catch the killer. So what happened? In “Broadway Butterfly,” a jazzy true crime historical thriller, author Sara DiVello unearths piles of...
Q&A: Janelle Monae talks about freedom, how new album defines her and getting ready to tour again
LOS ANGELES — If you believe Janelle Monae’s hyper-sexual expression is a front, think again. These days, Monae is unapologetically living her truth in a bold manner while trying to avoid negativity. The star, once known for sporting custom-made suits, has shed that attire (at least for now) to nearly...
Whitney Houston’s estate announces 2nd annual Legacy of Love Gala with BeBe Winans, Kim Burrell
LOS ANGELES — This year Whitney Houston would have turned 60, and a special celebration to raise money for a good cause is being planned for her birthday. Houston’s estate, Sony and Primary Wave Music will host the 2nd annual Whitney Houston Legacy of Love on Aug. 9, which will...
Morgan Wallen among top concerts to see around Pittsburgh in August
Pittsburgh is seeing the last of its stadium shows this summer, with four nights of concerts at PNC Park. Here’s a look at the most notable shows coming to the area in August: August’s top shows Aug. 5: Pink, Brandi Carlile, Grouplove at PNC Park Grammy-winning singer Pink brings her...
‘Barbie’ bonanza continues at the box office, ‘Oppenheimer’ holds the No. 2 spot
NEW YORK — A week later, the “Barbenheimer” boom has not abated. Seven days after Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” conspired to set box office records, the two films held unusually strongly in theaters. “Barbie” took in a massive $93 million in its second weekend, according to studio...
From raw fiber to artistic creations, felters get to the point
A pastime that puts you at risk of poking yourself with a sharp needle doesn’t sound all that appealing — but its devotees risk the pricks to produce charming works of art. They’re practicing needle felting, a craft that turns raw fibers into matted fabric that in turn can be...
10 people died at the Astroworld music festival two years ago. What happens now?
Nearly two years after 10 people were crushed to death during the deadly 2021 Astroworld festival, no charges have been filed — even though some people, including event workers, expressed safety concerns. Pinpointing “who exactly caused those deaths is not an easy question to answer,” said Sandra Guerra Thompson, a...
Review: Pantera celebration tour pays fitting tribute to band’s legacy, 2 late members
Pantera launched its summer headlining tour Friday night at the Pavilion at Star Lake, offering an unrelenting and powerful tribute to the band’s legacy. To be sure, this was no reunion. How could it be without the band’s co-founders, brothers Dimebag Darrell (guitar) and Vinnie Paul Abbott (drums)? Dimebag was...
Emmy Awards are postponed due to the Hollywood actors and writers strike
The 75th Emmy Awards are the latest production to be postponed due to the Hollywood strikes and will not air as planned in September. A person familiar with the postponement plans but not authorized to speak publicly pending an official announcement confirmed the delay Friday. No information about a new...
Record-breaking ‘Barbie’ brings in over half a billion dollars in 1 week
“Barbie” mania has resulted in a global box office that has soared past the half billion dollar mark. Warner Bros. Pictures said the film, which had a “record-shattering opening weekend” on July 21, 2023, “has surpassed the half-billion dollar mark at the global box office, taking in a staggering worldwide...
‘Jackass’ star Bam Margera to stand trial on assault charge in fight with brother, judge rules
WEST CHESTER, Pa. — “Jackass” star Bam Margera must stand trial on charges that he punched his brother during an altercation at their home near Philadelphia, a judge ruled Thursday while ordering him to get a drug and alcohol screening to remain free on bail. Margera, 43, has pleaded not...
105.9 The X midday host Abby Krizner has connected her life to music in multiple ways
WXDX program director and midday host Abby Krizner doesn’t seem to remember a time in her life when music wasn’t an integral part of it, whether she was playing instruments or playing records. That’s probably not too surprising to those familiar with Krizner’s on-air work hosting and curating alternative rock...
Sinéad O’Connor, gifted and provocative Irish singer, dies at 56
LONDON — Sinéad O’Connor, the gifted Irish singer-songwriter who became a superstar in her mid-20s and was known as much for her private struggles and provocative actions as for her fierce and expressive music, has died at 56. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our...
‘Moves like Jagger’: As Mick marks 80 years, WYEP will air Pittsburgh band covers of Rolling Stones songs
Mick Jagger is turning 80 on Wednesday, and Pittsburgh radio station WYEP is celebrating with a collection of new, local band covers of classic Rolling Stones tunes. “Pittsburgh’s Got Moves Like Jagger” will air throughout the day Wednesday, and a full hour special of Pittsburgh artists’ covers will air at...
Foreigner bassist Jeff Pilson on the band’s farewell tour, its future and its legacy
Foreigner bassist Jeff Pilson says it’s not unusual for his band name to create some bewilderment. “It’s funny, people oftentimes don’t recognize the name, but they recognize the songs,” Pilson said. “I can tell somebody, oh yeah, I play in a band called Foreigner. ‘Oh, OK, very good. Would I...
Venice Film Festival unveils A-list lineup with ‘Priscilla,’ ‘Ferrari,’ ‘Maestro’ amid strikes
Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein drama “Maestro,” Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla Presley movie, Michael Mann’s “Ferrari,” David Fincher’s “The Killer” and Ava DuVernay’s “Origin” will make their world debuts at the Venice International Film Festival this fall. Organizers announced the lineup Tuesday for the 80th edition of the festival, which — despite...
Jason Aldean’s ‘Try That in a Small Town’ rockets to No. 2 on charts after music video controversy
LOS ANGELES — Jason Aldean ‘s “Try That in a Small Town” is experiencing exponential growth following controversy over its music video. “Try That in a Small Town,” which was released in May, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week just behind BTS’s Jung Kook solo...
Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Talking ‘Barbie,’ Shark Week, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
In this episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including what the future might hold for AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh. Benz and Owen discuss the double hits of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” (and the failures of...
With ‘Barbie,’ Greta Gerwig breaks a box office record for female directors
“Barbie” didn’t just break the opening weekend record for 2023; It also shattered the first weekend record for a film directed by a woman. With $162 million in ticket sales from North American theaters, according to studio totals Monday, “Barbie” catapulted past both “Captain Marvel,” which was co-directed by Anna...
The results of ‘Barbenheimer’ weekend are in. Here’s who took the box office crown
“Barbenheimer ” didn’t just work — it spun box office gold. The social media-fueled fusion of Greta Gerwig’s ” Barbie ” and Christopher Nolan’s ” Oppenheimer ” brought moviegoers back to the theaters in record numbers this weekend, vastly outperforming projections and giving a glimmer of hope to the lagging...
Saint Vincent College receives 88 paintings in major art bequest
The art collection at Saint Vincent College has increased in size and scope with a bequest of 88 Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings from philanthropists Michael and Aimee Rusinko Kakos of Latrobe and Winter Park, Fla. The collection principally includes works from the 1880s through the 1930s. Many are by artists...
Seton Hill hosts intensive program on creative, business sides of dance
About 20 dancers learned about both the creative and business sides of the art during the inaugural Commercial Dance Intensive, held July 15 in the Seton Hill University Arts Center in downtown Greensburg. Presented by the Seton Hill Department of Dance, the high-energy dance experience focused on exploring style and...
