AP Entertainment Digest for June 10, 2020
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WEDNESDAY, June 10
UPDATES with AMERICA PROTESTS-ANNA WINTOUR, FILM-OSCARS-AVA DUVERNAY, PEOPLE-JKROWLING-BACKLASH, VIRUS OUTBREAK-MUSIC-NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC, BRITAIN-PROTESTS-RAPPER, EGYPT FILM FESTIVAL, BOOKS-POETRY FOUNDATION
AMERICA PROTESTS-ANNA WINTOUR — Vogue’s Anna Wintour has apologized for what she described as “mistakes” made in her 32-year tenure in not doing enough to elevate black voices on her staff. The fashion doyenne’s mea culpa in an internal email also covered the magazine’s publishing of images and stories that she said were racially and culturally hurtful or intolerant. By Leanne Italie. SENT: 488 words, photos.
AMERICA PROTESTS-MEDIA — Alexis Johnson figures she wasn’t the loser when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette pulled her off coverage of protests triggered by George Floyd’s death. Her readers were -- denied the perspective of a black woman with family roots in law enforcement working in her hometown. Nobody anticipated it would lead to a staff revolt and become a national story, part of an extraordinary week when the news media’s sluggishness in promoting diversity became part of the national conversation. By Media Writer David Bauder. UPCOMING: 1,100 words, photos.
PEOPLE-JKROWLING-BACKLASH - J.K. Rowling responds to the backlash following a series of tweets about transgender people. Fantastic Beasts” star Eddie Redmayne became the latest start to take aim at Rowling, telling Variety that he disagrees with the comments from the creator of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts stories. By Entertainment Writer Jonathan Landrum Jr. UPCOMING: 500 words, photo.
FILM-OSCARS-AVA DUVERNAY — Filmmaker Ava DuVernay has been elected to the film academy’s Board of Governors for the first time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its new members Wednesday, which include the “Selma” filmmaker, “A Star is Born” producer Lynette Howell Taylor and casting director Debra Zane and has increased the number of women and people of color on the board. By Film Writer Lindsey Bahr. SENT: 342 words, photo.
HBO MAX-GONE WITH THE WIND — HBO Max has temporarily removed “Gone With the Wind” from its streaming library in order to add historical context to the 1939 film long criticized for romanticizing slavery and the Civil War-era South. Protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death have forced entertainment companies to grapple with the appropriateness of both current and past productions. On Tuesday, the Paramount Network dropped the long-running reality series “Cops” after 33 seasons. The BBC also removed episodes of “Little Britain,” a comedy series that featured a character in blackface, from its streaming service. By Film Writer Jake Coyle. UPCOMING, 500 words, photos.
MUSIC-CHLOE x HALLE — Chloe x Halle are all grown up on their sophomore album, for which they say mentor Beyoncé had no edits. The project was written, produced and engineered by the R&B sister duo. By Music Writer Mesfin Fekadu. SENT: 829 words, photos, video
FILM-PETE DAVIDSON — On “Saturday Night Live” and in his stand-up, Pete Davidson has regularly used his life – and the headlines it tends to spawn – as fodder for comedy. But in “The King of Staten Island,” directed by Judd Apatow, Davidson has tried to funnel something more deeply personal into his first major movie. Davidson plays a version of himself, dealing with the death of his firefighter father. By Film Writer Jake Coyle. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos.
MUSIC-GRAMMY CHANGES — The Recording Academy is making changes to several Grammy Awards categories, including the often-debated best new artist title, as well as having nomination review committee members sign disclosure forms to prevent conflicts of interest. By Music Writer Mesfin Fekadu. SENT: 640 words, photos.
BRITAIN-PROTESTS-RAPPER — London’s mayor has called for an investigation after rapper Wretch 32 released a video of his father being tasered by a police officer. The clip posted on Twitter shows police entering a house. An officer says “Police officer with a Taser. Stay where you are” before a man tumbles down a flight of stairs. By Jill Lawless. SENT: 433 words, photos.
FILM-THEATER REOPENINGS — After three months of near total blackout of cinemas nationwide, movie theaters are preparing to reopen — even if it means only a few titles on the marquee and showings capped at as little as 25% capacity. AMC Theaters, the world’s largest theater operator, said Tuesday that it expects to have 97-98% of its theaters worldwide reopened by mid-July, while an industry group says it expects 90-95% of the world's cinemas will reopen by July. By Film Writer Jake Coyle. SENT: 850 words.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-MUSIC-NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC — The New York Philharmonic canceled its fall season because of the coronavirus pandemic and moved up the start of Geffen Hall’s reconstruction to take advantage of the orchestra’s absence. Philharmonic President Deborah Borda hopes to resume performances on Jan. 6, but says the schedule is uncertain and will depend on the health situation. By Ronald Blum. SENT: 477 words, photo.
ML-EGYPT FILM FESTIVAL — The art director of Cairo’s international film festival has resigned amid calls for his removal because of past inflammatory posts on social media. The festival’s organizers Tuesday announced the resignation of Egyptian film critic Ahmed Shawky. By Samy Magdy. SENT: 380 words.
EU--VIRUS OUTBREAK-SOAP OPERA — The world is watching “Emmerdale,” the British soap opera that has resumed filming normal episodes with stringent safety measures, which include the crew living together in isolation, actors doing their own hair and makeup and, just off camera, a 6-foot pole. By Hilary Fox. SENT: 839 words, photos, video.
TV-LEGENDARY — FX’s hit show “Pose” introduced many to the underground world of ballroom culture, in which historically black and Latino LGBT youths compete in elaborate performances on a runway. Now a new show on HBO Max’s “Legendary” is bringing real ballroom battles to the mainstream. By Amanda Lee Myers. SENT: 819 words, photos, video.
BOOKS-POETRY FOUNDATION — Two top officials at one of the country’s leading poetry organizations have stepped down amid criticism over its response to the protests against police violence and racism. The Poetry Foundation announced Wednesday that its president, Henry Bienen, and board chairman Willard Bunn III, had resigned, effectively immediately. By National Writer Hillel Italie. SENT: 342 words.
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REVIEWS
FILM REVIEW-KING OF STATEN ISLAND. By Film Writer Lindsey Bahr. SENT Monday: 700 words, film stills.
FILM REVIEW-DA 5 BLOODS. By National Writer Jocelyn Noveck. Upcoming: 700 words by 6 p.m. Wednesday, film stills.
FILM REVIEW-ARTEMIS FOWL. By Film Writer Jake Coyle. Upcoming: 700 words by noon Thursday, per studio embargo, film stills.
MUSIC REVIEW-GONE WEST. Reviewed by AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy. SENT Tuesday: 406 words, album cover.
BOOK REVIEW-THIN GIRLS BY DIANA CLARK. Reviewed by Molly Sprayregen. SENT Monday: 224 words, cover image.