AP Entertainment Digest for Friday, June 25, 2020

| June 26, 2020 6:27 AM

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FRIDAY, June 26

UPDATES with RAPPER KILLED-MISSOURI, OBIT-MR. MARDI GRAS, RUSSIA-THEATER DIRECTOR-VERDICT

RACIAL INJUSTICE-COUNTRY MUSIC — Country music has a long, complicated history with race dating back to its roots. But the rallies over racial injustice this year have become too important for the genre to ignore. By Entertainment Writer Kristin M. Hall. SENT: 1,400 words, photos, video.

With RACIAL INJUSTICE-COUNTRY MUSIC-ABRIDGED — SENT: 886 words

MUSIC-Q&A-LIL YACHTY — If it weren’t for Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug, Lil Yachty’s latest album “Lil Boat 3” might be filled with slow, melodic love songs, the polar opposite of what fans received last month. By Gary Gerard Hamilton. SENT: Thursday: 800 words, photos, video.

MEDIA-LOCAL NEWS — A new report on the state of local news has the same grim litany of dismal statistics, but its author takes some solace that the problem is now being noticed. By Media Writer David Bauder. SENT: 690 words.

FILM-TENET — Warner Bros. is delaying the release of Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi thriller “Tenet” until Aug. 12, the latest delay for a film that many theater owners were hoping would kick-start the coronavirus-delayed summer season. SENT: 250 words, photos.

DAYTIME EMMYS — The Daytime Emmys go virtual in their first time on a broadcast network since 2011. The women from “The Talk” host the two-hour show on CBS, with nominees and special guests all scattered because of the coronavirus pandemic. By Beth Harris. SENT: 300 words, photos. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos from 8 p.m. EDT broadcast.

RAPPER KILLED-MISSOURI — Authorities say a St. Louis rapper who went by the stage name Huey was killed in a shooting that also wounded another man. St. Louis County police said in a news release that the shooting happened just before 11 p.m. Thursday in Kinloch. Police identified the man who was killed as 32-year-old Lawrence Franks Jr., known by fans as Huey. The Kinloch native was best known in the rap community for his 2006 debut single, “Pop, Lock & Drop It. SENT: 160 words, photos.

GAP-KANYE WEST — Kanye West is bringing his Yeezy brand to Gap. The rap superstar will design adult and kids clothing that will be sold at Gap next year. Yeezy is best known for its pricey sneakers that quickly sell out online, but Yeezy footwear won’t be sold at Gap. By Retail Writer Joseph Pisani. SENT: 166 words.

SEXUAL MISCONDUCT-RON JEREMY — Adult Film Star Ron Jeremy will be arraigned on charges of rape and sexual assault at a courtroom in downtown Los Angeles. Jeremy, who is being held on $6.6 million bail, denied the allegations through his attorney when he was arrested on Tuesday. UPCOMING: 300 words, photos.

ANN PATCHETTE-BOOKSTORE — The Nashville bookstore that opened and thrived while others were closing their doors is once again defying the odds, thanks, in part, to its famous novelist co-owner. By Travis Loller. SENT: 760 words, photos.

OBIT-MR. MARDI GRAS — The man known as “Mr. Mardi Gras” for helping to convert the annual pre-Lenten celebration into a giant event in New Orleans has died. News outlets report that Blaine Kern Sr. died Thursday at age 93. For decades, Kern’s work helped boost New Orleans’ Carnival. Mardi Gras has been big for generations in the city. But its festivities became world famous after Kern founded Kern Studios, which constructed the elaborate floats the city’s festivities are now known for. SENT: 298 words, photos.

RUSSIA-THEATER DIRECTOR-VERDICT — A Moscow judge has convicted an acclaimed Russian theater director of embezzling state funds and imposed a three-year suspended sentence in a case widely seen as politically motivated. Kirill Serebrennikov and his associates were found guilty of fraud and embezzling 129 million rubles (over $1.8 million) of state funding for a theater project. The judge ordered Serebrennikov and two other defendants to repay the embezzled funds. The 50-year-old Serebrennikov is arguably Russia’s best-known theater and film director. SENT: 320 words, photos.

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REVIEWS

FILM REVIEW-EUROVISION. By Film Writer Lindsey Bahr. SENT Wednesday: 681 words, film stills.

FILM REVIEW-ATHLETE A. By Film Writer Jake Coyle. SENT Wednesday: 593 words, film stills.

FILM REVIEW-IRRESISTIBLE. By National Writer Jocelyn Noveck. SENT: Wednesday, 762 words, film stills.

MUSIC REVIEW-RAY LAMONTAGNE. By Pablo Gorondi. SENT Wednesday: 312 words, cover image.

MUSIC REVIEW-WILL HOGE. By Steven Wine. SENT Wednesday: 219 words, cover image.

MUSIC REVIEW-JESSIE WARE. By Cristina Jaleru. SENT Monday: 250 words, cover image.

MUSIC REVIEW-HAIM. By Ragan Clark. SENT Thursday: 251 words, cover image.

MUSIC REVIEW-CORB LUND. By Steven Wine. SENT Thursday: 205 words, cover image.