Joni Mitchell honored with Gershwin Prize at tribute concert
When Joni Mitchell finally took the stage near the end of an all-star tribute concert honoring her as this yearโs recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, she opted to perform a cover rather than one of her own songs.
Missy, Willie and George Michael among Rock Hall nominees
Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Kate Bush, Iron Maiden, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, Sheryl Crow and the late George Michael are nominees for 2023 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a list that includes a mix of country, soul, hip-hop, metal, pop, rap-rock and grunge.
New this week: Lizzo, 'Criminal Minds' and 'The Woman King'
This weekโs new entertainment releases include an live posthumous album from Tom Petty, the criminal profile spinoff series โCriminal Minds: Evolution,โ a documentary about the plucky Mars Rover Opportunity and a TV series that focuses on the backstage melodrama at the Chippendaleโs male strip clubs.
Players by the Sea presents โKinky Bootsโ
This Summer, after 2 years of sporadic programming, Players by the Sea (PBTS) presents Kinky Boots, opening July 15-August 7. Kinky Boots is Broadwayโs huge-hearted, high-heeled hit with songs by Grammy and Tony-award winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper. This joyous musical celebration is about friendships we discover and the belief that you can change the world when you change your mind. Inspired by true events, โKinky Bootsโ takes you from a gentlemenโs shoe factory in Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan. Charlie Price is struggling to live up to his fatherโs expectations and continue the family business. With the factoryโs future hanging in the balance, help arrives in the unlikely but spectacular form of Lola, a fabulous performer in need of some sturdy new stilettos. With all that is happening in our country and community, PBTS canโt think of a better time to return to the theater for a night of musical comedy that embraces the power of what we can achieve together through compassion and acceptance.
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Still divisive, Dr. Luke resurges at Grammys โ as Tyson Trax
Dr. Luke appeared as Tyson Trax on the Grammy ballot for Doja Cat's Say So," which he produced and co-wrote. But not all of the academy members may have been aware they were voting for Dr. Luke when they completed their ballots this year. AdโI didnโt know that Tyson Trax was Dr. Luke. AdTogether, Martin and Dr. Luke crafted hits for Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, Pink and Kesha, who he signed in 2005. Eventually Dr. Luke stepped into the forefront, helming successes for Miley Cyrus, Pitbull, Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida, logging 17 No.
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Joe and Jill Biden to appear on 'New Yearโs Rockinโ Eve'
FILE - In this May 14, 2019 file photo, Ryan Seacrest attends the Walt Disney Television 2019 upfront in New York. This week, he will return to New York's Times Square to host Dick Clark New Years Rockin Eve. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK โ Ryan Seacrest will have a special pair of guests alongside the music stars at this year's New Year's Eve celebration on ABC โ the president-elect and the future first lady. President-elect Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden are scheduled to give โtheir last interview of the yearโ in New Yorkโs Times Square on โDick Clarkโs New Yearโs Rockinโ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021.โThe Bidens will "share an inspiring message as we come together to close out 2020 and look ahead with hope to 2021,โ according to a statement by the producers. โDick Clarkโs New Yearโs Rockinโ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021" will run until 2 a.m. Eastern on Jan. 1.
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Gloria Gaynor to perform at Times Square New Year's Eve
Gaynor will sing her anthem, "I Will Survive" during the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square as a celebration of perseverance, honoring essential workers. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK โ The New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square will be a celebration of perseverance, honoring essential workers and featuring Gloria Gaynor singing her anthem, โI Will Survive," organizers said Tuesday. The broadcasts that usually set up shop in Times Square will be there, including โDick Clarkโs New Yearโs Rockinโ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021,โ which will have a performance from Jennifer Lopez. Organizers said they would be honoring essential workers as the โHeroes of 2020" and designate a group of them as Special Guests, an annual tradition since the 1990s. Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, said in a statement, โThis year, it feels most appropriate to shine a spotlight on the individuals who are tirelessly leading our nation through hard times with unshakable strength, determination and poise.โ
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J. Lo, Billy Porter to perform at 'New Yearโs Rockinโ Eve'
NEW YORK โ Jennifer Lopez will help bring in the New Year with a headlining performance in New Yorkโs Time Square for โDick Clarkโs New Yearโs Rockinโ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021." Other performers include Cyndi Lauper, Billy Porter and Jimmie Allen. Lauper and Porter collaborated on the Broadway musical โKinky Boots" and they will join forces for a special performance during the TV special, which will air on ABC at 8 p.m. Eastern. โDick Clarkโs New Yearโs Rockinโ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021" will run until 2 a.m. Eastern on Jan. 1. Seacrest is returning to host the event for a 16th year, and he will be joined by Porter and Lucy Hale in New York.
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Despite bleak 2020, celebrities make effort to brighten year
(AP Photo)LOS ANGELES โ Yes, 2020 may seem like a complete fail with all the constant bad news and tragic moments. Itโs been filled with gloom and doom(scrolling), but some celebrities and those inspired by them have tried to brighten a bleak year. He reassigned his 10 seamstresses in New York to produce thousands daily for health care workers on the frontlines. The singer and husband Emilio Estefan's restaurant Estefan Kitchen served up homemade meals for health care workers in Miami. The challenge coordinated offers by celebrities and athletes to raise funds to feed those in need during the pandemic.
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Collins votes against Barrett, heads home to save Senate job
On Monday, Collins cast her vote against Trumpโs pick without any speech and quickly headed home to Maine to try to save her political career. Her vote in favor of Kavanaugh rallied Democrats against her and angered some moderate supporters, while her vote against Barrett may not do much to win them back. She's also attacking Collinsโ vote for Trump's tax cuts that she says favored the rich over working-class Mainers. Gideon said for all of Collins' talk about seniority, she doesnโt have much influence in her caucus, as demonstrated in her inability to stop the vote on Barrett. And sheโs a Republican,โ Lauper told the crowd as she walked Collins to the center of the stage.
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Broadway stars and drag queens to unite for voter drive show
NEW YORK โ Broadway and the world of drag will combine later this month for a streaming variety show to promote voter participation that promises plenty of show tunes and a lot of fierce lipstick. โDivas For Democracy: United We Slayโ will feature Broadway stars such as Chita Rivera and Stephanie J. Block singing theater songs while their drag counterparts from โRuPaulโs Drag Raceโ โmatch their vocal prowess with lip sync passion and style,โ according to organizers. There's a minimum $5 donation and all proceeds benefit Drag Out the Vote, a national, nonpartisan voter engagement nonprofit. The divas of drag include stars of โRuPaulโs Drag Raceโ such as Alaska, Jinkx Monsoon, Jujubee, Valentina, Peppermint, Cynthia Lee Fontaine, Shuga Cain, Honey Davenport, Brita Filter, Marti Gould Cummings and Pixie Aventura.
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Harry Connick Jr. honors workers during pandemic road trip
FILE - This May 28, 2019 file photo shows Singer Harry Connick Jr. with his daughter Georgia at a special screening of "Pavarotti" in New York. The special will air June 21 and will follow host Connick Jr. and his filmmaker-daughter Georgia on road trip celebrating and thanking essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic. With the help of his daughter, Georgia Connick, who is a filmmaker, and a bunch of GoPro cameras, he embarked on a pandemic road trip to meet essential workers around the country who were risking their lives during the pandemic. I just want to reach out and meet some of these folks, sanitation workers or elementary school teachers or people that are working at food banks, said Harry Connick. It was highly emotional, said Harry Connick.
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Winfrey, Pitt part of Grammys special for essential workers
FILE - This May 28, 2019 file photo shows Singer Harry Connick Jr. with his daughter Georgia at a special screening of "Pavarotti" in New York. The Grammys is putting together an event featuring Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey, Herbie Hancock and Harry Connick, Jr. to honor essential workers across America. It will follow host Connick Jr. and his filmmaker-daughter Georgia on road trip celebrating and thanking essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK The Grammys is putting together an event featuring Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey, Herbie Hancock and Harry Connick, Jr. to honor essential workers across America. Winfrey, Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Queen Latifah, Rene Zellweger and Drew Brees will also deliver special messages to workers.
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Diddy calls out Grammys and demands change in fiery speech
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. โ Sean โDiddyโ Combs called out the Grammy Awards for dissing rap and R&B stars in its major categories in a blazing speech that earned him a standing ovation from Beyoncรฉ, Jay-Z and several other music industry players. โSo I say this with love to the Grammys, because you really need to know this, every year yโall be killing us man. โIn the great words of Erykah Badu, โWe are artists and we are sensitive about our (expletive).โ We are passionate. Last yearโs Grammys marked the first time a hip-hop song was awarded song and record of the year when Childish Gambinoโs โThis Is Americaโ achieved the feat. โYouโre in the music industry.

Jane Lynch, Cyndi Lauper developing 'Golden Girls'-inspired show for Netflix
It's time to thank Jane Lynch and Cyndi Lauper for being a friend. Lynch won an Emmy Sunday night at the Creative Arts Emmys for her guest role in "Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and revealed that she and Lauper (who must be friends) are developing a show together for Netflx, and it will be comparable to the classic show "The Golden Girls," according to Variety. Im almost 60 and shes 65, and were looking for our next act, without ever having had husbands of children, Lynch said of the show. And there will be two other people who havent been cast yet. But its kind of a 'Golden Girls' for today.This sounds wildly fun, and if they want to make every "Golden Girls" fan dreams come true, we'll see Betty White pop up in this.