Month: September 2021

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Country Daypop

Zac Brown tests positive for COVID-19, cancels shows on ‘The Comeback Tour’

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Zac Brown Band has canceled four upcoming dates on their headlining 2021 “The Comeback Tour” after Brown tested positive for Covid-19. Brown made the announcement on the group’s social media on Tuesday, saying: “I am deeply disappointed this has happened, as touring is our life and performing live for our fans is the best part of our job. The bottom line is that I want to take every precaution to put the health and safety of our fans and crew first. We will resume the tour as soon as I have finished the CDC-mandated quarantine and it is safe for our band members and crew to do so.”  He added: “I am grateful to our fans for understanding this decision, as well as everyone on the front lines who can’t stay at home because their work is essential. I believe we can all overcome this together.”

The tour kicked-off in early August, and just last week Brown performed at the opening of Justin Timberlake’s new Nashville restaurant and bar the Twelve Thirty Club alongside Eric Church and Morgan Wallen. The canceled dates of the The Comeback Tour include: September 30th in Clarkston, Michigan; October 1st in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania; October 2nd in Syracuse, New York; and October 3rd in Saratoga Springs, New York. Refunds are available at the point of purchase.

As of press time, Brown’s quarantine and recovery will not interfere with the Zac Brown Band opening for the Rolling Stones on the Atlanta stop of the Stones’ No Filter Tour, scheduled for November 11th at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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Entertainment Daypop

Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black and more to star in Super Mario Bros. animated film

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Illumination Studios and Nintendo announced that a Super Mario Bros. animated film is on the way, with a star-studded cast including Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike and surprise cameos from Charles Martinet.

The film, based on the world of Super Mario Bros., will be directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who previously collaborated on the animated series Teen Titans Go! and the film Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.  Chris Meledandri of Illumination and Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo will be producing.  Said Meledandri: “Mario and Luigi are two of the most beloved heroes in all of popular culture, and we are honored to have the unique opportunity to work so closely with Shigeru Miyamoto and the widely imaginative team at Nintendo to bring these characters to life in an animated movie, unlike any film Illumination has made to date.”

The film will be released worldwide during the 2022 holiday season, with Universal Pictures releasing the film in North America on Dec. 21, 2022.

Editorial credit: DFree / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Take your first look at Sandra Bullock as an ex-con in the Netflix thriller ‘The Unforgivable’

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Streaming service Netflix released a first look image of Sandra Bullock in character for the upcoming thriller The Unforgivable

Bullock plays ex-convict Ruth Slater in the film, described as “someone who has been incarcerated for 20 years for a pretty heinous crime [and] gets out.”  In the film, Slater is released from prison for a crime no one is willing to look past. With nowhere else to go, Ruth is forced to find redemption in her estranged younger sister, whom she was forced to leave behind when things went south.

The Unforgivable, directed by Nora Fingscheidt, also stars Viola Davis, Richard Thomas, Linda Emond, Aisling Franciosi, and Rob Morgan. Bullock produced the film alongside Graham King and Veronica Ferres, which will arrive in select theaters on November 24, before premiering worldwide on Netflix on December 10.

Sandra Bullock Goes Makeup-Free In Chilling 1st Look At Her Next Netflix Thriller ’The Unforgivable’

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Categories
News Daypop

President Biden receives Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot just days after CDC approval for those 65 and older

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President Joe Biden received his booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Monday during a televised event. Said Biden: “Like I did my first and second COVID-19 vaccination booster shot, I’m about to get my booster shot and do it publicly. That’s because the FDA and the CDC looked at all the data, completed their review, and determined that boosters for the Pfizer vaccines are safe and effective.” The president said he didn’t experience any side effects after he got his first dose on live television in December 2020 and his second one in the following month. His booster shot comes nine months after.

The 78-year-old Biden is among those that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) recommended on Thursday to get the booster shot. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices said it favored booster shots at least six months after the two-dose regimen for those 65 years and older and those over 18 who have underlying medical conditions or are at greater risk of getting COVID-19 because of their jobs.

Biden urged Americans to get their vaccinations, and said that “this is a pandemic of the unvaccinated.” He announced travel to Chicago on Wednesday to talk about the importance of vaccinations in businesses. Some 60 million Americans fall under the categories approved for the Pfizer vaccine. For those who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines, scientists are evaluating data to determine whether additional shots are needed.

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Categories
News Daypop

R. Kelly found guilty on all charges of racketeering in sex trafficking case

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R. Kelly was convicted by a federal jury on Monday of racketeering in his sex trafficking trial. Kelly was found guilty of charges including sexual exploitation of a child, bribery, racketeering and sex trafficking involving five victims. He faces a possible sentence of 10 years to life in prison.

Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York successfully proved to a jury of seven men and five women that Kelly was a predator and the head of a criminal enterprise, whose purpose was to lure girls, boys and women to the R&B singer for his sexual gratification. Prosecutors portrayed Kelly as a predator who over a quarter-century subjected his victims to violent physical and sexual abuse, some of which he recorded.

In addition to awaiting sentencing on the case in NY, Kelly will face a second federal trial on charges of child pornography and obstruction of justice in Illinois. Some of those accusations are related to a 2008 child pornography trial in Chicago, in which he was acquitted of all charges. Kelly also faces outstanding criminal charges in both Cook County, Ill., where he was indicted by the state attorney in Feb. 2019 for aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving four victims (three of them minors), and in Minnesota, where Mr. Kelly was charged in Aug. 2019 with engaging in prostitution with a minor.

Sentencing in New York is scheduled for May 4.

http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_latest/~3/IiqMBhyF_-w/index.html

Editorial credit: Jamie Lamor Thompson / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Willie Nelson announces ‘The Willie Nelson Family’ album

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Willie Nelson will release The Willie Nelson Family album on November 19. Nelson shared a re-recorded version of his song “Family Bible” that is one of 12-tracks on the forthcoming release.

The record features Nelson singing and playing his guitar Trigger while accompanied by his musical family members, sister Bobbie Nelson (piano), sons Lukas Nelson (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lead vocals, background vocals) and Micah Nelson (drums, bass, background vocals) and daughters Paula Nelson (background vocals) and Amy Nelson (background vocals).

“Family Bible,” one of Willie’s earliest original songs, was written in 1957 and is among several of his compositions recorded for the new album. Among the other songs making up the tracklist are covers of Hank Williams’ “I Saw The Light,” Kris Kristofferson’s “Why Me,” the traditional hymn “In The Garden,” and with Lukas singing lead, George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” and A.P. Carter’s “Keep It On The Sunnyside.”

Stream “Family Bible” from The Willie Nelson Family album – here.

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Categories
Country Daypop

Kelly Clarkson’s ‘When Christmas Comes Around’ album to feature Chris Stapleton, Brett Eldredge

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Kelly Clarkson shared on social media the full tracklist for her album ‘When Christmas Comes Around,’ set for release on October 15th.  Clarkson and Chris Stapleton have paired up for a Christmas collaboration called “Glow,” just one of three duets on Clarkson’s album, that also includes a pairing with Ariana Grande on “Santa Can’t You Hear Me.” In addition to the originals, Clarkson will cover songs like “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “Santa Baby” and “Jingle Bell Rock” and as a bonus track Clarkson included her 2020 duet with Brett Eldredge, “Under the Mistletoe.”

‘When Christmas Comes Around’ is Clarkson’s second Christmas album, following Wrapped in Red in 2013. A full tracklist and audio of the album’s first release “Christmas Isn’t Canceled (Just You)” is below.

Clarkson also just released “Christmas Isn’t Canceled (Just You)” off the album, which you can listen to – here.  To preorder When Christmas Comes Around, head here.

Kelly Clarkson’s Christmas Album Features Brett Eldredge and Chris Stapleton

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Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Take a look at the trailer for the upcoming ‘The Problem With Jon Stewart’ on Apple TV+

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The trailer for Jon Stewart’s upcoming current affairs series, “The Problem With Jon Stewart,” has been released.  The series premieres September 30 on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/jonstewart

“The Problem With Jon Stewart” is a single-issue series that “takes a ‘deep dive’ into topics that are part of the national conversation. The series explores “complex topics through the differing perspectives of stakeholders, experts and individuals confronting these challenges.”  The companion series podcast will expand upon the conversation from each episode, featuring staff members from across the show who will have conversations with activists in the space.

Take a look at the trailer for “The Problem With Jon Stewart” – here.

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Categories
Entertainment Daypop

R. Kelly found guilty on all charges of racketeering in sex trafficking case

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R. Kelly was convicted by a federal jury on Monday of racketeering in his sex trafficking trial. Kelly was found guilty of charges including sexual exploitation of a child, bribery, racketeering and sex trafficking involving five victims. He faces a possible sentence of 10 years to life in prison.

Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York successfully proved to a jury of seven men and five women that Kelly was a predator and the head of a criminal enterprise, whose purpose was to lure girls, boys and women to the R&B singer for his sexual gratification. Prosecutors portrayed Kelly as a predator who over a quarter-century subjected his victims to violent physical and sexual abuse, some of which he recorded.

In addition to awaiting sentencing on the case in NY, Kelly will face a second federal trial on charges of child pornography and obstruction of justice in Illinois. Some of those accusations are related to a 2008 child pornography trial in Chicago, in which he was acquitted of all charges. Kelly also faces outstanding criminal charges in both Cook County, Ill., where he was indicted by the state attorney in Feb. 2019 for aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving four victims (three of them minors), and in Minnesota, where Mr. Kelly was charged in Aug. 2019 with engaging in prostitution with a minor.

Sentencing in New York is scheduled for May 4.

Editorial credit: Jamie Lamor Thompson / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

74th Annual Tony Awards: See the full list of winners

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The 74th annual Tony Awards were held on Sunday night in New York’s Winter Garden Theatre. Audra McDonald and Leslie Odom Jr. hosted the live event, which aired on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.

Moulin Rouge, A Christmas Carol and The Inheritance were the big winners of the evening.  Moulin Rouge was named Best Musical, while its stars Aaron Tveit and Danny Burstein took home the statuettes for Best Actor and Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical. The show also scored the honors for Best Direction of a Musical, Best Sound Design of a Musical, Best Lighting Design of a Musical, Best Scenic Design of a Musical, Best Orchestrations, Best Choreography and Best Costume Design of a Musical.

A Christmas Carol was awarded the Tony for Best Sound Design of a Play, Best Original Score, Best Lighting Design of a Play, Best Scenic Design of a Play and Best Costume Design of a Play. Adrienne Warren was presented with the Best Lead Actress in a Musical trophy for her role in Tina.

Lauren Patten won the Tony for Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for Jagged Little Pill; its author, Diablo Cody, won for Best Book of a Musical.  Andrew Burnap and Lois Smith won for Best Lead Actor and Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for The Inheritance, which also was deemed Best Play.  David Alan Grier earned the Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for his work in A Soldier’s Play and the show was voted Best Revival, while Mary-Louise Parker was named Best Lead Actress in a Play for The Sound Inside.

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