Pope Francis meets more than 100 comedians at the Vatican: 'You also make God smile'
Before flying to Italyโs southern Puglia region to meet world leaders at the Group of Seven summit, Pope Francis hosted a very different audience at the Vatican celebrating the importance of humor.
Organization behind the Oscars elects board of governors for 2024-25 term
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization behind the Oscars, announced 17 people elected to its board of governors Monday.
Comedian Kevin Hart joins an elite group honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American humor
Kevin Hart rose from the open mics and comedy clubs of his native Philadelphia to become one of his countryโs most recognizable performers.
The Oscars are almost here. Here's what to know and how to watch
After a winter barrage of award shows โ the Emmys, the Golden Globes, the Grammys โ the grandaddy of them all, the Academy Awards, are around the corner.
Mbongeni Ngema, South African playwright and creator of 'Sarafina!', is killed in a car crash at 68
The family of renowned South African playwright, producer and composer Mbongeni Ngema says he has died in a car crash at the age of 68.
Comedian and actor Adam Sandler to get 2023 Mark Twain Prize
The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor has gone to such luminaries as Richard Pryor, Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, George Carlin and Ellen DeGeneres.
New this week: Bruce Springsteen, 'The Big Brunch' and Sonic
This weekโs new entertainment releases include albums by Bruce Springsteen and Louis Tomlinson, Olivia Wilde's โDon't Worry Darlingโ hits HBO Max, and Dan Levy of Emmy-winning โSchittโs Creekโ fame has โThe Big Brunch,โ a cooking competition he created and hosts.
3 climate hecklers ejected for disrupting Cruz on 'The View'
Three women were ejected from the set of โThe Viewโ on Monday after interrupting an interview of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz for what appeared to be a climate change protest.
Alyssa Farah Griffin, Ana Navarro join 'The View' as cohosts
Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump administration spokeswoman who broke from her old boss in 2020, will be the conservative voice on the daytime talk show โThe View.โ.
Playwright Neil Simon's papers go to Library of Congress
Dozens of notebooks, scripts, speeches, drafts of letters, artwork and even signed baseballs owned by the late playwright Neil Simon have been donated to the Library of Congress.
Will Smith apologizes: 'I was out of line and I was wrong'
Will Smith has apologized to Chris Rock for slapping the comedian onstage at Sundayโs Oscars, writing in a statement that he was โout of lineโ and โwrong.โ.
Did ABC miss a learning opportunity by suspending Whoopi?
ABCโs decision to suspend Whoopi Goldberg from โThe Viewโ for two weeks for her remarks about the Holocaust has opened the network up to criticism that its response derailed a teachable moment for the nation.
`The View' presses on with a simple 'OK' on Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldbergโs colleagues on the โThe View'' had virtually nothing to say Wednesday about her two-week suspension for her comments on Jews and the Holocaust.
ABC suspends Whoopi Goldberg over Holocaust race remarks
Whoopi Goldberg has been suspended for two weeks as co-host of โThe Viewโ because of what the head of ABC News called her โwrong and hurtful commentsโ about Jews and the Holocaust.
![McCain book shares why she left 'toxic' times at 'The View'](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/l8y6XMOtcpgcPmOLHOMmTqv5hi0=/800x560/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/ASXOZDNYYRC7PPT2RVN3ECF76M.jpg)
McCain book shares why she left 'toxic' times at 'The View'
Conservative firebrand Meghan McCain says she decided to leave โThe Viewโ the day after she returned from maternity leave last winter when colleague Joy Behar said โI did not miss youโ during a political argument.
![Among the Oscar winners: 2 foundations that serve the needy](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/GJ0f1TwjqwKHaZiYSNuo7akcLy0=/800x536/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/F5XFTWZW4FBCFIZRZRBR4UXGQA.jpg)
Among the Oscar winners: 2 foundations that serve the needy
Two foundations that serve the needy achieved the kind of spotlight at the Academy Awards telecast that any nonprofit yearns for: A shout-out from a famous celebrity to the 10 million or more people estimated to be watching from home.
!['Lovecraft Country' part of virtual festival celebrating TV](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/r861c4IqHwAhiW4Mqtexal5Q5iw=/1600x1073/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/HMXEEE3SI5DZTPWSQGDJWV47XI.jpg)
'Lovecraft Country' part of virtual festival celebrating TV
This image released by HBO shows Jurnee Smollett, from left, Jonathan Majors and Courtney B. Vance in a scene from "Lovecraft Country." The Queens Gambit, Lovecraft Country and What We Do in the Shadows are among the series featured in a virtual edition of the Paley Centers annual festival. (HBO via AP)LOS ANGELES โ "Lovecraft Country,โ โThe Queenโs Gambitโ and โWhat We Do in the Shadowsโ are among the series featured in a virtual edition of the Paley Centerโs annual festival celebrating TV programs and their makers. Sessions with stars and creators of โThe Good Doctorโ and โBig Skyโ round out the festival lineup. Highlights of PaleyFest events past, including for โThe Golden Girlsโ and โThe Big Bang Theory,โ are available on the Paley Centerโs YouTube page at youtube.com/user/paleycenter.
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Goldberg, Zendaya to be honored at Essence Hollywood awards
This combination photo shows actress Michaela Coel, from left, Andra Day, Cynthia Erivo, Whoopi Goldberg and Zendaya. Essence announced on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, that the actresses are among the honorees at this year's Essence Black Women in Hollywood event. (AP Photo)LOS ANGELES โ Whoopi Goldberg, Andra Day and Zendaya will be among the honorees at this year's Essence Black Women in Hollywood event, which will be livestreamed during Oscars week for the first time this year. Essence on Tuesday announced the honorees for the 14th annual ceremony on April 22. In addition to the Emmy-, Grammy-, Oscar- and Tony-winner Goldberg and โEuphoriaโ star Zendaya, they include actor, singer and songwriter Cynthia Erivo and actor Michaela Coel.
![Catherine Zeta-Jones joins Michael Sheen in 'Prodigal Son'](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/vIUcYUY6fuqMEiRtWOGsKkuGSdQ=/1600x1108/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/INJJE7PEXRDY5BZ4LDLSY3OCCE.jpg)
Catherine Zeta-Jones joins Michael Sheen in 'Prodigal Son'
This combination photo shows Catherine Zeta-Jones, left, at the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Jan. 19, 2020, in Los Angeles and Michael Sheen at the FOX Upfront party on May 13, 2019, in New York. The Welsh actors join "Prodigal Son" in the Tuesday, March 2, 20201, episode with Zeta-Jones playing a doctor and Sheen playing an incarcerated serial killer surgeon. (AP Photo)LOS ANGELES โ Catherine Zeta-Jones was already a fan of โProdigal Son,โ so when the chance came to join the show, she jumped, lured by the prospect of working alongside Michael Sheen. She was born in Swansea and Sheen was born in Newport seven months apart. That was, of course, a huge pull for me.โZeta-Jones joins Foxโs โProdigal Sonโ in Tuesday's episode, directed by co-star Lou Diamond Phillips.
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MTA brings celebrity voices to NYC transit announcements
FILE - This photo from Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, show riders exit and enter a bus at the Fordham Metro-North in New York. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Friday launched a campaign that has celebrities including Jerry Seinfeld, Whoopi Goldberg, and Awkwafina making the announcements heard at subway stations, on trains, and buses. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)NEW YORK โ Riders on New York City subways and buses are getting an earful, thanks to some famous hometown voices. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Friday launched a campaign that has celebrities including Jerry Seinfeld, Whoopi Goldberg and Awkwafina making the announcements heard at subway stations, on trains and buses. The MTA said the announcements will run for at least a month, and highlight the importance of mask-wearing and other coronavirus pandemic safety measures.
![Star-studded benefit concert to honor nurses on Thanksgiving](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/gOIZa7QSij5RdXB1qecabY1_BCI=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/PG5H7RSLTJEZNKHXR3VX6X477M.jpg)
Star-studded benefit concert to honor nurses on Thanksgiving
All rights reserved)LOS ANGELES โ Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan will be among the entertainers honoring nurses in a star-studded benefit virtual concert on Thanksgiving. Nurse Heroes announced Tuesday that the concert called Nurse Heroes Live will stream on the organizationโs YouTube and Facebook along with LiveXLive on Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. EST. The benefit will provide money for a variety of programs including scholarships for nurses and their children. Taylor Swift will donate a signed collectible edition โFolklore" guitar, which will be auctioned for the benefit of the Nurses Heroes Foundation. The nurses of New York's Northwell Health will be the first beneficiaries of the concert.
![Atlanta police make arrest in actor's shooting death](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/3Y7pNGvomvR8EnUK8azHk4n5-Ds=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/DUWIGGD2YVF3VPYH53F7QQ6ORA.jpg)
Atlanta police make arrest in actor's shooting death
In this Friday, Oct. 16, 2020, photo made from video and released by the Atlanta Police Department, Antonio Demetrice Rhynes surrenders to an APD drone with officers outside his apartment in Atlanta. Atlanta police announced Friday that they have arrested Rhynes on a felony murder charge for the shooting death of actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd. (Atlanta Police Department via AP)ATLANTA โ Atlanta police announced Friday that they have made an arrest in the shooting death of actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd. It wasn't immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his arrest. In drone footage of the arrest released by Atlanta police, the camera enters a second-floor apartment with a damaged front door.
![Thomas Jefferson Byrd, known for Spike Lee films, killed](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/B9iEGQOd9x-QGaiGfRjhiha8g-Q=/1600x1089/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/Z3SQPJU7IBDDXL2IG5AS5UC47M.jpg)
Thomas Jefferson Byrd, known for Spike Lee films, killed
ATLANTA โ Actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd, known for his roles in Spike Lee films, has been shot and killed in Atlanta, police said Sunday. Grant said homicide detectives were working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting and declined to provide further details. โMay we all wish condolences and blessings to his family,โ Lee wrote. !โโLoved working with you Byrd,โ she wrote. Actor Lori Petty tweeted: โWhat a man, what a talent ... what a crazy loss.โ
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Times' tax story is talker, but perceptions mostly hold
One questioned the report's timing and another wondered why the paper would run The New York Times' account without other sources. It was the most-engaged story that The New York Times has had this year, with 4.2 million reposts or reactions on social media through early Monday afternoon, according to NewsWhip. Seven of the 10 most-engaged stories concerned Trump's taxes, either the Times' pieces or those of other news organizations. The story ran under a large photo of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort shrouded in palm trees, itself a provocative news decision contrasting Trump's tax records with his wealth. The Orlando Sentinel's story ran under the headline, โReport releases Trump tax info.โ Somewhat bland, the headline could be seen as a way of mollifying both sides.
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Oscars diversity criteria 'not about exclusion' say leaders
I want to commend them for trying and for putting together a criteria because we know criteria is a way to counter bias, said Smith. Five years ago, the film academy endeavored to significantly diversify its own membership. The best picture adjustment is just one of the effort. Others include implementing a set 10 best picture nominees starting at the 94th Oscars and mandatory unconscious bias training for academy members. The best picture standards were specifically designed to be flexible and give latitude to filmmakers.
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Film academy to host virtual panels about inclusion, equity
Lee Daniels, Lulu Wang and Taraji P. Henson are among the talent participating in a series of virtual panels about inclusion and equity in Hollywood hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The organization that puts on the Oscars said Thursday that the panels rolling out through September and October will be available to the public. Entitled Academy Dialogues: It Starts with Us, the series is part of the film academys push to further equity and inclusion in its ranks and in the entertainment industry. The series launched last month with a conversation between Whoopi Goldberg and civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson about the power of narrative. Its currently available on YouTube.
![DaBaby, Roddy Ricch to help BET celebrate awards virtually](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/P2_eVlDO5ExdG0OrN2Mqb5PBshI=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/PWDZT5PLBRG67AATBBTL6BVJA4.jpg)
DaBaby, Roddy Ricch to help BET celebrate awards virtually
The three-hour show will be jam-packed with heavy hitters currently dominating the pop charts and streaming services, including DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, Summer Walker, Kane Brown and Chloe x Halle. The three-hour show will be jam-packed with heavy hitters currently dominating the pop charts and streaming services, including DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, Summer Walker, Kane Brown and Chloe x Halle. Comedian, actress and TV personality Amanda Seales will host the 2020 BET Awards, which will air on CBS for the first time. Drake is the leading nominee: Hes up for six honors, including video of the year and best male hip-hop artist. Ricch and Megan Thee Stallion follow Drake with five nominations each.
![Ava DuVernay joins the film academy's Board of Governors](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/maM4j6HXoW-efR_oe83IlT3P8RM=/1600x1032/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/P6MRVC35QFFGXDKM6I7NB6FYCA.jpg)
Ava DuVernay joins the film academy's Board of Governors
LOS ANGELES Filmmaker Ava DuVernay has been elected to the film academys Board of Governors for the first time. The academy has increased the number of women and people of color on the board. Incumbent governors reelected include Whoopi Goldberg, Dolemite Is My Name screenwriter Larry Karaszewski and Participant Media CEO David Linde among others. The organization that puts on the Oscars said that the number of women on the board has gone from 25 to 26 and people of color from 11 to 12. The Board of Governors represent each of the academys 17 branches and work to set the organizations strategy, finances and fulfillment of its mission.
![A look at entertainers and entities on hold over coronavirus](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/TyJ2RYTBKWwlTOOSc2O1rl4pwas=/1600x1182/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-gmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/M4ZBK7NMBFAJPDS43WHHLLP3QE.jpg)
A look at entertainers and entities on hold over coronavirus
โIโm going to socially distance myself.โBehar said she doesnโt trust the government and made the decision to self-quarantine herself. She added she is lucky that she doesnโt have child care needs and has enough money to tide her over. And the crisis is hampering production of potential new shows, with work on more than a dozen pilots halted. The decision comes a day after Disney announced the planned shutdown of its parks. ___The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Instituteโs Department of Science Education.