Month: April 2023

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Entertainment Daypop

F. Murray Abraham apologizes after ‘Mythic Quest’ firing due to allegations of misconduct

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A recent Rolling Stone article alleged that F. Murray Abraham was fired from the Apple TV+ comedy series Mythic Quest last year because of sexual misconduct allegations made against him.  At least two concerns were raised about Abraham’s behavior, with the first incident resulting in Abraham being given a warning and told to keep away from some of the show’s actresses, according to a production source. After a second alleged incident was brought to creator and star Rob McElhenney’s attention, Abraham was let go ahead of Season 3.

Now the 83-year-old actor is apologizing publicly for what happened. Abraham shared in a statement: “This is a sincere and deeply felt apology. Though never my intention to offend anyone, I told jokes, nothing more, that upset some of my colleagues and as a result lost a great job with wonderful people. I have grown in my understanding from this experience, and I hope they will forgive me.”  

Lionsgate Television, which produces “Mythic Quest,” previously said in a statement: “We take allegations of misconduct seriously and investigate them thoroughly. As a matter of corporate policy, we do not comment on personnel actions.”  Additionally, none of the stars of “Mythic Quest” have publicly commented on the misconduct report at the time of this publishing.

Abraham portrayed C.W. Longbottom in Mythic Quest, an award-winning fantasy author who works as a head game writer for the show’s namesake video game. Abraham’s exit was addressed in the Season 3 premiere with Longbottom, diagnosed with a terminal illness, scripting his own ending by driving off a cliff into the Grand Canyon and having his remains launched into space. McElhenney told Variety last year: “It’s a bummer to not have Murray in this season. But we recognize that C.W. is a beloved character and obviously a huge part of the show. So, we made sure that we have a really fitting tribute to him.”

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Categories
Rock Daypop

Greta Van Fleet to launch ‘Starcatcher World Tour’

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Greta Van Fleet announced their ‘Starcatcher’ World Tour, in support of the band’s much anticipated forthcoming third studio album Starcatcher, due out July 21. Starcatcher follows their acclaimed sophomore album The Battle at Garden’s Gate, released in 2021. To pre-order Starcatcher, head here.

The ‘Starcatcher’ World Tour, featuring support from special guests Kaleo, Surf Curse, Mt. Joy and Black Honey, kicks-off July 24 in Nashville at the Bridgestone Arena, and includes stops at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York and The Forum in Los Angeles. Greta Van Fleet will also be touring throughout Europe, starting in Hamburg, Germany on November 6 with further international stops at London’s OVO Arena Wembley, Paris, Madrid, Amsterdam and more.

General ticket sales start Friday, April 21 at 10 AM local time via Ticketmaster.

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Categories
Rock Daypop

Eric Clapton’s ‘Crossroads Guitar Festival’ to return with Sheryl Crow, ZZ Top and more

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Eric Clapton has unveiled the all-star lineup for the 2023 Crossroads Guitar Festival, with Sheryl Crow, ZZ Top, John Mayer Trio, H.E.R., Taj Mahal, Joe Bonamassa, Marcus King, Vince Gill, Gary Clark Jr., Keb’ Mo,’ Buddy Guy and Santana among the many artists and guitarist hand-picked by Clapton who will take the stage. The seventh installment of the Crossroads Guitar Festival takes place September 23 and 24 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with Clapton set to perform both nights.

The Crossroads Guitar Festival benefits Crossroads Centre, a substance abuse rehab center co-founded by Clapton in 1998 in Antigua. The Centre helps treat people battling alcohol, cocaine, opioids and cannabis addictions based on the 12-step treatment program. According to a press release: “Clapton will gather the past, present and future of guitar music onto one stage for an unparalleled musical event  Since its inception, Clapton’s vision for the Crossroads Guitar Festival has been to create an event where his friends and contemporaries can have fun and perform together for the benefit of a good cause.”

Tickets go on sale Friday (April 21) at 10 a.m. local time. Visit the festival’s website for more details.

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Categories
Pop Daypop

Jonas Brothers surprising fans with secret limited engagement shows

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The Jonas Brothers are surprising fans across the country with a set of three upcoming secret shows, sharing on social media: “Heads up Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth and Baltimore… We’re coming to town for three secret shows on April 25th, 26th and 28th!”  

The brothers announced on social media they will perform secret shows in Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth and Baltimore later this month, but didn’t reveal any additional details about what fans could expect, such as the venues and times or what songs concertgoers could expect to hear.  For more information, head to www.jonasbrothers.com.

The secret shows announcement come shortly after the Jonas Brothers shared that they are fulfilling a lifelong dream and performing at Yankee Stadium in August; due to high demand, a second date at Yankee Stadium was recently added.

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Pop Daypop

Frank Ocean drops out of headlining Coachella Weekend 2 following backlash

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After a divisive and poorly received performance last Sunday, Frank Ocean will not be headlining the second weekend of the Coachella Festival in Indio, California. Variety reports that Ocean has pulled out of his scheduled Sunday performance; the spot will instead go to Blink-182.

A rep for the singer released a statement, saying: “Frank Ocean will not be performing at weekend 2 of Coachella. After suffering an injury to his leg on festival grounds in the week leading up to weekend 1, Frank Ocean was unable to perform the intended show but was still intent on performing, and in 72 hours, the show was reworked out of necessity. On doctor’s advice, [Ocean] is not able to perform weekend 2 due to two fractures and a sprain in his left leg.”

The statement concluded with a statement from Ocean: “‘It was chaotic. There is some beauty in chaos. It isn’t what I intended to show but I did enjoy being out there and I’ll see you soon.’ — Frank Ocean.”

Ocean was originally schedule to headline the music festival in 2020, before the pandemic shut down the festival. Ocean’s performance last weekend  was the singer’s first in six years. Fans became irate when it came time for Ocean to perform, when not only was it announced that his set would not be included in YouTube’s livestream from the festival — but signs placed around the venue declared that no Frank Ocean merchandise would be available for purchase at the festival. The performance itself didn’t begin for nearly one hour after Ocean was set to start, and was cut abruptly short due to the local curfew enforcement.

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Categories
Country Daypop

14th Annual ‘Darius And Friends’ benefit concert set for June 5th

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Darius Rucker announced the 14th annual “Darius and Friends” benefit concert, taking place at the Ryman Auditorium on Monday, June 5. The show, which benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, also serves as the unofficial kick off to CMA Fest. The “Darius and Friends” concert has raised more than $3 million to date, and is part of Rucker’s commitment he made to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 15 years ago after taking a tour of the hospital.

Famous friends who have joined Rucker in past years have included Lauren Alaina, Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Sheryl Crow, Charles Kelley of Lady A, Ashley McBryde, A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys, Brad Paisley, Kenny Rogers and Tommy Thayer of KISS, among many others. The lineup for this year’s event will be announced in the coming months.

Tickets to the 14th Annual Darius & Friends benefit concert start at $69 (with VIP package options up to $249). General ticket sales begin Friday, April 21st at 10 am CT via AXS.com.

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Categories
Country Daypop

Paramount+ documentary on Wynonna Judd to premiere on April 26

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Paramount+ has announced the feature-length documentary Wynonna Judd: Between Hell and Hallelujah, which will follow the legendary singer as she navigates the next phase of her life and career following Naomi Judd’s untimely passing.

The doc offers audiences a raw, first-hand glimpse into Wynonna’s life, beginning with the decision to honor her mother’s legacy by continuing on with The Judds: The Final Tour. The documentary captures candid on-stage and behind-the-scenes moments as part of the sold out nationwide tour, along with personal anecdotes from Wynonna’s friends and fellow artists Ashley McBryde, Brandi Carlile, Faith Hill, Little Big Town, Kelsea Ballerini, Martina McBride and Trisha Yearwood.

Said Judd: “It’s real and it’s raw. It’s celebration and sadness. It’s all of the people who I leaned on during one of the toughest seasons of my life. I wanted the opportunity to tell my story in my voice. If doing so helps one person out there choose life, then I am grateful.”

Wynonna Judd: Between Hell and Hallelujah will premiere on Paramount+ on Wednesday, April 26, and globally on Wednesday, July 19th. Fans can also watch a televised two-hour concert event from The Judds: Final Tour called CMT Presents The Judds: Love is Alive — the Final Concert. That special will premiere Saturday, April 29 at 8PM ET on CMT.

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Categories
Sports Daypop

2023 NBA Playoffs: Grizzlies, Bucks, Nuggets take Game 2

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* The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles Lakers 103-93 on Wednesday to tie their Western Conference playoff series 1-1.  Xavier Tillman scored a career-high 22 points and pulled down 18 rebounds to lead the Grizzlies to the win, while the Lakers LeBron James led all scorers with 28 points and Japan’s Rui Hachimura added 20 to become the first Laker to score 20 points off the bench in back-to-back playoff games since Magic Johnson did so in 1996. Jaren Jackson Jr., the newly named NBA Defensive Player of the Year, scored 18 points, Desmond Bane added 17 and Brooks scored 12 with Tyus Jones, starting in place of Morant, adding 10.

The Lakers will head home for Game 3 against the Grizzlies on Saturday night.

* Brook Lopez scored 25 points and Jrue Holiday added 24 to help the Milwaukee Bucks defeat the visiting Miami Heat 138-122 on Wednesday night, tying their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at a game apiece.

Despite the abscence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks went 25 of 49 on three-point attempts to tie the NBA record for three-point baskets in a post-season game. Pat Connaughton added a playoff career-high 22 points while going six of 10 from beyond the arc. Jimmy Butler led the Miami scorers with 25 points while Bam Adebayo finished with 18.

The Heat will host Game 3 against the Bucks on Saturday.

* Jamal Murray scored 40 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 13 of his 16 in the fourth quarter helping the Denver Nuggets defeat the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 122-113 on Wednesday night, giving them a 2-0 lead in their NBA playoff series.

Nikola Jokic added 27 points, nine assists and nine rebounds for the Nuggets, while Anthony Edwards had 41 points for the Wolves. Minnesota had shot just 39 per cent in the first half, just slightly better than it did in a 29-point loss in the series opener Sunday night.

Game 3 between the Nuggets and Timberwolves will be held in Minneapolis on Friday night.

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Categories
News Daypop

Two teen brothers arrested in Alabama Sweet 16 birthday party shooting

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Authorities announced on Wednesday that two teenage brothers were arrested in connection with a shooting that left four people dead and 32 injured at a weekend ‘Sweet 16’ party in Alabama.

Alabama Law Enforcment Agency Sgt. Jeremy Burkett said that the boys – 16-year-old Travis McCullough and 17-year-old Ty Reik McCullough from Tuskegee, — were taken into custody on charges of reckless murder on Tuesday night. and will be charged as adults.  Sgt. Burkett said during a press conference Wednesday: “There is a tremendous amount of work to do. We’re going to be careful with everything we say and everything we do. We’re going to stay focused on the victims and their families. “

Gunfire erupted at 10:34 p.m. Saturday at a dance studio on Broadnax Street in Dadeville where friends and family were celebrating the birthday of a 16-year-old girl. The four people killed were identified by police as Shaunkivia Smith, 17; Marsiah Collins, 19; Corbin Holston, 23; and Philstavious Dowdell, 18. Dadeville is about 25 miles northwest of Auburn University. Four people remained hospitalized and listed in critical condition on Wednesday.

Prosecutors and police revealed few details on the arrest, such as the weapons used or possible motive for the attack.  Police said they’re at the early stages of the probe and are still in great need of the public’s help, especially from party guests who have yet to speak to investigators. Sgt. Burkett said: “We need you to come forward for the families, for these victims.” Dadeville Police Chief Jonathan Floyd also asked for the public’s help and patience with the investigation: “If we hurry, if we’re careless and we do make an arrest but it doesn’t result in a conviction, it does not result in ultimate justice for our victims, then we’ve failed our victims. Please be patient, please be understanding.”

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Categories
News Daypop

Family of Tyre Nichols files $550M civil lawsuit against city of Memphis over death by police

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The family of Tyre Nichols has filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday against the city of Memphis, the police department and several individuals over his death at the hands of police officers

The attorney for the family, Ben Crump, said the lawsuit is seeking $550 million for the “torture” of Nichols, 29, who died three days after he was beaten by police during a Jan. 7 traffic stop. Body camera footage of the altercation showed officers striking Nichols repeatedly. Crump said during a press briefing Wednesday outside the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office in Memphis: “This landmark lawsuit is not only to get the justice for Tyre Nichols in the civil courts, but it is also a message that is being sent to cities all across America who have these police oppression units that have been given the license by city leaders to go and terrorize Black and brown communities.”

The suit was filed by Nichol’s mother RowVaughn Wells and the Tyre Nichols estate. The 139-page, 25-count civil complaint includes allegations of excessive force and “deliberate indifference to serious medical needs,” and called the traffic stop “unreasonable.” It also claims the police department failed to properly train its officers, including those in the now-deactivated SCORPION unit that was involved in Nichols’ arrest: “The City of Memphis, through the Memphis Police Department, maintained a custom of tolerance for SCORPION Officers’ unreasonable search and seizure of individuals, use of excessive force, and the violation of the Fourth Amendment prior to the violation of Tyre Nichols’ constitutional rights and death.”

The lawsuit names the city of Memphis, Police Chief Cerelyn Davis, individual police officers, and three Memphis Fire Department employees. It Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis and the five now-former officers charged in connection with Nichols’ death — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith — are among the defendants named in the lawsuit. Preston Hemphill, a police officer who was fired but not charged, is also named in the lawsuit. In addition, emergency medical technicians Robert Long and JaMichael Sandridge, Memphis Fire Lt. Michelle Whitaker, who was also in the first ambulance to arrive, and DeWayne Smith, who was a police lieutenant who retired before he could be fired, were also named in the suit.

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