At 60, Too $hort has no plans to stop his hip-hop voyage with new album produced fully by Lil Jon
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Too $hort, the Oakland hip-hop legend, is defying age norms in the music industry. At 60, he's still recording, touring, and challenging the idea that hip-hop has an age limit. His latest album, “Sir Too $hort Vol. 2: Drink & Smoke,” produced by Lil Jon, drops Friday. Too $hort reflects on his enduring career, saying he never imagined stopping. He credits his love for music and collaboration with artists like E-40 and Lil Jon for his continued relevance. He also honors Lil Jon’s late son, Slade, whose work features on the new album, as part of a lasting legacy.
Wildfires force George Clooney's family to evacuate their home in southern France
PARIS (AP) — George Clooney has said his family has been forced to evacuate their home in southeastern France as a wildfire burned nearby. The Hollywood star behind the Ocean’s Eleven franchise and many other films made the statement in a letter to Brignoles Mayor Didier Bremond, publicist Guido Gotz told The Associated Press in an email.
Movie Review: Olivia Wilde rules playful BDSM comedy ‘I Want Your Sex’
Olivia Wilde plays a famous artist and provocateur who initiates a relationship with a younger employee in “I Want Your Sex.” The film from director Gregg Araki playfully satirizes Gen Z's prudish attitudes toward sex within the construct of this heightened art world. Cooper Hoffman plays the younger employee who gets wrapped up in Wilde's character's orbit. In her review for The Associated Press, film writer Lindsey Bahr praises Wilde's performance, writing that “it’s difficult to imagine anyone else in the role — nor would you want to.” “I Want Your Sex” is rated R. It opens in theaters Friday.
Movie Review: Anthony Bourdain biopic 'Tony' is just an early nibble at a culinary giant
The Anthony Bourdain biopic “Tony” explores a pivotal summer in 1975 when the future chef-traveler worked in a Cape Cod kitchen. Directed by Matt Johnson, the film portrays Bourdain as a young, struggling chef, but AP critic Mark Kennedy say it misses capturing his later charisma. Dominic Sessa plays the teenage Bourdain, depicted as a misfit with little joy. The film introduces fictional elements, including a new mentor played by Antonio Banderas. While it offers glimpses of Bourdain's early life, Kennedy says it fails to fully capture his passion for food and new environments. “Tony” is rated R and runs for 106 minutes.
K-pop powerhouse BTS say they will not submit music for 2027 Grammys
NEW YORK (AP) — K-pop powerhouse BTS say they will not submit their music for consideration at the forthcoming Grammys. All seven members of the group shared the same note Wednesday, saying they want their music to be “heard and loved for what it is” and not divided by language or region. The Recording Academy recently announced the introduction of a best Asian pop music performance category. Some fans viewed the new category as a racialized barrier for Asian performers. BTS has never won a Grammy, though they’ve been nominated for five. Representatives for the Recording Academy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Jared Leto denies sexual assault allegations described in BBC documentary
Four women have accused Jared Leto of sexual misconduct when they were teenagers, to which the actor and musician responded that he has “never sexually assaulted anyone.” He said in a statement Wednesday that the “claims are absolutely and categorically false.” The documentary "Jared Leto: Hollywood's Dark Secret" includes claims from four women who accuse him of misconduct between 2002 and 2016. The BBC says it corroborated the women's accounts, but they could not be independently verified by The Associated Press. The documentary does not identify the women by their full names. Leto is a 54-year-old Oscar winner and the frontman of the band Thirty Seconds to Mars.
'60 Minutes' announces new slate of correspondents for upcoming season
NEW YORK (AP) — CBS's "60 Minutes" has announced a slate of new correspondents and contributors for its 59th season. The show's executive producer, Nick Bilton, shared the news Tuesday. Ross Douthat, an opinion columnist from The New York Times, and Norah O’Donnell, former anchor of ‘CBS Evening News,’ will join as correspondents. Sebastian Junger, Gianna Toboni and Trevor Phillips join as contributors. The moves come two months after a major shakeup at the news magazine, led by new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, which installed Bilton as executive producer and let to departures of three correspondents: Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega and Scott Pelley.
Glen Hansard, Irish musician who won Oscar for 'Once,' dies in motorcycle crash
LONDON (AP) — Academy Award-winning Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard has died in a motorcycle crash. His management says the accident happened in Dublin on Wednesday. He was 56. Hansard was known for his dual career in acting and music. He played a member of a Dublin soul band in “The Commitments” and won an Oscar in 2008 for the song “Falling Slowly” from the film “Once,” in which he also starred. He was the front man for The Frames and part of the duo The Swell Season. He also released solo albums including “Didn’t He Ramble,” which was nominated for a Grammy.
'Super Troopers' at 25: A quarter-century of mustaches and maple syrup — and a new film
NEW YORK (AP) — A quarter of a century is a long time for mustache rides and syrup binges, but “Super Troopers” has gotten a lot of mileage out of the simple joys of friends goofing around. The comedy troupe Broken Lizard started as a group of college buddies who started performing together while at Colgate University. They broke through with 2001’s “Super Troopers.” Not all movies look like they were fun to make, but “Super Troopers” did. For Broken Lizard, the difference between the movie and the blooper reel can be almost nonexistent. Ever since, the guys from Broken Lizard have been living out the dream of every group of funny college pals. They release “Super Troopers 3” on Aug. 7.
Film financier Jason Cloth indicted in alleged $100M Ponzi scheme tied to movie funding
Film producer Jason Cloth, known for financing movies like “Joker” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” has been indicted on wire fraud charges. Prosecutors say he ran a $100 million Ponzi scheme. The indictment was unsealed Tuesday in Chicago. Cloth was arrested in Los Angeles the same day. Prosecutors allege he solicited money from investors for films or video games but used it for other projects. Cloth is charged with seven counts of wire fraud, each carrying up to 20 years in prison. The FBI is asking potential victims to contact their Chicago office. Attorneys representing Cloth in other legal matters did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
