WASHINGTON (AP) — A daylong Earth Day concert had R&B star Usher dancing on crutches Saturday, April, 18, on the National Mall to rally thousands for political action to confront climate change and poverty. Usher, Mary J. Blige, Gwen Stefani, Common, Fall Out Boy and Train all performed during the free Global Citizen 2015 … Continue reading
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Opera is as much a part of New Orleans’ African-American heritage as jazz, said Givonna Joseph, whose troupe is bringing opera to the Kids Tent at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival for the fourth year in a row. The troupe was among more than 60 acts on 10 … Continue reading
BEIRUT (AP) — Salma Hayek said on Monday, April 27, that the animated feature film “The Prophet” she co-produced has been a personal passion project, one she hopes can inspire young viewers to think outside the box about ways to improve the world. Hayek is visiting Lebanon, her ancestral homeland, for the international premiere … Continue reading
ESPN is suing Verizon in an escalating clash over how the popular sports channel is being sold in a discounted pay-TV package. The complaint filed Monday in New York’s state Supreme Court alleges Verizon is breaking its contract with ESPN, owned by Walt Disney Co., by unbundling the sports channel from the main programming … Continue reading
NEW YORK (AP) — Will the list include a musical set in a funeral home of all places? Or one set in Paris? Is there room for a brand-new show that makes William Shakespeare look like Mick Jagger? Can a dark, sinister show led by an 82-year-old sneak in? Tony Award nominations are revealed … Continue reading
NEW YORK (AP) — Kim Kardashian says she and her family support her stepfather Bruce Jenner 100 percent as he goes through gender transition, even though family members are still adjusting to that news in what she called “a daily process.” Her appearance on NBC’s “Today” show Monday, April 27, followed Jenner’s much-watched interview Friday … Continue reading
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin are officially uncoupling after the actress filed for divorce after more than 11 years of marriage. Paltrow cited irreconcilable differences for the breakup of her marriage to Martin, who is the frontman for the band Coldplay. The couple separated in May 2013, according to Paltrow’s … Continue reading
LONDON (AP) — Former CNN host Piers Morgan was questioned for a second time by British police Tuesday about tabloid phone hacking. Morgan, who edited Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper between 1995 and 2004, said he attended a voluntary interview with detectives. “As this is an ongoing investigation, I am unable to comment further until … Continue reading
NEW YORK (AP) — HBO Now, the cable channel’s new stand-alone streaming service, is both a blessing and a curse. Like HBO Go, the app that cable and satellite TV subscribers have, HBO Now gives you instant access to new TV episodes and movies, along with programs from months and years ago. People who … Continue reading
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s lawsuit against the co-founder of YouTube over leaked footage of their marriage proposal should move forward, a California appeals court ruled Wednesday. Kardashian and West have shown a likelihood they could win their case against Chad Hurley, who posted footage of the couple’s elaborate marriage … Continue reading
NEW YORK (AP) — The first sign that things might go a little nutty at “Something Rotten!” is in the second song when William Shakespeare is called, well, a “little turd.” The Bard is mocked as “the poster child for why no one should ever procreate” and “a hack with a knack for stealing … Continue reading
LAS VEGAS (AP) — There wasn’t a dry eye in the over 4,000-seat Colosseum theater as the credits rolled following the first screening of Pixar’s “Inside Out” at CinemaCon on Wednesday morning. The film, out Friday, June 19, personifies the emotions of an 11-year-old girl who has just moved from Minnesota to San Francisco … Continue reading
Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen for April 6-12. Listings include the week’s ranking and viewership. 1. NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: Wisconsin vs. Duke, CBS, 28.26 million. 2. “NCAA Championship Pre-Game,” CBS, 18.45 million. 3. “NCIS,” CBS, 16.85 million. 4. “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 14.78 million. 5. “NCIS: New Orleans,” CBS, 14.33 million. … Continue reading
JERUSALEM (AP) — An assistant to Kim Kardashian and her husband, Kanye West, says the couple paid an early morning visit to a Crusader-era church marking the traditional spot of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Sharon Schaveet, an Israeli producer who helped organize the visit, said the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was empty … Continue reading
The odds were stacked against Eleanora Fagan, who was born to unwed teenage parents in Philadelphia on April 7, 1915. But she would become perhaps the most influential jazz singer ever, Billie Holiday, whose centennial is being celebrated with new albums honoring her legacy. Unlike Ella Fitzgerald, Holiday lacked the vocal technique that would … Continue reading
Spartan Echo 