What's going on with the Kennedy Center under Trump?
Until a few weeks ago, the biggest news to come out of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., was its annual celebration of notable American artists. That has changed since the return of Donald Trump. In the first month of his second term, the president has ousted the arts institution's leadership, filled the board of trustees with his supporters and announced he had been elected the board's chair -- unanimously. The center has since canceled performances by the touring children's musical "Finn" and a planned concert featuring the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C. Although Trump has said that the Kennedy Center overhaul is part of his overall campaign against "woke" culture, center officials have said that the cancellations were driven by financial and scheduling concerns.
TV procedurals up their game, with doctors on cruises and quirky single moms solving crimes
NEW YORK (AP) -- "Watson" is an unusual TV medical procedural. The CBS series stars Morris Chestnut as the titular character who leads a team of medical detectives set in a present-day Pittsburgh populated with characters from the Sherlock Holmes universe. "Watson" is not alone among the networks jazzing up the tried-and-true procedural. ABC's "Doctor Odyssey" puts a medical procedural aboard a luxury cruise ship. CBS has Kathy Bates in "Matlock" playing an underestimated retirement-age lawyer with a twist. CBS' "Elsbeth" and ABC's "High Potential" are heavy on the quirky but competent crime-solvers. Supercharging network procedurals comes as streaming increasingly offers subscribers a highly curated selection of unconventional series with big names and high production values.
A$AP Rocky has been found not guilty in a shooting trial. Here's what to know about the case
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A jury's acquittal of A$AP Rocky has put to rest a case that hung over the hip-hop star for years and threatened to derail his life and career. Rocky was charged with two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm after a November 2021 incident in which a former friend said the rapper shot at him and grazed his knuckles. Rocky has been free on bail since his 2022 arrest, but he faced immediate incarceration if he had been convicted. He appeared nervous ahead of the verdict and leaped into the arms of longtime partner Rihanna once it was clear the jury acquitted him.
A$AP Rocky returns to a life of music, fashion, film and Rihanna with his acquittal
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A$AP Rocky gets to return to life at the peak of his fame instead of the long prison sentence that might have come from a conviction at his felony trial. He thanked Los Angeles jurors for saving his life when they found him not guilty of felony assault with a semiautomatic handgun Tuesday. He'll now be headlining a major music festival, he'll be a celebrity co-chair of fashion's Met Gala in May and will co-star with Denzel Washington in a film this summer. And he'll get to spend the coming years with his toddler sons and partner Rihanna. He jumped into the singing star's arms when the verdict was read.
'Wicked' choice: Cynthia Erivo will host the Tony Awards in June
NEW YORK (AP) -- "Wicked" star Cynthia Erivo, who has been earning awards left and right, will next be handing them out. She's been picked to be the host of the Tony Awards. Erivo has won a Grammy, Emmy and a Tony, as well as a Golden Globe, SAG Award and three Academy Award nominations. This season's Tony Awards will take place on June 8 at its familiar home of Radio City Music Hall. They will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+. The awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.
Oscar presenters will include Selena Gomez and Oprah Winfrey. Here's what to know about the show
After devastating wildfires tore through Los Angeles, the 97th Academy Awards are going forward. More stars were added to the presenter lineup Wednesday, including Selena Gomez, Oprah Winfrey, Goldie Hawn, Ben Stiller, Ana de Armas, Sterling K. Brown, Willem Dafoe, Lily-Rose Depp and Connie Nielsen. A previous announcement said last year's acting winners will return to the Oscar stage. Those include Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr., Cillian Murphy and Da'Vine Joy Randolph Joy. The 97th Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Also for the first time, the Oscars will be streamed live on Hulu.
True crime cruise will star John Walsh and hosts of 'RedHanded,' 'Scamfluencers' and 'Kill List'
NEW YORK (AP) -- Hosts of many popular true crime podcasts will headline a true crime-themed cruise next year that's being billed as a first-of-its kind immersive mystery experience at sea. The cruise will feature "America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh, Hannah Maguire and Suruthi Bala from "RedHanded," Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi from "Scamfluencers," Aaron Habel and Justin Evans from "Generation Why," Carl Miller of "Kill List," "Hollywood & Crime" host Tracy Pattin and Chris Stewart from "Law & Crime." Wondery's Exhibit C Presents: A True Crime Cruise will take place on Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Joy ship Jan. 26-30. The four-night cruise sails from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas.
Movie Review: Hit man pic 'Old Guy' has style, but it's no bull's-eye
A boomer hit man is given a nightmare final assignment to train his Gen Z replacement in Simon West's action-comedy "Old Guy." Christoph Waltz stars opposite Cooper Hoffman in the Greg Johnson-scripted film, in theaters and available on VOD on Friday. Associated Press film writer Lindsey Bahr writes in her review that there's lots of action but little meaning. She writes, "Is a familiar conceit like the wise veteran and the cocksure newcomer tired or a classic? Well, it's all in the execution. And "Old Guy," stylishly filmed though it may be, is not one of the better attempts." It's rated R.
Met Opera to double cast Verdi and Puccini, as well as shift contemporary works from Saturdays
The Metropolitan Opera will double cast a portion of Verdi and Puccini revivals and shift some contemporary compositions away from Saturdays at the recommendation of a consultant trying to boost the company's finances. The 2025-26 season will be the third straight with 18 productions, down from 28 in 2007-08. There will be six new-to-the Met stagings for the third consecutive season, including three company premieres. Revivals comprise 79% of the 196 staged performances, up from 71% in the current season.
Really, who were those masked men? New series of books probes backstories of Marvel superheroes
NEW YORK (AP) -- If you love movies or comics, you've likely followed the adventures of Spider-Man, Iron Man and other superheroes. A new line of books will let you explore the backstories of their creation. On Wednesday, Bloomsbury and Marve lannounced a multi-year, multi-volume licensing agreement for "Marvel Age of Comics." The books will combine history and personal narrative. They start this fall with Stuart Moore's "Doctor Strange," Paul Cornell's "The Mighty Avengers of the 1970s" and Chris Ryall's "Daredevil." The illustrations will feature original work from Marvel's digital archive.