by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:
ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:
SCANDAL - From Variety: Rapper Tory Lanez was found guilty in the Los Angeles trial over the 2020 roadside shooting of Megan Thee Stallion in Hollywood Hills.
SPORTS - From Deadline: Google's YouTube has outbid everyone and will take possession of "NFL Sunday Ticket" in 2023. It had belonged to DirecTV since its inception in 1994.
ACADEMY AWARDS - From Deadline: "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and Netflix's German film, "All Quiet on the Western Front," lead the Oscar shortlists.
SCANDAL - From Deadline: On Mon., Dec. 19th, Oscar-winning film producer and former studio head, Harvey Weinsten, was found guilty of 3 of the 7 sex crime charges he face in Los Angeles.
SCANDAL - From Deadline: Amber Heard and Johnny Depp have reached an agreement over how much money Heard will pay Depp in the defamation suit he filed against her. Depp will reportedly donate the one million dollars he will receive from Heard to charity.
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 12/16 to 12/18/2022 weekend box office is "Avatar: The Way of Water" with an estimated take of 134 million dollars.
From Variety: "Avatar: The Way of Water" leads the international box office with a take of 301 million dollars.
SCANDAL - From Deadline: Jamie Spears, the father of Grammy-winner Britney Spears, has given his first interview in over a decade. Defending Britney's love conservatorship, he wonders if she would be alive without it.
MOVIES - From YahooNews: Iranian authorities arrested, Taraneh Alidoosti, one of the country’s most renowned actresses Saturday on charges of spreading falsehoods about nationwide protests that grip the country, IRNA, the state media said. Alidoosti starred in the 2016 Iranian film, "The Salesman," which won the Oscar for "Best International Feature Film" at the 89th Academy Awards.
DISNEY - From WSJ: How "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and "Avatar: The Way of Water" taught actors to act underwater.
OBITS:
From RollingStone: American singer-songwriter and record producer, Thom Bell, has died at the age of 79, Thursday, December 22, 2022. Born in Jamaica, he was known for creating "The Sound of Philadelphia" with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, with the three being known as "the Mighty Three." His best known work was with such acts as "The Delfonics," "The Stylistics," and "The Spinners." In 1975, he won the Grammy Award for "Producer of the Year, Non-Classical."
From ESPN: Retired American professional football player and NFL champion, Franco Harris, has died at the age of 72, Tuesday, December 20, 2022. Harris played for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers 1972 to 1983, where he was part of four Super Bowl championship teams and the MVP of Super Bowl IX. Harris was also the 1976 "NFL Man of the Year" and the 1973 "NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year." A running back, Harris was the third all-time leading rusher in NFL history, and he entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.
From Deadline: English musician and singer-songwriter, Terry Hall, has died at the age of 63, Sunday, December 18, 2022. He was best known for his association with the English ska band, "The Specials." He was also a founding member of the English new wave band, "Fun Boy Three." Hall also wrote "The Go-Go's" hit song, "Our Lips Are Sealed" with this then-girlfriend, Go-Go's co-founder, Jane Wiedlin.
From THR: British film and television director and screenwriter, Mike Hodges, has died at the age of 90, Saturday, December 17, 2022. He is best known for writing and directing the 1971 crime film, "Get Carter" (starring Michael Caine) and directing the 1980 sci-film, "Flash Gordon."
From Deadline: American television journalist and investigative reporter, Drew Griffin, has died at the age of 60, Saturday, December 17, 2022. Best known for his work at CNN, Griffin was a Peabody Award winner and a four-time Emmy Award winner.
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AWARDS:
From Deadline: The Black Film Critics Circle named "The Woman King" the "Best Film" of 2022.
From Deadline: The winners of the 2022 Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) Awards have been announced. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "Tar" tie for "Best Picture" award.
From Deadline: The nominations for the 2023 / 80th annual Golden Globes Awards were announced today (Mon., Dec. 12th). "The Banshees of Inisherin" led the film field with eight nominations. ABC's "Abbot Elementary" lead the TV side with five nominations. The winners will be announced January 10, 2023.
From Deadline: The American Film Institute (AFI) has named its "AFI Awards Film" list of "Top 10 Films of 2022." The list includes "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Top Gun: Maverick," and "The Woman King."
From THR: The African-American Film Critics Association name "The Woman King" the "Best Film of 2022."
From Deadline: The nominations for the "2023 Critics Choice Awards" in the television categories have been announced. ABC's sitcom, "Abbot Elementary" leads the nominations. The winners will be announced Sunday, January 15, 2023 and broadcast on The CW.
From Variety: The 2022 / 88th Annual New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) Awards have been announced. Todd Field's "Tar" wins "Best Film" and "Best Actress" (Cate Blanchett). Keke Palmer wins "Best Supporting Actress" for her performance in "Nope."
From Deadline: "Everything Everywhere All at Once" wins the "Best Feature" award at the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards, one of two wins for the film.
From IndieWire: The nominations for the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" leads with eight nominations. The winners will be announced March 4th, 2023.
From Variety: The nominations for the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards were announced a month ago. Todd Field's "Tar" leads with five nominations. The winners will be announced Monday, November 28th.
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BRITTNEY GRINER:
From CBSNews: WNBA star Brittney Griner has been released from her Russian imprisonment in a one-for-one prisoner swap for notorious international arms dealer, Viktor Bout.
From NBCNews: Brittney Griner will enter a system of isolation, grueling labor and psychological torment when she is transferred to a penal colony, the successor to the infamous Russian gulag, to fulfill a nine-year sentence handed down Tuesday in Moscow, former prisoners and advocates said.
From NBCNews: A Russian court has rejected Brittney Griner's appeal of her nine-year prison sentence on (fake) drug charges.
From Reuters: Russia says that it is ready to talk prisoner swamp for Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, but also scolds the U.S. Embassy.
From TheDailyBeast: Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.
From Vox: Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.
From ESPN: A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th. Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.
From ESPN: The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.
From RSN: "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack
From ESPN: Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.
From CBSSports: The Brittney Griner situation explained.
From RSN: According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."
