Legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach dies at age 94

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Legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach died in Los Angeles  on Feb. 8 of natural causes at age 94.

Bacharach wrote/co-wrote 73 Top-40 hits in the United States throughout his 70+ year career in the music business, including iconic songs such as “This Guy’s in Love with You,” “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do),” and “That’s What Friends Are For,” often along with lyricist Hal David. Many of his popular songs were performed by Dionne Warwick, with 22 Top-40 hits including songs such as “Walk on By,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”

Throughout his career, Bacharach’s songs were recorded by famous artists including Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, the Walker Brothers, and Luther Vandross. His songs spanned across the 1960s and 70s, and in the 1980s he found success with lyricist Carole Bayer Sager (who would also become his wife) on hit song from Christopher Cross, Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald, and Neil Diamond. His 1998 collaboration with Elvis Costello, Painted From Memory, won a Grammy for best pop collaboration with vocals, and he re-teamed with Costello in 2018 for another album, Look Now.

Bacharach is survived by wife Jane Hansen, sons Christopher and Oliver, and daughter Raleigh.

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Lizzo and SZA team up for remix of ‘Special’

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Lizzo has teamed up with SZA on a new version of Lizzo’s hit song, “Special.”  Lizzo has been teasing the collab, posting on Instagram with a short video announcement: “‘Special’ featuring SZA drops tomorrow.”

The new collaboration on ‘Special’ comes days after Lizzo took home the Grammy for ‘Record of the Year’ for her smash hit “About Damn Time,” which she also performed earlier that night.  As for SZA, she is enjoying the massive success of her latest album SOS, which earns her first No. 1 on the Billboard 200. She will also hit the road for her North American tour beginning later this month.

Take a listen to Lizzo and SZA’s remix of “Special” – here.

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Olivia Colman, Woody Harrelson and Chlöe Bailey to star in the film “Girl From the North Country”

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Olivia Colman, Woody Harrelson and Chlöe Bailey will star in the big screen adaptation of “Girl From the North Country,” a Broadway musical featuring the music of Bob Dylan. The musical originated at the Old Vic in London and had an off-Broadway run in 2018 at the Public Theater before heading to Broadway. However despite positive reviews, the musical struggled to sell tickets post-COVID and closed after its months-long stint. It has since played in the West End, Toronto and Australia.

“Girl From the North Country” will use Dylan’s music library, including “Forever Young,” “All Along the Watchtower” and “Like a Rolling Stone,” to score the Depression-era story about Midwesterners who cross paths at a turning point in their lives.  According to a synopsis, “based in 1934 in Duluth, Minn. during the Great Depression, “Girl From the North Country” centers on a group of wayward travelers as their lives intersect in a guesthouse. Things are spiraling out of control for proprietor Nick Laine (Harrelson), whose wife Elizabeth (Colman) is suffering from dementia. All the while, the bank is foreclosing on their home and their adopted daughter Marianne (Bailey) has a closely guarded secret that no one can explain. But when an escaped convict Joe Scott (Tosin Cole) seeks shelter at the guesthouse, a relationship develops between Marianne and Joe that will change everything for everyone forever.”

Dylan himself has given his approval of the film adaptation. sharing in a statement: “To be associated with Conor is one of the highlights of my professional life. It goes without saying the man is a genius for putting this thing together and I’m thrilled to be a part of the experience. My songs couldn’t be in better hands. The play had me crying at the end. I can’t even say why. When the curtain came down, I was stunned. I really was.”

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MTV Movie & TV Awards set for May 7 in Los Angeles

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The 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards ceremony has been scheduled for May 7 at the Barker Hangar in Los Angeles. MTV posted the news on Twitter with the caption: ⭐ Who’s ready to celebrate the biggest and best in movies and television?! ⭐ Get your popcorn ready, because the 2023 #MTVAwards are airing LIVE Sunday, May 7th on @MTV!🍿

Formerly titled the MTV Movie Awards when it debuted in 1992, the ceremony was renamed the MTV Movie & TV Awards in 2017 to also feature television stars. Winners of the fan-voted prizes will be announced in dozens of categories celebrating movies and television, both scripted and reality. The show held two ceremonies in 2021: the MTV Movie & TV Awards on one night and the MTV Movie & TV Awards: Unscripted on the next.  Additionally, for the last two years the show has had one host for the scripted portion and one for the unscripted. No host — or hosts — has been announced yet.

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MTV Movie & TV Awards set for May 7 in Los Angeles

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The 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards ceremony has been scheduled for May 7 at the Barker Hangar in Los Angeles. MTV posted the news on Twitter with the caption: ⭐ Who’s ready to celebrate the biggest and best in movies and television?! ⭐ Get your popcorn ready, because the 2023 #MTVAwards are airing LIVE Sunday, May 7th on @MTV!🍿

Formerly titled the MTV Movie Awards when it debuted in 1992, the ceremony was renamed the MTV Movie & TV Awards in 2017 to also feature television stars. Winners of the fan-voted prizes will be announced in dozens of categories celebrating movies and television, both scripted and reality. The show held two ceremonies in 2021: the MTV Movie & TV Awards on one night and the MTV Movie & TV Awards: Unscripted on the next.  Additionally, for the last two years the show has had one host for the scripted portion and one for the unscripted. No host — or hosts — has been announced yet.

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Big Time Rush announce tour and release new single, “Can’t Get Enough”

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Big Time Rush have announced the upcoming Can’t Get Enough Tour and the release of their newest single, “Can’t Get Enough”.  You can stream the new single – here.

The band posted on Instagram“Check out the Can’t Get Enough 2023 tour dates ➡➡ Big Time Rush Fan Club member presale starts Tuesday at 10am Local time. Sign up today on our website”.  The tour will kick off on June 22 at Fort Worth, TX’s Dickies Arena, with stops at major cities including Charlotte, Toronto, Nashville, Las Vegas and more before wrapping up on August 23 in Monterrey. Pop star Max and TikTok sensation Jax will serve as support. Watch the tour promo video – here.

Big Time Rush fan club members will have access to the exclusive presale until February 9th at 10PM. For more information on the presale, go to bigtimerushofficial.com. Citi cardmembers will have the opportunity to purchase tickets during a presale through Thursday, February 9 at 10pm local time via the Citi Entertainment program at www.citientertainment.com. The general public can begin purchasing tickets on February 10th at 10AM. Tickets for shows in Mexico will be available to purchase beginning on Thursday, February 16 at 11AM.

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Maria Menounos expecting first child via surrogate after fertility struggles

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Television personality Maria Menounos is expecting her first child with her husband, Keven Undergaro, via surrogate.  The baby news for Menounos, 44, and Undergaro, 55, comes years after the couple tried to start a family, but faced a decade of infertility. Menounos shared with People magazine: “Just after a decade of trying everything, we are so grateful to the beautiful family helping us conceive our baby. Keven, my dad and I are all beyond excited for this soul to come into our lives. What a blessing.”

Menounos also confirmed the news on social media, paying tribute to her late mom, Litsa Menounos, who passed away in May 2021 after a battle with brain cancer. Menounos wrote on Instagram“We are overjoyed to share that we are finally gonna be parents! Thank you to Stephanie Levich at @familymatchconsulting, Andrew Vorzimer, @kimkardashian and @zoesaldana for all your help on this journey!  Cant believe I’m sharing this news without her [Maria’s mom] in the physical … But I know she made it happen on the other side and is going to be with me every step of the way.”

Menounos and Undergaro tied the knot in 2017 after dating for more than two decades. They previously told People in February 2022 about their struggles with infertility, with Maria noting that she “definitely didn’t think it was going to take this long … It’s been years. We’ve used different services, different people,” adding that she began IVF treatments a decade ago. “It’s just been a very frustrating process.”

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Watch the first teaser for the remake of ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ starring Jack Harlow

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20th Century Studios have shared a ‘first-look’ teaser for the upcoming remake of ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ starring Jack Harlow in his acting debut. Harlow’s casting in the film was announced last March, after his first-ever screen audition. Harlow is an avid basketball superfan, and he was a star player in last year’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

Harlow portrays Jeremy alongside Sinqua Walls, who plays the role of Kamal. Their characters embody the roles of Sidney and Billy from the original ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ flick from 1992, starring Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes, respectively. Staying true to the original film’s plot line, the new teaser follows Jeremy and Kamal — avid basketball players who downplay their skills in street matches to hustle others out of their betting money.

Directed by Charles Kidd II and written by ‘Black-ish’ creator Kenya Barris, the ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ remake will stream on Hulu in the US (and Disney+ internationally) starting May 19. You can watch the teaser trailer – here.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Watch the first teaser for the remake of ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ starring Jack Harlow

shutterstock_2212776165635015

20th Century Studios have shared a ‘first-look’ teaser for the upcoming remake of ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ starring Jack Harlow in his acting debut. Harlow’s casting in the film was announced last March, after his first-ever screen audition. Harlow is an avid basketball superfan, and he was a star player in last year’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

Harlow portrays Jeremy alongside Sinqua Walls, who plays the role of Kamal. Their characters embody the roles of Sidney and Billy from the original ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ flick from 1992, starring Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes, respectively. Staying true to the original film’s plot line, the new teaser follows Jeremy and Kamal — avid basketball players who downplay their skills in street matches to hustle others out of their betting money.

Directed by Charles Kidd II and written by ‘Black-ish’ creator Kenya Barris, the ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ remake will stream on Hulu in the US (and Disney+ internationally) starting May 19. You can watch the teaser trailer – here.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Zara Larsson shares her video for ‘Can’t Tame Her’

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Zara Larsson is sharing the futuristic-styled music video for her latest single, “Can’t Tame Her.”

Larsson told Billboard about the song: “If you are in the public eye of any sort, I think a lot of people have a perception of who you are and who you should be. People want to put girls in a box of what you should do or not. In the public eye, you have a lot of people telling you what’s wrong or how you should do something differently. I’m out there, I’m very loud and I try to stay true to myself and surround myself with people who care about me, so we can all help each other and protect each other. Really good friends.”

Take a look at the video for Larsson’s “Can’t Tame Her” – here.

Zara Larsson drops ‘Can’t Tame Her’

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