1 week Ago By AP
Cheech and Chong ride once more NEW YORK (AP) — Being on the road has always been the natural state for Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong. No comic act has ever gotten so much mileage out of driving nowhere in particular. In their new movie, “Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie," they reflect on their odd journey while cruising through the desert.
Cheech and Chong, a double act to rival Laurel and Hardy, has proven remarkably durable — and profitable. For a pair of stoners that few would have forecast longevity, they’ve not just made it to old age — Marin is 78, Chong is 86 — they look great. And they laugh just as much as they used to.
Billy Idol on his first album in over a decade, surviving addiction, the Rock Hall and more NEW YORK (AP) — Punk rock icon Billy Idol released his first new album in 11 years on Friday. Titled “Dream Into It,” he tells The Associated Press the record is autobiographical and features a few rare duets from the English singer. Those include Joan Jett, Avril Lavigne and The Kills' Alison Mosshart.
The album follows 2014's “Kings & Queens of the Underground.” In June, he'll release a new documentary about his life, “Billy Idol Should Be Dead,” which will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. He's also nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for the first time.
Kennedy Center’s events scheduled for LGBTQ+ pride celebration canceled, organizers say WASHINGTON (AP) — Organizers and the Kennedy Center have canceled a week’s worth of events celebrating LGBTQ+ rights for this summer’s World Pride festival in Washington, D.C. The move comes amid a shift in priorities and the ousting of center leadership.
Multiple artists and producers involved in the center’s Tapestry of Pride schedule told The Associated Press that their events had been quietly canceled or moved to other venues. Washington’s Capital Pride Alliance has disassociated itself from the Kennedy Center. The events at the center had been planned for June 5 to 8.
The Kennedy Center’s website still lists Tapestry of Pride on its website with a general description. The center didn’t respond to a request for comment. Jensen McRae makes authentic folk-pop the internet can't resist NEW YORK (AP) — California-raised singer-songwriter Jensen McRae makes folk-pop the internet adores.
Her second studio album, “I Don’t Know How, But They Found Me!", is out Friday. In an interview, McRae tells The Associated Press the narrative around the album is based on resilience. That has long been a theme in her music.
“I Don’t Know How But They Found Me!” is composed of songs McRae wrote throughout her early 20s, in the wake of one relationship and the rise and fall of another. She finished the album last spring in North Carolina with producer Brad Cook, a collaborator of Bon Iver, Waxahatchee and Suki Waterhouse. Cameron Mackintosh, one of the last great theater impresarios, has plans for stages everywhere NEW YORK (AP) — The great composer Stephen Sondheim loved puzzles, and when he died in 2021, he left one for his good friend, British super-producer Cameron Mackintosh.
He left him an unfinished show. The two men conceived of a revue of Sondheim’s songs during the pandemic. But with the death of his friend, it was up to Mackintosh to make the show real.
Mackintosh created the skeleton of what would be “Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends,” which has landed on Broadway starring Tony Award-winners Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga. It is just one of several projects the tireless Mackintosh is overseeing as one of the last great theater impresarios. Movie Review: 'April' is shattering and essential Whatever cruelness you might assign to the month, Dea Kulumbegashvili’s “April” probably has it beat.
Kulumbegashvili’s shattering, sensational film is set in a hardscrabble, provincial region of Georgia, the Eastern European country. Nina, played by Ia Sukhitashvili, is the leading obstetrician at the local hospital and she leads a punishing life. Kulumbegashvil’s film is formally composed and rigorously opaque, but it churns with an underlying, aching despair, writes AP Film Writer Jake Coyle in his review.
Abortion — legal but fraught in Georgia — is central to “April.” But Nina’s predicament and loneliness stem from something even deeper. It's Met Gala time! Get yourself suitable with this guide on what to expect NEW YORK (AP) — Springtime sunshine has finally hit New York City, and that means the Met Gala beckons.
Fashion's biggest night happens each year on the first Monday in May. This year, the dress code – “Tailored For You” – is focused on classic tailoring, and countless creative versions of the simple suit are expected. As always, the code is inspired by the spring exhibit at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” looks at Black style over the centuries and the phenomenon of dandyism. Celebrity co-chairs are Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, and A$AP Rocky. NBA superstar LeBron James is honorary chair.
So you saw 'Conclave' the movie. Here's what it got right – and wrong – about real-life conclaves Speculation surrounding a conclave to elect a pope is a time-honored tradition. But for the impending conclave following the death of Pope Francis, the ranks of armchair Vatican experts have swelled thanks to Hollywood.
“Conclave” the film introduced many laypeople to the ancient selection process with its arcane rules and grand ceremony, albeit with a silver screen twist packed full of palace intrigue and surprise. Though it has its critics, the film treats the gravity of a papal election with respect and accurately portrays many rituals and contemporary problems facing today’s Catholic Church. But Vatican experts warn the movie doesn’t get everything right.
Coco Jones is fearless on debut album 'Why Not More?' NEW YORK (AP) — Grammy-winner Coco Jones is releasing her debut album, “Why Not More?” on Friday. The 14-track album traverses through a spectrum of R&B sonics and vibes. Jones says she's “proud of every version of myself that I’ve been, and who I’ll become after this album.
” The album has features from Future and YG Marley. Jones won the Grammy for best R&B performance earlier this year for “ICU.” It was her first Grammy.
The 27-year-old also plays Hilary Banks on the drama series “Bel-Air” and is prepping for the fourth and final season. The former Disney Channel actor will balance filming with her upcoming tour, launching May 6 in Philadelphia. Can 'Étoile' make ballet cool? 'Marvelous Mrs.
Maisel' creators pirouette to ballet-themed show NEW YORK (AP) — Jack runs a ballet company in New York. Geneviève runs a ballet company in Paris. They’re competitors, but audiences are fading.
And so the two plan a swap of their top talent – a gimmick to boost ticket sales. “Étoile,” a new Prime Video series from the creators of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Gilmore Girls,” seeks to lift the curtain and show the world what ballet is really like.
The cast is part French-speaking, part English-speaking, and includes real-life dancers from both sides of the ocean. All eight episodes of the first season drop Thursday..
