NEW YORK (AP) — “Free Guy,” an action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds as a background character in a videogame, opened better than expected over the weekend, collecting an estimated $28.4 million in ticket sales despite a marketplace challenged by COVID-19. After a few weeks of declining audiences and underwhelming debuts amid the delta variant surge, “Free Guy” …
Britney Spears’ dad will exit conservatorship, but not yet
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears’ father said in a court filing Thursday that he is planning to step down from the conservatorship that has controlled her life and money for 13 years, but his departure is not imminent. James Spears filed legal documents saying that while there are no grounds for his removal, he …
Justin Bieber leads nominees for 2021 MTV Video Music Awards
NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Bieber leads this year’s list of nominees at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, followed closely by Megan Thee Stallion, Billie Eilish, BTS, Doja Cat, Drake, Giveon, Lil Nas X and first-time nominee Olivia Rodrigo. Bieber has seven nods, including video of the year and best direction for “POPSTAR,” artist …
Former NFL player Nate Burleson joins ‘CBS This Morning’
NEW YORK (AP) — CBS News is bringing a little of the NFL to its morning show, hiring former football player Nate Burleson as one of the three co-hosts of “CBS This Morning.” Burleson has been host of “Good Morning Football” on the NFL Network and, since 2017, an analyst on “The NFL Today,” CBS’ …
‘Jeopardy’ Set to Announce Mike Richards and Mayim Bialik Splitting Host Duties
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Eight months after the death of beloved “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek, the daily syndicated quiz show chose its executive producer, Mike Richards, as Trebek’s successor over a field of celebrity candidates. But after fan backlash to a selection process that turned messy in recent weeks, producer Sony split the pie by …
Christina Applegate reveals she has multiple sclerosis
Emmy Award-winner Christina Applegate has announced that she has multiple sclerosis, describing her diagnosis as a “tough road.” The 49-year-old actor known for her roles in “Married… with Children” and “Dead to Me,” said in a tweet late Monday that she was diagnosed “a few months ago.” “It’s been a strange journey. But I have been …
With coronavirus rising, ‘The Suicide Squad’ opens softly
NEW YORK (AP) — Moviegoing, once expected to be closer to semi-normal levels by now, continues to be battered by the pandemic, the delta variant of the coronavirus and in-home streaming. The latest casualty: James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad,” a critically acclaimed, carnage-ridden would-be smash that disappointed with $26.5 million in estimated ticket sales. The Warner …
Markie Post, TV veteran actor of ‘Night Court,’ dies at 70
NEW YORK (AP) — Markie Post, who played the public defender in the 1980s sitcom “Night Court” and was a regular presence on television for four decades, has died. She was 70. Post’s manager, Ellen Lubin Sanitsky, said Post died Saturday in Los Angeles after a years-long battle with cancer. Post was a longtime …
Dating changed during the pandemic; apps are following suit
LONDON (AP) — Early in the coronavirus pandemic, Jennifer Sherlock went out with a few men she met through dating apps. The dates were “weird,” she said, and not just because they were masked, socially distanced and outdoors. One one occasion, a date remained masked while they were out for a stroll, but soon after …
Kathy Griffin says she is undergoing surgery for lung cancer
Kathy Griffin has revealed that she is undergoing surgery for lung cancer and her doctors are optimistic she “should be up and running around as usual in a month or less.” The comedian took to Instagram and Twitter Monday to say her cancer was caught early and confined to her left lung. The surgery will result in …