Open Thread

Variety reports: While X was filled with fans eager to watch the start of Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson on Netflix, many were complaining about buffering and image issues during earlier fights, causing disappointment and an inability to keep up with the action. Several Variety staffers watching the broadcast also ran into buffering and lagging issues. Meanwhile, “Unwatchable” and “#NetflixCrash” …

Variety reports: Emmy-winning comedian, writer, producer and former late-night host Conan O’Brien has been tapped to host the 97th Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Friday. This marks O’Brien’s first stint as as host, coming after two consecutive years with Jimmy Kimmel as emcee. The ceremony is also coming off winning an Emmy for outstanding variety …

Variety reports: Denzel Washington revealed in a video interview with Gayety that he kissed a man on the lips while filming “Gladiator II,” but the scene was cut out from the theatrical cut of the long-awaited sequel. The Oscar winner stars in Ridley Scott’s film as Macrinus, a wealthy powerbroker in Rome who keeps a stable of gladiators for sport. …

Variety reports: Halloween is over, so it’s officially time to break out the eggnog and dust off those Christmas CDs. At least that’s the rule for Clay Aiken, the “American Idol” runner-up whose new album “Christmas Bells Are Ringing” drops on Nov. 22. “Once the jack-o’-lanterns are gone, it’s time to go,” the North Carolina native says via Zoom, in …

Variety reports: Chloe Fineman claimed in a now-deleted TikTok post that Elon Musk made her cry when he hosted “Saturday Night Live.” Back in August, Fineman’s “SNL” co-star Bowen Yang revealed on “Watch What Happens Live” that a male host once made “multiple cast members cry” during a table-read for the sketch comedy series. “This man who…this person, this host …

New Music Express reports: Bauhaus‘ Peter Murphy and Boy George have joined forces on an enchanting new single ‘Let The Flowers Grow’. Produced and co-written by Killing Joke‘s Youth, the duet – a grand orchestral pop piece – sees the two musicians sing “I’ve been changing / and mama don’t know / let her tears fall / and make the …

Variety reports: The cast of “Saturday Night Live” faked audiences out by praising Donald Trump in the series’ first episode after his election. In the cold open, cast members somberly discussed Trump’s victory and warned that “now, thanks to the Supreme Court, there are no guardrails.” “And that is why, we at ‘SNL’ would like to say to Donald Trump: …

Variety reports: Tony Todd, an American actor known for leading the “Candyman” horror franchise as its eponymous hook-wielding ghost, died Wednesday at his home in Marina Del Rey, Calif. He was 69. Todd’s death was confirmed by a representative for the actor. A cause of death was not disclosed. Todd’s series of credits include iconic titles such as Alex Proyas’ …

Variety reports: Beyoncé just earned herself another sash. As numbers go, she is easily the queen of the rodeo that is the 2025 Grammy nominations, racking up 11 nominations for her “Cowboy Carter” album and its attendant singles. That’s a personal high for her, besting the 10 nods she got back in 2009. But Beyoncé has to share the headlines …

Yahoo News reports: Three people have been arrested and charged in connection with Liam Payne’s death. In a statement, officials claim the three suspects engaged in “illicit conduct” and “were charged with the crimes of abandonment of a person followed by death, supply and facilitation of narcotics.” Authorities determined the former One Direction singer fell off his hotel balcony on …

Variety reports: The Motion Picture Association, which represents seven major entertainment studios, congratulated Donald Trump on Wednesday on his victory in the presidential race. In a statement, the Hollywood trade group also congratulated the incoming Congress, as Republicans took control of the Senate, and said it looks forward to working on issues affecting the industry. The MPA is hoping to …

Variety reports: Sabrina Carpenter has engaged more voters through HeadCount than any other artist in 2024, registering over 27,000 new voters and engaging over 183,000 voters through giveaways, in-person activations and video boards on her “Short n’ Sweet” arena tour. The “Espresso” singer announced her collaboration with the non-profit — a nonpartisan organization working to register young voters — ahead …

Variety reports: John Oliver got emotional during the final “Last Week Tonight” episode before the U.S. election, urging his viewers to vote for Kamala Harris. “Elections alone aren’t efficient for large-scale change, but they’re absolutely necessary for it to ever happen,” Oliver said. “Because it’s the day you essentially get to choose who you’d prefer to be pushing for the …

Variety reports: Chappell Roan went from the “Pink Pony Club” to the country club on “Saturday Night Live,” surprising fans by going country in both look and sound for her second number of the show, the premiere of a brand new song, “The Giver,” that marries C&W with LGBTQ+. “I get the job done,” Roan sang in the refrain of …

Variety reports: Harrison Ford has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential election. Ford appeared in a series of videos in partnership with the Harris-Walz campaign, released Saturday, saying in one video, “When dozens of former members of the Trump administration are sounding alarms, saying, ‘For God’s sake, don’t do this again,’ you have to pay attention. They’re …

Variety reports: Eddie Murphy is about to tear the roof off the sucker. The actor is set to play Parliament-Funkadelic leader George Clinton in an untitled biopic from director Bill Condon for Amazon MGM Studios. The script is currently being written by Virgil Williams, from an original draft by Max Werner. The project was initiated by Catherine Davis, a lifelong …

Variety reports: A movie extending the Game of Thrones franchise, based on the hugely popular fantasy books by George R.R. Martin, is in very early development at Warner Bros., sources have confirmed to Deadline. Warner Bros declined to comment. It’s also unclear what creative direction a film would take in comparison to the HBO series, which adapted Martin’s A Song …

Variety reports: Universal’s “Wicked” has finally been unveiled to members of the film press, who are praising Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the hit Broadway musical. The film’s leads, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, are also earning raves across the board as the musical launches them into Oscar season as acting contenders. Variety’s Katcy Stephen hailed the “Wicked” movie as …

Variety reports: Julia Roberts is the latest Hollywood celebrity to champion Kamala Harris‘ presidential campaign. The Oscar winner is featured as the narrator in a new Harris-Walz campaign video created by the progressive evangelical group Vote Common Good. The ad finds Roberts reminding women that their vote is their choice, regardless of how their husbands or anyone else may be …

Deadline reports: Andrew Lloyd Webber has unveiled his new West End and Broadway musical: a magical romance called The Illusionist, directed by Sunset Boulevard’s Jamie Lloyd. During a private audience at his penthouse office adjacent to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, one of six theatres controlled through his LW Theatres group, the legendary composer of Phantom of the Opera and …