Here's the Scoop...
Tonight is Oscar night! Are you going to watch?
I'm trying to remember the last time I watched the Academy Awards without being blasted with political grandstanding, forgettable movies being showered with statue after statue, and constantly checking my watch thinking, "How much more of this ceremony is there?"
I'm 100% positive tonight's show will be no different. I think I'll watch re-runs of Gilligan's Island instead. I believe I'll be much better off.
Be Well,
Steve
Comments? Questions? Nooz?
Email Steve
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Pregnant Beyonce won't perform at Coachella as planned
Beyoncé is no longer on the bill for the 2017 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, organizers announced Thursday.
"Following the advice of her doctors to keep a less rigorous schedule in the coming months, Beyoncé has made the decision to forgo performing at the 2017 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival," the festival said in a Facebook post. "However, Goldenvoice and Parkwood are pleased to confirm that she will be a headliner at the 2018 festival. Thank you for your understanding. Stay tuned for more information."
The recording superstar revealed earlier this month that she is pregnant with twins, her second and third children with her husband Jay Z.
The Coachella festival in Indio, Calif., is to take place April 14-16 and 21-23.
Matt Reeves confirmed as director of 'The Batman'
Warner Bros. Pictures Thursday confirmed Matt Reeves will direct The Batman.
Best known for his work on Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Cloverfield, Reeves will also serve as a producer on the Caped Crusader's upcoming adventure.
"We are thrilled to have Matt Reeves taking the helm of Batman, the crown jewel of our DC slate. Matt's deep roots in genre films and his evolution into an emotional world-building director make him the perfect filmmaker to guide the Dark Knight through this next journey," Toby Emmerich, president and chief content officer of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, said in a statement.
"I have loved the Batman story since I was a child. He is such an iconic and compelling character, and one that resonates with me deeply. I am incredibly honored and excited to be working with Warner Bros. to bring an epic and emotional new take on the Caped Crusader to the big screen," Reeves added.
The film's star Ben Affleck stepped down as director of The Batman last month, stating he didn't think he could handle both jobs effectively. Affleck previously played the brooding superhero in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad.
LOOSE LIPS:
"It's just about the person. It's about who they are, it has nothing to do with age."
--Jennifer Lopez, shutting down rumors that she only dates younger guys, to Ellen DeGeneres
??? Guess Who ???
Which celebrity was named Harvard's Humanitarian of the Year?
Netflix to stream two new Louis C.K. standup comedy specials
Comedian Louis C.K. has taped two new standup specials for Netflix.
The first show, titled 2017, was filmed in Washington D.C., and will premiere April 4. No details about the second have been revealed yet.
"Louis has been one of the most innovative comedy voices in this new era of standup. He has also been a thought leader in the business of comedy. We have marveled at his creativity and his ability to invent comedically and commercially, and are thrilled that he is bringing his newest specials to Netflix," Ted Sarandos, chief content officer at Netflix, said in a statement Wednesday.
C.K. is a six-time Emmy Award-winner who earned critical acclaim for his television shows Louie and Horace and Pete. He also recently lent his voice to the character Max in the animated blockbuster The Secret Life of Pets.
Octavia Spencer, Scarlett Johansson to host 'Saturday Night Live' in March
Octavia Spencer and Scarlett Johansson will each play host on an episode of Saturday Night Live next month.
Spencer, who is up for her second Academy Award for her work in Hidden Figures, will make her debut as host on SNL March 4. Father John Misty will be the evening's musical guest.
Johansson, who is on the promotion trail for her new movie Ghost in the Shell, will host the New York-based, sketch-comedy show March 11. Lorde will provide the musical entertainment for the night.
??? Guess Who ???
Which celebrity was named Harvard's Humanitarian of the Year?
Rihanna has been named the 2017 Harvard University Humanitarian of the Year and will be honored at the school during a special ceremony Tuesday.
"Rihanna has charitably built a state-of- the-art center for oncology and nuclear medicine to diagnose and treat breast cancer at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Bridgetown, Barbados," Harvard Foundation director Allen Counter said in a statement.
"She has also created the Clara and Lionel Foundation Scholarship Program [named for her grandmother and grandfather] for students attending college in the U.S. from Caribbean countries, and supports the Global Partnership for Education and Global Citizen Project, a multiyear campaign that will provide children with access to education in over 60 developing countries, giving priority to girls and those affected by lack of access to education in the world today," he continued.
Past celebrity honorees include actor James Earl Jones and tennis player Arthur Ashe.