Here's the Scoop...

It's Labor Day! How did you celebrate? Did you go to a party? How about a barbecue? A trip to the movies?

Or did you do what I did and stay home and watch the 1989 action masterpiece 'Road House', starring Mr. Patrick Swayze, not once, but twice!?

Best holiday weekend ever!!!

Be Well,
Steve

Comments? Questions? Nooz? Email Steve



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Steely Dan co-founder Walter Becker dies
Walter Becker, co-founder of the band Steely Dan, formed in the 1970s, died Sunday. He was 67.

The guitarist's death was reported on his personal website with two photographs of the musician and the epitaph: "feb. 20 1950 -- sept. 03 2017."

Becker had canceled his appearances at two July concerts with his former Steel Dan lead singer/keyboardist Donald Fagen -- Classic West in Los Angeles and Classic East in New York -- due to an undisclosed illness.

Becker and Fagen co-founded Steely Dan in 1972.

The band's name came the novel Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs. Steely Dan was noted for its jazz-rock sound. They penned several hits, including Do It Again, Reeling' in the Years and Rikki Don't Lose That Number. In 1977, their best-selling album Aja, won a Grammy.

The band dissolved in 1981 and reunited in the 1990s. Their 2000 album Two Against Nature earned four Grammys, including one for album of the year.

"He was cynical about human nature, including his own, and hysterically funny," Fagen wrote in a tribute posted at Rolling Stone. "Like a lot of kids from fractured families, he had the knack of creative mimicry, reading people's hidden psychology and transforming what he saw into bubbly, incisive art."

Fagan, who is now on a solo tour with a backing band called the Nightflyers, closed the tribute with the following: "I intend to keep the music we created together alive as long as I can with the Steely Dan band."

Steely Dan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in 2001.

Becker, who was was born Feb. 20, 1950 in Queens, N.Y., met Fagen as a student at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y., while playing a gig at local club the Red Balloon.

Grammy-winning musician Carl Newman called Becker "one half of the team I aspire to everytime I sit down at a piano" on Twitter.


Chloe Bennet on changing her last name: Hollywood 'is racist'
Chloe Bennet says she changed her last name because of Hollywood racism.

The 25-year-old actress explained why she replaced her Chinese surname, Wang, in a since-deleted Instagram comment this week after a social media user questioned her for changing her name.

"Changing my last name doesn't change the fact that my BLOOD is half Chinese, that I lived in china, speak mandarin, or that I was culturally raised both American and Chinese," Bennet wrote.

"It means I had to pay my rent, and hollywood is racist and wouldn't cast me with a last name that made them uncomfortable," she added.

Questions about Bennet's name change surfaced after the actress praised Ed Skrein for stepping down from his Hellboy role. The actor, who was cast to play a character of Asian heritage, left the film amid whitewashing accusations.

"Thank you @edskrein for standing up against hollywoods continuous insensitivity and flippant behavior towards the Asian American community," Bennet wrote in a post Monday.

"There is no way this decision came lightly on your part, so thank you for your bravery and genuinely impactful step forward," she lauded. "I hope this inspires other actors/film makers to do that same."

Bennet is the daughter of Bennet Wang, who is Chinese, and Stephanie Lynn Crane. She previously addressed her surname in an interview with the Daily Beast, saying she "got booked" on her first audition after her name change.


LOOSE LIPS:
"I was nervous and didn't know what to wear, but remember as soon as she came into the room and we started talking, it was like talking to a girlfriend."
--Cindy Crawford, on meeting Princess Diana for the first time, on Instagram



??? Guess Who ???
Which 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' cast member has joined the Han Solo standalone film?


Lisa Rinna returning to 'Days of Our Lives'
Actress and reality TV personality Lisa Rinna is returning to Days of Our Lives, the NBC soap opera on which she has appeared off and on since 1992.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum last played Billie Reed on Days in 2013.

"Paging Billie Reed... #days @lisarinna," head writer Ron Carlivati tweeted Friday.

Rinna re-tweeted Carlivati's message, adding emojis of lips and a dancer in a red dress.

Entertainment Weekly reported Rinna started taping her return this week and the episodes are expected to air in early 2018.


Mark Wahlberg's daughter is in touch with Will Ferrell's son
Mark Wahlberg says his elder daughter is in "communication" with Will Ferrell's teenage son.

The 46-year-old actor and Ferrell, who co-star in Daddy's Home 2, discussed the budding friendship between their 13-year-old children, Ella and Magnus, in a preview for Tuesday's episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

"I thought [Magnus] was a lovely lad until I realized that he has formed some sort of communication with my oldest child," Wahlberg told host Ellen DeGeneres.

"They're following each other on Instagram," Ferrell confirmed.

Wahlberg initially wasn't thrilled about Ella interacting with Magnus, but said he's come to embrace the idea of his daughter getting to know the teen.

"In actuality, as I've thought about it, I've come to understand that it is inevitable that she'll be with somebody," the actor explained. "So if it could be with someone like Will, I would be happy."

"Know that she's in good hands," Ferrell said. "He's a good boy."

Wahlberg shares Ella, 11-year-old Michael, 8-year-old Brendan and 7-year-old Grace with wife Rhea Durham, while Ferrell is parent to Magnus, 10-year-old Mattias and 7-year-old Axel with wife Viveca Paulin.

"I'm dreading the teenage years with my daughters," Wahlberg confessed to People in 2014. "It's not going to be easy for them to go on a date."

Wahlberg and Ferrell will reprise Dusty Mayron and Brad Whitaker in Daddy's Home 2, which opens in theaters Nov. 10. The movie co-stars Mel Gibson as Dusty's dad and John Lithgow as Brad's father.


??? Guess Who ???
Which 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' cast member has joined the Han Solo standalone film?

Director Ron Howard says Paul Bettany has joined the ensemble of his upcoming Han Solo standalone movie.

This marks the third time Howard is working with the British actor after A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vinci Code.

"The Outer Rim just got a little bit wilder #PaulBettany #ForceFriday," Howard captioned a photo he tweeted of him and a costumed Bettany on the set of the as-yet-unnamed Han Solo movie, which is part of the Star Wars franchise and set for release May 25.

Howard offered no details about Bettany's character.

Actor and filmmaker Seth Rogen commented on the photo on Twitter, writing, "If he's just visiting he dresses funny."

"He was fantastic in A Beautiful Mind," remarked journalist Alex Hill in his own Twitter post.

"It's my third opportunity to work with Paul. He's a blast & so talented," Howard replied to Hill.

Lucasfilm said in June co-directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller had left the Star Wars spinoff, four months into production, due to creative differences.

The movie is an origin story for the iconic smuggler Harrison Ford played in four blockbusters. Alden Ehrenreich will play the younger version of the character. The new picture will co-star Donald Glover, Joonas Suotamo, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.