April 09, 2020
Singer-songwriter John Prine dies of COVID-19
John Prine, the Grammy Award-winning introspective singer-songwriter of "Same Stone" and other folk and country classics, died Tuesday at age 73 due to complications from the coronavirus, his family said.
Prine died while receiving care for COVID-19 at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center, his family confirmed to Rolling Stone.
He was hospitalized on March 26 and was intubated days later in critical condition, his family said in a statement published on Prine's official Facebook page. On Friday, his family said he was suffering from pneumonia and other "peripheral issues" that were being treated with antibiotics and other medications.
"He is very ill and yet I remain hopeful that he can continue to fight this devastating virus and come home where we can care for him," the Prine family said.
Fiona Prine, John's wife, announced on her Instagram page mid-March that she had tested positive for the virus while her husband's test had come back as "indeterminate," explaining there was a chance that he didn't have the virus.
"We are quarantined and isolated from each other and members of the family," she said. "It's hard, I won't lie, but it's absolutely important."
His coronavirus diagnosis follows decades of medical challenges. In 1997, John Prine was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma cancer in his neck that was removed in January 1998. In 2013, he underwent surgery for lung cancer.
Stars including Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan counted themselves among his fans, and even the legendary Johnny Cash performed a cover of his 1971 song "Sam Stone."
Among many accolades, John Prine was named Americana Music's artist of the year for 2005 and he was awarded the Grammys' 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award.
American country singer-songwriter Margo Rae Price said she was "gutted" to hear news of his death.
"It hurts so bad to read the news," she wrote on Twitter. "My hero is gone. My friend is gone. We'll love you forever, John Prine."
Lucy Lawless, Tricia Helfer to host 'Xena,' 'BSG' marathons
Syfy said Tuesday it will air and stream the complete series Battlestar Galactica and Xena: Warrior Princess in April. Xena star Lucy Lawless and BSG star Tricia Helfer will host the airings.
Ronald Moore reinvented the classic sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica as an allegory for the War on Terror. It ran from 2004-2009. Helfer played the cylon Number Six, and additional copies of her cyborg.
The entire four season series, including the miniseries premiere and the movies Razor and The Plan, will air from midnight on April 20 through April 23 at 9 a.m. EDT.
Helfer will host the marathon and promises surprise guests and custom content. The entire series is available to stream on the Syfy app or NBCU OneApp.
Xena spun off from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and originally aired from 1995-2001. Lawless played the ancient warrior in her weekly adventures with creatures and magic.
All six seasons will air on Thursday mornings and afternoons beginning April 16, for Throwback Thursday. Lawless will host on Thursdays with SYFY Fangrrls and also promises special guests. The complete series is available streaming on the Syfy app or NBCU OneApp.
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 Which 'Friends' star is joining Steve Carell in Netflix series 'Space Force'?
Meryl Streep's daughter Grace Gummer files for divorce
Meryl Streep's daughter Grace Gummer is headed for divorce.
People reported Tuesday that Gummer, 33, filed for divorce from her husband, musician Tay Strathairn, on March 23.
Neither Gummer nor Strathairn are seeking spousal support.
Us Weekly said Gummer cited "irreconcilable differences" for the split. Gummer listed the date of separation as Aug. 21, 42 days after she and Strathairn married on July 10.
Gummer is the daughter of Streep and her husband, sculptor Don Gummer, while Strathairn is the son of actor David Strathairn and his wife, Logan Goodman. Streep and David Straithairn co-starred in the 1994 film The River Wild.
Gummer is known for playing Penny in American Horror Story: Freak Show and Dominique DiPierro on Mr. Robot.
Streep and Don Gummer also have son Henry Wolfe and daughters Mamie Gummer and Louisa Jacobson. Streep became a grandmother in February 2019 after Mamie Gummer gave birth to a baby boy.
Disney launches 'At Home with Olaf' series with Josh Gad
Disney is launching a new series, At Home with Olaf, starring Frozen and Frozen 2 voice actor Josh Gad.
The show is a weekly digital animated series featuring Gad, 39, as his Frozen character, the snowman Olaf.
At Home with Olaf was created by Hyrum Osmond, the supervising animator of Olaf from Frozen, while at home amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The series will consist of 20 vignettes featuring Olaf. The first episode, titled "Fun with Snow," shows Olaf throwing snowballs, only for some of them to return.
Disney Animation promoted the show in a tweet Monday.
"Enjoy more #AtHomeWithOlaf from Disney Animation every day this week!" the post reads.
Gad celebrated the release in a tweet Tuesday.
"The sheer volume and production value of these is a testament to the brilliant animators and post production team at @DisneyAnimation," he wrote.
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Which 'Friends' star is joining Steve Carell in Netflix series 'Space Force'?
Friends alum Lisa Kudrow is joining Steve Carell in the new Netflix series Space Force.
The streaming service shared a premiere date, May 29, and first look photos featuring Kudrow and Carell in the workplace comedy Wednesday on Twitter.
Space Force co-stars John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz, Diana Silvers and Tawny Newsome. The series follows a group of people tasked with establishing the United States Space Force, the sixth branch of the United States Armed Forces.
"Steve Carell is the head of Space Force, the newly formed sixth branch of the US Armed Forces," the post reads.
Carell plays Mark R. Naird, a general helping to create the Space Force. Kudrow portrays Mark's wife, Maggie Naird, a woman experiencing new growth after supporting Mark's career for two decades.
Space Force is co-created by Carell and Greg Daniels, who previously worked together on the NBC comedy The Office.
Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that Carell's salary for Space Force sets a new overall record for talent. The actor's pay is thought to top the $1-million-per-episode that the Big Bang Theory cast was receiving.
Kudrow is also slated to appear in a Friends reunion special from HBO Max.
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