“Crisis Team” In Place At Oscars For First Time, Academy CEO Says: “We’ve Run So Many Scenarios”

Malina Saval Associate Editor, Features It’s 25 minutesbefore showtime at Krakow, Poland’s Tauron Arena, and Michael Bublé is cool as a cucumber. A February chill in Europe, where he is touring across more than a dozen countries including the U.K., Germany, France, Spain and Italy, is nothing new to the singer raised outside Vancouver. Likewise, the dress- ing room serves as a familiar home away from home for the five-time Grammy winner, who picked up his latest gramophone statuette for traditional pop vocal album in February. A dual citizen of both Canada and Italy, from where his maternal side hails, Bublé never gets stage fright. And 11 albums in — “Higher” was released last March — with sales topping 75 million and his songs streaming over 14 billion, sold-out crowds have also become de rigueur, worthy of recognition with Variety’s Intl. Achievement in Music Award, which he is receiving March 26 in London.

NME is set to launch the second instalment of its new NME Screen series – hosting an advanced screening of Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves. Find out how to get tickets below.The series – which creates exclusive film and TV experiences for NME‘s millions of entertainment fans – was launched earlier this month, kicking off with a celebration of ’00s NYC indie documentary Meet Me In The Bathroom.Next, the series will host a special screening of the upcoming fantasy film, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves – starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Hugh Grant and more.Taking place at London’s Finsbury Park Picturehouse on Thursday March 30, the screening comes ahead of the film’s release the following day.

Following their bitter fall out back in 2020, Big Brother's former hosts Davina McCall and Brian Dowling seem to be putting their turbulent past behind them. Years after their feud kicked off, the reality show's much-loved presenters have been spotted reuniting in a series of sweet snaps posted to Instagram. Original presenter of the hit series Davina, 55, shared a sentimental photo of her cosying up to the Irish TV star, 44, who took over her role as host back in 2010.

Katcy Stephan SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains spoilers for all episodes of “Daisy Jones & the Six,” now streaming on Prime Video. Taylor Jenkins Reid knows how to let go. The best-selling “Daisy Jones & the Six” author didn’t worry too much about Prime Video’s adaptation of her 2019 novel following the book precisely. “I don’t think I’ve ever wanted someone to go film my book exactly as it is,” she tells Variety during a conversation with executive producer Brad Mendelsohn. “Here’s a new version of this story. Here are new versions of this song. Here’s a new way to enjoy this. Hopefully, my readers will feel like they’re finding the things that they loved about it, but also that it is something different. I like that it’s different,” Reid says. “I don’t feel the need to compare them quite the same way as I have seen some people do.”

Enjoying each other’s company. Things between Keanu Reeves and his long-time girlfriend, Alexandra Grant, couldn’t be going better.

Oh boy, oh boy, Jimmy’s closet has caught the attention of Shrinking audiences — and are contacting costume designer Allyson Fanger for details.

Coronation Street fans think that there will be justice for Roy Cropper after 'working out' the real reason for Cerberus' tragic death. The tears were flowing for viewers of the ITV soap earlier this week when they watched Evelyn Plummer having to say a heartbreaking goodbye to her trusty companion.

the 2023 Oscars -- it's impossible not to think back on last year's Academy Awards, which honored plenty of impressive achievements in film, but was overshadowed by the now-infamous incident in which Will Smith stormed the stage to hit Chris Rock in the face over a joke Rock made about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.The moment was the most jaw-dropping awards show incident since the Best Picture mixup of 2017, with many in the room wondering if it was a staged bit, before the uncomfortable silence stretched into realization. Later in the show, the awkward tension was compounded by the fact that Smith won the Oscar for Best Actor — for his title role in the Williams' sister biopic, — and took the stage once again, this time with a mix of joy and tearful apology.As Chris Rock prepares for his history-making live Netflix special,, it's expected that he'll address the incident at length for the first time publicly, as part of the standup set. So, if you need a refresher, here's a look at how «The Slap» went down, and everything that's happened since:The Slap Heard Round Hollywood happened at the 94th Academy Awards, which were held on March 27, 2022, at Los Angeles' Dolby Theatre and was hosted by the trio of Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes.Rock took the stage midway through the ceremony to present the Oscar for Best Documentary, when he made a joke about Smith's wife.

Will Smith, 54, slapped 94th Academy Awards host Chris Rock, 58, after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair — which Smith took as a jab at his 51-year-old wife’s struggle with alopecia. The tone-deaf comment inspired the actor to hustle up to the Los Angeles Dolby Theatre stage and smack Rock in the face.“It’s still shocking that that happened,” the late-night talk show host told People.

Comedian Wanda Sykes remembers Will Smith’s Oscars slap of Chris Rock well, and she thinks even Troy Kotsur, the deaf actor who won Best Supporting Actor for “CODA” last year, heard it.But did she really need to go there with it?The actress, who hosted last year’s ceremony, appeared on the 100th episode of the Sherri Shepherd Show Friday to discuss her comedy career, retirement and more. Shepherd asked her about Rock’s live comedy special coming out Saturday on Netflix.“We love Chris Rock. You have a close relationship with Chris, but are you happy that this special is coming out?” Shepherd asked Sykes.

Will Smith makes a triumphant awards show return at the 14th Annual AAFCA Awards at the Beverly Wiltshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on Wednesday (March 1) in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Will Smith got emotional when he revealed he was spit on by a White actor while filming "Emancipation." Smith appeared at the 14th annual African American Film Critics Association Awards on Wednesday night to accept the Beacon Award. "'Emancipation' was the most individual difficult film of my entire career," Smith said after director Antoine Fuqua spoke, via "Entertainment Tonight." "It’s really difficult to transport a modern mind to that time period. It’s difficult to imagine that, that level of inhumanity." "It was the second day of shooting and 110 degrees," he said.

live performances during the telecast. (Among the performers: David Byrne, Son Lux and Stephanie Hsu and Rihanna.) The list of presenters released Thursday also included Emily Blunt, Jonathan Majors, Questlove, Glenn Close, Ariana DeBose, Jennifer Connelly, Samuel L.

Academy Awards prepares to celebrate its 95th year, the prestigious awards show isn't without its fair share of controversy.Long before the headline-making slap between Will Smith and Chris Rock during the 2022 broadcast, there have been numerous scandals and controversies to come out of the Oscars.From reading out the wrong winner to cringe-worthy hosts and unwanted onstage PDA, ET is looking back at the most controversial moments in Oscars history:Will Smith's Oscars SlapIn arguably the biggest scandal to ever come out of the awards show, Will Smith took to the stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock across the face after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's, shaved head during the 2022 broadcast. Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia.

2022 Oscars.The 54-year-old appeared Wednesday at the African American Film Critics Association Awards in Los Angeles, where he received the Beacon Award for his role in the recent AppleTV+ film “Emancipation.”The actor — who has largely been banished from Hollywood in the wake of his assault on Rock — didn’t address the scandal as he took to the microphone. Instead, Smith focused on his role in “Emancipation,” a historical drama in which he plays a runaway slave in 1860s Louisiana. “’Emancipation’ was the most individual difficult film of my entire career,” Smith declared.

Chris Rock is finally talking about the slap.

Will Smith is speaking at award ceremonies again. The 54-year-old actor attended the 14th annual African American Film Critics Association Awards in Beverly Hills, California, on Wednesday night and took the podium to say a few words. The speech marked the Oscar winner’s first in-person acceptance at an awards show since he slappedChris Rock onstage at the 2022 Academy Awards.Smith accepted the Beacon Award with Emancipation director Antoine Fuqua. His co-star, Charmaine Bingwa, and AAFCA cofounder Gil L.

Netflix special called “Selective Outrage.” When it airs Saturday at 10 p.m. ET., Rock will reportedly speak out about the night Smith smacked him onstage at the Oscars.A source told Page Six that “the comedian is waiting to spill his humorous take on it” in his major stand-up show. He’s already been testing the waters.

Colin Jost and Michel Ché returned to Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” and took on the Oscars hiring a crisis team to try to avoid slap-gate this year.

Katie Reul editor “Saturday Night Live” cast member Colin Jost, co-anchor of Weekend Update, levied a jab at the Academy for this week’s decision to hire a “crisis team” for the upcoming 2023 Oscars. Devised to ensure first-line responders are available at the awards show in the case of an emergency, the newly-implemented team comes on the heels of last year’s tumultuous ceremony. The 2022 Oscars saw actor Will Smith slap presenter Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife. The violent outburst resulted in Smith being banned from events hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for the next decade. “Guys, it’s not going to happen again,” Jost joked, seeming to address the telecast’s producers. “I’m sure you wish it would, for ratings. If anything the promo should be, ‘Who’s going to get slapped this year?’ Can Ana de Armas beat the ‘Tar’ out of Cate Blanchett? Which banshee will knock the shoes off Marcel the Shell? And who has what it takes to ‘Whale’ on Brendan Fraser?”

Katie Reul editor Will Smith won the NAACP Image Award for outstanding actor in a motion picture for his performance in “Emancipation” on Saturday night, marking his first award win since his infamous incident at the 2022 Oscars in which he slapped Chris Rock onstage. Smith was not present at the ceremony to accept his award in person. Set in 19th century Louisiana, Smith portrays a runaway slave who embarks on a treacherous journey to Baton Rouge while thwarting off violent plantation owners. “Emancipation” was inspired by an 1863 photograph known as “Whipped Peter,” which depicts a once-enslaved individual with severe lacerations on his back. The image’s circulation placed the brutality of slavery in front of the eyes of the American public.

Rihanna wowed the audience at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona with her spectacular halftime show at the Super Bowl. The singer made a grand return to the stage and took the opportunity to reveal her second pregnancy.

Academy Awards draw closer, the most famous performance of Will Smith’s career is being reexamined. No, we’re not talking about his work on “Ali” and “King Richard,” we’re talking about “The Slap,” that iconic moment where Smith marched onstage, slapped Chris Rock, and won an Oscar for best actor minutes later. After a year of penance and practically no media presence, Smith is back online and is poking fun at the moment on TikTok.The 8 biggest pop culture moments of the yearOscars 2023: Jimmy Kimmel teases the Oscars, makes fun of ‘the slap’The video is a duet, featuring Smith’s reaction to another TikTok video.

Academy Awards prepares to celebrate its 95th year, the prestigious awards show isn't without its fair share of scandal.Long before the headline-making slap between Will Smith and Chris Rock during the 2022 broadcast, there have been numerous scandals and controversies to come out of the Oscars.From reading out the wrong winner to cringe-worthy hosts and unwanted onstage PDA, ET is looking back at the most controversial moments in Oscars history:Will Smith's Oscars SlapIn arguably the biggest scandal to ever come out of the awards show, Will Smith took to the stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock across the face after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's, shaved head during the 2022 broadcast. Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia.

Academy Awards prepares to celebrate its 95th year, the prestigious awards show isn't without its fair share of scandal.Long before the headline-making slap between Will Smith and Chris Rock during the 2022 broadcast, there have been numerous scandals and controversies to come out of the Oscars.From reading out the wrong winner to cringe-worthy hosts and unwanted onstage PDA, ET is looking back at the most controversial moments in Oscars history:Will Smith's Oscars SlapIn arguably the biggest scandal to ever come out of the awards show, Will Smith took to the stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock across the face after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's, shaved head during the 2022 broadcast. Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia.

95th Academy Awards, a move enacted in wake of the slap heard and seen 'round the world.Glenn Weiss, a veteran live events director and multi EMMY-winning producer who will executive produce the March 12 ceremony, spoke to ET about the reasoning for the plan's implementation. While Weiss didn't directly reference Will Smith slapping Oscars presenter Chris Rock during last year's ceremony — a controversy that continues to reverberate -- the 61-year-old producer said the crisis team is another safety layer.«We go in with a really good plan for the known,» Weiss tells ET, «but you have to be ready for what may transpire with what you didn't plan.»If anyone's prepared for the unknown it's Weiss, as well as host Jimmy Kimmel, who has not only hosted multiple Oscar shows but is also comfortable in front of a live audience.

The Oscars are making sure they’re prepared for everything this year.

Will Smith walk on stage to slap Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.Little has – despite the wave of criticism they have received for years with various concerns  – also caused such an urge to change things within the way things work than the shocking incident.In the aftermath, which included a hiatus for the King Richard actor and a 10-year ban from attending the annual awards, the Academy has rolled out a series of new measures to make sure everything goes far more smoothly.WATCH: Will Smith reappears months after Chris Rock Oscars slap to answer difficult questions and issue apologiesMORE: Will Smith pays heartfelt tribute to daughter Willow with unseen family photosAs the Academy continues to grapple with the fallout of the several controversies they have faced in recent years, they have decided to incorporate a "crisis team" into their organization to be on high alert during the show and beyond.Speaking with TIME, the Academy's CEO, Bill Kramer – who only became the organization's leader last July – detailed what measures would be in place should a surprise crisis arise in the middle of the show.MORE: Will Chris Rock attend the 2023 Oscars?When asked how they are preparing, the entertainment executive first praised their choice of host, Jimmy Kimmel, as someone who is more than adept at handling live television. The star has since apologized for the incidentSpeaking of the newly founded crisis team, he said: "We have a whole crisis team, something we've never had before, and many plans in place."DISCOVER: Taylor Kinney rocks bright red lipstick in first pictures after Chicago Fire departureDISCOVER: The Rookie star Nathan Fillion's secret struggle with ongoing condition revealedHe added: "We've run many scenarios.

Academy chief executive Bill Kramer says that a “crisis team” will be introduced for the first time at this year’s Oscars to prepare for any unanticipated events. Mr Kramer said the team had run “many scenarios” ahead of the 95th Academy Awards, which is due to take place on March 12 and be hosted by US comedian Jimmy Kimmel. It comes after unprecedented scenes at last year’s ceremony, which saw actor Will Smith storm the stage and slap presenter Chris Rock.

Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in a shocking moment that overshadowed Hollywood’s biggest night, TMZ reported Wednesday. The outlet cited unidentified Academy insiders who reportedly said the designated team will be able to spring into action at the March 12 ceremony if things go awry.“We have a whole crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and many plans in place,” the sources allegedly told TMZ. “We’ve run many scenarios.

Zack Sharf The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer confirmed in an interview with Time magazine that the organization has implemented a new “crisis team” for the upcoming 2023 Oscars in order to quickly navigate any potential real-time emergency. The creation of a crisis team is a response to the 2022 Oscars, where Will Smith infamously walked on stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock across the face. Academy president Janet Yang previously said the group’s response to the incident was not swift enough. “We have a whole crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and many plans in place,” Kramer said. “We’ve run many scenarios. So it is our hope that we will be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate right now but that we’re planning for just in case it does happen.”

Will Smith caused a major controversy when he slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Despite all the backlash he received after the incident, Smith is now joking about it in a new video he shared to TikTok. In the video, he showed himself listening to another TikTok creator explaining "an absolutely unhinged exercise." As he listened thoughtfully, the other person said, "Did you know that you can pick any object, look at it and ask it what it thinks of you?" She explained that after doing this, "You will get an answer in your mind from intuition." As she gave examples of what kind of objects you could use for this exercise, Smith looked off to the side, out of view of his camera.

Will Smith has surprised fans with an “unexpected” Oscars joke on TikTok.The actor has been dealing with the fallout of last year’s Oscars, in which he walked onto the stage and slapped Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair. Moments later, Smith picked up the Best Actor award.Smith, who has since received a 10-year ban from the award ceremony, has subsequently been relatively quiet on social media.

“duet” with a TikTok user who prompts others on the app to ask an inanimate object what it thinks of you.“This works because everything has consciousness,” reads the caption of the original video by TikToker Sam Rossi.“You can pick up a pen and ask it how it sees you or what it thinks of you,” she continued, “and you will get an answer in your mind from your intuition. You can ask your car what it thinks of you, you can even ask money what it thinks of you.”In the duet, the 54-year-old actor reaches off camera to pick up an Academy Award for Best Actor, which he won for his role in “King Richard” during that fateful ceremony.He looks as though he’s about to ask his golden statue a question just before he ends the video — which has 112,500 likes and 1.6 million views as of Wednesday morning.Smith slapped 94th Academy Awards host Chris Rock, 58, after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair — which Smith took as a jab at his 51-year-old wife’s struggle with alopecia.

Tatyana Ali is headed back to a town called Bel-Air in a very different role than when she left it! The actress, who played Ashley Banks in the originalseries, joined the cast of Peacock's for its upcoming second season, and she sat down with ET's Kevin Frazier to share her experience with the reboot's cast.Season 2 of  -- which reimagines the Will Smith-starring '90s sitcom as a flashy, modern drama — picks up with Will at a crossroads as a new figure comes into his life who challenges what he’s learned in Bel-Air and competes for control of his influence. He juggles this while navigating his home life with the Banks family and trying to rebuild the trust that was broken at the end of last season.Ali joined the cast in a recurring guest star appearance as Mrs.

the video (which you can watch below). “Did you know that you can pick any object, look at it and ask it what it thinks of you?”The woman used a pen, one’s car or money as an example, and said that the one conducting the exercise will get an answer in their mind from their intuition.At the end of this explanation, Smith picked up his Oscar that he won for “King Richard.” Users reacted to the video in different ways, some praising Smith for his humanity.