New York Times Slammed By 100+ Contributors for Pattern of ‘Irresponsible, Biased’ Coverage of Trans Community

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Tim Rice will be the 2023 recipient of the esteemed Johnny Mercer Award at the 52nd Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner slated for Thursday, June 15, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.   The Johnny Mercer Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Songwriters Hall of Fame and is reserved for a songwriter or songwriting team who has already been inducted in a prior year and whose body of work is of such high quality and impact that it upholds the gold standard set by the legendary Johnny Mercer. Tim Rice was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999.  

One week after singing, “I wanna set it straight, but my lawyer says I shouldn’t,” Kelsea Ballerini is ready to spill.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer The 81st Golden Globe Awards are heading back to Sunday night. The film and TV celebration, which officially kicks off awards season, has staked January 7, 2024 for its next telecast, Variety can report exclusively. The show pivoted to a Tuesday this year to avoid an NFL game leading up to the NCAA National Championship showdown. In addition to reclaiming the traditional Sunday slot, producers behind the Globes are entertaining multiple offers from potential distribution partners, sources familiar with the talks said. Both TV networks and streamers are in the mix to air the next installment, one of the sources added. This includes NBC, the network which has broadcast the show since 1996. That year, “Sense and Sensibility” took home best drama, and Emma Thompson, the winner for best motion picture screenplay, delivered a memorable speech in character as Jane Austen. It’s not surprising that streamers are interested in the Globes, as the major platforms look to diversify their viewing experiences with live programming. In January, Netflix announced a multiyear deal to host the Screen Actors Guild Awards (which goes on service starting in 2024, and this year will be live-streamed on Netflix’s official YouTube channel).

It’s over. Mya Allen confirmed she and Oliver Gray called it quits after he filmed scenes for season 7 of Summer House.

Zack Sharf Jeremy Strong said in a new interview with GQ magazine that his “Succession” co-star Brian Cox has earned the right to say whatever he wants about Strong in the press. Cox has publicly expressed worry over Strong’s Method acting, once telling The New Yorker, “I’ve worked with intense actors before. It’s a particularly American disease, I think, this inability to separate yourself off while you’re doing the job.” “The result that Jeremy gets is always pretty tremendous,” Cox added. “I just worry about what he does to himself. I worry about the crises he puts himself through in order to prepare.” Cox would later about Strong on “Late Night With Seth Meyers” as well, saying, “He does get obsessed with the work. And I worry about what it does to him, because if you can’t separate yourself — because you’re dealing with all of this material every day. You can’t live in it. Eventually, you get worn out.”

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Jen Psaki is about to test whether MSNBC viewers are ready to embrace another political aide who hopes to make a jump from the White House to their house. MSNBC plans to launch “Inside With Jen Psaki,” a new program led by the former White House Press Secretary, on Sundays at noon, starting on March 19. The program will stream on the NBCUniversal Peacock hub a day later. Psaki is also developing “a new original streaming and social show, both set to launch this spring,” MSNB said in a statement Monday. Psaki’s program will replace an hour long anchored by weekend veteran Alex Witt, who will continue to hold forth Saturdays from noon to 2 p.m. and Sundays between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Lie With Me,” a romance drama headlined by French stars Guillaume de Tonquebec and Victor Belmondo, has lured a raft of theatrical distributors at the Berlinale’s EFM. Represented in international markets by Be For Films and directed by Olivier Peyon, the movie is based on Philippe Besson’s book “Arrête avec tes mensonges.” The autobiographical novel was originally published in France by Editions Julliard in 2017 and won pair of awards including the Maison de la Presse prize in 2017. After selling several key territories earlier this year, Be For Films has now closed deals for the U.S. (Cinephobia Realising), Germany/Austria (24 Bilder), Brazil (Imovision), Poland (Tongariro), Greece (Cinobo) and Turkey (Bir Films).

Ryan Seacrest has some adjusting to do as he prepares for his departure from Live! With Kelly & Ryan after six years on the show, but luckily he has a great support system to be there for him through all of the changes.Not only does he have the full support of his soon-to-be former co-host Kelly Ripa – and his replacement Mark Consuelos – but through it all, he has had his girlfriend Aubrey Paige Petcosky right by his side.The 25 and 48-year-old have been dating for nearly two years, and they made their official red carpet debut at the premiere of Jennifer Lopez' documentary, Halftime, at the TriBeCa Film Festival in June of 2022.WATCH: Ryan Seacrest confirms exit from Live! With Kelly and RyanMORE: Inside Michael Strahan’s public fall out with former co-star Kelly RipaThey met in 2021, and their union was the highlight of Aubrey's year, she revealed in a celebratory New Year's post ahead of 2022, when she wrote: "Safe to say the best part of 2021 was meeting the most incredible man," alongside a loved up photo of the two together.The 25-year-old is a model, and per her Instagram, she is currently signed with Genetics Model Management, plus her bio details that some of her passions include screenwriting, travel, fashion and fitness.MORE: GMA's Amy Robach's former stepson shares glimpse inside incredible homeAccording to her LinkedIn page, she grew up in upstate New York, before moving to Texas.

Yard Act and Confidence Man are among 50 new names added to this year’s Latitude Festival – see the full line-up below.The festival will return to Suffolk’s Henham Park from July 20-23 and be headlined by Pulp, Paolo Nutini and George Ezra, with a special performance from Siouxsie Sioux also set to feature.Others in the latest announcement include James, who will perform with an orchestra and choir, alongside Dry Cleaning, Men I Trust, Wunderhorse, The Murder Capital, Do Nothing, Bob Vylan and more.The festival’s comedy line-up has also been revealed, with Sara Pascoe, Romesh Ranganathan, Ed Gamble and more all playing.See the full and updated Latitude line-up below.

Former ABC News Chief James Goldston has joined Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Candle Media to head up a new division focused on scripted and non-scripted features and series inspired by true stories. Goldston will serve as President of the new group. 

Jen Psaki’s new show for MSNBC will debut on March 19 at noon ET and will be streamed the next day on Peacock.

Gwen Stefani sparked a reaction from her fans on Monday when she shared a gorgeous photo with a rarely-seen family member.The Voice star took to Instagram to pose for a stunning selfie with her sister-in-law Jenny, who is married to Gwen's lookalike younger brother Todd. The duo shared a smiley snap which saw them both twinning with platinum blonde hair and wearing products from Gwen's makeup line, GXVE Beauty.WATCH: Gwen Stefani shares rare glimpse inside huge makeup roomGwen looked striking wearing Line It Up waterproof gel liner in Bathwater, a metallic electric cobalt blue, while Jenny opted for a classic matte black version, and they both sported the singer's new mascara and a glossy nude lip.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Food Network is adding more than a dash of Italian flare to its next big primetime cooking competition, shooting the eight-episode series on-location in a Tuscan villa where 10 competitors live together while striving to prove their mastery of Italian culinary techniques. Aptly titled “Ciao House,” the “Big Brother”-meets-“Under the Tuscan Sun” competition, hosted and judged by network vet Alex Guarnaschelli and Tuscan-born chef Gabriele Bertaccini, premieres Sunday, April 16 at 9 p.m. on the linear Food Network channel and streams the same day on Discovery+. Per Food Network’s description for “Ciao House”: “From real-life nonnas showcasing how they make pasta from scratch to a lesson with the head butcher of a three centuries-old family butcher business, each challenge is accompanied by a local experience steeped in tradition. The competitors must also navigate alliances and rivalries as they pick their own teams and each week, the losing team must vote off one of their own. In the end, only the last chef standing wins the life-changing grand prize: an immersive culinary education across Italy, training with renowned Italian master chefs.”

Huey “Piano” Smith, the R&B pianist and composer whose 1950s hits “Don’t You Just Know It” and “Rockin’ Pneumonia and Boogie Woogie Flu” added New Orleans spice to the early rock and roll recipe, died Feb. 13 at his home in Baton Rouge. He was 89.

K.J. Yossman U.K. media watchdog Ofcom has written to broadcasters Sky and ITV regarding their coverage of Nicola Bulley, a woman who went missing in Lancashire while walking her dog last month. Bulley’s disappearance made national (and even international) news within days of her being reported missing partly due to some of the unusual details of the case. Among them was the fact her cell phone was found on a bench near a river still logged into a Microsoft Teams work conference. Her dog was also found nearby. Divers, including private search teams, scoured the river but could not find any sign of Bulley, who had two young daughters. (Picture above: the bench where Bulley’s phone was found).

Shirley Halperin Executive Editor, Music Veteran music publicists Luke Burland and Bobbie Gale are teaming up to form a new firm, 2b Entertainment. The two share more than 30 years experience working with artists, music companies and brands. Both previously served in senior media relations positions at Warner Bros. Records (now known as Warner Records) and as in-demand indies — Burland, most recently at BB Gun Press (founded by Brian Bumbery, currently a top communications executive at Apple Music); Gale at her own MixedMediaWorks. Based in Los Angeles, 2b Entertainment’s client roster includes Jojo Siwa, Danny Elfman, Mike Dean, Holly Humberstone, Josh Groban, Julian Casablancas, Justin Tranter, Maggie Lindemann, Meghan Trainor, My Chemical Romance, OK Go, Shania Twain and Steve Earle, among other artists. Corporate accounts run across entertainment, lifestyle and fashion, representing such brands as CITI, +1 Records, Laylo, Dad Grass, Muserk and Cosm. (See the full roster here.)

Shoppers have been rushing to pre-order Ed Sheeran’s latest release - and it’s not an album. That’s right, the musician has sent the internet into a frenzy after announcing the launch of a brand new product.

While most people have no issues with travelling on a plane, others are terrified at the thought of just stepping onto an aircraft, filling with dread as the cabin door closes behind them.

Police are continuing to hunt a driver after a young man was seriously injured while helping his friends on the A77.

Harry Styles tried out an Australian tradition as he took to the stage in Perth on Monday.

Don Lemon is taking some time to better himself.

Holly Jones In a knock-out deal, Ignacio Cucucovich and Gustavo Hernández of Montevideo-based Mother Superior Films have acquired rights to Spanish boxer and entertainer José Luis ‘Dum Dum’ Pacheco’s life story, starting with his autobiography, “Mear Sangre.” “Dum Dum is a living reflection of a generation that’s managed to overcome many blows at a difficult time in history. He was born into a humble home, imprisoned at a very young age,” Cucucovich told Variety. “In addition, the era the story would encompass is fascinating to us, full of freedoms gaining ground, young people exploring and developing, in success and error, a lot of creative abundance, in a constant clash with what society then considered correct. It was a time of discovery and creation.”

captioned the photograph to his 13,400 followers.His reported girlfriend, Catherine Michie, commented on the photo post: “The law can’t stop Jansen Panettiere” and “Love.”Panettiere, the brother of actress Hayden Panettiere, 33, died Sunday at home in New York according to a source close to his family, TMZ reported Monday. His official cause of death has not been released, but police say there was no foul play suspected.According to the official bio on his website, the actor-turned-visual-artist revealed his private battle with mental health issues: “After spending time in LA as an adult he was ridden with terrible anxiety and depression,” the artist’s statement reads, noting he later found “healing” while creating more than 50 pieces of “visceral and emotive work.”Later Monday, registered nurse Michie, 25, posted a public love letter to her late boyfriend, whom she nicknamed “Bubbles.”A post shared by Catherine Michie (@catherinemichie_)“I met you only a year ago, but you have been my best friend and biggest fan,” Michie wrote.

The Walking Dead star Jansen Panettiere has died at the age of 28.The actor, who is the younger brother of Scream star Hayden Panettiere, is thought to have passed away over the weekend in New York.A family source reportedly confirmed the news to US outlets TMZ and Deadline, but his relatives and loved ones have not yet spoken publicly.According to Deadline, law enforcement officials were called to a home at around 5.30pm on Sunday (February 19). A cause of death has no yet been disclosed.Panettiere earned his first credit as a voice actor before landing a role in the Disney Channel comedy Even Stevens alongside Shia LaBeouf and Nick Spano.Some of his subsequent credits include 2003 appearances on the sitcom Hope & Faith and the drama Third Watch.

Kate Forbes has insisted trans women are "biological males" as further questions are asked about her socially conservative views.

EastEnders star Kellie Bright has teased details about the explosive 2023 Christmas flashforward scenes.The actress, 46, who plays Linda Carter, appeared on Tuesday's episode of This Morning where she spoke about the exciting cliffhanger. In a BBC One soap first, fans were shown a 2023 flashforward scene on Monday of six of Walford’s much loved matriarchs, Denise (Diane Parish), Kathy (Gillian Taylforth), Linda (Kellie), Sharon ( Letitia Dean ), Stacey ( Lacey Turner ) and Suki (Balvinder Sopal) faced with a dead body.

A huge new family attraction celebrating much-loved children's book characters The Gruffalo, Zog, The Highway Rat and more is to open next to the seaside in Blackpool this summer. £2.3mn has been spent to create the new Gruffalo and Friends Clubhouse which celebrates the colourful characters from popular author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler.

Ginger Zee's TV personality husband, Ben Aaron, took to Instagram with an emotional message this week after his friend, Kyle Jacobs, died by apparent suicide. Kyle - who was married to American Idol alum, Kellie Pickler - formed a friendship with the late songwriter when he worked with Kellie. Ben's lengthy tribute to Kyle left his social media followers stunned. Alongside a photo of himself with Ginger, Kellie and Kyle, he wrote: "I never had a lot of guy friends because I was never a typical guy. It was always difficult for me to meet a pal.

Kelly Osbourne is having a tough time returning to work after privately welcoming her son, Sidney. The 38-year-old British star returned to Instagram for her first photo since her son's birth over the weekend.In the pic, Kelly and a friend are seen sticking their tongues out while sitting in a car together.«I have a new found respect for working mothers.

Hayden Panettiere's younger brother Jansen has died aged 28. A representative for Hayden confirmed her brother's death to ABC News, as they said that a cause of death is unknown and that an investigation is underway. The publication said that Hayden asked for privacy in the wake of Jansen's death.

It’s a little hard to keep up with Kim Kardashian and her many hair transformations – the star swaps between blonde and brunette as often as we swap pairs of socks. However, a fringe is one hairstyle we haven’t seen her wear in over ten years. Now, Kim is deciding to modernise a look she briefly wore in 2010 – and fans are delighted.

Lorraine Kelly has slammed the 'utterly bizarre' lawsuit between Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz family against their wedding planners.

The final forecast from energy consultancy Cornwall Insight suggests that people across Britain are set to see the cost of each unit of electricity and gas they use soar from the beginning of April.

K.J. Yossman Richard Armitage (“The Hobbit” trilogy), Michelle Keegan (“Brassic”) and “Absolutely Fabulous” star Joanna Lumley are set to lead the cast of new Netflix series “Fool Me Once.” Based on the Harlan Coben novel of the same name and produced by Nicola Shindler’s Quay Street Productions, the eight-part series stars Keegan (pictured above on set) as Maya Stern, a woman who is struggling to resume her life after her husband Joe (Armitage) is brutally murdered. But things take a turn after Maya spots someone on the nanny cam she has installed throughout her home to keep an eye on her young daughter…someone who is supposed to be dead. Meanwhile Maya’s niece and nephew are also reeling from the murder of their mother several months earlier and set out to find out the truth. Could the two tragedies be related?

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor J.K. Rowling claims people have deeply misunderstood her position on transgender women — and the best-selling author says she’s not preoccupied with how the controversy will affect her legacy. Rowling, speaking on the topic for the podcast “The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling,” said she “never meant to upset anyone” with comments broadly seen as antagonistic toward trans women. About the reaction from fans that Rowling has “ruined” her legacy, she counters that people who express such sentiments “could not have misunderstood me more profoundly.” “I do not walk around my house, thinking about my legacy,” she says in the first episode. “You know, what a pompous way to live your life walking around thinking, ‘What will my legacy be?’ Whatever, I’ll be dead. I care about now. I care about the living.”

K.J. Yossman Joseph Fiennes is set to play England soccer manager Gareth Southgate in a new play written by “Sherwood” scribe James Graham. Fiennes, known for his turns in “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Shakespeare in Love,” will take on the role at London’s National Theatre. “Spring Awakening” director Rupert Goold will helm the production. “It’s time to change the game,” reads the logline. “The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t England’s men win at their own game?”