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‘90s Brit rockers Oasis are currently preparing for a massive worldwide reunion tour that, hopefully, won’t involve playing any gigs where they cede top billing to a puppet show.

But while Oasis may not share much in common with Spinal Tap, the aging heavy metal group depicted in Rob Reiner’s classic mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, apparently Liam Gallagher was a big fan of the band — until he discovered that they weren’t actually real.

In a 2005 interview in The Observer, which was recently shared by American Songwriter, Noel Gallagher was asked about a laughable claim made by Ricky Gervais: that his brother Liam believed that Spinal Tap was, in fact, a real band, and not a fictional group invented for a movie. “Yeah, he thought they were real people,” Noel Gallagher responded.

According to the elder Gallagher, the revelation occurred when the brothers went to see...

It’s been 40 years since Spinal Tap rocked the music world, and now that the famed mockumentary is getting its overdue sequel, we are ready to give ‘em some money. And based on the fact that the original members are all back with Rob Reiner at the helm, our anticipation level is up to 11.

Speaking with Empire about the forthcoming This Is Spinal Tap sequel, titled Spinal Tap II, Rob Reiner said that every piece came together with ease once things got moving. “The fun thing about it is we’ve known each other for so many years, and you just fall right back into it. You know, the whole film is improvised. The dialogue is all improvised. And what Chris Guest calls “schnadling” — we schnadle with each other, you know? It’s just fun. Putting together this movie is like putting together a puzzle with no picture on the box.

The band Spinal Tap are all about instant gratification. “Tonight I’m gonna rock you tonight,” they howled in their song ‘Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight‘. “Gimme some money,” they crooned in their anthem ‘Gimme Some Money’. Whether it’s canapes, big bottoms, or unintentionally tiny models of Stonehenge, they want it now.

When it’s come to their new adventure, however, we’ve had to wait a while. Over 40 years, in fact. It’s been that long since 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap, still arguably the funniest spoof documentary of all time, and certainly the loudest. While they've reassembled for live gigs (plus an episode of The Simpsons) in the intervening years, many feared we'd never see them rock again on the big screen. Many feared we’d never see them rock again. But in 2025, finally, we’ll discover what has become of the iconic trio of...

No one could ever accuse legendary rockers Spinal Tap of being static. While fans reveled in the group’s heavy metal phase in the documentary This Is Spinal Tap, one of the U.K.’s loudest bands had already gone through many iterations. The boys once played skiffle as members of The Originals, a name that changed to The New Originals once they discovered another band with the same moniker, then back to The Originals when the original Originals broke up.

Then the band became the Thamesmen, scoring a hit with their song, “Gimme Some Money.”

They eventually became Spinal Tap, but not the hard-rocking version chronicled in the movie. In 1967, the group sold psychedelic love with their smash, “Listen to the Flower People.”

So it makes sense that in the years since This Is Spinal Tap was released, the band has undergone more changes. In an interview with Empire...

In a tease for Spinal Tap 2, Rob Reiner explains what the This Is Spinal Tap crew has been up to since the original film. Reiner directed This is Spinal Tap back in 1984, wherein he used a mockummentary style to chronicle the story of the tour of one of England's loudest bands. Reiner himself stars in the film as a fictional director, filmmaker Marty DeBergi. In addition to Reiner, This is Spinal Tap featured a leading cast including Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer. Quotes from This is Spinal Tap still work their way into the cultural zeitgeist today, decades after its release.

Speaking with Empire, Reiner explains what the team has been up to since This is Spinal Tap. According to the director, all four main characters have developed their own interests in the years since their fateful tour. For Nigel, this involves "running a cheese and guitar shop.

BBC Studios, producer and global distributor of innovative and world-class audio content from the BBC, and Triton Digital, the global technology and services leader in the digital audio, podcast, and broadcast radio industries, today announced a partnership that will bring the BBC’s extensive audio catalogue and premium originals across news, entertainment, drama, and more to Triton’s Audio Marketplace outside the UK.

The implementation of Triton’s market-leading ad technology will be key to enabling BBC Studios’ international growth ambitions for Audio. By partnering with Triton, the BBC’s audio inventory becomes available to over 50 digital advertising exchanges via Triton’s global Audio Marketplace for the very first time. The deal also encompasses access to best-in-class tooling such as the Triton Ad Platform (Tap) for streamlined campaign trafficking, delivery, and reporting and Triton Podcast Metrics for deep insights into listener demographics, behaviour, and engagement trends.

"The BBC has a unique global strength in audio,...

Foreigner scored more hits than just about any other rock band from their era. But they were never a favorite of critics, and they had to wait 22 years to enter the Hall of Fame after they first reached their period of eligibility. Original frontman Lou Gramm feels the massive success of their 1984 ballad “I Want To Know What Love Is” played a big role in shaping their reputation.

“I love the song, but it pigeonholed us into something that we were not,” he told Rolling Stone earlier this year. “I...

Even fictional bands are banning the Trump campaign from using their music.

After Isaac Hayes’ estate successfully barred Trump from using “Hold On, I’m Coming,” the cinematic heavy metal act Spinal Tap have preemptively demanded that the campaign not play their song “Sex Farm.”

Harry Shearer, who portrays Spinal Tap bassist Derek Smalls, declared the song off-limits in a hilarious tweet: “Not a band to be outdone, Spinal Tap is demanding that the Trump campaign refrain from playing ‘Sex Farm’ at their rallies.”

“Sex Farm” is an ’80s hard rock pastiche with lyrics that parody the objectification of women that was centric to that decade’s rock/metal culture. While it’s obviously not a song any political campaign would actually play, the joke is that it’s a pretty apt depiction of Donald Trump’s history of sexual misconduct and misogyny: “Sex farm woman / I’m gonna mow...

Academy Award winner Emma Stone stars as Olive Penderghast in Easy A. Easy A marks Amanda Bynes' final film role. Other Easy A cast members include Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson, Lisa Kudrow, and more.

Easy A is one of the quintessential rom-coms of the 2010s, partly due to its all-star cast, which includes a two-time Academy Award-winning actress and a handful of Emmy Award-winning performers. The 2010 teen romantic comedy, directed by Will Gluck and written by Bert V. Royal, is partially inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne's renowned 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter as it depicts a teenager, played by Emma Stone, who becomes known as the school's resident tramp. Similar to Hester in The Scarlet Letter, Easy A's protagonist dons a scarlet "A" on her clothing to embrace her perceived identity.

Emma Stone was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her...

An effectively conventional documentary that would probably work better as a 90-minute pilot for an ongoing docuseries than as a standalone film, Jess Jacklin’s Quad Gods does one unconventional thing extremely well.

Premiering on HBO after a Tribeca premiere, Quad Gods blends two genres that each tend to favor a single narrative path. Sports films progress toward unity and triumph — the solitary athlete realizes he needs coaching/love/whatever, the mismatched teammates come together, etc. Disability stories progress toward an accepted version of recovery — primarily an ableist version of “normal.”

Quad Gods is a disability story and a sports story, but it pushes back, and pushes back hard, against the traditional arcs of its respective genres. It’s a sports film without a championship game and a film about disabilities that rejects a one-size-fits-all restorative journey. It’s an anti-arc that occasionally makes Quad Gods a little unsatisfying in...

It is a paradoxical but nonetheless true statement to say that the retro-leaning L.A. rock band Redd Kross was far ahead of their time — not just musically (the power-pop resurgence of the early ’90s) but also in pop-culture worship and the irony that saturated that decade. But their comic take on those things obscures not just what a great rock band they were and still are, but also the fact that they’re legit OGs on any number of levels.

Formed by brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald, they were initially an L.A. punk rock band whose first gig was opening for the legendary Black Flag when they were virtually children. Then, they decided to rebel against the punk scene by committing the ultimate sin: growing their hair and donning garish ’70s clothes, and recording a battery of songs about everything from teen “Exorcist” star Linda Blair to the Brady Bunch.

NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.

Roxy Cinema

Our House of Tolerance 35mm presentation has its final showing on Friday; a print of John Frankenheimer’s Seconds plays this Saturday.

Film at Lincoln Center

A Ryusuke Hamaguchi retrospective has begun.

Paris Theater

A 1984 retrospective brings Spinal Tap, Starman, a 35mm print of Fanny and Alexander, and Now, Voyager.

Anthology Film Archives

“Essential Cinema” brings Pudovkin and Sharits, while “Ecocinema Behind the Iron Curtain” begins.

Film Forum

As Le Samouraï plays in a new 4K restoration, an Alain Delon retrospective and Ken Loach series are underway; Tootsie plays on Sunday.

Museum of the Moving Image

The Abyss screens on Saturday.

Metrograph

As a complete retrospective of Lee Chang-dong winds down, Liu Jian’s Have a Nice Day screens.

IFC Center

Dawn of the Dead plays through the weekend while Scooby-Doo (on 35mm) and John Waters’ Multiple Maniacs and Polyester show late.

Exclusive: At the 2021 Edinburgh TV Festival, the BBC and Netflix unveiled what the pair described as a landmark five-year disability partnership that would unearth a new generation of shows helmed by disabled talent.

But more than half of the partnership’s five-year time period has now elapsed and not one show has been revealed.

In recent months, sources from the UK drama and disabled TV communities have begun questioning the partnership, getting in touch with Deadline unprompted to query why a tie-up that was unveiled with such fanfare has so far failed to bear fruit.

“It’s slightly bizarre,” said one professional connected with disability programs. “I’ve heard nothing from anyone to be honest. No one can get a definitive answer.”

The partnership came in the wake of a blistering Edinburgh TV Festival MacTaggart broadside from Help writer Jack Thorne, who slammed the UK TV industry for “totally and utterly” failing disabled people.

It’s time to crank the amps up to 11. Or, is it 12?

“This is Spın̈al Tap” (with a dotless i and umlauts on the n), Rob Reiner’s legendary spoof film starring Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, and a slew of guests like Paul Shaffer (“kick my ass!”), Fran Drescher, Bruno Kirby (“if Frank Sinatra says it’s okay!”), and Billy Crystal (“mime is money!”) was way ahead of its time as both a mockumentary and in satirizing the rock lifestyle. The film is beloved by fans, and especially musicians, and it certainly seems like there’s been a sequel already. The gang has reunited for television specials, album releases (“Break Like the Wind”), made an appearance on “The Simpsons,” and, of course, the three actors have done several similar improv-style satires, including “A Mighty Wind,” which skewers folk musicians. But there actually hasn’t been a sequel...

Get ready for a sequel that will go up to … 12?! The team behind the brilliant 1984 music mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap has officially begun work on another film. Filmmaker Rob Reiner will once again direct and portray documentarian Marty Dibergi as he checks in with the three members of Spinal Tap — David St. Hubbins (actor Michael McKean), Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) — to see how the past four decades have treated the heavy-metal stereotypes. They have not yet announced who’ll be playing the drummer, at...

Welcome to our weekly rundown of the best new music — featuring big new singles, key tracks from our favorite albums, and more. This week, Cardi B returns with her first single of 2024, Miley Cyrus delivers a salve with a funky Bangerz B-side, and Charli Xcx is at the top of her game in glitzy new track. Plus, new music from Schoolboy Q, Fred Again.. , Kacey Musgraves, and more.

Cardi B, “Like What (Freestyle)” (YouTube)

Miley Cyrus feat. Pharrell, “Doctor (Work It Out)” (YouTube)

Charli Xcx, “Von Dutch” (YouTube)

Schoolboy Q,...

K-pop supergroup Nct member Taeyong will put out his second individual EP on February 26. His agency confirmed the news on Thursday about the same, reports Yonhap.com.The EP, christened ‘Tap’, consists of six songs that deliver the singer’s honest thoughts and feelings, Sm Entertainment said.

It added the rapper is credited as the sole lyricist and co-composer of all the tracks, once again showing off his capabilities as a musician.

Taeyong, who has participated in writing over 40 songs in four languages, released mostly by Nct’s various units and himself, made his debut as a soloist with the EP ‘Shalala’ in June last year.

Ahead of the album’s release, he is scheduled to hold his first standalone concerts in Seoul on February 24-25.

Known for their versatility in music, vocal and rap abilities, and powerful performances, Nct was formed in 2016 and has 26 members divided into six different sub-units: Nct U,...

It's hard to imagine that there's any stunt the "Jackass" guys won't try. This is a group of friends who have eaten the most disgusting things imaginable, tortured their bodies, committed psychological terrorism on one another, doused themselves in all numbers of bodily (both human and animal) fluids, and often end up hospitalized in the process, all in the name of committing to the bit. That isn't to say that there isn't some corporate red tape that gets in the way of their shenanigans. Ahead of the release of "Jackass Forever," it was revealed that a handful of stunts including getting hit by a car, taking a live bullet while wearing a bulletproof vest, and rolling down the stairs in a cardboard box set with pillows were all denied by Standards and Practices.

Given the scope and intensity of some of the stunts they have gotten away with, rolling down...

Break out your old records of “Shark Sandwich.” Rob Reiner will be returning to his classic rock mockumentary after forty years to film the sequel to 1984’s This is Spinal Tap. Reiner’s comedy is a famous satire of the chronically flawed rock band Spinal Tap, which features comedic actors Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer as the English band. The film follows Spinal Tap as they encounter mishap after mishap during their run as a music group, including concert set-ups that don’t quite work out, awful reviews, getting lost on the way to the stage and a number of other classic gags.

Variety has reported that Rob Reiner is planning to film his sequel in February of 2024. McKean, Shearer and Guest are set to reprise their roles. Reiner will once again be portraying Martin “Marty” Di Bergi as he catches back up with the aged rock band.

Warning: This interview is not for the squeamish.

If you've ever watched a "Jackass" movie or episode, Steve-o explodes off the screen as a man who enjoys his life. Why, then, does he seem so hellbent on jeopardizing it?

With the possible exception of Johnny Knoxville, no member of the daredevil troupe has performed gnarlier stunts than Steve-o. Over the years, we've seen him shimmy across a tightrope over an alligator pool with a raw chicken dangling from his underwear, wear a Peruvian jellyfish as a sombrero, and sustain repeated genital trauma via all kinds of inventively stupid methods. On the serious side, he battled drug addiction for over a decade before getting completely sober in 2008.

You might think clear-headedness would instill a strong sense of self-preservation in Steve-o, but subjecting his body to all manner of punishment and indignity is what he lives for. Indeed, when the Jackass boys are on a break,...

The best tap dancing movies capture the grandeur of live performances and use Hollywood magic to elevate the art form. Tap dancing has been a distinctly cinematic art form since the advent of sound movies, and each era puts its own spin on the traditional formula. The best tap dancing movies combine groundbreaking dancing with compelling stories for a satisfying cinematic experience.

The best tap dancing movies capture the grandeur of live performances on the big screen and use Hollywood magic to elevate the art form to even higher heights. Since the birth of cinema, dance has been a big part of the moviegoing experience, with many of the first blockbusters being massive song-and-dance spectacles. Tap dancing in particular has been a distinctly cinematic art form, and the advent of sound movies made the toe-tapping rattle seem even grander on the massive silver screen. Not surprisingly, tap dance has continued to be popular on screen,...

The TV Access Project (Tap), which launched at last year’s Edinburgh TV Festival, has set out how it intends for disability inclusion to be completely integrated into standard industry practice by 2030.

Within seven years, the group said “no disabled talent will feel excluded from the TV industry because of their impairment or condition,” while there will be consistent practice for access needs and “adequate and consistent funding.”

Tap, which is backed by the likes of Help writer Jack Thorne along with major broadcasters and streamers, today announced it was entering a second phase under new project leadership as it moves towards the 2030 target. New leadership will be announced soon.

Over the coming years, Tap will focus on people and pipelines in 2024, embedding its practices within industry partners the following year and will then go through a process of maintaining and monitoring progress before “celebrtating success” in 2030, according to todays plan.

U.K. consultancy and theatre company Access All Areas is launching a new production outfit, co-led by learning disabled and autistic talent, and focused on improving learning disabled and neurodivergent representation in TV and film.

The launch coincides with a renewed drive for inclusion via the TV Access Project — a coalition of U.K. broadcasters and streamers who have pledged to support disability on and off screen — which is hosting a panel at this week’s Edinburgh TV Festival that will set out new standards for the industry. Access All Areas is joining the TV Access Project as a partner.

Launched in 2007, Access All Areas has worked with major broadcasters and streamers to improve accessibility at different stages of production, both on and off screen. Recent credits include “I Used to Be Famous” and “The Crown” for Netflix; “Ralph & Katie,” “The Cleaner” and “Holby City” for BBC; “Hollyoaks” for...

It seems Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have some work to do. According to a royal commentator, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “need” to hone their “raison d’etre,” or purpose, if they want to be a “philanthropic power couple.”

Harry and Meghan haven’t ‘cultivated a strong brand outside the royal family’ Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Samir Hussein/WireImage

Although they’re living in Montecito, California, and have added to their net worth since stepping back as senior working royals in 2020, Harry and Meghan have a long way to go to create a “strong brand” of their own, Victoria Murphy, a contributing editor of Town & Country, said on the August 2023 episode of Palace Confidential (via Mail Online).

Saying some might be wondering if the pair “made the right decisions” since striking out on their own, Murphy said Harry and Meghan haven’t necessarily been quite successful.

Meghan Markle’s birthday passed without public acknowledgment from the royal family. That means no happy birthday message on social media from King Charles III and Queen Camilla or Prince William and Kate Middleton. Despite reportedly being well within the royal family’s “protocol,” disregarding the Duchess of Sussex’s birthday only highlighted the wider, ongoing “rift,” according to a commentator.

Meghan Markle turned 42 on August 4 Meghan Markle | Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Ms. Foundation for Women

Just a few weeks following Prince George’s 10th birthday, Meghan turned 42 on Aug. 4, 2023. Royals typically celebrate their birthdays privately, save for the sovereign’s annual Trooping the Colour parade. Meghan and Prince Harry are no exception. Although they stepped back as senior working royals in 2020, they’ve continued to mark birthdays privately.

This year, however, the world learned a little bit about how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrated. The pair were spotted at the Italian restaurant,...

A new Wordle is here and the June 25th answer shouldn't cause much trouble for too many players. Today's word is a more common one and is used often in conversation. There are no tricks in this Wordle, like repeated letters or odd spellings. It should be a simple, straightforward day and another notch on the win-streak belt.

For those who would prefer a more difficult challenge, there is always Wordle's Hard Mode which can be accessed through the options menu before starting any daily puzzle. This mode simply forces players to use the previously revealed hints. With this mode active, any letter that was shown in a previous guess as correct must be used in each subsequent guess. This can create a little more of a challenge but also lowers the number of wasted guesses in any given game.

More Wordle: 10 Strategies To Keep Your Streak Alive

Today's Wordle...

The MTV Movie & TV Awards faced a series of roadblocks this year due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike. While the awards show was set to broadcast live on Sunday, it was announced that due to the strike, the network would air a pre-taped special as several attendees announced they were pulling out of the show.

“As we carefully navigate how best to deliver the fan first awards’ show we envisioned that our team has worked so hard to create, we’re pivoting away from a live event that still enables us to produce a memorable night full of exclusive sneak peaks, irreverent categories our audience has come to expect, and countless moments that will both surprise and delight as we honor the best of film and TV over the past year,” said Bruce Gillmer, president of music, music talent, programming and events at Paramount Global, and an...

Johnny & Clyde | Starring Megan Fox, Avan Jogia, Ajani Russell & Directed by Tom DeNucci | In Theaters and On Demand May 5th Directed by Tom DeNucci (Vault, Almost Mercy) Written by: Tom DeNucci and Nick PrincipeProduced by: Chad A. Verdi, Michelle Verdi, Chad Verdi Jr., Paul Luba and Nick KoskoffStarring:Megan Fox (Transformers, Jennifer’s Body)Avan Jogia (Zombieland: Double Tap, “Victorious”)Ajani Russell (Skate Kitchen, “Betty”)Tyson Ritter (“Preacher”, “Parenthood”)Bai Ling (Red …

The post Johnny & Clyde | Starring Megan Fox, Avan Jogia, Ajani Russell & Directed by Tom DeNucci | In Theaters and On Demand May 5th appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.

Image Source: Getty / Amy Sussman

Saweetie may be best known for making iconic club bangers and bops, but now the multihyphenate is ready to tackle a new craft: acting! Following small starring roles on shows like "Grown-ish" and, most recently, Peacock's "Bel-Air," the "Tap In" rapper is testing her acting skills yet again in a new short film for Candy Crush Saga, which she says is "inspired by my favorite female spy movie."

"Honestly, I've been playing them for years, so when they reached out, it was a no-brainer," Saweetie tells Popsugar of teaming up with the virtual puzzle game. The rap star's imaginative film - which was released in honor of the Candy Crush All Stars tournament, kicking off on March 23 - finds her spy-like character and fellow Icy girls attempting a heist for a blue jewelry box, made by Icebox, before their plan is ultimately crushed.

Though...

Emma Roberts is an American actress, model and singer who has been in the entertainment industry for more than a decade. She has acted in various films and television series, as well as starred in music videos and performed on Broadway. Having grown up in show business, her talent was widely recognized from a young age.

Emma Roberts. Depositphotos

At age nine, Roberts made her acting debut in the film Blow, playing the daughter of Johnny Depp’s character. She went on to appear in other films such as Aquamarine (2006) and Nancy Drew (2007). In 2009 she landed a role in Nickelodeon’s Unfabulous TV series which gained her even more recognition.

Roberts then went on to star in several other films including: Hotel for Dogs (2009), Valentine’s Day (2010), It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010), Scream 4 (2011) We’re The Millers (2013) and most recently Holidate (2020). Her television credits include American Horror Story: Coven,...

What happens to a one-hit-wonder girlband when their allocated 15 minutes of fame comes to an abrupt end, and they’re no longer the hottest young things in coordinated but subtly different outfits?

It’s a question answered in all-singing, all-dancing style by effervescent sitcom Girls5eva, which debuted on US streamer Peacock in 2021 but is now finally available to stream on Netflix, where a third season will arrive later this year. Created by Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt writer Meredith Scardino and exec-produced by Tina Fey, this underrated gem has enough energy and emotion to fill stadiums, and more Nineties-style pop treats than an ancient Now That’s What I Call Music disc. It’s This Is Spinal Tap for turn-of-the-millennium girl groups, turning the synths up to 11.

Wickie, Dawn, Summer, Gloria and Ashley make up Girls5eva, a Spice Girls knock-off who peaked in the late Nineties. The band’s name...

What happens to a one-hit-wonder girlband when their allocated 15 minutes of fame comes to an abrupt end, and they’re no longer the hottest young things in coordinated but subtly different outfits?

It’s a question answered in all-singing, all-dancing style by effervescent sitcom Girls5eva, which debuted on US streamer Peacock in 2021 but is now finally available to stream on Netflix, where a third season will arrive later this year. Created by Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt writer Meredith Scardino and exec-produced by Tina Fey, this underrated gem has enough energy and emotion to fill stadiums, and more Nineties-style pop treats than an ancient Now That’s What I Call Music disc. It’s This Is Spinal Tap for turn-of-the-millennium girl groups, turning the synths up to 11.

Wickie, Dawn, Summer, Gloria and Ashley make up Girls5eva, a Spice Girls knock-off who peaked in the late Nineties. The band’s name...

Netflix has put a doc series about British pop superstar Robbie Williams into production, as its UK original series chief Anne Mensah doubled down on the streamer’s commitment to the UK despite the incoming cost of living crisis and concerns over drops in share price.

The multi-part music doc will launch in 2023 and contain exclusive access to Williams. It is billed as “an unfiltered, in-depth examination of a global icon and natural-born-entertainer who had to navigate the highs and lows of being in the limelight for more than 30 years.”

Show will look at the media scrutiny that has followed the former Take That singer’s career, his relationship with adulation and addiction and his professional and personal break ups. Footage captured over more than 25 years will be included in the no-holds-barred look at the entertainer and will reveal a more nuanced and multifaceted character.

“He’s really willing to go there,...

BBC Chair Richard Sharp said he has U-turned on feeling the BBC was “bloated, self important and heard too much of its own voice” when he took on the job two years ago, as he argued he can stave off government interference.

In conversation with Homeland star David Harewood, Sharp revealed he had a highly negative view of the corporation prior to joining but was told by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to “treat making the BBC great as his mission.”

He has since engaged with the BBC’s critics and seen that the corporation is “quite extraordinary in how it bats above its budget.”

“The bang for the buck it creates speaks to the extraordinary quality and talented people who are making good decisions,” he added. “In addition, as a brand I hope we can attract talented people who want to work here. We benefit from not being in a capitalist model.

Leading U.K.-based broadcasters have created the TV Access Project (Tap), a response to pressure group Underlying Health Condition’s (Uhc) campaign to address disabled access across the TV industry in the U.K.

Tap has been created by the BBC, Channel 4, Britbox International, Disney+ U.K., ITV, Paramount, Prime Video, Sky and UKTV, with support from industry body Creative Diversity Network and Pact, representing the indie sector.

Uhc which was set up by disabled creatives Genevieve Barr, Katie Player and Holly Lubran along with screenwriter Jack Thorne, following his coruscating MacTaggart Lecture at Edinburgh TV Festival in 2021. Tap is supported by TripleC Danc (Disabled Artists Networking Community) and Ddptv (Deaf & Disabled People in TV).

All these organisations aim to ensure an inclusive television production sector for disabled talent, looking at solutions that are across both scripted and unscripted.

The project started in April, when Charlotte Moore, chief content officer at the BBC,...

Exclusive: Britain’s major broadcasters and streamers are taking a stand on “clear and disturbing” access issues impacting the industry’s disabled population and have demanded change from studios and post-production facilities.

Deadline can exclusively reveal that the flagship cross-industry initiative to be launched at this week’s Edinburgh Television Festival will be the TV Access Project (Tap), a blueprint to rid the sector of appalling accessibility problems, spearheaded by BBC Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore.

The BBC, Channel 4, Britbox International, Disney+ UK, ITV, Paramount, Prime Video, Sky and UKTV are all signed up to Tap and the project has backing from influential producer trade body Pact and the Creative Diversity Network (Cdn).

Tap began quietly in April when Moore, one of the most powerful people in British broadcasting, helped convene a pan-industry roundtable between disabled creatives, UK industry bosses and groups such as Pact, the Cdn, Triple C...

Ric Parnell, who played the fictional band Spinal Tap’s drummer Mick Shrimpton in the classic 1984 heavy metal “mockumentary” “This Is Spinal Tap,” has died at the age of 70, according to a post from the group’s Harry Shearer and Yahoo News. No cause of death was initially reported.

Ric Parnell, our drummer in This is Spinal Tap, passed away today. No one ever rocked harder.

— Harry Shearer (@theharryshearer) May 2, 2022

The group — fronted by actor-musicians Michael McKean (as David St. Hubbins), Christopher Guest (as Nigel Tufnel) and Shearer (as Derek Smalls) — crossed the line between fiction and reality from their inception: the band literally road-tested tested their concept shortly after making the film, opening shows for psychedelic sludge-rockers Iron Butterfly, and no one in the audience was for the wiser.

Spinal Tap’s drummers are a running punchline in the film — all of the group’s previous drummers had died,...

Ric Parnell, the British musician who took the role of doomed drummer Mick Shrimpton in the 1984 movie “This Is Spinal Tap,” has died, his co-star Harry Shearer confirmed. He was 70.

Parnell’s death was confirmed Sunday by Shearer, who played Spinal Tap bassist Derek Smalls. No cause of death was given.

Ric Parnell, our drummer in This is Spinal Tap, passed away today. No one ever rocked harder.

— Harry Shearer (@theharryshearer) May 2, 2022

Parnell played Shrimpton in the 1984 cult classic mockumentary about a heavy metal band that already had a long history of losing drummers to outrageous calamity. Shrimpton survives long enough to be featured throughout Rob Reiner’s film – though the character winds up exploding onstage during a tour of Japan.

At one point, Reiner interviews the band’s standing drummer – in the tub, with a shower cap – about sitting in Spinal Tap’s infamous hot seat.

The London-born Parnell...

Sunday Am Writethru: after Saturday post Before a big tentpole comes into the marketplace, there’s typically a lull at the box office. But it’s an even bigger lull when the major studios don’t have any new wide entries. Everyone is waiting for Warner Bros. The Batman next weekend, and many sources tell me it’s bound easily for a $100M+ opening, in fact $115M+, and the advance ticket sales are there to prove that.

This despite the 3-hour running time, and from what I hear (I haven’t seen it yet) is a more noir, detective story by director Matt Reeves than Christopher Nolan’s previous Dark Knight action-infused movies. iSpot shows Warner Bros. having already spent $28M+ in US TV spots (that’s even a big number from that data agency’s Pov) across such shows as the Winter Olympics, NFL, Good Morning America, NBA games and Big Brother: Celebrity Edition.

While Netflix is far from being a haven for admirers of classic cinema, they thankfully are backing strong repertory programming in New York City. After acquiring The Paris Theater, located on 58th Street in Manhattan, and briefly reopening with some runs of Netflix features and other specialty programming, they are now officially opening their doors again on August 6 with a more substantial slate of classic cinema.

Featuring two programs, one curated by Radha Blank and another by the theater’s programmer David Schwartz, the reopening lineup features work by John Cassavetes, Kathleen Collins, Luis Buñuel, Mira Nair, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Ingmar Bergman, Terence Davies, and much more––with many on film prints.

One can also enter to win a pass for Schwartz’s series “The Paris is For Lovers,” with a newly-unveiled scavenger hunt tied to Ira Deutchman’s new documentary Searching for Mr. Rugoff, which opens on August 13 and is part of the lineup.

Suzzanne Douglas has died at the age of 64. On July 6, The Parent 'Hood star's cousin, Angie Tee, confirmed the news in a statement on Facebook. "Suzzanne Douglas a beautiful and talented actress made her transition today. She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world. This beautiful soul was my cousin," she said. "I can remember growing up, there weren't very many black actresses who had starring roles but there was my cousin with the lead role in Tap starring alongside great dancers such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. She also performed with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg in How Stella Got Her Groove Back. The Inkwell, Jason's Lyric and so much more the list goes on."

While Suzzanne got her start in the 1981 TV film Purlie, it was her NAACP Image Award-winning role as Amy Simms in 1989's Tap that served as a breakout in her career.

Sad news out of the TV world today.

Suzzanne Douglas, best known for playing Jerri Peterson on the hit sitcom The Parent 'Hood, has reportedly died at the age of 64.

Suzzanne's cousin, Angie Tee, shared the sad news on Tuesday.

"A beautiful and talented actress made her transition today," Tee wrote, tagging her cousin.

"She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world. This beautiful soul was my cousin."

Her post continued, "I can remember growing up, there weren't very many black actresses who had starring roles but there was my cousin with the lead role in Tap starring alongside great dancers such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr."

"She also performed with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg in How Stella Got Her Groove Back," the post reads.

"The Inkwell, Jason's Lyric and so much more the list goes on."

"The world will miss...

Suzzanne Douglas, who starred in Robert Townsend’s WB ’90s sitcom The Parent ‘Hood and most recently appeared in Ava DuVernay’s 2019 Netflix miniseries When They See Us, died yesterday at the age of 64. A cause of death has not been disclosed.

Douglas’ death was announced on Facebook by her cousin Angie Tee.

“Suzzanne Douglas a beautiful and talented actress made her transition today,” Tee wrote. “She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world…The world will miss your talent but your soul will live on forever.”

DuVernay remembered Douglas as “a quiet, elegant force.”

“A gentlewoman,” DuVernay wrote on Twitter early this morning. “A gem of a lady. A confident, caring actor who breathed life into the words and made them shimmer. I’m grateful that our paths in this life crossed. May she journey on in peace and love.”

A Chicago native...

Suzzanne Douglas, best known for starring in the WB sitcom “The Parent ‘Hood” and in the 1989 dance drama “Tap,” died on Tuesday. She was 64.

“Suzzanne Douglas, a beautiful and talented actress, made her transition today,” her cousin Angie Tee wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. “She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world. This beautiful soul was my cousin. I can remember growing up, there weren’t very many Black actresses who had starring roles but there was my cousin with the lead role in ‘Tap’ starring alongside great dancers such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. She also performed with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg in ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back.’ ‘The Inkwell,’ ‘Jason’s Lyric’ and so much more, the list goes on. The world will miss your talent but your soul will live on forever. Rest in Paradise, my beautiful cousin Suzzane,...

Actress Suzzanne Douglas died Tuesday, according to multiple reports. She was 64 years old.

Angie Tee, a woman identified by Essence as Douglas’ cousin, wrote on Facebook Tuesday, “Suzzanne Douglas a beautiful and talented actress made her transition today. She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world. This beautiful soul was my cousin.”

She went on, “I can remember growing up, there weren’t very many black actresses who had starring roles but there was my cousin with the lead role in ‘Tap’ starring alongside great dancers such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. She also performed with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg in ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back.’ The Inkwell, Jason’s Lyric and so much more the list goes on. The world will miss your talent but your soul will live on forever.”

Douglas is best known for her starring role in the show,...

Saweetie and Quavo are no longer an item. The "Tap In" rapper confirmed the news on Twitter days after fans noticed the two had stopped following one another on Instagram.  "I'm single," Saweetie tweeted on March 19. "I've endured too much betrayal and hurt behind the scenes for a false narrative to be circulating that degrades my character. Presents don't band aid scars and the love isn't real when the intimacy is given to other women." Fortunately, Saweetie has the support of her fans, who quickly showered the singer with love upon reading her message about her split from the Migos artist. One fan tweeted, "Wishing you love, healing,...

Ariana Grande has released the trailer for her concert film, Excuse Me, I Love You, set to arrive on Netflix December 21st.

Although clocking in at just a minute, the clip offers a solid overview of what to expect from the film — a mix of exuberant live performance footage and plenty of behind-the-scenes moments. In the clip, Grande grapples with the tense and cathartic moments of the touring life, seems to get tasked with recording something for Mariah Carey, and even has a bit of a Spinal Tap “Hello, Cleveland!

Belle and Sebastian had big plans for 2020, starting with a long-awaited trip to Los Angeles to record a new album with engineer and producer Shawn Everett (Weezer, the Killers, the War on Drugs). When the pandemic ruled that out, the Scottish sovereigns of indie pop settled in and looked for something else to do.

“Personally speaking, I probably adapt better than most folk,” says singer Stuart Murdoch, calling from his Glasgow home after a long walk in inclement weather. He says his experience with chronic fatigue syndrome for much of...

This is Spinal Tap co-creators Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, Michael McKean and Christopher Guest were singing Gimme Some Money on Friday. That’s after settling a long-running dispute over money derived from the film and merchandising related to the cult classic mockumentary, This Is Spinal Tap.

The group, Vivendi, and StudioCanal told a California federal court Friday that they had finally reached a settlement.

Shearer started the legal ball rolling in 2016, claiming that he and his co-creators had received just $81 in merchandising income and $98 in music sales income from their work on Spinal Tap. The so-called “Hollywood accounting” practices were blamed, plus Vivendi’s screwing up trademark rights. The suit asked for damages and requested reversion of rights to the project.

Eventually, Universal Music settled the claims to revenue from the soundtrack rights.

The parties said in a status report to the judge that they reached agreement on Thursday and...

Two more categories were announced for the MTV Video Music Awards with only a few days to go before the August 30 ceremony. Scroll down to see the nominees for Best Group and Song of the Summer.

Best Group was reintroduced in 2019 after it had been discontinued for 12 years. The Korean pop band Bts are the defending champion, and unsurprisingly they’re nominated again this year in a field of 10 nominees that also includes fellow K-Pop stars Blackpink and Monsta X, plus a couple of other international boy bands: Australia’s 5 Seconds of Summer and the Latin American quintet Cnco.

SEEWill Bts sweep the VMAs? They could win all three of their nominations for ‘On’

Meanwhile, this year’s Song of the Summer race has a whopping 16 nominees and includes a couple of past winners. Harry Styles is up for “Watermelon Sugar” after winning in 2013 for “Best Song Ever” as a...