Lin-Manuel Miranda revives ‘Hamilton’ role for special Chicago performance
“Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda says he will play Alexander Hamilton at a Chicago performance in honor of the commutation of Oscar Lopez Rivera’s sentence by President Obama. Lopez Rivera, who grew up in Chicago, was convicted of seditious conspiracy to overthrow the U.S. government in 1981 while leading the Puerto Rican independence group FALN. The group bombed buildings in the 1970s. With Obama’s action Tuesday, he is slated to be released May 17.
Chelsea Handler Thinks The Kardashians Are To Blame For Trump’s Presidency
Not so long ago, Chelsea Handler shared a network ― and her late-night couch ― with almost every member of the Kardashian family. But just like Rob Kardashian’s sock line, some things are not meant to be. Reflecting candidly on the first season of her Netflix series, “Chelsea,” in an interview with Variety published Tuesday, the comedian doubled down on her dislike for Donald Trump and found a target for her frustration in reality TV.
Michael Moore On Why We Should All Take Donald Trump ‘At His Word’
Michael Moore continues to be one of Donald Trump’s harshest critics. In a new interview with Variety, the documentarian shared his thoughts about the president-elect, saying the reason he’s been able to stay as politically active as he has is because he’s taken Trump seriously “since day one.” (Moore predicted Trump’s victory last July.) “You do have to take Trump at his word. I still hear people say, ‘Oh, he’s not really going to build the wall.’ Oh, he is going to build it. He knows that he’s got to deliver at least a version of the wall,” Moore said.
Tax deadline looms for Prince estate; government to get half
“Money Don’t Matter 2 Night,” Prince once sang. But his money matters a lot to the IRS, and the case provides a cautionary tale not just for the wealthy, but not-so-rich Americans as well. Prince’s estate has until Saturday to file an estate tax payment for the late rock superstar, and the taxes are expected to ultimately swallow nearly half the estate’s estimated $200 million value, meaning a likely windfall of roughly $100 million for the government. Estate law experts say Prince could have prevented that.
Lindsay Lohan just ‘educating herself’ on Islam
Lindsay Lohan’s friends tell us she hasn’t converted to Islam, but is just “educating herself.” “Lindsay is educating herself on different cultures and their practices to be able to better understand the people and communicate,” said a pal of the actor, humanitarian and club owner.
Steve Harvey apologizes for comments about Asian men
Steve Harvey is sorry for “offending anyone” with jokes targeting Asian men he made on his talk show earlier this month. Harvey mocked a 2002 book titled, “How to Date a White Woman: A Practical Guide for Asian Men” during an episode of “The Steve Harvey Show” which aired on Jan. 6. He joked that neither white nor black women had any interest in Asian men.
Ed Sheeran just broke records previously held by Adele and Drake
Ed Sheeran’s 2017 is shaping up quite nicely — he just made Billboard history by becoming the first to have two songs debut in the Hot 100 Top 10. “Shape of You” is the British singer’s first song to hit the top slot of the Billboard Hot 100 and “Castle On the Hill” is not far behind in the No. 6 spot.
Jerry Seinfeld Ditches Crackle for Netflix, New ‘Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee’ Coming Late 2017
Jerry Seinfeld is taking “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” on the road to Netflix, Variety has learned. The talk series, which had previously debuted new episodes on Sony’s ad-supported streaming service Crackle, will bring 24 new episodes exclusively to Netflix starting in late 2017, with subsequent installments coming in 2018 and further forward in time. The move is part of a multi-faceted production deal Seinfeld has inked with Netflix that will also include two new stand-up specials filmed exclusively for the streaming service.
‘The Walking Dead’ salaries leave cast dying for raises\
Stars of “The Walking Dead” are “paid a pittance” compared to their counterparts from different US TV shows according to a new report. Two of the biggest names on the show, Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus, earn less than £100,000 (about $124,000) an episode, with Lincoln said to be making just £74,000 (about $92,000).
Octavia Spencer sends low-income kids to see ‘Hidden Figures’ for free
It’s well known that films can influence the hopes and dreams of future generations. Academy Award-winner Octavia Spencer just put her money where her mouth is, when it comes to inspiring tomorrow’s greats. The Hidden Figures star took to Instagram recently, letting her fans know that she’d joined in on the effort to send disadvantaged communities to see the film for free.
