Entertainment News

'Dancing with the Stars' renames Mirrorball Trophy for Len Goodman; contestant Matt Walsh pauses due to strike

ABC -- ABC/Andrew Eccles

Len Goodman may have died in April, but the legacy of the former Dancing with the Stars judge will live on in the show for the forthcoming 32nd season and beyond.

ABC Audio has confirmed that the reality competition show's ultimate prize, the coveted Mirrorball, will be renamed the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy in honor of the former host.

Goodman, who was also a judge on the British reality competition Strictly Come Dancing, died at 78 years old from bone cancer.

He had stepped down as head judge on Dancing with the Stars in November of 2022 to spend more time with family.

Meanwhile, Matt Walsh, one of this year's celebrity contestants, has announced he is pausing his participation in the show in light of the writers strike.

Picketers have been gathering at rehearsal facilities for the show.

"I am taking a pause from Dancing with the Stars until an agreement is made with the WGA," The Hangover veteran began his statement. "I was excited to join the show and did so under the impression that it was not a WGA show and fell under a different agreement. This morning when I was informed by my union, the WGA, that it is considered struck work I walked out of my rehearsal."

Walsh added, "I have been and will always stand with my union members of the WGA, SAG and DGA. Beyond our union artists, I am sensitive to the many people impacted by the strike and I hope for a speedy and fair resolution, and to one day work again with all the wonderful people I met at DWTS who tolerated my dancing."

Dancing with the Stars season 32 is still scheduled to premiere Tuesday, September 26, on ABC and Disney+.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Negotiations between WGA writers and Hollywood producers continue

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After months of striking, there appears to be more progress between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the organization that represents the studios. They are continuing their negotiations Thursday, September 21.

The two parties first met Wednesday, September 20, after what appeared to be a stalemate over issues including studios' use of AI and proper compensation for writers on streaming shows.

However, after a meeting that an insider described to Deadline as "very encouraging," the two groups issued a rare joint statement to say they're willing to stay around the table for another day.

According to the trade, on the studio side of things, Netflix head Ted Sarandos, Universal's Chief Content Officer Donna Langley and Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav were present along with Bob Iger, the CEO of ABC News' parent company Disney.

Ellen Stutzman, the WGA's chief negotiator, was not alone representing their camp, but no other names were mentioned.

Another insider told the trade of the meeting, "This is what happens when principals get serious. Things start moving.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Sophie Turner wants kids returned to England, says she learned Joe Jonas was divorcing her through the media

Ricky Vigil M / Justin E Palmer/GC Images

It looks like Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner's divorce might get messy.

According to documents obtained by ABC News, Sophie has filed a request to have Joe return their two daughters to their "forever home" in England. In them, she accuses Joe of "wrongful retention" of the children, starting "on or about" September 20.

Specifically, Sophie is claiming that Joe refused to give their daughters' passports to her after he, according to the documents, agreed that the kids would return with her to her home country of England on September 17.  He's also allegedly refusing to consent to the children returning to England, period.

This action, Sophie says, is a breach of her rights of custody under English law as England is the children’s "habitual residence." The documents reveal that during Christmas 2022, Sophie and Joe decided that they'd look for their "forever home" in England and settle their family there.

They did so in April of 2023, according to the documents, and since then, the children have attended school and participated in extracurricular activities there. Sophie says that when Joe filed for divorce, he claimed the kids had lived in Florida — where the family used to live — for six months prior to the filing. Sophie says this is incorrect as they've lived in England since April of 2023.

Also of note, part of the documents says "the breakdown of the parties' marriage happened very suddenly." It claims that after Sophie and Joe argued on August 15, Joe filed for divorce on September 1, but Sophie only found out September 5 "through the media."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Gordon Ramsay turning famous meme into a show: 'Idiot Sandwich'

FOX/Ray Mickshaw

Gordon Ramsay has announced he's cooking up yet another show, but this one is based on a wildly popular meme.

The hot-tempered chef behind Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares and other shows is creating Idiot Sandwich, named after his insult of a would-be chef in a sketch from The Late Late Show with James Corden.

The bit from eight years ago saw a ranting Ramsay capturing the face of a cook — actually Big Brother's Julie Chen Moonves — between two slices of bread and asking her what she is.

"An idiot sandwich," she responds.

The "Hell's Cafeteria" sketch has been viewed more than 13 million times on YouTube, but it is even more popular in GIF and meme form.

Ramsay introduced the idea for the show on his Instagram Story on Tuesday, inviting would-be hoagie half-wits to an application page.

"The person whose sandwich impresses Chef Ramsay the most, will walk away with a cash prize and the ultimate title, being crowned Gordon Ramsay’s Idiot Sandwich!" the copy reads.

Gordon noted you don't need to be a chef to apply, though the application form notes the live show is looking for contestants that live in or near Nevada. Ramsay fronts a Hell's Kitchen restaurant at Caesars Palace, where they sell "Idiot Sandwich" earmuffs. "It's one of the best-selling things in Vegas," he tells People.

He adds, "Wherever I go, there's some young kid somewhere that wants to be called an 'idiot sandwich.'"

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Kerry Washington lifts veil on her private life in new memoir and 20/20 special

ABC/Danny Weiss

Kerry Washington, who is known for her most popular role as Olivia Pope in ABC's hit primetime show Scandal, is opening up like never before in her memoir, Thicker than Water.

"I've never wanted to share my private life for the sake of fame or for the sake of attention -- but I feel like this sharing is with purpose," Washington told Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts in the upcoming one-hour 20/20 special, Kerry Washington: Thicker Than Water -- A Conversation with Robin Roberts.

In her new book, out Sept. 26, the Golden Globe-nominated actor and Emmy-winning producer opens up about the depths of an eating disorder, which she says hit its extremes in college.

"The first time that I actually got on my knees and prayed to some power greater than myself to say, like, 'I can't do this; I need some help,' was with my eating disorder," she told Roberts in the upcoming special. "The behavior was just so abusive toward myself with food, with exercise, with starving -- with bingeing, with -- it just was -- I could not control it."

She added, "I could party all night, and drink, and smoke, and have sex, and still show up and have good grades. And I knew how to manage. I was so high-functioning."

Washington called her behavior "little acts of trying to destroy myself," adding, "...that hopelessness and agony led to thoughts of suicide."

Today, the actor has a new lease on life, telling ABC News that it's "different now," regarding how she has changed her relationship with food from years ago.

Washington's conversation with Roberts airs Sunday, Sept. 24, at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. It will also be available to stream the next day on Hulu.

If you or someone you know is battling an eating disorder, contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at 1-800-931-2237 or NationalEatingDisorders.org.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide - free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text the national lifeline at 988.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


In Brief: COVID sidelines 'Sherri', Steve Martin's Vegas show

Days after becoming one of the only daytime talk show host to return for the fall amid the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Sherri Shepherd has paused production on Sherri after testing positive for COVID-19. “Unfortunately, Sherri has tested positive for COVID. The show will return with original episodes as soon as possible,” the show announced on its Instagram Stories. The post also included a statement from Shepherd that read, “I am absolutely heartbroken that I cannot return to host my show this week ... As soon as I get the all-clear from my doctor, I look forward to coming back strong to deliver the fun, laughter and a real good time.” Encore performances of the show will air for the remainder of the week...

Steve Martin has postponed his September 22 and 23 shows in Las Vegas. "Dear fans and enemies, unfortunately, our sold-out shows at the Wynn in Las Vegas this Friday and Saturday has to be postponed because of rampant Covid in our crew and one other essential guy," the Only Murders in the Building star -- likely referring to himself -- said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. "We are sorry for any inconvenience, but we are moving to mid-December, where your tickets will be honored with an added “date-moving tax,” of nine thousand dollars," he joked...

The fallout from accusations of rape and sexual assault leveled against Russell Brand continued on Wednesday, September 20, when his 2009 comedy special, Russell Brand In New York, was taken off Paramount+, according to Deadline. It follows Channel 4 and BBC earlier this week removing TV and audio shows featuring Brand, the comedian’s YouTube videos losing their monetization ability and his live tour being put on hold...

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Strike Force Three live show in Las Vegas canceled after Jimmy Kimmel tests positive for COVID-19

Live Nation

Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert's Strike Force Three live event at at the Dolby Live at Park MGM venue in Las Vegas on Saturday, September 23, has been canceled after Kimmel tested positive for COVID-19.

"Well, Las Vegas, I got Covid, and sadly, we need to cancel this weekend’s Strike Force Three show. the host of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! host revealed on X, formerly Twitter. "I could never live with myself if I got my hometown friends sick. Thanks to all who purchased tickets, everyone will get full refunds and we will try to reschedule if possible," he added.

Strike Force Five Three is a play on the name of the Strike Force Five podcast hosted by the late night hosts -- along with Seth Meyers and John Oliver -- was set up to support the podcast's goal: raising money for the staff of their respective shows. Due to Hollywood's ongoing writers and actors strikes, their staff have been out of work for several months. Meyers and Oliver were not appearing.

The one-time-only event would have marked the first time that Colbert, Fallon and Kimmel performed on stage together.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


'American Horror Story''s Angelica Ross says Emma Roberts apologized for alleged transphobic comment

Heidi Gutman/BRAVO, Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures

Angelica Ross has revealed that her former American Horror Story co-star, Emma Roberts, has reached out to apologize after Ross publicly accused Roberts of making a transphobic remark on set.

Taking to social media on Wednesday, September 20, Ross expressed her gratitude for Roberts' apology, writing, "Thank you @RobertsEmma for calling and apologizing, recognizing your behavior was not that of an ally. I will leave the line open to follow up on your desire to do better and support social justice causes with your platform."

Ross initially detailed her experiences with Roberts in an Instagram Live video, alleging disruptive behavior and transphobic actions by the 32-year-old actress, according to Entertainment Tonight. One incident involved Roberts questioning Ross's gender during a conversation with the director, John J. Gray. Ross says she hesitated to address the comment at the time, fearing repercussions. She also mentioned another incident where Roberts allegedly mocked her voice.

Despite her grievances, Ross emphasized that she didn't condone violence towards Roberts but sought accountability for her actions.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Star Wars tops Fandom list of fan favorite franchises for 2023, but One Piece is a force, too

Lucasfilm

Once again, GameSpot's parent company Fandom has released its rankings of the hottest pop culture franchises, and Star Wars topped the list for 2023.

An annual poll quizzes the Fandom's 350 million monthly users as to what gets them going, using what it calls a Franchise Factor Score, as well as data culled from a global study called Inside Fandom. 

The survey ranks each franchise based on scores for characteristics like "worldbuilding," ratings for its releases, how fierce each IP's fanbases are and cultural relevance. With that in mind, Star Wars came out on top. 

In second place was another Disney-owned property, Marvel, despite recent slips at the box office and with a lukewarm reception to its small-screen properties like Secret Invasion

A surprising third place went to One Piece, the beloved manga that recently became a Netflix phenomenon. 

The Elder Scrolls video game series landed in fourth place, and Harry Potter rounded out the top five. 

Barbie ranked in sixth place — a showing no doubt goosed by the brand having the biggest movie of the year — while seventh place belonged to a show with a very different demographic: the neo-Western Yellowstone.

In fact, Kevin Costner's Paramount Network series beat out HBO's hit video game adaptation The Last of Us, which placed eighth; the video game franchise Fallout, which landed at #9; and Disney as a whole in 10th. 

Disney is the parent company of ABC News. 

Survey questions, methodology and results have not been verified or endorsed by ABC News or The Walt Disney Company.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


In Apple TV+ documentary, Cindy Crawford calls Oprah out for "treating her like chattel"

Apple TV+

Apple TV+'s new documentary The Super Models tracks the meteoric rise of Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford in the 1980s.

In one segment, Crawford takes issue with an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1986, when she was just 20 years old.

To a replayed clip of the interview, Crawford explains Winfrey treated her "like chattel," making her stand up before the studio audience.

"This is what I call a body," Oprah says approvingly.

While Cindy notes "in the moment, I didn't recognize" it, looking back, it gives her the ick. "I was like the chattel or a child, be seen and not heard," the now-57-year-old former model and entrepreneur explains.

"When you look at it through today's eyes, Oprah's like...'Show us why you're worthy of being here,'" Crawford vents.

"Watching it back I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, that was so not OK really,'" Crawford notes. "Especially from Oprah!"

The mom of 24-year-old Presley and 22-year-old Kaia, both with entrepreneur husband Rande Garber, incidentally appeared as a guest speaker on Oprah's Master Class series 10 years ago.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Rosario Dawson on reuniting with "old friend" Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker in Ahsoka

Lucasfilm

The sixth of eight episodes of Ahsoka debuted on Disney+ on Tuesday, but Lucasfilm has just posted a deeper dive into episode 5, which saw the former Jedi facing off with her former master, Anakin Skywalker.

As reported, it was fans who first dreamed of one day seeing Rosario Dawson as a live-action Ahsoka Tano alongside Hayden Christensen, who played Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels.

Most didn't know, however, that the pair go way back.

"I first met Hayden when I was 16, and we were in an acting school over the summer," Dawson, now 44, shares.

The fifth episode shows a defeated Ahsoka in what's known in Star Wars parlance as the World Between Worlds, a vision quest-like portal accessible through the Force. It's there that an adult Ahsoka reunites with the teacher she first met at 14 —before his fall to the Dark Side and rebirth as Darth Vader.

That's where life imitated art, Dawson explains, saying, "...to have that kind of history with him, it really was like seeing my old friend."

For his part, a "very, very grateful" Christensen says he was "thrilled" to be a part of the project that reunited the characters, whose relationship began in the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

While fans only glimpsed a pre-fall Anakin in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, Ahsoka showed Anakin training his former Padawan learner at different points in her life.

Dawson says that when they meet again as adults, "It just was really, really powerful...to see her guard come down. You know her as a stoic, super-powerful, on top of it warrior, and all of a sudden is a Padawan again."

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Max gets into the sports game with $9.99 monthly add-on package

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The streaming service Max is getting in the game of sports broadcasting with a Premium Live Sports add-on, branded by the sports lifestyle website Bleacher Report.

The Bleacher Report (B/R) Sports Add-On tier will come to Max starting Thursday, October 5, delivering "a full slate of premium live sports, including MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA Men's March Madness, and U.S. Soccer events The Match, Emmy Award-winning studio shows such as Inside the NBA, live video content...covering a wide array of sports, select live international sports events such as 24 Hours of Le Mans, and extensive [Video On Demand] content."

The add-on will be free for a promotional period through February 29 and after that, will cost $9.99 a month on top of your Max subscription price.

In the announcement, Luis Silberwasser, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery Sports says, "We want to be everywhere sports fans are and our unparalleled offering of leading sports, combined with the power of the Bleacher Report brand and content, including the unique way [it] engages with young sports fans, all delivered through the new Max platform will enable us to broaden our audience and delight new fans."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Daredevil producer calls out "Disney scam" related to 'Daredevil: Born Again'

Charlie Cox in 'Daredevil' -- Netflix

One might not think of the fizzy Disney kids show The Suite Life of Zach & Cody with the Netflix's beloved, bloody superhero show Daredevil, but the latter's former executive producer Steven DeKnight has done just that on social media.

As reported, Charlie Cox is reprising as blind lawyer Matt Murdock and his vigilante alter ego Daredevil in a new series, Daredevil: Born Again, bound for Disney+. Cox will be joined by another fan favorite, Vincent D'Onofrio, who played Wilson Fisk/Kingpin in the Netflix series before coming into the Disney/Marvel Studios fold in Hawkeye.

While the Netflix series was clearly R-rated, Born Again is thought to be a more family-friendly version of the superhero show, but Stephen DeKnight said that's not his gripe, the title change is.

DeKnight said changing the series' name to Born Again is some contract trickery: He pointed to how The Suite Life was rebranded The Suite Life on Deck, but it wasn't just the show's setting to a cruise ship that changed.

DeKnight called it "an old Disney scam where they slightly rename a series to reset contract terms back to first season." He griped about "Disney's history of slightly changing a show's title, retaining the main cast, but calling it a new show or a reBoot to avoid bumping the crew's pay."

DeKnight also added, "From what I understand, I'm not going to see a penny from Daredevil: Born Again because they added the 'Born Again' and can claim it's a completely different show. You know, with the exact same two lead actors (who I love!) playing Daredevil and Fisk."

That said, DeKnight is "over the moon" Cox and D'Onofrio weren't recast. He said he "can't wait" to see the forthcoming 18-episode series.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Paramount+ all in on the spooky season with Peak Screaming lineup, events

Paramount+

Blood and thrills will be streaming on Paramount+ again this Halloween season with the return of its Peak Screaming lineup.

This year, as reported, will see the debut of Pet Sematary: Bloodlines. The platform has announced it's also debuting the thriller Bargain and a sequel to 2022's Monster High, based on the Mattel doll franchise of the same name.

Of course, new scary movies like Scream VI and Smile are available on the platform, which has created carousels of content to scratch whatever spine tingle you're in the mood to watch. These include horror/thriller subgenres like "Flash Frights: 90 Minutes or Less," "True & Terrifying" and "Based on BOOks" -- BOO -- get it?

There's a "Horror Heroines" category for films and series featuring scream queens like Emily Blunt in the A Quiet Place movies and the ladies from Yellowjackets, and a "Family Fright Night" section featuring more kid-friendly spooky titles, like The Addams Family and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.

The lineup also includes spooky episodes from Nickelodeon shows, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Hey Arnold!, Rugrats and iCarly.

Paramount+ will also be hosting some real-life scares with a Paramount+ Peak Screaming-themed celebration at the Jacob K. Javits Center on Saturday, October 14, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET, exclusively for New York Comic Con badge holders.

For those on the West Coast, there will be The Haunted Lodge, "an immersive, pop-up Halloween experience, riddled with some of the scariest films and series from Paramount+" inside the Westfield Century City mall from October 27-29.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


AMC renews 'Dark Winds' for season 3

AMC

AMC has renewed its hit "Southwestern film noir" series Dark Winds for a third season. Based on author Tony Hillerman's beloved "Leaphorn and Chee" book series, Zahn McClarnon and Kiowa Gordon star, respectively, as Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, a pair of Navajo police officers investigating a series of violent crimes.

The second season of the show just dropped in July.

The 1970s-set thriller series was produced by Hillerman fans Robert Redford and George R.R. Martin, whose book series A Song of Ice and Fire became the HBO hit Game of Thrones.

For Native Americans McClarnon and Gordon, the series is a game changer for representation: McClarnon is one of two Native executive producers on the show, and the show is staffed with indigenous writers, directors, crew members, and of course, other indigenous actors and actresses.

McClarnon told ABC Audio before the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, "We're having more control over our stories. It's getting more visibility. I think that's very important."

Gordon says this shared Native heritage with cast and crew acts as something of a shorthand. "Yeah, I mean...there [are] so many similarities with them. I mean, it's a different group of people from different tribes all over, and we're coming together," he expresses. "You know, we have differences, but also we all have the same kind of humor. I'd say that's a huge connector for all of us."

He calls it an "incredible and powerful thing" to have so much representation both in front of and behind the camera. "[I]t's been years and decades and a century in the making, you know, when film first started the depictions of Native people," Gordon says.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


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