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No jeans, no streams: Academy's strict rules for this year's Oscars ceremony

• No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/AMPAS(LOS ANGELES) — For those stars looking forward to going casual for this year’s Oscars, or phoning it in via Zoom as they did for other recent awards shows, they’ll have to think again. 

And sorry, Jason Sudeikis, it looks like you’ll have to leave your tie-dye Golden Globes hoodie at home.

Variety got a hold of a letter that the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences sent to this year’s nominees, outlining its rules for the April 25 ceremony, which will be held at Los Angeles’ Union Station. 

The missive details a dress code described as “a fusion of inspirational and aspirational,” which the industry trade translates to, “formal is cool if you want to go there, but casual is really not.”

Additionally, there will be no Zoom or other video option for those who can’t — or don’t want to — show up in person. The venue will be specifically outfitted for distancing and with strict COVID-19 protocols in place. Testing will be mandatory for attendees, too. 

“We are going to great lengths to provide a safe and enjoyable evening for all of you in person, as well as for all the millions of film fans around the world,” the letter tells noms, “and we feel the virtual thing will diminish those efforts.” 

The show’s producers, which include Django Unchained Oscar nominee Stacey Sher and Traffic‘s Oscar-winning director, Steven Soderbergh, announced there will be a pre-show gathering in the courtyard of the venue but no public viewing grandstands as in years past, as only nominees and their guests are invited to attend.

The 93rd Academy Awards air Sunday, April 25 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Georgia spa killings likely 'targeted attack driven by personal grievance': Source briefed on probe

• No Comments • National News

ABC NewsBy JOSH MARGOLIN and EMILY SHAPIRO, ABC News

(ATLANTA) — Authorities investigating the eight homicides at Atlanta-area spas have determined that the killings were likely a “targeted attack driven by personal grievance,” according to a source briefed on the probe.

Detectives and analysts are still trying to piece together suspect Robert Long’s motive and say that the work is both complicated and critical in order to understand what happened, how it played out and why.

Long, 21, was taken into custody hours after the Tuesday shootings which took place at three different locations: one in Cherokee County and two in Atlanta.

Long frequented the two Atlanta spas, Atlanta police Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. said at a news conference Thursday.

Six of the eight killed were Asian women, and the crimes came amid a rise in anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander hate crimes across the nation.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday that “Long told investigators that he blames the massage parlors for providing an outlet for his addiction to sex,” and that “Long told investigators the crimes were not racially motivated.”

Investigators familiar with mass-casualty incidents believe it is likely the spa killings mark yet another case where the motivators “don’t fit into neat buckets.” In other words, investigators now believe there were multiple motivators that led both to the attack and the targets selected.

There is no concrete evidence supporting the idea that the locations and victims were targeted because of their ethnicity, but investigators are actively trying to determine what, if anything, the suspect might have said, written or thought about Asians or Asian women, in particular.

Detectives believe the locations were certainly the intended targets and are now trying to figure out if the women were specifically targeted, if the suspect had had any direct interactions with them and what, if anything, had transpired previously.

The church that Long belonged to, Crabapple First Baptist Church, said in a statement, “In the strongest possible terms, we condemn the actions of Aaron Long.”

“The Long family have been members of our church for many years,” the church said. “We watched Aaron grow up and accepted him into church membership when he made his own profession of faith in Jesus Christ.”

“We were absolutely devastated at this senseless loss of life,” the church said, adding, “We deeply regret the fear and pain Asian-Americans are experiencing as a result of Aaron’s inexcusable actions.”

Long is charged with eight counts of murder. Long waived his first court appearance, according to his attorney, J. Daran Burns, who was appointed to represent Long by the Cherokee County Office of Indigent Defense on Wednesday.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

“The Distance”: Gary LeVox begins his solo chapter with an epic power ballad focused on faith

• No Comments • Country Music News

Courtesy of Big Machine RecordsLong heralded for his sky-high vocals as the lead singer of Rascal Flatts, Gary LeVox is striking out on his own for a solo project, beginning with his just-released Christian song, “The Distance.”

A powerful expression of faith, Gary says “The Distance” is an especially poignant song for 2021.

“With the struggles and battles so many have gone through this past year and taken over people’s everyday lives, this felt like a true song of hope,” he reflects. “With this song, the message we wanted to share is that our hope is not lost, it’s found on the cross. And with God, we can go the distance. Don’t ever give up.”

Fans first got a taste of Gary’s solo work last holiday season, when he put out the tender “Christmas Will Be Different This Year.” But that’s certainly not the last they’ll hear from the singer in 2021. As he and his band mates Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney go their separate ways, Gary has said he’s at work on a full solo album.

Rascal Flatts called it quits at the end of 2020, each moving on to pursue solo ventures. Jay is focusing on developing talent at his Christian label, Red Street Records, while Joe Don has been diving into songwriting more deeply than ever before.


By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Lady A’s Hillary Scott will talk family life in the season premiere of 'The Big Interview' next month

• No Comments • Country Music News

Courtesy of AXS TVThe Big Interview with Dan Rather returns to AXS TV next month, and they’re kicking things off in country style: Lady A‘s Hillary Scott and her husband, Chris Tyrrell, will sit down for the premiere episode of a season dedicated to musical families.

Married since 2012, the couple have since become parents to their eldest daughter, Eisele, and twin girls Betsy and Emory. Their love story inspired Lady A’s 2011 single, “Just a Kiss.” In a first look at their sit-down for The Big Interview, Chris discusses his transition from life in music as Lady A’s drummer to life as a full-time stay-at-home dad.

Other guests slated to appear during the family-focused ninth season include Jason Isbell and wife Amanda Shires, John Fogerty and his children, Michelle Branch and her husband Patrick Carney, and more.

The Big Interview kicks off with Hillary and Chris’ episode on April 14 at 8:00 p.m. ET.


By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Woman claiming to be Pete Davidson's wife arrested for breaking into his house

• No Comments • Entertainment News

NBCUniversal/Peggy Sirota(NEW YORK) — Earlier this week, a bogus press release went out claiming that Pete Davidson was starting a production company with a woman named Michelle, to whom he’d secretly gotten married. The Saturday Night Live star refuted the claims and it was soon revealed that the report was a phony.

Now, the person who crafted the fake release has been arrested by authorities for breaking into Davidson’s mother’s house.

24-year-old Michelle Mootreddy arrived unwanted at the home in Staten Island, NY at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon. Davidson’s mother answered the door when Mootreddy arrived, told her he was not at home and instructed her to leave, but Mootreddy went around the side of the home and entered through a back door.

Police were called, arrested Mootreddy and charged her with criminal trespassing, stalking and harassment.  She told police that she and Davidson had a “telepathic love connection.”

So far, Davidson’s reps haven’t issued a statement regarding the arrest.

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.