November 30, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC News/Steve Iervolino(NEW YORK) — After nearly 25 years, Johnny Brennan and his prank phone call alter egos Frank Rizzo, Sol Rosenberg and countless others are back, in a new self-titled Jerky Boys album. 

And it’s not a minute too soon, the multi-platinum prankster and voiceover star tells ABC Audio. “You know, the crap going on, you know, all that unrest, you know, and the Jerky Boys — it’s just at the perfect time,” Brennan says.

He explains, “You don’t know how many thousands of emails I got over the years — or people coming up to me and just saying — ‘Johnny, you have no idea how your work and the Jerky Boys got me through some really rough times.’ And I really appreciate that.”

Johnny is a regular on Family Guy, playing Mort Goldberg. He was hired by longtime Jerkys fan and Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, which has only broadened the Jerkys fan base, Johnny B explains.

“It’s funny, a lot of the younger ones now they’re getting in through Family Guy, so they come in the back door kind of thing,” says Brennan, “and a lot of them just grow up with parents that love to share the Jerky Boys with them. And so it’s…just very cool.”

He adds, “It really blows me away to see how the people have really loved this project, and I firmly believe it’s because of the characters. You know, the characters are so endearing.”

On the new album, Johnny occasionally plies his handiwork on a very deserving target: telephone scammers trying to bilk people out of their Social Security information, and also overseas customer service operators. “People have been asking me to get those guys for years,” Brennan says with a laugh. 

The fifth Jerky Boys album is now available.

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. 

November 30, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Warner Bros./HBO Max(LOS ANGELES) — Anne Hathaway, who starred in the 2020 remake of The Witches, says she isn’t upset by her performance being constantly compared to Anjelica Huston’s, who played the Grand High Witch in the 1990 version of the movie.  

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph‘s Stellar magazine, the 38-year-old revealed how she kept herself from becoming emotionally invested in the constant comparisons.

“I just keep reminding myself that there have been, like, six Batmen and four Jokers and seven James Bonds,” the 38-year-old Oscar-winner said. “We seem to get a little more into comparisons when it’s two women and we seem to get a little more excited when it’s two men.”

“Anjelica’s performance is flawless and it’s iconic and it’s just right for the film she’s in. My hope is that my performance is just right for the film that I’m in,” added Hathaway, who believes “each performance can be celebrated for what it is.”

The Ocean’s 8 actress continued that her version of The Witches is drastically different than the 1990 version, which called for her to make the character her own.

“When [director Robert Zemeckis] showed me that ear-splitting grin with the fangs, I thought: ‘Oh, this isn’t something that you can get out of your head. This is terrifying,'” confessed Hathaway, who said she remedied that by making the character more comedic than scary to teach children that they can “laugh at evil.”

As for whether or not Hathaway feared that fans would not enjoy seeing her play such a vile character, the Oscar winner shrugged, “I haven’t felt fear surrounding being labelled for a very long time” but admitted that she “was afraid of being boxed in as an actress” when she was a lot younger.

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

November 30, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC(LOS ANGELES) — Orange Is the New Black alum Laverne Cox and a friend were involved in an attack over the weekend.

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, the actress and transgender rights activist said the incident “triggered” her because it brought back the harassment and bullying she faced throughout the years.

Cox, who declined to identify her friend, said they were on a socially distanced walk in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park to “catch up” on Saturday.

“[I’m] just walking through the park, talking with my friend and then we pass this guy, and the guy very aggressively asks for the time,” recounts the Bad Hair star, who adds she didn’t entertain the stranger and continued walking because “that’s the New Yorker in me.”

Her friend, however, did answer the man, who then allegedly asked them “guy or girl?”

Cox claims the man began physically assaulting her friend after being told to leave.  But, by the time the actress grabbed her phone to call 911, she claims the attacker fled the scene.

“It just happened really quickly,” the 48-year-old sighed while fighting back tears.  “It’s not safe in the world. I don’t like to think about that a lot, but it is the truth. It’s not safe if you’re a trans person.”

Cox, who claims she and her friend are “fine,” spoke directly to trans individuals suffering from harassment and trauma, saying, “It’s not your fault that there are people who are not cool with you existing in the world.”

“We have a right to walk in the park,” the actress furthered. “It’s not your fault if something like this happens to you. If you can, travel with friends. It’s great to be safe out there. Be careful. I love you.”

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

November 30, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Netflix(LOS ANGELES) — Chrissy Teigen is hoping that, by opening up about her breastfeeding struggles, she can help break down the stigma regarding breast milk versus formula.

In a lengthy Twitter discussion, the Bring the Funny host called to “normalize formula.”

“Normalize breastfeeding is such a huge, wonderful thing. but I absolutely felt way more shame having to use formula because of lack of milk from depression and whatnot,” Teigen continued in a followup tweet. She also pointed out that pushing breastfeeding can have unintended consequences on a new mom’s confidence.

“People have surrogates, people have trouble breastfeeding and all you hear as a new, anxious mom is how breast is best,” the Cravings author wrote, adding that no matter what side of the argument a parent is on, “Your baby is gonna be BEAUTIFUL, PERFECT, AND OKAY.”

Teigen then explained that, when her children were infants, she used to spend a great deal of time pumping on the “highest mode,” and “it drove me mad to the point I could only get an ounce. an ounce!”

“The stress of it, combined with the guilt that you cannot do nature’s most natural thing for your own baby is too much,” the 35-year-old model implored. “I dunno why this is my crusade now. I just remember the sadness I felt and want you to know you are doing it right if your baby is fed, mama.”

This isn’t the first time Teigen has advocated for mothers. She recently defended Meghan Markle from critics after the duchess opened up about her miscarriage, weeks after Teigen suffered her own pregnancy loss.  

Teigen is the mom of Luna and Miles — four and two, respectively — whom she shares with husband John Legend.  

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

November 30, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Marvel Studios(LOS ANGELES) — Hail to the king! Michael B. Jordan, Viola Davis, Lupita Nyong’o and others paid tribute to Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman on Sunday, which would have been the actor’s 44th birthday.

Boseman passed away in August following a private four-year battle with colon cancer.

“Continue watching over us King. Happy Birthday. Miss you,” Boseman’s Black Panther co-star and close friend Jordan captioned a photo on Instagram of the two of them hugging each other.

“Deeply loved, sorely missed. #ChadwickBoseman,” Nyong’o wrote alongside a shot of the two dressed in formal attire.

“Happy birthday in Heaven, Chadwick! You are still so alive to me!! I love you,” Davis — who stars opposite Boseman in his posthumously released film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, captioned a gif on Instagram of the actor being showered in confetti.

Boseman’s Avengers: Infinity Wars and Avengers: Endgame co-star Mark Ruffalo shared an Instagram video of Chadwick warmly being serenaded with “Happy Birthday” by his Endgame crew and co-stars on set. “Thinking of your passion, love, and your light today, @ChadwickBoseman,” Ruffalo wrote. “Happy Birthday. Wishing we could time travel back to this moment.”

“Happy birthday my friend. I know the angels are celebrating on high with you today. Miss you every day,” Josh Gad captioned a photo of him posing with Boseman.

Common tweeted, “Chadwick Boseman would have turned 44 years old today. Happy Birthday King. God Bless You. Thank you for using your gift to bring light to this world. RIP.”

By George Costantino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.