November 13, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Nathan Congleton/NBC(NEW YORK) — Last week, Today co-host Al Roker revealed that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  He alerted fans that, while the cancer was caught early, it was aggressive and required immediate surgery.

On Thursday, the 66-year-old news personality let concerned followers know that he is finally back home and resting comfortably after a successful operation.

“Relieved to let you all know that my #prostatecancer surgery is done,” Roker said on Twitter. “Big shoutout to everyone at the #josierobertsonsurgerycenter and appreciate all the thoughts and wishes from our viewers and the wonderful care packages from my co-workers.”

While it is unknown how long the Emmy Award-winner will be at home recuperating for, he did share that he expects to “see you all soon.”

When Roker revealed his cancer diagnosis on November 6, he called the situation a “good news-bad news kind of thing.”

“The good news is we caught it early, not great news is that it’s a little aggressive,” he explained. “I’m going to be taking some time off to take care of this.”

At the time, he estimated that he will be back to work “hopefully in about two weeks.”

While Roker thanked friends, fans and family for rallying around him with good vibes and well wishes, he hopes his diagnosis will highlight the increased risk Black men have of developing prostate cancer.

“The problem for African American men is that any number of reasons from genetics to access to health care, and so we want to make it available and let people know they got to get checked,” he noted.

In addition, Roker also stressed the importance of scheduling a regular prostate exam and undergoing regular cancer screenings. 

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

November 13, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Vanessa Hudgens is taking the reins as host of MTV’s new special, MTV Movie & TV Awards: Greatest of All Time.

According to the network, the 31-year-old actress will guide viewers through the 90-minute special which “will pay homage to the best of the best from the most beloved actors to scene stealing moments” dating all the way back to the 1980’s. The program will also feature “exclusive footage of the most anticipated 2021 releases.” Performers and honorees will be announced at a later date. 

The MTV Movie & TV Awards: Greatest of All Time is airing place of the network’s annual MTV Movie & TV Awards which were unable to happen this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Despite the cancellation, the network promises a comeback for the awards with a “weekend event takeover” in 2021, just in time for its 40th anniversary. 

The MTV Movie & TV Awards: Greatest of All Time will premiere on Sunday, December 6, at 8/7c on MTV.

November 12, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.(LOS ANGELES) — Could Matthew Perry be any more excited? Obligatory Chandler Bing joke aside, the actor took to Twitter to tout that the long-awaited, oft-delayed Friends reunion is set to shoot in the spring of 2021.

“Friends reunion being rescheduled for the beginning of March,” the actor posted. “Looks like we have a busy year coming up. And that’s the way I like it!”

The special, repeatedly delayed by COVID-19 concerns, will reunite Perry with pals David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, and Lisa Kudrow.  It’ll air on HBO Max.

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

November 12, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Lucasfilm(LOS ANGELES) — In an expansive — and truthfully, at $151, expensive — upcoming book called Star Wars Archives 1999-2005, saga creator George Lucas details what could have been if he’d undertaken the last three movies in the Skywalker saga.

ABC News’ parent company Disney purchased the franchise from Lucas in 2012 and with it, an outline for Lucas’ plans for what would happen after the events of Return of the Jedi.

However, Disney’s then-CEO Robert Iger later reflected he thought Lucas felt “betrayed” when he was told that the eventual sequels, which began with 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, wouldn’t include Lucas’ plans for Luke, Leia, Han and the gang.  The results were financially successful but many fans were dissatisfied, particularly with 2017’s The Last Jedi. 

According to the new book, excerpted by the website Polygon, Lucas explained that Episode I baddie Darth Maul would have survived his being sliced in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi.  As he did in the Clone Wars and Rebels animated TV series, and in Solo: A Star Wars Story, Darth Maul becomes an intergalactic crime lord. “As the Empire falls, he takes over,” Lucas explained, likening it to how ISIS grew after Saddam Hussein was deposed in Iraq.

Darth Maul would also have taken an apprentice, the female tattooed Twi’lek Darth Talon. “She was the new Darth Vader and most of the action was with her,” Lucas says, “So these were the two main villains of the trilogy.”

Perhaps most interesting idea involved the late Carrie Fisher’s character, Leia Organa Skywalker. “She ended up being the Chosen One,” Lucas says — the person whom the Jedi once thought would bring balance to the Force. 

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

November 12, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/Mike Rosenthal(NEW YORK) — Debbie Allen says the seventeenth season of Grey’s Anatomy won’t hold back any punches when it returns tonight for its two-hour premiere.

Allen, who stars as Dr. Catherine Fox on the show, tells ABC Audio that fans should expect the unexpected on  the heart-stopping return of the series.

“Grey’s Anatomy season 17 is going to blow the audience and the fans away,” she says. “That’s all I can tell you.”

Although Allen, who also serves as one of the show’s directors, is not offering any details on what fans will see, she does offer a brief explanation as to why you “don’t [want to] miss it.” 

“Everybody’s in it,” she reveals.

“You’re going to see things you don’t think you’re going to see,” Allen teases.

Grey’s Anatomy season 17 kicks off tonight with a two-hour premiere starting at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

By Candice Williams
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.