November 12, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Barbara Nitke/STX(NEW YORK) — Jennifer Lopez has prevailed in the lawsuit brought against her and her Hustlers production company by Samantha Barbash, the inspiration behind Lopez’s character in the film.

“The Defendants’ May 29, 2020 motion to dismiss is granted.  The Clerk of Court shall enter judgment for the Defendants and close the case,” read court documents signed Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Denise Cote and obtained by Entertainment Weekly.

The lawsuit alleged that Lopez’s company, Nuyorican Productions, used Barbash’s likeness in the film, without her permission.

However, the court ruled that the film, while inspired by journalist Jessica Pressler’s 2015 article The Hustlers at Scores, which detailed Barbash’s involvement in a similar, real-life plot, did not use Barbash’s “name, portrait, picture, or voice” in the movie, according to the documents.

Barbash, a 47-year-old former strip club hostess, pleaded guilty in 2017 to conspiracy, assault and grand larceny charges after she, Roselyn Keo — who inspired the film’s lead character, Destiny, played by Constance Wu — and two other colleagues were accused of drugging men and stealing at least $200,000 from them.

Hustlers grossed more than $157 million worldwide, and earned J-Lo Oscar buzz, though she was ultimately snubbed by the Academy when nominations rolled around.

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

November 12, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage(LOS ANGELES) — Jean Trebek broke her silence Wednesday regarding the death of her husband, Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The beloved TV icon died Sunday, November 8, after a hard-fought battle against stage IV pancreatic cancer. He was 80.

In a heartfelt but brief message to fans, Jean thanked everyone who extended their condolences and support to her and her children.

“My family and I sincerely thank you all for your compassionate messages and generosity,” she expressed. “Your expressions have truly touched our hearts. Thank you so very, very much.”

Jean closed out her message with a sincere, “Many Blessings to all.”

In addition to expressing her gratitude, Jean also shared an intimate photo of her and Alex’s wedding when the camera caught the very moment the Jeopardy! host slipped a wedding ring on her finger.  While Jean is looking down at the wedding band, Alex’s face is full of love as he looks to his bride.

Throughout his career, the television host never shied away from the opportunity to express his love for Jean.  He most recently spoke about his marriage in his final memoir, which was released last July, The Answer Is…Reflections On My Life.

Trebek revealed his first impression upon meeting his future wife in 1988, writing, “Sometimes you look at something, you look at someone, and you know. I mean, you’ve heard stories of people who meet and decide within half an hour; I knew this was going to be the person I’d end up with.”

Calling her “Jeanie” in the passage, he furthered, “I recognized at a gut level that here was someone who was going to complete me as a human being.”

The two wed in 1990 and celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary on April 30.  They had two children together — Emily and Matthew Trebek.

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

November 12, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Adrian S. Burrows Sr./NBC(CHICAGO) — NBC’s Chicago Fire has shut down filming for two weeks on Sunday after several crew  members tested positive for COVID-19, according to Deadline.

The positive tests triggered guidelines set by and outlined by NBCU, which included contact tracing. Since the affected individuals performed duties that required close proximity to other members of the cast and crew, production was paused for 14 days out of an abundance of caution by Wolf Entertainment and Universal TV, according to the entertainment website.

A month and a half ago, its sister show, Chicago Med, suspended production for two weeks after two different individuals had positive tests within a week.

Chicago Med was the first of the Chicago shows to resume production in the city back in September.  Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. followed a month later.

Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med‘s new seasons kicked off on Wednesday.

Illinois set a record for a second day in a row on Wednesday with 12,657 new COVID-19 cases.  State health officials in response have warned residents to work from home for the next three weeks and avoid going out except for “essential trips.”

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

November 12, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Rick Diamond/Getty Images for ACM(LOS ANGELES) — Blake Shelton has become a staple of NBC’s The Voice for nine seasons now, but that spinning red chair he currently occupies was originally offered to another country superstar — Reba McEntire.

“It is very true,” McEntire, told Andy Cohen Tuesday on his Bravo series Watch What Happens Live.

So what made her turn down the gig?

“I don’t think I could ever be able to tell somebody that they’re terrible or go find another job or hope you like your nighttime job,” she said.  “I couldn’t do that day in and day out.  I just couldn’t do it, so I did pass on it.”

Asked is she’s ever regretted her decision, Reba said, “Oh, sure!  I mean, after you see a very successful show that’s been running, what, 15 years?  Uh, yeah! I’m like, ‘Shoot, I should’ve done that.’”

However, McEntire couldn’t be happier for her fellow country star.

“Blake was the perfect choice,” adds Reba. “He’s done a wonderful job.”

The Voice wasn’t the first job that McEntire turned down.  During a February 2019 episode of Watch What Happens Live, she revealed that she’d been offered the role of Margaret “Molly” Brown in the 1997 film Titanic — a part that ultimately went to Kathy Bates — but had to pass due to a scheduling conflict.

November 11, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Carole Bethuel/Netflix(LOS ANGELES) — It looks like Lily Collins will be spending another year in the City of Lights. Her hit Netflix show, Emily In Paris, has been renewed for another season. 

The series follows the story of her title character, a marketing executive who jets off to France for an unexpected job opportunity providing the American perspective to a French marketing agency. 

Cleverly, the announcement came in the form of a note written by Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu’s character Sylvie, Emily’s boss at that agency — called Savoir — to her boss in the States, who is played by Kate Walsh.

“We are writing to regrettably inform you that Emily Cooper will need to remain in Paris for an extended period of time,” the note begins. “Despite her overconfident manner and lack of prior experience in luxury goods marketing, she has nonetheless managed to charm some of our hard-to-impress clients during her short time at Savoir.”

“Sylvie” closes with, “We love having Emily in Paris!” before adding the caveat, “But please don’t let her know that.”

Netflix also sent out a video tweet in which members of the show’s cast take turns saying the word “deux” — which means “two” in French — before a title card reads, “Deux is better than Un.” 

The show, which was produced by Sex And The City‘s Darren Star, debuted on the streaming service just last month.

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