September 18, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Chesnot/Getty Images(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — Starting Sunday, downloads of the massively popular video app TikTok and the messaging app WeChat will be banned in the United States, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced Friday morning.

The department said in a statement that the move was necessary to “safeguard the national security of the United States.”

President Donald Trump issued twin executive orders in August, saying the apps would shut down by September 20 if they were not sold to U.S. owners. The administration claimed the Chinese Communist Party was using data collected through these apps to “threaten the national security, foreign policy and the economy of the U.S.”

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in an interview on Fox Business News Friday morning that these new rules announced this morning were in connection with the executive orders issued in August and are “separate” from the ongoing negotiations between TikTok and tentative U.S. buyers, including Oracle and Walmart.

Ross said that “for all practical purposes” WeChat will be shut down in the U.S. as of midnight Monday with the new Commerce Department ruling.

“TikTok is more complicated,” Ross added, saying that essentially a deadline for a deal with a U.S. buyer has been extended until November 12. In the meantime, updates will be barred in the app.

TikTok has an estimated 65 million to 80 million users in the U.S. WeChat, meanwhile, has some 19 million users in the U.S. — a majority of them people of Chinese descent who use the app to connect with love ones or conduct business in China.

A TikTok spokesperson told ABC News in a statement that they disagree and are disappointed with the Commerce Department’s decision. The company vowed to continue its challenge against the “unjust executive order.”

Spokespeople for Tencent, WeChat’s parent company, did not immediately respond to request for comment. ABC News has also reached out to Google and Apple for comment.

By William Mansell & Catherine Thorbecke
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

September 18, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/Frank Ockenfels(LOS ANGELES) — Cheer coach Monica Aldama is speaking out following Jerry Harris’ arrest. 

Harris was arrested on Thursday for one count of producing child pornography. USA Today reported earlier this week that 21-year-old Harris was under investigation by the FBI for allegedly soliciting sex and requesting sexually explicit photos from twin brothers who were 13-years-old at the time. 

Harris was part of the co-ed Navarro College Bulldogs Cheer Team in Corsicana, Texas that Aldama is head coach of. The team was the focus of the six-episode docuseries Cheer that debuted on Netflix in January. 

Late Thursday night, Aldama shared a statement on Instagram. 

“My heart is shattered into a million pieces. I am devastated by this shocking, unexpected news,” she writes in the post that has the comment section blocked. 

“Our children must be protected from abuse and exploitation and I’m praying hard for the victims and everyone affected,” Aldama continues. “Please respect our privacy as our family mourns during this heartbreaking time.”

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

September 18, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Jefferson Siegel-Pool/Getty Images(LONDON) — Harvey Weinstein has been stripped of a British honor.

Queen Elizabeth II has announced that the disgraced film producer’s title of Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire has been revoked, an honor bestowed on him in 2004 for his impact on the British film industry.

“The Queen has directed that the appointment of Harvey Weinstein to be an Honorary Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, dated 29 January 2004, shall be cancelled and annulled and that his name shall be erased from the Register of the said Order,” reports London newspaper The Gazette. 

Established in 1917 by King George V, the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire recognizes individuals who have made noteworthy contributions to the arts and sciences, among other subjects. 

In February, Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison after he was convicted of a criminal sex act in the first degree and rape in the third degree in a New York City courthouse. 

Weinstein also faces multiple charges of sexual assault in Los Angeles. 

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

September 18, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Walt Disney Television/Yolanda Perez(LOS ANGELES) — Like daughter like father.  Dax Shepard gave himself a major makeover on Thursday by taking electric clippers to his hair to give himself an undercut for a very special reason.

“Armor” the Armchair Expert podcaster wrote in the caption, revealing what inspired the new look. “Thank you @sarabareilles for giving my daughters an anthem.”  The song not only served as a new source of inspiration for his little girls, it also led to one of them to experiment with her look.

“She requested a specific haircut a few days ago, and now I want to match her,” Shepard added.

The two minute video shows the 45-year-old actor fastening his hair to the side so he can buzz away at the strands near his right ear.  As he works on his transformation, Sara Bareilles’ “Armor” thrums in the background.

The Parenthood actor later unveiled his brand new ‘do in a separate post and was sure to throw on a super-proud expression, possibly hinting at the look his little one flashed when she saw the final product.

Neither Shepard nor wife Kirsten Bell revealed which daughter requested the undercut.  They share seven-year-old Lincoln and five-year-old Delta.

Bell, when reposting her husband’s sweet video to Instagram, gushed, “I love this man so much. He wanted to twin with our daughter.”

Of course, Bareilles chimed in and offered her enthusiastic agreement.  “Yassssss,” the hitmaker celebrated. ” What a good daddy move. #handmemyhaircut.”

The Waitress star left Shepard her seal of approval, commenting on his respective video, “This is the best best best. Thank you for being a kick a** dad for strong young women!#handmemyhaircut.”

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

September 18, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/Todd Wawrychuk(LOS ANGELES) — The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards air Sunday night on ABC — the first major awards show during the pandemic — and even though it’s being held virtually it’s not exactly making things easier for Executive Producers Reginald Hudlin and Ian Stewart. In fact, they say the biggest hurdle they face will be having so many live feeds coming in Sunday night.

“… we’re going to have 130 cameras all over the world,” Hudlin explains.

“It’s sort of like trying to watch a hundred and thirty sports matches at the same time,” Stewart adds. 

Additionally, one of the tricky things they have to navigate is tone, given that so many people are facing tough challenges — whether it be the pandemic, the wild fires, or the fight for justice. 

“The challenge and the opportunity to talk about those things, not in a preachy way, but honestly and hopefully not only just entertaining, but enlightening and inspiring, I think that’s what people want,”  Hudlin says.

Despite the challenges, there is one person they believe has no qualms about Sunday and that’s the host of the Emmys, Jimmy Kimmel.

“The good thing about that is that we’ve got Jimmy Kimmel, who loves live TV and loves chaos. See, I think I think he’s actually hoping things do go wrong, to tell you the truth,” Stewart jokes. 

All things aside, the duo believe that the Emmys could be fun for those participating, and watching, from home.

“I think it’s going to be great for the nominees and also great for the viewers, because every week or however you binge your shows, these folks come into our houses. And now we get to go to their house. We get to see what they’re doing,” Hudlin says. 

The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards air Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. on ABC.

By Danielle Long and Jason Nathanson
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.