Los angeles times news

Willis Reed , the Hall of Fame NBA center who won two championships with the New York Knicks including his legendary hobbling return to the court in Game 7 of the 1970 Finals, died today. He was 80. His former teammate-turned-U.S. senator Bill Bradley told The New York Times that had Reed died but gave no details other than he’d been undergoing treatment at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston. Reed’s career was cut short by injury after 10 seasons, but he endured himself to fans and rivals for his determination to play hurt. That grit was exemplified during the 1970 NBA Finals against Wilt Chamberlain and the Los Angeles Lakers . Despite tearing a muscle in his right hip area in Game 5 and sitting out the next game, he returned for the decisive Game 7 at Madison Square Garden. Noticeably hobbled, the 6-foot-9 Reed and teammate Walt Frazier led the Knicks to a win and was named MVP of the championship series — and was named league MVP for the 1969-70 season. … [Read more...] about Willis Reed Dies: Hall Of Famer & Two-Time NBA Champ Who Hobbled Back To Lead Knicks Over Lakers In Classic 1970 Finals Was 80

A Fox News producer claims that she was “coerced” and “intimidated” by the network’s legal team into providing misleading and evasive testimony in a deposition in the Dominion Voting Systems defamation case. Abby Grossberg , who has worked on shows hosted by Maria Bartiromo and Tucker Carlson , also claimed that the network’s attorneys were trying to subtly shift “all responsibility for the alleged defamation against Dominion onto her shoulders and by implication, those of her trusted female colleague, Ms. Bartiromo, rather than the mostly male higher ups at Fox News who endorsed the repeated coverage of the lies against the Dominion.” Her suit was filed in federal court in New York and Delaware Superior Court, where Fox and Dominion are delivering oral arguments on Tuesday in the summary judgment phase of the case. Grossberg also claims that she was retaliated against after she complained about unlawful harassment based on her gender and Jewish religion. She claims … [Read more...] about Fox News Producer Sues Network Claiming She Was Coached To Give Misleading Testimony In Dominion Case

Getty Shohei Ohtani has been cleared by the Angels to pitch in the World Baseball Classic final against Team USA on Tuesday night ... paving the way for a potential dream matchup against Mike Trout in the championship game. The Halos star last threw for Japan in the tourney on March 16 against Italy ... and many thought that would be his last time on the mound in the huge baseball event -- as he's still ramping up his right arm in preparation for the 2023 MLB season. Sho Strikeout 5 ✅ #大谷翔平 #Ohtani #Angels #WorldBaseballClassic #WBC pic.twitter.com/XSHzUZvHra — Anaheim Sports (@AnaheimSports1) March 16, 2023 @AnaheimSports1 But, with Japan beating Mexico in a thriller on Monday night -- Ohtani expressed interest in appearing in relief for his home country against America in the finale ... and Angels brass said on Tuesday morning they'd allow it to go down if the opportunity arises. Of course, there is risk involved. Ohtani has … [Read more...] about Angels Clear Shohei Ohtani To Pitch For Japan In World Baseball Classic Final

As the latest in a flood of atmospheric river events hit Souther California today, several local theme parks closed their gates. Magic Mountain shut down for the second time in as many months as winds associated with the current storm blasted a nearby peak with force equivalent to a Cat. 2 hurricane. Magic Mountain Truck Trail , a site on the peak for which the park is named, is often the windiest spot in and around Los Angeles . It lived up to that reputation overnight, clocking wind gusts early this morning has high as 102 mph. Further downslope in Saugus, where the the park is located, winds gusted to 57 mph. As a result, the theme park posted an announcement that it would be closed “due to inclement weather .” L.A.’s other major park, Universal Studios Hollywood, which has good slope and drainage and fewer outdoor, vertically-inclined rides, is maintaining its normal hours today. Further south in Orange County, the National Weather Service issued a High … [Read more...] about Southern California Theme Parks Close Due To Storm; 100 mph Winds Recorded Near Magic Mountain

Ashlee Marie Preston Caitlyn Jenner got ambushed and verbally assaulted by a trans woman at an LGBT event this weekend over her support for Donald Trump ... and the video's intense. Caitlyn was attending a Trans Chorus of Los Angeles performance Saturday night at the L.A. LGBT Center when she was confronted by trans activist and journalist Ashlee Marie Preston . In the video -- which Ashlee later posted to her Facebook -- she comes up to Caitlyn, who innocently goes in for a hug ... but then checks her and unleashes a tirade about what she claims is Caitlyn's continued support of Trump ... this 1 day after he officially authorized a trans ban in the military . Caitlyn remains stoic and still for most of the lecturing, as friends around her try to defuse the situation. But then she tells Ashlee ... "You don't know me," which sets Ashlee off even more. A little fact check ... Caitlyn isn't down with Trump anymore, despite recently being seen … [Read more...] about Caitlyn Jenner Chewed Out by Trans Woman Over Donald Trump Support

Rupert Murdoch is engaged — again. The 92-year-old billionaire announced, via an interview with the New York Post , that he will wed Ann Lesley Smith , the former San Francisco Police chaplain who is 26 years his junior. Murdoch divorced Jerry Hall, his fourth wife, last August. Speaking of his new love, he told the Post ‘s Cindy Adams: “I dreaded falling in love — but I knew this would be my last. It better be. I’m happy.” Murdoch said he nervously popped the question last week on St. Patrick’s Day in New York, adorning Smith’s finger with an Asscher-cut diamond engagement ring. They will marry in late summer. He told the Post that they met at his vineyard Moraga in Bel Air, CA. Smith’s late husband Chester Smith, the country singer, also owned a vineyard, so the pair hit it off discussing wine. “We’re both looking forward to spending the second half of our lives together,” said Murdoch, who plans to split his time with his new wife between California, the … [Read more...] about Rupert Murdoch On Getting Engaged Again: “I Knew This Would Be My Last. It Better Be.”

Hundreds of WGA East members who work for Hearst Magazines Media are planning to stage a walkout Thursday to demand a fair contract. The half-day action is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET and will last the remainder of the day. “ WGA East members at Hearst have been bargaining a first contract for over two years and their last scheduled day of negotiations is March 28,” the guild said. “With only one bargaining session left, the Hearst Union is taking collective action with a unit-wide walkout in their fight for a fair first contract.” Rallies in support of the walkout will be held at four locations: outside the Hearst Tower in Manhattan; at the Hearst offices in Easton, PA; at the Hearst offices in Ann Arbor, MI; and the Hearst offices in Birmingham, AL. The guild represents some 500 of the publishing giant’s editorial, video, design and photo staff at more than 25 brands including Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, … [Read more...] about WGA East Sets Walkout At Hearst Magazines For Thursday; Hundreds Sign Petition

GLAAD has released its 18th annual “Where We Are on TV” report. It counted 596 regular and recurring LGBTQ characters across broadcast, cable and streaming shows that have been released (or are expected to) between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023. This is a decrease of -6.44% from the previous year’s 637 LGBTQ characters. Streaming continues to dominate with 356 LGBTQ characters on Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, Peacock, and Paramount+ vs. 141 LGBTQ characters on broadcast, and 139 LGBTQ characters on cable. All broadcast networks saw a decrease in their percentage of LGBTQ series regulars from the previous report. The CW remains on top with 14.8 percent of all series regulars being LGBTQ. That is down -2.3%, and the report expresses concern how the network’s changed ownership would impact LGBTQ representation. In total, 51 percent (304) of the 596 LGBTQ characters are people of color. For the first time, in 2022-23 streaming features a majority … [Read more...] about LBGTQ Representation On TV Dipped During 2022-23 Season, GLAAD Reports

Ric de Azevedo , a King Family singer who later worked on the production teams of early 1980s series Private Benjamin and Enos but might best be remembered for a surprising, tearful moment during a Vietnam era Christmas special, died March 14 in Fruit Heights, Utah, of an undisclosed illness. He was 75. His death was announced on the King Family ’s Facebook page. “Ric was a vibrant part of our family shows,” The King Cousins said in the statement, “and audiences always delighted in his performances and cherished the many memorable moments he was a part of — from singing and dancing in our Top Twenty segments, through his beautiful solos and of course the magical moment he surprised his mom Alyce during our very first Christmas special.” A member of the King Family vocal group, known for their easy-listening recordings and frequent TV specials during the 1960s and early 1970s, de Azevedo later went on to a behind-the-scenes career as a postproduction executive at … [Read more...] about Ric De Azevedo Dies: TV Producer & King Family Singer Who Surprised Tearful Mom During Vietnam Era Christmas Special Was 75

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova says her recent battle with cancer has paused her plans for adoption with her wife ... even though she revealed she's now, thankfully, free of the disease. Navratilova recently sat down with Piers Morgan to talk about everything she's been through since she was diagnosed with throat and breast cancer earlier this year ... and she admitted that despite beating it all -- it sadly led to her putting an indefinite pause on ideas of adoption with Julia Lemigova . Martina Navratilova on the moment she was told about her double cancer diagnosis. @piersmorgan | @Martina | @TalkTV | #PMU pic.twitter.com/ZFzRePc56v — Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) March 21, 2023 @PiersUncensored The 66-year-old, who also previously beat breast cancer in 2010, explained in the interview for Morgan's Talk TV show, "We were thinking about adopting but that's definitely put on hold, and I don't think it's going to happen." … [Read more...] about Martina Navratilova Says Adoption Plans W/ Wife Put On Hold After Cancer Diagnosis