States with 2 republican senators

Brad Pitt picked up the best supporting actor Oscar Sunday night and got political in his acceptance speech. The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star began by calling out Senate Republicans for refusing to allow witnesses, particularly former National Security Adviser John Bolton, to testify in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. “They told me that I only had 45 seconds up here, which is 45 seconds more than the Senate gave John Bolton this week,” Pitt said, before urging director Quentin Tarantino to make a film on the impeachment saga. “I’m thinking maybe Quentin does a movie about it, and in the end, the adults do the right thing.” Pitt then dedicated his award to the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood filmmaker. “This really is about Quentin Jerome Tarantino,” he said. “You are original, you are one of a kind. The film industry really would be a much drier place without you and I love the ethos you gave Cliff Booth, ‘look for the best in people, expect … [Read more...] about Brad Pitt Calls Out Senate Republicans After Oscar Win

The Oscars kicked off with an immediate political dig, not at not President Donald Trump but at the Iowa Caucuses. A few mild smacks at the Senate impeachment trial and health care followed, but the night was decidedly apolitical, even with U.S. politics stormier than ever. Maybe everyone’s had it. Maybe Parasite won so many awards that it limited the potential opining. “Now, a couple of years ago there was a big disaster here at the Oscars when they accidentally read the wrong name. And it was nobody’s fault. But it’s guaranteed that this will not happen this year because the Academy has switched to the new Iowa caucus app,” Steve Martin joked in the non-host opening monologue with Chris Rock . He was referring to 2017, when Warren Beatty mistakenly gave the Best Picture win to La La Land over Moonlight, and to the February 3 Democratic debacle in Iowa that still hasn’t announced a winner. Martin quickly shushed Rock when his co-non-host mentioned the … [Read more...] about Oscars & Politics: Steve Martin Dings Iowa, Brad Pitt Skewers Senate In Mostly Apolitical Ceremony

The crash of Ticketmaster ’s website amid an overload of demand for Taylor Swift tickets has led to a Senate hearing, as lawmakers seize on the incident to scrutinize a host of business practices in the ticketing industry. The full Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing for next Tuesday — That’s The Ticket: Promoting Competition and Protecting Consumers in Live Entertainment — following the November debacle in which Swift fans were locked out of presales and a public sale was canceled. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who chairs the antitrust subcommittee, said in a statement that “the issues within America’s ticketing industry were made painfully obvious when Ticketmaster’s website failed hundreds of thousands of fans hoping to purchase tickets for Taylor Swift’s new tour, but these problems are not new. For too long consumers have faced high fees, long waits and website failures, and Ticketmaster’s dominant market position means the company faces inadequate pressure … [Read more...] about Senate Judiciary Committee Sets Hearing Following Taylor Swift Ticket Snafu

DirecTV said that it was adding the conservative channel The First to its lineup, after it dropped Newsmax from its lineup in a dispute that stirred the ire of Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The First, which features personalities including Bill O’Reilly and Dana Loesch, will be available on DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and U-verse at no extra fees for subscribers. Up to now, it has been available only through streaming distribution, including on FAST networks. The announcement comes as Newsmax went dark on DirecTV. The satellite service owned by AT&T and private equity firm TPG blamed the removal on Newsmax’s insistence on its demands for “significant fees” from DirecTV at a time when the conservative network already is available for free on streaming platforms and online. Those fees, according to DirecTV, would have to be passed on to consumers. Newsmax, however, claims that it is being censored, while noting that the free streaming will end later this … [Read more...] about DirecTV To Add Conservative Outlet The First After Dropping Newsmax

UPDATE: President Volodymyr Zelensky was greeted by rousing ovations by a joint session of Congress as he told lawmakers that Ukraine would “never surrender” in its war against Russia. In his speech, running about 20 minutes and delivered in English, Zelensky compared his country’s winter fight to that of American soldiers fighting Nazis in the Battle of the Bulge, which also took place in a cold December. “Ukraine holds its line and will never surrender,” he said. It was one of several moments in his speech that connected American history — and American ideals — to what is happening in Ukraine. “It is just a matter of time when [Russia] will strike against your other allies … if we do not stop them now. We must do it,” he said. The speech reflected the former comedian’s gifts at communication, with memorable lines and standout visual moments, as when he presented House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a Ukrainian battle flag as a “symbol of our victory in this war.” … [Read more...] about Volodymyr Zelensky, In Historic Speech To Congress, Says Ukraine Will “Never Surrender” To Russia

Tyre Nichols ' family is getting support from the one family that probably best understands their pain -- George Floyd 's loved ones will be at Tyre's funeral for a face-to-face meeting. Famed civil rights attorney, Ben Crump is representing the Nichols family -- just as he did for George's -- and he tells TMZ ... several members of the Floyd family will be at the ceremony Wednesday in Memphis. Memphis Police Department We're told the Floyds sent their condolences to Tyre's family after he was so badly beaten by Memphis police, he ended up in a hospital and died -- but the families have yet to meet in person. That will change when they meet up at the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis for the funeral. Gallery Launch Gallery Meanwhile, Crump tells us Tyre's family has been invited to join ongoing efforts to get the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act passed by Congress ... and they're all on board. We're told … [Read more...] about George Floyd’s Family Will Attend Tyre Nichols’ Funeral

AP Cops in New Mexico have arrested a failed GOP candidate in connection with multiple shootings at local Democrats' homes ... this after the guy proudly refused, in Trump fashion, to accept he lost. Albuquerque PD took Solomon Peña into custody Monday, and the police chief says he believes Peña is the "mastermind" of 4 separate shootings that occurred between Dec. 4 and Jan. 3. In each instance, police say Democratic politicians were targeted -- including the Bernalillo County Commissioner, the State House Speaker, a former county commissioner and a state senator. Cops claim they have evidence directly tying Peña to the scene of the latest shooting. AP For the other incidents, ADP claims Peña hired at least 4 men to carry out the shootings. Police also say they believe this was politically motivated. Thankfully, nobody was harmed in any of the four shootings, but the homes were damaged. Peña ran for a state House seat in 2022, but lost … [Read more...] about Failed GOP Candidate Arrested in New Mexico Over Shootings at Dems’ Homes

Carl Goodman is making his exit from Museum of the Moving Image — the New York cultural institution where he’s spent 34 years, most recently as Executive Director. Goodman will step down from his post on March 3, then going on to assume the role of President and CEO of The Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg. MoMI’s Board of Trustees, led by Co-Chairs Ivan Lustig and Michael Barker, has formed a committee to begin the search for his replacement. Goodman joined the Museum as an educator in 1989 and served in capacities including Curator of Digital Media and Senior Deputy Director before his appointment as Executive Director in 2011. His 12-year tenure in that role has seen the Museum achieve a three-fold increase in annual attendance following a major expansion and renovation. MoMi has also, under his leadership, secured millions in funding from government and individuals for capital projects. Most recently, with the support of New York State Senate Deputy Leader Michael … [Read more...] about Carl Goodman Departing As Museum Of The Moving Image’s Executive Director After 34 Years With NY Institution

Tosin Cole was larking about on the set of the Warner Bros House Party reboot in Los Angeles when an email dropped from casting director Kim Coleman ( BlacKkKlansman ) about Emmett Till ’s story. “I was like, ‘I’m filming for months non stop, I want to go home,’ ” he recalls thinking. “They wanted me to go for Medgar Evers , and I was like, ‘I don’t know who that is. Let me think about it.’ “ His agent brought him up short telling him, “No, you got to do it. At least send a tape.” “I was like, ‘I’m doing night shifts in LA. I don’t know when I’ll have time,’ ” he worried. That’s when Barbara Broccoli, an executive producer of UAR’s Till , zinged him a message saying, “We’d love to have you on board, if you can.” That missive sharpened Cole’s mind. Besides overseeing the James Bond universe with Michael G. Wilson, Broccoli’s active in theater and independent film production. She supported Debbie Tucker Green’s play Ear for Eye when it played London’s … [Read more...] about ‘Till’ Star Tosin Cole: From Larking About In The ‘House Party’ Reboot To Portraying A Civil Rights Legend

“I may look like I was born in a library, but there’s something you should know: Merrick Garland don’t play,” Saturday Night Live ’s Mikey Day declared as the almost SCOTUS Justice. But it wasn’t all fun and political games on SNL tonight — as you can see in the video above. At the tail end of a week full of Facebook letting Donald Trump back, more GOP SNAFUs with Rep. George Santos (R-NY) and other clown cars, more old classified documents found in Joe Biden’s personal possession and now ex-VP Mike Pence ’s house, the release of the gripe-filled memoir of former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and more, SNL once again had a wealth of material to satire at its disposal. However, the kicker tonight was a line that hit harder than any comedy when Kenan Thompson ’s FBI Special Agent came back on stage to address the horrors of Tyre Nichols ’ killing by Memphis cops earlier this month. “Hey boss, when we done playing with your little papers, we gonna … [Read more...] about ‘SNL’ Cold Open Urges DOJ To Probe Tyre Nichols’ Killing By Memphis Cops; “Damn Right,” Kenan Thompson Says Of Need For Justice