MSNBC president Rashida Jones is leaving the network

NEW YORK — Rashida Jones is ending her run as president of MSNBC after four years.

Jones is leaving two months after the progressive news channel’s parent company, Comcast, announced it will spin MSNBC off into a new company with most of its other cable networks. She informed staff of her decision Tuesday morning.

Mark Lazarus, the Comcast executive overseeing the spinoff venture, named Rebecca Kutler, senior vice president of content strategy and Jones’ second-in-command, as interim president.

Jones, 43, made the decision to leave, according to people briefed on the matter who were not authorized to comment publicly. Those people said she wanted to control her career path going forward rather than adapt to whatever plans the spinoff company has for MSNBC. She does not have another position lined up yet.

The network has lost viewers since President-elect Donald Trump won a second term to the White House. The network announced Monday that its most popular host, Rachel Maddow, will return to a five-day-a-week schedule during the first 100 days of the new Trump administration in the hope of recapturing viewers.

Despite the postelection dip, MSNBC was the second most-watched cable network in 2024, behind Fox News, according to Nielsen data. The network had a 65% advantage over CNN, its largest gap ever. MSNBC’s audience has been stable over eight years despite a 28% decline in pay TV households due to cord-cutting.

The shrinking pay TV universe is a key reason Comcast is spinning off MSNBC. While still profitable, MSNBC and other cable networks dependent on pay TV subscriptions fees face a murky future as that revenue source declines.

Jones, who took over for Phil Griffin in 2021, was known for being protective of MSNBC’s strong-willed on-air hosts. The political slant of the network’s talent has made Comcast executives uncomfortable at times in a highly partisan environment.

Jones joined MSNBC as a producer in 2013. As the network’s president, she had a reputation for understanding the loyalty that politically engaged MSNBC viewers have for its hosts. She oversaw the expansion of “Morning Joe,” the influential Beltway-focused morning program with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, and “Deadline: White House” with Nicolle Wallace.

Jones also added Jen Psaki, former press secretary for the Biden White House, as a host in 2023. Psaki’s Sunday program became the most-watched weekend hour on the network.

Kutler joined MSNBC in 2022 after a stint at CNN, where she oversaw the network’s short-lived streaming service CNN+. The service was shut down shortly after launch once Warner Bros. Discovery took ownership of the network.

‘Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy’ Documentary Reveals New Details From Al B. Sure! and Alleged Gang Rape Victim

Los Angeles Fires Death Toll Reaches 11 as Firefighters Gain Ground Amid Low-Wind Reprieve

A mere two months after the November arrest of Sean “Diddy” Combs on federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges, the first of multiple planned major documentaries looking into the hip-hop mogul’s life and some of the allegations against him arrives this week on Peacock, revealing some new details of the accused industry superstar’s sordid past.

Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy looks at Combs’ life from his childhood in Mt. Vernon, outside of New York City, through his rapid rise to the top of the music industry and some of the heinous allegations against him, some of which are shared here for the first time. The documentary’s producers have structured the film around several anecdotes and narratives that reveal, or are at least are meant to reveal, Combs’ dark nature. Within these tales from Combs’ life are several striking new details about his tough childhood, a deadly first attempt at promoting a major hip-hop event and accounts of alleged victims, from women accusing Combs of rape and assault to singer Al B. Sure!’s stunted accusations about the death of Kim Porter, his and Combs’ late former partner.

In a recent interview, producer Ari Mark told The Hollywood Reporter that the doc serves as an origin story: “By zooming out and by taking a more psychological approach, a sociological approach, it felt like we could say something a little bit bigger by presenting that information.”

Combs, 55, is the subject of more than 25 lawsuits related to accusations of sexual misconduct. He is currently awaiting a May trial behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Here are five of the biggest takeaways from the Peacock doc, below. (THR has reached out to a rep for Diddy on the claims.}

The documentary reveals through an interview with his childhood friend, Tim Patterson, how Combs was the son of the so-called “it couple,” Janice and Melvin Combs of Mt. Vernon in Westchester County, about 30 minutes north of Manhattan. But that idyllic home life of his early youth came to an end when his father was caught selling drugs to an undercover cop, and then was allegedly killed after flipping on his boss for the police.

“Sean had to learn about his dad from others,” said Patterson, who goes on to share that Combs’ mother was left with a certain amount of money that allowed her and her son to live on the right side of the tracks; Patterson and his mother moved in with them, partially because Combs mother wanted him to be around someone his age.

Patterson explains how when he met young Sean, he was a 10-year-old dressed in a 30-year-old’s wardrobe. During the week, the future fashion executive was seen by his school peers as a rich kid. But on the weekends, Combs grew up fast around his mother’s friends. The documentary suggests this is how his perspective was born, what began to shape his sexual identity and understanding of boundaries.

“Sean’s house, our house, there were always things going on — on the weekend you partied in the house, and we did that a lot,” Patterson explains in the documentary. “He was around all types of alcohol. He was around reefer smoke. He was around drug addicts, around lesbians, around homosexuals. He was around pimps and pushers. That was just who was in our house.”

Combs has projected himself as a major player in the music business since he first appeared on MTV in 1997, a man-behind-the-man when he was introduced with Faith Evans’ “I’ll Be Missing You” track and video, their hit tribute to Notorious B.I.G. soon after his murder. And it’s true, Combs has deep connections to the industry for what feels like forever. But it started somewhere — specifically, with him spending the night sleeping outside the car of an Uptown Records’ top exec to get his foot in the door.

Uptown Records, as the hit-making home to huge acts like Jodeci, Heavy D & the Boyz and Mary J. Blige, was the “it” label at a certain point in the 1990s. As recording artist Al B. Sure! states, “It was a boutique version of Motown, but we just had the hip-hop flavor to it.” And it’s where a young Sean Combs needed his career to begin — so he did what he had to to make it happen.

“Sean wanted to work at Uptown. He actually did some more suffering just to get that internship,” Patterson reveals to the film’s producers. “So, Sean would show up in the weirdest places: At Heavy D’s doorstep. He’d show up at Uptown, he’d show up at parties — anything to get the attention of the bigwigs.”

Key to this initial foothold in the industry was grabbing the attention of Uptown CEO Andre Harrell, who hired him as an intern and ushered him into the label’s A&R department. But Combs didn’t get the gig the easy way. “From what I heard, he even slept outside of [Andre Harrell’s] car because he really wanted to be in this,” Combs’ friend Rich Parker revealed.

On Dec. 28, 1991, a tragedy at City College led to nine hip-hop and basketball fans being killed after they were crushed in a stampede. The beyond-capacity crowd was at the Manhattan school to watch an undeniably must-see event: a celebrity charity basketball game headlined by hip-hop superstars P. Diddy and Heavy D.

On the day of the event, over 5,000 attendees attempted to get inside a gymnasium, which could fit just 2,730 people. Fans desperate to get into the gymnasium to see the game broke into the school and a massive crowd rushed down a stairwell, where double doors led to the gym. But the double doors opened inward, not outward; they remained closed for 15 minutes as more and more fans tried to get inside. Twenty-nine people, mostly teenagers, were crushed on top of the nine young people who died.

Combs, thrown into his first scandal at 22 years old, denied culpability for the stampede. Authorities agreed and he faced no criminal charges. But he did have to face the families of the victims and, in an early harbinger of his current situation, weather a storm of civil suits. He was accused of promoting the event as if it were in a 10,000-person capacity venue, not hiring enough security and overselling the tickets.

Sonya Williams, a 20-year-old from New Rochelle, died at City College that day. She had actually met Combs through his then-girlfriend and he had given her a ticket and invited her to his event that day. Litigation in the civil case against Combs went on for six years, when the now successful hip-hop star brought Sonny Williams into his office at BMG. Williams, who sat for an interview with the documentary’s producers, said Combs looked nervous that day — so nervous that his lips had turned white when he offered Sonia’s family a mere $50,000.

“I remember looking around the office and I’m seeing all these plaques now on the wall, Platinum plaques, gold plaques, ” he recalled. “I said, ‘Brother, you got all this going on, and you offered me $50,000.’ He said, ‘Sonny, man, listen, man, you know, that’s real generous. That’s a generous donation.’ And I lost it. I said, ‘Is Sonia your fucking friend? You offered me $50,000 and you gave Sonia the ticket to go to that event.’ That was a slap in my face.”

Kim Porter, the late model who was Combs’ long-term partner from 1994 to 2007, before meeting the rap mogul, was in a relationship with Uptown Records artist Al B. Sure!, whose legal name is Albert Joseph Brown. Combs eventually adopted Brown’s son, Quincy. While details on the dynamic of this triangle have been scarce, Peacock’s documentary sheds some light on these tensions and, in a stilted moment during his interview, Brown, hints at the reason behind his distance from the couple — and why he believes he nearly died in 2022.

Brown entered the pre-arrest Diddy rumor mill in October with an Instagram post that threw the death of Porter, in 2018 from lobar pneumonia, into question and effectively threw the tragedy into the swirl of questions circulating about Combs. In the documentary, Brown nearly spills more on his theories around his ex’s death, but stops himself, mentioning ongoing litigation. Brown does, however, reveal Porter’s warning to him while speaking about his ongoing relationship with Quincy.

“You have to keep in mind what people were fed in this propaganda against me over the years; ‘Oh, Puffy did this and adopted your kid’… if you hadn’t noticed, his name is still Brown,” the singer says. “People thought I was absent and things of that nature. I was basically instructed… [Combs] wasn’t too happy about anyone with a relationship with Kimberly… Kimberly said, ‘Don’t get involved. You will get killed.’ Even to the point where I remember…”

It’s there that Brown stops himself and tells producers that ongoing legal matters behoove him to bite his tongue. Mark spoke to THR about getting Brown to participate by taking off the pressure around revelations. “He stops himself about things he didn’t want to share about,” he explained of the interview. “I think what a lot of people don’t realize about producing these types of projects — there is a big leap of faith and you hope that the pieces come together because of who you are and what your intentions are.”

The most harrowing moment in Peacock’s documentary is the detailing of an alleged gang rape that the accuser — who has filed a lawsuit in California in October regarding her experiences with Combs, his chief of staff Kristina Khorram and several other men — who she alleges raped her after Combs assaulted her with a remote control.

In the suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Northern California, the plaintiff, who is identified as Ashley in the documentary, states that she initially met Combs in Oakland at the home of a man she’d met when he arrived with an entourage: that man was Shane Pierce, who has been accused of being a “scouter” for Combs. It was an uncomfortable encounter, Ashley explained in the filing, as he did not seem pleased when she mentioned unsubstantiated rumors of Combs’ involvement in the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. Upon hearing the remark, Combs said that she would “pay” for suggesting it.

The following month, on March 23, 2018, Ashley was at the man’s apartment again when Combs again arrived with an entourage of people, including Khorram. Ashley shared several details of the rape she alleges occurred that day.

“Sean Combs had a knife and had it inside my mouth. He said he was going to give me a cut my cheeks and give me a ‘Glasgow smile,’” she states. “Kristina Khorram told him that his clientele, they would prefer it if I looked normal. At one point, Sean Combs, he picked up a TV remote and raped me vaginally with that object — violently.”

During the rape by multiple individuals, as she described, she was allegedly told by Khorram that “they could ship me off and sell me to anyone in the world,” and that she would never be seen again by her parents or loved ones, and that they were taking her away that night.

“I just uncontrollably, was sobbing. I was in a catatonic state once they started raping me, and I was just trying to get through it so I could get out of there,” she tells the documentary’s producers. She managed to run to a neighbor and phone police but strangely, the arriving officer didn’t offer her any help or get Ashley to a hospital after the alleged brutal encounter. In the documentary, her attorney Ariel Mitchell says that local police did confirm that an officer responded to the neighbor’s home that night.

Jessica Simpson announces she has split from husband Eric Johnson after 10 years of marriage

Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson have officially called time on their marriage after a decade together, marking the end of a love story that once seemed unbreakable.

The singer, actress, and business mogul, 44, confirmed the heartbreaking news in a statement to People, sharing that she and her former NFL player husband, 45, have been living apart for some time.

“Eric and I have been living separately, navigating a painful situation in our marriage,” Jessica revealed.

“Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.”

The news comes just days after Jessica shared a sun-kissed selfie on Instagram, sending a message to her followers: “Life is short. SMILE while you still have teeth.”

The timing of her cryptic post had fans speculating about changes in her personal life, especially after Eric was spotted without his wedding ring as far back as November. Around the same time, Jessica sparked excitement about a return to music, posting images from a recording session with an intriguing caption:”Interviews in my Nashville music room where I unearthed my singular magic. This comeback is personal. It’s an apology to myself for putting up with everything I did not deserve.”

Jessica and Eric’s relationship had long been admired as one of Hollywood’s strongest. The couple met in 2010 through mutual friends, and their whirlwind romance led to an engagement just six months later.

They tied the knot in July 2014 in an intimate yet star-studded celebration in Montecito, California, surrounded by more than 250 guests.

Over the years, they built a beautiful family together, welcoming three children — Maxwell “Maxi” Drew, 12, Ace Knute, 11, and Birdie Mae, 5. Their eldest two even played special roles at their wedding, with Maxwell as the flower girl and Ace as the ring bearer, a moment Jessica had described as “perfectly magical.”

Just last year, Jessica spoke glowingly of Eric, reflecting on their deep connection. “A true love will never make you question yourself or what’s real,” she told People. “Thanks to my amazing soulmate, I am able to love passionately and without fear of being hurt.”

Eric, too, had often expressed his admiration for his wife, embracing her career and the demands that came with it. “I don’t find it hard to love anybody, but I have always thought that I was hard to love, that I was too much for people, or my schedule was too demanding,” Jessica once said. “He knows my heart and understands my heart more than anyone I’ve ever met in my life.”

Their romance was filled with tender moments — family getaways, spontaneous romantic weekends, and heartfelt social media tributes. For Eric’s birthday in September 2023, Jessica shared a heartfelt message alongside a collection of family photos, writing: “My heart is so taken with this man, I could hardly call it my own… We love youuuu.”

The couple had always emphasized communication as the foundation of their relationship. “I feel like every moment with us, we’re growing as long as we’re communicating, and our love is only deepening,” Jessica had said in a 2022 interview. “I feel like Eric and I learn from each other so much. I feel like we’re stronger than ever now, [more] than we were even at the beginning.”

Despite the love and effort, the reality of marriage presented its own set of challenges. Jessica had previously acknowledged the complexities of long-term commitment, sharing in 2021, “I think the takeaway is that it’s not easy, and every day presents challenges and blessings. Life is a blessing to be lived, and the more we overthink things, the more we fall behind on our personal journey.”

This marks Jessica’s second high-profile divorce — her first marriage to Nick Lachey ended in 2005 after three years.

The Weeknd canceling show amid LA fires as the Grammys vows to go on

By ADAM S. LEVY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and CARLY JOHNSON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

The Weeknd, amid the ongoing Los Angeles fires, has canceled a January 25 concert at the Rose Bowl and delayed by a week the release of his album Hurry Up Tomorrow.

The 34-year-old singer-songwriter addressed 76 Instagram million followers in a post Monday.

‘Hurry Up Tomorrow: Out of respect and concern for the people of Los Angeles County, the Rose Bowl show has been cancelled and the album date has been postponed to 01.31.25,’ he said.

In a second slide, he expounded on his decisions to push back both the show and album release date.

‘This city has always been a profound source of inspiration for me, and my thoughts are with everyone impacted during this difficult time,’ said the Blinding Lights artist, born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye.

He continued: ‘In light of this, I have also decided to push the release of my album to January 31st. My focus remains on supporting the recovery of these communities and aiding its incredible people as they rebuild.’

The Weeknd, 34, amid the ongoing LA fires, has canceled a show and delayed by a week the release of his album Hurry Up Tomorrow. Pictured in 2023 in Cannes, France

The Weeknd called off January 25 concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, pictured January 8 amid the blazes

The Weeknd wrapped up the posting with the sign-off, ‘With love, Abel.’

Other performers who have postponed shows amid the deadly blazes include Rod Wave, Bad Bad Hats and Cody Fry with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Rolling Stone reported Monday.

Read More Hollywood stars whose homes have burned to the ground as devastating LA wildfires destroy California

Hurry Up Tomorrow is the third act in a trilogy that commenced with 2020’s After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM. He has put out three music videos in promotion of the record: Dancing in the Flames; Timeless, a collab with Playboi Carti; and São Paulo, a collab with Anitta.

A ‘musically driven psychological thriller’ under the same title will be released May 16, with Trey Edward Shults directing and starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan.

The Weeknd made his statement as an organization he has past been at odds with – Recording Academy – reiterated they are continuing with plans to commence with the 67th Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles on February 2, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Recording Academy officials Harvey Mason Jr. and Tammy Hurt said the ceremony will be ‘in close coordination with local authorities to ensure public safety and responsible use of area resources,’ the newspaper reported after reviewing a letter.

Mason and Hurt said that ‘this year’s show, however, will carry a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours.

‘The Grammys will not only honor the artistry and achievements of our music community but also serve as a platform to amplify the spirit of resilience that defines this great city of Los Angeles.’

The singer-songwriter addressed 76 Instagram million followers in a post Monday

In a second slide, he expounded on his decisions to push back both the show and album release date

The Weeknd made his statement as an organization he has past been at odds with – Recording Academy – reiterated they are continuing with plans to commence with the 67th Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles on February 2, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Recording Academy officials Harvey Mason Jr. and Tammy Hurt said the ceremony will be ‘in close coordination with local authorities to ensure public safety and responsible use of area resources,’ the newspaper reported after reviewing a letter.

Read More ‘I will do better… but not for you’: The Weeknd SLAMS his ‘confusing’ Grammys snub and reveals his hopes for children after giving up drugs

Mason and Hurt said that ‘this year’s show, however, will carry a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours.

‘The Grammys will not only honor the artistry and achievements of our music community but also serve as a platform to amplify the spirit of resilience that defines this great city of Los Angeles.’

The Recording Academy’s philanthropic division, MusiCares, has made a $1 million donation via its Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort, to aid people in the industry impacted by the blazes.

Mason and Hurt said that subsequent donations to come in generated an additional $2 million toward industry professionals ‘severely impacted’ by the events of the past week in Southern California.

‘We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing ongoing assistance,’ Mason and Hurt said. ‘Our organizations exist to serve music people because music is a powerful force for good in the world, and we hope the broader industry will now rally to this cause.’

Officials Monday said the death toll had reached at least 24 people, according to the AP, adding that the total number of victims was expected to increase amid ongoing missing persons searches.

The artist said, ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow: Out of respect and concern for the people of Los Angeles County, the Rose Bowl show has been cancelled’

The Weeknd pictured in 2016 in LA after winning a pair of Grammys

Officials on Monday said that the Palisades Fire was 11 percent contained, while the Eaton Fire was 27 percent contained, after having decimated an estimated area eclipsing 62 square miles.

The National Weather Service said in red flag warnings that 50 mph winds will continue to aggravate conditions from Monday to Wednesday, with an expected peak on Tuesday.

Read More The Weeknd wins a Grammy for best melodic rap performance despite boycotting the award show

On Monday, President Joe Biden urged Congress ‘to step up’ and earmark the tens of billions of dollars it will take to rebuild the affected areas. He said that the federal government plans to pay for expenses over the next 180 days.

The president said at the White House that firefighters and first responders were ‘the angels’ amid their efforts to douse the blazes, while Vice President Kamala Harris said the aftermath of the fires were ‘truly heartbreaking.’

The Weeknd famously called the Grammys ‘corrupt’ after learning that his critically-acclaimed album After Hours had been snubbed in every category at the 2021 ceremony.

He stated his past wins ‘mean nothing to [him]’ as he spoke candidly about his Grammys gripe in a January 2021 interview with Billboard.

‘Look, I personally don’t care anymore. I have three Grammys, which mean nothing to me now, obviously,’ The Weeknd

The Weeknd first graced the Grammy Awards stage in 2016 as he accepted the gong for Best Urban Contemporary Album for Beauty Behind The Madness, as well the award for Best R&B Performance for Earned It.

A general view of destroyed houses in a neighborhood that was destroyed by the Eaton Fire which remains without electricity or water Sunday in Altadena, California, which is about five miles away from the Rose Bowl

The Weeknd used Instagram on the day of the 2021 Grammy nominations to claim that the Grammys are a ‘corrupt’ award show, while also encouraging them to be transparent with their nominees, honorees, and audience

Following the successful release of his third studio album Starboy, he earned the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album for a second time during the 2017 ceremony.

The Weeknd also took home the Best Urban Contemporary Album for Starboy in 2018.

In his discussion with Billboard, The Weeknd wanted to clarify that his Instagram post calling out the Grammys was not a temper tantrum, but more of a cry for justice.

‘It’s not like, “Oh, I want the Grammy!”‘ he said. ‘It’s just that this happened, and I’m down to get in front of the fire, as long as it never happens again. I suck at giving speeches anyways. Forget awards shows.’

Reflecting on the months before his now infamous snub, The Weeknd insisted that he and his team ‘did everything right’ and that the critical and public reaction to After Hours suggested he would be an obvious Grammy frontrunner.

‘We did everything right, I think. I’m not a cocky person. I’m not arrogant,’ the Starboy singer insisted. ‘People told me I was going to get nominated. The world told me. Like, “This is it; this is your year.” We were all very confused.’

The Weeknd used Instagram on the day of the 2021 Grammy nominations to claim that the Grammys are a ‘corrupt’ award show, while also encouraging them to be transparent with their nominees, honorees, and audience.

‘You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…’ wrote the star, who shared the post with his 28.2 million followers on November 24, 2020.

The Weeknd’s very public criticism also came amid reports that contentious negotiations with Grammy organizers may have led to him being shut out of nominations.

Recording Academy interim chief Harvey Mason, jr. responded to the singer’s public complaints in a statement to Rolling Stone in November of 2020.

‘We understand that the Weeknd is disappointed at not being nominated,’ he said. ‘I was surprised and can empathize with what he’s feeling.

‘His music this year was excellent, and his contributions to the music community and broader world are worthy of everyone’s admiration.’

Mason continued: ‘We would have loved to have him also perform on the Grammy stage the weekend before’ the Super Bowl.] Unfortunately, every year, there are fewer nominations than the number of deserving artists.’

The Weeknd won his fourth Grammy in April of 2022 at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in Las Vegas in the category for Best Melodic Rap Performance for Hurricane, but did not attend the show to accept.

Tony Slattery, Actor and Comedian Known for ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?,’ Dies at 65

Tony Slattery, Actor and Comedian Known for ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?,’ Dies at 65

Ellise Shafer

January 14, 2025 at 3:39 PM

Tony Slattery, a British actor and comedian known for his improv skills on Channel 4’s “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” died on Tuesday. He was 65.

Slattery’s longtime partner, Mark Michael Hutchinson, confirmed the news to the BBC and said the cause of death was a heart attack. “It is with great sadness we must announce actor and comedian Tony Slattery, aged 65, has passed away today, Tuesday morning, following a heart attack on Sunday evening,” Hutchinson said in a statement.

Slattery was a regular on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” which features performers playing short-form improvisation games based on suggestions from a live audience, from 1988 to 1995. He also held roles in films like comedies “How to Get Ahead in Advertising” (1989) and “Peter’s Friends” (1992), as well as crime thriller “The Crying Game” (1992).

Born on Nov. 9, 1959 in Stonebridge, North London, Slattery got his start in theater while studying at the University of Cambridge. It was there that he met Stephen Fry, who invited him to join the student sketch comedy group the Cambridge Footlights. During his time in the group, of which he eventually became president, Slattery’s contemporaries included Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson, Sandi Toksvig, Jan Ravens and Richard Vranch.

Slattery’s TV breakout came in 1983 on Chris Tarrant’s late-night comedy show “Saturday Stayback,” where he became a regular performer before gaining recognition on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” in 1988. In the ’90s, he also guested on the comedy panel show “Have I Got News for You” and quiz program “Just a Minute.” He presented his own film criticism show, “Saturday Night at the Movies,” and appeared in sitcoms such as “That’s Love” and “Red Dwarf.” From 1993 to 1994, he hosted “Trivial Pursuit” on the Family Channel.

Slattery made his last regular appearance on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” in 1995, and kept a low profile over the next decade due to health issues. In 2005, his career began to pick up again, and he made appearances in the TV film “Ahead of the Class” as well as ITV drama series “Bad Girls” and “Life Begins” and was cast in the soap “Coronation Street.” He was also a regular on the ITV series “Kingdom” through 2009. In 2011, he participated in a “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” reunion special.

His last TV appearance was in 2020, when he featured in BBC’s “Horizon” series to examine his mental health, childhood trauma and struggle with addiction. Slattery had been open about this in the past, discussing the “mid-life crisis” that ensued after leaving “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” during which he struggled with cocaine and alcohol addiction and was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Slattery is survived by Hutchinson, his partner of nearly four decades.

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Woman Gets Defrauded Of $850,000 By AI Brad Pitt In Romance Scam

A French woman, Anne, was scammed out of hundreds of thousands of dollars after being tricked into believing she was in a relationship with Hollywood actor Brad Pitt.

The scam began with messages from accounts posing as Pitt and his mother, using AI-generated images of the actor to build trust.

The fraudster claimed Brad Pitt needed money for cancer treatment, exploiting Anne’s vulnerability, who, despite warnings, continued sending money until realizing the deception.

A French woman was scammed out of hundreds of thousands of pounds after being tricked into believing she was dating Brad Pitt.

The 53-year-old victim, identified as Anne, was deceived into sending €830,000 ($850,000), supposedly to support the actor’s cancer treatment.

According to the Daily Mail, Anne, an interior designer, shared with French network TF1 that the scam began when she received a message on social media from someone claiming to be Pitt’s mother.

This followed her posting photos from an extravagant ski holiday in Tignes on Instagram. The next day, another account, pretending to be the “Fight Club” actor himself, contacted her, claiming his mother had spoken highly of her.

Anne was struggling with personal issues in her marriage to a millionaire at the time, and by February 2023, she had developed a close connection with the impersonator.

The scammer sent her heartfelt poems and supportive messages, deepening her emotional attachment.

“There are so few men who write you this kind of thing. I liked the man I was talking to. He knew how to talk to women, it was always very well done,” Anne admitted in an interview with BFMTV.

Anne admitted she initially suspected the account might be fake, but after daily conversations and receiving AI-generated photos and videos of Pitt, her doubts gradually faded.

What began as a seemingly innocent friendship soon escalated when the impersonator proposed marriage and promised Anne luxurious gifts.

However, there was a catch — she needed to cover customs fees to receive these presents, which quickly amounted to €9,000.

Seeing Anne’s willingness to send money, the scammer continued making increasingly outrageous demands.

When Anne confided that she was anticipating a hefty divorce settlement from her husband, the fraudster seized the opportunity.

Posing as Pitt, they claimed to be in urgent need of funds for kidney cancer treatment, alleging they couldn’t access their own money due to a divorce battle with actress Angelina Jolie.

To make the story more convincing, the scammer sent AI-generated images of Pitt appearing weak and bedridden in a hospital.

Despite their constant texting and photo exchanges, Anne noted that the impersonator was never available for a phone or video call.

Anne ultimately lost nearly one million euros to the elaborate scam. Despite repeated warnings from her daughter, she remained convinced of the relationship, insisting, “You’ll see when he’s here in person, then you’ll say sorry.”

Her belief only began to waver in the summer of 2024 when photos of the real Pitt with his girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, surfaced in the media.

Sensing her growing doubt, the scammers quickly sent Anne a fabricated news alert denying Pitt’s relationship with de Ramon, claiming he was secretly involved with a mysterious “very special person.”

The deception deepened when someone posing as an FBI agent contacted Anne, offering to rescue her from the scam for €5,000. Desperate for a solution, she sent the money.

Drained financially, Anne was forced to sell all her furniture and move in with a friend. In a final attempt to manage her spiraling situation, she launched an online fundraiser to cover mounting legal fees.

According to TF1, Anne attempted suicide three times before being admitted to a specialized clinic for severe depression.

Once Anne fully grasped the extent of the scam, she reported it to authorities, triggering an official investigation.

However, nearly two years later, it remains uncertain whether she has recovered any of her lost funds. BFMTV reports that Anne is still hospitalized, grappling with the devastating aftermath of the ordeal.

Public reaction to her story was mixed; some expressed sympathy, while others felt it was her fault for getting defrauded.

One user on X (formerly Twitter) commented, “Romance scams are the cruelest.”

Another shared, “I had a friend that went through a similar situation and received pictures like this, but it was Jensen Ackles needing $10,000 for surgery.”

Others were more critical, questioning how she didn’t verify the claims. Someone wrote, “She couldn’t have googled ‘Brad Pitt hospital’? There would have been at least one article.”

On the harsher side, one user remarked, “Honestly, if you fall for this thinking, Brad Pitt, of all people, is going to randomly DM you. You kinda deserve it.”

Another said, “I don’t know how people who are so stupid to get that much money.”

‘Dune: Part Two’ Leads Visual Effects Society Nominations

Other projects with multiple nods include “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” “The Wild Robot” and “Shōgun”

“Dune: Part Two” led all films in nominations for the 233 annual VES Awards, the Visual Effects Society announced on Tuesday. Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic received seven nominations in the VES Awards’ eight non-animated feature film categories, followed by “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” with six, “Better Man” with four and “Mufasa: The Lion King” with three.

In the Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature category, the category that corresponds most closely to Best Visual Effects at the Oscars, the nominees were “Better Man,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” “Mufasa: The Lion King” and “Twisters.”

All 10 of the films on the Oscars’ Best Visual Effects shortlist received VES nominations. In addition to the five nominees in the VES Outstanding Visual Effects category, “Civil War” and “Gladiator II” received two nominations and “Alien: Romulus,” “Deadpool & Wolverine” and “Wicked” each received one.

The VES Awards have 25 categories that cover photoreal and animated features, episodic work, commercials, games, and real-time, CG and student projects. The record for VES nominations is 14, which was set by “Avatar: The Way of Water” two years ago.

In the animated-feature categories, “The Wild Robot” led with five nominations. In the episodic categories, “Shōgun” and “The Penguin” led with four each.

The nominations were selected by VES members at 49 in-person and virtual panels that took place around the world in a continuous 30-hour period.

The winners will be announced at the VES Awards ceremony on Feb. 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Also at that ceremony, “Shōgun” actor-producer Hiroyuki Sanada will receive the VES Award for Creative Excellence; director and visual effects supervisor Takashi Yamazaki will receive the VES Visionary Award; and virtual reality pioneer Dr. Jacquelyn Ford Morie will receive the VES Georges Méliès Award.

Here is the full list of nominated films and projects. For a list of the nominated visual effects artists and craftsmen in each category, go to www.vesglobal.org.

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE

Fallout; The Head

House of the Dragon; Season 2; The Red Dragon and the Gold

Shōgun; Anjin

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew; Episode 5

The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power; Season 2; Eldest

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE

Expats: Home

Lady in the Lake; It Has to Do With the Search for the Marvelous

Masters of the Air; Part Three; The Regensburg-Schweinfurt Mission

The Penguin; Bliss

The Tattooist of Auschwitz; Pilot

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A SPECIAL VENUE PROJECT

D23; Real-Time Rocket

The Goldau Landslide Experience

MTV Video Music Awards; Slim Shady Live

Tokyo DisneySea; Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure

Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony; Run

OUTSTANDING CHARACTER IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT

Secret Level; Armored Core: Asset Management; Mech Pilo

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred; Neyrelle

Disney; Holidays 2024; Octopus

Ronja the Robber’s Daughter; Vildvittran the Queen Harpy

OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENT IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT

Dune: Prophecy; Pilot; The Imperial Palace

Dune: Prophecy; Two Wolves; Zimia Spaceport

Shōgun; Osaka

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power; Season 2; Doomed to Die; Eregion

OUTSTANDING CG CINEMATOGRAPHY

Better Man

Dune: Part Two; Arrakis

House of the Dragon; Season 2; The Red Dragon and the Gold; Battle at Rook’s Rest

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes ; Egg Climb

OUTSTANDING MODEL IN A PHOTOREAL OR ANIMATED PROJECT

Alien: Romulus; Renaissance Space Station

Deadpool & Wolverine; Ant-Man Arena

Dune: Part Two; The Harkonnen Harvester

Gladiator II; The Colosseum

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

Dune: Part Two; Atomic Explosions and Wormriding

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes; Burning Village, Rapids and Floods

Twisters

Venom: The Last Dance; Water, Fire & Symbiote Effects

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

Kung Fu Panda 4

Moana 2

The Wild Robot

Ultraman: Rising

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT

Avatar: The Last Airbender; Legends; Koizilla

Shōgun; Broken to the Fist; Landslide

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew; Pilot; Spaceship Hillside Takeoff

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power; Season 2; Shadow and Flame; Balrog Fire and Collapsing Cliff

Three Body Problem; Judgement Day

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN A FEATURE

Better Man

Dune: Part Two; Wormriding, Geidi Prime, and the Final Battle

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

The Wild Robot

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN AN EPISODE

Shōgun; Broken to the Fist; Landslide

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew; Episode 6; Jaws

The Boys; Season 4; Life Among the Septics

The Penguin; After Hour

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AWARD

Dune: Part Two; Nuke CopyCat

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga; Artist-driven Machine Learning Character

Here; Neural Performance Toolset

Mufasa: The Lion King; Real-Time Interactive Filmmaking, From Stage To Post

The Penguin; Phase Synced Flash-Gun System

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A STUDENT PROJECT

Dawn (entry from ESMA – École Supérieure Des Métiers Artistiques)

Student Accomplice (entry from Brigham Young University)

Pittura (entry from ARTFX – Schools of Digital Arts)

Courage (entry from Supinfocom – Rubika)

Rashida Jones, MSNBC President, Steps Down

The president of MSNBC, Rashida Jones, is stepping down from that position, the company said on Tuesday, a major change at the news network just days before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office.

Rebecca Kutler, senior vice president of content strategy at MSNBC, will succeed Ms. Jones as interim president, effective immediately. Ms. Jones will stay on in an advisory role through March.

“Rebecca is the ideal leader to guide us through this moment, and I look forward to collaborating with her as we shape our collective future together,” Mark Lazarus, the chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group, said in a note to staffers.

Ms. Jones’s exit comes amid industrywide pressure for the cable news industry, which has seen declining ratings after the U.S. presidential election. MSNBC has been the second most-watched cable network during that period, ahead of CNN but behind longtime ratings leader Fox News.

Executives at the network are hopeful that audiences will return as Mr. Trump takes office and viewers seek to dissect his early policy moves. On Monday, the company announced that Rachel Maddow, its most popular host, would temporarily return to broadcasting her one-hour show every weeknight at 9 p.m. Eastern for Mr. Trump’s first 100 days in office.

MSNBC is among a bundle of cable channels that its parent company, Comcast, is planning to spin out later this year into a new company. CNBC, another news channel in Comcast’s cable portfolio, is also being spun out, along with entertainment networks like USA and Syfy.

Ms. Kutler is a cable news executive with experience in the streaming business. Before joining MSNBC in 2022, Ms. Kutler was a key architect of CNN+, the ambitious streaming news service that was shut down by Warner Bros. Discovery that year.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

From Shadows to Hope: Navigating Tragedy, Health Breakthroughs, and Economic Challenges in Modern Life

In the complex tapestry of modern life, where human resilience meets scientific ingenuity, the narrative of health and survival unfolds with both somber echoes and hopeful whispers. Recent events tug at the fragile ties of our existence, reminding us of life’s unpredictable trials while heralding breakthroughs that light the shadows.nnThe story begins in the tranquil town of Norwich, where the serenity of the River Wensum was abruptly shattered by a tragedy most perturbing. An Asian man in his 40s—slim, dressed in black North Face apparel and a wide-brimmed hat—met a mysterious end. Police were called as dawn barely broke, to find him plunged into the water under circumstances that remain unexplained. This haunting scene at the Novi Sad Friendship Bridge beckons for answers, leaving behind an air of sorrow and the urgency of unresolved questions.nnAs the resonance of this tragedy lingers, we turn our gaze from the riverbanks to the corridors of health research in the United States, where the unsparing threat of cognitive decline demands our attention. A vast study delves into the link between falls among the elderly and the looming specter of dementia—a correlation painting a troubling picture, yet one that offers a chance for crucial intervention.nnPhysician Alexander Ordoobadi posits that, “It is possible that falls serve as a sentinel event that marks a future risk for dementia,” urging a shift in our approach to both prevention and diagnosis. For those aged 65 and older, a fall could mean a 20% increased likelihood of developing dementia within a year—a statistic that cries out for a rethinking of emergency protocols and healthcare priorities, where cognitive screenings become an essential part of patient care.nnMeanwhile, in the realm of oncology, a promising horizon emerges. Durvalumab, marketed as Imfinzi, shines as a beacon of hope in the fight against muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Spearheaded by the University of Sheffield and Barts Cancer Institute, this immunotherapy drug, when paired with chemotherapy, promises to transform a diagnosis historically met with limited options.nnProfessor Syed Hussain, buoyed by the optimism of scientific progress, emphasizes the game-changing nature of these findings: “The magnitude of survival benefits seen will certainly be a game changer.” Among those touched by this breakthrough is Ian Flower, a participant in the NIAGARA trial, whose courageous involvement not only paves the way for his future but also opens possibilities for countless others.nnHowever, it’s not just in the realm of medical science that we find upheaval and hope. In kitchens across the nation, the seemingly mundane act of purchasing eggs has become an ordeal as prices ascend in the wake of relentless bird flu outbreaks. Jay Matteson, deputy CEO of Jefferson County Economic Development, attributes this to a dual onslaught of rising business costs and aggressive avian influenza, pushing the price of a dozen eggs up by 63% last year.nnThe avian influenza crisis, with its aggressive infection rate since 2016, forces poultry farmers to euthanize entire flocks—a grim but necessary measure to stem the virus’s spread. Yet, as the USDA continues its vigilant monitoring, consumers are urged to support local farms, a move that keeps communities resilient amidst economic pressures.nnIn stark contrast to the escalating price of eggs, the healthcare sector offers a vision of hope with advancements in Alzheimer’s treatment. Anavex Life Sciences, through its Phase IIb/III ATTENTION-AD trial, highlights blarcamesine as a beacon of progress for early Alzheimer’s disease, showing potential disease-modifying capabilities that offer a respite for patients.nnThe juxtaposition of these stories—of prices soaring and medical frontiers expanding—reflects the intricate dance between challenges and innovations that define our era. Whether it’s through the quiet resilience of local farmers or the determined pursuit of scientists, the narrative of our time continues to unfold, enriched by the human spirit’s ceaseless quest for betterment amidst adversity.

The Unexpected Surge: Bowel Cancer’s New Frontline in Under-50s

Bowel cancer, once predominantly the concern of those past the half-century mark, is now making its presence felt in surprising quarters. Recent studies have signaled an unsettling uptick in cases among the under-50 demographic — a trend that pricks at the edges of public health awareness and demands a reflective pause.

In the annals of medical research, numbers tell stories. One such narrative unveiled in 2019 revealed that in seven affluent nations known for their high bowel cancer rates, the incidence among those over 50 had stabilized or even tipped downward. This was the hopeful symphony of routine screening programs hitting the right notes — early detection before malignant notes could swing into full crescendo. Yet, the same study struck a discordant chord for younger adults, recording a rise in cases in every analyzed country. Taking Norway as a case in point, the risk of early-age rectal cancer for those born in 1990 soared by a staggering factor of five compared to those born in 1920.

Extending the geographical canvas — a subsequent, expansive study spanning 50 countries painted a similar picture. The specter of rising diagnoses was not just haunting Europe but also looming in Latin America, the Caribbean, and parts of Asia. What’s more perplexing is the concentration of this surge among the younger populace.

Experts point fingers at lifestyle and environmental shifts for this unsettling trend. A reflection on past socio-cultural shifts reveals some interesting parallels. Take, for example, the dramatic increase in bowel cancer rates among Japanese immigrants in the US back in 1968, compared to their counterparts back home. This divergence was largely attributed to a more Westernized lifestyle — a likely harbinger as economic tides transformed Japan’s dietary landscape, consequently placing it among the countries with one of the highest bowel cancer rates today.

The modern script of sedentary lifestyles and the fondness for nutritionally bankrupt, high-calorie foods can’t be ignored. The seeds of these habits were sown in the US and Europe during the 1970s, subsequently germinating in other regions as economic prosperity spread. Meanwhile, a sobering statistic looms — over 2.2 billion people worldwide are overweight, with 890 million categorized as obese, a scenario painting the canvas for more cancerous developments.

Obesity, particularly among the young, lays down metabolic changes that the body could do without — inflammatory states and hormonal imbalances that potentially flick cancer’s switch. Add to that the rising incidence of type 2 diabetes, another unwelcome companion linked to increased bowel cancer risks, and the picture becomes more troubling.

Let’s not overlook the gut microbiome, that bustling city of trillions of bacteria. The Western diet, it seems, has the tendency to disrupt this vital ecosystem, promoting harmful microbes while stifling their beneficial counterparts — a condition known as dysbiosis. Research hints that this microbial mayhem may have an even more pronounced effect on younger individuals, perhaps greasing the wheels for cancer’s advance.

On the home front, the NHS is making strides — albeit gradual — in expanding bowel cancer screening to the over-50s. By March’s end, those aged 50 and 52 will receive home test kits, with plans to bring in the next cohorts as they pass the threshold birthdays of 52 and 54. The rollout promises to extend the safety net to around 850,000 additional people annually, a significant step toward early detection and intervention.

One can’t ignore the lurking presence of PFAS, those notorious per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These have been implicated in a disturbing array of health issues, including various cancers. Research by the Keck School of Medicine of USC ties these chemicals to a 33% higher incidence of certain cancers, depending on sex-specific and geographic factors. As regulatory bodies like the EPA weigh in on control measures, the stakes remain high, especially with PFAS found in approximately 45% of US drinking water supplies.

The take-home message, despite the scientific veneer, is starkly clear — lifestyle choices wield considerable power in shaping cancer risks. For those keen on reducing exposure, the advice is simple yet profound: embrace a healthier diet, cut down on processed indulgences, say no to smoking, and keep the body moving. It’s time to write a new narrative, one where prevention plays the hero’s role.