“COPS” PULLED FROM AIR
LOS ANGELES (AP) — For decades, hearing the song “Bad Boys” reminded viewers of accused criminals arrested on the TV show “COPS.” But with a series of high-profile police misdeeds triggering protests around the country and the world, Paramount has decided to pull the plug on the reality show, which had been on for decades. “COPS” was suspended in the wake protests over George Floyd’s death. Now Paramount says the show is off its air for good. It is possible producers can find another network. But it’s unclear whether there will still be an audience for “COPS,” given the current fragile state of police-citizen relations.
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127010-w-347:76-(Oscar Wells Gabriel, AP entertainment correspondent, with TV theme)-"I'm Oscar Wells Gabriel"-'COPS,' on air for 33 seasons, dropped by Paramount Network (10 Jun 2020)
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127012-r-513:60-(Excerpt of "COPS" theme)-"music fades"-'COPS,' on air for 33 seasons, dropped by Paramount Network (10 Jun 2020)
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BRAVO OUSTS 4 FROM “VANDERPUMP RULES”
NEW YORK (AP) — They’ve apologized — but it wasn’t enough to save their jobs on the reality TV show “Vanderpump Rules.” Bravo has pink-slipped four cast members because of racial misdeeds. Two, Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute, reported a black former coworker for a crime she had nothing to do with. Two others, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni, were let go for using racial slurs in tweets.
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126959-v-359:76-(Oscar Wells Gabriel, AP entertainment correspondent)-"I'm Oscar Wells Gabriel"-4 'Vanderpump' cast members fired over race-related comments (9 Jun 2020)
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AMC, OTHER CHAINS READY TO REOPEN
UNDATED (AP) — When movie theaters reopen, will you be open to going? It’s a question to which the nation’s movie chains hope you will answer yes, despite concern over the coronavirus. Meanwhile theaters are pinning their hopes of luring you back to a pair of movies set for release next month. Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” is due out July 17 and a week later, Disney’s “Mulan” is expected to be released.
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127013-v-290:40-(Oscar Wells Gabriel, AP entertainment correspondent)-"I'm Oscar Wells Gabriel"-Movie theaters, shuttered for months, plan July reopening (10 Jun 2020)
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127015-c-240:72-(Oscar Wells Gabriel, AP entertainment correspondent)-"spaces like theaters"-Movie theaters, shuttered for months, plan July reopening (10 Jun 2020)
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HBO MAX REMOVES ‘GONE WITH THE WIND,’ WILL ADD CONTEXT
NEW YORK (AP) — HBO Max has temporarily removed “Gone With the Wind” from its streaming library in order to add historical context to the 1939 film long criticized for romanticizing slavery and the Civil War-era South.
In a statement, the AT&T-owned WarnerMedia, which owns HBO Max, called “Gone With the Wind” “a product of its time” that depicts racial prejudices.
Protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death have forced entertainment companies to grapple with the appropriateness of both current and past productions.
On Tuesday, the Paramount Network dropped the long-running reality series “Cops” after 33 seasons. The BBC also removed episodes of “Little Britain,” a comedy series that featured a character in blackface, from its streaming service.
AVA DUVERNAY JOINS FILM ACADEMY BOARD
UNDATED (AP) — Filmmaker Ava DuVernay has been elected to the film academy’s Board of Governors for the first time.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its new members Wednesday, which include the “Selma” filmmaker, “A Star is Born” producer Lynette Howell Taylor and casting director Debra Zane and has increased the number of women and people of color on the board.
Incumbent governors reelected include Whoopi Goldberg, “Dolemite Is My Name” screenwriter Larry Karaszewski and Participant Media CEO David Linde, among others.
In this election, the number of women on the board has increased from 25 to 26 and people of color from 11 to 12.
RECORDING ACADEMY MAKES GRAMMY CHANGES
NEW YORK (AP) — The Recording Academy is making changes to several Grammy Awards categories, including the often-debated best new artist title.
The academy is also having nomination review committee members sign disclosure forms to prevent conflicts of interest.
The new rules announced Wednesday will affect the 63rd annual Grammy Awards. The show will air live on Jan. 31, 2021.
In recent years the best new artist award has been scrutinized because the academy placed a song and album limit, disqualifying specific performers. Under the new rules there are no longer limitations on how many songs or albums an act releases.
RACISM DEFINITION REVISED
UNDATED (AP) — What is racism? Merriam-Webster has revised its definition of the word — after a Missouri woman said the entry needed tweaking. Because of emails sent by Kennedy Mitchum, the dictionary has expanded the definition of racism to include the systemic oppression of a group of people. The change has already been made online — and will be in the new print edition. The revision comes amid reaction to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer used his knee to pin his neck to the ground for nearly nine minutes, even as Floyd begged him to stop. He had been suspected of passing a counterfeit $20 bill.
by Oscar Wells Gabriel II
Follow Oscar Wells Gabriel II on Twitter at https://twitter.com/OWGabriel2