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☆ Jennifer Siebel Newsom, actor married to California governor, breaks down in tears at Harvey Weinstein's sex crimes trial
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | Daniel Arkin | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a documentary filmmaker and actor who is married to California Gov. I was a little hesitant,” Siebel Newsom testified. “Because you don’t say no to Harvey Weinstein,” Siebel Newsom said. "I’m trembling, I’m like a rock, I’m frigid," Siebel Newsom testified through sobs. If it is overturned, his fate would hinge on the outcome of his Los Angeles trial.

Dave Chappelle, hosting NBC's "Saturday Night Live" for the third time, kicked off the show with a roughly 15-minute monologue that tackled hip-hop artist Ye's antisemitic comments, the midterm elections and former President Donald Trump's political appeal. Chappelle mocked Ye as well as Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, who posted a link to an antisemitic movie on Twitter. "I've been to Hollywood, and this is just what I saw: It's a lot of Jews, like a lot," Chappelle said to laughter. In recent years, Chappelle has attracted intense scrutiny for his public comments about transgender people, particularly after Netflix released his most recent stand-up special, "The Closer." Four days later, Chappelle was physically attacked onstage at the Hollywood Bowl, charged and tackled by a man carrying a replica gun.

Americans named inflation and abortion as the most important issues driving their vote on Tuesday, according to the NBC News Exit Poll. Democrats care most about abortion rights, while Republicans are most concerned about inflation, according to the poll. Midterm voters are also continuing to feel pain at the pump as gas prices in the U.S. hover around $4 per gallon. More voters say Biden's policies are hurting than helpingBiden fell short in persuading voters of the merits of his administration's policies, according to the poll. Black voters are one of the few demographic groups where a majority (55%) say Biden's policies are helping the country.

Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery — although Twitter owner Elon Musk may not see it that way. The decisions to lock all three out of their Twitter accounts come as Musk, a self-proclaimed "free speech absolutist," draws intense scrutiny for how he handles speech issues on the platform. Griffin, Klein and Sommer all appeared to change their account names on their verified profiles to "Elon Musk" without indicating that they were parodying his account. As of Monday morning, many Twitter accounts still featured "Elon Musk" in their display names, while others added the "parody" disclaimer. In a caption to one of the screenshots, Klein wrote: "Comedy is dead elon musk killed it."

"Elon will own a company without employees," a source inside Twitter told CNBC. In an exchange at an investor conference Friday, Musk appeared to confirm that his team had laid off half the company's workforce, according to CNBC. Inside the company, anxieties about potential layoffs were swirling around even before Musk’s takeover was finished. However, Twitter’s general counsel urged workers not to dwell on rumors before Musk took the reins. Tech industry observers have raised concerns that he might loosen content moderation policies that limit hate speech and political disinformation.

Elon Musk seems determined to remake Twitter in his own image — with some help from the men in his trusted inner circle. They are joined in Musk’s orbit by Alex Spiro, a trial attorney with a roster of celebrity clients who reportedly led the first round of Twitter layoffs. Bloomberg reported Wednesday night that Twitter is preparing to eliminate about 3,700 jobs, or roughly half its workforce. Musk's personnel decisions suggest a possible road map for the future of Twitter, one in which policies and internal rules are drawn at least in part from the views of Musk’s consiglieres. Sacks, Calacanis, Spiro and Birchall did not immediately respond to questions about the company’s future and the nature of their roles there.

David Cruz, a spokesman for LULAC — the oldest Latino civil rights group in the United States — said a woman who joined the meeting claiming to represent the organization was "terminated" Oct. 22 and met with Musk "unlawfully." Johnson wrote and signed the letter along with the leaders of the National Urban League and the National Action Network, two of the most prominent civil rights groups in the country. "Her meeting with Mr. Musk was wholly unauthorized and breached our agreements and repeated notifications. Ms. Benavides is, in fact, a rogue, former respected leader who has decided to place herself above the organization that trusted her," Cruz added. The Dallas Morning News has reported that two factions inside LULAC have been vying for power in recent months.

Twitter's chief of safety and integrity on Monday night confirmed a news report saying that the company froze some employee access to internal tools used for content moderation after billionaire Elon Musk took over. Bloomberg, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, reported that employees still had access to content moderation tools to crack down on "high-impact violations" that would involve "real-world harm." Musk backed Roth’s statement, delivering him a public vote of confidence at a particularly crucial moment for the company’s moderation effort. Twitter's new approach to content moderation also looms over the 2024 presidential contest and former President Donald Trump's possible bid for the Republican nomination. Trump frequently violated the company's policies before he was barred from the platform two days after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter has some in Hollywood heading for the exit. Bye," Rhimes tweeted to her nearly 2 million Twitter followers on Saturday afternoon, two days after the billionaire tycoon closed his $44 billion deal to purchase the service. Here's a running list of other folks from the overlapping worlds of television, movies, music and sports who say they plan to leave. Sara BareillesThe Grammy-winning singer/songwriter tweeted to her nearly 3 million followers on Sunday: "Welp. I’m coming off Twitter today—let’s see where we are when the dust settles."

Va. governor, reacting to the attack on Pelosi’s husband, tells GOP voters 'we're going to send her back to be with him'Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, brought up the attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband during a campaign rally. Youngkin, speaking at a rally Friday for GOP congressional candidate Yesli Vega, said voters were fed up with Democratic leaders and then briefly mentioned the violent assault. "Speaker Pelosi's husband — they had a break-in last night in their house, and he was assaulted. "This is a disgusting, vile, and crass comment by Governor Youngkin," McEachin tweeted, adding, "This reprehensible behavior is beneath the dignity of his office."

Jerry Lee Lewis, the rock ’n’ roll trailblazer and piano virtuoso who electrified audiences with his raucous, free-wheeling performances but attracted scandal after he married his 13-year-old cousin, died Friday, his publicist said. Jerry Lee Lewis in 1957. He is a defiant, reckless, indefatigable wild man that can rock you into oblivion,” the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame said when he was inducted in 1986. Jerry Lee Lewis with Myra Gale Brown in 1962. Jerry Lee Lewis performs in 1986.

The New York Post's verified Twitter account was hacked Thursday morning, resulting in a series of vulgar tweets designed to look like real headlines. In tweets that have since been removed, hackers posted fake headlines that referred in offensive terms to New York Gov. In an email, a spokeswoman for the Post confirmed the publication’s Twitter account was hacked and said the company was “investigating the cause.”The Post is one of New York City's quintessential daily tabloids, known for eye-catching headlines and conservative-leaning editorials. The employee added that the person who compromised the Post's feed seemed very familiar with the publication's editorial style. The newspaper's website appeared to be functioning normally after the profane tweets were deleted.

☆ Jules Bass, producer and director known for ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ and ‘Frosty the Snowman,’ dies at 87
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The three prominent holiday specials, “Rudolph,” voiced by Burl Ives, “Frosty” starring Jackie Vernon and Jimmy Durante and “Santa Claus,” voiced by Fred Astaire and Mickey Rooney, all debuted during the 1960s and 1970s. NBCUniversal via Getty ImagesBass was known for his longstanding creative partnership with director Arthur Rankin Jr., who died in 2014 at 89. Bass and Rankin’s first production was a syndicated television series titled “The New Adventures of Pinocchio,” which premiered in 1960. In addition to numerous holiday specials, they served as producers of series including “Thundercats” and “The Jackson 5ive” animated series. The January death of Bass’ daughter, Jean Nicole Bass, preceded his own.

The jury in Kevin Spacey's sexual abuse trial found that the Oscar-winning actor is not liable for battery against “Star Trek: Discovery star” Anthony Rapp. Rapp alleged that Spacey climbed on top of him at a party in New York City in 1986, when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26. “I didn’t ask for him to do that,” he told jurors, referring to Spacey’s alleged sexual advance. Rapp alleged that sometime after that evening, Spacey invited him to a party at his apartment. Rapp testified that he did not recognize anyone at the party, so he went into a bedroom to watch television.

☆ Kevin Spacey denies Anthony Rapp's allegation and testifies about 'terrifying' upbringing as the son of a 'neo-Nazi'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | Daniel Arkin | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

In a significant development Monday, the judge overseeing the trial tossed out Rapp's claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan said that claim "repeats and re-alleges" Rapp's allegation of battery. The actor testified that he "certainly had a degree of shame" about being gay because he grew up with his father's hateful views. Spacey is expected to rebut Rapp's allegation of sexual misconduct on Monday afternoon following a roughly hour-long lunch break. Rapp testified that Spacey invited him to a party at his apartment.

Rapp, watching Spacey accept his prize, threw a pencil at the screen, he testified this week. Spacey’s lawyers have tried to convince the jury of six men and six women that Rapp fabricated his claim in large part because he was bitterly envious of their client's success. Rapp, they contend, desperately wanted Spacey’s career: the hit films, the plum roles, the two Oscars. But through the first five days of the trial in downtown Manhattan, Rapp’s alleged jealousy has been a recurring and striking theme. “I wanted my career.”Warrington Parker, a San Francisco trial attorney, and Danny Cevallos, an NBC News legal analyst, both described the jealousy argument as a high-risk bet for Spacey’s lawyers.

Rocchio testified that Rapp "did suffer emotional distress, assuming this occurred." She told jurors that Rapp experienced feelings of "shame, guilt and self-blame" as an adolescent. Rapp testified on Wednesday that the alleged encounter with Spacey was "the most traumatic single event of my life" and caused "lingering impacts." Rocchio recalled that Rapp told her he was having trouble remembering his lines of dialogue at some point in 2019. "One of the ways he tried to avoid thinking about things was to throw himself into his work," Rocchio testified.

"Star Trek: Discovery" actor Anthony Rapp testified Wednesday that the moment Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey allegedly climbed on top of him at a New York City party in 1986 was "the most traumatic single event of my life" and caused "lingering impacts." Rapp was 14 at the time of the alleged encounter and Spacey was 26. Rapp testified that at some point, an apparently drunk Spacey entered the room, lifted him up, placed him on a bed and rested his body on top of him. "I never wanted Kevin Spacey's career," Rapp told jurors. Rapp testified that he has shared his Spacey allegation with friends over the years, but he does not know "the number" of people he has told.

Spacey then came in and invited Rapp and Barrowman to dinner at a casual restaurant nearby, Rapp testified. Rapp testified Tuesday that he has no recollection of that visit. Rapp testified that he went on to see six other Spacey movies, including "The Usual Suspects," "L.A. Rapp testified that he shared his allegations privately with at least five friends over the years, including Barrowman. Rapp testified that he was not involved in the publication process and did not see a draft of the article before it was published.

School-age kids added violent lyrics to the “Barney & Friends” theme song. “Parents admit to a cordial dislike of the saccharine saurian, and no self-respecting second-grader will admit to liking Barney.”Barney on "Barney And Friends" in 1992. In a phone interview last week, West (who appears in the docuseries) reflected on the success of “Barney & Friends” and offered a few theories on why Barney proved to be such a lightning rod. My agent recommended me to Dennis DeShazer, who was one of the producers of “Barney & Friends.” I auditioned with a lot of other folks. Barney voice actor Bob West.

LOS ANGELES — Painful memories of a violent and chaotic past were resurrected this week for many Iranian Americans watching from afar as protesters flooded the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities following the death of Mahsa Amini. Her death has sparked outrage across Iran and waves of protesters clashed with Iranian security forces this week. The deadly unrest has been documented on social media and triggered demonstrations in other parts of the world, including in Los Angeles, home to the largest Iranian population outside Iran. Gladkikh was born and raised in Southern California after her family fled Iran in the 1990s. Iranian officials are investigating after they said Amini had a pre-existing condition and suffered a heart attack while in custody.

☆ CNN's Christiane Amanpour says she pulled out of interview with Iran's president after he demanded she wear a headscarf
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | Daniel Arkin | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour said Thursday that she backed out of an interview with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi after one of his aides said it would not happen unless she wore a headscarf. “I politely declined,” Amanpour wrote. I pointed out that no previous Iranian president has required this when I have interviewed them outside Iran." “The aide made it clear that the interview would not happen if I did not wear a headscarf,” she wrote. The interview didn’t happen,” Amanpour wrote in the Twitter thread’s concluding post.

Eight years after the show’s debut, the podcast circuit across all storytelling genres has never been more crowded or competitive. But in today’s oversaturated market, could any one show prove to be as singularly culture-shaping — influential enough to help free an imprisoned person? “I remember a time when I could keep up on new podcast series, but nowadays that seems virtually impossible,” he added. Cindy Ord / Getty Images file“Serial” is not the only podcast to have helped put more focus on a possible miscarriage of justice. In the years since, the stylistic tropes of true-crime podcasting have become all too easy to satirize.

WINDSOR, England — Prince William, Prince Harry and their spouses reunited at Windsor Castle on Saturday afternoon, appearing to put aside their rift to pay tribute to their late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Princes William and Harry, as well as Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, paused at a large flower memorial for the queen, stopping to read handwritten notes and admire the bouquets that mourners had left throughout the day. Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, left, and Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, view the floral tributes for the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Windsor Castle, in Windsor, England, on Saturday. Prince William, left, and Prince Harry talk after viewing the floral tributes for the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, on Saturday. She didn't reveal who made the comments as it would be “very damaging to them.”The couple had frequently criticized media tabloids over their coverage of Meghan.

Supporters of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act — or PACT Act — overwhelmingly expected the House-passed bill to sail through to the president's desk for signature. The PACT Act would have expanded VA health care eligibility to more than 3.5 million post-9/11 combat veterans who were exposed to toxins while serving in the military. When the bill returned to the Senate, the bill had not changed much but the view — and vote — of 25 senators did. "But what is shocking is that so many senators would literally be willing to play with veterans’ lives so openly like this." Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., speaks at a news conference about the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act in Washington on Thursday.

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