You can’t keep a beloved news team down, even after more than a decade since being yanked off the air in a move that stunned fans and local TV newsrooms.
For almost 20 years, KTTV Fox 11’s “Good Day L.A.” was hosted by Steve Edwards, Dorothy Lucey and Jillian Barberie, becoming a dominant fixture in the fiercely competitive morning show arena. The show’s popularity for a time outdistanced network morning shows and crosstown rivals “The KTLA Morning News.”
The trio’s freewheeling banter spiced with humorous mayhem and mischief enchanted legions of viewers while bringing freshness to the familiar formula of news, weather and sports. The distinct personalities meshed effortlessly — veteran newsman Edwards, relentlessly upbeat co-host Lucey and fiery weather reporter Barberie, who injected the proceedings with outrageous, at times crass comments along with declarations that “my breasts are real.”
An undercurrent of friction brought an edge to the breezy vibe, with Edwards often acting as the awkward buffer between Lucey and Barberie, who did little to disguise their dislike of each other. Barberie would go on to bash Lucey on Howard Stern’s radio show, calling her “very Christian and Bible-thumpy.” Lucey was frequently distraught by Barberie’s “mean.”
But that winning combination was broken up starting in May 2012, when Lucey was fired as part of a show revamp. Barberie was let go four months later after declining a demotion. And after continuing with other co-hosts, Edwards vanished from the show in December 2017 after allegations of sexual harassment, but there was never an official explanation from him or management about the reason for his departure. The exits sparked a wave of protests from viewers and celebrities, including Suzanne Somers, Piers Morgan and Simon Cowell of “American Idol.”
Dorothy Lucey, left, Steve Edwards and Jillian Barberie in 2001 on the set of Fox 11’s “Good Day L.A.”
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
But good days have returned for the former “Good Day L.A.” hosts. More than a decade after being let go, Edwards, Lucey and Barberie are fired up about their new venture.
The trio has reunited for “So Unanchored,” a weekly podcast fueled by spontaneous riffs on their years together, pop culture and their deep friendship. As they did on “Good Day L.A.,” they consistently interrupt one another and the chatter careens from one topic to the next without a breath. Complete sentences are rare.
“We have not missed a beat,” Edwards said as he, Lucey and Barberie relaxed in an office lounge after a recent taping. “It’s the most effortless thing. It makes us very happy when we get together. There’s an endorphin thing going on.”
“And we like each other more,” added Lucey.
They will tape a special live episode Wednesday at 11 a.m.. New episodes usually appear on Fridays.
The shattering of the “Good Day L.A.” team was particularly traumatic for Barberie, the breakout star of the trio. In addition to getting divorced after the Fox 11 job, she was later sideswiped by financial woes and a devastating health scare.
“I lost my job, got divorced and got cancer all at the same time,” said Barberie, her voice cracking as she sat near Edwards and Lucey in the lounge. “The fact that these two were a constant in my life during those 12 years when I was going through all those things is everything. I’m so grateful.”
Of course, there are major differences from their previous collaboration. While “Good Day L.A.” was broadcast at Fox 11’s massive West Los Angeles studio, “So Unanchored” is a no-frills affair staged at a Canoga Park office park.
The hosts sit in a small office, backed by nondescript office furniture and a framed poster of the vintage “Please Stand By” image broadcast by stations when there were technical difficulties.
Lucey, left, Edwards and Barberie in the Canoga Park office where they tape their podcast, “So Unanchored.”
(Annie Noelker/For The Times)
On their initial podcast, Barberie made it clear that there is no love lost when it comes to her former employer.
“I don’t want anything associated with that show,” she said. “Let’s start fresh, man. They used us and they treated us like s— at the end. Who needs them? Goodbye!”
The other major shift is the relationship between Lucey and Barberie.
“Dorothy and I love each other now,” Barberie said on one episode.
Lucey: “We do. Because the last time you saw us, we really didn’t like each other.”
Barberie: “And Steve has never been happier.”
Edwards: “You two are like sisters. You used to be like brothers — Cain and Abel.”
Barberie: “And then something happened between the three of us that got her and I close, and then I got cancer. She took me to all of my surgeries and took care of me. I’m telling you, it’s a beautiful thing.”
Lucey: “We still hate Steve, though.”
Barberie: “We have that in common.”
The burying of the hatchet is a great relief for Edwards, who was troubled by the tension between his colleagues during their time on “Good Day L.A.”
Barberie pressed Edwards on their first podcast: “Be honest, Steve. Did you like it when we didn’t get along?”
Edwards: “Sometimes it would get ugly and my stomach would turn.”
On “So Unanchored,” Barberie has revived her loose cannon role in their dynamic, raw and unfiltered. She will tear up, and moments later throw her head back with an explosive laugh that bounces off the studio walls.
She detailed her wild lifestyle during her TV days: “From 34 to 40, I was single, had five TV jobs, partied like a rock star, dated anyone I wanted and made a s—load of money.”
Though she eventually landed a talk show on KABC-AM 790 after leaving Fox 11, hard times hit in 2019 as she tried to make ends meet while raising two children as a divorced mom battling cancer.
“When I lost everything, I literally collapsed on my money manager’s table. I was bald and I started crying,” she said.
She listed her ranch-style Tarzana home, which was featured in “MTV Cribs,” for $2.5 million in 2021. She currently rents “a beautiful little apartment way out in Thousand Oaks. I love it and my life is quieter.”
Barberie was more explicit on the podcast: “I haven’t dated in 10 years. I have no tinglies down there. I’m dead from the waist down. I don’t want to date. I don’t want a man, an ape beside me at night if I’m having a hot flash. I have no nipples. I have no desire to cook, sit and talk with you. I don’t care.”
Edwards: “So you’re saying there’s a chance.”
Since leaving “Good Day L.A.,” Barberie, left, and Lucey have developed a close friendship. Edwards, standing center, said, “You two are like sisters. You used to be like brothers — Cain and Abel.”
(Annie Noelker / For The Times)
Scott Sternberg, whose production company produces “So Unanchored,” said “Good Day L.A.” was a clear standout on the morning show spectrum.
“There was something different about ‘Good Day L.A.’ from the other shows,” Sternberg said in a phone interview. “Their personalities were all different, but they could finish each other’s sentences and were not afraid to say what they wanted to say. I felt if I could bring them back together, there would be a huge audience who remembered them fondly.”
Asked to define the magic of their chemistry, Edwards said it was not instantaneous.
“At the time, there were five morning shows, including the network,” he said. “It took years for our thing to happen, but when it did, it happened big. We could do no wrong for 10 years. The ratings were crazy good. There was a run for many years when we were No. 1. We made them a lot of money.”
He continued: “Success is based on the relationship between the people on the show and the audience. Once that is established, it doesn’t matter if the show is good or bad that day. I was going through a lot with these two [Lucey and Barberie], and the audience was doing it with us. But the suits don’t care about that.”
The first indication that the show was in trouble came in 2017, when a new management team initiated a revamp of the morning show.
Lucey wrote at the time in her blog “God and Gossip” that her new boss told her that her voice, which has a trace of raspiness, “made his eyes bleed. Not the crusty yucky pink eye. New guy was saying when I spoke I made his eyes bleed. I have read that can happen after you vomit. Now I could almost see my husband saying something like that to me … But from a new boss…”
But station executives did not express regrets about dismissing Lucey, saying in a statement after her ouster: “The revitalization of ‘Good Day L.A.’ has been refreshing.”
Months later, Barberie was approached about taking a reduced role as a field reporter. She turned it down. Edwards’ departure caused a bigger stir because it was so abrupt. KTTV would say only that he was no longer employed by the station.
“Fox never issued a statement, and I never issued a statement,” Edwards said. “Obviously there was not agreement on what happened.”
As they prepared to leave the lounge, the three hugged each other warmly and said they were looking forward to getting together the following week.
“There is one word for us being back together,” Barberie said. “Home.”
The U.K. electronic band Massive Attack has been banned from Singapore because of its pro-Palestinian activism onstage, the group said.
The group unfurled a Palestinian flag during a performance at the Star Theatre in Singapore on July 29. The band said police detained them after the show, and that an investigation led to the band being forbidden from performing in the country.
The nation of Singapore has strict laws against displaying foreign flags or national symbols without a permit.
Massive Attack, which consists of Robert “3D” Del Naja and Grant “Daddy G” Marshall, described the event as a “surreal experience” in a post on Instagram.
“We were surprised and disappointed that our entire band was detained by the police, isolated and separately questioned – with some members subjected to hotel room searches and temporary passport confiscation,” it read.
“Before we set foot on the stage and again at the end of the show, large sections of the auditorium organically led chants of ‘Free Palestine’, presumably aware but undeterred that this spontaneous expression alone could violate their government’s censorship laws.”
“For our part,” the statement continued, “we did not imagine that merely holding up the flag of a sovereign state recognised by 157 countries would violate any law.”
In a statement issued Saturday, cited by the Guardian, Singapore police and the local Infocomm Media Development Authority said that Del Naja and Marshall had been investigated for “their actions of support for a political cause and unfurling of a foreign flag,” violating Singapore’s Foreign National Emblems (Control of Display) Act and the Public Order Act.
The police said they “take a serious view of acts which could potentially harm the racial and religious harmony in Singapore and urge the public, including foreigners, to refrain from importing foreign politics as this can undermine our social cohesion and the rule of law.”
The statement said Del Naja and Marshall would “be banned from re-entering Singapore” and are forbidden from performing there again.
The band did not back down from its onstage gesture or its longstanding pro-Palestinian activism, stating that “On reflection, we are proud to have made this impromptu expression with our fans in Singapore who clearly felt a moral imperative to show solidarity with the people of Palestine in their ongoing reality of illegal occupation, apartheid and genocide, and we salute their courage in doing so. Right across the world, the continued inaction of the ‘international community’ is moving citizens to personal risk.”
Del Naja was recently arrested at a recent protest in support of the group Palestine Action in London.
Madison Square Garden. Decades before the July 3 wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce catapulted the venue into a new category of global prominence, the Manhattan arena loomed large as a symbol of success.
For the select list of comedians who have sold out the place, filling the arena is considered a pinnacle of achievement. It’s a triumph so encompassing that it inspired the central plot of the final season of “Hacks,” as Jean Smart’s veteran stand-up Deborah Vance demonstrates she’ll do just about anything to sell out the Garden — including putting herself in a glass cube above the Las Vegas Strip and almost perishing up there. “She needs a legacy-defining win, something that’s going to be the inarguable lead to her obituary,” says Paul W. Downs during a Zoom call with his “Hacks” co-creators Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky.
“With Deborah, she likes to go big and Madison Square Garden is big,” adds Statsky. “It’s a testament to what an iconic place it is because we were like, ‘There’s one option here and it’s MSG.’”
So what does it really take to sell out MSG? Back in the day, a comedian could go on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and become nationally known. Now, YouTube subscribers and TikTok followers are part of the equation, along with specials on Netflix, HBO and Hulu. The road to MSG is a long one, with few shortcuts. It usually begins with years of playing club dates, then theaters and larger arenas, creating demand. But the payoff is substantial: With 15,000 to 20,000 seats depending on the configuration, a single night can gross up to $3 million in ticket sales. Then, a streaming platform might fork over $5 million to $20 million for exclusive taped performance rights. Plus, there’s the unquantifiable: “Venues often come and go,” says Aniello, “but Madison Square Garden feels like forever. The name itself has remained protected as this kind of sacred thing.”
Only about 20 comedians have ever achieved the milestone, including the likes of Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, Chris Rock and Amy Schumer — the only woman in this elite group. The Envelope spoke to six of them to understand what it takes and how it feels to reach comedy’s Promised Land.
Max Amini
(Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)
Number of sellouts: 1 Date: Feb. 15, 2026 Max Amini Tour
“No one sells out Madison Square Garden alone. Behind every artist is an audience that believed before the rest of the world caught on, a family that sacrificed, a team that worked tirelessly. I’m incredibly proud of my team because they believed in this vision long before Madison Square Garden was even a conversation. One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is that success is never built by one person. It’s built by people who trust one another, challenge one another, and refuse to let each other settle for less than excellence.”
Nate Bargatze
(Jason Kempin / Getty Images)
Number of sellouts: 3 Dates: Sept. 26 and 27 (two shows), 2025 Big Dumb Eyes World Tour
“I believed I could make a career out of stand-up comedy when I was in my 20s, even when it sounded like a crazy thing to do. I was just hoping somebody would come to the show. You spend so many years doing clubs it’s hard to picture anything bigger than that, until it happens. … Selling out Madison Square Garden, let alone selling it out three times, wasn’t something I ever expected, but it was the result of believing in stand-up, believing people still want to get out of the house and laugh together, and believing in hard work each and every day.”
Dane Cook
(Jesse Grant / Getty Images)
Number of sellouts: 3 Dates: Nov. 12, 2006 (two shows) and Nov. 9, 2009 Rough Around the Edges Tour,Isolated Incident Tour
“When I think of history and legendary artists selling out, it’s the greatest honor of my career. To get to experience that even once, it’s an achievement that forever changes how your career is viewed. I’m standing backstage in the hallway looking at all the photos, it’s like getting an energy massage, realizing the history of this incredible edifice. In my quiet moment pre-show, realizing I’m in rare air, I wanted to enjoy it as much as possible. It is a privilege. When I let the crowd know we got there together, I can still feel the energy in my chest.”
Jim Gaffigan
(Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images for Bob Woodruff Foundation)
Number of sellouts: 1 Date: Dec. 12, 2015 Contagious Tour
“I never thought selling out MSG was a possibility. When I started stand-up it was an unrealistic goal for any comedian. Having lived in NYC for three decades, MSG had exceeded its legendary status for me. MSG is where I brought my kids to see the Knicks and Rangers play. It’s where I saw Bruce Springsteen. Pulling off a sellout seemed like a gamble but worth it. There is something special about an audience seeing you at MSG. I think people coming to the show understand there is a special-event status to a show at MSG.”
Matt Rife
(Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
Number of sellouts: 2 Dates: July 18 and 19, 2025 Stay Golden World Tour
“MSG is the top of the mountain. It symbolizes the pinnacle of ticket-selling success as a comedian. If you can sell out the world’s most famous arena, in the toughest city in America … you’ve made it. For me it was beyond a dream come true. Growing up I always thought selling out comedy clubs was the ceiling for success for stand-up comedians. I never thought I’d be one of them. To not only sell it out twice, but to be the youngest comedian to ever sell it out … it’s still hard to comprehend. It feels like a literal dream, that I can’t remember if it actually happened or not.”
Andrew Schulz
(Bryan Bedder / Getty Images for Food Bank for NYC)
Number of sellouts: 2 Dates: May 3 and 4, 2024 The Life Tour
“I am born and raised in NYC. My dad had so much respect for MSG he would make me wear a collared shirt whenever we stepped in that building. This place had holy significance to me before I knew I wanted to be a comic. Once I decided to make comedy my life I had one goal. It was to sell out MSG … wearing a collared shirt of course. I thought about walking onto that stage every single day for 17 years straight. And then it happened. Dreams do come true.”
One of the most read — and debated — stories from the Arts team this week was an interview with Oskar Eustis a day after he announced that he would step down as the artistic director of the Public Theater in 2028. The New York Times broke the news July 22 in an interview with Eustis in which he also said that the American nonprofit theater movement was over.
I followed up in a phone interview the next day and asked him to explain what he meant, which he did, noting that the broad consensus that nonprofit theater mattered to the country — a belief held by national endowments, state arts agencies, public policy institutes and corporate philanthropic departments — had disappeared. So, too, have many of those very same agencies and their budgets that provided funding to the arts. The case for sustaining any particular theater now comes down to that theater and how relevant and necessary it can make itself to its surrounding community, Eustis said.
There is never enough room in an article when you’ve had a good conversation with someone, so I thought I’d use the newsletter to publish a bit more of what Eustis shared with me. I was particularly interested in something he said about the Public’s famed Shakespeare in the Park program, which is free and takes place every summer at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Since its inception, more than 160 productions have been staged, reaching more than 6 million people.
The free tickets the Public gives away for these shows are “the prime driver of our income at the Public, and this has been true since our founding,” Eustis told me.
That may sound counterintuitive, but it goes directly to the case Eustis is making for modern nonprofit theaters to be as relevant as possible to their communities. Ticket sales will never bring in the kind of money theaters need to sustain a robust slate of diverse programming — that will always have to come from donors. These very same donors, Eustis said, are the ones who feel most excited to be sitting among the citizenry in Central Park, watching the beauty of public art unfold in a joyous communal atmosphere.
“It’s not just when they make a donation that they get to see the show,” said Eustis of uber-wealthy donors. “They absolutely viscerally feel that — sitting in that theater when 75% of the audience hasn’t paid a penny to be there — they are getting to be part of their dream city. They’re feeling, ‘Oh, this is what New York is supposed to feel like.’”
By giving away free Shakespeare in the Park tickets, Eustis said, the Public is “making an unbelievably powerful case for why we need subsidy … and that’s why the money comes, because we are [showing] that democratic access is more fun for a better city.”
I like the idea of free theater being more fun, and rich people paying for the privilege of being a part of that fun when it is so removed from their cordoned-off daily lives. But I do worry that so much of what we now rely on culturally comes down to the whims and fancies of a handful of ultra-rich patrons. Newspapers are run by them, public school art and music programs rely on them, as do museums, symphonies, ballets and operas.
As Eustis pointed out, these donors no longer represent a broad consensus that is channeled into a civic vision via government support, but that is precisely why the situation feels so precarious. We might be one serious AI-driven stock market crash from artistic oblivion.
I’m Arts editor Jessica Gelt staring gloomily into the distance. This is your arts and culture news for the week.
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The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY
“Ulises Carrión, a bookwork in many places” exhibition at Joan Los Angeles.
(Evan Walsh)
Ulises Carrión, a bookwork in many places The exhibition, in its final two weeks, examines the Mexican-born conceptual artist’s influence on reimagined systems of exchange through printed matter by artists, librarians, publishers and alternative spaces. The show focuses on Southern California in particular, spanning the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, featuring artist books, correspondence, video and ephemera. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays. Through Aug. 9. Joan, 1206 Maple Ave., Suite 715, Fashion District, downtown L.A. joanlosangeles.org
Puppet Up! Brian Henson’s adventurous stage show featuring improv and sketch comedy with the iconic Henson puppets and puppeteers is back for a limited eight-performance run. Also on tap is “A Conversation With Brian Henson,” a live presentation by the Emmy-winning producer, director and puppeteer about the rich history of the Jim Henson Company, 2 p.m. Sunday at the Montalbán. 8 p.m. Friday; 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday; 5 p.m. Sunday; 8 p.m. Aug. 7; 3 and 7 p.m. Aug. 8; and 5 p.m. Aug. 9. Ricardo Montalbán Theatre, 1615 Vine St. puppetup.com
Tchaikovsky Spectacular with Fireworks L.A.-based circus company Troupe Vertigo and the USC Trojan Marching Band join the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by France’s Chloe Dufresne, for the 1812 overture — with pyrotechnics. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com
SATURDAY
A scene from “Acquaprofonda” at the Aquarium of the Pacific.”
(Andres Leon for Long Beach Opera)
Acquaprofonda: A Deep-Sea Opera for Families Long Beach Opera Education collaborates with the Aquarium of the Pacific for this free, family-friendly, 30-minute adventure about a young girl who finds an ailing whale and stands up for what’s right. Music by Giovanni Sollima, libretto by Giancarlo De Cataldo and English libretto by Elle Moody. Noon and 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through Aug. 9. Aquarium of the Pacific, Honda Pacific Visions Theater, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach. longbeachopera.org
Boleros De Noche The 10th annual celebration of romance, nostalgia and cultural pride features Puerto Rican singer iLe and a special performance by the L.A.-based trio Voz Bohemia. 8 p.m. Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East. theford.com
Free 4 All Claremont Lewis Museum of Art opens its doors for this annual one-day takeover by local artists who will display their work with no fees to exhibit and no gatekeepers to choose whose work gets seen. With live music by the Kamran Curlin Trio, Home Again Home Again and Coupe Deville. 1-8 p.m. Claremont Lewis Museum of Art, 200 W. First St., Claremont. clmoa.org
People of Pompeii A new comedy by Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award-winning playwright Bernardo Cubría, co-directed by Ellen Geer and Xochitl Romero, is set in Topanga Canyon itself and focuses on community in a time of climate catastrophe. Through Oct. 4. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. theatricum.com
Two Gentlebots of Verona The annual Actors’ Gang Free Shakespeare in the Park for Families features a cyber-inspired Shakespeare adaptation by Rynn Vogel, directed by Adam J. Jefferis. 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through Aug. 23. Media Park, 9091 Culver Blvd., Culver City; noon, Aug. 29-30. Buena Vista Branch Library, 300 N. Buena Vista St., Burbank. theactorsgang.com
SUNDAY
Sidney Jacobs & the Monsters The jazz vocalist and his sextet perform original music with reimagined standards. 8 p.m. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. sierramadreplayhouse.org
St. Vincent with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra The six-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter guitarist goes orchestral with the HBO led by conductor Jules Buckley. 7 p.m. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com
TUESDAY
Louis Langrée The French conductor leads the L.A. Phil in works from Felix Mendelssohn and Joseph Haydn on Tuesday at the Hollywood Bowl; two nights later, Langrée returns with pieces by Johannes Brahms, Georges Bizet and Louise Farrenc. Mendelssohn & Haydn, 8 p.m. Tuesday; Brahms & Bizet, 8 p.m. Thursday. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com
“Saint Luke” from Irmengard Codex shortly after 1053. German. Tempera colors, gold, and ink on parchment 22.2 × 18.7 cm (8 3/4 × 7 3/8 in.)
(Getty Museum)
The Making of a Medieval Manuscript If you ever wondered how the beautiful manuscripts in the Getty’s extensive collection were created, this is the exhibition for you. Tools and materials used illustrate each phase of the process from parchment making, writing and illuminating through the final binding. Christian manuscripts from Europe, Armenia and Ethiopia, plus objects of Jewish and Muslim origin, will also be on display, along with a video component. Through May 2, 2027. Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Drive, L.A. getty.edu
WEDNESDAY
Kalean Ung as the Chanteuse in “The Comedy of Errors.”
(Mike Ditz)
The Comedy of Errors Melissa Chalsma directs Indie Shakes’ production of the Bard’s wordplay and slapstick set in a Mediterranean port town, with an original score. 7 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday; through Sept. 6. Old Zoo Picnic Area, Griffith Park. indieshakes.org/free-shakespeare-2026
THURSDAY
Annie and the Caldwells/The Campbell Brothers The Skirball concludes its 29th season of Sunset Concerts with this family-fueled pairing of disco soul and sacred steel gospel groups, respectively, plus DJ sets by Sonrisita. 7 p.m. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. skirball.org
JazzPOP 2026 The summer series marks its 19th season with three concerts showcasing West Coast creative jazz: Kasey Knudsen Sextet (Thursday); Malachi Whitson Quartet (Aug. 13); and Machado Mijiga Trio (Aug. 20). 8 p.m. Thursdays, through Aug. 20. UCLA Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. hammer.ucla.edu
— Kevin Crust
Retrospective
L.A. Times arts coverage from the the past …
Playwright/director Moises Kaufman of “The Laramie Project” was on the cover of Sunday Calendar, July 29, 2001.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
At the Heart of a Modern Tragedy
Sunday Calendar, July 29, 2001
NEW YORK — Moises Kaufman could not turn off the television. He could not put down the newspaper. Like much of America, he was mesmerized by the news of the horrific beating, robbery and eventual death in 1998 of Matthew Shepard, a gay university student attacked and left for dead by two young men near Laramie, Wyo.
“For the five days until he died, you couldn’t turn on a television or a radio and not hear about it,” says the 37-year-old playwright and director. “Matthew Shepard put a face on hate crimes. He was young, beautiful, starting his life. The nation as a whole said, ‘Oh, my God. What’s going on?’ ”
It was exactly the sort of question that Kaufman and his colleagues at the Tectonic Theater Project here try to ask, if not answer, onstage. So unlike much of America, Kaufman did not simply move on to the next news tragedy. The man who created the widely produced “Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde” had found his next theater project. READ MORE
— Barbara Isenberg
Culture news and the SoCal scene
Artist Betye Saar visits her pet tortoise named Ms. Rojo on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Los Angeles.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Pioneering Los Angeles assemblage artist Betye Saar died Sunday, just a few days shy of her 100th birthday. The Times had the privilege of profiling her a few weeks earlier in a story that also included some wonderful photos of Saar still hard at work in her Laurel Canyon home studio. After Saar’s death, we published an obituary written by former Times columnist Carolina Miranda, and I put together a list of five of Saar’s most compelling works.
Watts Towers is poised to break ground in October on a $22-million campus renovation — the first such work done to the arts campus since it opened in 1970. The work is set to begin as funding for a 15-year project to preserve the towers themselves has dried up, with work about 90% complete. Community leaders say the situation represents the frustrating piecemeal approach taken over the years to preserve one of the city’s most important cultural landmarks. Times contributor Jane Horowitz has the scoop.
Evan Lugo (George Page), Sonya Cooke (Margaret Page), Zane Caputo (Abraham Slender), Zach Trent (Skateboard Fenton) and Heriberto Cruz Jr. (Doctor Cayo) in “The Merry Wives of Windsor Cove.”
(Elijah Waller)
“The Merry Wives of Windsor’” got a ’50s-themed SoCal beach blanket bingo musical makeover at UC Irvine’s New Swan Shakespeare Festival, and Times theater critic Charles McNulty was there to weigh in on the result. “The pastiche score, indebted to the pop charts of the 1950s, isn’t allowed to dominate,” McNulty writes. “As modern musicals go, this is a low-key affair. The comedy is still the thing in this frolicsome outdoor production, which takes place in the charming ambiance of the festival’s portable, mini-Elizabethan venue.”
McNulty also took time to praise the work of stellar older actors in a rare revival of Nöel Coward’s “Waiting in the Wings,” which is running in repertory at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum through Oct. 10. The play, “which is set in ‘The Wings,’ a charity home for retired actresses, provides a feast for veteran thespians for whom it would be impolite to ask their age,” writes McNulty. “Led by Susan Angelo, Jan Wikstrom and Ellen Geer, this ensemble, under the direction of Willow Geer, diverts and distracts from the mustier aspects of Coward’s style.”
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art announced its inaugural film programming, which is set to screen nonstop during museum hours in two dedicated 299-seat theaters. One theater will play mostly documentary films, and the other will be devoted to the more experimental aspects of the art form.
Alaska Thunderf— will play Mary Todd Lincoln in “Oh, Mary!” at the Ahmanson.
(Daniel Rampulla)
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Alaska Thunderf— will play Mary Todd Lincoln in Cole Escola’s Tony-winning comedy “Oh, Mary!” when it arrives at Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre in the fall. Broadway star J. Harrison Ghee has been cast opposite Alaska in the role of her famous husband.
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Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block performs during Audacy’s 11th annual We Can Survive at Prudential Center on Sept. 28, 2024, in Newark, N.J.
(Manny Carabel / Getty Images for Audacy)
The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts announced some additions to its 2026-2027 season, including the world premiere of a new play, “Radio Galaxy,” written by Michèle Aldin Kushner, directed by Kimberly Senior and starring Joey McIntyre (yes, that Joey McIntyre) and Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita. The show is about a 17-year-old from a working-class New Jersey town who wants to become an astronomer but must deal with the harsh realities of daily life, including his half-sister’s need for a bone marrow transplant. The show is scheduled for 18 performances in the Lovelace Studio Theater Nov. 6-22. Tickets are available here.
A few reduced-rate spots remain for Camp Build at the Gamble House in Pasadena, which runs from Aug. 1 to 5 for three hours each day. Two hours are devoted to learning the art and craft of woodworking, and a third hour is spent on activities inspired by nature and architecture in the historic home. The cost of the camp is assessed on a sliding scale according to income and need with four payment tiers ranging from free to $650. The remaining slots are in the second tier, which costs $350.
— Jessica Gelt
And last but not least
Want a glimpse into the hedonistic L.A. of yore? Check out this story about Eve Babitz’s personal letters. It will not disappoint.
Vincent Pastore, best known for playing gangster informant Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on HBO’s “The Sopranos,” has died. He was 80.
Pastore was found dead in his Bronx residence Saturday by a friend who did a wellness check after he had not been heard from for three days, his manager Steve Atterman confirmed to The Times. No cause of death was revealed.
While Pastore was best known for his time on the HBO drama starring the late James Gandolfini, he was often cast as an Italian American bad guy in other film and TV projects. His early credits include “Goodfellas,“ “Carlito’s Way” and “The Jerky Boys: The Movie.” He also appeared in the 1996 HBO TV movie “Gotti,” alongside future “Sopranos” co-stars Tony Sirico, Dominic Chianese and Frank Vincent.
A New York native, Pastore was born on July 14, 1946, in the Bronx. He fought in the Vietnam War and went on to graduate from Pace University with a degree in drama. He spent most of his young adulthood running bars and nightclubs in New Rochelle.
He didn’t get into acting until he was in his 40s in the late ‘80s at the encouragement of acting siblings Matt and Kevin Dillon. In a 1999 interview with The Times, Pastore offered his thoughts on why the brothers saw potential in him: “I guess because I looked like a gangster!”
“They used to live in a nearby town, and they used to come to my club a lot, and I became good friends with these guys,” Pastore said. “Kevin brought me down to meet his manager, and I had an interview. I took acting classes and some classes in college, but I didn’t have a clue how to break into film and the New York business. The agent gave me a guidepost, and I started doing some independents and a lot of theater. I started to study acting at 42!”
Pastore appeared in nearly 200 movies and TV projects, and twice in singing roles on Broadway (2007’s “Chicago” and 2014’s “Bullets Over Broadway” productions). But it was his role in David Chase’s 1999 drama “The Sopranos” that became his signature role.
Big Pussy was seminal to the show’s lore as Tony’s longtime best friend and trusted mob enforcer; his betrayal in becoming an FBI informant led to his murder and became one of the show’s most memorable scenes early in the show’s run.
Given his propensity to be cast as a mobster, Pastore was once asked whether he ever considered turning down a job because he thought it portrayed Italian Americans in a bad light.
“No, I haven’t turned any work down,” he told The Times. “The only time I turned work down is when I can’t do it because of ‘The Sopranos.’ I don’t think I am in a position [to turn down work] … when you got a daughter in grad school and you are paying her expenses, it’s pretty hard to turn a job down…You just hope the films are going to be good.”
Matt Tebbutt has shared his honest reaction to Ricky Gervais’ raunchy new Netflix comedy series, Alley Cats.
Matt Tebbutt shared what he really thought about the new Netflix show(Image: BBC)
Saturday Kitchen star Matt Tebbutt didn’t mince his words as he called Ricky Gervais’ new Netflix show “filth”.
Matt was back for another instalment of his much-loved cooking show on Saturday (August 1) and was joined by chefs Sam Evans, Shauna Guinn and Justin Tsang, while Olly Smith shared his expertise on drinks. Actress and comedian Kerry Godliman was also in the studio kitchen, discussing her previous work and upcoming projects.
Kerry, who has worked alongside actor Ricky Gervais in shows such as Afterlife and Derek, will now be lending her voice for the brand new series of Alley Cats. Showcasing a clip of the show to those in the kitchen and fans at home, Matt was clearly impressed.
But he quickly added that, although the Netflix show is a cartoon, it is not suitable for younger audiences. Matt said bluntly: “And that is the only clip we can show, because it’s filth!”
Kerry agreed and replied: “Oh yeah, there is a lot of filth. But that is a sweet clip.”
Matt added: “Yeah, it’s not family viewing. Unless you have teenagers.”
According to The Guardian, Alley Cats centres on a group of stray cats who spend much of their time lounging on a sofa inside a run-down house, passing the time by watching television. Leading the gang is Gus, an overweight ginger tom voiced by Ricky Gervais, whose loud, cynical outbursts and dismissive views usually dominate every conversation.
Also among the feline cast is Ponce, played by Tom Basden, a well-groomed pedigree cat with a more sensible outlook. Despite often being the voice of reason, he’s frequently mocked for being neutered.
Completing the trio is Puke, voiced by David Earl, an unkempt and crude character known for his outrageous remarks and bizarre stories, including one particularly shocking anecdote involving a hedgehog.
According to reports, the show, which is set to land on Netflix, August 7th, is filled to the brim with sweary banter, which has lead creator Ricky to beg viewers to not be offended.
As reported by the Mirror, Ricky said: “It would take a very special kind of person to complain about what a fictional cartoon cat thought of something, but it will happen.
“Please don’t be offended by anything these characters say or do. They can’t help it. They’re cats. So sometimes, they’re ****s.”
Saturday Kitchen airs Saturdays from 10am on BBC One.
Netflix and AMC Global Media, the network that originally aired the zombie series, inked a new five-year co-streaming deal, according to a press release on Thursday. Both companies will be able to show the original “The Walking Dead” series and its six spinoffs on Netflix and AMC+. The deal is valued at $500 million, AMC Global Media said in its second-quarter earnings report.
“This deal creates a global destination for this universe — all shows, all episodes — making the franchise more accessible than ever to fans around the world. In addition, the co-exclusive agreement allows us to bring the original series to AMC+ for the first time early next year,” Kristin Dolan, the company’s chief executive, said in a statement. “This agreement is a fantastic result for our companies, for the fans and for this timeless IP.”
AMC Global Media is renting the franchise, not selling it. The five-year licenses run separately for each show, with start dates that vary based on territory and the expiration of existing streaming deals. The rights to “The Walking Dead” revert to AMC Global Media when the term ends.
The company also keeps global rights to run the “Walking Dead” universe on its own services throughout. Dolan told investors the agreement would supply what she called “a meaningful source of cash flow for years to come,” framing it as evidence that the company’s library still commands premium prices even as its cable business shrinks.
The agreement will extend the franchise’s reach on Netflix in places like the U.K., Italy, Australia and New Zealand — making episodes available beginning in 2027.
“The Walking Dead” premiered on the AMC network in 2010, introducing audiences to the high-stakes world of a zombie apocalypse. In 2011, the series began streaming exclusively on Netflix in the U.S. The show aired for 11 seasons and became one of AMC’s most influential shows. Other popular programs from the network include “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad.”
“Audiences have discovered and loved ‘The Walking Dead’ on Netflix for nearly 15 years and the show continues to attract new fans,” Lori Conkling, Netflix’s vice president of licensing, said in a statement.
The deal landed alongside a rough quarter. AMC Global Media reported second-quarter revenue of $547 million, down 9% from a year earlier, and a loss of 51 cents a share, compared with 91 cents in profit in the same period last year. Operating income fell to about $16 million from $64 million.
Netflix’s second-quarter earnings showed mixed results. The company‘s revenue rose 13% to $12.6 billion; its net income was $3.4 billion, up 9% from a year ago; and its advertising business is on track to reach $3 billion in revenue this year, double the amount in 2025.
The same filing offered some details on Netflix’s acquisition of InterPositive, the AI post-production startup founded by Ben Affleck, for $587 million in cash in March.
SACRAMENTO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, have earned at least $11 million since he took office, with most of their income coming from wineries, restaurants and other investments, according to tax returns from 2019 through their most recent filings for 2024.
The tax records show the couple has earned between $1.4 million and $3.5 million per year, putting them in the upper echelon of Americans when it comes to annual income.
Newsom allowed reporters on Thursday to view four years of the couple’s jointly filed tax returns after receiving criticism for not disclosing his filings since he last released the information for the tax year 2020.
The release of the tax records comes just weeks after Newsom accused the Department of Justice of launching — at President Trump’s request — a baseless and politically motivated investigation into him and his wife, including her business interests and charity work. The governor said the probes, which federal officials have not confirmed, were a personal vendetta launched because he’s considering a run for president in 2028.
Siebel Newsom leads the Representation Project, a nonprofit that advocates for gender equity through film and education programs, and Girls Club Entertainment, a for-profit production company she owns that holds the copyrights to her documentaries. The nonprofit has faced criticism for accepting donations from companies that lobby the governor, including Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and AT&T.
The tax records released Thursday showed that her salary from the Representation Project was $145,000 to $150,000 annually from 2021 though 2024, similar to prior years. While Girls Club paid her $100,000 in 2021, and $11,700 in 2022, she did not report any income from the production company in the two years that followed.
The governor’s office, in a summary of the tax returns provided to reporters, stated that financial documents contradict “the FALSE right-wing claims that the Newsoms ‘enriched themselves’ through new ventures and nonprofit organizations.”
The memo stated that their income has declined since Newsom became governor. The tax records also show that Girls Club Entertainment has been losing money in recent years.
The governor signed a law during his first year in office to require presidential and gubernatorial candidates to release five years of tax returns to appear on the primary ballot. Democrats passed the law in response to Trump’s refusal to make the information public.
Less than six months later, the California Supreme Court struck down the portion that required presidential candidates to comply with the law. Gubernatorial candidates are still required to disclose their tax filings during election season.
Though tax returns became a flash point in the California vs. Trump political saga, Democrats have for decades demanded that candidates for governor and president release their income tax filings.
Presidential candidates dating back to the Nixon administration routinely shared their filings, with only President Ford and Trump refusing to do so. Former Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown and his Republican opponents also declined to share their tax returns before the 2010 and 2014 California gubernatorial elections.
Newsom released his tax returns during his campaigns for governor in 2018 and 2022, again in 2020 and before he beat a recall election in 2021. California candidates, elected officials, judges and some public employees also file annual economic interest statements.
“In the interest of transparency, he’s now voluntarily making all remaining filed tax returns available — going beyond what the law requires — as part of his longstanding commitment to transparency,” said Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for the governor, in a statement.
The governor and his wife put their investments in a blind trust when he took office. Their earnings, which have totaled more than $1 million per year since at least 2011, stem from investments in wineries, restaurants, bars, hotels and hospitality management companies based in San Francisco, Napa Valley, and Lake Tahoe, according to economic interest disclosures filed with the state.
The latest batch of tax returns covers 2021 through 2024. Reporters were allowed to view, but not copy, more than 700 pages of tax records at the governor’s office in Sacramento on Thursday. Their 2025 tax returns were not available because, as he has done most years, the governor filed for an extension with the Internal Revenue Service and he doesn’t expect to file until October.
The couple’s reported income was the highest in 2021, when they sold their home in Kentfield, a wealthy enclave in Marin County, for $5.9 million. The Newsoms reported receiving more than $55,000 in rent for leasing out the home that same year, but declared an overall loss for tax purposes of $70,000 due to their mortgage payments, taxes, legal fees and depreciation.
The family previously moved to a mansion in Fair Oaks that they purchased for $3.7 million in 2019 following a brief residence at the Governor’s Mansion in downtown Sacramento.
The family kept the Fair Oaks home and purchased another $9.1-million estate in Marin County in 2024, where they primarily live and their four children attend school. Newsom and his wife also spend time in Fair Oaks while working at the state Capitol.
During those four years, Newsom and Siebel Newsom paid a high of $1,253,187 in federal income taxes in 2021, and a low of $488,821 in 2023. Their state tax income bill ranged from $34,307 to $213,331 during that time. The annual property tax bills hovered between $48,000 and $64,300 over that span.
The governor’s income included his government salary, which ranged from $167,647 in 2021 to $192,087 in 2024.
The tax returns showed the family paid from $154,000 to almost $200,000 each year for household employees from 2021 through 2024. The returns showed that they paid for Social Security coverage, Medicare and the state’s unemployment benefits fund as part of those expenses.
The governor and his family donated more than $200,000 to charity from 2021 to 2024. While most of those donations were in cash, they also gave $4,900 in “Armani Business Wear” to the Oakland nonprofit organization Restorative Justice, and toys, furniture, appliances, books and other goods to Goodwill in Sacramento.
Among their listed expenses in 2021 was $3,542 in storage costs for silver and platinum holdings. Previously, the couple made nearly a half-million dollars trading silver bars in 2011 alone.
The manager for British singer Boy George has pulled him from the West End revival of “Jesus Christ Superstar” days after the singer released a pro-Israel reggae song online.
Last weekend, the pop star posted on X a reggae song that includes the lyrics, “You say genocide, I say war / When you’re attacked that’s what the army’s for” and “Musicians holding flags, mouthing like sheep / Propaganda fuelled by the Internet feels so weak.” The post was met with swift blowback.
On Thursday, the artist’s manager announced on Instagram that he was pulling Boy George from the West End revival, suggesting the pro-Isreal song might take “the focus” away from the production. He had been slated to play King Herod in a London Palladium production from Aug. 3-15.
“After careful consideration, I have decided, in my capacity as Boy George’s manager, that he will no longer be appearing in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium,” wrote Paul Kemsley. “The decision has been made with the utmost respect for the producers, the creative team and the entire company. We are grateful for the professionalism and understanding they have shown throughout and sincerely wish everyone involved every success with the production.”
On Friday, the singer posted on X that he was receiving calls with the advice to “pipe down,” but he said, “It’s not an option.”
Since the October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas and the military response by Israeli forces, several celebrities have spoken out on the bloodshed in Gaza, including musicians Billie Eilish and her brother, Finneas, and the Weekend along with actors Pedro Pascal, Susan Sarandon and Mark Ruffalo, among others.
Kemsley continued that he has “always respected” Boy George for standing by his “personal convictions” but that, as his manager, he feels the responsibility to make decisions “that are in the best interests of my artist while also showing respect to others.”
“In this instance, I felt it was right to step aside, allowing the production to remain the focus, while ensuring everyone involved can move forward with mutual respect and goodwill.”
A representative for the producers of “Jesus Christ Superstar” did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.
The new series follows a reality icon as she makes her long-awaited TV comeback
The series arrives in the UK in a matter of days(Image: Freeform/Hulu)
Reality TV fans have been binge-watching their way through a new series they’re calling ‘perfection’.
House of Stassi follows the life of Stassi Schroeder, a breakout star of long-running Real Housewives spin-off, Vanderpump Rules. However, she was sacked from the series back in 2020 alongside Kristen Doute following a ‘prank’ on a black co-star, with the new show marking her return to TV.
The controversial reality star’s “next act” is the subject of the new series which premiered on Freeform this week before being made available on streaming service Hulu.
Its official synopsis reads: “House of Stassi follows reality TV icon Stassi Schroeder as she steps into her next act. In this meta-docuseries, Stassi navigates her long-awaited return to television – this time with the people she loves most by her side.
“As her ambition pulls her back into the spotlight, those around her level up. But as cameras roll and truths surface, her closest relationships are put to the test.”
All eight episodes are now available on US streaming platform Hulu, with the first reactions rolling in. However, viewers in the UK face a short wait before they can indulge in the series too. The episodes will be made available to UK-based reality fans on Disney+ from August 12.
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One fan of the show penned: “Binged the whole thing. The second half of the finale is exactly what reality TV should be (and used to be). The way they left it on a cliffhanger was the perfect set-up for Disney to order more episodes.”
They continued: “It makes for great television, my fear is this type of stuff is what permanently alters relationships so hopefully they realise what they really signed up for.”
“I’m on episode five and I can’t stop watching – it’s very entertaining,” said a second viewer, while a third remarked: “So obsessed with this show. Just finished the first three eps. It’s structured amazing. I love the narration and fourth wall breaks/lack of fourth wall. I need a million more episodes.”
House of Stassi is now streaming on Hulu in the USA. It premieres in the UK on August 12 on Disney+
Bradley Walsh was back on screens for a new episode of ITV’s The Chase Around The World
Bradley Walsh’s new ITV show has viewers saying same thing ‘you’re worth more!’(Image: ITV)
Viewers watching The Chase Around The World were all left saying the same thing.
The ITV spin-off show returned to screens on Thursday (July 30) – hosted by beloved presenter Bradley Walsh. The latest programme saw the remaining teams land in Lisbon, racing through the city towards the finishing point.
Required to solve various puzzles and answer questions throughout their route, the teams had to successfully complete games involving custard tarts, tins of sardines, phone boxes and tuk-tuks.
However, it appears viewers were not that impressed with the latest instalment, with several disgruntled fans airing their thoughts on X.
One person moaned: “I really hope they don’t do another series of this. I really thought this was gonna be good but it’s s**t.”
Someone else chimed in: “Feels like a rip off of the BBC’s Race around the World but with a few quiz questions.” A third added: “Should be called The Chase Across Europe cos they are only going to European Cities!”
A fourth person penned: “Totally boring, half a dozen silly questions and people running round back streets for hours. You’re worth more Brad!!!”
Nonetheless, when the show first aired a few weeks back, the reception was positive.
On Facebook, one person said: “Loved it. Watching G No 3 now. It’s great if you like general knowledge.” Another wrote: “I quite liked it.” Someone else penned: “I liked it but wow the questions were hard.”
It comes after host Bradley Walsh gushed about the exciting new spin-off series. He teased: “I would describe it as The Chase… but around the world! It’s out and about.
“It was very different doing it on location, in these incredible places, instead of being in a studio. I’ve been locked in Elstree Studios for 17 years!
“The locations were unbelievable. I loved it, I really did, but then again, I wasn’t chasing around, literally chasing around, the cities we were in.”
Discussing how intense the competition became, he disclosed: “The competition really heated up; you could see the contestants thinking, ‘Right, this is what we’ve got to do. This is how to play this game’.
“There were times when some were over-taking others, some were slipping back. And, a couple of times, which is really quite interesting and what I liked, they literally saw each other on the street, or in a place where they were getting a clue.”
The Chase Around The World airs every Thursday at 9pm on ITV1.
Gladiators star Cyclone, whose real name is Lystus Ebosele, has featured on the BBC show since January 2025 but is now said to have been axed along with two others
11:29, 30 Jul 2026Updated 11:31, 30 Jul 2026
Cyclone has reportedly been axed from Gladiators after more than a year on the BBC hit (Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Hungry Bear/Shutterstock/Getty)
Another one bites the dust… Cyclone has become the third professional to be axed from BBC show Gladiators. The TV star, whose real name is Lystus Ebosele, joined Bradley and Barney Walsh’s BBC revival of the 1990s classic last year, and has so far filmed two series.
But just as production got underway at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield for the next series of the reboot, Lystus, 25, is said to have been cut from the line-up and is not impressed with bosses.
A source told The Sun: “Cyclone won’t be back and she’s not happy about it. She’s now cut all ties with the show – it’s a pity as fans absolutely loved her.” The powerlifting champion has also unfollowed the official Instagram account for the programme and deleted all pictures of herself on the show.
News of Lystus’ exit comes just days after it was reported that Matty Campbell, who stars as Bionic, and Karenjeet Kaur Bains, better know to fans as Athena, had also been axed from the show, having missed out on a considerable amount of the last series after both suffering injuries.
A source said: “They won’t film this year for the show but could be back for the tour, depending on how they recover from their injuries.”
Earlier this year, Giant, 40, whose real name is Jamie Bigg, departed Gladiators amid much controversy when he went public with then-girlfriend Taylor Ryan, 28, and it emerged that she worked as a model on OnlyFans.
Execs were quick to air their disapproval, and the athlete said that he was “shocked and disappointed” by the move, which he directly linked to his partner’s racy work. It was then reported that body builder and fitness instructor Ahmad Rabus, 37, would act as his replacement, and it became apparent that he would be one of several new faces on the show.
Team GB medallist Tabby Stoecker, along with fitness influencer Florence Wong and World’s Strongest Man champion Tom Stoltman are reportedly in the lineup, whilst The Sun also reported that former England rugby star Joe Marler would be making an appearance.
The new series will introduce a soon to be revealed event, as well as the other well known challenges such as Duel, Hang Tough and the Eliminator. Popular additions from the previous series — Everest, Destruction and Suspension Bridge — are also set to return after receiving a strong response from viewers.
Produced by Hungry Bear Media in partnership with MGM Alternative UK, part of Amazon MGM Studios, Gladiators remains one of the BBC’s flagship entertainment programmes.
The most recent series, which came to an end in March, attracted an average audience of 4.6 million viewers across BBC One and BBC iPlayer over a 28-day period, while continuing to perform particularly strongly among younger audiences.
Kalpna Patel-Knight, BBC’s Head of Entertainment, said: “Since Gladiators burst back onto screens in 2024, it’s been amazing to see families across the UK rally behind the contenders and champion our phenomenal Gladiators as the true stars of Saturday nights.
“With a brand‑new series confirmed and another celebrity special on the way, audiences can look forward to even more colossal clashes, even more edge of your seat excitement and plenty of opportunities to raise those foam fingers high once again.”
The Mirror has contacted representatives for comment.
US and Saudi forces launched coordinated airstrikes targeting Iran-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) bases across Iraq, reportedly killing 20 fighters. Videos show the aftermath of the strikes,which were launched in response to alleged drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities.
John Hannah made an awkward quip about his pay for the new Channel 5 crime drama Benidorm Is Murder
Alex Jones and Vernon Kay was speechless over John’s comments(Image: BBC)
A famous British actor has made a cheeky swipe about the pay he received for his upcoming Channel 5 drama.
During the latest episode of The One Show, BBC viewers saw Alex Jones and Vernon Kay speak to Scottish star John Hannah about his new comedy drama, Benidorm Is Murder.
The six-part Channel 5 series, which will air on July 30, follows the life of a retired detective who moved to Spain to run a bar. However, he quickly finds himself solving murders in Spain alongside Rosa (Carolina Bécquer), a barmaid who loves true crime.
When speaking about filming the series, the actor didn’t hold back on letting the presenters know his thoughts on the pay for the show.
Touching on some of the guest stars in the show in the third episode, John commented: “A bunch of Irish actors turned up, and they all knew each other a bit.”
He went on to say it was a “good script” and “two weeks in the sun” and that there was “great chemistry” present.
He continued: “Simon and I were talking at the end of that episode, we were like, ‘Wow, they’ve set the bar really high. There’s something about a good script, a bit of sunshine, regardless of the pay… which wasn’t the best, but anyway it doesn’t matter.”
The studio erupted in laughter as a surprised Vernon could be heard reminding John that they were broadcasting live, reports the Express.
He added: “I mean no disrespect, but it was Channel 5, you know.”
Actress Diane Morgan, who was on hand to promote her upcoming BBC programme Ann Droid, then waded in advising him “not to ge into money”.
He fired back: “No, let’s not because we’re not doing it for the money, right? Of course not. It was brilliant, everyone came out. We were all getting paid….a bit.”
Channel 5 has been approached for comment.
Benidorm Is Murder will feature a plethora of guest celebrities including the likes of Denise Welch, Alistair McGowan and Tamzin Outhwaite.
Praising the show in the past, John added: “Benidorm is Murder is a gem of a show, filled with joy and humour, but there’s a balance of comedy and serious emotional weight to the stories, which is testament to the writing. We have a such a brilliant cast on this, everyone is pitch perfect for their roles, and I can’t wait for viewers to meet Carolina who was born to play Rosa.”
The One Show continues weeknights on BBC One from 7pm. Benidorm is Murder airs Thursday 30th July on Channel 5 from 9pm.
A piece of iconic Los Angeles architecture and one of pop culture’s most recognizable exteriors is on display as the Pasadena home featured as Wayne Manor in TV’s original “Batman” hits the market this month for $32 million — less than a year after it was last sold.
The seven-bedroom, 11-bathroom Jacobean Tudor Revival home on 5 acres of gated land was built in 1928 by the L.A.-based architectural firm Morgan, Walls & Clements. This is the same firm responsible for some of L.A.’s most fantastical and beloved architectural creations including the Wiltern, El Capitan and Mayan theaters. It’s located at 380 S. San Rafael Avenue in Pasadena, in a lush, wooded area above the Arroyo Seco near the Rose Bowl.
The home, which features a stately mahogany main staircase and a genuine butler’s pantry worthy of Alfred Pennyworth, was made famous by the “Batman” TV series, which originally aired on ABC from 1966-68. During that time a man named Norman Preston van Valkenburgh lived there with his family. Film crews shot at the home for three days in 1966, but only external shots ended up being used as stock footage for Wayne Manor.
Over the years fans began to confuse the mansion with another nearby estate — the work of one of the city’s most prominent Africa American architects Paul R. Williams . The home, which The Times cheekily called an “imposter” in a 1989 article, burned down in 2005 while being renovated by its owner, Michael Hammer, grandson of the late oil tycoon Armand Hammer. At that time, crowds of “Batman” fans gathered before the smoldering ashes lamenting the loss only to discover they had the wrong house.
It will take just one super fan with Bruce Wayne-deep pockets to snap up this dreamy estate. Spoiler alert: There is no Bat Cave, but there is a pickleball court, a resort-style pool, a private theater and an Architectural Digest pedigree.
I’m Arts editor Jessica Gelt counting the money in my swear jar and dreaming big. This is your arts and culture news for the week.
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The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY
Jeff LeBeau, left, and Tim Cummings in the West Coast premiere of Samuel D. Hunter’s “Grangeville” at the Ruskin Group Theatre Arts Center, directed by John Perrin Flynn.
(John Perrin Flynn)
Grangeville The West Coast premiere of Samuel D. Hunter’s two-hander about a pair of estranged brothers concludes its acclaimed run at the Ruskin next weekend. In his review, Times theater critic Charles McNulty wrote that the playwright “turns his characters inside out in a play that powerfully illuminates a subject that has rarely been treated onstage with such unflinching honesty and sensitivity: How does one integrate a past that took everything to escape?” 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 2. Ruskin Group Theatre, 2800 Airport Ave., Santa Monica. app.arts-people.com
Sounds of LA County Country music in Sylmar and Quartz Hill; disco, soul and R&B in South L.A.; regional Mexican music in Florence-Graham and La Puente; deep house, Afrobeats, hip-hop and funk in East Compton; global acoustic in Willowbrook; and live salsa in East L.A. are this week’s offerings in the free summer series from LA County Parks and Nextfest LA. The program continues through August. 6-9 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Thursday. Check website for exact days and locations. soundsoflacounty.com
SATURDAY
Joe Hisaishi presents Music Future Coming off three nights at the Hollywood Bowl, the Japanese composer moves to a more intimate setting to celebrate the work of contemporary composers, including Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner and Max Richter, with the LA Phil New Music Group. 8 p.m. The Ford, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East theford.com
The Hour of the Star Brazilian actor Bruna Fachetti stars in the world premiere of a stage adaptation of the novella by Clarice Lispector about an impoverished woman dreaming of a better life in Rio de Janeiro. The limited, five-performance engagement was conceived and will be directed by Alex Tietre from the English translation by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Lispector biographer Benjamin Moser. 7 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Thursday, July 31 and Aug. 1. The Broadwater Black Box Theatre, 6322 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A. eventbrite.com
SUNDAY
Boris Brejcha performs during the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival .
(Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images for Coachella)
Boris Brejcha with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra The masked German DJ makes his global orchestral debut. The techno DJ duo Frieder & Jakob open the show. Be prepared to dance. 7 p.m. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com
Murder on the Orient Express Sidney Lumet’s 1974 version of the Agatha Christie mystery, adapted by Paul Dehn, earned six Oscar nominations. Alfred Finney, nominated for leading actor, stars as the meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot investigating a killing aboard the famous train. Also starring Lauren Bacall, Martin Balsam and Ingrid Bergman, who won the Oscar for supporting actress. Part of the Oscar Sundays series. 2 p.m. Academy Museum, David Geffen Theater, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org
TUESDAY
Rhapsody in Blue & Shostakovich Marin Alsop conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Anna Clyne’s “Masquerade,” Gershwin’s soaring American classic (with pianist Conrad Tao) and Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony. 8 p.m. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com
THURSDAY
Peter Finch in ‘Network.’
(TCM)
Network “I’m mad as Hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!” shouts Peter Finch as news anchor Howard Beale in this 1976 satire directed by Sidney Lumet and written by Paddy Chayefsky. The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning four: leading actor, posthumously, for Finch, leading actress for Faye Dunaway, supporting actress for Beatrice Straight, and original screenplay. Fifty years later, it feels as prescient as ever. 2 p.m. Vidiots, Eagle Theatre, 4884 Eagle Rock Blvd. vidiotsfoundation.org
Arts anywhere
André De Shields, left, Reeve Carney, center, and the cast of Hadestown perform onstage during the 2019 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall.
(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
Hadestown: The Musical The hit Broadway show, winner of eight Tonys and a Grammy, comes to movie theaters for a special five-day engagement. “The show travels to the underworld and back again with liquified grace,” wrote Times theater critic Charles McNulty. “Unfurling like a dream, ‘Hadestown’ speaks most eloquently through its sultry jazz score.” With Reeve Carney as Orpheus André De Shields as Hermes, Amber Gray as Persephone, Eva Noblezada as Eurydice and Patrick Page as Hades. Friday through Wednesday, theaters everywhere. bleeckerstreetmedia.com
— Kevin Crust
Culture news and the SoCal scene
The Hollywood Bowl during a summer concert.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
The Hollywood Bowl recently debuted its biggest sound system upgrade in decades (featuring AI-powered vocal isolation and immersive, surround-sound), and Times classical music critic Mark Swed weighed in on why audiences should be careful of what they wish for. Still, the jury is out: “It is far too soon to say what ways the fabulous new Bowl sound system, which happens to be AI-endowed, might become friend and/or foe. In the first two L.A. Phil classical concerts, the white speakers brought out wonders and caused problems. But the minimal Bowl rehearsal time allows little opportunity to fine-tune,” Swed writes.
Swed also attended a showing of two of Yoko Ono’s famous performance pieces at REDCAT (in collaboration with the Broad, which is currently showing a major Ono retrospective). Titled “Sky Piece” and “Cut Piece” the music-driven works featured compositions by Ono’s friend and collaborator John Cage (Swed writes about the pair’s complicated relationship in New York during the 1960s). Swed also extols “Cut Piece” as performed bythe artist known as MPA, who sat stoically as the audience lined up to cut patches of her clothing off piece by piece.
Sean Luc Rogers and James Tupper in “F— Strangers” at the Echo Theater Company.
(Cooper Bates)
Times theater critic Charles McNulty headed to Echo Theater Company to see playwright Erik Patterson’s “F— Strangers,” directed by Echo Theater Company founding artistic director Chris Fields. McNulty found the show, which features scene after scene of intimate encounters, “intriguing and frustrating in equal measure.”
“It’s over 8 feet tall, nearly 11 feet wide and travels by 53-foot semitrailer. It’s covered in more than 20,000 beads and weighs almost 1 ton — or about 2,000 pounds,” writes The Times’ Eloise Rollins-Fife in her charming profile of “Gillian,” the chandelier featured in “Phantom of the Opera’s” current North American tour.” “And eight times a week, it’s dropped atop the heads of people who pay for the privilege — just a few feet short of actually hitting anyone.” “Phantom” is currently playing the Hollywood Pantages Theatre before it moves on to Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa.
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Kihun Yoon, Michael J. Hawk, Nicholas Brownlee and Salmir Pirgu, from left, perform during an L.A. Opera dress rehearsal for Barrie Kosky’s “La Bohéme” at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Sept. 12, 2019.
(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Bernard A. Greenberg, a founding board member and former chairman of L.A. Opera, has died at 95. Throughout his life Greenberg was a devoted opera fan and a champion of establishing a dedicated opera company in the city, which ultimately led to the 1986 creation of L.A. Opera. As a philanthropist, civic leader and arts advocate, Greenberg dedicated more than seven decades to steering L.A. Opera and creating the renowned company that it is today. He served on the board of directors for 40 years and held almost every major leadership position during that time. He and his wife, Lenore, also founded the Bernard A. and Lenore S. Greenberg Opera Fund — an endowment that continues to support some of the company’s most vital work.
“If anyone could be called the founder of LA Opera, it is Bernie Greenberg,” said Keith R. Leonard, Jr., Chairman of LA Opera’s Board of Directors in a statement about Greenberg’s death. “For more than 70 years, he devoted his extraordinary wisdom, leadership and generosity to building this company into the institution that serves our audiences today. Bernie believed deeply that opera could enrich lives and strengthen our community, and he worked tirelessly to make that vision a reality. His legacy is woven into every chapter of our history, and all of us at LA Opera are profoundly grateful for his friendship, his guidance and his unwavering commitment to this company.”
IAMA Theatre Company has announced its 2026-2027 season, including three world premieres, as well as its ninth New Works Festival, featuring a variety of new plays by fresh talent. The season kicks off with “Bobby Robotowitz” by Matt Schatz and directed by Casey Stangl, which will be performed from Oct. 15-Nov. 23 in two secret venues — one on the Westside in October and one on the Eastside in November. (When you buy a ticket you find out the location.) The season will end with IAMA’s first collaboration with Geffen Playhouse: the world premiere of “Closing Costs” by Grace McLeod, which was originally developed during IAMA’s 2024-2025 Emerging Playwrights Lab. For the full season lineup, and to buy tickets, click here.
Casualty fans are heartbroken as they are convinced the show is killing off a beloved character for the 40th anniversary
BBC Casualty ‘to kill off’ show legend in heartbreaking twist and fans are gutted(Image: BBC)
Casualty could be killing off a show legend after more than 10 years, and fans are not best pleased about it.
The beloved BAFTA-winning BBC show has been a staple on screens for 40 years. As the world’s longest-running medical drama, Casualty has captivated audiences thanks to its powerful storytelling and characters.
And to celebrate its 40th anniversary later this year, a special double-bill episode will air on Saturday 5th. And as expected, it’s going to be seriously dramatic.
In a trailer that was aired at the end of Saturday’s (July 25) episode, viewers were shown a sneak peek at the episode, in which a high-stakes explosion throws Holby into chaos.
Lives are left hanging in the balance, and the ED team are pushed to their limits in a tense and emotionally charged story. And now, after watching the trailer, fans are convinced that the show is going to kill off Dylan Keogh (William Beck).
“I think the building will explode to kill Dylan! I think that’s his final episode,” mused one person on Casualty’s Facebook page. Someone else agreed: “I thought this as well.” A third chimed in: “Dylan better not go. He’s the best – I just love his character.”
Viewers will know Dylan made his debut on the show back in 2011 when he was introduced as a replacement for fellow emergency medicine doctor Ruth Winters (Georgia Taylor).
And over the years, he has played a part in several big TV moments. What’s more, since the departure of Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson) in 2024, Dylan has been the longest-serving character on the show.
Meanwhile in 2024, Dylan actor William spoke about the handful of cast exits at the time including Charlie. He told Digital Spy: “When Derek [Thompson] left, it was surreal. For me, it was just an absolute privilege to be there.
“I said a few words on Derek’s last day, and it was only in saying it, that I really appreciated that for everybody that was there at that time.
“Without Derek, Casualty would never have been the show that it has become and the opportunity to mark that and to celebrate it and to celebrate a unique achievement of being the lead in a continuing drama for that length of time, is a one off. To be there and to be present, and to acknowledge that, was such a privilege that in a sense that I haven’t even had time to miss it yet.
Jon Bon Jovi’s “Forever” tour stop was cut short after the singer said he needed to cool it.
Nearing the end of his nine-show residency at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, the 64-year-old rock icon apologized to fans when he had to pull the plug nearly an hour early.
Just before launching into “Livin’ on a Prayer,” he told the audience in a raspy voice, “I am the most grateful man in the world right now because I know I’m letting you down, and it’s not like me to do that. I feel f— great, but I’m gonna do one more song. I’m gonna need your help. I might have to cool it because I’m f— hurt.”
He performed the 1986 megahit, with the audience belting the chorus in his place toward the end. Bon Jovi then said, “I’m sorry, I’ve got to go. Stay tuned.”
“I’ve got to cool it,” he continued. “It’s just not going to get any better. Don’t throw away your ticket stubs. I’m gonna figure something out, OK? Just hold onto it, we’ll figure out how to reschedule.”
Bon Jovi embraced his band mates in a group hug before heading off stage.
Representatives for the “Bad Medicine” rocker told The Times that the concert ran for 90 minutes before ending.
“Jon Bon Jovi spoke from stage and told fans he has been battling a sinus infection, which led to the show’s early ending,” the statement continued. “As part of the Bon Jovi residency at Madison Square Garden, Jon has said numerous times that it has been a joy to return to live shows for the band.”
Bon Jovi’s “Forever” tour is the first since the namesake frontman had surgery to repair a vocal cord injury in 2022.
The tour kicked off July 7 at the New York City venue and then will head overseas for a series of international stadium dates, including stops at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on Aug. 28, Croke Park in Dublin on Aug. 30, and a three-night stand at Wembley Stadium in London on Sept. 4, 6 and 9.
In 2024, Bon Jovi spoke on a Hulu panel in support of his docuseries “Thank You, Goodnight” and revealed that one of his vocal cords was “atrophying.”
“I pride myself on having been a true vocalist,” the musician said. “I’ve sung with Pavarotti. I know how to sing. I’ve studied the craft for 40 years. I’m not a stylist who just barks and howls. I know how to sing.”
“So when God was taking away my ability, and I couldn’t understand why — I jokingly have said the only thing that’s ever been up my nose is my finger — you know, so there’s no reason for any of this,” he added.
The same year, he told The Times that his voice was a “work in progress.”
“I’m an athlete coming back from an injury — Kobe Bryant with his Achilles torn off. Before I got on the plane this morning, I was at vocal therapy. The goal is 2½ hours a night, four nights a week,” he said.
In June, he told People that he was fully recovered. “It was longer than I’d ever expected, but it had to be right. We never lost faith.”
United States President Donald Trump returned to the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, three months after a gunman upended the event.
“As I said three months ago, the show must go on,” Trump said at the start of his speech on Friday, after a lengthy awards ceremony, during which several journalists, including CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, spoke.
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The annual – and perennially controversial – event had originally been held in April, but it was swiftly derailed after a gunman attempted to storm the proceedings in an alleged effort to assassinate Trump.
“Just like my presidency, the second time is always better and the third time will be better yet,” Trump quipped, before raising his hands at the crowd and saying, “I’m only kidding.”
The US president is limited to two terms by the Constitution, but Trump has been facetiously floating the idea of running for a third time.
The rescheduled dinner took place in the ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria hotel, with a guest list of 700 people, much smaller compared with April’s botched gathering.
“It was an assault on our democracy itself; it was a very serious situation,” Trump said of the alleged assassination attempt.
He lauded some of his aides, including Pete Hegseth, Steve Miller and Tom Holman, for showing “bravery” during the incident.
“They were standing on tables, when most of you were under the tables,” he said.
Alleged gunman Cole Tomas Allen had stormed a security gate at the gala venue, the Washington Hilton, armed with guns and knives. He was accused by prosecutors of shooting and injuring a Secret Service officer before he was stopped.
Allen is facing federal charges of attempting to assassinate the president.
“Many people yelled, ‘Get down. Get down,’ which caused Nicki Minaj to start twerking,” Trump said on Friday.
As journalists in attendance forced a muted laugh, Trump added: “She’s the only one who knew what that meant.”
Trump later used the event to rebuke political opponents, presenting his attacks as jokes. He called Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom “newscum”, questioned Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s intelligence, and pretended that someone in the audience was calling Illinois Governor JB Pritzker a “fat pig” to appear that he was not uttering the insult himself.
The US president also called top Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer “Palestinian” as an insult.
Earlier in the evening, Trump entered the ballroom to polite applause.
“This is the largest gathering of people with Trump derangement syndrome,” he said, referring to journalists.
The US president has had a historically caustic relationship with the dinner, but this year, he touted the celebration this year, calling it a “very good thing” and a “HOT ticket”.
White House Correspondents’ Association president Weijia Jiang of CBS News, which was acquired by pro-Israel investor David Ellison last year, thanked Trump for his support, and for showing up for the second time in three months.
“Tonight our message is this: We are back,” she said. “We will not be intimidated. We refuse to let an act of violence have the final word.”
Trump’s enthused attendance represented a sea change from his first term, beginning in 2017, when the newly elected president declared the soiree “dead” and declined to attend over the next four years.
Beyond Trump, the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has long been a lightning rod for criticism among media professionals, with some journalists arguing that reporters should not be chummy with the politicians they cover. Calls for the dinner to be abandoned entirely only grew after the April incident.
Singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell first wrote the numbers for “Hadestown,” a folk musical based on Greek mythology, in 2006. Twenty years later, the Tony-winning smash musical comes to the big screen in a version filmed on the West End in 2025, directed by Brett Sullivan. The production reunites the original Broadway cast — André De Shields, Patrick Page, Reeve Carney, Eva Noblezada and Amber Gray — six years after the show debuted and swept the Tonys in 2019.
There is a timelessness to Mitchell’s work, thanks in large part to the ancient source material, the myths of Orpheus, Eurydice, Hades and Persephone. Developed in partnership with Rachel Chavkin, who directed the Broadway show, the action is set around the 1930s in the American Deep South. The story expresses evergreen themes of love, sacrifice, oppression, addiction and devotion, juxtaposing the tragedy of the way things are against a hope of the way they could be.
There are moments when Mitchell’s songs feel eerily prescient: The show’s villain, Hades (Page), rules the underworld of Hadestown as a fascistic industrialist; his Act I closing number is titled “Why We Build the Wall.” Factory workers sing back to him, “We build the wall to keep us free,” a chorus that foretells the Trumpian rhetoric of 2016 and a reminder that these patterns of division and otherization are the eternal tools of the oppressor.
“Hadestown” is a love story first and foremost, set in a joyous juke joint, the band ringing the stage. The camera follows our narrator, Hermes, played by American theater legend De Shields, as he takes the stage, kissing the heads of his company.
But the show doesn’t start until the 79-year-old De Shields nattily flips his jacket open, to the approving roar of the audience. He introduces doomed Orpheus (Carney), “touched by the Gods themselves,” a born yearner with a gift for song. When Eurydice (Noblezada), a scrappy, skeptical slip of a girl, rolls into town, Orpheus instantly falls head over heels. They have nothing except each other, their love symbolized by a red flower that Orpheus offers.
Party girl Persephone (Gray) brings the summer fun, but her jealous lover Hades wants to keep her all to himself in his domain, trapping the world in a long winter. Orpheus promises to write a song to summon spring again, but a struggling Eurydice is seduced by Hades’ promises of security in Hadestown, and she descends with him, signing her life away to work in his factory. Orpheus tries to rescue his love, but his faith in her is tested on their return to the top — if he turns back to see if she’s there, she’ll be banished to Hadestown forever.
Real-life couple Carney and Noblezada married several months after this production; they met at Noblezada’s audition. Their chemistry makes the emotional devastation of this tragedy that much more real: Every main actor sheds a real tear over the course of the show. Carney’s unique tenor ranges from Jeff Buckley to Freddie Mercury; his rock background and skill with the guitar is required for Orpheus’ lyre-playing and lends to the folk roots of Mitchell’s songs.
Cinematographer Clayton Jacobsen captures unexpected camera angles that a theatergoer wouldn’t get (even one with decent seats), both from down below in the circular pit and above it. He sends the camera soaring over the heads of the audience into intimate medium shots. Sullivan makes the animated and often rowdy crowd an integral part of the cinematic experience, including an extended curtain call with De Shields toasting the audience, sending them out with the warmth with which he brought them in.
There is such a temporal quality to theater, a shared moment in time and space. This production feels like a fleeting moment — a reunion of friends and collaborators retelling a myth that is recounted over and over again. “It’s a sad song, but we sing it anyway,” Hermes reminds us, and it’s a sentiment worth repeating. There may be tragedy, but the summer will inevitably return.
A police drama that has gripped viewers is returning for a new series on the BBC
The BBC has shared an update on Blue Lights(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Two Cities Television/Matthias Clamer)
The BBC has shared a first look at the new series of a police drama fans have called “the best cop show”.
Belfast-set Blue Lights has become a huge success since it started in 2023, with viewers gripped by its first three series.
It is now set to return for a fourth run, and the broadcaster has given fans a peek at what’s to come in images showing Siân Brooke, Martin McCann, Katherine Devlin and Nathan Braniff back in uniform.
The series, which follows officers at the fictional Blackthorn police station in Belfast, will also see the return of Game of Thrones’ Richard Dormer.
He played Gerry Cliff in series one, and will be back alongside Hannah McClean as solicitor Jen Robinson and Jonathan Harden as disgraced former Inspector, Jonty, in an episode “that will answer important questions from the past”.
The new images come weeks after the BBC shared an exclusive clip from the new season.
The brief look at series four showed Constable Shane Bradley (Frank Blake) pulling over elderly driver David (Trevor Gill) and his passenger, Imelda (Rosamund Monteith), to quiz him about whether he had been drinking.
Fans are eagerly awaiting the new episodes, after declaring the first three series of Blue Lights were “excellent” and “outstanding”.
One posted a comment on IMDb.com saying the show was “entertainment at its best”, while another remarked: “As an ex-cop, I’m so sick of US made cookie cutter police shows. Blue Lights in my opinion is bang on what it’s like to be cop.”
“Brilliant acting, directing, production – award winning drama all round,” said someone else. “Absolutely outstanding British drama. It’s poignant, emotional, engaging. The cast are brilliant. Best show I’ve watched in a long time.”
“If you haven’t watched Blue Lights yet, you’re missing out on one of the best shows in years,” one fan wrote on Reddit. “This is a must watch show, one of the best of the 2020s and will one day be a classic,” they continued.
“Watched this whole thing in like a week, it is fantastic,” said someone else, as another wrote on Reddit that it was “a masterpiece of a show”.
“This is probably the best cop show since Southland and Bosch,” another viewer commented.
Blue Lights will be available on BBC iPlayer and BBC One this autumn.
On stage at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, a far cry from the sweaty basement punk shows of the band’s early days, Jimmy Eat World played breakthrough power pop hit “The Middle” as the sold-out crowd sang along with the final chorus that “everything will be all right, all right.”
“It really is incredible to us to think about everyone who bothered to spend time with this record and made something of it for themselves over 25 years. This is your guys’ record as much as it’s ours, really,” singer-guitarist Jim Adkins said from the stage.
The band, which has generally shied away from nostalgia plays over its 30-plus year career, is performing the platinum-selling “Bleed American” album in its entirety on tour this summer, including a stop at Warped Tour in Long Beach on Saturday, a matching bookend to the band’s original promotion of the album.
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“It solidified us as, ‘This is what we do. Let the day job go.’ It turned into full-time rock and roll. And that moment only happens once, so it felt appropriate to honor it at 25,” bassist Rick Burch said backstage before the band’s Brooklyn tour stop in June.
Released on July 24, 2001, “Bleed American” was one of the last great rock records of the monoculture, arriving months before Apple’s iPod launched and made shuffle the default and 15 years before streaming became the dominant way to consume music.
“When ‘Bleed American’ took off it was right at the transition of the internet,” says Jim Adkins.
(Evelyn Freja / For The Times)
A hit with Hollywood roots
Just over a quarter of a century ago, four guys from Mesa, Ariz., came to L.A. to record their fourth album.
Jimmy Eat World’s Adkins, Burch, drummer Zach Lind and guitarist Tom Linton earned recording money between tours by working construction, driving around car dealership customers and selling art supplies and auto parts.
The band had cut ties with Capitol Records after 1999’s “Clarity” — a sweeping, lush and highly influential work highly regarded by their contemporaries that would inspire third-wave emo superstars including My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy and Paramore — that the major label had no idea how to market, even after “Lucky Denver Mint” got pickup on L.A.’s alt rock tastemaker KROQ-FM.
“If that song would have been on ‘Bleed American,’ that would have been a No. 1 song,” said Jim Suptic, of Kansas-based second-wave emo band the Get Up Kids, who have been on the “Bleed American” anniversary run. Suptic said that he was inspired to start the band after seeing Jimmy Eat World live in the mid-’90s.
With the band’s tight budget, producer Mark Trombino, who produced “Clarity” and predecessor “Static Prevails,” worked with the band for free in L.A., banking on the future success of the album. After recording drums at Cherokee Studios, the band relocated to Harddrive Analog & Digital Recording in North Hollywood to make the bulk of “Bleed American.”
“The studio was so small, it didn’t have a lounge,” Lind recalled.
But there was a bus stop outside they used instead, where they would hang out with “an assortment of characters,” Adkins said.
He and Lind commuted to the Valley from Redondo Beach, where they crashed on the floor of Lind’s brother’s place. Linton fondly remembers the great food in the city and hanging out with friends in other bands while Burch spent downtime skateboarding in L.A.
Even without the cash or support from a label, recording “Bleed American” didn’t feel like a do-or-die moment for the band’s future.
“We just kind of figured we might have to go out and just release this ourselves. Let’s just do the best job we can, and be happy with what we put out,” Linton said.
But with the buzz growing around the new music, record labels came calling.
‘The Middle’ meets the moment
By the time the album dropped in July 2001, the guitar-heavy snarling title track of “Bleed American” had already been in regular rotation on alt-rock stations for a month.
After a stint on the Warped Tour, Jimmy Eat World set out on a U.S. headlining tour in the fall, with Hey Mercedes opening.
“I remember that tour in particular, them sort of really finding their confidence in their voice and their shows and their performance and the whole package. And this was before ‘The Middle’ really broke, but I could tell that they were really firing on all cylinders,” said Hey Mercedes singer-guitarist Bob Nanna, whose influential emo group Braid first played with Jimmy Eat World in 1998.
The album landed on the Billboard charts three weeks after its release, and while its peak position was 31, it remained on the chart for 70 weeks. (A couple of months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the name of the album was changed to “Jimmy Eat World” on pressings before reverting to the original title in 2008.)
“When ‘Bleed American’ took off it was right at the transition of the internet,” Adkins said.
By 2002, “Bleed American” was taking off due to the popularity of the song “The Middle.”
(Scott Gries / Getty Images)
The media landscape hadn’t yet transformed. Rock music magazines like Spin, NME, Alternative Press and Kerrang! were thriving. The band made the rounds on the late-night talk shows as “The Middle” video clip played on MTV’s popular show “Total Request Live.”
“Things hadn’t splintered out into a zillion niche locations just quite yet,” Adkins said.
By March 2002, “The Middle” had hit the Billboard charts, where it climbed to No. 5 by the summer and spent 33 weeks on the Hot 100.
“They were a real band that had a radio hit, and not a radio band reverse engineered,” the Get Up Kids’ Suptic said.
The success was surreal for the band members as they heard the song on the radio, in restaurants and the gym. Today, you can still summon an entire generation with the opening guitar melody.
“I understand why that song has resonated,” Lind said. “I think there’s a few themes in the album that resonate with people in times when things are going tough. You know, ‘The Middle’ is definitely one of those songs that so many people have found encouragement from, whether they’re dealing with a breakup or going through cancer.”
“It seems like one of those songs that people have used to feel better and I think that’s obviously really powerful.”
“It solidified us as, ‘This is what we do. Let the day job go.’ It turned into full-time rock and roll,” says bassist Rick Burch about the success of “Bleed American.”
(Evelyn Freja / For The Times)
Here we are now
But the fans selling out the tour dates around the U.S. know much more than the hits, singing along to the deep cuts after traveling hundreds of miles to get to the show, in some cases.
Fans traveled from states like Michigan and Texas for the tour kickoff at Red Rocks in Colorado.
Robie O’Donnell took the train up to New York from the Washington, D.C., area to take his 12-year-old daughter to her first Jimmy Eat World show. The Brooklyn show was his 25th after he discovered them in the late ‘90s from a recommendation on the Get Up Kids’ website.
Behind him in line hours before doors opened was Jane Kung, who was only 8 when “Bleed American” was released and got into it when she was in high school. She didn’t want to miss the chance to hear it live.
“The fact that so many people wanted to come see this is something I didn’t expect,” Adkins said about the tour.
The fans get a chance to geek out over the rarely-played deep cuts from the album, like “Your House,” which required a revamp because of the studio work on the song, and the live debut of “(Splash) Turn Twist,” which was on the Japanese import of the album. Even louder than the sing-along to “The Middle” is the call and response from the crowd on the album’s second-biggest hit, “Sweetness.”
“Having this piece that we’ve created be embraced by so many is a very accomplished feeling,” Burch said.
Nanna even ventured into the crowd after Hey Mercedes opened the Brooklyn show, singing along to “A Praise Chorus,” the band’s crunchy guitar-filled love letter to rock music, among others.
“The world is a tough, s— place now and to have these moments where everybody can sing along to something that’s just pure joy was really soul enriching,” he said.
