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    Netflix Apologizes to 'Byron Baes' Cast for 'Hated' PR Post Amid Backlash

    Netflix

    Meanwhile, Byron locals are not happy with the docusoap as they reportedly paddle out into the ocean to protest the show in addition to launching a petition against the new project.

    May 3, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Netflix’s upcoming docusoap “Byron Baes” has yet to premiere but the show is already drawing backlash not only from Byron locals but also from its cast. It has been reported that the cast members, who have yet to be revealed, are not happy with the show labeling them as “influencers” and “hot Instagrammers” in an Instagram post teasing the new project.

    In response to the backlash, Netflix’s Director of Originals in Australia Que Minh Luu took to her Twitter account to share that the streaming giant had apologized to the cast for the recent PR post. “A postcard’s worth of copy doesn’t tell the whole story of what the show is. It looks at human connection, ambition, image and what lies underneath – not all glossy, often contradictory. Like the place itself. Byron is a symbol to so many Australians,” Luu began her thread.

    “It is a reality show & it has craft. It is hella entertaining & it is complex. These are not mutually exclusive. The team & participants are committed, hardworking, with heart & incredible stories to tell,” she went on to say. “I’ve never made reality before and want to do something new with it – with Eureka we’re levelling s**t up. BTW, the craft and skill that goes into reality is kinda incredible??”

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    Of the cast members, Luu explained, “The participants number in the double digits, a quarter born/raised in the area, most have lived there a meaningful length of time, a few newer to the area…kinda like how Byron works. They are artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, business owners, models, on a spiritual journey and more. They understand the power of influence. They are part of Byron. They understand the creative vision of the show that has been developed with them over several months.”

    In the next tweet, Luu confirmed that most of the cast members “hated the press release too!” That prompted her to do “a lot of apologising that week. Fired the PR team (lol joking about firing, we’re all learning together).”

    Luu added, “Anyhoo, there’s more to influencing than you think, there’s more to Byron than the image, and there’s more to the show. No doubt it won’t be for everyone, but it’ll authentic, honest and layered and FUN. Also a docusoap! Can’t wait to share it.”

    Concluding the thread, she wrote, “Last thought: soap operas get trashed a lot but they’re often a conversation starter for families, communities about current issues…when Warren and I created The Heights it was with all the respect for the genre’s place in culture and what value we could add to it x.”

    That aside, locals were not supportive of “Byron Baes” as they reportedly thought the show would affect badly to the beach. It was said that the folks paddled out into the ocean to protest the show in addition to launching a petition against the docusoap.

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    Arnold Schwarzenegger Grateful to Stan Lee for Creating His Dream Role in 'Superhero Kindergarten'

    WENN

    The former Governor of California is thrilled for the release of his new family-friendly show which was created by Stan Lee specifically for the ‘Predator’ actor.

    May 3, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Arnold Schwarzenegger is a big hit with tiny kids at last – thanks to the creator of his new show “Superhero Kindergarten”.

    The actor and former Governor of California made his name in adult action films like “The Terminator” and “Predator”, which were full of guns and violent scenes unsuitable for youngsters, but his new Amazon Prime Series has given him access kindergarteners, and it’s all thanks to late Marvel boss Stan Lee.

    “He (Lee) asked (me) my dream of what movie I wanted to do next and I said to him, ‘I always wanted to do a sequel to (comedy film) Kindergarten Cop…,” Arnie told Kelly Clarkson on her U.S. daytime talk show.

    “He thought for a few seconds and said, ‘I have an idea for an animated show. What about Superhero Kindergarten, where you’re a kindergarten teacher for kids who have superpowers – wouldn’t that be great? You have been a superhero yourself (in the show) but you’re now retired and… teaching those kids how to be good contributors and how to save the world in the future.’ ”

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    The star, who plays Arnold Armstrong – aka Captain Courage – in the cartoon series, loves his new role but he regrets the legend behind his new show didn’t live to see the finished product.

    “The sad story is that he (Stan) passed since then and didn’t really see the final product, but I think that he would be very happy…,” Schwarzenegger added, “because it came out fantastic and very entertaining. I’m very happy about it because… most of the movies I’ve done were all R-rated (adult) action movies.”

    “It was a competition between me and (Sylvester) Stallone – who is killing more people on the screen, who is using bigger guns, who can brutalise people the worst way.”

    “Finally I do a project for little kids, for five year olds. Anyone from two years to 10 years (old) will enjoy the show.”

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    Lena Headey Added to 'White House Plumbers', J.K. Simmons Signed on for 'Lightyears'

    WENN

    The ‘Game of Thrones’ alum joins Woody Harrelson in HBO’s true-story Watergate show while the ‘Whiplash’ actor replaces Ed O’Neill in Amazon’s new drama series.

    May 2, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Actress Lena Headey has been cast as Woody Harrelson’s TV wife in a new series surrounding the Watergate scandal, which ended Richard Nixon’s U.S. presidency in 1974.

    The “Game of Thrones” star will play Dorothy Hunt, an active CIA asset and mother-of-four in “The White House Plumbers”, which will be based on public records and Egil and Matthew Krogh’s book “Integrity”, which followed the events that led to the impeachment of Nixon.

    Harrelson was previously cast as E. Howard Hunt, opposite Justin Theroux as fellow Watergate mastermind G. Gordon Liddy, while Domhnall Gleeson will portray White House Counsel John Dean.

    The limited five-part series, created by “Veep” ‘s Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck and directed by David Mandel, is being developed for U.S. network HBO.

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    Meanwhile, Oscar winner J.K. Simmons has stepped in to replace Ed O’Neill as Sissy Spacek’s husband in Amazon’s new drama series “Lightyears”.

    Former “Modern Family” star O’Neill was forced to exit the series for family reasons.

    In “Lightyears”, Simmons and Spacek will play Franklin and Irene York, who discover a portal to a deserted planet in their backyard.

    It’s Simmons’ latest sign-on for Amazon in recent months – he will also star alongside Chris Pratt in Amazon Prime Video’s sci-fi thriller “The Tomorrow War”. Simmons also voices a character on the new Prime Video animated series “Invincible”.

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    Janet Mock Rants Against Hollywood at 'Pose' Premiere After Only Getting Paid $40,000 Per Episode

    Instagram

    During her speech, the producer and director of the show also apologizes to boyfriend Angel Bismark Curiel as she admits to having cheated on him during the show’s production.

    May 1, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Janet Mock has finally let things get off her chest at the “Pose” premiere. When delivering a speech at the event, the executive producer and director of the FX drama could not help but rant against Hollywood after claiming to have only gotten paid $40,000 per episode.

    “F**k Hollywood,” the 38-year-old began her fiercy speech at the Thursday, April 29 event, per The Daily Beast. “This makes you uncomfortable? It should. It should make you f**king shake in your motherf**king boots. This is speaking the truth. This is what ‘Pose’ is.”

    “Why am I making $40,000 a motherf**king episode? Huh? Do you know who the f**k I am? Do you know what I f**king mean? Huh? I am angry,” the transgender rights activist continued stressing. “This is truth. This is motherf**king truth.”

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    Janet went on to apologize to fellow executive producer Our Lady J by saying, “I tried to shrink you to make myself bigger. Why couldn’t I just love you?” She then added, “I f**ked up, y’all. I forgot who the f**k I was. They want me to come up here and pretend… I don’t need Hollywood, honey. You know why? Cuz I’m f**king free.”

    Elsewhere in her speech, Janet also apologized to boyfriend Angel Bismark Curiel as she admitted to having cheated on him during the show’s production. “Let me tell you something about love,” she said, according to Page Six. “Today, I was gonna let [Angel] go. I was gonna let you go, right, but what did I do? I f**ked someone on the crew, right?”

    “Angel, Angel. I’m not losing you. You hear me? You are f**king important to me. I don’t want to live in a house alone. I want you. You motherf**ker. Right there. That’s who I want,” she continued. “I’m getting what’s mine.”

    After giving some inspirational words for cast members such as Indya Moore, Dominique Jackson and MJ Rodriguez, Janet further expressed her anger to the industry. “It’s a show, but it means so much to everyone to ‘ensure that we enable black and brown trans women to make it’ because that sounds good,” she said sarcastically. “It makes you comfortable to talk like that because then I don’t scare you into facing the f**king truth. You all have stomped on us.”

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    Billy Porter Struggling to Say Goodbye to 'Pose' Because the Show 'Healed' Him

    FX Networks

    The ‘Kinky Boots’ star describes the cancellation of his hit television show as ‘bittersweet’ because he found starring on the groundbreaking series very healing for him.

    May 1, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Actor Billy Porter is struggling to say goodbye to his hit show “Pose” because it really healed him.

    The groundbreaking programme, created by Ryan Murphy, Steven Canals, and Gwyneth Paltrow’s husband Brad Falchuk, is set amid New York City’s gender-nonconforming drag ball culture scene and shot the flamboyant entertainer, who played Pray Tell, to stardom.

    As the Emmy winner prepares for the launch of Pose’s third and final season, Billy admits he will always consider the show “a gift” because he was able to “heal” while making it.

    “It’s bittersweet,” he shares of bidding farewell to “Pose”, “but I will say what a gift it has been, as a person who lived through the AIDS crisis and made it to the other side, to be able to go back and revisit that time, and in this new pandemic time remind the world that there is hope, there is joy, that there is love, and if we can just come together and get to the other side, it’s going to be OK.”

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    “There’s a healing inside of this season I think that the world is ready to receive and I’m just so grateful… to be called to tell this particular story,” he continues on America’s “Live with Kelly and Ryan”.

    “It has been life-changing… I think, you know, it’s about closing one chapter and the rebirth of me personally, Billy. You know, I’ve been able to grow through Pray Tell, I’ve been able to heal through the character of Pray Tell, and Pose in general.”

    “And I’m ready to embrace now telling a different story, moving forward as Billy, so I’m really, really, truly grateful for this…”

    “I’m ready for all of the good things,” adds the star.

    The final season of “Pose” debuts on America’s FX network on 2 May.

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    'Jeopardy!' Winner on 'Racist' Hand Gesture Accusations: It's a 'Terrible Misunderstanding'

    NBC

    His statement arrives after a group of 467 former contestants of the game show penned an open letter to the show, demanding an apology from the show’s producers for not censoring a controversial hand gesture in an episode.

    May 1, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Three-time “Jeopardy!” winner Kelly Donohue has reacted to the open letter penned by several “Jeopardy!” alums in which they accused Kelly of making a racist hand gesture on the show. Taking to his Facebook account on Thursday, April 29, Donohue insisted that this was a “terrible misunderstanding.”

    “I’m truly horrified with what has been posted about me on social media. I absolutely, unequivocally condemn white supremacy and racism of any kind,” so Donohue wrote on the post. “People who know me personally know that I am not a racist, but for the public at large it bears repeating: I am not a racist and I reject and condemn white supremacy and all forms of bigotry for the evil they are.”

    He went on saying, “It’s shameful to me to think anyone would try to use the stage of Jeopardy! to advance or promote such a disgusting agenda. During the taping of my fourth episode, I was simply raising three fingers to mark my 3rd win. There was nothing more I was trying to indicate.”

    In the statement, Donohue said that he “deeply regret this terrible misunderstanding. I never meant to hurt a soul and I assure you I am no friend of racists or white supremacists.”

    Explaining why he deleted his previous post, he wrote, “I removed the previous post because the comments were more than I could bear. I stand by the statement itself and you can find it reported in other media. I did, however, understand the fair criticism that I did not include a forceful condemnation of white supremacy in my initial statement. I hope my feelings on that matter are clear now.”

      See also…

    This arrives after a group of 467 former contestants of the game show penned an open letter to the show, demanding an apology from the show’s producers for not censoring a controversial hand gesture in an episode of the long-running game show. “A recent contestant has caused concern among ‘Jeopardy!’ viewers for two separate occurrences,” the letter read. “We, as former contestants, feel the need to speak out against the messaging that these choices communicated — either intentionally or unintentionally — by the contestant Kelly Donohue and, implicitly by association, the producers of ‘Jeopardy!’ ”

    The letter referred to Kelly who was captured on camera holding “his thumb and forefinger together with his other three fingers extended and palm facing inward, and he tapped his chest.” The letter noted that that the gesture was extremely similar to the gesture “coopted by white power groups, alt-right groups, and an anti-government group that calls itself the Three Percenters,” adding that such gesture must be censored.

    “We know that contestants sign morals and ethics-related agreements when they prepare to appear on the show, and we would ask the production team to evaluate this situation within that framework. Finally, we hope to see changes made so that future mistakes of this magnitude never make it on air,” it concluded.

    “Jeopardy!” has yet to comment on the matter.

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    Olivia Williams to Play Camilla Parker Bowles for 'The Crown' Season 5

    WENN

    The ‘Counterpart’ actress has been signed on to play the future Duchess of Cornwall, taking over the role from ‘Promising Young Woman’ director Emerald Fennell.

    May 1, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Olivia Williams will play Camilla Parker Bowles on “The Crown”.

    “The Nevers” actress will take over the role of the future Duchess of Cornwall from Emerald Fennell in the upcoming fifth season of Netflix’s regal drama, which will cover the most volatile period of her relationship with Prince Charles; before and after the death of Princess Diana.

    According to the Daily Mail newspaper columnist Baz Bamigboye, Olivia underwent a “chemistry test” with Dominic West, who is set to play Charles, to see if they were compatible on screen together before she was offered the role.

      See also…

    As well as Dominic taking on Charles – who was played by Josh O’Connor in the third and fourth seasons – the cast refresh for the next season of the drama will see Imelda Staunton taking over as Queen Elizabeth from Oscar winner Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies handing over Prince Philip to another former “Game of Thrones” star, Jonathan Pryce.

    Lesley Manville will replace Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret and “Tenet” actress Elizabeth Debicki will play Princess Diana in the latter part of her life, taking over the role from Emma Corrin.

    It was previously reported producers were hoping to land “Fleabag” star Andrew Scott to play Prime Minister of the time Tony Blair, but he would need to rearrange other commitments in order to be available for filming.

    Meanwhile, rumor has it, the producers haven’t found an actor to play Prince Andrew. “Prince Andrew is one of the most unpopular members of the royal family and wannabe stars aren’t exactly queuing up to play him,” a source claimed.

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    Oprah Winfrey Gushes Over Drew Barrymore's Green-Screen Chat Effect on TV Show

    WENN

    The former daytime talk show host thanks the ‘Charlie’s Angels’ actress for pioneering green-screen chat technology as she uses the effect for her own ‘Oprah Conversations’ show.

    May 1, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Oprah Winfrey was so impressed with the green-screen technology Drew Barrymore used for her “Charlie’s Angels” reunion on her U.S. talk show, she has stolen it for her new series.

    Drew was joined in the studio by Lucy Liu last year (21), but Cameron Diaz had to be beamed in so it looked like she was sitting next to her former co-stars – and Oprah was watching.

    Appearing on “The Drew Barrymore Show” on Friday (30Apr21), Oprah said that seeing the show changed her life.

    “You have changed my work life…,” Winfrey said. “There you all were and we didn’t know that you all weren’t in the same space. I watched that and I said, ‘Hey, why can’t we do what Drew did?’ ”

      See also…

    Oprah has been conducting green-screen interviews with virtual guests for her AppleTV+ show, “Oprah Conversations”, ever since and reveals her first was with former U.S. leader Barack Obama.

    “There we were, sitting right across from each other in my living room…, and I said then, ‘This is because of you, Drew, so thank you.’ ”

    And Drew and Oprah believe green-screen interviews will be the way to go for many TV hosts.

    “I’ve heard people say, ‘After Drew, I’m not going nowhere,’ ” Oprah added. “The truth is you’re able to have better access…”

    “In terms of having access to anybody in the world at any time, what you all did in that first show lit the path for changing it forever.”

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