Kid Rock has given the public a bit of insight into his recent tirade against Oprah Winfrey, claiming a potential appearance on her former talk show soured his view of the media mogul.
“My people tried to get me to do The Oprah Winfrey show years ago and her people wanted me to write down 5 reasons why I loved her and her show,” Rock, 48, tweeted. “I said f—k that and her. End of story.”
Rock was escorted off stage in Nashville after going on a lewd rant against Winfrey, 68, at his own Honky Tonk Bar.
“Oprah Winfrey is like, ‘Hey, I just want women to believe in this s–t,’” he said in the video. “F–k her, she can suck d–k sideways.”
The “All Summer Long” musician went on to say that he knows many will label him “racist” for attacking Winfrey, to which he claims he would respond, “OK fine, f–k off!”
Disney’s “Frozen 2” is continuing to dominate the Thanksgiving box office with an estimated $128 million through the five-day weekend.
The “Frozen” sequel took in another $34 million on Friday of its second weekend in multiplexes, lifting its cumulative domestic gross to $236 million through Friday. Should estimates hold, “Frozen 2” will top “Hunger Games: Catching Fire’s” Thanksgiving record of about $110 million.
Meanwhile, Rian Johnson’s whodunnit “Knives Out” totaled $10.7 million on Friday and is heading for about $41 million from 3,391 North American locations in its first five days. Since opening on Wednesday, “Knives Out” has grossed about $25.4 million.
The murder mystery features a star-studded cast including Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Michael Shannon, Christopher Plummer, Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Katherine Langford and LaKeith Stanfield. Critics have favored the movie, distributed by Lionsgate, which has a 96% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Ford v Ferrari’s” third frame is competing with Mr. Rogers biopic “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’s” second weekend for third place with an estimated $18 million to $19 million from Wednesday through Sunday. James Mangold’s racing story starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon has grossed $73.2 million for Fox through Friday.
Popular on Variety
Melina Matsoukas’ directorial debut, “Queen & Slim,” starring Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith and distributed by Universal, should land in fifth with about $15 million from 1,690 domestic locations in its first five days in theaters.
Kaluuya and Turner-Smith star as a couple who go on the run after Kaluuya’s character kills a police officer in self-defense as the pair is on their first date. The incident is captured on video and goes viral, and the couple become a symbol of trauma, terror, grief and pain for people across the country. Lena Waithe penned the script from a story by herself and James Frey. Makeready financed and produced the film.
“Frozen 2” sees the return of Anna (Kristen Bell), Elsa (Idina Menzel), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and Olaf (Josh Gad), as the group embarks on a journey to find out why Elsa has her powers. Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck co-directed the follow-up from Lee’s screenplay.
Frozen II, starring Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad,topped the Black Friday box office with a whopping $34.031 million (-18% from Thursday), continuing to show that folks were indeed very excited for the animated sequel but (comparatively speaking) were willing to see it with the kids “at some point” over what was essentially a ten-day opening holiday frame. We saw that with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (a $7.5 million opening day and a $195 million 14-day holiday sprint)in December of 2017, and with Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace in May of 1999 (a $105 million Wed-Sun debut and then a $66 million Fri-Mon Memorial Day weekend frame), and we may see something similar with Cats and The Rise of Skywalker next month.
The film now earned $236.354 million in North America, soon to best the unadjusted domestic earnings of every non-Pixar Disney toon save for Zootopia ($341 million in 2016), Frozen ($400 million in 2013/2014), The Lion King ($422 million, counting the 2011 reissue) and The Lion King ($543 million in 2019). Presuming the 36.3/63.7 domestic/overseas split from last weekend (when it opened with $130 million domestic and $228 million overseas) has held, Frozen II has earned around $651 million worldwide. So, yeah, it’ll probably pass $269 million domestic and $740 million worldwide by tonight. With a possible/likely $88.44 million Fri-Sun weekend (-32%) and $128.17 million, besting Catching Fire’s $73 million/$109 million Thanksgiving weekend haul, Frozen II will have around $292 million domestic (and around $800 million worldwide) by tomorrow night.
That will give it the 15th-biggest, sans inflation, ten-day total ever, above Finding Dory ($286 million toward a $486 million cume) and below Beauty and the Beast ($319 million/$504 million) and Incredibles 2 ($349 million/$608 million). As noted yesterday, it’s already Walt Disney Animation’s biggest-grossing theatrical sequel, ahead of Ralph Breaks the Internet ($529 million in 2018) and, uh, The Jungle Book 2 ($186 million in 2003), Peter Pan 2: Return to Neverland ($115 million in 2002), Fantasia 2000 ($90 million in 2000/2001) and Rescuers Down Under ($27 million). Unlike Pixar, Illumination or DreamWorks, Walt Disney Animation almost never makes theatrical sequels to their theatrical toons. Frozen II is a very rare thing by virtue of its existence, which only made it more unique within the marketplace.
They have, starting with The Return of Jafar in 1994, made plenty of direct-to-VHS or direct-to-DVD sequels to their animated theatricals. Both Jungle Book 2 and Return to Neverland originally began life as direct-to-DVD titles. For that matter, so too did, once upon a time, Pixar’s Toy Story 2 which was initially a home video release before they overhauled the film and made something worthy of wide theatrical release. You could say that decision was a game changer but, let’s be honest, it’s not like DreamWorks wasn’t going to make Shrek 2 after Shrek earned $484 million in the summer of 2001. And, yes, Frozen is one of the few recent Walt Disney Animation flicks that was huge/popular enough that it merited a theatrical sequel.
Since Frozen was not created as a franchise-starter, it has an advantage over many of the disappointing sequels we’ve seen of late. It only exists because of consumer demand, not because the studio wants to milk a once-successful IP or because certain filmmakers want to roll the dice again with their favorite franchise. The core appeal of Frozen was the character chemistry of Kristen Bell’s Anna and Idina Menzel’s Elsa, and the buzzy songs, so the film merely had to deliver that to please the fans and the crowds. While, I may take issues with the story/plot, the sequel works on a character-driven/emotional level, which is arguably more important if you must triage. In this sense, Frozen II = The Force Awakens (which I just rewatched two nights ago).
After Wonder Woman 1984 and No Time to Die vacated for early 2020, Disney moved Frozen II to November 22. That was the launching pad for three (out of eight) Harry Potter films (Chamber of Secrets opened two weeks before Thanksgiving), all three Hunger Games sequels, four out of five Twilight movies and (thus far) the first two Fantastic Beasts flicks. We’d usually have the big fantasy launching on the pre-Thanksgiving frame and then a big (usually Disney) toon debuting over Thanksgiving. Frozen II became the big YA fantasy/adventure blockbuster AND the seasonal animated biggie of the moment, essentially canceling out its own competition. That Terminator: Dark Fate and Charlie’s Angels bombedalso made Frozen II the only game in town for big-scale, female-led action/fantasy blockbuster thrills.
Frozen II is this year’s Hunger Games/Twilight/Harry Potter, the family-friendly Grinch (from 2000) and the court-appointed Disney toon (Moana, Coco, etc.) all wrapped up into one appealing package. It’s not unlike how Joker ended up playing the role in October/November of the big horror movie, the big adult-skewing prestige flick and the big franchise/comic book movie all in one. Canny scheduling and good fortune left Frozen II as the event film of the movie for nearly all demographics. So, it took a week, but I would argue that Frozen II is indeed a “breakout sequel,” with a ten-day wide release cume far surpassing the first Frozen’s $134 million “end of second weekend of wide release (Frozen opened at the El Capitan one weekend before it went wide) total.
Frozen’s second wide release weekend was in early December, but that was part of Disney’s diabolical plan. And even if it drops dead after Sunday, think The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I ($281 million total after a $220 million ten-day cume), well, we’re still talking about a toon that’ll earn well over $373 million domestic and (unless it crashes even harder overseas) over $1 billion worldwide. If the Twilight Saga sequels are the doom-n-gloom scenario, then The Grinch (1.87x its $137 million ten-day cume for a $260 million total) is the pie-in-the-sky scenario, one that would give Frozen II a $554 million domestic finish. Even post-Thanksgiving legs between Justice League (1.33x) and the first Twilight (1.6x) still gets Frozen II between $388 million and $469 million domestic.
Frozen II snagged the third-biggest animated opening of all time and will snag the biggest non-opening weekend ever for a toon, ahead of Incredibles 2’s $80 million second-weekend gross (from a $183 million debut). Frozen has the record for the biggest Thanksgiving debut ($67 million Fri-Sun/$93 million Wed-Sun), but now, as of tomorrow, Frozen II will best Catching Fire’s second weekend gross to snag the biggest Thanksgiving Fri-Sun and Wed-Sun gross ever. Even if it drops dead after Thanksgiving, and it might not since it’s the only “big” game in town until Jumanji: The Next Level on December 13, it’ll near $400 million domestic and probably cross $1 billion worldwide. Frozen II is a breakout sequel, even if it (to paraphrase the Dixie Chicks) took the long way around.
While sources initially made it seem as if her departure was merely another panel rotation, insiders have since claimed that Union was ousted from the show after speaking out about the work environment at AGT.
The news prompted a barrage of emotional reactions online, including one from Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo. In a series of tweets, Pompeo said what many people have been thinking about all of this.
(L-R) Ellen Pompeo and Gabrielle Union | Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images North America; Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
Inside Gabrielle Union’s departure from ‘America’s Got Talent’
On Nov. 22, news broke that Union, as well as Julianne Hough, would not return for the show’s 15th season. Both women had only been on the show for the 14th season, which ran from May to September 2019.
A day later, on Nov. 23, blog Love B Scott shared a report that offered more insight into Union’s exit. Sources told the website that Union’s departure came after she spoke out about “problematic” situations on the show.
Variety later reported that one of those situations involved a racial joke that Jay Leno allegedly made while guest-hosting the show. The remarks were ultimately edited out of the episode, which aired on Aug. 6.
Sources also told Variety that Union and Hough received “excessive notes” about their physical appearance during their time on the show. Executives allegedly told Union on multiple occasions that her hairstyles were “too black” for viewers.
In response to the report, NBC shared a statement that read:
“‘America’s Got Talent’ has a long history of inclusivity and diversity in both our talent and the acts championed by the show. The judging and host line-up has been regularly refreshed over the years and that is one of the reasons for AGT’s enduring popularity. NBC and the producers take any issues on set seriously.”
Twitter reacts to Gabrielle Union’s exit from ‘America’s Got Talent’
The news has sparked many conversations online about race, power, and influence. Pompeo is one of many who took to Twitter to react to Union’s exit, writing in a series of messages on Nov. 28:
“It’s unfortunate that @nbc the same network that protected disgusting men like Matt Lauer and punished women for speaking out or not putting up with it…has not changed their practices or culture. I support @itsgabrielleu commitment to speaking up to injustice. It takes courage” Pompeo started, referencing former Today show anchor Matt Lauer’s firing over sexual misconduct allegations.
In a follow-up tweet, Pompeo wrote that her message was specifically targeted at “white girls,” whom she asked to “stand with your sisters on the front lines.”
“This is a teaching moment..It’s important..white girls I’m talking to you..whether you truly understand what racial injustice is or not..that you stand with your sisters on the front lines. Don’t cut side deals & don’t not get involved because it isn’t your issue..because it is,” she continued.
“Workplace cultures will continue to be toxic until there is unity and solidarity among all women,” Pompeo added. “If you go for self in these moments you undermine the work we are out here trying to do. Obviously this network feels like they can operate like this and it’s okay.”
Gabrielle Union will be OK
Union has seen the outpouring of love and made it clear that she’ll bounce back from this.
“To all the friends and family that have my back and all the friends and family I’ve never met who show love and support when everyone is looking and when no one is looking…All praise, gratitude, and thankfulness,” she captioned a Nov. 28 photo of her husband, Dwyane Wade, and their blended family.
Though her days on AGT have ended, Union still has her acting career, a beautiful family, and thousands of supporters who have her back.
The mega-popular reality TV family has faced issues in the past with stalkers and robbers, so now they travel everywhere with private security, according to Caitlyn Jenner.
During an episode of the British reality TV show, "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!" the Olympian who was married to matriarch Kris Jenner admitted that her youngest daughter, Kylie Jenner, spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on bodyguards.
"The first was the kids. I started with Brandon, my son, and he said to me: 'Dad, I’ve always been so proud to be your son but I’ve never been more proud of you than right now'," Jenner explained.
"I went through every kid and Khloe for some reason was p***ed off about something through this whole process, it’s been five or six years and I really haven’t talked to her since."
Kid Rock appears to be standing behind from his late-night stage tirade against Oprah Winfrey at a Tennessee bar.
On Friday (November 29), TMZ posted a video showing the rocker standing on stage in his Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N' Roll Steakhouse in Nashville while lashing out at Winfrey.
A few hours after the clip went viral, Kid Rock took to his Twitter to write: "My people tried to get me to do The Oprah Winfrey show years ago and her people wanted me to write down 5 reasons why I loved her and her show… I said fuck that and her. End of story." He also added a LGBTQ flag emoji in the tweet, though it wasn't clear why he did so.
In the video posted by TMZ, the 48-year-old musician could be heard saying into a microphone: "Fuck Oprah. Oprah Winfrey is, like, 'Hey, I just want women to believe in this shit.' Fuck her. She can suck dick sideways."
He added: "And if you say that, people say, 'Hey, I'm pretty sure Kid Rock's a racist.' I'm, like, 'Okay, fine'. Fuck off'."
The rocker also took aim at "The View" co-host Joy Behar during his appearance before he was reluctantly escorted offstage by the venue's security officials.
His vulgar comments didn't appear to be received well by the crowd, which was reportedly waiting for live music to continue.
"He's racist. Look at him. He's blacked out, drunk as fuck," one person can be heard saying.
It's not the first time Kid Rock, a diehard supporter of Donald Trump, has spoken of his feelings towards Winfrey. Back in 2008, he told The Independent newspaper: "Oprah Winfrey, she rubs me up the wrong way. I just don't believe her. Maybe it's because I'm not one of the 150 million brainwashed women who heed her every word."
In November 2018, Rock blasted Behar during a "Fox & Friends" segment about Trump and political correctness.
"God forbid you say something a little wrong; you're racist, homophobic, Islamophobic, this that and the other. People need to calm down, get a little less politically correct," Rock said. "And I would say, you know, love everybody. Except I'd say screw that Joy Behar bitch, everybody but that."
The comment forced "Fox & Friends" host Steve Doocy to promptly suggest Rock "cannot say that." Rock then retracted his earlier sentiment, quipping: "I mean, lady."
My people tried to get me to do The Oprah Winfrey show years ago and her people wanted me to write down 5 reasons why I loved her and her show…?️? I said fuck that and her. End of story.
On the first episode of this year's I'm A Celebrity, host Ant McPartlin said there could only be one winner of the show.
"Caitlyn Jenner's agent... by the sounds of it," was Dec's reply.
The gold medal-winning Olympian was undoubtedly the star booking of this series, reported to have been paid £500,000 to take part.
"The papers lie," says Natasha Hill, the talent agent responsible for getting Caitlyn onto the ITV show. "I wish it had been that much, but it was wrong."
She won't say how much exactly Caitlyn is being paid to be on the show, but confirmed there was a fee and negotiations did take place to secure it.
"I wanted to put an American forward for it and someone who was really well known."
When she spoke to Caitlyn about going into the jungle, her response was: "Are you kidding me? I'd love to do it. It would be a break from social media."
She says she suggested her client to the I'm A Celebrity producers because of her love of "amazing daredevil experiences" and that fact that she's "never fazed by anything".
The proof? In the first episode, Caitlyn jumped out of a plane.
Natasha's job as head of talent UK at MN2S means it's her responsibility for getting famous people onto TV, into clubs for live appearances or striking lucrative advertising tie-ins and contracts.
The 30-year-old says getting Caitlyn on to I'm A Celebrity is her biggest achievement to date.
She's previously worked with all sorts of people from a member of the Royal Family (she won't say who) to Sir Bob Geldof to The Vamps and Love Island contestants.
"It's so incredibly important for celebrities to make sure they are seen as someone who is relatable."
Shelf Life
To be a talent agent, Natasha agrees you need to be feisty, ambitious and ruthless ("but in a good way") - and says she's never nasty.
She says she's always upfront and honest with her clients about the potential shelf life of their time in the public eye.
"I'm not going to lie to them," she says. "I tell them right from the start that the industry is difficult. It's so oversaturated with people who want to do the same thing.
She says that's especially true of people who come from reality TV shows - some of them she works with.
"I tell them that we've got to join together to become this brand that's unstoppable.
"You see people go from reality TV shows who then play the same game and there's nothing out of the ordinary. Then you've got those who tick so many different boxes and is more than just the show they come from. All of the talent I work with are more than that."
She's currently working with two former TV contestants - Jamie Jewitt from the 2017 series of Love Island and Ruby Bhogal, a finalist in the 2018 series of the Great British Bake Off.
Ruby tells Radio 1 Newsbeat that Natasha was "brutally honest" with her when she first signed up to the agency.
After reaching the final of the show, she suddenly found herself in demand and needed someone to help negotiate all the offers of work she was receiving.
"We were very strategic," says Ruby. "We knew exactly how many months we had until the next series of Bake Off was coming around.
"We knew those months were key to make sure I had as much of an impact as I could have. We built relationships to make sure that - as much as I respected Bake Off - I was also a name individually outside of that."
The Break-Up
Natasha says her job is like having multiple relationships with people at the same time - but sometimes those relationships end, and she has to agree to part ways with a celebrity.
She tells the story of one successful boyband member (she doesn't name him).
"He was such a nice guy and we got on really well, but it became increasingly more difficult to get him deals with brands.
"I had to tell him that I think I'd done all I could do for him. At first he pretended he hadn't heard me and for a few weeks afterwards he still didn't seem to have understood.
"In the end he asked me to help him find another agent because he was worried no one else was going to work with him."
Getting Starstruck
Natasha says she's been working as an agent for seven or eight years, but started out as a receptionist for Global Radio in London.
She admits she was chatty, good at talking the talk and getting noticed. Over the years, she's worked for various agencies and dealt with many high profile figures.
However, there's only one person she's been really starstruck by - and it's not who you'd expect.
"Sir Ranulph Fiennes," says Natasha.
The 75-year-old is one of the UK's most famous explorers and she worked with him on an environmental campaign.
"I saw him speak about three years ago and I didn't know what to do. I almost fell over and it was the first time I'd ever felt like that."
As for Caitlyn, she says she wasn't phased when she first met her: "All the talent I work with, I just treat like they're someone else on the street who I'd just start chatting to."
Union and fellow judge Julianne Hough will not return for the second season of "America's Got Talent: The Champions," which premieres January 6.
Variety published a report this week alleging Union had been fired after urging the show's producers to notify human resources about an incident involving a racist joke. It also said producers told her multiple times that her hairstyles on the show were "too black."
CNN has not independently confirmed these allegations and has reached out to reps for Union and "America's Got Talent" for comment.
Here's what other celebrities are saying about her exit:
Ellen Pompeo
The "Grey's Anatomy" star blasted the network in a series of tweets.
"Workplace cultures will continue to be toxic until there is unity and solidarity among all women. If you go for self in these moments you undermine the work we are out here trying to do. Obviously this network feels like they can operate like this and it's okay," she said. "... I support @itsgabrielleu commitment to speaking up to injustice. It takes courage."
Debra Messing
The "Will & Grace" star echoed Pompeo's sentiment.
"Thank you for this @EllenPompeo. This is disgusting behavior from a network that has been my professional home for decades," Messing tweeted. "Yes, women become 'difficult,' when their insistence on a respectful and professional working environment, is ignored. Addressing a hostile work environment is inconvenient when there is a huge money making machine that is involved."
Jameela Jamil
The actress, who stars on NBC's "The Good Place," said the show should bring Union back with a raise.
"I am lucky to work with really good people at @nbc and am sad and angry to know this has been going on in that same network. I stand with @itsgabrielleu," she said.
Ariana Grande
The singer's message was short and ended with a love heart emoji aimed at Union.
"Thank you for this @EllenPompeo. be better @nbc we're with you @itsgabrielleu," she said.
Julian Castro
The 2020 presidential hopeful also chimed in.
"Corporate America tells employees and consumers they take racism and sexism seriously. But often the person reporting the problem is hurt by management," Castro tweeted. "Kudos to @itsgabrielleu for having the courage to speak out. Still waiting for answers from @nbc."
Dwyane Wade
Union's husband said he still has questions about her exit from the show.
"... When i got the news that my wife was being fired — my first question was obviously why!? I am still waiting on a good answer to that question. But if anyone knows @itsgabrielleu or have heard of her you know she's an advocate for our community and culture. As proud as i were of her being selected as a judge on #AGT— I am even more proud of her standing up for what she stands for and that's US."
Other celebrities, including actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, also expressed their support.
Union thanked fans on social media -- but did not provide any details on her exit from the show.
"So many tears, so much gratitude," she wrote Thursday. "THANK YOU! Just when you feel lost, adrift, alone ... you got me up off the ground. Humbled and thankful, forever."
In a statement to People, a spokesperson for NBC and Fremantle said the network and the producers take any issues on set seriously.
"America's Got Talent has a long history of inclusivity and diversity in both our talent and the acts championed by the show. The judging and host line-up has been regularly refreshed over the years and that is one of the reasons for AGT's enduring popularity," it said.
Union and fellow judge Julianne Hough will not return for the second season of "America's Got Talent: The Champions," which premieres January 6.
Variety published a report this week alleging Union had been fired after urging the show's producers to notify human resources about an incident involving a racist joke. It also said producers told her multiple times that her hairstyles on the show were "too black."
CNN has not independently confirmed these allegations and has reached out to reps for Union and "America's Got Talent" for comment.
Here's what other celebrities are saying about her exit:
Ellen Pompeo
The "Grey's Anatomy" star blasted the network in a series of tweets.
"Workplace cultures will continue to be toxic until there is unity and solidarity among all women. If you go for self in these moments you undermine the work we are out here trying to do. Obviously this network feels like they can operate like this and it's okay," she said. "... I support @itsgabrielleu commitment to speaking up to injustice. It takes courage."
Debra Messing
The "Will & Grace" star echoed Pompeo's sentiment.
"Thank you for this @EllenPompeo. This is disgusting behavior from a network that has been my professional home for decades," Messing tweeted. "Yes, women become 'difficult,' when their insistence on a respectful and professional working environment, is ignored. Addressing a hostile work environment is inconvenient when there is a huge money making machine that is involved."
Jameela Jamil
The actress, who stars on NBC's "The Good Place," said the show should bring Union back with a raise.
"I am lucky to work with really good people at @nbc and am sad and angry to know this has been going on in that same network. I stand with @itsgabrielleu," she said.
Ariana Grande
The singer's message was short and ended with a love heart emoji aimed at Union.
"Thank you for this @EllenPompeo. be better @nbc we're with you @itsgabrielleu," she said.
Julian Castro
The 2020 presidential hopeful also chimed in.
"Corporate America tells employees and consumers they take racism and sexism seriously. But often the person reporting the problem is hurt by management," Castro tweeted. "Kudos to @itsgabrielleu for having the courage to speak out. Still waiting for answers from @nbc."
Dwyane Wade
Union's husband said he still has questions about her exit from the show.
"... When i got the news that my wife was being fired — my first question was obviously why!? I am still waiting on a good answer to that question. But if anyone knows @itsgabrielleu or have heard of her you know she's an advocate for our community and culture. As proud as i were of her being selected as a judge on #AGT— I am even more proud of her standing up for what she stands for and that's US."
Other celebrities, including actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, also expressed their support.
Union thanked fans on social media -- but did not provide any details on her exit from the show.
"So many tears, so much gratitude," she wrote Thursday. "THANK YOU! Just when you feel lost, adrift, alone ... you got me up off the ground. Humbled and thankful, forever."
In a statement to People, a spokesperson for NBC and Fremantle said the network and the producers take any issues on set seriously.
"America's Got Talent has a long history of inclusivity and diversity in both our talent and the acts championed by the show. The judging and host line-up has been regularly refreshed over the years and that is one of the reasons for AGT's enduring popularity," it said.
SEOUL, South Korea — Two K-pop stars were sentenced to prison on Friday for raping women who were too drunk to consent to sex, and one of the men was also convicted of making videos of the assaults and sharing them with friends online.
The Seoul Central District Court sentenced the singer-songwriter Jung Joon-young, who recorded and shared the videos, to six years in prison. His friend Choi Jong-hoon, a former boy band member, was sentenced to five years.
“The accused perpetrated sexual crimes against multiple women, degrading women and treating them as mere tools of sexual pleasure,” Judge Kang Seong-soo said in his verdict on Friday. “It’s hard to fathom the pain the victims must have suffered.”
During their trial, Mr. Jung and Mr. Choi, both 30, said that the sex acts, which took place in 2016, had been consensual. But the court ruled that the women had been drunk and unable to resist. The court has not said how many victims there were.
Both men broke into tears as they were escorted back to jail after the sentencing, the news agency Yonhap reported. They have a week to appeal.
The police began investigating the matter early this year, after it was reported that Mr. Jung, along with other members of an online chat group, had bragged about drugging and raping women and had shared surreptitiously recorded videos of assaults.
The police have not said who originally came forward with the information, citing regulations meant to protect whistle-blowers. But South Korean news outlets have reported that it was a worker at a shop where Mr. Jung sent his smartphone in hopes of retrieving lost data.
K-pop, a major South Korean cultural export, has recently been plagued by scandals. Lee Seung-hyun, a former member of the K-pop group Big Bang who is better known by the stage name Seungri, is being tried on charges of providing prostitutes for foreign businessmen in a nightclub.
Two female K-pop stars, Sulli and Goo Hara, have killed themselves in the past two months. Both had been victims of cyberbullying.
Singer-songwriter Jung Joon-young, 30, and musician Choi Jong-hoon, 29, were on Friday convicted of conspiring in the sexual assault of a woman who was incapable of resisting, according to the Seoul Central District Court. Jung was also found guilty of filming women against their will and sharing the sexually explicit material to members of an online group chat.
The court jailed Jung for six years and Choi for five years. Both men are also required to complete 80 hours of a sexual violence treatment program.
Allegations of the crimes were first made public in March, in the so-called "Burning Sun scandal." The Burning Sun club, located in Seoul's upscale Gangnam neighborhood, was allegedly the site of bribery, violence against customers, securing prostitutes for VIPs, rape, drug trafficking and drug use, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police.
South Korean police confirmed that Jung and Choi were among 10 members of the group chat. Jung was arrested several days later, admitting to the charges and apologizing to his victims.
The investigation into Jung began during a separate probe into K-pop idol Seungri. The Big Bang star, who oversaw publicity for Burning Sun, was accused of procuring women for prostitution, and was also in the group chat. In March, the 28-year-old announced his retirement from the entertainment industry, saying he was being "treated as a nation's enemy during the investigation."
Wider issue
The explosive revelations forced South Korea and its multibillion-dollar entertainment industry into a reckoning about its attitudes toward women. Within a month, four major stars apologized or announced early retirement after being linked to the group chat, which reflects a broader problem in the country of illicit recordings and voyeurism.
It comes after tens of thousands of women took to the streets of Seoul in 2018 to protest under the slogan "My Life is Not Your Porn."
The ongoing scandal also calls into question K-pop's supposedly squeaky-clean image. Stars are expected to conform to notoriously high standards of conduct, both from their management and fans. Their labels impose restrictions on who and how publicly they can date, what they wear, and how they behave in public.
The limiting conditions of the contracts stars sign with labels can create skewed expectations of how stars should act, while their sudden jumps to fame create fertile soil for misbehavior, experts told CNN in March.
CNN's Jake Kwon, Yoonjung Seo, James Griffiths and Helen Regan contributed to this report.
Lana Del Rey has joined Kacey Musgraves on a cover of the classic holiday tune “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Take a listen to it below.
The song appears on the soundtrack to Kacey Musgraves’ new Amazon Prime Video special, The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show, which premieres on the platform today (November 29). Inspired by Musgraves’ 2016 album A Very Kacey Christmas, the show also features Camila Cabello, Leon Bridges, and Zooey Deschanel among its many guests. Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy narrates the special, and Musgraves’ grandma makes a guest appearance, too.
Kacey Musgraves performed the song “Glittery” from the show on Fallon earlier this month.
The actress, along with fellow "AGT" judge Julianne Hough, will not return for the second season of "America's Got Talent: The Champions," which premieres January 6.
For that series judge Simon Cowell will be joined by Alesha Dixon, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel.
On Wednesday night Union tweeted a message of thanks to those who have supported her.
"So many tears, so much gratitude," she wrote. "THANK YOU! Just when you feel lost, adrift, alone... you got me up off the ground. Humbled and thankful, forever."
Her note came hours after her husband, NBA star Dwyane Wade, tweeted that his wife had been fired from the popular reality competition show.
"'Men lie, Women lie, numbers don't,'" he started out in a series of tweets. "Over this past year I've been approached by many people saying that my wife @itsgabrielleu is the main reason they've started watching #AGT or that they love her insight and sincerity on the show."
"So when i got the news that my wife was being fired—my first question was obviously why!? I am still waiting on a good answer to that question," he went on to tweet. "But if anyone knows @itsgabrielleu or have heard of her you know she's an advocate for our community and culture."
"As proud as i were of her being selected as a judge on #AGT— I am even more proud of her standing up for what she stands for and that's US," he said.
On Tuesday Variety published a report alleging Union had been fired after urging the show's producers to report an incident involving a racist joke to human resources and after producers told her multiple times that her hairstyles on the show were "too black."
CNN has not independently confirmed these allegations and has reached out to reps for Union and Wade as well as "America's Got Talent" and production companies Syco Entertainment and Fremantle for comment.
A spokesperson for NBC and Fremantle provided a statement to People on Tuesday stating, "America's Got Talent has a long history of inclusivity and diversity in both our talent and the acts championed by the show. The judging and host line-up has been regularly refreshed over the years and that is one of the reasons for AGT's enduring popularity. NBC and the producers take any issues on set seriously."
Wade concluded his tweets with a message of support for his wife of five years.
"So [cheers] to you @itsgabrielleu on not losing sight of the lessons we've talked about teaching our daughter and for kicking ass while you were on that platform," he wrote. "Number 1 judge on one of the biggest shows in the world!!"
Supergirl star Melissa Benoist has spoken out about being in an abusive relationship - saying at one point she had to learn to lock herself in a room.
In a video on Instagram, the actress says she "never thought" she'd be sharing a story like this.
She then gives details of how the "violence escalated" and how she "had to get out".
"I hope telling my story might help prevent more stories like mine happening," she says.
WARNING: This article contains details which some people may find upsetting
In the video, which is captioned Life Isn't Always What It Seems, the actress never names the alleged perpetrator or suggests when the relationship took place or how long it lasted.
Melissa says "the abuse was not violent at first" but was more manipulative.
"Work in general was a touchy subject," she says.
"He didn't want me ever kissing or even having flirtatious scenes with men..."
She says she turned down auditions and job offers because she "didn't want to hurt him" and now sees that behaviour as a "red flag" for what was to come.
The 31-year-old says the violence started with "a smoothie being thrown in my face" before escalating to the point where she was "pinned down, slapped and repeatedly punched".
"I learned to lock myself in rooms but quickly stopped because the door was inevitably broken down," she says.
In the video, she says her "most vivid memories" are from when the arguments would end when "a wave of guilt would wash over him", he'd "carry me to an empty bath" before crying and giving what she calls "the typical abuser's apology speech".
Melissa says she would "just plain lie" to her closest friends to cover up what was going on until one day one of them confronted her about it.
"Unbeknownst to me, many people in my life suspected and feared exactly what was happening.
"It was the first moment I spoke about the abuse to anyone and I can't describe the amount of relief I felt.
"She held me and she said, 'You know what you have to do now, don't you?'"
'You deserve a violence-free life'
The actress says "leaving was not a walk in the park" but that the more people she "let in" the more she was "bolstered".
She closes the video by addressing anyone who might be going through something similar.
"What I went through caused a tectonic shift in my outlook on life. I will be healing from this for the rest of my life. And that's OK.
"If you are enduring what I went through and you see this... at least you might begin to think of your freedom.
"You can and deserve to live a violence-free life."
Since the video was released, hundreds of people have responded to the post and the hashtag #IStandWithMelissa was trending on Twitter.
One fan called the story "absolutely heartbreaking" saying the actress is "so strong" while another thanks her "for being yet another voice to say it's OK to say no".
Other celebrities have also supported her.
Riverdale actress Lini Reinhart said she was "so moved by her bravery" on Instagram' while writer Natasha Rothwell tweeted: "Check on your strong friends. Check on your quiet friends... Check on each other."
"Doing my show every night brings me so much joy and to cancel is a kind of punishment... But the pain I'm in right now is overwhelming, and I must rest and follow doctor's orders."
The star did not specify the cause of her injury.
However, earlier this month, she told fans in San Francisco she was suffering from a "torn ligament" and "a bad knee".
After her most recent tour date in Los Angeles, an Instagram video showed her taking "my usual ice bath for multiple injuries". In an earlier video, she displayed a painful bruise on her right thigh.
Madonna is notoriously reluctant to cancel shows, abandoning only a handful of dates over the course of her 37-year career.
When she was inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2008, Justin Timberlake even recalled how the star had given him vitamin B12 injections to stop him succumbing to illness while she was working with him.
"She gave me a shot in my ass and looks at me and says, 'Nice top shelf,'" he said "That was one of the greatest days of my life."
However, the Boston shows are not the first setback on Madonna's Madame X Tour.
Refunds issued
She postponed the opening dates in New York in September due to production delays. Then, after several dates at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in New York, she had to call off a show due to injury. The opening night of her LA residency was also cancelled.
Tour promoter Live Nation said the scrapped shows will not be rescheduled "due to the tight scheduling through the balance of the year". Refunds will be automatically issued to credit card holders.
The Madame X tour, which sees Madonna trading sports arenas for intimate theatre venues, is due to come to the UK in January 2020, with a 15-night residency in the London Palladium.
The Pussycat Dolls reunion was supposed to be top secret.
Rumours had been swirling for several months, but journalists were under instruction not to confirm anything ahead of the group's surprise reunion performance on X Factor: Celebrity this weekend.
Louis Walsh, however, may have missed the memo.
"You know who's coming on? The Pussycat Dolls are the special guests!" he told Lorraine Kelly during a live TV interview on Monday. "There's an exclusive for you. They're back together."
The pussycat was firmly out of the bag.
"Half the time, Louis doesn't even know what he's talking about, so I was just surprised he got that one right," laughs his co-judge Nicole Scherzinger, lead singer of the Dolls.
"You could see in his face though," adds Carmit Bachar. "After he said it, he was like 'did I just drop the ball?'"
It's now officially announced that Nicole and Carmit, along with Ashley Roberts, Kimberly Wyatt and Jessica Sutta, are all set to return for nine live UK shows in April 2020.
"It's been a few years in the making," explains Kimberly. "But I think ultimately there's some unfinished business with the Pussycat Dolls.
"We're ready to get out there and do what we love. And the stars aligned. We've all been busy making babies and all those kinds of things," she adds (before Nicole interjects: "Speak for yourself!").
The Dolls broke up relatively early, in 2010, having released just two albums. And it's not as if their star was fading at the time they split.
They'd scored number one hits in the UK with Stickwitu and Don't Cha, while Jai Ho, Beep, Buttonz and When I Grow Up all hit the top 10 over their five years together.
Nonetheless, the group splintered off for various solo projects, but all have kept strong links with the UK.
Kimberly now lives in London with her British husband. Ashley appeared on Strictly and I'm A Celebrity and now presents on Heart radio. Nicole has performed in the West End, judged on X Factor and topped the UK singles chart with one of her solo hits, Don't Hold Your Breath.
"LA was our home, but the UK was our second home because the British just scooped us up," says Ashley. "So our lives ended up here as well, some of us, so the fans have just been holding on strong with wanting this reunion and our biggest fanbase is over here."
One member - Melody Thornton - is notably absent from the reunion, amid suggestions that she was requesting a larger share of the singing parts. Nicole sang 95% of the group's vocals across their first two albums, by her own admission.
Speaking to VH1's Behind The Music in 2012, producer Ron Fair confirmed: "Melody sang a bit here and there but the records were Nicole, with the exception of an occasional ad lib. They were Nicole."
As a result, Melody has often spoken about feeling under-used as a singer during her time with the group.
"They said, 'we're going to have Nicole do all of the recording, you're going to have to learn to dance with the rest of the girls'," Melody explained earlier this year when she was in the UK for Dancing on Ice.
"And for me it really affected my confidence because I wasn't using my best asset [my voice]. And I was the weakest dancer."
Explaining her absence from the reunion tour, Ashley says: "Mel's got a lot of projects going on in life.
"She was included in all of this, she's our sister, the door is always open, but it just wasn't the right timing for her right now. We wish her well."
The Dolls avoid the question of whether the vocals will be divided up more evenly this time around - which, to be fair, could just be down to the fact they haven't started rehearsals yet.
But Nicole says: "This is a tour that we've never created, so we're really excited. Everybody brings their own unique gifts to the table.
"We're just going to push each other, we want to see each other shine, we're going to push the boundaries together as a group with each other, so everybody is going to have their own time to shine."
She breezes past any suggestion that there is disharmony within the group. "We're not famous for that are we? We get along, it's a sisterhood, we love each other, we have the best chemistry," she says. "We feed off each other, and if we ever have an issue, we've always been open about communication and talking it through.
"Naturally, when you're so close, there may be some disagreements, some arguments. But that's the beauty, what makes you stronger. We've evolved so much. Like, bye drama! We want this to be really enjoyable for us."
Culturally, things have shifted a little since then. Lingerie brand Victoria's Secret announced last week they were dropping their annual fashion show amid criticism it was sexist and outdated.
With that in mind, will the Dolls change any of their image or choreography?
"It's evolved, but we are the Pussycat Dolls and we stand together in having fun on stage and embracing our female bodies, whatever shape they may be in," says Ashley.
"And I think that will continue, fashion has evolved and we get to have fun and play and getting dressed up is what the Dolls is about."
Nicole adds: "We're excited about being fashion forward. We'll be taking a lot of inspiration from the runways. We really love what Dua [Lipa] has been doing with fashion, so it's going to be the best of both worlds. But danceable!"
The sexually suggestive image is a nod to the Dolls' roots as a burlesque dance troupe. The group, which was founded by Robin Antin in 1995, attracted a huge following in Hollywood, with stars like Britney Spears, Pink and Carmen Electra joining them on stage.
Chart success and headline world tours soon followed. This time around, the five-piece are keen to ensure they savour and enjoy the whole experience.
"It was such a whirlwind," Ashley recalls of their rise to fame. "It was all just going, going, going, and it's hard to stay present within it and have gratitude for that present moment.
"But I think with us maturing over the last 10 years and all the life experience that's happened, we can hopefully bring that in and stay within the moment and enjoy it."
The tour could potentially be the first of several new Dolls projects, according to Nicole. "We're working on new music. But we're doing one thing at a time. We're together, we're focusing, we've got a massive performance [on X Factor] at the end of this week, which is huge for us, and then we're all focusing on the tour."
She adds how much of a relief it is to once again be surrounded by her bandmates after pursuing her own projects for so long. This year alone, Nicole has judged on The Masked Singer, Australia's Got Talent and X Factor: Celebrity.
"I feel blessed because I'm doing all these different shows, different continents, and these press days, it's so much more fun and way easier with the girls 'cause I'm like, 'we got this!'
"It's so much easier I think, and it's jogging our memories a lot."
Gabrielle Union has broken her silence after a bombshell report alleged that she was let go from "America's Got Talent" after a single season as a judge for speaking out against perceived instances of racism and a "toxic culture" on the set.
According to media reports, Union -- who was let go alongside fellow freshman judge Julianne Hough -- was deemed "difficult" because she spoke up about an alleged racist joke Jay Leno told on camera, would ask performers in drag their preferred pronoun, and even called out the show's creator and head judge Simon Cowell for smoking inside the building, which is against the law -- plus, she is reportedly allergic to cigarette smoke.
NBC, however, insists that any on-set issues are taken seriously, and says that this panel rotation is just a part of the natural cycle of a show like "AGT." "'America's Got Talent' has a long history of inclusivity and diversity in both our talent and the acts championed by the show," the network and show producer Fremantle said in a joint statement.
Union's husband Dwyane Wade jumped into the fray to support his wife with a series of tweets and he's not the only one.
As soon as the story broke, social media exploded with positive messages applauding Union for taking a stand during her time on the NBC reality series, and offering their love and support. And all of that love has not gone unnoticed.
Perhaps appropriately on Thanksgiving Eve, the "L.A.'s Finest" star took to Twitter to thank all of her fans and all of those within the industry choosing to stand by her side, though she neither confirmed nor denied any of the specifics of the reports that have been coming out.
"Just when you feel lost, adrift, alone," she wrote to her fans and supporters. "You got me up off the ground."
So many tears, so much gratitude. THANK YOU! Just when you feel lost, adrift, alone... you got me up off the ground. Humbled and thankful, forever ❤
"The Flash" star Candice Patton threw her support behind Union, explaining that it's really the only thing she can do. "You stand up for us, so we stand up for you!" she wrote. After all, it is purportedly because Union was standing up for minority groups that she was allegedly deemed difficult and let go.
Patricia Arquette was there for her, as well, adding, "You should not be penalized for trying to have a workplace that honors the rule of law in the workplace."
You can check out some of the support Union has received since the bombshell report broke on Tuesday below:
Gabrielle Union also goes hard behind the scenes. I was in a situation where an entity was leveraging their power 2harm me. W/O me asking, she pulled an Olivia Pope and handled it in a day. She never even mentioned it publicly. She’s the truth. She deserves our support https://t.co/bYcuWMds0j
I’ve known @itsgabrielleu for 20 years and worked with her twice. Her integrity is unmatched. She’s unbelievably professional, she speaks up for those without a voice and she’s brilliant. #AmericasGotTalent was beyond lucky to have her. I’m horrified by how they treated her.
