The Arts

Who’s Performing at Trump’s Inauguration?

Donald Trump’s inauguration performance roster is shaping up to be even less impressive than his list of celebrity guests for the Republican National Convention. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir announced Thursday that it had accepted an invitation from the U.S. Presidential Inauguration Committee to sing at the swearing in ceremony for President-elect Donald Trump and his […]

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

Classic country fans have lost Gordie Tapp, one of the funniest guys to ever hit the business

You may not know his name, but you’ve probably laughed at his skits on “Hee Haw” over the years. Canadian comedian Gordie Tapp, best known as “Cousin Clem,” passed away Sunday, Dec. 18 in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. He was 94. According to “The Hollywood Reporter,” Tapp conceived the character “Cousin Clem” in the mid-’50s before

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Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

James Taylor cancels Manila concert, protesting Philippine president’s war on drugs

MANILA — American singer-songwriter James Taylor canceled an upcoming concert in Manila to protest Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, a campaign of extrajudicial slaughter that has claimed more than 6,000 lives. Taylor, a Grammy winner known for songs including “Fire and Rain” and “You’ve Got a Friend,” canceled the show — part of

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International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Alec Baldwin says he has an “obligation” to play Donald Trump in the wildest way possible

Donald Trump has gotten upset with a number of different media outlets in his rise to the presidency. Those include CNN, The New York Times, MSNBC, Vanity Fair and a few other organizations. And “Saturday Night Live” has been the thorn in his side throughout the entire race. He’s tweeted that the show is “boring

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Cross border cooperation for music, dance and the arts

By Mimi Pollack Makeda[/caption]SAN DIEGO –Makeda “Dread” Cheatom believes the world would be a better place if people took the time to learn about and respect other cultures. She believes there would be less prejudice and a greater understanding among people. Learning about different cultures and promoting unity in diversity have been lifelong passions for

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International, Mimi Pollack, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

President Obama Signs Law to Aid Recovery of Nazi-Looted Art

Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder Praises Obama and Congress for Delivering Overdue Justice to Holocaust Victims and Their Families WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — On Friday evening, President Barack Obama signed the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery (HEAR) Act into law. The new law ends an era where victims of the Nazis and their descendants were

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International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

Zsa Zsa Gabor dies at 99; she had glamour and husbands in spades

LOS ANGELES — The best known of three glamorous sisters from Hungary, actress Zsa Zsa Gabor pioneered a modern version of celebrity — she was famous for being famous. With the advent of television talk shows, Gabor became a frequent guest as early as the 1950s, charming audiences with her fractured English and slightly risque

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Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Oxfam head: Spat with Johansson over Sodastream was a mistake

The head of the Oxfam International confederation of charities admitted that the organization’s public spat with former celebrity ambassador Scarlett Johansson over her support of the Israeli company Sodastream was a mistake which cost the organization thousands of donors, the Guardian reported. Mark Goldring made the comments at a seminar which addressed the issue of

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Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Trump a Witless ‘Manchurian Candidate’ on ‘SNL’

Donald Trump may be the “Manchurian candidate” doing Russia’s bidding in the United States, but he’s a witless one, on the outside looking in while Vladimir Putin and Secretary of State pick Rex Tillerson plot—at least in “Saturday Night Live’s” treatment of current events. Alec Baldwin reprised his role as the president-elect in the cold

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Thoughts on Chagall’s ‘White Crucifixion’

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –This past Shabbat at Temple Beth Shalom we had a most remarkable discussion on the famous Russian painter, Marc Chagall, as we discussed his various paintings of Jesus’s crucifixion. A panel consisting of Dr. David Strom, Dr. Tzvi Sax, and myself explored the history of several of

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Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Turkish Jewish author murdered in Istanbul

Beki İkala Erikli shot dead outside her apartment building; motive of killing unclear By Times of Israel staff Beki İkala Erikli (LinkedIn) A Turkish Jewish writer was murdered at her Istanbul home Thursday by an unknown shooter, local media reported. Beki İkala Erikli was shot at the entrance to her building in the Kabataş neighborhood

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Middle East

Fans of this famed singer are threatening to boycott him should he perform at Trump’s inauguration

Andrea Bocelli is rumored to sing at Donald Trump’s inauguration next month, and not all of his fans are happy about it. Though Bocelli has neither confirmed nor denied the reports that he will perform a duet with “America’s Got Talent” singer Jackie Evancho at the event, some of his fans have started a “Boycott

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

Eight TV shows that get Hanukkah just right

Less commonly — or successfully — portrayed than Christmas, the Jewish festival of lights has nevertheless created some great screen moments By Lior Zaltzman Seth from The O.C. presents Chrismukkah (YouTube screenshot) ‘Tis the season of TV Christmas specials! The drama, the intrigue, your favorite TV characters in ill-fitting Santa costumes — the Christmas special

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Jewish Religion, Theatre, Film & Broadcast