Month: December 2023

Tom Smothers, the older half of the legendary comedy duo The Smothers Brothers, died on Tuesday at the age of 86. According to a statement from the National Comedy Center, Smothers died “following a recent battle with cancer.”

A statement from Tom Smothers’ younger brother and professional partner, Dick Smothers, read that Tom passed away peacefully at his home in Santa Rosa, Calif., with his family at his side. Dick, 84, said in a statement: “Tom was not only the loving older brother that everyone would want in their life, he was a one-of-a-kind creative partner. I am forever grateful to have spent a lifetime together with him, on and off stage, for over 60 years. Our relationship was like a good marriage – the longer we were together, the more we loved and respected one another. We were truly blessed.”  The folk-singing brothers became household names on their CBS variety show “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” which ran from 1967 to 1969. Tom played guitar and Dick played stand-up bass as part of the act.

Journey Gunderson, executive director of the National Comedy Center, said in a statement: “Tom was not only an extraordinary comedic talent, who, together with his brother Dick, became the most enduring comedy duo in history, entertaining the world for over six decades — but was a true champion for freedom of speech, harnessing the power of comedy to push boundaries and our political consciousness. Tom was a true pioneer who changed the face of television and transformed our culture with The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, which satirized politics, combated racism, protested the Vietnam War, and led the way for ‘Saturday Night Live,’ ‘The Daily Show,’ today’s network late night shows, and so much more.  We were proud to bring Tom and Dick out of retirement and reunite them on stage in 2019 to celebrate their legendary careers, and we are honored to preserve Tom’s remarkable work and legacy here at the National Comedy Center for generations to come.”

Tom is survived by his children, Bo and Riley Rose Smothers, grandson Phoenix, Marcy Carriker Smothers, sister-in-law Marie Smothers, and several nephews and a niece. He is predeceased by his son Tom and sister Sherry Smothers. Dick and his wife, Marie, have requested memorial donations honoring Tom to be made to the National Comedy Center.  A private memorial service for family and friends is set to take place sometime in 2024.

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Mariah Carey and Bryan Tanaka have ended their relationship after seven years together.

Tanaka, 40, confirmed his split from Carey, 54, in a statement on social media: “With mixed emotions, I share this personal update regarding my amicable separation from Mariah Carey after seven extraordinary years together. Our decision to embark on different paths is mutual, and as we navigate these separate journeys, we do so with profound respect and an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the invaluable time we’ve shared. The memories we’ve created and the artistic collaborations are etched in my heart forever. Mariah’s dedication to her family and her commitment to her craft have inspired us during our shared journey. I want to express my love and appreciation for Mariah and her incredible children, whose warmth and kindness have enriched my life in ways words cannot express. I eagerly anticipate continuing my journey, knowing my passion for inspiration, dance, and the creative arts will resonate in the unfolding chapters.” Carey shares twins Monroe and Moroccan, 12, with ex-husband Nick Cannon.

Carey and Tanaka were first linked in 2016; rumors they had split began this month after Tanaka did not join Carey on her Merry Christmas One and All! tour, as he had done in the past.

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Actor/comedian Anthony Anderson will host the delayed 75th Emmy Awards. The awards ceremony was delayed from its usual September ceremony date due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes,

In a statement, Anderson said: “With our industry’s recent challenges behind us, we can get back to what we love — dressing up and honoring ourselves. And there’s no better celebratory moment to bring the creative community together than the milestone 75th Emmy Awards. When Fox asked me to host this historic telecast, I was over the moon that Taylor Swift was unavailable, and now I can’t wait to be part of the biggest night in television.”

Allison Wallach, President of Unscripted Programming at Fox Entertainment, said: “After Anthony hosted our upcoming show, We Are Family, we knew he’d be a natural fit for a star-studded, anticipatory night like the Emmys. Anthony’s known for his humor, heart and spontaneity, so he’s sure to give audiences in the theater and at home a night they’ll never forget.”

Academy chairman Frank Scherma expressed: “Anthony is a multi-talented performer and a great friend to the Television Academy. We are thrilled that he is hosting what promises to be a rich celebration of the year’s outstanding television, as well as 75 years of Emmys excellence!”

The three-hour ceremony, taking place from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles, will be broadcast live on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 15h, 2023 (8-11 PM EST on Fox and will be available the next day on Hulu).

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Ryan Gosling – who famously portrayed Ken in the Barbie movie – has released a new EP. Going teamed up with music producer Mark Ronson on Ken the EP, a mini album featuring three remixes of the Barbie song “I’m Just Ken.”

Ken the EP features the holiday remix “I’m Just Ken – Merry Kristmas Barbie,” an acoustic version “I’m Just Ken – In My Feelings Acoustic” and the dance remix “I’m Just Ken – Purple Disco Machine Remix.”

Ronson posted on Instagram that he was “starstruck” when he first met Gosling in 2022 to record the original version of “I’m Just Ken” – “Not only did he bring a broken falsetto, a hefty growl, & everything in between, he brought the emotional resonance of a great actor who’d been living in a role for the past 6 months…after that, we didn’t see each other again for 18 months but of course, I was excited to see the world fall in love with his performance & know to some small degree, our song was a part of it”

Ronson, who also produced the Barbie: The Album soundtrack, also released a music video with Gosling for the holiday version of ‘I’m Just Ken.”  Check it out: here.

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