“It feels like we’re all James Bond strapped to the table, and the laser is slowly inching toward our crotch, and it’s like, ‘enough about your evil plot to conquer Greenland. Just zap America’s junk off already,'” he added.

Colbert then brought up how the Village People will be performing at Trump’s inauguration, “leading many to ask why,” Colbert joked, pronouncing “why” like the syllable “Y” in the chorus of the Village People song “YMCA.”

“This is a big change of heart for the for the village people, given that in 2020 they demanded Trump stop using their music,” Colbert explained. “Evidently, the band is trying to go in a new direction, and that direction is toward money. Because a few weeks ago, this was a few weeks ago, lead singer Victor Willis posted that he will sue every news organization that falsely refers to YMCA as a gay anthem.”

Quoting Willis directly, Colbert said, “This must stop, because it is damaging to the song. Yes, for once and for all, ladies and gentlemen, YMCA is not gay. Where did that even come from? It’s off the famously straight, actual Village People album ‘Cruisin'”, packed with hetero hits like “Hot Cop,” “My Roommate” and simply, “I’m a Cruiser.”

Colbert didn’t get into it, but a few additional things to note about this. First, Willis is indeed a founding member of the Village People, but he didn’t create the band. That was the work of French music producer Jacques Morali, a gay man who was specifically inspired to assemble what would become the Village People by the costume balls thrown in the gay disco scene of New York City. He also wrote or co-wrote most of the band’s iconic hits, including “Go West,” “In the Navy,” “Macho Man” and, yes, “YMCA,” among many others.

These songs weren’t intended to be expressly political, but they were written to appeal to both heterosexual and queer listeners, and they’re filled with deliberate innuendo. They also inspired generations of queer artists who would later help break numerous barriers, including Pet Shop Boys, who had a major hit with a cover of “Go West” in 1994.

Sadly, Morali, died from complications of AIDS in 1991 when he was only 44 years old. Willis, who co-wrote Village People hits with Morali including “YMCA,” is now the sole original member left. It’s not clear why he’s denying the context of the songs he performs or the life and reality of the man who made him a star.

Anyway, later in the monologue, Colbert also discussed the release of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report on Donald Trump’s attempts to overthrow the government in 2021 and reverse the outcome of the 2020 election. His assessment was suitably bleak.

“When people find out what Trump did, his chances of being re elected two months ago are going to be pretty slim,” Colbert joked. “Okay, the report has a bold claim in it. Smith says if Donald Trump hadn’t won the presidential election in November, the Justice Department would have had ample evidence to convict him at trial. It’s all true, and you can see it dramatized in the new Marvel series. ‘What if anything mattered anymore?'”

Watch the full monologue below:

The post Stephen Colbert Jokes Waiting for Trump’s Inauguration is Like Being ‘James Bond Strapped to the Table’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

“You know, as if these fires weren’t enough to deal with, we also have a ton of misinformation going around. Some of it is nuts. My brother was at the market near his neighborhood which is in a fire and evacuation zone. He started talking to a lady in line who honestly believed that Diddy started the fires.”

“Diddy, who is in prison in New York. Somehow managed to start the fires. And she believed this. I looked it up, I was like, ‘where did she get this?’ and guess what? It came from TikTok,” Kimmel explained. “There’s a story going around on TikTok that says the fires were started on purpose by ‘elites.’ who intend to destroy P Diddy’s pedophile escape tunnels because they’re evidence.”

“This is something real people believe. Never mind the fact, if you look at a map, you’ll see that these bonehead ‘elites,’ somehow managed to burn everything but Diddy’s house,” Kimmel continued. “I don’t know if they’re closing in on him or what the plan is, but thank God fire isn’t fueled by stupid or this country would be one giant Olympic torch right now.”

Elsewhere in the monologue, Kimmel also mentioned the Special Counsel report on Trump’s attempts to violently overturn the 2020 election results. He wasn’t optimistic.

“It’s a mountain of evidence, details the unconstitutional and criminal behavior we all already knew he did when we re-elected him. The special counsel uncovered so much evidence, they had to split the report into two volumes, like Cher’s autobiography,” Kimmel said. “And yet, nothing will come of it.”

See the whole monologue below:

The post Jimmy Kimmel Says if Misinfo Fueled Fires America ‘Would Be One Giant Olympic Torch’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

“Skeleton Crew” ended finally revealing whether or not Jod (Jude Law) was a Jedi or just good with tricks — along with a final showdown between At Attin and the pirates.

With Jod pretending to be an Emissary and a Jedi — thanks to that handy lightsaber Wim found — the episode kicked off with the parents fully believing their kids had been picked up and delivered by a good samaritan.

Unfortunately, that was not the case. But the finale did manage to answer a number of questions regarding Jod’s possible past as a Jedi along with finally revealing who the faceless Supervisor (Stephen Fry) who oversees the “Great Work” really is.

Here’s what you need to know about what happened in the “Skeleton Crew” season finale.

How did “Skeleton Crew” end?

The finale found Jod, along with Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) and her mom Fara (Kerry Condon), face to face with the mysterious Supervisor. Like nearly everything else on At Attin, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that the Supervisor is just a giant droid. Jod tries to pull a fast one on the droid by saying he’s both an Emissary and a Jedi but the Supervisor reveals the last message they got from the Republic was all Jedi were traitors — which means they hadn’t heard much from the outside world since Order 66.

Jod destroys the Supervisor which cuts all power throughout the city. Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), KB (Kyriana Kratter) and Wim’s dad Wendle (Tunde Adebimpe) realize they need to get to the Onyx Cinder to get back outside the Barrier protecting the planet, so they can call Kh’yym (Alia Shawkat) to send X-Wings to fight the pirates — who managed to get through the Barrier on the second ship after Jod threatened Fern’s mom.

The four race through town as the pirates start to tear it apart. They get to the ship and learn it’s locked to the landing pad and can only be released through power. Wim and his dad sneak up to the Supervisor tower where Jod, Fern and Fara are. Wim comes out and distracts Jod by saying they already called the X-Wings and “Jedi Army” to come stop him. Jod doesn’t take the bait and informs him the Jedi are gone. All this still does the trick because it burns enough time for Wendle to get to the power and turn it back on so KB can leave the planet. She flies past the barrier and contacts Kh’yym who says she’s sending the New Republic to help. Before KB can warn her about the Barrier she’s shot out of the sky and seems to crash before regaining control.

Back in the tower, Wim and Fern realize they can turn the entire Barrier off with a switch. Wim makes a move for it while Wendle goes for Jod. He uses the Force to push the father to the ground and threaten him again with the lightsaber until Wim agrees to let go of the lever.

Jod says he doesn’t want to hurt anyone. He just wants the people of At Attin to continue their Great Work making credits using the mint — only for him. This diatribe is interrupted when Wendle punches Jod forcing him to drop the lightsaber. Wim goes for the lightsaber and Wendle goes for the barrier. Jod tries to use the Force to stop them both but with Fern helping Wim hold onto the saber Jod focuses on stopping Wendle. He’s going to be able to keep the Barrier closed until Fara comes in and helps turn it off. The Barrier disappears and the people of At Attin see the stars for the first time in forever just as the New Republic shows up to make short work of the pirates.

The parents and their kids leave with Wim looking back at Jod who remains in the tower watching his pirate ship crash to the planet. The kids reunite with Neel and find that KB — and SM-33 who also is still alive despite being decapitated by Jod last episode — managed to survive and is laying in a pile of credits.

With the final moments, Wim looks up through the roof of the destroyed assessment room at the New Republic arriving to save At Attin. The Jedi might not be as real as he hoped, but it certainly seems like Wim has a new path forward for himself.

Was Jod a Jedi or not?

The answer is a bit of yes and a bit of no. Jod reveals that he grew up in the streets living meal to meal until a Jedi found him. She told him he had a lot of potential and took him to be trained in the Force. That training didn’t last incredibly long before Order 66 came about and the Jedi were wiped out as Sidious took control and began the Empire.

Jod is yet another in a growing list of Younglings and apprentices who watched their masters gunned down while they were still learning what it meant to be a Jedi. Unlike others who lived through a similar fate like Kanan Jarrus and Cal Kestis, it seems like Jod took what he learned and leaned into the darkness of the galaxy and became a pirate.

Was there a post-credit scene?

No. There was no post-credit scene at the end of “Skeleton Crew.” There were a number of unanswered questions that a potential Season 2 could address however. Chief among them being: What will the future of the kids be? What happens to Jod? Why was there so much mystery around At Attin and it’s connected planets?

All episodes of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” are now streaming on Disney+. The show has not been renewed for Season 2.

The post ‘Skeleton Crew’ Ending Explained: Was Jod a Jedi or Not? appeared first on TheWrap.

The move comes amid the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires and nearly one week since the first delay was announced. A date for the ceremony will be confirmed later, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation.

On Jan. 8, the Critics Choice Awards delayed its 30th ceremony due to the wildfires in the spreading Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Originally scheduled for Jan. 12, the ceremony was pushed to Jan. 26.

At the time, the rescheduled event was set to remain at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, and was expected to broadcast live on E! before being made available to stream on Peacock the next day. Location and broadcast details were not immediately available in the awards’ second delay.

“This unfolding tragedy has already had a profound impact on our community,” CCA CEO Joey Berlin said Jan. 8 of the unfolding catastrophe of the wildfires. “All our thoughts and prayers are with those battling the devastating fires and with all who have been affected.”

The post Critics Choice Awards Postponed for 2nd Time, Citing LA Wildfires appeared first on TheWrap.

Reynolds, is, of course, married to Lively, who sued Baldoni for sexual harassment on the set of the domestic abuse drama “It Ends With Us” last month. While Baldoni has not yet sued Lively directly, his lawyer last week promised to sue the actress “into oblivion.”

On Jan. 7, the actor sent a letter to Marvel’s Kevin Feige and Disney chief Bob Iger asking them to hand over “any and all documents relating to the development of the ‘Nicepool’ character” in addition to “communications relating to the development, writing, and filming of storylines and scenes featuring ‘Nicepool.’”

In the superhero movie, Reynolds appears as a version of the character known as “Nicepool,” the polar opposite of the snarky Deadpool.

At one point, Nicepool compliments Ladypool (played by Lively) for “snapping back” into shape after giving birth. Among Lively’s allegations against Baldoni is that he fat-shamed her during the making of “It Ends With Us,” which was filmed shortly after she had given birth.

The ultra-nice character also jokingly asks for an intimacy coordinator in one scene: Lively alleged that Baldoni, who also directed “It Ends With Us,” had  “inserted improvised gratuitous sexual content and/or scenes involving nudity” into the film.

Baldoni has filed a $250 million suit against the New York Times for defamation over the Dec. 21 article, “We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine,” about the alleged campaign to “tarnish” Lively after she accused him of misconduct.

Disney acquired rights to Deadpool, as well as the X-Men franchise, when it purchased 20th Century Fox in 2019.

Variety first reported this story.

The post Justin Baldoni Accuses Ryan Reynolds of Modeling ‘Deadpool’ Character After Him to ‘Mock, Harass’ in  Litigation Letter to Disney appeared first on TheWrap.

The 90-minute documentary will include never-before-seen-footage and recollections from Combs’ childhood friend, alleged victims as well as an interview with musician Al B. Sure, which stands as the the first time singer-songwriter has ever publicly discussed his relationship with late model and actress Kim Porter, prior to her relationship with Combs.

Per reports, “The Making of a Bad Boy” began filming not too after police arrested Combs in September 2024. The 54-year-old is awaiting his trial — scheduled for May 5, where he will stand before a court on charges of racketeering, conspiracy, sex trafficking and prostitution.

In the meantime, here’s how to watch the “The Making of a Bad Boy” below.”

When does “Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy” premiere?

“Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy” premieres on Peacock on Tuesday, Jan. 14.

Will “Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy” be streaming?

Yes, “Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy” will be streaming on NBC’s platform Peacock.

What is “Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy” about?

Per Peacock, “Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy” will tell the “story of Sean Combs’ early years” and offer “crucial insight into the forces that shaped the man and may have made him a monster.”  

Who will appear in “Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy”?

There will be appearances from Hollywood and legal notables in the documentary, including civil rights attorney, Lisa Bloom; singer-songwriter and record producer Al B. Sure! The project will also feature interviews from Combs’ former bodyguard and childhood friend, two accusers, hip-hop journalists and more.

Watch the trailer

The post Where to Watch ‘Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy’: Is It Streaming? appeared first on TheWrap.

“So if you’re confirmed as Secretary of Defense, you will oversee our military, including about a quarter of a million women who currently serve on active duty, Warren began. “And I have serious concerns that your behavior toward women disqualifies you from serving in this role.”

About two minutes into her remarks, Warren targeted the main point of her argument: statements that Hegseth has publicly made that disparage women from serving in the military dating back to 2013 all the way to just weeks before Trump nominated him to defense secretary.

“I want to be clear here: For 12 years, you were quite open about your views, and your views were consistently the same. Women are inferior. Soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and guardians — and incase anyone missed the point, and these are your words from 10 weeks ago: Women absolutely straight-up should not be permitted to serve in combat,” Warren railed. “And I notice on each of these quotes, those are said without qualification. It’s not by how much you can lift, or how fast you can run. They don’t belong in combat, period. Or your words, ‘straight-up.’

“And then on Nov. 9, just 32 days after your last public comments saying that women absolutely should not be in combat, you declared that ‘some of our greatest warriors are women,’ and you support having them serve in combat,” Warren continued. She asked him pointblank: What “extraordinary event” happened in that month window that made him change his mind?

Hegseth, who has answered to such framing of his track record before, argued that the issue of women in the military “has always been about standards” — but to Warren’s point, he had not previously expressed it as such. It was a “straight-up” declaration that women did not belong in active duty.

“What I see is that there is a 32-day period in which you suddenly have another description about your views about women in the military, and I just want to know what changed in the 32 days that the song you sang is not the song you come in here today to sing,” Warren said, before pointing to where she’d been leading all along: Trump’s nomination.

“I’ve heard of deathbed conversions, but this is the first time I’ve heard of a nomination conversion,” the senator quipped. “And I hope you understand that many women serving in the military right now might think that if you can convert so rapidly your long-held and aggressively pursued views in just 32 days, that 32 days after you get confirmed, maybe you’ll just reverse those views and go back to the old guy who said straight-up, women do not belong in combat.”

Watch the full clip of Warren’s time with Hegseth in the video below, via Fox News.

The post Elizabeth Warren Slams Pete Hegseth for Refusing to Meet With Her About His Record on Women | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

“The deal — the studio changed the goalposts,” Scott told GQ. “I said, ‘You can’t do that.’ They insisted. I said, ‘Well, I’m going to warn you, I will walk, because I will go on to the next movie.’ They didn’t believe me, and I did.”

Scott remains optimistic the project will resume, suggesting it could be his second film this year once the deal issues are resolved.

“I was being asked to go too far,” Scott added. “And I said, ‘No. Next!’ They didn’t like my deal. So I said, I’ll move on. I’m expensive, but I’m fucking good.”

According to a Paramount insider with knowledge of the project, Scott is still directing the untitled “Bee Gees” biopic and it’s set to start shooting in the fall.

The film will follow the life and career of brothers Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb — following their first No. 1 hit “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” the band went on to write and perform hundreds of songs, and also worked on the soundtrack for 1977’s “Saturday Night Fever.”

Originally from Australia, the vocal talents of the Gibb brothers – Barry, Robin, and Maurice – were already evident in the late 50s. Though they started with folksy harmonies, their infectious melodies and Barry’s signature falsetto struck a chord with audiences in the mid-to-late 1970s when they penned the bulk of the soundtrack to “Saturday Night Fever.”

Those disco megahits translated into over 200 million records sold, and made the Bee Gees global superstars. However, their strong association with the disco genre led them to unexpectedly experience a fan backlash later on when public enthusiasm for disco’s style waned. Even still, with decades of evolving musical creativity to their name, the Bee Gees have certainly cemented their reputation as one of pop music’s most adaptable and best-selling acts.

The post Paramount Dispute Halts Ridley Scott’s ‘Bee Gees’ Biopic, Director Says appeared first on TheWrap.

“I’m far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever,” Gaiman wrote in a blog post Tuesday. “As I read through this latest collection of accounts, there are moments I half-recognize and moments I don’t, descriptions of things that happened sitting beside things that emphatically did not happen.”

In the entry titled “Breaking the Silence,” Gaiman said he went back to re-read messages exchanged with the women who accused the author of sexual misconduct and lack of consent, and said he stands behind the messages’ intent.

“These messages read now as they did when I received them – of two people enjoying entirely consensual sexual relationships and wanting to see one another again,” the author wrote. “At the time I was in those relationships, they seemed positive and happy on both sides.”

The “Sandman” author did note that looking through them years later brought him to the realization that he was “emotionally unavailable while being sexually available, self-focused and not as thoughtful as I could or should have been.”

“I was caught up in my own story and I ignored other people’s,” Gaiman added.

Nine women have now accused Gaiman of inappropriate sexual behavior, giving gruesome details of their alleged encounters. The author’s ex-wife Amanda Palmer allegedly told a former nanny, who also came out against Gaiman, that 14 women have come to her personally with similar stories.

Scarlett Pavlovich, a former nanny for the author, claimed he approached her naked while she was bathing in his house, then repeatedly tried to have sex with her despite Pavlovich’s initial protests. She then recounted to New York Magazine that the two had sex on several occasions, but said that consent given around the encounters was unclear.

The nanny went on to detail several disturbing encounters with her employer, including having sex while his young child was in the room and forcing her to give oral sex so violently that she vomited, whereupon he forced her to eat it.

Gaiman claimed in the blog post that he is learning and “trying to do the work needed.”

“I understand that not everyone will believe me or even care what I say, but I’ll be doing the work anyway, for myself, my family and the people I love,” he wrote. “I will be doing my very best to deserve their trust, as well as the trust of my readers.

The “American Gods” writer concluded his blog post by reiterating that some of the “horrible stories” rehashed in the press “simply never happened, while others have been so distorted from what actually took place that they bear no relationship to reality.”

The post Neil Gaiman Refutes Sexual Assault Allegations: ‘I Have Never Engaged in Non-Consensual Sexual Activity’ appeared first on TheWrap.

Noto, who joined the media giant’s board on Jan. 8, and Levin, who will join the board on Feb. 1, will stand election at the company’s 2025 annual shareholder meeting. Noto and Levin will each receive cash retainers of $105,000 and stock grants of $240,000 in 2025 for serving on the board, in accordance with WBD’s compensation program for all non-employee directors.

The decision follows a “comprehensive search process” led by the WBD board’s nominating and corporate governance committee that was “aided by a leading independent search firm.” WBD’s board will be composed of a total of 13 directors, 12 of whom are independent.

Noto brings over two decades of senior leadership experience, extensive media, technology, and internet expertise and transaction experience. He most recently served as CEO of SoFi Technologies, a one-stop shop for digital financial services. Prior to SoFi, he served as Twitter’s chief financial and chief operating officers, co-head of investment banking for Goldman Sachs’ global Telecommunications, Media and Technology division and the NFL’s chief financial officer.

Levin brings over 20 years of mergers and acquisitions, strategy, and senior leadership experience, with a deep background in digital media and commerce. He’s served as CEO of IAC since 2015 and previously held escalating roles of seniority in the company’s M&A group, operations and business management teams. Over his two-decade tenure, he has overseen IAC’s evolution through organic growth and acquisitions and a number of spin-offs, including its initial public offering, subsequent spin-off of Match Group and the private financing and subsequent spin-off of Vimeo.

Levin will leave his role as IAC CEO in connection with the company’s spin-off of home services platform Angi in the first half of 2025. He will become an advisor to IAC upon completion of the spin-off and will serve as executive chairman of Angi, in partnership with its CEO Jeff Kip.

“We are pleased to welcome two seasoned executives who will bring valuable insights and expertise to the Board,” WBD CEO David Zaslav said in a statement. “Both Anthony and Joey are accomplished leaders with considerable experience in relevant industries and exceptional track records of driving growth, innovation and shareholder value. I look forward to working closely with them as we continue to deliver on key strategic and operational objectives to realize the full potential of Warner Bros. Discovery.”

The addition of Noto and Levin comes after attorney and John Malone’s nephew Daniel E. Sanchez was added to the board in September. Other current WBD members include Malone, Samuel Di Piazza Jr., Richard Fisher, Paul Gould, Debra Lee, Kenneth Lowe, Fazal Merchant, Paula Price and Geoffrey Yang.

It also follows the resignations of Steven Miron and Steven Newhouse in April due to an antitrust probe from the Department of Justice that was looking at whether their board memberships violates antitrust laws. Howl CEO and founder Li Haslett Chen also departed WBD’s board in January. Her resignation was not the result of any disagreement with the company on any matter relating to the company’s operation, policies or practices, according to an SEC filing.

Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery, which closed at $9.73 per share on Friday, are down 8.9% year to date and 6% in the past year.

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