Media
Director Jane Campion: 'Indefatigable pioneer' of film leads 2014 Cannes jury
Head of the Cannes jury Jane Campion made her name portraying complex, strong-willed female protagonists and knows from first-hand experience that the festival is a place where careers are made. The New Zealand director, the only woman ever to win the…
Paul McCartney returns to Tokyo's Nippon Budokan for first time since 1966
Paul McCartney is to play Tokyo's Nippon Budokan Hall this month, marking his first return to the venue since appearing there with The Beatles in 1966. And for some fans, the nostalgia even extends to the tickets, with 100 seats for those aged under…
'Daily Show's' Larry Wilmore tapped to replace Stephen Colbert at Comedy Central
Comedy Central announced on Friday that Daily Show correspondent Larry Wilmore would replace Stephen Colbert on its late-night talk show lineup beginning in January 2015.
The network said in a release that Wilmore's show will be titled The Minority Report, an adaptation of the title of Colbert's show.
The statement also made pointed mention of the fact that the hiring of Wilmore, who has appeared as the Daily Show's "Senior Black Correspondent" since 2006, makes him one of the few late night hosts who is not a white male, a criticism that was raised in some circles when CBS tapped Colbert to replace David Letterman as host of The Late Show starting next year.
Comedy Central said Wilmore's show "will provide viewers with a distinct point of view and comedic take on the day’s news from a perspective largely missing in the current late night landscape."
Like Colbert's show, the retooled Report will be produced by Daily Show host Jon Stewart's company, Busboy Productions, with Witmore serving as an executive producer.
[Image via Comedy Central]
Quentin Tarantino withdraws lawsuit against Gawker over The Hateful Eight script
Quentin Tarantino has withdrawn his lawsuit against the website Gawker for linking to his unproduced screenplay, The Hateful Eight, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Sparked by the decision of a US judge last month to throw out the copyright suit for contributory infringement – a form of secondary liability – the Oscar-winning film-maker said he was retracting his own motion "without prejudice", which gives him the right to refile the suit at a later date.
Tarantino's motion states: "This dismissal is made without prejudice, whereby plaintiff may later advance an action and refile a complaint after further investigations to ascertain and plead the identities of additional infringers resulting from Gawker Media's contributory copyright infringement, by its promotion, aiding and abetting and materially contributing to the dissemination to third parties of unauthorised copies of plaintiff's copyrighted work."
Tarantino claimed that Gawker "crossed the journalistic line" when it linked to a leaked copy of the 146-page screenplay in January. But a US district court judge said the director had failed to make his case and invited him to refile.
The draft of a screenplay for Tarantino's film was leaked by an unnamed Hollywood agent. The director subsequently abandoned the project, but at a public reading of the script last month in Los Angeles admitted he was still working on it.
The script reading featured Walton Goggins, James Remar, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Amber Tamblyn, Bruce Dern and Tarantino's frequent collaborator Samuel L Jackson. The Hateful Eight has been likened to the director's early work, including Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, and has been described as a story about bounty hunters who transports prisoners through 19th-century Wyoming.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media 2014
CNN media critic decries lack of 'diversity' that is keeping gay-bashing brothers off of HGTV
Addressing HGTV's recent decision to pull the plug on a pilot program featuring gay-bashing house-flipping twins David and Jason Benham, CNN media critic Brian Stelter decried the lack of "diversity in the media."
Asked by the host of CNN's Newsroom if "the onus" was on HGTV for not vetting the brothers prior to green-lighting the show and then having to turn around and cancel it due to public pressure, Stelter expressed concern about what could be seen as intolerance towards the "perceived intolerance" of the brothers.
“I've seen a lot of people ask that a lot. That's a legitimate question. There is a risk, though, I think of matching perceived intolerance with more intolerance,” Stelter said. “If you are someone at home who’s looking at this thinking 'why are they taking away these brothers TV show simply because of what they believe in the personal life,' the answer -- part of the answer to that -- is diversity in the media.”
Stelter went to explain that he felt there should be a wide variety of media owners and outlets to whom the brothers could take their show.
"There should be a wide variety of media owners and a wide variety of places for people to go with their shows so that these brothers, for example, can get a show somewhere else if they feel they were wronged by Scripps Networks."
Scripps Network owns HGTV as well as the Food Network, which recently canceled Paula Deen's show after her comments about African-Americans came to light.
Media critic Eric Deggans pointed out that, if the brothers showed the same level of intolerance toward African-Americans that they showed towards gays, they would be unable to find a network anywhere.
"If they had been at some rally where they said that black people were the root of all evil in America, I don't think we'd even be having this discussion," he said. "I think people would say 'good luck getting a TV show' anywhere."
He went on to add that, even though similar views were expressed by one of the cast members of Duck Dynasty, that show survived because "it was a proven hit, so it was harder for A&E to walk away from that show because it already existed, it already was successful."
Watch the video below uploaded to YouTube by News24:
China blocks release of Russell Crowe's 'Noah'
Chinese authorities have refused to allow the release there of biblical epic Noah, starring Russell Crowe, which has already been banned in a string of Muslim countries, a source said.
Paramount Pictures tried to secure a release slot for the vast Chinese mainland market by stressing its "environmental message" and special effects, the Los Angeles Times reported.
But getting the Bible-based story past China's cinematic gatekeepers was difficult, given Beijing's sensitivities on religious issues, it said.
A source familiar with the issue, who declined to be identified, told AFP simply that the film "will not release in China," declining any further comment.
The film, which swept to the top of North America's box office when it was released in March, has been banned in Bahrain, Indonesia, Malaysia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries.
The newspaper cited one source who suggested Noah may have been refused a Chinese release for commercial reasons, because several other Hollywood blockbusters are due out there in the coming weeks.
Godzilla is due in Chinese cinemas on June 13. The Amazing Spider-Man took $10 million in its first day in theaters over the weekend, while Captain America: The Winter Soldier has made more than $115 million in China.
It has grossed $99 million in six weeks since its release in the United States, according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations. It has made another $233 million overseas, the LA Times reported.
The film also angered some Christian institutions in the United States over Crowe's reportedly unconventional portrayal of Noah, who is regarded as an important figure in both Christianity and Islam.
Christian group accuses HGTV of 'intolerance' for axing anti-gay Benham twins' reality show
Conservative Christians are urging HGTV to resume production of a new reality show featuring twin brothers who have made public statements against LGBT people, Muslims, and other groups.
The cable network announced last month that David and Jason Benham would star in a reality TV series, “Flip It Forward,” that was scheduled to premiere in October.
But Right Wing Watch reported Tuesday on the pair’s political activities, which includes a prayer rally they organized outside the 2012 Democratic National Convention, work to promote a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in North Carolina, and published columns comparing same-sex marriage to Nazi Germany and calling Muslims enemies of America.
HGTV abruptly canceled the show Wednesday, shortly after Raw Story and other media outlets sought comment on the brothers and their past statements and actions – which are easily found in an Internet search.
The pair released a statement saying that anyone who suggested they hated any one or any groups was “misinformed or lying.”
“Over the last decade, we've sold thousands of homes with the guiding principle of producing value and breathing life into each family that has crossed our path, and we do not, nor will we ever discriminate against people who do not share our views,” the brothers said in a statement.
A conservative Christian consumer advocacy group that has protested the recent “Noah” movie and backed another reality TV show star who was briefly suspended for his own anti-LGBT remarks, launched a Twitter campaign to reverse HGTV’s decision.
Faith Driven Consumer has asked like-minded social media users to use a hashtag campaign to pressure the cable network, owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, to #FlipThisDecision.
“This project has come to a screeching halt simply because the Benham brothers hold a biblical view of life and marriage,” the advocacy group said in a statement. “This is pure intolerance, discrimination, and bullying toward those who hold to widely held and legitimate views. HGTV’s rash actions hold no place in America’s rainbow of diversity.”
The group also launched the #IStandWithPhil campaign to support “Duck Dynasty” star Phil Robertson, who was suspended from the popular A&E reality TV series in December after he made disparaging remarks about gay people and expressed nostalgia for the “Jim Crow” era in a published interview.
“Whether people agree or disagree with the Benham’s faith-driven perspective is beside the point,” said Chris Stone, of Faith Driven Consumer. “The Benhams have a right to have those views and to be treated equally with those who hold to other viewpoints. This is the very definition of tolerance.”
The brothers said in a statement that they were saddened by HGTV’s decision.
“With all of the grotesque things that can be seen and heard on television today, you would think there would be room for two twin brothers who are faithful to our families, committed to biblical principles, and dedicated professionals,” the statement said. “If our faith costs us a television show, then so be it.”
Watch this video report posted online by The Christian Broadcasting Network:
Russian diplomat: Pussy Riot activists are sexually frustrated and 'need a good f*ck'
A diplomat at the Russian embassy in Washington, D.C. downplayed protest rockers Pussy Riot's demonstrations and complained about "Russia haters" and support for LGBT rights in emails sent to an American counterpart, according to Buzzfeed reporter Rosie Gray.
"Generally, I am of the opinion that those p*ssies are simply not happy in their sexual life. And that makes them riot," the unidentified diplomat wrote in one 2012 message. "They simply need a good f..k, not SIZO. Unfortunately, we don’t have such a capital punishment in our criminal law."
"SIZO" is a reference to Russian pre-detention centers, which was brought up after the Russian official compared arguments surrounding the band -- which gained international support after being arrested that year for its performance outside a Moscow cathedral -- to Aurora, Colorado mass shooting suspect James Holmes.
"Life is strange — kill 12 people in a movie theater, and you are a psyco [sic] boy, maniac," the Russian wrote. "Show your ass in a nation biggest cathedral — and they will call you a prisoner of conscience."
"It's hard to be a prisoner of conscience without being in prison," the American, who was also unidentified, responded. "Not saying their performance wasn't offensive or even illegal, but fines for trespassing would be a little more 'European' than the SIZO ... and I don't understand your point on the Aurora shootings."
The Russian diplomat also reportedly sent emails last year decrying "homosexual authoritarism [sic]" regarding the country's anti-LGBT laws, including one including a link to an op-ed in Politico criticizing Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) for vetoing SB 1062 and calling it "a good piece on Arizona buzz."
"You studied USSR to know your enemy," the Russian wrote. "Now the only way to make Russia a living is to help hating it - be it Vladimir Putin or human rights. Actually I was thinking about homosexual authoritarism [sic] threatening America."
In another message, the Russian credited former Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin with bringing Russia to "its highest," saying he paved the way for the country's eventual launch of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into space.
"Yes he kinda f*cked Russia, but Russian soul is feminine by it’s nature," the diplomat said of Stalin. "So I believe we need to step back and look at him in a longer perspective, like the French did with Napoleon. It’s complicated like so many things in Russian history."
[Image via Agence France-Presse]
HGTV calls off show starring twins who hate gays, Muslims, divorce, and public schools
HGTV abruptly called off a new reality show featuring twin brothers who have organized prayer rallies against LGBT and reproductive rights and compared same-sex marriage to Nazi Germany.
"Flip It Forward," which was scheduled to premier in October, was supposed to feature David and Jason Benham as they helped families buy, repair, and sell real estate.
The twins will “leverage their good-natured sibling rivalry to help families find a fixer-upper and transform it into the dream home they never thought they could afford,” the network said in a press release announcing nine new series for next season.
But the cable network, which is owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, announced it had dropped plans for the show less than two hours after Raw Story called seeking comment about the twins and their political activism.
"HGTV has decided not to move forward with the Benham Brothers' series," the network announced Wednesday afternoon on its Facebook page.
David Benham led a prayer rally, Charlotte 7:14, organized with his twin brother outside the 2012 Democratic National Convention to protest “abortion on demand,” “no-fault divorce,” “pornography and perversion,” “adultery,” and “demonic ideologies” taught at public schools and universities.
“(Meanwhile), the church sits silent and just builds big churches,” David Benham told conservative Christian radio host Janet Mefferd. “We are so complacent, we are so apathetic and we are very hypocritical in the church, that’s why the Bible says judgment begins in the house of God.”
He also told Mefferd he worked to pass North Carolina’s Amendment One, which bans same-sex marriage and civil unions.
“When Amendment One passed I realized the only three counties in North Carolina that actually voted against the amendment were Charlotte, Raleigh and Asheville, our three cities,” he told Mefferd. “So we had all the rural areas and all the suburban areas but we lost all the cities. So I felt like, OK, it’s time that we have a citywide church service of repentance and that’s the reason that we decided to do it right in the heart of Charlotte the night before the DNC.”
David Benham serves on the board of the anti-LGBT Coalition of Conscience and has referred to Muslims as “the enemy attacking” America.
“The difference between Islam and Christianity: Islam takes life and enslaves it,” he said. “Christianity lays its life down and sets you free.”
The brothers are the sons of Flip Benham, leader of the abortion-clinic protest group Operation Save America, which split from the militant anti-abortion group Operation Rescue in the late 1990s.
The elder Benham baptized Norma McCorvey – the plaintiff in the landmark Roe v. Wade decision – and protested outside mosques while shouting “Jesus hates Muslims” and blamed the Democratic Party for promoting a “culture of death” that caused the mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado.
Flip Benham was convicted in 2011 of stalking a Charlotte, N.C., abortion provider and sentenced to 18 months probation.
In a 2012 blog post on Operation Save America’s website, David Benham compared the fight against marriage to opposition to Nazi Germany.
“If evil is being accepted and appreciated at the national level, aggressive Christian men must lead the charge against it,” David Benham wrote. “In the late 1940s England realized this truth with Neville Chamberlain’s Policy of Appeasement and the Nazi regime. Chamberlain thought he could somehow ‘appease’ the fuehrer, yet Winston Churchill aggressively stood against this policy and proclaimed that they must kill Hitler and destroy the regime in its entirety. It wasn’t long before Chamberlain’s ‘politically correct’ policy fell flat on its face, and Churchill – the more aggressive man – took the reins and joined America in defeating the beast.”
David Benham also suggested in the Christian Post that support for marriage equality was the result of psychological issues.
“For the men on the other side of this vote, I’ll say a couple of things: You’ll never find the love of a father in the arms of another man,” he wrote. “The emotional hurt that you’ve experienced can only be healed through a life-giving relationship with the very one that created you.”
Watch this profile of David and Jason Benham posted online by CBN-TV:
Daily Mail pays 'substantial damages' and apologizes to 'Harry Potter' author JK Rowling
The Daily Mail carries an apology today to the author JK Rowling in which it states that it has paid her substantial damages over an article that claimed she had told a misleading "sob story."
The article, published on 27 September 2013, suggested she had falsely accused churchgoers of stigmatising her because she was a single mother. It was headlined "How JK's sob story about her single mother past surprised and confused the church members who cared for her."
The paper admitted liability in January, when it agreed to publish the correction and pay damages to Rowling. But the Mail disputed details of the settlement.
In the high court last month, Mr Justice Tugendhat that Rowling could make a statement about the case despite objections from Associated Newspapers, the Mail's publisher, about the contents of the statement.
He ruled that "there is no sufficient reason" for refusing Rowling permission to read it.
Wednesday's apology, at the foot of page 2, states:
"Our September 28, 2013 article 'How JK's sob story about her single mother past surprised and confused the church members who cared for her' suggested that JK Rowling made a knowingly false and inexcusable claim in an article for the Gingerbread charity that people at her church had stigmatised her and cruelly taunted her for being a single mother.
In fact Mrs Rowling recounted only one incident where a visitor to the church sitgmatised and taunted her on a particular day. We accept that Ms Rowling's article did not contain any false claims and apologise for any contrary suggestion and have agreed to pay substantial damages to Ms Rowling, which she is donating to charity, and a contribution to her legal costs."
Sources: Daily Mail/PA Media Lawyer
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media 2014
Journalism groups accuse FAA of limiting their rights by banning drone use
Sixteen major U.S. news organizations came together Tuesday to accuse the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of curtailing freedom of the press by restricting the use of drones.
Unlike other countries, the United States prohibits the use of drones, or unmanned aerial systems (UAS), for commercial purposes, although the FAA grants rare exceptions for government and law enforcement use.
In a brief to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the news organizations -- including The New York Times and The Washington Post -- argued that drones are a First Amendment concern.
Through "a series of threats of administrative sanction," the FAA has "flatly banned" the use of drones for newsgathering purposes, according to the 25-page brief.
"The FAA's position is untenable as it rests on a fundamental misunderstanding about journalism," it added. "News gathering is not a 'business purpose.' It is a First Amendment right."
The brief was filed in the context of the dismissal by an NTSB administrative judge in March of a $10,000 civil penalty that the FAA slapped on European drone entrepreneur Raphael Pirker for a promotional video he made in 2011 over the campus of the University of Virginia.
The FAA alleged that Pirker -- based in Hong Kong and known among drone enthusiasts worldwide as Trappy -- operated his five-pound (2.25 kilogram) Styrofoam flying wing recklessly and without a proper pilot's license.
The FAA is appealing that decision to the full NTSB board, saying it is concerned it "could impact the safe operation of the national airspace system and the safety of the people and property on the ground."
Other news organizations that co-signed the brief include the Associated Press news agency, the Gannett, Hearst, McClatchy and Tribune newspaper groups, and Advance Publications, owner of the New Yorker, Vanity Fair and Vogue magazines.
Last month Texas EquuSearch, a non-profit search-and-rescue group, filed a lawsuit in Washington against the FAA after it was ordered by the agency to stop using drones to find missing people.
In February, the FAA said it would miss an end-of-2015 deadline set by Congress for fresh regulations enabling civilian drones to safely share the skies with private and commercial aircraft.
It added that when regulations do come, they would come in stages.
[Image via Agence France-Presse]
New Orleans Fox affiliate sorry technical glitch interrupted 'Cosmos' evolution segment
A New Orleans Fox affiliate blames a technical glitch that interrupted Sunday’s episode of “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey.”
WVUE-TV abruptly cut to a news promo, seat belt public service announcement, and commercials just as host Neil deGrasse Tyson was discussing how climate change millions of years ago influenced the primate-to-human evolutionary process.
Commercials filled more than 5 minutes of airtime, interrupting 1 minute, 24 seconds of the program’s airtime, before “Cosmos” returned to a discussion on how the gravitational pull of other planets shaped Earth’s weather during the same period.
WVUE’s vice president and general manager, Sandy Breland, described the glitch as “an automation error.”
“It was a mistake,” Breland said. “We certainly regret the error.”
The station will re-air the episode in its entirety at 10:35 p.m. Thursday.
The episode will pre-empt regularly scheduled syndicated reruns of “Seinfeld” and “Rules of Engagement.”
A Fox affiliate in Oklahoma City cut 15 seconds from a discussion of human evolution in the program’s March 9 premier.
KOKH-TV issued a Twitter apology for what it described as a “master control operator error.”
[Image via Facebook]
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