Did You Hear ...? James Comey takes over TV, Rodney leaves the ROQ, and more from the week in entertainment
A Senate hearing became national entertainment, an L.A. legend turned off his microphone, a top pop star loosened her reins, women ruled the box office and a stand-up star got stand-offish. Here’s all that news and more from this week in entertainment.
D.C.’s James Comey Show became must-see TV
The show out of the nation’s capital on Wednesday was more entertaining than anything out of Hollywood this week as fired FBI Director James Comey spilled his guts in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee. (Plus the big three networks preempted their usual lineups — No “Price Is Right†for you! — so what choice did daytime TV fans have anyway, right?) Still, as if it were the Academy Awards, the country was full of viewing parties, celebrities were full of quips and, after it was all over, TV’s late-night comics were like seagulls at the beach with their assessments of All Things Comey. But fear not, Oscar: The new kid had a hot debut, but Hollywood’s biggest night still got better ratings.
A proper goodbye for ‘Rodney on the ROQ’
Rodney Bingenheimer — a.k.a. Rodney on the ROQ, a.k.a. the Mayor of the Sunset Strip — signed off for the last time at 4 a.m. Monday, ending the nearly 40-year run of a late-night radio show that debuted on KROQ-106.7 FM in 1977. The final installment of the free-form alternative rock program included archival interviews with Van Halen and Elvis Costello; on-air well-wishes from Joan Jett, Debbie Harry and others; and a memorable playlist capped by a haunting song by the Monkees. The good news? Bingenheimer’s not retiring.
It’s as if Taylor Swift has something against Katy Perry …
Taylor Swift, who hasn’t hesitated to bend streaming music services to her will, announced late-ish Thursday that starting at midnight, her entire back catalog of music would once again be available to stream. Some people found Swift’s timing a tad bit suspicious, however. Ostensibly, she and her team made the call to celebrate a major sales landmark. Coincidentally, Katy Perry released her years-in-the-making new album, “Witness,†on Thursday as well. Who says there’s no shade at night …
‘Wonder Woman’ elicits all sorts of fierce feelz
Surprise! The badass Amazons of “Wonder Woman†are all about tears of joy. While the battle scenes featuring Gal Gadot, Robin Wright and Connie Nielsen were emotionally overwhelming to some ladies in the audience, the movie’s box-office success had its business backers crying all the way to the bank. (Sorry, Tom Cruise.) And you thought you knew the only definition of “chick flick.â€
In Jerry Seinfeld’s dictionary, ‘hello’ comes before ‘hug’
Jerry Seinfeld was in the news not for anything he did, but for something he very clearly did not do, which was hug pop star Kesha. Something about having no clue who she was? Picky, picky, Jerry. There were no hard feelings about his priceless snub, which you can watch to your heart’s content below. Kesha and the comic laughed about it afterward, Seinfeld told “Extra†— but she never did get that hug.
Domestic Goods — and Bads: George Clooney and wife Amal welcomed twins Ella and Alexander. … Ryan Lochte and Kayla Rae Reid welcomed a baby boy. ... Iman honored her late husband, David Bowie, on what would have been their 25th anniversary.
Trumped: Hasan Minhaj revealed he was ready to go “Def-Con Orange†at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
R.I.P: Actress Glenne Headly, â€Lonesome Dove†and “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels†star, died at 62. … Earl Lestz, former Paramount executive credited with modernizing the studio, died at 78. … Marilyn Hall, Emmy-winning producer and wife of game-show host Monty Hall, died at 90. … Peter Sallis, voice of Wallace in “Wallace and Gromit,†died at 96. … Actor Roger Smith, “77 Sunset Strip†detective and husband of Ann-Margret, died at 84.
Bonus Links: It wasn’t just you. The depressing CMT Awards really did feel like one long commercial. … The “Orange Is the New Black†team explained why that inmate had to die, and how the script is the star of Season 5. … And the Babadook as an LGBTQ icon makes sense. No, really.
Did You Hear …? runs Saturday in Entertainment at latimes.com.
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