TV/Film
Watch This 12-Year-Old Nail Tones And I’s ‘Dance Monkey’ During Her ‘AGT’ Audition
Annie Jones took the stage during Tuesday’s episode (June 23) of America’s Got Talent to audition with Tones and I‘s “Dance Monkey.” After admitting to judge Sofia Vergara that she was “a little” nervous, the 12-year-old singer stunned the audience with her take on her fellow Australian’s smash 2019 hit. “Dance for me, dance for me, dance for me, Oh-oh-oh/ Never seen anybody do the things you do before/ They say move for me, move for me, move for me, yeah-ah-ah/ When you’re done, I’ll make you do it all again/ All again,” the preteen delicately crooned before the beat dropped in and she began swaggering around the stage. By song’s end, the crowd inside Pasadena’s Civic Auditorium was on its feet, with Jones...
Here’s How Darren Criss Convinced Mark Hamill to Sing a Song About Giant Genitalia on Quibi
It “was just total serendipity” getting Hamill to appear on the new Quibi series “Royalties,” show creator Criss tells the Billboard Pop Shop Podcast. Never in Darren Criss’ wildest dreams did he think he’d be able to cast Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill, in his new musical comedy series Royalties. And not only that – be able to get the Star Wars icon to sing about King Kong’s… wait for it… penis. “I could not believe he said yes,” Criss says. “I could not believe he showed up. I could not believe I was vocal producing, with my buddies, Mark Hamill in the (recording) booth, getting him to say the word penis several times to get the right tone.” Hamill’s performance of “Mighty As Kong” (watch the music video, below) is one of the many zany musica...
Lena Waithe, Jonica Gibbs on How Lesbian Representation Creates a ‘Space of Understanding’
Lena Waithe, the award-winning Master of None and Queen and Slim scribe, said that while she feels accepted as a Black, gay woman in the entertainment industry, she believes audiences need to see even more Black queer representation. “If you look at how many people that are known and that are Black in the industry, and then if you can count on like maybe one or two hands how many of them are out? The numbers just don’t add up,” Waithe said at Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter’s second annual Pride Summit and Prom. On Saturday, Waithe joined her mentee, Twenties breakout Jonica Gibbs, for a conversation that touched on expanded lesbian representation in television, the recent Black Lives Matter protests across the country and the role of the industry in the movement. Th...
Lilly Wachowski and Abby McEnany on the Power of Showcasing ‘Unpalatable Queers’ on TV
Lilly Wachowski and Abby McEnany — stars, writers and producers of Showtime’s LGBTQ-centered series Work in Progress — participated in Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter’s Pride Summit on Saturday. During their live-streamed discussion, titled “Work in Progress: Being Your Authentic Self in This Business” and sponsored by Wells Fargo, the talented duo spoke about the power of showcasing “unpalatable queers” in 2020. But first, Wachowski and McEnany touched on the intersection of Pride marches and protests for the reignited Black Lives Matter movement, a direct response to the killing of George Floyd and unceasing police brutality against Black people. “I think Lilly and I have been talking and we don’t know what we’re going to say. Th...
You Have to See Chloe Fineman’s Pitch-Perfect Impression of Britney Spears in Quarantine on ‘SNL’
Saturday Night Live offered up a spot-on impression of Britney Spears‘ imaginary life in quarantine in its Saturday (May 10) season finale, and the result was nothing short of hilarious. Played by SNL newcomer Chloe Fineman, the skit centered around the pop icon offering a “Masterclass Quarantine Edition” from the comfort of her luxe Los Angeles mansion. “I’ve been quarantined for five years now, and that’s OK because all my favorite stuff is here,” Fineman-as-Spears quips, perfecting the superstar’s unique speaking cadence, mannerisms and head tilts as she leads viewers through an at-home workout (“Oops, I burned my gym down”), and painting watercolors in her garden. The comedian then lampooned Spears’ adorable penchant for...
