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VANESSA HUDGENS, JAMES MARSDEN, KIMIKO GLENN STAR IN NETFLIX’S ‘MY LITTLE PONY: A NEW GENERATION’
“High School Musical” star Vanessa Hudgens will lead the voice cast of “My Little Pony: A New Generation,” a Netflix film based on the popular children’s toy line. The animated adventure’s cast will also include Kimiko Glenn (“Orange Is the New Black”) and James Marsden (“Enchanted”), with the two playing Izzy Moonbow and Hitch Trailblazer. Hudgens will put her spin on Sunny Starscout — these ponies have quite the surnames. Entertainment One is backing the film, which debuts on Netflix on September 24, 2021, at which point it will delight parents and kids by joining a heavy rotation of other animated fare. The film was originally intended to be distributed theatrically by Paramount Pictures, but due to the COVID pandemic, those plans were altered and the project wound up at Netflix. Other cast members include Sofia Carson, Liza Koshy, Ken Jeong, Elizabeth Perkins, Jane Krakowski, Phil LaMarr and Michael McKean. Here’s the official synopsis: “The unimaginable has happened…Equestria has lost its magic! Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi are no longer friends and now live separated by species. But idealistic Earth Pony Sunny (Vanessa Hudgens) is determined to find a way to bring enchantment and unity back to their world. Teaming up with open-hearted Unicorn Izzy (Kimiko Glenn), the pair travel to faraway lands where they encounter the likes of charismatic and brave Pegasi Pipp (Sofia Carson) and Zipp (Liza Koshy) and the ever-responsible fellow Earth Pony Hitch (James Marsden). Their mission is full of misadventures, but these new best friends each possess their own unique and special gifts that may be just what this pony-verse needs to restore magic and prove that even little ponies can make a big difference.”
[SOURCE: variety.com / ENGAGEMENT: 15.83%]
NYC BOARD OF ELECTIONS THROWS MAYORAL PRIMARY INTO CHAOS BY COUNTING TEST BALLOTS
The campaign to become New York City’s next mayor has come in for another twist. On Tuesday, the City Board of Elections released new numbers that suggested Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams’ lead in the Democratic primary had narrowed in the first set of tabulated ranked-choice voting results. Former Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, in this preliminary count, had nearly closed the gap, giving Adams a two-point lead. But within hours of the new figures coming online, the board backtracked — following questions from the Adams campaign and others — and acknowledged a “discrepancy” in its counting process. It subsequently removed the data from its website. Late Tuesday night, the body put out another statement, this time revealing it had mistakenly included 135,000 test vote records in the initial tally. The count will be re-run once the slate is cleared. The mess amounted to a realization of many New Yorkers’ well-founded worries over the board’s capacity to competently manage the ranked-choice system, which is making its citywide debut. The BOE has a rotten reputation in the city and is widely regarded as a hub for political patronage jobs. Tuesday’s count was, in itself, a dry run ahead of the final count, which will not take place for weeks, as absentee ballots are cross-checked and, in some cases, cured if voters respond to notices about minor errors. In flubbing the exercise, the board also risked handing additional fodder to right-wingers in states and municipalities across the country, who might now seek to parlay the error into momentum for suppressive new voting laws. The new numbers — whatever they turn out to be — do not include more than 120,000 absentee ballots that have yet to be counted, but the tightening at the top offers a glimpse ahead to what could be a remarkably narrow final count. The next round of ballot tabulations won’t be announced for another week, and the process is not expected to be finished and certified for at least two more, meaning the leading campaigns are entering a new phase of uncertainty — and New York City Democrats could be in line for a shocker.
[SOURCE: cnn.com / ENGAGEMENT: 11.78%]
BILL COSBY’S SEX ASSAULT CONVICTION OVERTURNED BY COURT
Pennsylvania’s highest court threw out Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction and released him from prison Wednesday in a stunning reversal of fortune for the comedian once known as “America’s Dad,” ruling that the prosecutor who brought the case was bound by his predecessor’s agreement not to charge Cosby. Cosby, 83, flashed the V-for-victory sign to a helicopter overhead as he trudged into his suburban Philadelphia home after serving nearly three years of a three- to 10-year sentence for drugging and violating Temple University sports administrator Andrea Constand in 2004. The former “Cosby Show” star — the first celebrity tried and convicted in the #MeToo era — had no comment as he arrived, and just smiled and nodded later at a news conference outside, where his lawyer Jennifer Bonjean said: “We are thrilled to have Mr. Cosby home. He served three years of an unjust sentence and he did it with dignity and principle.” In a statement, Constand and her lawyers called the ruling disappointing, and they, like many other advocates, expressed fear that it could discourage sexual assault victims from coming forward. “We urge all victims to have their voices heard,” they added. Cosby was arrested in 2015, when a district attorney armed with newly unsealed evidence — the comic’s damaging deposition in a lawsuit brought by Constand — filed charges against him just days before the 12-year statute of limitations was about to run out. But the Pennsylvania Supreme Court said Wednesday that District Attorney Kevin Steele, who made the decision to arrest Cosby, was obligated to stand by his predecessor’s promise not to charge Cosby, though there was no evidence that agreement was ever put in writing. Justice David Wecht, writing for a split court, said Cosby had relied on the previous district attorney’s decision not to charge him when the comedian gave his potentially incriminating testimony in Constand’s civil case. The court called Cosby’s subsequent arrest “an affront to fundamental fairness, particularly when it results in a criminal prosecution that was forgone for more than a decade.” It said justice and “fair play and decency” require that the district attorney’s office stand by the decision of the previous DA. The justices said that overturning the conviction and barring any further prosecution “is the only remedy that comports with society’s reasonable expectations of its elected prosecutors and our criminal justice system.” Cosby was promptly set free from the state prison in suburban Montgomery County and driven home.
[SOURCE: apnews.com / ENGAGEMENT: 10.43%]
ALLISON MACK SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON IN NXIVM SEX CULT CASE
Allison Mack has been sentenced to three years in federal prison, a stunning downfall for the fresh-faced actor who spent a decade as a fan favorite on “Smallville” but then became a key figure in the NXIVM cult led by convicted sex trafficker Keith Raniere. Mack, 38, learned her fate Wednesday morning in federal court in Brooklyn from U.S. District Court Judge Nicholas Garaufis. She was arrested in April 2018 in Brooklyn after a wild trek with Raniere and others to Mexico, where Raniere was arrested in a villa outside Puerto Vallarta in March of that year. “I made choices I will forever regret,” Mack told the judge, according to the Associated Press, adding that she was filled with “remorse and guilt.” Mack also received a $20,000 fine and was ordered to perform 1,000 hours of community service. She will surrender to authorities on Sept. 29. Her attorneys have requested that she be allowed to serve time in a federal prison on the West Coast as her family lives in Orange County. Prosecutors had asked the judge for leniency, emphasizing Mack’s role in helping to seal their case against Raniere on multiple sex trafficking, racketeering, fraud and conspiracy charges. Raniere was sentenced to 120 years in prison last October. The lengthy prosecution of Raniere and his NXIVM associates including Mack, Seagram Co. heiress Clare Bronfman, Raniere partner Nancy Salzman and her daughter, Lauren Salzman. Bronfman was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison on identity theft and immigration fraud charges last October. Nancy and Lauren Salzman are awaiting sentencing next month. Sentencing guidelines called for Mack to serve 14 years to 17-and-a-half years. The actor asked the judge to spare her prison sentence and allow her to continue her studies. She has been pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Rhetoric and Psychology from UC Berkeley since spring 2020 while on house arrest. Prosecutors detailed how Mack and Raniere went so far as to form a social club for women in the NXIVM orbit that encouraged members to serve as “slaves” to designated “masters,” with Mack being one of the high-level masters who could command others to perform strange tasks and limit their caloric intake. Mack has been described as a ringleader of the shocking decision to scar members with a human branding ritual using a symbol that incorporated Raniere’s and Mack’s initials. Mack described her 11 years in the NXIVM organization led by Raniere as a form of brainwashing, and she has condemned his “twisting influence” on her life. Prosecutors credited Mack with providing an audio recording and other details that helped convict Raniere.
[SOURCE: variety.com / ENGAGEMENT: 6.99%]
FANS OUTRAGED BY HOWARD STERN’S SUMMER OFF AFTER $500M SIRIUS XM DEAL
Radio jock Howard Stern has finally managed to shock his fans — by taking the entire summer off after signing a new deal with Sirius XM said to be worth $500 million. It appears the “King of All Media” needs to rest on his enormously wealthy laurels and allegedly negotiated a clause in his new Sirius XM contract to give him a break between the end of June and early September. But Sirius XM subscribers are revolting, saying Stern — who usually spends time at his Hamptons spread during the summer — has to honor their monthly commitment, lest they cancel their subscriptions. One fan fumed on Reddit, “Howard Stern just announced per his new contract there will not be any new shows after this week until SEPTEMBER. At first he tried to claim they always do this during the summer then pivoted and said this summer off was part of the new deal he made.” The furious fan added, “Couldn’t take two weeks off? No that would be too fair to his customers. I pay $20 a month for SiriusXM and I’m not paying $40 for re-runs. All Stern fans should do this … If I knew the new deal would be like this I would have rooted for Howard to retire.” In December 2020, Stern signed a new deal with Sirius XM to extend his deal for his long-running show for another five years. The terms of the deal have not been revealed but it is thought to be in excess of $100 million per year. Which, therefore — allegedly — means he’s getting nearly $17 million for his two months of summer vacation. Stern, 67, is already said to be worth $650 million. Reps for Sirius XM and Stern did not comment.
[SOURCE: pagesix.com / ENGAGEMENT: 5.77%]
‘GOOD OMENS’ RENEWED FOR SEASON 2 AT AMAZON, MICHAEL SHEEN AND DAVID TENNANT TO RETURN
Hallelujah! The David Tennant and Michael Sheen-led “Good Omens” has been renewed for Season 2 at Amazon Prime Video, the streaming service said Tuesday. The six-part second season will be written by series creator Neil Gaiman and go beyond the Amazon show’s source material, the 1990 novel “Good Omens.” That book, which was written by Gaiman and the late Terry Pratchett, follows an angel and demon who teamed up to save the world from the apocalypse. Gaiman said Season 2 is based on his and Pratchett’s shared idea for a sequel to the original novel. Sheen and Tennant starred in the first season of “Good Omens,” which launched in May 2019, and will return to reprise their leading roles as the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley, respectively, for Season 2. “The new season will explore storylines that go beyond the original source material to illuminate the uncanny friendship between Aziraphale, a fussy angel and rare book dealer, and the fast-living demon Crowley,” Amazon said in a statement. “Having been on Earth since The Beginning and with the Apocalypse thwarted, Aziraphale and Crowley are getting back to easy living amongst mortals in London’s Soho when an unexpected messenger presents a surprising mystery.” “Good Omens” Season 2 will begin filming later this year in Scotland and will premiere on Amazon Prime Video at a yet-to-be-announced later date. Gaiman is returning as executive producer and will co-showrun on the second season of “Good Omens,” along with executive producer Douglas Mackinnon, who will also return to direct. Rob Wilkins, John Finnemore and BBC Studios Productions’ head of comedy Josh Cole will also executive produce, with Finnemore serving as co-writer alongside Gaiman.
[SOURCE: thewrap.com / ENGAGEMENT: 5.40%]
DONALD RUMSFELD, FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY AT HELM OF 2 WARS, DEAD AT 88
Donald Rumsfeld, who charted an impressive Washington career serving under four presidents but whose legacy largely was defined by his controversial tenure as defense secretary during the Iraq War, has died, his family announced Wednesday. He was 88. Rumsfeld, a confident adviser to power with a trenchant style that made him admirers as well as enemies, had a long and winding career in public life that spanned five decades. He had been a congressman and a White House chief of staff, and had a successful corporate career, too. But it was his second term as secretary of defense from 2001 to 2006 – during the most tumultuous period of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars – for which he is most known. While his time as President Gerald Ford’s defense secretary was dominated by lofty management challenges regarding the direction of America’s changing military, his role under President George W. Bush was quite different — and set in an instant. On 9/11, just months into the Bush presidency, Rumsfeld was in his office in the E-Ring at the Pentagon. While monitoring the attacks on the Twin Towers in Manhattan, the Pentagon was hit with a third hijacked plane. After the attacks, Rumsfeld was part of a senior-level effort, which also included Vice President Dick Cheney, to marshal war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. But then their sights were turned to Iraq, where he and others insisted Saddam Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction. During the beginning of the war, his off-the-cuff and sometimes acerbic style made the press conferences events in themselves. He rode a wave of popularity and never conceded that the war was not going as well as his press people were saying publicly. But then things started to go wrong — abuse of detainees by U.S. soldiers was exposed in the Abu Ghraib prison in 2004. Rumsfeld started to get the blame for the war going south; critics said the number of troops for the post-invasion wasn’t enough and the post-invasion plans inadequate. As casualties mounted and no WMDs were found, the press turned on him. When it was clear the insurgency could not be ignored and casualties were much higher than expected, he began facing pressure to resign. He resisted those calls until the 2006 midterms, when Democrats knocked Republicans out of power in Congress. Bush replaced Rumsfeld with Robert Gates. The resignation marked the end of Rumsfeld’s long public career, though he did not fade from public view — he made media appearances and released “Known and Unknown: A Memoir” in 2011.
[SOURCE: foxnews.com / ENGAGEMENT: 4.05%]
SENATOR TOM COTTON BLASTS BIDEN OVER BORDERS, COPS AND CRIME — AND DOES PUSH-UPS WITH CHUCK GRASSLEY — IN IOWA TRIP
Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas blamed President Joe Biden for porous borders, waning support for police officers and “a crime wave of unprecedented proportions” Tuesday night in Iowa. Cotton joined the ranks of prospective 2024 Republican presidential candidates to make early visits Tuesday when he appeared at a state GOP event at Jim Dean’s Classic Car Museum in Sioux Center, in Iowa’s northwestern corner. The stop was punctuated by an only-in-Iowa ending: Cotton and longtime Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley went through Grassley’s workout routine onstage, doing 22 push-ups face-to-face while the state’s other Republican senator, Joni Ernst, counted them off. Cotton’s 20-minute stump speech offered a preview of the themes the senator could emphasize as a candidate. He attacked critical race theory, a decades-old concept that recognizes that systemic racism is part of American society and challenges the beliefs that allow it to flourish. The theory has become the subject of attacks from Republicans — who have at times mischaracterized the concept and how it is taught — in recent months. Some GOP state legislatures have moved to ban it from schools. Cotton said critical race theory “may be the most dangerous theory of all. If we put the brakes on the Biden agenda, if we win in 2024, that’s all for the better. If we, however, let the left indoctrinate an entire generation of our kids to hate America, what will we have gained?” He was the latest in a steady stream of 2024 Republican presidential prospects to visit Iowa. Already, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Florida’s Sen. Rick Scott are among the potential contenders to make stops in the state in 2021. Former United Nations Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley took top billing at a state GOP event last week. And former Vice President Mike Pence, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Pompeo are set to visit Iowa next month for the Family Leadership Summit, an event hosted by the organization led by prominent Iowa social conservative Bob Vander Plaats. Pence will also headline the Feenstra Family picnic in Sioux Center. The early jockeying underscores the two-track reality of the GOP’s 2024 race: Ambitious Republicans are positioning themselves in case former President Donald Trump does not run again. But Trump himself is teasing a bid to return to office — and the party’s base has not yet moved on from his lies that the 2020 election was stolen from him.
[SOURCE: cnn.com / ENGAGEMENT: 3.44%]
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