drummer

Foo Fighters Name Veteran Musician Josh Freese As New Drummer 

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The Foo Fighters have named veteran musician Josh Freese as their new drummer following the death of their former percussionist Taylor Hawkins. 

Freese is an established musician who’s been in the industry for over 30 years now. He’s toured with Weezer, Sting, Paramore, Nine Inch Nails, Guns N’ Roses, and more, as well as being a member of Devo since 1996 and the Vandals since 1989. 

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The news was announced during a livestream titled “Foo Fighters: Preparing Music for Concerts,” which was advertised to deliver a “few surprises.” 

Recorded from their studio, the livestream opened with the band teasing that they would reveal the identity of their new drummer, but first, they called in a few other famous faces to make cameos.

Chad Smith, the drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, barged in making a comical entrance only to complain that someone was blocking his car. Tommy Lee from Motley Crew made a surprise food delivery, while Danny Carey of Tool showed up with a pair of poodles. 

In the middle of the show, a voice interrupted in the distance; “Excuse me! Could we just, like, play a song?” with the camera cutting to Freese, who had been waiting off-camera behind a drum kit. 

Overall, the livestream featured an eight-song set which included new songs from Foo Fighters’ upcoming 11th album, “But Here We Are.”

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The announcement comes after the bands January announcement where they stated that they would remain together after the unexpected death of Taylor Hawkins, who died at the age of 50 last year when the band was in Colombia touring. 

In a statement at the time, the band said: “Without Taylor, we never would have become the band that we were, and without Taylor, we know that we’re going to be a different band going forward.”

The band also announced that the band’s first show with Freese as their drummer will take place in New Hampshire on May 24th, which will also mark the opening leg of a global tour that will go into the later half of this year. 

Besides the two memorial concerts the bands held for Hawkins last September, which included a lineup of musicians such as Paul McCartney, Queen, and Mark Ronson, this tour will be the first time the band has toured/performed live together since Hawkin’s death. 

Freese also performed with the band at the two tribute concerts, when he also took to Instagram to make a statement about the honor of playing in Hawkin’s spot. 

“I was asked what drums I’d like to use, without hesitation I said, ‘Taylor’s drums need to be up there and I want to play on his exact set-up.”

rocknroll

Kate Bush ‘Shocked And Honored’ To Be Among New Inductees For Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 

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Kate Bush is “completely shocked and honored” to be included in this years inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside other icons such as George Michael, Rage Against the Machine, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, and Missy Elliot; who’s the first female rapper to be inducted. 

Bush recently spoke to Rolling Stone about the honor: 

“It’s something I just never thought would happen. Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me. It means a great deal that you would think of me. It’s such a huge honor. Now, as part of the initiation ceremony, I get to find out about the secret handshake … there is one, right?”

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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame began in 1983, with a physical museum opening in Cleveland in 1995. There are currently 365 acts in the Hall. Artists become eligible to join 25 years after the release of their first records, and must be voted in by a panel of more than 1,000 industry figures. 

This year, the inductees have been regarded as acts that were taken from a larger pool of acts that were previously shortlisted; this year marks Bush’s third time being nominated. 

Rage Against the Machine had been finalists five times before this year, and thanked the Hall of Fame for the recognition. 

“[We thank the Hall of Fame] for recognizing the music and the mission in a surprising trajectory for a band who is as well known for our albums as we are for our fierce opposition to the US war machine, white supremacy, and exploitation.”

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Willie Nelson, who recently turned 90, is being inducted on his first nomination, as are Michael, Elliot, and Crow. Michael was automatically inducted as a finalist to earn the most votes from a public poll. 

Beyond the inductees, Chaka Khan, Al Kooper, and Bernie Taupin are receiving the musical excellence award. DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray will receive the musical influence awards, and Don Cornelius, who passed away in 2012, will be honored with the Ahmet Ertegun award.

Joel Peresman, the Hall of Fame’s president and chief executive, told Rolling Stone that he hopes Bush will perform at the induction ceremony, which would mark her first live performance since her 2014 residency in London; which at the time was her first live performance in 35 years. 

Bush’s induction into the Hall of Fame is not surprising to fans, old and new, as her song ‘Running Up That Hill’ was used throughout the popular Netflix series, Stranger Things, propelling the single to re-enter the charts. It became Number 1 in the UK and Number 3 on the US charts.

horse

PETA Condemns Producers Of TV Show ‘Rings Of Power’ After Horse Dies On Set

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Animal rights group PETA has condemned the use of live animals on TV and movie sets for quite some time now. Recently, the group called out the production of Amazon’s television series ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ after a horse was reported to have died on set. 

On March 21st, the horse went into cardiac arrest and died while on set for season two of The Lord of the Rings spin-off show. 

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“We are deeply saddened to confirm that a production horse died. The incident took place in the morning whilst the horse was being exercised prior to rehearsals,”  said a spokesperson for Amazon Studios on Sunday morning. 

“The trainer was not in costume, and filming had yet to commence. Both a veterinarian and a representative of the American Humane Association were present at the time. The independent necropsy has confirmed that the horse died of cardiac failure.”

Sources close to the show told Deadline that the horse was standing near 20 other horses when it went into cardiac arrest; more than 30 horses were said to be on set that day. 

After the news broke, PETA called out the show for “exploiting animals,” in a call to action for film and TV shows to stop using real animals and opt for CGI technology in their place. 

“It seems that living underground with the orcs is par for the course for the producers of The Rings of Power, because they have the option to use CGI, mechanical rigs and other humane methods,” said Peta’s senior vice-president Lisa Lange.

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“Peta is calling on the show’s creators – and all other producers – to take on a new quest without using any real horses.”

This is not the first time The Lord of the Rings franchise specifically has been called out by animal rights activists for their use of real animals in their productions. 

Back in 2012, director Peter Jackson was under fire for the production of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey after animal wranglers on set reported that three horses and other farm animals had died during the film’s production. 

At the time, PETA launched a petition and urged all fans and movie goers to “refuse to see the movies” where animals had been knowingly harmed. 

Jackson replied to this petition by stating that the claims that any animals were mistreated were unsubstantiated. 

“The production regrets that Peta has chosen to make such a serious allegation, which has distressed many of the dedicated Kiwis who worked with the animals on the film.”

bond

James Bond Novels To Be Reissued With Removal Of “Offensive” Racial References 

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Ian Fleming Publishing, which owns the rights to Ian Fleming’s works including the James Bond novels, has announced that they will be reissuing the famous spy novels with a handful of racial references removed and a disclaimer that the books “might use terms of attitudes considered offensive by modern readers.”

This April marks the 70 year anniversary of the publishing of Casino Royale, Fleming’s first book that features the famous James Bond character. The set of thrillers has been set to be reissued as a celebration of the anniversary. 

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The changes made to the novels include the removal of all mentions of the N-word, as well as references to the ethnicities of minor characters. 

According to the Telegraph, the disclaimers given to the reissued books will state: “This book was written at a time when terms and attitudes which might be considered offensive by modern readers were commonplace.”

“A number of updates have been made in this edition while keeping it as close as possible to the original text and the period in which it is set.”

Ian Fleming Publications also told the Telegraph that they had “reviewed the text of the original Bond books and decided our best course of action was to follow Ian’s lead.” 

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“We have made changes to Live and Let Die that he himself authorized. Following Ian’s approach, we looked at the instances of several racial terms across the books and removed a number of individual words or else swapped them for terms that are more accepted today but in keeping with the period in which the books were written,” the statement read. 

“We encourage people to read the books for themselves when they are reissued.”

In a similar fashion, a multitude of books by Roald Dahl were also changed after a review by sensitive readers. 

In Dahl’s case, words and phrases such as “enormously fat” to describe a character were simply changed to “enormous.” The goal of these changes is to maintain the original feelings the books gave many generations growing up, with a layer of protection added for new modern readers.

halftime

Rihanna Reveals She Is Pregnant at Superbowl Half-time Show

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Rihanna revealed to fans that she is pregnant with her second baby in an unexpected way. The Grammy award-winning singer performed at the 2023 Superbowl half-time show in Phoenix, where she danced on platforms dressed in a fiery red jumpsuit that accentuated a baby bump.

In the first few moments of her set, the singer rubbed her belly and performed with the zipper of her jumpsuit open. Because of the snugness of the red bodysuit she was wearing underneath, it was visible that she was expecting a child.

People were quick to take to the internet to speculate whether the singer was pregnant again. Shortly after Rihanna’s 13-minute set concluded, her representatives confirmed the news to the media.

Rihanna and her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky, had their first child, a son, in May 2022.

Onlookers saw the rapper filming Rihanna’s performance and dancing enthusiastically throughout the half-time show as he cheered her on from the sidelines.

This is not the first time the couple has shared such a momentous announcement with dramatic flair.

During Rihanna’s first pregnancy, the pair shared photographs of the singer’s growing baby bump to announce that she was pregnant.

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Photographer Miles Diggs took the series of photos as part of a pregnancy photo shoot for the couple. With the buttons of her long pink coat undone, Rihanna flaunted her expanding tummy, and lengthy body chains ornamented her outfit.

Before their first baby was born, Rihanna was interviewed by Vogue magazine, where she revealed how she and Rocky became more than friends after a lot of reluctance. The two had known each other for many years.

“People don’t get out of the friend zone very easily with me, and I certainly took a while to get over how much I know him and how much he knows me because we also know how much trouble we can land each other in.”

Their relationship became more serious when the pandemic took hold and quarantines were implemented. Rihanna said Rocky became her “family in that time.”

The two went on a road trip from Los Angeles to New York in the summer of 2020.

“I cooked our food on this little janky grill I bought from Walmart. I still have it, too. It works like nobody’s business. I love the simple things but also the grand adventures. There’s no pretentious my-brand-your-brand bullshit; it’s just us living. I just feel like I can do any part of life by his side.”

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She shared that her first pregnancy was not something the pair had planned, but they were both receptive to the idea of carrying it to term.

“It was just there on the test. I didn’t waste any time. I called him inside and showed him. Then I was in the doctor’s office the next morning, and our journey began.”

Rihanna told British Vogue in March 2020 that she wants to have three to four kids within the next 10 years.

After her son was born, she told Entertainment Tonight that he was a “happy baby” and that she had affectionately taken to freestyling songs to sing to him.

“Oh my god, the mornings, like, seeing his morning face! Seeing a baby with, like, little bags and waking up, and they’re just, like, startled. They’re trying to figure out where they’re at. It’s the cutest. It’s my favorite part of the day,”

Rihanna was elated but reluctant to take on new projects so soon after becoming a new mom. She told Entertainment Tonight, “If I’m going to leave my baby, I’m going to leave my baby for something special.”

Recognizing the gravity of performing at the Superbowl half-time show, she said, “It was now or never for me.”

“It was a challenge that I welcomed. It was a stage bigger than anything I’ve ever done.”

netflix

Netflix Backtracks on Password Sharing Guidelines Following Backlash

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Less than a week after Netflix announced new rules aimed at cracking down on password sharing amongst users, the streaming service is backtracking its new guidelines, claiming they were posted in error.

In preparation for its upcoming policy to limit password sharing on the service, Netflix updated its help center page to list new restrictions. Some have been retracted after Netflix received intense backlash from its user base.

The streaming giant has been testing out its new policy on account sharing in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru over the last year. Starting in March, viewers in America will also be subject to the new regulations.

Users will be required to designate a “primary location” for all profiles in their household, as per the new rules. Anyone who wishes to use the same account in a different location will be required to pay a fee.

Netflix plans to use device IDs, IP addresses and account activity to confirm a viewer’s location.

The updated help center page added a new requirement that users log in to their primary location’s Wi-Fi once every 31 days to avoid having their devices blocked. Users who are traveling would need to use temporary codes, which would expire after seven days.

“A Netflix account is for people who live together in a single household. People who do not live in your household will need to use their own account to watch Netflix.”

Many subscribers threatened to cancel upon hearing about the new updates. Some took to social media to share their outrage. One Twitter user tweeted questioning how this would apply to students.

“This new @Netflix anti-password sharing rule is so stupid. What about students? What about people who travel? I literally pay for one and won’t be able you use my own account after 30 days of leaving home?? Make it make sense.”

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Netflix claimed that the new updates were posted in error. They also added that no official announcements have been made outside of the countries where the tests are currently being conducted.

“For a brief time last Tuesday, a help center article containing information that is only applicable to Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru went live in other countries. We have since updated it.”

The investment firm Jeffries recently surveyed 380 Netflix password borrowers and found that 62% of them said they would no longer use the service after the new regulations rather than sign up for a new account or pay a fee.

Only 10% of respondents said they would sign up for a new account, suggesting that password-sharing users may be hesitant to switch to paid plans.

Over a third (35%) of respondents said they could just as easily replace Netflix with another service and another 31% said they do not find the content compelling enough to pay to consume.

When polled about which competitor’s platform they would use in its place, the top answers were Amazon Prime Video (42%), Hulu (35%), and Disney+ (26%).

Jadon Helfstein, head of internet research at Oppenheimer, told Yahoo Finance Live in an interview on Monday that he believes this will still be a net positive for the company.

“The bottom line is there’s a massive amount of password sharing, particularly among affluent people…We do think a good chunk of [Netflix] subscribers will probably pay more to keep certain members of their household or, let’s say, their children who no longer live with them, on their plan.”

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He added that the company would not be doing this if they thought “they would end up in a worse revenue situation.”

“The reality is people have taken advantage of it. Sharing your Netflix account with 20 other people is probably not what the company had in mind, [but] if people are reasonable and share this with five, six people in their family? I think it’s going to work out.”

The updated help center page now lists, “If you are traveling or live between different homes, we want you to be able to enjoy Netflix anywhere, anytime.”

“If you are the primary account owner (or live with them), you shouldn’t need to verify your device to watch Netflix. If you are away from the Netflix household for an extended period of time, you may be occasionally asked to verify your device. We ask you to verify to make sure that the device using the account is authorized to do so.”

To verify a viewing device, Netflix will send a link to the primary account owner’s email address or phone number with a 4-digit verification code. The code will then need to be entered on the device that requested it within 15 minutes. Once authorized, the device can be used to watch Netflix, but device verification may be required periodically.

According to a Netflix shareholder letter from last month, more than 100 million households share passwords, with 30 million residing in the U.S. and Canada.

eye

YouTuber MrBeast Helps 1,000 Blind People See Again by Funding Cataract Surgeries

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Viral YouTuber MrBeast paid for 1,000 people, who were blind or almost blind but could not otherwise afford cataract surgery, to have their vision restored. The 24-year-old is known for his large donations and philanthropic stunts.

MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, runs the fourth-most-subscribed channel on YouTube. Donaldson told viewers in a video posted on Saturday, “We’re curing a thousand people’s blindness.” The video, titled “1,000 Blind People See For The First Time,” showed a montage of before and after footage of patients seeing with clear vision post-surgery.

Donaldson also gifted some patients money up to $50,000 and gave another patient a Tesla.

Dr. Jeff Levenson, an ophthalmologist and surgeon, performed the initial procedures in Jacksonville, Florida. For over 20 years, Dr. Levenson has coordinated the “Gift of Sight” program, which offers uninsured people who are legally blind due to cataracts access to free cataract surgery.

In the video posted on Saturday, Dr. Levenson emphatically stated, “Half of all blindness in the world is people who need a 10-minute surgery.”

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Donaldson’s team reached out to local homeless shelters and free clinics to compile a list of people in the Jacksonville region who required cataract surgery but could not afford the procedure. Forty people made it into the final roster. Dr. Levenson spent 11 consecutive hours performing all their surgeries on the same day.

Dr. Levenson said that the patients were grateful and were in “disbelief that somebody would actually seek them out to rescue them from blindness and then have the kindness and generosity of spirit to offer the surgery.”

After having cataract correction surgery himself, he felt compelled to help others access the same procedure.

“In the days and weeks after my own cataract surgery, I was stunned by how bright and beautiful and vivid the world was. But I was shocked by the idea that there are hundreds of millions, probably 200 million people around the world, who are blind or nearly blind from cataracts and who don’t have access to the surgery.”

Donaldson explained in his video how this procedure could be performed so quickly.

“If you’re wondering how the surgery allows people to see again, it’s because the lens in their eyes got so cloudy that they can’t see through it. So, the surgeon uses a tiny vacuum to suck up the clouded lens and replace it with an artificial one. This surgery is that simple. They can see again.”

When Dr. Levenson initially got a phone call from Donaldson’s team in September, he was hesitant about the initiative.

“I had never heard of MrBeast, so I almost hung up. But I gratefully did not hang up.”

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Dr. Levenson eventually connected Donaldson’s team with SEE International, an organization for which he serves as the chief medical officer.

SEE International works to help patients in need get free eye care around the world. With the organization’s reach, the team could do corrective surgeries on a thousand patients, spanning Jamaica, Honduras, Namibia, Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil, Vietnam and Kenya, in three weeks.

Dr. Levenson said he hopes the video, coupled with Donaldson’s popularity and generosity, will inspire “a concerted effort to end needless blindness.”

“If MrBeast can light a fire, and if we can get governmental and private support behind it, we can end half of all the blindness in the world without all that much cost and with incredible gains in human productivity and human potential.”

Donaldson shared the same sentiment in a tweet posted on Monday.

“I don’t understand why curable blindness is a thing. Why don’t governments step in and help? Even if you’re thinking purely from a financial standpoint it’s hard to see how they don’t roi on taxes from people being able to work again.”

rust

Alec Baldwin to Be Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter for ‘Rust’ Set Shooting

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Prosecutors announced that they will charge actor Alec Baldwin with two counts of involuntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of “Rust.” The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, is facing the same charges.

Hutchins was killed in October 2021 when a prop gun Baldwin was holding fired a live round of ammunition, hitting Hutchins in the chest and wounding director Joel Souza.

The prosecution is accusing the pair of failing to take the necessary firearm safety precautions to avoid such a tragic accident. According to Reed’s lawyer, the set armorer believed that the rounds were dummy ammunition or “blanks.” 

Baldwin maintains that he did not pull the trigger and was unaware that the gun contained live rounds. However, an FBI forensics report stated, “the weapon could not be fired during FBI testing of its normal functioning without pulling the trigger while the gun was cocked.”

New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said that both Baldwin and Reed were responsible for checking the safety of the prop. In addition to starring in “Rust,” Baldwin is also credited as its producer.

“Every person that handles a gun has a duty to make sure that if they’re going to handle that gun, point it at someone and pull the trigger, that it is not going to fire a projectile and kill someone.”

She added, “nobody was checking those, or at least they weren’t checking them consistently.” 

“And then they somehow got loaded into a gun and handed off to Alec Baldwin. He didn’t check it. He didn’t do any of the things that he was supposed to do to make sure that he was safe or that anyone around him was safe. And then he pointed the gun at Halyna Hutchins, and he pulled the trigger.”

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Baldwin and Reed are facing two counts of involuntary manslaughter. The charges vary in severity and carry separate terms of punishment. 

In a statement issued by the district attorney, Baldwin and Reed will be “charged in the alternative,” which means the jury will have to decide whether or not they are guilty and, if so, on which charge.

A conviction of involuntary manslaughter is punishable by up to 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine. One of the charges carries additional punishment since a gun was involved, requiring a mandatory sentence of five years in prison. If convicted, they will only be sentenced to one count.

Carmack-Altwies told CNN that the charges would be formally filed by the end of the month. The two will not be arrested, but they will be summoned to appear in court. 

Baldwin’s lawyer, Luke Nikas, said the charges were a “terrible miscarriage of justice.”

“Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun — or anywhere on the movie set. He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds.”

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Formal federal prosecutor Duncan Levin told The Daily Beast that the charges are a reflection of Baldwin’s celebrity status.

“I think this is an example of a prosecutor trying to make an example out of somebody who is famous and in the public eye. Clearly, a tragic incident happened, and somebody’s responsible, but I think that charging Alec Baldwin with a crime has a lot to do with the fact that he is Alec Baldwin.”

Los Angeles entertainment attorney Tre Lovell told The Daily Beast that movie sets are “different from the real world” and that Hollywood’s “rules and protocols” outline who is responsible for what at every stage of production. Actors are not in charge of inspecting the safety of props. The Screen Actors Guild would never approve of actors being tasked with inspecting their own equipment. 

CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig said that the prosecution would have to overcome significant hurdles to win the case. Some of these include not knowing how live rounds made it onto the set in the first place and reconciling differing viewpoints on how much responsibility actors and crew members carry.

“Remember, this is a criminal case. You need all 12 jurors to find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. So I’m not saying that there’s no chance here, but this is a really difficult case for the prosecution.”

Brian Panish, a lawyer representing the Hutchins family, expressed gratitude for the prosecution bringing forward these charges. 

“It is a comfort to the family that, in New Mexico, no one is above the law. We support the charges, will fully cooperate with this prosecution, and fervently hope the justice system works to protect the public and hold accountable those who break the law.”

med flight

Jeremy Renner Out Of Surgery And In ICU Following Snow Plow Accident 

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Jeremy Renner, actor most recently recognizable from his role as Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is now out of surgery and has been admitted into the intensive care unit following a snow plowing accident on New Year’s Day. 

Initially reported by Variety, Renner is confirmed to have suffered from blunt force trauma and orthopedic injuries following the accident, and is currently in “critical but stable” condition. 

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“Jeremy’s family would like to express their gratitude to the incredible doctors and nurses looking after him, Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue, Washoe County Sheriff, Reno City Mayor Hillary Schieve, and the Carano and Murdock families,” Renner’s spokesperson said in a statement.

“They are also tremendously overwhelmed and appreciative of the outpouring of love and support from his fans.”

The accident occurred near Reno, Nevada. Renner’s representative initially confirmed the news of the accident and shared some positive words regarding the actor’s current team taking care of him through this time of recovery. 

“We can confirm Jeremy is in critical but stable condition with injuries suffered after experiencing a weather related accident while plowing snow earlier today. His family is with him and he is receiving excellent care.”

Around 9 am PT on Sunday, January 1st, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and officers responded to a “traumatic” injury near Mount Rose Highway in Reno, Nevada. 

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Representatives and spokesmen stated that “upon arrival, Deputies coordinated with Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District and REMSA Health to arrange for medical transport of Mr. Jeremy Renner via care flight to a local area hospital. Mr. Renner was the only involved party in the incident.”

The sheriff’s Major Accident Investigation Team is “currently looking into the circumstances of the incident,” and no further details were given at this time. 

Renner’s home is located in Washoe County, where he’s owned property for many years. Weather reports in the area showed the county enduring a massive snowstorm on New Year’s Eve, with over 31,000 people losing power. 

Renner’s Avengers co-star Mark Ruffalo took to social media to ask fans to send their best wishes to Renner and his family during this time. 

“Prayers up for our brother @jeremyrenner on a full and speedy recovery. Please send healing goodness his way,” Ruffalo posted on his Instagram story alongside reports of the accident when the news initially broke.

awards

Will Smith Opens Up About Chris Rock Oscars Slap on The Daily Show

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Will Smith promoted his new historical drama “Emancipation” on “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” on Monday evening. During the interview, the pair discussed Will Smith’s controversial night at the Oscars, where he slapped comedian Chris Rock onstage.

At the 94th Academy Awards last March, Smith charged the stage after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and her baldness. Jada suffers from alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. Later that night, Smith won the award for best actor for his performance in “King Richard.”

In the days that followed, Smith released a series of public apologies on social media. Smith also resigned from the Academy. He is barred from attending its ceremony for the next 10 years.

“That was a horrific night, as you can imagine. There’s many nuances and complexities to it. But at the end of the day, I just — I lost it, you know? I was going through something that night, you know? Not that that justifies my behavior at all … It was a lot of things. It was the little boy that watched his father beat up his mother, you know? All of that just bubbled up in that moment. That is not who I want to be.”

Smith said he understood “the idea where they say hurt people hurt people,” and is working on learning how to forgive himself “for being human.” Noah offered his perspective on the situation, telling Smith he is “one of those rare breeds of people who’ve spent more time in the spotlight than out of it.” 

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Noah empathized with Smith, saying that he does not believe that moment should define Smith since none “of us in life deserves to be defined by our one f**k-up.”

“I love Chris. I’m friends with him. I love you, but this is f****d up … I know that as Black people, Black people get together and go, ‘What was Will doing? What the hell happened?’ A lot of Black people were like, ‘He should go to jail.’ Like, you need to relax yourself. Some people were overreacting, which made some people underreact.”

Smith shared a story from the fallout of the Oscars evening. At that point, he was already dealing with the repercussions of his actions.

“I was gone. That was a rage that had been bottled for a really long time. My nephew is nine. He is the sweetest little boy. We came home. He had stayed up late to see his uncle Will, and we are sitting in my kitchen, and he is on my lap and he is holding the Oscar and he is just like, ‘Why did you hit that man, Uncle Will?'”

Smith also talked about his upcoming movie “Emancipation,” and what compelled him to participate in the film. The movie is based on actual events and features Smith playing a runaway slave the world knew as “Whipped Peter.” The name was given to him after photos of keloid scarring on his back were distributed worldwide in 1863, showing the true horror and brutality of slavery. The images helped fuel the abolitionist movement.

“First seeing that image was one of the things that really got me excited to explore this, because you see the image, but you don’t know who he is. You don’t know what the story is. American slavery was one of the most brutal aspects of human history … It is hard to understand the level of human cruelty. My daughter asked me, ‘Daddy, do we really need another slave movie?’ I said, ‘Baby, I promise you, I wouldn’t make a slave movie. This is a freedom movie.'”

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Director Antoine Fuqua explained to Vanity Fair why “Emancipation” will release eight months after Smith’s Oscars controversy since “the film to me is bigger than that moment.” The film release was delayed in May with concerns that Smith’s actions at the Oscars would affect its reception.

“400 years of slavery is bigger than one moment. My hope is that people will see it that way and watch the movie and be swept away with the great performance by Will and all the real hard work that the whole crew did.”

“Emancipation” will release in select theaters this Friday and premiere on Apple TV+ on Dec. 9. The film is the first major project in which Smith was involved since his notorious Oscars night.

In a television interview with Fox 5, Smith said that he understands if audiences are reluctant to watch him promote the new film but hopes that events from that ceremony will not hurt the movie. 

“I completely understand that, if someone is not ready. I would absolutely respect that and allow them their space to not be ready.”

Smith says that he believes director Fuqua showcases “the greatest work in his entire career” and that people on the film’s production team “have done some of the best work of their entire careers.” Smith hopes his actions during the ceremony “don’t penalize my team.”

“So at this point, that’s what I’m working for. That’s what I’m hoping for. I’m hoping that the material, the power of the film, the timeliness of the story — I’m hoping that the good that can be done — will open people’s hearts at a minimum to see and recognize and support the incredible artists in and around this film.”