Names and faces
■ President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama and a slew of celebrities, including Billy Crystal, Jennifer Hudson and Lin-Manuel Miranda are part of a special aimed at boosting covid-19 vaccination rates. “Roll Up Your Sleeves,” airing tonight at 6 p.m. CDT on NBC, will feature Matthew McConaughey interviewing Dr. Anthony Fauci to help separate “fact from fiction” about the vaccines, the network said. Biden will make a direct appeal in support of the effort, while Obama will be joined by basketball greats Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal to reinforce the role of vaccines in allowing Americans to get their lives back on track. Former first lady Michelle Obama will team with Miranda, Faith Hill and Jennifer Lopez in support of shots during the hourlong special hosted by spouses Russell Wilson, the NFL quarterback, and actor-singer Ciara. Other announced highlights include comedy from Crystal and Wanda Sykes, and appearances by TV doctors Eric Dane, Ryan Eggold, Ellen Pompeo, Jane Seymour and Ken Jeong, who’s also a real doctor. Also set to appear are Sterling K. Brown, Lana Condor, Hudson, Dale Jarrett, Joe Jonas, Eva Longoria, Demi Lovato, Joel McHale, Kumail Nanjiani and Amanda Seyfried.
■ Amid allegations of bullying, Broadway and Hollywood producer Scott Rudin broke his silence Saturday, saying he is “profoundly sorry” and will step back from his theater work. “After a period of reflection, I’ve made the decision to step back from active participation on our Broadway productions, effective immediately. My roles will be filled by others from the Broadway community and in a number of cases, from the roster of participants already in place on those shows,” Rudin said in a statement. The move comes more than a week after The Hollywood Reporter’s cover story on Rudin contained accounts of him throwing glass bowls, staples and baked potatoes at former employees. In his statement Saturday he did not deny the allegations. “Much has been written about my history of troubling interactions with colleagues, and I am profoundly sorry for the pain my behavior caused to individuals, directly and indirectly. I am now taking steps that I should have taken years ago to address this behavior,” he said. The Actors’ Equity Association, which represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theater, wasn’t satisfied by Rudin just stepping back. “We hope that Scott Rudin will also release his staff from any nondisclosure agreements they may have signed as a condition of employment,” the organization said. “This is an important step in creating truly safe and harassment-free theatrical workplaces on Broadway and beyond.”