Mick Jagger has COVID-19; Rolling Stones gig off
AMSTERDAM — The Rolling Stones canceled their concert in Amsterdam on Monday, just hours before it was due to start after lead singer Mick Jagger tested positive for COVID-19.
The band announced the cancelation in a statement, saying the 78-year-old Jagger tested positive “after experiencing symptoms of COVID upon arrival at the stadium” on the outskirts of Amsterdam. There were no further details about his condition.
“The Rolling Stones are deeply sorry for tonight’s postponement, but the safety of the audience, fellow musicians and the touring crew has to take priority,” the statement said, adding that the show would be rescheduled and tickets for the concert at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruyff Arena would be honored for the new date.
Some fans were already in the stadium when it was announced that the show had been scrapped.
The veteran rockers are touring Europe with a show called SIXTY to mark six decades together. Their last show was at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium on June 9. The next scheduled concert is in Bern, Switzerland, on June 17.
Kevin Spacey to face London court on sexual offense charges
LONDON — Actor Kevin Spacey has been formally charged with sexual offenses against three men in Britain and is expected to appear in a court in London this week, British police said Monday.
Spacey, 62, is accused of four counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.
Spacey is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday.
The alleged incidents took place in London between March 2005 and August 2008, and one in western England in April 2013. The victims are now in their 30s and 40s.
The Crown Prosecution Service authorized charges against Spacey last month.
Spacey, a double Academy Award winner, was questioned by British police in 2019 about claims by several men that he had assaulted them. The former “House of Cards” star ran London’s Old Vic theater between 2004 and 2015.
Spacey won a best supporting actor Academy Award for the 1995 film “The Usual Suspects” and a lead actor Oscar for the 1999 movie “American Beauty.”
But his celebrated career came to an abrupt halt in 2017 when actor Anthony Rapp accused the star of assaulting him at a party in the 1980s, when Rapp was a teenager. Spacey denies the allegations.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to receive lifetime honor at BET Awards
LOS ANGELES — Sean “Diddy” Combs built one of hip-hop’s biggest empires, blazing a trail with his own music television network and fashion line, and now his decorated career has earned him one of the highest honors at the BET Awards this month.
Combs will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award on June 26, the network announced Monday. He is the founder of Bad Boy Records and a threetime Grammy winner who has worked with a slew of top-tier artists including Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans and 112.
The music mogul created the fashion clothing line called Sean John, launched the Revolt TV with a focus on music and has his own vodka. He’ also produced the reality show “Making the Band” for MTV.
“Diddy has always been a pioneering force in our community, breaking barriers, achieving unprecedented heights, blazing new trails, and, in so doing, raising the bar for all of us,” BET CEO Scott Mills said in a statement. “His virtuosity is matched only by his range — from music to media, culture, business and philanthropy — Diddy has exemplified Black excellence.”
The award is given to an individual who has shaped culture through their careers and “transformative leaders that consistently inspire generations.”
Past recipients include Prince, Whitney Houston, Queen Latifah, Samuel L. Jackson, Lionel Richie, Anita Baker and New Edition.
Tarantino receives honorary degree from Israeli university
JERUSALEM — Celebrated American filmmaker Quentin Tarantino can now add doctor to his long list of titles.
The actor, director, screenwriter and author received an honorary doctorate from Israel’s Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Monday.
The university said it was recognizing the two-time Academy Award-winner for his “critically acclaimed cinematic success as a writer, director, and actor.”
Tarantino, who in 2018 married Israeli singer and model Daniella Pick, splits his time between Tel Aviv and Hollywood.
The university noted Tarantino’s “strong ties to Israel through his wife Daniella, and for making Israel his second home.”
Tarantino’s films are known for their signature dark humor. They have garnered global recognition, including seven Academy Awards. His films “Pulp Fiction” and “Django Unchained” won him Oscars for best original screenplay.