Shepherd to return as ‘Williams’ host
Sherri Shepherd appears to be the guest host with the most when it comes to “The Wendy Williams Show.” The Emmy Award-winning funnywoman has been tapped to return to the nationally syndicated talk show in December amid Williams’ ongoing health issues.
Noting her previous stints earned the chatfest its highest ratings, show producers officially announced Shepherd will handle the chores from Dec. 13 to 17.
“I was thrilled to learn that my hosting week in November was so well received by the loyal viewers of this show,” Shepherd said. “… It’s been a dream come true, and I can’t wait to bring back my brand of flirty-fun, fabulous guests and feel-good excitement when I return in December.”
Williams, 57, hasn’t hosted the show since it returned Sept. 20 for its 13th season.
Redmayne calls playing trans woman ‘mistake’:
Eddie Redmayne says he should have turned down his Oscar-nominated role as a transgender woman in “The Danish Girl.”
“I made that film with the best intentions, but I think it was a mistake,” the English actor, 39, told the Sunday Times of the 2015 romantic drama.
“The bigger discussion about the frustrations around casting is because many people don’t have a chair at the table. There must be a leveling, otherwise we are going to carry on having these debates.”
In Tom Hooper’s biographical film, Redmayne starred as Lili Elbe, one of the first known recipients of sex reassignment surgery. Criticism followed for casting a cisgender actor, rather than a trans woman. When the film was released, Redmayne defended his role, saying that “one should be able to play any sort of part if one plays it with a sense of integrity and responsibility,” but acknowledged that there should be “more trans actors and trans actresses playing trans parts.”
Singer Shenandoah dies:
Joanne Shenandoah,
63, the Native American singer-songwriter who performed before world leaders and on high-profile stages, has died. The Native American Music Awards & Association posted on its website that Shenandoah, described as “Native America’s musical matriarch,” died Monday after complications of abdominal bleeding.
Shenandoah was a member of the Wolf Clan of the Oneida Nation. She was among the artists who contributed to “Sacred Ground: A Tribute to Mother Earth,” which won the Grammy award for Best Native American music album in 2006, and was nominated twice for Grammys for her own recordings.
Actor LaFleur dies: Art LaFleur, 78, the prolific character actor who portrayed baseball players Babe Ruth in 1993’s “The Sandlot” and Chick Gandil in 1989’s “Field of Dreams,” has died after a 10-year battle with atypical Parkinson’s disease, his wife said on Facebook.
LaFleur often played the cop, the dad, the coach, the tough guy. On TV, he appeared in “Hill Street Blues,” “Thirtysomething,” “ER,” and “Key and Peele.” Other movie roles included parts in “Cobra,” “Air America,” “City Heat” and “Dahmer vs. Gacy.”
Nov. 25 birthdays: Actor Kathryn Crosby is 88. Actor Ben Stein is 77. Singer Amy Grant is 61. Actor Billy Burke is 55. Singer Stacy Lattisaw is 55. Rapper Erick Sermon is 53. Actor Christina Applegate is 50. Actor Eddie Steeples is 48. Actor Kristian Nairn is 46. Actor Jill Flint is 44. Actor Katie Cassidy is 35. Actor Stephanie Hsu is 31.