Wood to headline DC press dinner
Real and fake news will collide again at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
Roy Wood Jr. — who plays a reporter on “The Daily Show,” the Comedy Central program that blends comedy and news — will headline the April 29 event.
Tamara Keith, president of the correspondents’ association, said Thursday that Wood brings “a journalistic eye to his comedy.”
“He’s hilarious — but also makes sure his audiences are thinking as they laugh,” Keith said.
“The Daily Show’s” former host Trevor Noah spoke at last year’s dinner.
Grammys to honor Lynn, Takeoff, Mcvie:
The Grammys will pay homage to the lives of Loretta Lynn, Migos rapper Takeoff and Christine Mcvie with starstudded performances during Sunday’s ceremony.
The Recording Academy announced Wednesday that the ceremony will honor the musicians who died last year with special performances during its in memoriam segment.
Kacey Musgraves will perform “Coal Miner’s Daughter” in tribute to Lynn. Quavo and the Maverick City Music will honor Quavo’s nephew Takeoff with the song “Without You.” Sheryl Crow, Mick Fleetwood and Bonnie Raitt will collaborate to perform “Songbird” to remember Mcvie.
The academy also announced that presenters will include first lady Jill Biden, Viola Davis, Dwayne Johnson, Billy Crystal, James Corden, Olivia Rodrigo and Cardi B.
‘Blacklist’ to end with season 10:
NBC said Wednesday that “The Blacklist,” a drama starring James Spader, will end after its upcoming season,
its 10th on the air. The series will return Feb. 26 for its final run of episodes. The show’s 200th episode will air March 19.
Spader has played Raymond Reddington, an FBI informant on old criminal colleagues. This season, Reddington confronts “unparalleled danger” as some of those he has identified seek revenge, NBC said.
Songwriter Strong dies:
Barrett Strong — one of Motown’s founding artists and songwriters who sang lead on “Money (That’s What I Want)” and later collaborated on such classics as “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “War” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” — has died at age 81. His death was announced Sunday on social media by the Motown Museum, which did not provide further details.
“Money” was a millionseller released early in
1960 and Motown’s first major hit. With the late Norman Whitfield, Strong
formed a productive and eclectic songwriting team.
Screenwriter Howard dies:
Screenwriter Gregory Allen Howard — who skillfully adapted stories of historical Black figures in “Remember the Titans,” “Ali” and “Harriet” — has died at age 70. He died
Jan. 27 at a Miami hospital of heart failure, according to publicist Jeff Sanderson.
Howard, who also wrote for television, was the first Black screenwriter to write a drama that made $100 million at the box office when “Titans” crossed that milestone in 2000.
Actor Blythe Danner is 80. Guitarist Dave Davies is 76. Actor Morgan Fairchild is
73. Actor Pamela Franklin is 73. Actor Nathan Lane is
67. Drummer Lol Tolhurst is 64. Actor Michele Greene is 61. Actor Maura Tierney is 58. Actor Warwick Davis is 53. Actor Isla Fisher is 47. Rapper Sean Kingston is 33.