AP Entertainment

Entertainment:

R. KELLY BEGINS HIS DEFENSE
NEW YORK (AP) – Now it’s R. Kelly’s turn to tell his side in his sex-trafficking trial in New York. Kelly’s lawyers began his defense case yesterday by calling his childhood friend Larry Hood, who worked security for Kelly as an off-duty police officer in the 2000’s. Hood testified he never witnessed Kelly misbehaving with underage girls or lock anyone in a room, and as a police officer, he would have stopped it. Earlier yesterday, prosecutors rested their case after calling several witnesses who said Kelly abused them sexually and psychologically. Kelly has denied wrongdoing.

BTS ADDRESS U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY
UNITED NATIONS (AP) – BTS had one of the toughest audiences of their lives yesterday: the heads of state of most of the world. BTS went before the United Nations General Assembly yesterday to address climate change, extreme poverty and gender equality. Each member got to say his piece in the seven-minute speech, and the nerves were apparent. Jimin stumbled over his words and had to pause to collect himself before continuing. Since they were there anyway, why not some music? BTS introduced their new music video for “Permission to Dance,” which was filmed inside and around the U.N. headquarters in New York.

“THE OUTSIDERS” HOUSE: FROM PONYBOY TO HOUSE OF PAIN’S DANNY BOY
TULSA, Oklahoma (AP) – Danny Boy O’Connor of House of Pain has a second career: he runs a museum dedicated to the 1983 film “The Outsiders” based in the house used in the film. O’Connor says he bought the rundown bungalow in 2015 and renovated it with the help of a GoFundMe campaign. He says he bought the house because “every generation finds the cool archetypes of who we could be,” and for him, it was “The Outsiders.” The house includes memorabilia from the film set, including the leather jacket Matt Dillon wore. Among the museum’s visitors have been Green Day, Leonardo DiCaprio and author S.E. Hinton, who wrote the book “The Outsiders.”

JEEZY AND JEANNIE MAI ARE EXPECTING
NEW YORK (AP) – Jeezy is going to be a dad again. His wife, TV host Jeannie Mai (MY), revealed on the premiere of “The Real” yesterday she’s pregnant with their first child. They married in April in their backyard in Atlanta. It’s Mai’s first child. Jeezy has three children from previous relationships.

MUSE PRESENTS VR CONCERT
LONDON (AP) – Muse is launching a virtual-reality concert experience, and for now, you can see it for free. “Muse: Enter the Simulation” will relive their 2019 concert in Madrid from 16 different viewpoints. Users will be able to create an avatar, chat with other fans and even dress their avatar in singer Matt Bellamy’s jacket. Viewing the concert requires the Stageverse app. The concert will be presented tonight, Thursday and Sunday at 7 and 10 p.m. Eastern.

“CERTIFIED LOVER BOY” STILL NUMBER ONE, METALLICA’S BLACK ALBUM SURGES
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Drake maintains the lead on the Billboard 200 album chart with “Certified Lover Boy.” It moved another 236,000 units in its second week of release. Kanye West’s “Donda” stays at second place. “Star-Crossed” by Kacey Musgraves debuts in third. “Sour” by Olivia Rodrigo is number four, and Baby Keem is number five with “The Melodic Blue.” Metallica’s 1991 self-titled album, AKA The Black Album, is number nine this week, as the band celebrates the album’s 30th anniversary with reissues. The Black Album was last in Billboard’s top ten 29 years ago.

EMMYS SEE RATINGS BOOST
NEW YORK (AP) – It’s unclear whether it’s a blip or a trend – but the Emmys have pulled off a feat that has eluded many an awards show in recent history: a ratings increase. Nielsen reports that 7.4 million people watched Sunday night’s ceremony. That is not only a boost over last year’s audience of 6.1 million, it’s even better than 2019, before the pandemic hit. Overall, ratings for televised awards shows have been on a steady decline, especially in recent years.

MAN WHO INSPIRED “HOTEL RWANDA” IMPRISONED IN RWANDA
KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) – The man whose actions inspired the movie “Hotel Rwanda” is in a big legal fix. Paul Rusesabagina has been convicted of terrorism offenses – and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Meanwhile human rights watchdogs and other critics of Rwanda’s government have called the trial an act of retaliation against Rusesabagina, who is credited with sheltering ethnic Tutsis during Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. Those actions earned him a U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom.

KAMALA HARRIS TO VISIT “THE VIEW”
NEW YORK (AP) – Vice President Kamala Harris will be sitting in on “The View” on Friday. It will be her sixth time on the show – but her first as vice president. During the ABC chat-fest, Harris will interact with hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro.

MAN WHO FILMED RODNEY KING BEATING DIES
LOS ANGELES (AP) – He was trying to test out his new video camera in 1991 – and when he did, George Holliday ended up recording one of the most-watched clips in U.S. history. The man who recorded the beating of Black motorist Rodney King by four white police officers in Los Angeles has died. A friend says Holliday died of complications of COVID-19. Holliday’s video was a key part of the trial of the officers charged in the case. And when the mostly-white jury that saw the clip and heard the testimony acquitted the officers, Los Angeles erupted in riots. George Holliday was 61.