AP Entertainment

Entertainment:

QUESTLOVE DOCUMENTARY ON SHORT LIST FOR OSCARS
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Last month, Questlove scored a Grammy nomination. Now, he has a shot at getting an Oscar nomination, too. His film, “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” is on the short list of documentaries that could get a nomination in that category. The Motion Picture Academy released the list yesterday. It consists of 15 films, culled from 138 eligible entries. Other documentaries on the list are ones on renowned chef Julia Child and the notorious Attica prison in New York State. Oscar nominations will be announced Feb. 8.

BILLIE EILISH IN RUNNING FOR OSCAR NODS FOR FOR DOCUMENTARY, MOVIE
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Billie Eilish has a chance to score some Oscar glory with two different projects. A documentary about her life, “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry,” is on the list of 15 films that can get nominations in that category. And the song she wrote for the latest James Bond movie, “No Time To Die,” is among the candidates to be nominated for best original movie song.

BEYONCE IN COMPETITION FOR POSSIBLE OSCAR BID FOR “KING RICHARD” SONG
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Talk about in-house competition. Both Beyonce and Jay-Z may end up battling each other for an Oscar. Both are on the short list to get a nod for best original song in a movie. Beyonce’s entry is “Be Alive,” from “King Richard,” which stars Will Smith. Jay-Z’s collaboration with Kid Cudi, “Guns Go Bang” from “The Harder They Fall,” is also on the list. Come Feb. 8, when Oscar nominations are announced, there are three possibilities for the superstar couple: they could both get nods, neither gets one – or one gets a nomination, while the other is shut out.

DR. FAUCI LOCKED IN VERBAL BATTLE WITH FOX NEWS HOST JESSE WATTERS
NEW YORK (AP) – A war of words has broken out between the nation’s top infectious disease expert and a news network that’s been highly critical of him. Dr. Anthony Fauci has demanded that Fox News fire its Jesse Watters for comments he made. On Monday. Watters urged a group of young conservatives to confront Fauci in public with hostile interviews. He exhorted them to ambush Fauci and – quoting Watters here – “go in for the kill shot.” Fauci took that as a threat – and said Fox should have fired Watters “on the spot.” For its part, Fox says what Watters said has been “twisted completely out of context.” Fauci is the government’s most visible spokesman on the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s often the target of criticism of Fox News commentators trying to appeal to those reluctant to take COVID vaccines, wear masks or practice social distancing.

OSCAR’S “SHORTLIST”
LOS ANGELES (AP) – We now have a better idea which movies and music have a better shot at scoring Oscar nominations. The Motion Picture Academy has rolled out its shortlist for several categories – and the ones with the biggest names are those for documentaries and original music. For documentaries, the academy culled 15 hopefuls out of a field of 138 eligible films. Among those making the cut are Questlove’s “Summer of Soul,” about a 1969 Harlem musical festival which was overshadowed that summer by Woodstock. Others on the list include projects on pop star Billie Eilish, famed gourmet Julia Child and the notorious Attica prison in New York State. Among those up for best original song are Beyonce, Billie Eilish and U2. The full slate of nominations will be announced Feb. 8.

PANDEMIC DOCUMENTARIES IN LINE FOR POSSIBLE OSCAR BIDS
LOS ANGELES (AP) – It’s been a part of our life for nearly two years now. So it should come as no surprise that a pair of documentaries about the pandemic are on the list of 15 films that could get Oscar nods. Of the 15 films pulled from a batch of 138 eligible projects, two about the pandemic are in the running for nods. One is “In the Same Breath,” the other is “The First Wave.”

OSCARS ANNOUNCE SHORTLIST FOR BEST ORIGINAL SONG
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Some major music stars are in line for possible Oscar nominations. Among them are household names like Beyonce, Jay-Z, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande and U2. They are on the shortlist of tunes eligible to be nominated for best original song in a movie. Beyonce’s “Be Alive” is from “King Richard.” Eilish has a shot with “No Time To Die,” the title track from the latest James Bond movie. U2’s entry is “Sing 2” and Van Morrison can get a nod for “Down to Joy,'” from “Belfast.” Oscar nominations will be announced Feb. 8 and the Oscars ceremony is set for March 27.

TV RATINGS
NEW YORK (AP) – Competition – on and off the gridiron – dominates the latest TV ratings. Nielsen reports four NFL games were among the most popular programs in prime-time last week. Topping the list, as usual: the NBC Sunday night game. That matchup featured the New Orleans Saints’ upset win over the Tampa Bay Bucs, led by Tom Brady. Reality shows also got good audiences. NBC’s “The Voice,” Survivor” on CBS and Fox’s “The Masked Singer” all crowned champs last week. The biggest audience went to Monday’s edition of “The Voice,” with 7.3 million viewers.