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Tom Brady featured in upcoming Netflix ‘Greatest’ roast
Tom Brady will be on the hot seat – this time during a Netflix roast.
Netflix announced Tuesday the seven-time Super Bowl champion will be featured first in a series of upcoming specials called “Greatest Roasts of All Time: GROAT.” Brady is the executive producer of the series, with his roast set to tape in 2023.
“To quote my good friend, Marshawn Lynch … ‘I’m just here so I won’t get fined,’” Brady said in a press release, which refers to him as “Gisele Bündchen’s husband” and a “sixth-round NFL draft pick.”
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“We can’t wait to burn three-time Super Bowl-losing quarterback Tom Brady, who only went back to the NFL in order to delay this roast,” said Robbie Praw, Netflix vice president of stand-up and comedy formats. “In all seriousness, it’s a huge thrill to work with the greatest football player of all time on this project. No one’s better at taking hits and still coming out on top, so we know the roast will be a breeze for Brady.”
After 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl win after the 2020 season. The 44-year-old Brady announced his retirement in January, but in March reversed course, saying he’ll return as Tampa Bay’s quarterback for another season.
Cannes Film Festival opens with Zelenskyy video address
After a canceled 2020 edition and a scaled back gathering last year, the Cannes Film Festival kicked off Tuesday with an eye turned to Russia’s war in Ukraine and a live satellite video address from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Formally attired stars including Eva Longoria, Julianne Moore, Bérénice Bejo and “No Time to Die” star Lashana Lynch were among those who streamed down Cannes’ famous red carpet Tuesday for the opening of the 75th Cannes Film Festival and the premiere of Michel Hazanavicius’ zombie comedy “Final Cut.”
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More star-studded premieres — “Top Gun: Maverick!” “Elvis!” — await over the next 12 days, during which 21 films will vie for the festival’s prestigious top award, the Palme d’Or. But Tuesday’s opening and the carefully choreographed red-carpet parade leading up the steps to the Grand Théâtre Lumiére again restored one of the movies’ grandest pageants after two years of pandemic that have challenged the exalted stature Cannes annually showers on cinema.
But the war in Ukraine was in Cannes’ spotlight Tuesday. During the festival’s opening ceremony, Zelenskyy spoke at length about the connection between cinema and reality, referencing films like Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now” and Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” as not unlike Ukraine’s present circumstances.
Rodrigo, Drake, Ye early winners at Billboard Music Awards
Olivia Rodrigo, Kanye West and Drake are already big winners before the Billboard Music Awards officially kicks off.
Rodrigo and West, known as Ye, both have taken home the most awards with six during a non-televised ceremony on Sunday. Rodrigo, who won best new artist, is a finalist in the top female artist category, which will be announced later in the show's live broadcast.
Sean “Diddy” Combs will emcee the show, which is being broadcast live from the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas and will air live beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC and its Peacock streaming service.
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Drake was named top artist, male artist, rap artist, rap male artist and rap album for “Certified Lover Boy.” The rapper extended his record as the most decorated winner in the history of the awards show with 34 wins.
Ye made his mark in the faith-based categories - again: The rapper won top Christian artist for the first time, but he claimed top gospel artist and gospel song for a third year in a row. He also received top gospel album for the second time.
The Kid LAROI became a first-time winner, taking home five wins for his song “Stay” with Justin Bieber - whose Billboard Music Awards win count rose to 26.
Doja Cat won top R&B artist and R&B female artist for the second consecutive year. She'll compete for top R&B album and female artist.
Taylor Swift - who has the second most-ever award show wins with 29 - won four awards. Bad Bunny received two wins while R&B duo Silk Sonic, comprised of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, won their first-ever award for top R&B song through “Leave the Door Open.”
The show will include performances by Travis Scott, Ed Sheeran, Becky G and other artists who have enjoyed chart-topping success.
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Becky G, who released the album “Esquemas” on Friday, will perform her hit song “MAMIII,” which topped the Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart. Sheeran will deliver a remote performance from Northern Ireland, where he is on tour.
Other acts taking the stage include Scott, who’s nominated in the dance/electronic music category, as well as Miranda Lambert, Meghan Thee Stallion, Morgan Wallen, and Grammy Awards darlings Silk Sonic.
Nominees are determined by Billboard chart rankings and winners are selected based on several criteria, including their album and digital song sales, airplay and streaming success and touring.
Coke Studio's 'Chiltey Roud': Arnob whips up another magical track
Coke Studio Bangla Sunday released its fifth track "Chiltey Roud" – an ode to loved ones – where the show curator and producer Shayan Chowdhury Arnob made his singing debut.
Young folk singer Ripon Kumar Sarkar, popularly known as Boga Taleb, voiced the soulful fusion – combining legendary Bhawaiya song "O Ki Ekbar Ashiya" written and sung by Abbasuddin Ahmed – with Arnob.
No matter where or who someone is, the deep blue sky speaks to them just the same.
The same sky that bestows shade over the arable soils of the village also brings relief over the busy streets of a metro city. The language of love and yearning for loved ones is universal.
The urban lyrical picturisation of Chiltey Rodey written by Saron Datta interweaves with the pain and yearning of O Ki Ekbar Ashiya to express the same deep emotion and hunger in people's hearts, in cities and villages, to be close and in the presence of love.
The chief sound engineer of the song is Faizan R Ahmad (Buno) and the track was mixed and mastered by Buno, Saadul Islam and Yash Divecha. Jannatul Firdous Akbar and Rubayat Rehman provided backing vocals.
The track was performed by Jalal Ahmed (bansuri), Saadul Islam (electric guitar), Imran Ahmed (electric guitar), Shuvendu Das Shuvo (acoustic guitar), Faizan Rashid Ahmad (Buno) (bass guitar), Rahin Haider (tenor saxophone), Sayonton Mangsang (bansuri), Hassan Haider Khan (shehnai), Pantho Kanai (drums), Mithun Chakra (percussions), Pradyut Chatterjea (piano), Mubarak Islam (percussion) and Md Ashikul Islam (esraj).
Directed by Krishnendu Chattopaddhyay, the video production of the song was done by Dope Productions Private.
Warhol's 'Marilyn' auction nabs $195M; most for US artist
Andy Warhol's “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn” sold for a cool $195 million on Monday, making the iconic portrait of Marilyn Monroe the most expensive work by a U.S. artist ever sold at auction.
The 1964 silkscreen image shows Monroe in vibrant close-up — hair yellow, eyeshadow blue and lips red — on a rich blue background. It's also the most expensive piece from the 20th century ever auctioned, according to Christie’s auction house in New York, where the sale took place.
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The Warhol sale unseated the previous record holder and another modern master, Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose 1982 painting “Untitled” of a skull-like face sold for a record $110.5 million at Sotheby’s in 2017.
Christie's said an unnamed buyer made the purchase Monday night. When the auction was announced earlier this year, they estimated it could go for as much as $200 million.
“It’s an amazing price,” said Alex Rotter, chairman of Christie’s 20th and 21st century art department. “Let it sink in, it’s quite something.”
“This is where we wanted to be, clearly,” said Guillaume Cerutti, CEO of Christie’s. “It proves we are in a very resilient art market.”
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The proceeds of the sale will go to the Thomas and Doris Ammann Foundation Zurich, which put the painting up for auction. The foundation aims to help children with health care and educational programs.
Warhol created more than one image of Monroe; this particular painting has been exhibited in museums around the world.
World premiere of ‘Mujib Amar Pita’ held
The world premiere of ‘Mujib Amar Pita’ (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is my father) was held at Bombay Theatre Hall in Queens of New York City on Sunday (April 8).
The animated film, based on the life and works of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of the nation, was screened abroad for the first time after its release in Bangladesh.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division made the animation film to spread the heroic and successful story of Bangabandhu to the new generation across the globe.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque was present at the programme as the chief guest while state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak was present as the special guest.
Lawmakers Md Nurul Amin, Aparajita Haque, and Nahid Izhar Khan were also present.
Bangladesh Consul General in New York Dr. Mohammad Monirul Islam,moderated the function while Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Ambassador Rabab Fatima, and Managing Director of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority Bikarno Kumar Ghose were also present.
Sohel Mohammad Rana directed the film which will later be screened in various cities in the United States, said the ICT Division.
Tagore’s 161st birth anniversary celebrated with in-person events after 2 years
Different government and private cultural organisations organized cultural programmes, discussions and awards ceremonies across the country on Sunday to celebrate the 161st birth anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagor.
These events marked the glorious return of in-person celebrations of the 'Biswa Kabi's birth anniversary, after being virtually shelved for the last two years due to the global pandemic of COVID-19.
The Ministry of Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with Kushtia district administration, organised a programme at Rabindra Kuthibari in Shilaidaha, Kushtia on Sunday afternoon, which was joined by Jatiya Sangsad speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury as chief guest.
Chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Simin Hossain Rimi was present as special guest at the programme, which was presided over by State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid.
The artistes of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), led by eminent Rabindra exponent Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya, performed the national anthem at the event.
"Every criteria of Bengali emotions - happiness and sorrow, love and separation, joy and pain, all of these are impacted by the majestic creations of Rabindranath Tagore. He was deeply fascinated by the scenic beauty of Bangladesh, thus he composed "Amar Sonar Bangla" which was later selected as our National Anthem by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman," Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said at the event.
State Minister for Culture KM Khalid said, "Rabindranath Tagore stayed in this historic Kuthibari in Shilaidaha in between 1891 to 1901, and crafted many of his iconic literary works - including the beginning of his Nobel Prize winning literature 'Gitanjali.' He has climbed the golden peak of success in all branches of poetry, stories, novels, essays, articles, plays, children's literature, biographies, music and more, which made him significantly unique and everlasting. Becoming the first Bengali Nobel Prize winner in literature, he has glorified Bengali language, Bengali literature and Bangladesh as well."
Marking the occasion, BSA organised a discussion session and arranged a painting exhibition and art camp on Sunday afternoon at the National Art Gallery in Segunbagicha, Dhaka.
The exhibition, which will continue till May 22, is showcasing reproductions of Tagore’s paintings and paintings portraying him, displaying 124 artworks in total. Among the displayed artworks, 45 are reproductions of Tagore’s paintings while 79 paintings are made on him.
'Golden Jubilee Bangladesh Concert' held at MSG in association with Walton
The "Golden Jubilee Bangladesh Concert" was held Friday at the Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York, USA.
The Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority organised the grand musical concert in association with Walton.
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The concert was held to pay tribute to the Concert for Bangladesh, organised by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar at MSG on August 1, 1971, and celebrate the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence.
Key places, including Times Square, were decorated with billboards, banners and festoons with the logos of Walton and other sponsoring organisations.
New ‘Doctor Who’ star is ‘Sex Education’ actor Ncuti Gatwa
Ncuti Gatwa will take the mantle from Jodie Whittaker on “Doctor Who,” the BBC announced Sunday, ending speculation over the iconic Time Lord’s next regeneration.
“Sometimes talent walks through the door and it’s so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars,” returning showrunner Russell T Davies said in the broadcaster’s release. “Ncuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those TARDIS keys in seconds.”
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Gatwa, whose first name is pronounced ’SHOO-tee, currently stars in Netflix’s high school comedy-drama “Sex Education” as the effervescent Eric Effiong, who is openly gay but from a highly religious family.
The Rwanda-born, Scotland-raised Gatwa, 29, will be the first Black actor to helm the quintessential British sci-fi show, but he won’t be the first Black Doctor — Jo Martin has played “Fugitive Doctor” in several episodes.
Whittaker became the 13th Doctor — and the first woman to play the central galaxy-hopping, extraterrestrial Time Lord who regenerates into new bodies — in 2017, when she took over from Peter Capaldi. Her last episode of “Doctor Who” is expected to air later this year.
The original run of “Doctor Who” spanned 1963 to 1989. Since the show was revived in 2005, the Doctor has been played by Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith, in addition to Capaldi and Whittaker. Other stars, like Karen Gillan and Billie Piper, have made their names on the show as the Doctor’s “companion.”
“This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care. I will endeavor my utmost to do the same,” the release quoted Gatwa — who described his emotions as “a mix of deeply honored, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared” — as saying.
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In addition to seeing the start of Gatwa’s tenure, next year also marks Davies’ return to “Doctor Who” after more than a decade’s absence.
“Russell T Davies is almost as iconic as the Doctor himself and being able to work with him is a dream come true,” Gatwa said.
The writer and producer ran the reboot until 2009, and has worked on shows like “A Very English Scandal” and “It’s A Sin” in the interim. He promises a “spectacular” 2023.
“Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show,” Gatwa added.
Fahmida Nabi, Samina Salam bring new song on Mother’s Day 2022
Pouring heartfelt tribute to all the mothers, a special song titled ‘Ma’ by eminent singer Fahmida Nabi has been released on Sunday.
The song is written by Samina Salam, and composed by popular music director Foad Nasser Babu.
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A music video of this song has also been released, featuring veteran actress Dilara Zaman, actress Sallha Khanam Nadia and child artiste Affa Anjum.
Fahmida Nabi has sung about her mother before and specifying this song she said, “The word “Ma” is a short word, but the impact of mothers in our lives is uncountable and unimaginable. I feel honoured and lucky to voice this beautiful track and hopefully, this song will mesmerize the audiences.”
Samina Salam said, “I wrote the song after the passing of my mother, who was my universe. I had a lot to say which I could not express to anyone, thus I wrote this song to express those unspoken verses.”
Eminent actress Dilara Zaman also shared her emotional experience regarding the track, saying: “This song is pretty special for me, both as an artist and a mother. As sweet as the word “Ma” is, its meaning is incredibly deep and impactful. A girl has written and composed a song about her mother, and this is the first time in my life I got the opportunity to play the role of mother in the music video of that song, which is very special to me.”
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Created by Alamgir Hossain, the music video of the song has been released and is now available on Samina's Creative World YouTube channel.