Former President Donald Trump sparked controversy following a declaration to withdraw federal funding from public schools enforcing vaccine mandates during a rally in Richmond, Virginia.
Political and medical officials were quick to respond to the former president’s statement.
“Trump said in Richmond, that he will take all federal funds away from public schools that require vaccines,” former Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Virginia) wrote on X. “Like most states, Virginia requires the Mmr vaccine, chickenpox vaccine, polio, etc. So Trump would take millions in federal funds away from all Virginia public schools.”
Trump said in Richmond, that he will take all federal funds away from public schools that require vaccines. Like most states, Virginia requires Mmr vaccine, chickenpox vaccine, polio, etc. So Trump would take millions in federal funds away from all Virginia public schools.
— Barbara Comstock (@BarbaraComstock) March 3, 2024
Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan described the assertion as “dystopian.
Political and medical officials were quick to respond to the former president’s statement.
“Trump said in Richmond, that he will take all federal funds away from public schools that require vaccines,” former Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Virginia) wrote on X. “Like most states, Virginia requires the Mmr vaccine, chickenpox vaccine, polio, etc. So Trump would take millions in federal funds away from all Virginia public schools.”
Trump said in Richmond, that he will take all federal funds away from public schools that require vaccines. Like most states, Virginia requires Mmr vaccine, chickenpox vaccine, polio, etc. So Trump would take millions in federal funds away from all Virginia public schools.
— Barbara Comstock (@BarbaraComstock) March 3, 2024
Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan described the assertion as “dystopian.
- 3/18/2024
- by Ava Lombardi
- Uinterview
Former President Donald Trump raged about windmills being responsible for the death of whales in a head-scratching South Carolina campaign speech.
The Republican presidential candidate said that ocean-based windmills are driving whales crazy and are the main reason why many of them wash up ashore on the Carolina coast.
“Windmills are causing whales to die in numbers never seen before. Nobody does anything about that,” he said. “They’re driving the whales, I think, a little batty.”
i cannot breathe What is he talking about pic.twitter.com/ZtL0PUUXYg
— manny (@mannyfidel) September 25, 2023 Many took to the site X, formerly known as Twitter, to discuss Trump’s anti-windmill rant, which many found bizarre.
“You literally could never make this stuff up if you tried, but the SNL skits will write themselves,” one user wrote.
“But let’s have some more articles about how Biden is too old,” another said.
You...
The Republican presidential candidate said that ocean-based windmills are driving whales crazy and are the main reason why many of them wash up ashore on the Carolina coast.
“Windmills are causing whales to die in numbers never seen before. Nobody does anything about that,” he said. “They’re driving the whales, I think, a little batty.”
i cannot breathe What is he talking about pic.twitter.com/ZtL0PUUXYg
— manny (@mannyfidel) September 25, 2023 Many took to the site X, formerly known as Twitter, to discuss Trump’s anti-windmill rant, which many found bizarre.
“You literally could never make this stuff up if you tried, but the SNL skits will write themselves,” one user wrote.
“But let’s have some more articles about how Biden is too old,” another said.
You...
- 9/30/2023
- by Zach Ament
- Uinterview
Adam McKay’s Hyperobject Industries and Three Uncanny Four Productions, in partnership with Sony Music Entertainment, today launched Death at the Wing, a new podcast series that focuses on the tragic intersection of basketball, politics, and socio-economics in the 1980s that led to an extraordinary number of untimely deaths of rising basketball prospects. Developed and hosted by McKay, Death at the Wing is a deep exploration of the intersection of sports and culture that began with Reaganomics. The first two episodes are available this morning.
Each docu segment focuses on one player, one tragedy, and the big forces that shaped the story. In reporting the series, McKay conducted interviews with experts, journalists, and former players, including NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West, journo and Basketball: A Love Story author Jackie MacMullan, ex-Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, professor of critical stories Dr. Todd Boyd, and The New Yorker’s Jane Mayer.
Each docu segment focuses on one player, one tragedy, and the big forces that shaped the story. In reporting the series, McKay conducted interviews with experts, journalists, and former players, including NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West, journo and Basketball: A Love Story author Jackie MacMullan, ex-Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, professor of critical stories Dr. Todd Boyd, and The New Yorker’s Jane Mayer.
- 3/31/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
CAA announced on Monday that it will host a 90-minute virtual summit on March 18 focused on public education. Presented by the CAA Foundation and CAA Amplify, the agency’s diversity platform, the event will feature U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona as well as two former education secretaries Arne Duncan and Dr. John B. King (the president and CEO of The Education Trust).
The summit will look at the pressing issues faced by public school students in America after a year that has seen long-term school closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic and focus on solutions for what can be ...
The summit will look at the pressing issues faced by public school students in America after a year that has seen long-term school closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic and focus on solutions for what can be ...
- 3/15/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CAA announced on Monday that it will host a 90-minute virtual summit on March 18 focused on public education. Presented by the CAA Foundation and CAA Amplify, the agency’s diversity platform, the event will feature U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona as well as two former education secretaries Arne Duncan and Dr. John B. King (the president and CEO of The Education Trust).
The summit will look at the pressing issues faced by public school students in America after a year that has seen long-term school closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic and focus on solutions for what can be ...
The summit will look at the pressing issues faced by public school students in America after a year that has seen long-term school closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic and focus on solutions for what can be ...
- 3/15/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
As the Los Angeles Unified School District starts a new academic year this week via online learning it’s pairing that with a hugely ambitious testing and tracing program that Superintendent Austin Beutner called the best chance to get back into the classroom.
Beutner announced plans to test the almost 75,000 staff and 700,000 students in the nation’s second largest school district (after New York City) and stands ready to test family members who show symptoms of Covid-19, which has pushed most major school districts in the nation (except New York) to remain online this fall. Lauds opens this week with the first full day of classes on Thursday and Friday.
“Without tests the chain of infection cannot be broken,” Beutner said in his weekly address — noting that students and staff have regular contact with two to three million other people. Lausd’s testing will be overseen by experts from the University of California,...
Beutner announced plans to test the almost 75,000 staff and 700,000 students in the nation’s second largest school district (after New York City) and stands ready to test family members who show symptoms of Covid-19, which has pushed most major school districts in the nation (except New York) to remain online this fall. Lauds opens this week with the first full day of classes on Thursday and Friday.
“Without tests the chain of infection cannot be broken,” Beutner said in his weekly address — noting that students and staff have regular contact with two to three million other people. Lausd’s testing will be overseen by experts from the University of California,...
- 8/17/2020
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Creative Artists Agency announced on Wednesday that it will host a virtual CAA Amplify Town Hall on Wednesday, June 17th. The event will bring together leaders in entertainment, sports, media, brands, technology and social justice in a call to action to end systemic racism. The discussions aim to provide critical action steps for real and permanent change.
Featured event speakers and participants will include:
Carmelo Anthony, NBA All-Star, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist
Joy Buolamwini, Founder of Algorithmic Justice League
Christian Cooper, Biomedical Editor and Comic Book Writer
Melody Cooper, Film, Television, Theater and Comic Book Writer
Patrisse Cullors, Artist, Writer and Co-Founder, Black Lives Matter
Arne Duncan, Managing Partner, Emerson Collective and Former U.S. Secretary of Education
Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Doc Rivers, Head Coach, Los Angeles Clippers
Kendrick Sampson, Actor, Activist and Co-Founder, Bld Pwr
Yara Shahidi, Actress, Producer and Change Agent
Adam Silver,...
Featured event speakers and participants will include:
Carmelo Anthony, NBA All-Star, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist
Joy Buolamwini, Founder of Algorithmic Justice League
Christian Cooper, Biomedical Editor and Comic Book Writer
Melody Cooper, Film, Television, Theater and Comic Book Writer
Patrisse Cullors, Artist, Writer and Co-Founder, Black Lives Matter
Arne Duncan, Managing Partner, Emerson Collective and Former U.S. Secretary of Education
Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Doc Rivers, Head Coach, Los Angeles Clippers
Kendrick Sampson, Actor, Activist and Co-Founder, Bld Pwr
Yara Shahidi, Actress, Producer and Change Agent
Adam Silver,...
- 6/17/2020
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
This week, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah will be doing their shows in Chicago titled “The Daily Show Undesked Chicago 2017: Let’s Do This Before It Gets Too Damn Cold.” The show will be taping from Monday through Thursday at The Athenaeum Theatre. They have also announced their guests who are all Chicago natives. This Monday, October 16, Grammy, Emmy, and Oscar-winning musician, actor, and activist Common will guest on the show. On the following day, former U.S. Secretary of Education and Managing Partner of Emerson Collective, Arne Duncan, and Chicago Cred Community Change Leader at Emerson Collective, Curtis
The Daily Show Chicago Guests Have Been Announced...
The Daily Show Chicago Guests Have Been Announced...
- 10/16/2017
- by Michael Baculinao
- TVovermind.com
She packs her own lunch, and he still isn’t allowed to drive. Subscribe now for all about Michelle and Barack Obama’s lives after moving out of the White House – only in People!
The two dozen young men from Chicago’s South Side were summoned to a storefront nonprofit called Youth Peace Center on a Sunday afternoon in late April. They weren’t told why. Some had been shot in their crime-riddled neighborhoods; others “may have been shooters,” says center co-founder Wendy Jones. All were trying to get their lives together.
Soon after their arrival, former President Barack Obama...
The two dozen young men from Chicago’s South Side were summoned to a storefront nonprofit called Youth Peace Center on a Sunday afternoon in late April. They weren’t told why. Some had been shot in their crime-riddled neighborhoods; others “may have been shooters,” says center co-founder Wendy Jones. All were trying to get their lives together.
Soon after their arrival, former President Barack Obama...
- 5/18/2017
- by Diane Herbst and Sandra Sobieraj Westfall
- PEOPLE.com
Many fans on Twitter were missing former President Barack Obama more than ever as he delivered his first public remarks since leaving office during a forum in his adopted hometown of Chicago on Monday.
At the event, which was held at the University of Chicago, Obama reflected on how he got his political start as a community organizer in the city more than 30 years ago, and facilitated a town hall-style forum on community organizing and civic engagement with young leaders from area schools.
He opened his remarks with a joke, asking the crowd: “So uh, what’s been going on while I’ve been gone?...
At the event, which was held at the University of Chicago, Obama reflected on how he got his political start as a community organizer in the city more than 30 years ago, and facilitated a town hall-style forum on community organizing and civic engagement with young leaders from area schools.
He opened his remarks with a joke, asking the crowd: “So uh, what’s been going on while I’ve been gone?...
- 4/24/2017
- by Tierney McAfee
- PEOPLE.com
CAA has signed former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to its roster. The longtime Obama cabinet member stepped down from his post at the start of the year. The agency will represent Duncan in all areas, including books and public speaking, and will help “identify new business ventures” the company said. Duncan ranks among the longest-sitting cabinet members throughout both Obama terms. His accomplishments include the shepherding of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which raised $100 billion to pay 325,000 teachers’ salaries, and increases in Pell Grants for American college students. Also Read: President Obama Addresses #OscarsSoWhite: 'Provide Opportunity...
- 2/9/2016
- by Matt Donnelly
- The Wrap
Starbucks plans to announce a program Monday intended to help its baristas earn an online college degree. The company is partnering with Arizona State University to make the program available to 135,000 U.S. baristas who work at least 20 hours a week. Employees will be able to choose from a number of educational programs, and they won't be required to stay at Starbucks after earning the degree. For their freshman and sophomore years, students would pay a greatly reduced tuition after factoring in a scholarship from Starbucks, Asu and financial aid, such as Pell grants. For their junior and senior years,...
- 6/16/2014
- by Associated Press
- PEOPLE.com
President Obama was so heavily guarded by an elite Secret Service team as he left a Virginia burger joint ... even his doggie bag got protection.Check out our video of Potus and Education Secretary Arne Duncan and others as they surprised diners Tuesday afternoon at FireFlies in Alexandria, Va.The Prez ordered the American Way Burger with cheese, lettuce, tomato and mustard ... and fries and a side salad. Total bill -- $73 ... Obama left a $50 tip.
- 6/10/2014
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Sheryl Sandberg wants to ban the word "bossy," and she's enlisted the help of a few big-named friends. Beyonce, Jennifer Garner, Jane Lynch, Condoleezza Rice and Diane von Furstenberg appear in a PSA for the Lean In Foundation campaign, released on Monday via YouTube. The video notes that by middle school, girls are less interested in leadership than boys because they're afraid of the negatively-associated label. Photos: Facebook Turns 10: The Social Network's Most Popular Stars, Movies and TV Shows Additionally, Nascar champ Jimmie Johnson, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Girl Scouts USA CEO Anna Maria Chavez, and Sandberg
read more...
read more...
- 3/10/2014
- by Ashley Lee
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Who run the world? Girls! Beyoncé taught us that. And now Queen Bey, along with stars like Jennifer Garner and Jane Lynch, wants to help encourage young women to speak their minds and take leadership without the fear of being labeled "bossy." In fact, these girl power enthusiasts want to Ban Bossy all together! "I think the word 'bossy' is just a squasher," says Lynch. Garner, who has two daughters and one son with hubby Ben Affleck, points out, "Being labeled something matters." Beyoncé, Lynch, and Garner--with some help from Condoleezza Rice, Diane von Furstenberg, Nascar champion Jimmie Johnson, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, CEO of the Girl Scouts of...
- 3/10/2014
- E! Online
This Valentine's Day, famous faces will heat up the court at the 2014 Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game in New Orleans. Comedian Kevin Hart and America's Got Talent's Nick Cannon are two of the top players returning to the annual exhibition Feb. 14. Hart, who has earned Mvp for the past two years, will be feeling some extra love during the game: His new movie About Last Night premieres on V-Day. During the match, Columbus Short - Harrison on Scandal - will suit up as basketball player rather than gladiator. And Michael B. Jordan of That Awkward Moment will also join the roster,...
- 1/29/2014
- by Michele Corriston
- PEOPLE.com
President Obama wants people to pay closer attention to mental illness, and he's turning to Hollywood for help. The two-step process starts with a White House summit Monday, with Vice President Joe Biden, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The goal of the summit is to start a national conversation about mental health, removing any stigma around it so afflicted people will feel free to seek help. They'll be joined by two entertainment industry stalwarts with personal connections to mental health issues: Glenn Close and the president of the National Association of Broadcasters,
read more...
read more...
- 6/3/2013
- by Alex Ben Block
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Washington — Actors Bradley Cooper and Glenn Close are among those gathering Monday at the White House for a conference on mental health, organized as part of President Barack Obama's response to last year's shooting massacre at a Connecticut elementary school.
Although the one-day conference was a response to gun violence, its agenda is much broader and includes discussion of insurance coverage for mental health care and substance abuse, recognizing the signs of mental illness in young people and improved access to services for veterans. The overall goal is reducing the stigma of mental health problems and encouraging those who are struggling to get help.
Obama plans to deliver opening remarks in the East Room and Vice President Joe Biden, the president's point man on gun violence, is scheduled to close it from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Around 150 invited attendees include mental health advocates and patients, educators, health care providers,...
Although the one-day conference was a response to gun violence, its agenda is much broader and includes discussion of insurance coverage for mental health care and substance abuse, recognizing the signs of mental illness in young people and improved access to services for veterans. The overall goal is reducing the stigma of mental health problems and encouraging those who are struggling to get help.
Obama plans to deliver opening remarks in the East Room and Vice President Joe Biden, the president's point man on gun violence, is scheduled to close it from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Around 150 invited attendees include mental health advocates and patients, educators, health care providers,...
- 6/3/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
We are proud that The Creative Coalition’s Teacher’s Making a Difference Program was recently featured in the U.S. Department of Education’s Blog. It’s nice to see that so many organizations are showing teachers the respect they deserve. While at the Sundance Film festival, I stopped into the Creative Coalition’s Teachers Making A Difference Award luncheon, where Tim Daly, actor and president of the Creative Coalition, kicked off the organization’s 7th annual award luncheon. “The mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, and the great teacher inspires … and we are here to celebrate the teachers who inspired their students to great heights,” said Daly as he introduced two actors and their honored teachers.
The Creative Coalition, a nonprofit social and public advocacy organization of the arts and entertainment industry, each year pays homage to teachers who have had an impact on some of Hollywood’s actors. This year, actor Bill Pullman, starring in NBC’s 1600 Penn, as well as a new role in May in the Summer, a Sundance premiere, and Joey Lauren Adams, known for her breakout role in Chasing Amy and soon to be seen in Blue Caprice, were reunited with teachers who have made a real difference in their lives.
Long before his name appeared on a marquee, Pullman taught theater at Montana State University, and after being convinced by his students to give the film industry a shot, Pullman found himself working under the tutelage of Paul Austin, actor and founder at the Liberty Free Theatre in Liberty, N.Y.
Pullman credits Austin for launching his career after he got Pullman involved in an Off Broadway production that received rave reviews, and put him on a fast track to Hollywood.
“When you teach, you look for something in your students that you don’t know,” Austin said after receiving the award from Pullman. “You ask lots of questions, and you eventually get out of the way, so your student can excel.”
Also honored at the luncheon was recently retired North Little Rock High West drama teacher Carol Ann McAdams. Joey Lauren Adams said that Carol Ann changed her life during high school. Adams found herself an outcast by not making the cheerleading squad, so eventually she joined the drama club, a setting she said was for geeks and outsiders, but it helped her find her identity.
McAdams said she felt blessed to have Adams in her class. “She was so talented and I told her through her critiques that she could become a professional actress.” McAdams continued, “She always has stayed in touch with me. Recently, she told me that she had kept my critique – and for a student to listen to you, trust you, believe you and love you and then take something that you’ve said to them long ago in a class, and do something with it, that’s what makes a difference in a teacher’s life.”
McAdams is a true proponent of arts education in our schools. She found that many students would not have wanted to come to school if not for drama or art class or music. She said she always pushed the envelope and helped show her students what they were capable of achieving, leading them to lives they never knew they could have. “If you can make a student believe that they have something else to give, and if the arts will help that student find a niche, then that’s what it’s all about,” said McAdams.
According to a report The Arts and Achievement in at-Risk Youth released last year from the National Endowment for the Arts (Nea), at-risk students who have access to the arts in-or out-of-school also tend to have better academic results, better workforce opportunities, and more civic engagement.
Another 2012 arts education report from the Department of Education found that the availability of theater and dance instruction at elementary schools has significantly declined in the last ten years. To address this decline, Ed is allowing states more flexibility under the No Child Left Behind law, and is making the arts and humanities a competitive priority in the Promise Neighborhood competition.
Secretary Arne Duncan noted at the report’s release that “a well-rounded education is simply too vital to our students’ success to let the teaching of the arts and humanities erode.” Pullman and Adams are award-winning proof.
Sherry Schweitzer is senior communications specialist in Ed’s Office of Communications and Outreach...
The Creative Coalition, a nonprofit social and public advocacy organization of the arts and entertainment industry, each year pays homage to teachers who have had an impact on some of Hollywood’s actors. This year, actor Bill Pullman, starring in NBC’s 1600 Penn, as well as a new role in May in the Summer, a Sundance premiere, and Joey Lauren Adams, known for her breakout role in Chasing Amy and soon to be seen in Blue Caprice, were reunited with teachers who have made a real difference in their lives.
Long before his name appeared on a marquee, Pullman taught theater at Montana State University, and after being convinced by his students to give the film industry a shot, Pullman found himself working under the tutelage of Paul Austin, actor and founder at the Liberty Free Theatre in Liberty, N.Y.
Pullman credits Austin for launching his career after he got Pullman involved in an Off Broadway production that received rave reviews, and put him on a fast track to Hollywood.
“When you teach, you look for something in your students that you don’t know,” Austin said after receiving the award from Pullman. “You ask lots of questions, and you eventually get out of the way, so your student can excel.”
Also honored at the luncheon was recently retired North Little Rock High West drama teacher Carol Ann McAdams. Joey Lauren Adams said that Carol Ann changed her life during high school. Adams found herself an outcast by not making the cheerleading squad, so eventually she joined the drama club, a setting she said was for geeks and outsiders, but it helped her find her identity.
McAdams said she felt blessed to have Adams in her class. “She was so talented and I told her through her critiques that she could become a professional actress.” McAdams continued, “She always has stayed in touch with me. Recently, she told me that she had kept my critique – and for a student to listen to you, trust you, believe you and love you and then take something that you’ve said to them long ago in a class, and do something with it, that’s what makes a difference in a teacher’s life.”
McAdams is a true proponent of arts education in our schools. She found that many students would not have wanted to come to school if not for drama or art class or music. She said she always pushed the envelope and helped show her students what they were capable of achieving, leading them to lives they never knew they could have. “If you can make a student believe that they have something else to give, and if the arts will help that student find a niche, then that’s what it’s all about,” said McAdams.
According to a report The Arts and Achievement in at-Risk Youth released last year from the National Endowment for the Arts (Nea), at-risk students who have access to the arts in-or out-of-school also tend to have better academic results, better workforce opportunities, and more civic engagement.
Another 2012 arts education report from the Department of Education found that the availability of theater and dance instruction at elementary schools has significantly declined in the last ten years. To address this decline, Ed is allowing states more flexibility under the No Child Left Behind law, and is making the arts and humanities a competitive priority in the Promise Neighborhood competition.
Secretary Arne Duncan noted at the report’s release that “a well-rounded education is simply too vital to our students’ success to let the teaching of the arts and humanities erode.” Pullman and Adams are award-winning proof.
Sherry Schweitzer is senior communications specialist in Ed’s Office of Communications and Outreach...
- 2/12/2013
- by Sherry Schweitzer
- Sydney's Buzz
Education Secretary Arne Duncan says that gun violence has "haunted" him his entire life, and in a new interview, becomes deeply emotional discussing the subject. Duncan grew up in Chicago and later became a school superintended there. He's a former basketball player and is now a member of the president's Cabinet. He's also part of the team tasked with proposing new legislative measures to reduce gun violence by the end of January.
- 12/23/2012
- by Anjali Sareen
- Mediaite - TV
Is Emmy newcomer Jimmy Kimmel about to take down the unbeatable Jon Stewart? While "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" hopes to increase its Emmy haul this year by winning its tenth consecutive trophy for Best Variety Series, one major hurdle stands in its way. According to Gold Derby guru Tom O'Neil, the long-running series has fumbled its episode submission, which means we could be in for an unexpected jawdropper in this race. At the Emmys, each show and performer must submit a sample episode to judges, who then watch all of the contenders before marking their ballots. "The Daily Show" has succeeded at this aspect of the game for the past nine years, and they likely would have won again if they submitted something from their endless roster of 2012 election episodes. Instead they've gone with the Feb. 16 episode with guest Arne Duncan of the U.S. Secretary of Education.
- 9/3/2012
- Gold Derby
Washington -- President Barack Obama is conceding that Vice President Joe Biden forced his hand on when to publicly embrace gay marriage, but says "all's well that ends well."
Obama, who was ready Thursday to dive into the embrace of Hollywood's wealthy elite at a gala fund-raising event, acknowledged he would have preferred to have "done this in my own way, on my own terms without, I think, there being a lot of notice" beforehand.
The president made his historical endorsement on the eve of a sold-out fundraiser Thursday evening at the Los Angeles home of movie star George Clooney.
The timing of the event is creating a blockbuster confluence of high celebrity, big money and committed activism. Hollywood is home to some of the most high-profile backers of gay marriage and the 150 donors who are paying $40,000 to attend Clooney's dinner Thursday night will no doubt feel newly invigorated by...
Obama, who was ready Thursday to dive into the embrace of Hollywood's wealthy elite at a gala fund-raising event, acknowledged he would have preferred to have "done this in my own way, on my own terms without, I think, there being a lot of notice" beforehand.
The president made his historical endorsement on the eve of a sold-out fundraiser Thursday evening at the Los Angeles home of movie star George Clooney.
The timing of the event is creating a blockbuster confluence of high celebrity, big money and committed activism. Hollywood is home to some of the most high-profile backers of gay marriage and the 150 donors who are paying $40,000 to attend Clooney's dinner Thursday night will no doubt feel newly invigorated by...
- 5/10/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Was Vice President Joe Biden's so-called 'gaffe' coming out in support of same-sex marriage rights an elaborate hoax? Some panelists on Wednesday morning's Red Eye surmised as much, as the controversy over his remarks continued to be the topic du jour of the talk show set. Radio host John Gibson was unsettled by various aspects of Vice President's remarks, and thought something didn't smell right. "Look, I can't believe this is a natural gaffe," Gibson observed. "He goes on Meet The Press, he gives this long winded answer. It is not like something casual. And it seems to me that the Obama team is playing chips all over the roulette table. You put a little on red and a little on black and a little here and a little there. So the president can say he's evolving. Arne Duncan is for it and Joe Biden is for it."...
- 5/9/2012
- by James Crugnale
- Mediaite - TV
Morning Meme: Mark Wahlberg's Underwear Walk, John Travolta Sued, and Going Gay For Pay On "Gigolos"
Mondays suck. So that's why we're grateful that Mark Wahlberg chose to parade around on his hotel balcony in just a pair of black briefs to liven up the day.
Marc Jacobs has designed shirts for his kids line for children with two mommies or two daddies. "If dad says no ask dad" is the perfect gift for the modern family.
In honor of Mother's Day, Vanity Fair's Brett Berk tries to convince us that some minivans are cool. He didn't succeed with me, but nice try.
No, Fox News, the dinosaurs did not fart themselves to extinction.
Not only did NBC pick up Ryan Murphy's The New Normal, they also picked up the Jj Abrams thriller Revolution about survival in a world where all forms of energy have ceased to exist, and the Anne Heche Save Me, in which she thinks God is speaking through her. Late last...
- 5/7/2012
- by lostinmiami
- The Backlot
Stephanie Cutter, President Barack Obama’s deputy campaign manager, told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell that she was “not going to make news on the President’s position on gay marriage,” during a contentious interview on Monday. Mitchell hammered Cutter on the President’s “evolving” position on gay marriage rights after Vice Presidents Joe Biden and Education Sec. Arne Duncan appeared to contradict president Obama on the issue in the last several days.
- 5/7/2012
- by Noah Rothman
- Mediaite - TV
The American Film Institute, in conjunction with USANetwork and Universal Pictures, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of To Kill A Mockingbird at the White House on Thursday, April 5 and with the nation on Saturday, April 7. AFI was created in the White House Rose Garden in 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson set a national mandate to “bring together leading artists of the film industry, outstanding educators and young men and women who wish to pursue the art form as their life’s work.”
President Obama will introduce the film at a special screening in the White House Family Theater with an audience that includes children from DC area schools as well as Mary Badham, who portrayed Scout in the film; Gregory Peck’s family, including wife Veronique; and AFI Trustees Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman of Sony Corporation, Ron Meyer, President and COO of Universal Studios and Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO.
President Obama will introduce the film at a special screening in the White House Family Theater with an audience that includes children from DC area schools as well as Mary Badham, who portrayed Scout in the film; Gregory Peck’s family, including wife Veronique; and AFI Trustees Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman of Sony Corporation, Ron Meyer, President and COO of Universal Studios and Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO.
- 4/4/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
President Obama will introduce a screening of To Kill a Mockingbird, marking the movie's 50th anniversary, at the White House Family Theater on Thursday. Children from Washington, D.C. area schools have been invited to attend. Also on hand will be Mary Badham, who portrays Scout in the film; Veronique Peck, whose late husband Gregory Peck starred in the film as attorney Atticus Finch; Howard Stringer, chairman of the AFI board of trustees; Ron Meyer, president and COO of Universal Studios; and Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO; and Arne Duncan, the U.S. Secretary of Education. Obama also will
read more...
read more...
- 4/4/2012
- by Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Is 318, a Brooklyn public school residing in an area with a 70% poverty rate, with a top ranked chess team is the subject of the uplifting doc Brooklyn Castle. Director Katie Dellamaggiore spent several years with the chess team when budgets for non-essential school activities (ie: arts and extracurricular activities) were slashed by $1.3 million, which means a reduction in funds to travel to chess events.
The students of Is 318 share essentially the same story as those briefly chronicled in Waiting for Superman and The Lottery – they hope to get into a good school, and that rides on either a lottery or a standardized test. I suppose a good school will provide the resources to continue their chess career, although there is a not-for-profit that hooks up several Is 318 students with chess-masters, Chess in Schools. Scenes of students discovering which school they got into, complete with intercut interviews of students and parents...
The students of Is 318 share essentially the same story as those briefly chronicled in Waiting for Superman and The Lottery – they hope to get into a good school, and that rides on either a lottery or a standardized test. I suppose a good school will provide the resources to continue their chess career, although there is a not-for-profit that hooks up several Is 318 students with chess-masters, Chess in Schools. Scenes of students discovering which school they got into, complete with intercut interviews of students and parents...
- 3/24/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Getty Images Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on February 17, 2012 in New York City.
Linsanity has reached a fever pitch in recent weeks, but the leader of the free world said Thursday he was a fan before Jeremy Lin was a household name.
“I knew about Jeremy before you did, or everybody else did, because Arne Duncan, my secretary of education, was captain of the Harvard team,” President Barack Obama said in an interview about...
Linsanity has reached a fever pitch in recent weeks, but the leader of the free world said Thursday he was a fan before Jeremy Lin was a household name.
“I knew about Jeremy before you did, or everybody else did, because Arne Duncan, my secretary of education, was captain of the Harvard team,” President Barack Obama said in an interview about...
- 3/1/2012
- by WSJ Staff
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
President Barack Obama called The Wire “one of the best shows of all time,” and curbed his Chicago bias enough to rave about New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin during a 24-minute basketball-centric conversation on Bill Simmons’ “B.S. Report” podcast.
Obama guaranteed a Chicago Bulls NBA title before he leaves office — in five years? — but he couldn’t resist raving about Lin, a fellow Harvard grad who’s sparked the Knicks during their recent winning streak. “I’ve been on the Jeremy Lin bandwagon for awhile,” Obama boasted, explaining that his Secretary of Education — and former Harvard basketball captain...
Obama guaranteed a Chicago Bulls NBA title before he leaves office — in five years? — but he couldn’t resist raving about Lin, a fellow Harvard grad who’s sparked the Knicks during their recent winning streak. “I’ve been on the Jeremy Lin bandwagon for awhile,” Obama boasted, explaining that his Secretary of Education — and former Harvard basketball captain...
- 3/1/2012
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW.com - PopWatch
Diminutive funny man Kevin Hart was ejected from the NBA’s All-Star Celebrity game, but his antics may have played a role in him being named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Hart’s team was leading by 36 points with just over a minute to go when Hart dropped some profanity when he didn’t get a favorable call. That drew a technical foul, which set him off. He struggled to whip his shirt off and then proceeded to hurl his sneakers across the court, earning him his ejection. While most of the players chuckled, he momentarily threatened to take his shorts off.
- 2/25/2012
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW.com - PopWatch
I want to take a moment and extend my thoughts and condolences to Dustin Lance Black, who lost his brother, his protector, Marcus, to cancer this weekend.
Speaking in Florida Wednesday, Newt Gingrich promised that by the second term of his presidency America would have a permanent base on the moon. As much as I want our space program back to glory, I can't stomach one term of Newt, much less two.
There's a great article on the ambitious production of Giant that Matt Doyle is a part of in Dallas, and the hopes it has for Broadway.
I don't know what to say about these images of Miley Cyrus molesting the giant penis birthday cake from her boyfriend Liam Hemsworth's birthday party. I can't get past the fact that he has a giant chocolate icing red velvet penis cake for his birthday to think about her vamping.
Uggie,...
Speaking in Florida Wednesday, Newt Gingrich promised that by the second term of his presidency America would have a permanent base on the moon. As much as I want our space program back to glory, I can't stomach one term of Newt, much less two.
There's a great article on the ambitious production of Giant that Matt Doyle is a part of in Dallas, and the hopes it has for Broadway.
I don't know what to say about these images of Miley Cyrus molesting the giant penis birthday cake from her boyfriend Liam Hemsworth's birthday party. I can't get past the fact that he has a giant chocolate icing red velvet penis cake for his birthday to think about her vamping.
Uggie,...
- 1/26/2012
- by lostinmiami
- The Backlot
Here's another example of how not to get your point across. Last month, Karen Lewis, the president of the Chicago Teacher's Union, made a 35 minute speech at a union event. However, the only moment most people are remembering now is a joke she made pointing out Education Secretary Arne Duncan's lisp. Lewis has now even had to make an official apology which Duncan has accepted.
- 11/15/2011
- by Jon Bershad
- Mediaite - TV
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan hoped to gain the goodwill of the nation's educators with an "Open Letter" to teachers. But as Diane Ravitch explains, many reacted with fury.
The first week in May was Teacher Appreciation Week. On May 2, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan released an "open letter" to America's teachers, thanking them for their service and saying, in essence, "I hear you, I respect you, I understand your problems, I want to work with you." It should have been about as controversial as the president's annual Thanksgiving message, but in this case the letter backfired. Teachers reacted to the letter with outrage, as if it were addressed to the turkey community on Thanksgiving Day.
Related story on The Daily Beast: Obama's War on Schools
No one should be surprised. Behind the teachers' rage and skepticism is the fact that Duncan has time and again said that "bad" teachers cause low test scores,...
The first week in May was Teacher Appreciation Week. On May 2, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan released an "open letter" to America's teachers, thanking them for their service and saying, in essence, "I hear you, I respect you, I understand your problems, I want to work with you." It should have been about as controversial as the president's annual Thanksgiving message, but in this case the letter backfired. Teachers reacted to the letter with outrage, as if it were addressed to the turkey community on Thanksgiving Day.
Related story on The Daily Beast: Obama's War on Schools
No one should be surprised. Behind the teachers' rage and skepticism is the fact that Duncan has time and again said that "bad" teachers cause low test scores,...
- 5/11/2011
- by Diane Ravitch
- The Daily Beast
Chicago – Perhaps no American artist has chronicled a modern disaster with as much passion and meticulous attention to detail as Spike Lee. His 2006 documentary about the struggles of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, “When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts,” was television at its most vital, provocative, wrenchingly powerful and resoundingly humanistic.
The same could easily be said of Lee’s 2010 follow-up effort, “If God Is Willing and da Creek Don’t Rise.” It premiered the same year as HBO’s New Orleans-set series, “Treme,” and includes many of the same characters. Of course, in this case, no actors are involved, with the exception of New Orleans residents such as Make it Right project creator Brad Pitt and Phyllis Morton LeBlanc, who sets the tone with a stirring poem (as she did in “Levees”). Lee catches up with several subjects from his previous film, and...
The same could easily be said of Lee’s 2010 follow-up effort, “If God Is Willing and da Creek Don’t Rise.” It premiered the same year as HBO’s New Orleans-set series, “Treme,” and includes many of the same characters. Of course, in this case, no actors are involved, with the exception of New Orleans residents such as Make it Right project creator Brad Pitt and Phyllis Morton LeBlanc, who sets the tone with a stirring poem (as she did in “Levees”). Lee catches up with several subjects from his previous film, and...
- 4/27/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The No Child Left Behind Act has been deadly to public education. So why has the president embraced it? In this week's Newsweek, Diane Ravitch delves deep into Obama's education policy.
Over the past year, I have traveled the nation speaking to nearly 100,000 educators, parents, and school-board members. No matter the city, state, or region, those who know schools best are frightened for the future of public education. They see no one in a position of leadership who understands the damage being done to their schools by federal policies.
They feel keenly betrayed by President Obama. Most voted for him, hoping he would reverse the ruinous No Child Left Behind (Nclb) legislation of George W. Bush. But Obama has not sought to turn back Nclb. His own approach, called Race to the Top, is even more punitive than Nclb. And though over the past week the president has repeatedly called...
Over the past year, I have traveled the nation speaking to nearly 100,000 educators, parents, and school-board members. No matter the city, state, or region, those who know schools best are frightened for the future of public education. They see no one in a position of leadership who understands the damage being done to their schools by federal policies.
They feel keenly betrayed by President Obama. Most voted for him, hoping he would reverse the ruinous No Child Left Behind (Nclb) legislation of George W. Bush. But Obama has not sought to turn back Nclb. His own approach, called Race to the Top, is even more punitive than Nclb. And though over the past week the president has repeatedly called...
- 3/21/2011
- by Diane Ravitch
- The Daily Beast
As the Ncaa college basketball tournament kicks off, The Daily Beast ranks all 68 teams based on their grades and graduation rates, from first to worst. Click here for the smart bracket.
The sports high holiday known as March Madness returns tomorrow. But the Ncaa college basketball tournament is more than friendly competition-it rivals the Super Bowl as the most-wagered upon athletic event, as brackets fan out across every office, school and website in America.
Related story on The Daily Beast: The Best of the Buzzer Beaters
With thought we might look at the tournament bracket with a more academic bent. With all the concentration on the court, we thought we'd examine how the 68 teams in the tournament fare academically. To find out which schools are faltering, The Daily Beast considered all 68 college teams in this year's March Madness according to their graduation success rate (Gsr), Academic Progress Rate (Apr...
The sports high holiday known as March Madness returns tomorrow. But the Ncaa college basketball tournament is more than friendly competition-it rivals the Super Bowl as the most-wagered upon athletic event, as brackets fan out across every office, school and website in America.
Related story on The Daily Beast: The Best of the Buzzer Beaters
With thought we might look at the tournament bracket with a more academic bent. With all the concentration on the court, we thought we'd examine how the 68 teams in the tournament fare academically. To find out which schools are faltering, The Daily Beast considered all 68 college teams in this year's March Madness according to their graduation success rate (Gsr), Academic Progress Rate (Apr...
- 3/14/2011
- by The Daily Beast
- The Daily Beast
Green Celebrities! Justin Bieber, Michelle Obama and Jessica Alba share Dr. Seuss stories with children for Read Across America 2011 -- [Mar. 8] It is not Just singer Justin Bieber who got in on the Dr. Seuss birthday action this month. First Lady Michelle Obama seemed to be having a great time as she read the Dr. Seuss classic Green Eggs and Ham to 250 children at the Library of Congress for Read Across America 2011, held Wednesday, March 2. The Read Across America event is in its 14th year and hosted by the National Education Association. It has been held every year on March 2 since its inception, because March 2 is the birthday of the celebrated children's author Dr. Seuss. First Lady Michelle Obama was quite animated as she read Green Eggs and Ham, exclaiming to the enraptured first through third graders (all wearing red and white striped hats from another Dr. Seuss classic The Cat in the Hat...
- 3/8/2011
- by Helium
- Green Celebrity
Four months into the release of Waiting for Superman, glimmers of possible change in public education illuminate the horizon.
(A charter school lottery in Waiting for Superman.) by Terry Keefe (Note: I spoke to Davis Guggenheim, and wrote this article, a few weeks ago, when Waiting for Superman was considered by many a shoe-in for an Oscar nomination. It didn't receive that Oscar nomination but would have nonetheless been well-deserving of it. The article is currently appearing in Venice Magazine.)
Waiting for Superman director Davis Guggenheim might be wishing for a few super-powers of his own with the virtual non-stop schedule he's been keeping to promote his documentary about the crisis in American public schools, since its release at the end of September. A front runner for the Best Documentary Academy Award, Waiting for Superman has already scooped up the top feature doc prizes from the National Board of Review,...
(A charter school lottery in Waiting for Superman.) by Terry Keefe (Note: I spoke to Davis Guggenheim, and wrote this article, a few weeks ago, when Waiting for Superman was considered by many a shoe-in for an Oscar nomination. It didn't receive that Oscar nomination but would have nonetheless been well-deserving of it. The article is currently appearing in Venice Magazine.)
Waiting for Superman director Davis Guggenheim might be wishing for a few super-powers of his own with the virtual non-stop schedule he's been keeping to promote his documentary about the crisis in American public schools, since its release at the end of September. A front runner for the Best Documentary Academy Award, Waiting for Superman has already scooped up the top feature doc prizes from the National Board of Review,...
- 1/30/2011
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Washington - Us President Barack Obama received 12 stitches in his upper lip after being socked in the mouth by an errant elbow during a holiday basketball game with friends and family, the White House said in a statement. Spokesman Robert Gibbs said the surgery was done Friday at the White House. Doctors hoped to leave a lesser scar by using more, smaller stitches than normal. Obama was playing a five-on-five game in the morning at local military base Fort McNair with Reggie Love, an adviser and former university basketball player, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and members of the president's family, who flew into Washington for Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday. Obama was struck in the mouth during the last of...
- 11/27/2010
- Monsters and Critics
Washington - Us President Barack Obama received 12 stitches in his lip after being socked in the mouth by an errant elbow during a holiday basketball game with friends and family Friday morning, the White House said in a statement. Spokesman Robert Gibbs said the surgery was done at the White House. Doctors hoped to leave a lesser scar by using more, smaller stitches than normal. Obama was playing a 5-on-5 game in the morning at local military base Fort McNair with Reggie Love, an advisor and former university basketball player, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and members of the president's family, who flew into Washington for the Us Thanksgiving holiday. Obama was struck in the mouth during the last...
- 11/26/2010
- Monsters and Critics
A Costco in San Juan put out copies of Ricky Martin’s Me ahead of Tuesday's official release date, so the details are starting to leak out as fast as people can read and put up quotes. What struck me was his story of coming out via his website.
And then all that fear I felt, the fear many people have at the moment they come out of the closet, it was just in my head. I know that maybe this is not the case with other when they decide to do it - there are those who are faced with a painful wall of misunderstanding and rejection - but I can say my own experience was nothing but positive and empowering.
Easily the most important thing in the history of the universe was the Rally To Restore Sanity and/or Fear today on the National Mall. The place was packed,...
And then all that fear I felt, the fear many people have at the moment they come out of the closet, it was just in my head. I know that maybe this is not the case with other when they decide to do it - there are those who are faced with a painful wall of misunderstanding and rejection - but I can say my own experience was nothing but positive and empowering.
Easily the most important thing in the history of the universe was the Rally To Restore Sanity and/or Fear today on the National Mall. The place was packed,...
- 10/31/2010
- by Ed Kennedy
- The Backlot
A group of mothers has taken out an ad in South Korea to protest a gay storyline on Life Is Beautiful. The newspaper ad reads “If my son becomes gay and dies from AIDs [sic] after watching Life Is Beautiful, Sbs must take responsibility!”
Beyond the ridiculous misinformation and hatred in the ad, there’s the gross irresponsibility of a paper that would print it. Hong Seok Cheon, one of the first out stars in Korea, is speaking out about all the friends and the costars of his who are obviously not gay by association.
Ugly Betty’s Mark Indelicato has made a video that’s not quite It Gets Better, but the young man wants to try and explain what it’s like to be different in school.
If you’re in New York City Sunday night at 9:00Pm in Washington Square there will be a glow stick vigil...
Beyond the ridiculous misinformation and hatred in the ad, there’s the gross irresponsibility of a paper that would print it. Hong Seok Cheon, one of the first out stars in Korea, is speaking out about all the friends and the costars of his who are obviously not gay by association.
Ugly Betty’s Mark Indelicato has made a video that’s not quite It Gets Better, but the young man wants to try and explain what it’s like to be different in school.
If you’re in New York City Sunday night at 9:00Pm in Washington Square there will be a glow stick vigil...
- 10/3/2010
- by Ed Kennedy
- The Backlot
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.