While Spike Lee and Katt Williams decry Quentin Tarantino’s unconventional look at slavery in “Django Unchained,” black audiences nationwide are voting for the film with their movie ticket dollars. Opening on Christmas Day, 42 percent of Django’s initial audience was black, according
Adam Carolla had a busy 2012, launching his own alcohol line, re-teaming with ex-“Loveline” partner Dr. Drew Pinsky and expanding his podcast empire to include libertarian magician Penn Jillette. Now, Carolla is being honored for his groundbreaking podcast. iTunes’s just
(AP) – LOS ANGELES – Several of the horses used on HBO’s canceled series “Luck” were drugged, underweight and sick during production, an animal rights worker who oversaw conditions on the show alleges in a lawsuit. Barbara Casey’s suit filed
Sporting a long leather coat and western jeans under a headscarf, Soosan Feroz looks like many modern women in Kabul. But she is a surprising new phenomenon in this conservative Islamic country — the nation’s first female rapper. Her lyrics
The film version of the beloved musical “Les Misérables” boasts plenty of box office-friendly attributes. Name recognition is through the roof, the film’s cast features some of today’s most charismatic actors and the production is unlike any other film currently
Schools, universities and government offices in the Iranian capital will be closed on Saturday for the second time in a month because of high air pollution, Tehran governor Morteza Tamadon said Thursday. Emergency services also advised residents to avoid unnecessary
Zimbabwe may be forced to withdraw from the 2014 World Cup qualifying competition as the national football association has no money for a fixture in Egypt during March, a senior official told AFP on Thursday. The football association is saddled
By GEIR MOULSONAssociated PressBERLINNatural disasters cost insurers $65 billion last year, with the United States accounting for nine-tenths of the bill and Superstorm Sandy prompting payouts of $25 billion, a leading insurance company said Thursday. However, Munich Re AG said
By JEAN H. LEE and YOUKYUNG LEEAssociated PressSEOUL, South KoreaWhen he lands in North Korea, even Google’s executive chairman will likely have to relinquish his smartphone, leaving him disconnected from the global information network he helped build. Eric Schmidt is
Television’s newest odd couple are bringing the death of a beloved president to TV screens next month. “Killing Lincoln,” based on the best seller by Bill O’Reilly and narrated by Tom Hanks, marks the first scripted drama presented by the
January can be a very long month for movie fans. The December glut of Oscar-bait films is subsiding, the Summer movie season is still months away and studios often use the month as a dumping ground for unspectacular product. This
(AP) Depardieu, in tax fight, gets Russian citizenshipBy JIM HEINTZ and LORI HINNANTAssociated PressMOSCOW The Kremlin has cast Gerard Depardieu in one of the most surprising roles of his life — as a new Russian citizen. The announcement Thursday that
The federal government is forcing more and more Americans into buying new energy efficient lightbulbs by gradually outlawing incandescent light bulbs, which supposedly waste energy. But a new study shows that eco-friendly lightbulbs may not be human-friendly. According to a
Actor/comedian Donnell Rawlings is speaking out against those criticizing the content of director Quentin Tarantino’s hot-button hit “Django Unchained.” Rawlings came to the director’s defense after several high profile black artists, including Katt Williams and Spike Lee, savaged Tarantino for
(AP) Weekly US jobless aid applications rise to 372KBy CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABERAP Economics WriterWASHINGTONMore Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, though the winter holidays likely distorted the data for the second straight week. The Labor Department says weekly applications rose
(Reuters) – President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans face even bigger budget battles in the next two months after a hard-fought “fiscal cliff” deal narrowly averted devastating tax increases and spending cuts. The agreement, approved late on Tuesday by the
President Barack Obama has signed into law a $633 billion US defense spending bill that funds the war in Afghanistan and boosts security at US missions worldwide. Obama, who is vacationing in Hawaii, said that he signed the measure despite
(AP) Congress ushering in new members, with old divideBy DONNA CASSATAAssociated PressWASHINGTONCongress is ushering in the new and the old _ dozens of eager freshmen determined to change Washington and the harsh reality of another stretch of bitterly divided government.
(AP) NJ Gov. Christie blasts Boehner, RepublicansBy KATIE ZEZIMA AND GEOFF MULVIHILLAssociated PressTRENTON, N.J.Gov. Chris Christie’s blunt talk has long been one of his hallmarks. But Christie, who has verbally tangled with many, showed Wednesday he’s willing to aim his
The acting head of the criminal investigations department in Libya’s second city Benghazi has been kidnapped at gunpoint, officials told AFP on Thursday. He said he believed hardline Islamists were behind the kidnapping. Another colleague said that Mahdawi “had many
(AP) Pakistan says US drones kill senior Taliban figureBy RASOOL DAWAR and ISHTIAQ MAHSUDAssociated PressPESHAWAR, PakistanTwo U.S. drone strikes on northwest Pakistan killed a senior Taliban commander who fought American forces in Afghanistan but had a truce with the Pakistani
(AP) Louisville upsets Florida 33-23 in Sugar BowlBy BRETT MARTELAP Sports WriterNEW ORLEANSTerell Floyd returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown on the first play, dual-threat quarterback Teddy Bridgewater directed several scoring drives and No. 22 Louisville surprised No.
By JOHN KEKISAP Sports WriterSYRACUSE, N.Y. Jim Boeheim notched his 903rd career victory, breaking a tie with Bob Knight for second all-time among Division I men’s coaches, and No. 7 Syracuse rolled past Rutgers 78-53 on Wednesday night in the
Several high-powered senators are continuing their fight against “Zero Dark Thirty,” a film many see as vindicating the use of enhanced interrogation tactics in the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Sens. John McCain, Dianne Feinstein and Carl Levin fired off a harshly
Leonardo DiCaprio is the greenest of green celebrities. The actor was a driving force behind “The 11th Hour,” a 2007 documentary sounding the alarm about global warming, deforestation and other environmental causes. He drives a hybrid car, warns us about
