Monday, February 2, 2026
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“Heated Rivalry” Stars — Unknown Two Months Ago — Now So Hot They’re Carrying the Olympic Torch in Milan: Can They Even Skate?

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The story of the stars of “Heated Rivalry” is unrivaled for its explosive nature.

Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie were unknown to everyone except their families two months ago.

The series — a kind of gay hockey Hallmark miniseries — dropped on HBO Max on November 28th.

Since then, the show and the actors have experienced a kind of Beatlemania. They just did a press tour that caused intense pandemonium among their viewers. They’re walking runways, chatting with Jimmy Fallon, and giving opinions on every topic.

Now they’re going to carry the Olympic torch in Milan, Italy on February 6th, the night the Winter Olympics in Milan, Cortina begin. The ceremony will be broadcast on NBC, which is no doubt popping Champagne corks.

Can these guys even skate? It seems like the show I watched was all cutaways.

You’d think “Heated Rivalry” had been on the air since September. But they only had a six episode season. A second season is not shooting yet. How will these actors, who’ve become overnight sensations, return to their show with straight faces? Will the show be able to continue, or will fans be disappointed by the next go ’round.

We’ll see what happens next. (Think “Yellowstone.”)

PS The instrumental soundtrack to the show, by someone called Peter Peter, is number 14 on iTunes! TV tie-ins rarely produce original musical hits, and not instrumental. What is this?

Harry Styles Is Back with Snoozey EDM Disco Record, “Aperture,” A Droning Dance Number As If Giorgio Moroder Was on Ambien

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The new Harry Styles single is a little odd, a droning EDM disco confection that brings new meaning to “lethargic.”

“Aperture” barely has a tune or a melody or hook. It sounds as if disco legend Giorgio Moroder made a single for the Ambien crowd.

Will “Aperture” be a hit in clubs? Maybe, with remixes. But the crowd may also doze off. It’s also not radio friendly, if that matters.

Is “Aperture” — which really should have been called “We Belong Together” — a taste of what’s to come with Harry’s new album?

Also, is there an actual instrument used to create this sound? Or is it just AI?

Harry is doing a 7 city residency tour this spring, with a massive 30 performances at Madison Square Garden and nowhere else in the US. If you want to see him, you’ve got to come here.

He also has six shows at Wembley Stadium in London, and stops in Amsterdam, Sao Paolo, Mexico City, Melbourne and Sydney. The best known opening acts are Shania Twain, and Robyn.

So here is “Aperture,” which is no “Watermelon Sugar.” All that walking around London and Rome and this what we get:

“Saturday Night Live” Return with Finn Wolfhard, ASAP Rocky Plummets from Christmas Show, Hits Season Low Average

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Saturday Night Live has definitely lost ratings steam this year.

After a big opening in October, the show dropped to an average of around 4.1 million for the all season..

The only really bright spot was the Christmas show with Ariana Grande and Cher. Ratings shot up to 5.4 million.

But this past Saturday’s return for the winter session saw a collapse from that high. “Stranger Things” star Finn Wolfhard and musical guest ASAP Rocky brought in just that 4.1 million again.

Upcoming shows with Teyana Taylor and Geese, and Alexander Skarsgard and Cardi B, don’t promise much improvement.

Frankly, Saturday’s episode was a snooze. The first segment after the monologue was incomprehensible. I guess Sabrina Carpenter was featured, but no one over 12 would hasve known from her costume as a kid, to whatever it was they were talking about.

“SNL” isn’t getting the message on the music, either. I know Geese is getting a lot of marketing push, but no one knows who they are. They haven’t had a hit yet. The show needs to bring on acts with some name recognition. That’s why Cher’s show did so well.

Any of these sketches should have come right after the monologue.

HBO’s Poignant, Funny Mel Brooks Doc Includes Final Interview with Rob Reiner, Who Met Dad’s Best Friend When He Was Just Four Years Old

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The first past of Judd Apatow’s Mel Brooks documentary begins tonight on HBO.

It’s a winner, of course. How could it not be? At 99, Mel Brooks is a wonder of the western world. A comedy genius, director, writer, performer, and mensch.

Apatow and pals couldn’t go wrong even if they tried. But they got it all right, especially with a lot of new interview material with Brooks, who knows how to tell his life story.

Part 1 is punctuated by an interview with Rob Reiner, son of Brooks’s best friend, Carl. Rob says he met Mel at age four, which makes his murder last month all the more upsetting.

There are a lot of home movies and clips of Brooks’s interviews over the years. He’s very honest about being an absent husband to his first wife, and having very low career moments until “The Producers” in 1968 brought him an Oscar. It opened the door to all his success in the 70s and 80s.

Yes, there’s plenty of material about “Get Smart.” And I’m thrilled they used some of Mel on the David Suskind show talking about Jewish mothers. A classic comedy moment.

Stay tuned, because Part 2 airs Friday night, also not to be missed.

The two parts feature new interviews with Brooks himself, as well as the comedians he has inspired including Ben Stiller, Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Sandler, Nick Kroll, Patton Oswalt, Dave Chappelle, Conan O’Brien, Josh Gad, Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, and Tracey Ullman; filmmakers Rob Reiner, Robert Townsend, Peter Farrelly, Jerry & David Zucker, Barry Levinson, and David Lynch; actors Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Cary Elwes, Matthew Broderick, and Nathan Lane; Brooks’ children Stefanie, Nicolas, Eddie, and Max; and granddaughter Samantha.

Is Jacob Elordi Our New James Bond? Today’s Oscar Nomination for “Frankenstein” May Make Him the Youngest 007 Ever

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READ ALL OF TODAY’S SHOWBIZ411 HEADLINES HERE

Today’s Oscar nominations may be more important than you know.

Jacob Elordi, just 28, got his first nod, for “Frankenstein.”

The Australian born star of TV’s “Euphoria” has taken off like a rocket.

Now, with this nomination, he moves up to top of the list of candidates to play James Bond.

He’d be the youngest 007 ever. But that’s what the new producers of Bond want — youth.

Elordi would bring a huge following of a new generation of Bond fans, too. Very shortly, he’ll be on screen with Margot Robbie in quote unquote Wuthering Heights, directed by Emerald Fennell. After scorching the earth in Fennell’s “Saltburn,” Elordi has vaulted to the top of the under 30 stars. See the trailer below.

Rumors are Elordi’s had meetings with the producers and director Denis Villeneuve. With the Oscar nod, “Wuthering Heights,” and “Euphoria,” watch this space for news.

Let’s see if he’s shaken, or stirred!

PS Choice for new James Bond singer– I’d vote for Olivia Dean, no debate.

Oscar Noms: “Sinners” Most in History, Ariana Grande, “Wicked” Snubbed, “Avatar,” Also George Clooney, “Jay Kelly,” Miley Cyrus Song, “One Battle” Actress

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“Sinners” scored 16 nominations this morning, the most in history.

“One Battle After Another” followed with 13.

Biggest acting snub — Chase Infiniti, from “One Battle,” was expected to be nominated. Kate Hudson got her spot.

Nothing for “Wicked,” “Avatar,” George Clooney and “Jay Kelly.”

Best Picture — Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty, One Battle, Secret Agent, Sent Value, Sinners, Train Dreams

Best Director — Hamnet, Marty, One Battle, Sentimental Value, Sinners

Best Actor — Timothee Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Michael B Jordan, Wagner Moura

Best Supporting Actor — Benicio del Toro, Jacob Elordi, Delroy Lindo, Sean Penn, Stellan Skarsgard

Best Actress — Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson, Renate Reinsve, Emma Stone

Best Supporting Actress — Elle Fanning, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleass, Amy Madigan, Teyanya Taylor, Wunmi Mosaka 

Best Original Screenplay — Blue Moon, It Was Just an Accident, Marty Supreme, Sentimental Value, Sinners

Best Adapted Screenplay — Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, One Battle, Train Dreams

Best Song — Dear Me, Sinners, Viva Verde, Train Dreams, Demon Hunters

Best Score — Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, One Battle, Sinners

Best Foreign Film — Secret Agent, Accident, Sentimental, Sirat, Voice of Hind

Best Animated Film — Arco, Elio, Demon Hunters, Little Amelie, Zootopia

Best Cinematography — Frankenstein, Marty, One Battle, Sinners, Train Dreams

Best Editing – F1, Marty, One battle, Sen Value, Sinners

Casting — Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle, Secret Agent, Sinners

Best Documentary — Alabama, Good Light, Cutting, Mr Nobody, The Perfect Neighbor

keep refreshing your browser

Sydney Sweeney to Star in Previously Un-filmable Movie Version of Edith Wharton Novel, “Custom of the Country”

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Sydney Sweeney is going where no actress has gone before.

She’s going to star in a film version of Edith Wharton’s 1913 novel, “The Custom of the Country.” Sweeney will play the aggressively ambitious and unlikable Undine Spragg, a force of nature on the page but so far not translatable to screen or stage.

This is the same novel that was going to be adapted by Sofia Coppola for Apple TV with Florence Pugh in the lead — until the studio pulled the plug.

Josie Rourke, whose only film credit is the panned box office dud “Mary, Queen of Scots,” is the director. Producers include Alison Owen (1998’s Elizabeth”) and British movie publicist Charles Finch.

The only successful Wharton film adaptation has been Martin Scorsese’s 1993 hit, “The Age of Innocence,” starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder. All other attempts to put Wharton on the big screen have failed, and no one has made “Custom of the Country.”

Also, in the 114 years since the novel was published, Broadway has also not welcomed any productions.

It’s unclear if anyone’s mentioned that to Sweeney, who also hasn’t had any experience with period pieces. She’s coming off two recent releases right now, “The Housemaid,” and “Christy.” She’ll next be seen in season 3 of HBO’s “Euphoria.”

In the old days you could actually imagine some wild, bawdy take on “Custom of the Country,” made by Ken Russell. How this will work out is anyone’s guess.

Kelly & Mark’s Mark Consuelos Will Make Broadway Debut This Spring with Rose Byrne, Kelli O’Hara in Noel Coward Revival

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Mark Consuelos will be one busy boy this spring.

The co-host of “Live with Kelly and Mark” is making his Broadway debut in a Noel Coward comedy revival.

Consuelos is co-starring with Kelli O’Hara and Rose Byrne in Coward’s “Fallen Angels,” which will also feature Christopher Fitzgerald, Tracee Chimo, and Asif Mandvi.

Preview performances begin on Friday, March 27, 2026, and open officially on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at the Todd Haimes Theatre (227 West 42nd Street) on Broadway. This is a limited engagement through Sunday, June 7, 2026.

Consuelos got his start on the soap, “All My Children,” eons ago and met his wife Kelly Ripa there. They now co-host the very popular morning show, which airs at 9am every day.

Will he really go home around 10pm after “Angels,” head to the studio for 9am, and make it back to the theater — even on matinee days? Just wait and see…actors to used be on soaps all day and do theater at night. It’s a grand tradition!

PS It will give the couple a lot to talk about every morning, that’s for sure!

Grammys Will Showcase All Best New Artists Nominees Including Leon Thomas, Olivia Dean, SOMBR, Alex Warren, The Marias, Katseye

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Here’s great news from the Grammy Awards.

They will feature a section with each of the Best New Artists nominees performing their hits.

That means Addison Rae, Alex Warren, KATSEYE, Leon Thomas, Lola Young, Olivia Dean, SOMBR, and The Marías will all be showcased on the CBS broadcast February 1st.

This is a great idea, and should become a tradition. Best New Artist is the future of music. This year’s gang is especially good, too. Hard to make a decision on a winner.

For you best new fans, btw, “Grammy” is a nod to the Gramophone, which is what recorded music was played on a long, long time ago.

Famed Musician Carly Simon’s Tribute to Late Friend, Musician John Forte, of the Fugees World, Who She Considered a “Godson”

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Last week, musician John Forte, 51, died at home on Martha’s Vineyard.

Forte was part of the world of the Fugees, a talented songwriter and singer.

After he was arrested and imprisoned for drugs, Ben Taylor — Carly Simon’s musician son — got his mother on the cause of freeing John. She was tireless in her campaign, going so far as to enlist the help of Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. Hatch was instrumental in Forte’s release.

Now Carly has posted her own tribute as Forte’s family and friends mourn his loss. (It’s like he hit his head after falling from a convulsion.)

Carly’s post is below, followed by one earlier from the Fugees’ Wyclef Jean: