Month: August 2024

Authorities announced on Thursday, Aug. 15 that five people have been charged in connection with the death of Matthew Perry. Perry died on Oct. 28 at age 54 from an accidental drug overdose, with an autopsy report stating that the ‘Friends’ actor passed away from acute effects of ketamine. Other contributing factors included drowning, coronary artery disease and effects from buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. Per NBC News, two of the suspects are doctors, and one was Perry’s personal assistant.

The Department of Justice announced that the first two defendants in the case are Jasveen Sangha (referred to as “The Ketamine Queen”) and Dr. Salvador Plascencia.  United States Attorney Martin Estrada shared that Sangha is facing one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine Plascencia, a licensed physician, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.

Perry’s assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, Erik Fleming and Dr. Mark Chavez were also charged separately in connection with the actor’s death. Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, with the DOJ press release stating that he “repeatedly” injected Perry with ketamine “without medical training, including performing multiple injections on Perry on October 28, 2023 – the day Perry died.”  Fleming pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Chavez will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.

Estrada said during a press conference that the investigation into Perry’s death revealed a “broad underground criminal network responsible for delivering a large quantity of ketamine to Matthew Perry and others,” adding that it was discovered that Perry fell back into addiction in Fall 2023. Said Estrada: “in the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his well being.”

The Los Angeles Police Department began an investigation into the star’s death in May. An investigative source with the LAPD said at the time that the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. postal inspectors were also involved in the investigation.

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ABC7 reported that search warrants have been issued by the Los Angeles Police Department, with arrests expected to be imminent in the murder of former ‘General Hospital’ star Johnny Wactor. Police had recently released photos of the suspects and vehicle connected to the murder.

TMZ reported that search warrants were served on gang members early Thursday morning, and several suspects were detained amid the investigation, with multiple arrests are expected. TMZ wrote:  “LAPD has ID’d members of the Florencia 13 gang in connection with Johnny’s murder outside Level 8 in downtown L.A., where he worked,” and revealed that fingerprints found at the scene were key to cracking the case.

Wactor’s murder took place on May 25 while walking back to his car with his co-worker, Anita Joy, after they finished a shift in the middle of the night, and happened upon three men at Wactor’s car.  Wactor initially thought he was getting a ticket but quickly realized the men were trying to steal his catalytic converter from his car. As gunfire erupted, Wactor stepped in front of his friend and was shot while protecting her from a bullet.   Paramedics rushed Wactor to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

At a press conference earlier this week, Wactor’s mother, Scarlett Wactor, urged Mayor Karen Bass and District Attorney George Gascón to strengthen the criminal justice system.  Over the month since his death. Wactor’s friends and former co-workers have kept pressure on police to solve the case, staging protests and sharing his case repeatedly on social media in the hopes that his the murder investigation wasn’t forgotten.

Wactor appeared on nearly 200 episodes of “General Hospital” from 2020-22, with other acting credits including “Westworld,” “The OA,” “NCIS,” “Station 19,” “Criminal Minds” and “Hollywood Girl.”

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NBC and Peacock announced the nominees for the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards, to be telecast on NBC and Peacock on Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. The show is an offshoot of the long-running People’s Choice Awards show, which last aired in February on NBC.

The People’s Choice Country Awards, first held in 2023, will return for a second edition, and the list of this year’s nominees include Beyoncé, Shaboozey, Zach Bryan, Kacey Musgraves, Morgan Wallen and Jelly Roll.

Bryan leads the nominations with 19, followed by Beyoncé with 17 and Musgraves with 15. Shaboozey, the newcomer whose “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has dominated the Billboard Hot 100 in the last couple of months, has 12 nominations. The nominees for the top award — the People’s Artist of 2024 — are Beyoncé, Jelly Roll, Kacey Musgraves, Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan.

Fans can now vote for their favorite nominees across 18 categories, which have expanded this year to include Female Song, Male Song, Group/Duo Song, Cover Song, New Artist Song and Storyteller Song.

Country music icon Shania Twain is set to host this year’s awards ceremony, airing live from the Grand Ole Opry on NBC and Peacock, posting social media: “Let’s go girls Say howdy to your 2024 #PCCAs host, @shaniatwain! Tune in to the People’s Choice Country Awards on September 26th 8/7c on NBC and streaming on @peacock.”

Twain later added in a statement: “Country has some of the most passionate fans in music and us artists are so lucky to be supported in doing what we love. I am honored to host an award show that celebrates these awesome fans. Get ready for an unforgettable show with lots of big hair, glamour, rhinestones, hats, boots, and incredible performances. Giddy up!”

Executive Vice President, Live Events and Specials, NBCUniversal Entertainment Jen Neal also shared: “With a proven track record of creating music that stands the test of time, Shania is a beloved member of the country community. As we return to the Grand Ole Opry House, she is the perfect person to help us celebrate country’s finest.”

The two-hour awards ceremony live from Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, which is set to air Thursday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT across NBC and Peacock.

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Warner Bros. shared the full-length trailer for the upcoming film Joker: Folie à Deux, featuring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga. Joker: Folie à Deux is a sequel to the 2019 film Joker, inspired by DC Comics characters and  co-written and directed by Todd Phillips.

Phoenix reprises his role as Arthur Fleck (aka Joker) while Lady Gaga has joined the cast as Harleen Quinzel, aka Harley Quinn. An official film synopsis reads: “‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him.”

The trailer shows Joker (Phoenix) and Harley Quinn (Gaga) connect at Arkham Asylum and cause chaos in Gotham City. Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener and Zazie Beetz also star.

Joker: Folie à Deux opens in theaters Oct. 4; check out the trailer: here.

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Katie Holmes, Kumail Nanjiani, Giancarlo Esposito and Gaby Hoffmann will guest star in Season 2 of Peacock’s mystery dramedy, Poker Face, with the streaming service posting: “just when you thought the series couldn’t get better.”

The murder mystery show starring Natasha Lyonne and created by Rian Johnson has a ‘case-of-the-week’ format. Lyonne stars in every episode as Charlie Cale, a Las Vegas cocktail waitress who has been on the run since the premiere and makes weekly pit-stops to solve murders, establishing herself as the show’s unlikely detective who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying.

Tony Tost will serve as showrunner and executive producer for the new episodes alongside executive producers Rian Johnson, Ram Bergman and star Natasha Lyonne. Guest stars for season one included Nick Nolte, Cherry Jones, Clea DuVall, Adrien Brody, Chloë Sevigny, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jameela Jamil, Judith Light, Ellen Barkin, Lil Rel Howery, Ron Perlman, Stephanie Hsu and Tim Meadows.

No premiere date has been set for Season 2.

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Apple TV+ has renewed its crime drama, Presumed Innocent, for a second season. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the streaming service has ordered a second season of the legal drama, which is based on Scott Turow’s best-selling novel.

The show’s eight-episode first season starred Jake Gyllenhaal as a prosecutor accused of murdering a colleague. Season 2, however,  will follow a new case – with no word yet on which (if any) members of the show’s current cast (including Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, O-T Fagbenle, Chase Infiniti, Elizabeth Marvel, Nana Mensah, Renate Reinsve, Peter Sarsgaard, Kingston Rumi Southwick and Gabby Beans) will return.

Presumed Innocent was Gyllenhaal’s first starring role in a TV series, and he says of the experience: “I had never been involved in a creative process like that, meaning not just the length of a show and that it was going to be eight hours but also that it was going to be revealed to me as we went along. I like the opportunity of different mediums. I like what it does, the questions it asks. As a performer, it’s so interesting to be in a different medium and see how it feels.”

Presumed Innocent is produced by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions and David E. Kelley Productions in association with Warner Bros. TV. Kelley adapted Turow’s novel (which was previously the basis for a 1990 feature film, starring Harrison Ford) and also serves as showrunner.

Kelley, Tinker, Abrams, Rich, Gyllenhaal and Thomason are all set to return as executive producers for Season 2, with Turow again serving as co-executive producer.

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