What’s Up Archives

ABC has canceled “Roseanne” after Roseanne Barr’s racially charged tweet about Valerie Jarrett Monday morning. ABC entertainment president Channing Dungey said in a statement that “Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show.” Barr said earlier on Tuesday in response to a Twitter thread about Jarrett, a former adviser to Barack Obama, that “muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj,”  Barr apologized before ABC decided to cancel the show on Tuesday, saying that her statement suggesting that former Barack Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett is a product of the Muslim Brotherhood and the “Planet of the Apes” was a “joke” that was “in bad taste. However the “Roseanne” star’s tweet caused swift backlash on Twitter: consulting producer Wanda Sykes said she would not be returning to the sitcom, and executive producer and co-star Sara Gilbert said that Barr’s comments were “abhorrent and do not reflect the beliefs of our cast and crew or anyone associated with our show.” 

The company behind “Sesame Street” is suing the makers of Melissa McCarthy’s upcoming raunchy comedy, “The Happytime Murders,” for referencing Sesame Street in its marketing campaign. The R-rated film follows “two clashing detectives” (Melissa McCarthy and her partner, a puppet named Phil Phillips) in Los Angeles as they work together “to solve the brutal murders of the former cast of a beloved classic puppet television show,” according to its website. The Happytime Murders uses the tagline “No Sesame. All Street” in the movie’s trailer. In the lawsuit Sesame Workshop argues that STX Entertainment does not have the right to use “Sesame Street” in its tagline. They argue that the tagline “deliberately confuses consumers into mistakenly believing that Sesame is associated with, has allowed, or has even endorsed or produced the movie and tarnishes Sesame’s brand.” The film is directed by Brian Henson, son of late puppeteer Jim Henson, who helped develop characters for “Sesame Street” and created the Muppets. The lawsuit asks for a jury trial, punitive damages and that “The Happytime Murders” change its advertising. “The Happytime Murders” is schedule to be released on August 17.

Kensington Palace announced that The Duchess of Sussex has been bestowed with a coat of arms, days after her royal wedding to Prince Harry. The coat of arms was designed by the College of Arms and approved by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, and is emblazoned with personal touches like the golden poppies from her home state, California, and wintersweet, which grows at her new residence, Kensington Palace. The blue background of the shield itself signifies the Pacific Ocean off the California coast, while the two golden rays across the shield are symbolic of the Golden State. In a statement, Kensington Palace said: “It is customary for Supporters of the shield to be assigned to Members of the Royal Family, and for wives of Members of the Royal Family to have one of their husband’s Supporters and one relating to themselves. The Supporter relating to The Duchess of Sussex is a songbird with wings elevated as if flying and an open beak, which with the quill represents the power of communication.”

On Thursday, CNN published an investigation into a number of allegations of sexual harassment and “inappropriate behavior” against Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman. The 80-year-old actor has had a long career that includes films like Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby, and the Dark Knight trilogy, and is also the co-founder of Revelations Entertainment, a production company that the report alleges fostered a “toxic work environment” for female staffers. According to CNN, neither Freeman nor his spokesperson has yet responded to multiple requests for comment. The report presents a long and detailed account of a pattern of alleged harassment and inappropriate behavior by Freeman. You can read the full report at: CNN.com.

Idris Elba will star, direct and produce a modern retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame for the streaming service Netflix, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Based on a script by Michael Mitnick, the film is being described as “sonic and musical experience” and will feature an original score. Victor Hugo’s classic French novel has seen many screen adaptations, including Disney’s 1996 animated film.  Elba has worked with Netflix before, earning critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for his role in “Beasts of No Nation.” He’s also set to star and executive produce the upcoming comedy “Turn Up Charlie” about a struggling DJ.