Donnie Wahlberg turns heads in downtown Boston, filming new TV series, ‘Boston Blue'
Passerby photographed and shot video of Wahlberg on Boston Common on Monday.
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Chicago Tribune
38 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Paramount in Aurora cuts Bold Series as city looks at pulling back on its financial support
The Paramount Theatre is putting on hold its Bold Series as the city of Aurora looks at pulling back on discussed financial support of the organization. The Aurora Civic Center Authority, which owns and operates the Paramount Theatre, sent a letter to subscribers on Monday announcing that the hiatus of the Bold Series would begin after the final performance of its current production, 'True West,' on Aug. 31 at the Copley Theatre in downtown Aurora. According to the letter, the city's previously-communicated financial support of the organization could be reduced by up to 65%, a change made after programming and budgeting had already been committed for 2026. 'This decision was not made lightly. The Bold Series has been a vital and vibrant part of our programming, offering compelling, provocative, and important work in an intimate setting,' authority officials said in the letter. 'We are immensely proud of the stories told on the Bold stage and the artists who brought them to life.' In addition to the Paramount Theatre, the Aurora Civic Center Authority owns and operates the Copley Theatre, Paramount School of the Arts and North Island Center plus manages the city-owned RiverEdge Park and Stolp Island Theatre. The move comes amid budgetary concerns at the city of Aurora, with Mayor John Laesch saying at a recent public meeting that the city is facing a 'significant hole' between revenue and expenses in 2026, and that the city has been giving the Aurora Civic Center Authority 'way too much.' However, on Tuesday, Laesch told The Beacon-News that the Paramount is 'an important crown jewel in the city of Aurora,' and that he would 'work hard to make sure it doesn't shut down on my watch,' though it isn't close to doing that. He previously said that the Paramount is 'vital for our downtown' and, without it, many of the restaurants in downtown would likely end up closing. The newly-announced move to put the Bold Series on hold means the upcoming productions of 'Covenant' and 'Ride the Cyclone' in the series are canceled, and those with tickets will be refunded, according to the organization's letter to subscribers. The change will take the organization's overall programming from 900 to around 700 performances annually, and further reductions both in theater and school programing may be coming, the letter said. Plus, the Aurora Civic Center Authority reduced its full-time staff by around 20% early this week, President and CEO Tim Rater said. In response to the authority's announcement about the programming cuts, the Actor's Equity Association released a statement calling Laesch's proposed funding cuts a 'betrayal,' citing promises he made on his campaign Facebook page of 'more art, more community,' and to 'continue supporting the Paramount.' The Actor's Equity Association is a labor union that represents over 50,000 professional actors and stage managers. However, Laesch said he has been consistent in calling for the Aurora Civic Center Authority to find a way to become financially stable, including during his time as an alderman at-large on the Aurora City Council. 'It's very frustrating that it's reached crisis mode,' he said. 'Some changes could have been made and adjusted sooner. It could have been made under the previous administration.' Actor's Equity Association Assistant Executive Director for the Central Region, Andrea Hoeschen, called on the Aurora City Council to reverse the proposed cuts. She warned in the statement that the cuts would mean fewer jobs and would harm the city's economy, as patrons who come downtown to attend shows often also pay for things like food and parking. 'This budget is short-sighted and will only hurt the city in the long run,' Hoeschen said in the statement. According to the Aurora Civic Center Authority's 'financial facts' webpage, the organization brought out more than 630,000 people in 2024 across performances and events held at Paramount Theatre, Copley Theatre, Stolp Island Theatre and RiverEdge Park. Of those attendees, more than 80% came from outside Aurora, according to the webpage. The most recent national Arts & Economic Prosperity study, which was referenced on the authority's webpage, found that those who attend nonprofit arts or culture events spent more than $38 per person per event, not including the cost of the ticket. Based on those numbers, the Aurora Civic Center Authority likely generated around $24 million just from those who attended its performances and events in 2024. The authority's website also highlighted the growth that has taken place in downtown Aurora since the Broadway Series started at the Paramount Theatre in 2011, noting the opening of many new businesses, restaurants and residential properties along with several renovation projects. According to the city's own Downtown Revitalization Open Data Portal, the 'growth and evolution' of downtown in recent years has been 'largely anchored in the arts and supported by a vibrant small business community.' The Aurora Civic Center Authority has so far not been funded by local property taxes, according to the organization's 'financial facts' webpage. Before 2021, the authority only got money through the city as part of a redevelopment agreement with the downtown Hollywood Casino, the webpage says. Because the casino was built on land owned by the authority, it gets a portion of the head tax paid by the casino and collected by the city. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Aurora gave some of the funds it received through the federal American Rescue Plan Act to the authority, among other local organizations, according to the webpage. In total, the authority has received over $11.5 million in federal funds from the city since 2021, the webpage states. The Aurora Civic Center Authority was facing a $7 million gap in its 2026 budget, and under former Mayor Richard Irvin, the city was considering filling that gap as part of a larger plan to make the organization financially self-sufficient again, Rater said. The $7 million in planned support from the city represented roughly 20% of the organization's overall yearly budget, he said. But, just days after being elected as the city's new mayor, Laesch said that the City of Lights Center, a 4,000-seat theater and event space that would have been managed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority, was 'pretty much dead.' The proposed venue was seen by proponents as a significant piece of the three-part plan to make the Aurora Civic Center Authority financial sustainable, but Rater said that since the project is no longer happening, it makes sense that Aurora would work to reduce the amount it supports the authority as it faces larger budgetary constraints. Although Laesch has said that the center would cost too much and didn't make much sense to him or others, Rater previously said it would have helped the organization be financially stable without the city's help, which was backed by data compiled by CH Johnson Consulting, a Chicago-based real estate consulting firm. The city previously intended to take out bonds to pay for the authority's $7 million budget gap and start construction on the City of Lights Center this year as part of the second phase of the three-part plan, according to past reporting. Now, under a new mayoral administration and in the midst of the 2026 budgeting process, the city is looking to give the Aurora Civic Center Authority far less. City staff previously calculated that the city could afford to support the authority with around $2.5 million, but further along in the budget process, that number may be less, Laesch said. 'I understand that ACCA doesn't want a steep decline. Neither do I, but the math is going to drive that number,' he said. Aurora Civic Center Authority officials said in their letter to subscribers that, if the city of Aurora's 'financial outlook and willingness to support our programming' shifts in the future, they are optimistic that they will get the chance to bring back the Bold Series and other programs. Rater is hopeful that the city and the authority can work together to reach a 'common sense' number that both are comfortable with, he said. But if the city does end up funding the authority far under the $7 million mark, that would mean additional cuts beyond what have already been made, though it is unclear right now where those cuts would come from, according to Rater. He said the Paramount School of the Arts' programing and staffing could be impacted, along with other programs. Laesch said his administration has made suggestions to the Aurora Civic Center Authority on ways to become more financially stable, including by adjusting subscriptions and ticket prices. But when asked about the idea, Rater said tickets were already competitively priced with other theaters, and that the authority is committed to making its shows accessible to the community. However, the tickets can get expensive, and the prices do go up each year, he said. The Aurora Civic Center Authority could only do what's profitable, but that would mean less shows, less people and less activity downtown, according to Rater. As a municipal corporation, its mission is to bring people downtown and expose them to the arts, he said, not turn a profit.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Trump rips ‘no talent' Gayle King, citing New York Post report over her ‘murky' future at CBS
President Trump on Tuesday slammed CBS News star Gayle King as having 'no talent' and 'no ratings,' citing an exclusive report from The Post about her 'murky' future at the network as her morning show's viewership plummets. 'Gayle King's career is over,' Trump posted on Truth Social, alongside a link to Monday's article in The Post. 'She should have stayed with her belief in TRUMP. She never had the courage to do so. No talent, no ratings, no strength!!' Advertisement CBS declined to comment. The Post reported that CBS faces a growing dilemma over the future of the mega-buck anchor as ratings for her 'woke' morning show collapse, while the struggling network's new owners vow to root out left-wing bias. Advertisement King is part of a culture that has 'dug in' against attempts by higher-ups to move away from polarizing coverage, sources close to the situation told The Post. The article also revealed that 'CBS Mornings'' executive producer Shawna Thomas under King has created an 'agenda-driven' program that has alienated the majority of the country, sources claimed. They said the head producer has pushed back on orders from top brass to run stories that appeal to the entire country. 'The audience doesn't want woke. It doesn't like progressive and provocative bookings,' one of the sources said. Advertisement 'The morning show audience wants optimism and cheer and joy and what they were producing is at odds with audience expectations.' 3 The Post exclusively reported on the turmoil inside 'CBS Mornings' and Gayle King's uncertain future. CBS News Major changes are expected to take place when independent studio Skydance, led by CEO David Ellison, grabs the reins. The FCC finally cleared its $8.4 billion merger with Paramount last week and the deal is expected to close Thursday. To get FCC approval, Skydance pledged to hire an ombudsman to monitor for any political bias at CBS News. Paramount also eliminated its DEI policies. Advertisement 3 Trump weighed in on King's future in a Truth Social post, a week after he applauded CBS' decision to end Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show.' Getty Images Trump's post comes after he has been bragging in recent weeks about CBS' decision to cancel Stephen Colbert and 'The Late Show.' In a post on Truth Social late last month, Trump claimed that 'everybody' thinks he was 'solely responsible' for the end of 'The Late Show,' an statement the he declared 'not true!' Instead, he said Stephen Colbert was canceled was due to '$50 Million Dollars a year' in losses and a 'pure lack of TALENT.'
Cosmopolitan
2 hours ago
- Cosmopolitan
2025 VMAs Snubs, From Addison Rae to Kesha
As the festival circuit starts to fizzle out and the scorching summer temps begin feeling a little breezy, that can only mean awards season is nearly upon us. One of the first on the docket is MTV's Video Music Awards, which just dropped its list of nominations for the 2025 ceremony. Lady Gaga is up for the most Moon Person awards this year, including major categories like Video of the Year and Artist of the Year for 'Abracadabra' and 'Die With a Smile.' Other frontrunners this year include Kendrick Lamar with 10 nominations, Rosé with 8, and Ariana Grande with 7. There are even 33 artists (!!!) who have scored their first VMA noms and two new categories, Best Country and Best Pop Artist, have been introduced for the 2025 show, which airs on CBS and MTV on Sunday, September 7. I don't have many issues with many of the nominations, but I will point out that there are some key players who are absent from the list. That's why I'm naming them here instead—y'all are seen and will never be forgotten on this corner of the internet. It's essential to note that the VMAs' eligibility period this year ran from June 20, 2024, to June 18, 2025, so I'm only including artists who have been active within that timeframe. So, without further ado, here are the 2025 VMAs snubs that deserved a chance at a Moon Person in these specific categories. Listen Here I won't lie, I'm pretty pleased with this year's Best New Artist nominations, from sombr and Gigi Perez to Ella Langley and The Marías (who landed on Cosmopolitan's best albums list last year). However... Tucker Pillsbury/saintlaurentcowboy/ROLE MODEL is clearly missing. Though he's up for his first-ever Moon Person this year with 'Sally, When the Wine Runs Out' in the MTV Push Performance of the Year category, Tucker's cultural impact deserves more recognition. His sophomore album, Kansas Anymore, dropped last summer, and its deluxe edition has earned more than 95 million streams since it was released this year. He's toured with artists like Gracie Abrams and LANY, and seemingly every celebrity under the sun has been his 'Sally' during live performances. Reneé Rapp and Olivia Rodrigo wouldn't hop on stage with just anyone, people! Listen Here As an early believer in Main Pop Girl Addison Rae, I am not here for this erasure. Was it delusional for me to expect a VMA nom for pop's newly minted princess? Not in the slightest. She's got co-signs from some of the biggest names in pop, from Charli XCX and Olivia Rodrigo to Lana Del Rey and Lady Gaga. She naturally oozed star power on the red carpet at last year's show in an instantly iconic feathered outfit by Miss Claire Sullivan. Addison's self-titled debut album dropped on June 6, a few days shy of the VMAs eligibility deadline, and did we mention? It debuted at No. 4 and marked her first entry on the Billboard 200 chart. The fact that Addison didn't snag a single nomination (especially in the Best Pop category) is egregious, and her army of 34 million Instagram followers and nearly 454 million streams on 'Diet Pepsi' would agree. Listen Here Not to be confused with Best Pop, the Best Pop Artist is a new category that was introduced this year. It's not that I necessarily disagree with the noms. The list is pretty stacked with VMA vets and rising stars alike (Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Justin Bieber, Lorde, Miley Cyrus, Sabrina Carpenter, and Tate McRae). Still, I couldn't help but notice one name was fully left out, and that's Lady Gaga. Granted, Mother Monster leads the charge with 12 nominations this year for Mayhem and her Bruno Mars collab, 'Die With a Smile,' but it begs the question: why omit her from this category, too? Perhaps she doesn't need another nom, but it feels a little weird that she wasn't recognized here. Listen Here Our Swamp Princess—who tore up the stage with Katy Perry last year—is nominated for four Moon Person trophies at the 2025 ceremony, including Song of the Year, Best Hip-Hop, Video for Good, and Best Choreography. All those nominations are thanks to her viral hit, 'Anxiety,' which was noticeably absent from the Video of the Year category. Past winners include Lauryn Hill's 'Doo Wop (That Thing),' Britney Spears's 'Piece of Me,' and Lil Nas X's 'Montero (Call Me By Your Name),' and, to me, 'Anxiety' has what it takes, too. I mean, aside from everyone and their mother knowing this song, its visual component is incredible on so many levels. It not only features cameos from Doechii's twin sisters, but also calls back to the original video where she performed the flow over Gotye's 'Somebody That I Used to Know' instrumental. Thankfully, the intricate dance break is already being recognized in the Best Choreography category. So, why wouldn't this join the ranks for Video of the Year? Listen Here So, I originally wanted to shout out Kesha for the Best Album category for . (PERIOD), but it dropped outside of this year's eligibility deadline. Released on July 4, it's her first album as an independent artist under her label, Kesha Records. The move came after a decade-long legal battle with producer Dr. Luke, which took place while she was still bound to a contract under his label following allegations of sexual assault. Now, she's released a full body of work and produced her ongoing Tits Out Tour on her terms, as a free woman. While she may not have made the eligibility cutoff, I'd love to see her receive her overdue, well-deserved flowers with the coveted Video Vanguard Award. There's no word on who's in the running for the golden Moon Person, let alone if MTV is even honoring an artist with the award this year. However, one thing's for certain: Kesha's got nearly 15 years' worth of hits, and she's been performing re-produced versions of them on tour, so it's definitely possible to honor her legacy.
