Categories
Bruuuuuuuuce!!

This is why he’s The Boss!!!

Bruce Springsteen cancels North Carolina show over anti-LGBTQ law

Bruce Springsteen has canceled his upcoming concert in North Carolina due to a recently passed state law which discriminates against the LGBTQ community.

In a statement posted on his Facebook account, Springsteen explained why he decided to scrap the show, which was scheduled to take place at the Greensboro Coliseum on Sunday. “HB2 — known officially as the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act — dictates which bathrooms transgender people are permitted to use,” he wrote. “Just as important, the law also attacks the rights of LGBT citizens to sue when their human rights are violated in the workplace. No other group of North Carolinians faces such a burden.”

The new law states that “Transgender people who have not taken surgical and legal steps to change the gender noted on their birth certificates have no legal right under state law to use public restrooms of the gender with which they identify,” according to the Charlotte Observer.

Springsteen, often an outspoken voice when it comes to political and social issues, added, “To my mind, it’s an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress.”

He concluded by saying, “Right now, there are many groups, businesses, and individuals in North Carolina working to oppose and overcome these negative developments. Taking all of this into account, I feel that this is a time for me and the band to show solidarity for those freedom fighters.”

“Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.”

Read his full message below.

“As you, my fans, know I’m scheduled to play in Greensboro, North Carolina this Sunday. As we also know, North Carolina has just passed HB2, which the media are referring to as the “bathroom” law. HB2 — known officially as the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act — dictates which bathrooms transgender people are permitted to use. Just as important, the law also attacks the rights of LGBT citizens to sue when their human rights are violated in the workplace. No other group of North Carolinians faces such a burden. To my mind, it’s an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress. Right now, there are many groups, businesses, and individuals in North Carolina working to oppose and overcome these negative developments. Taking all of this into account, I feel that this is a time for me and the band to show solidarity for those freedom fighters. As a result, and with deepest apologies to our dedicated fans in Greensboro, we have canceled our show scheduled for Sunday, April 10th. Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.”

Springsteen’s The River Tour resumes on April 12th at Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Categories
Movies

You couldn’t pay me to see THE BOSS. It looks absolutely horrible.

Box office report: The Boss bests Batman v Superman with $23.5 million

Melissa McCarthy is still The Boss of the box office. Her latest comedic effort premiered in theaters this weekend and earned the top spot with an estimated $23.5 million.

It was a close race between The Boss and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The DC blockbuster experienced a massive drop in its second week in theaters, and the film was neck-in-neck with The Boss. But by the weekend’s end, it came just shy of the No. 1 spot with $23.44 million, bringing its domestic total to approximately $296.69 million.

Zootopia, on the other hand, remains solid. It closed out this weekend with $14.35 million and a cumulative domestic total of $296.01 million. Hardcore Henry, the first-person actioner, was the other major premiere this weekend. From 3,015 locations, the film earned less than projected with $5.1 million, though it seemed to target a very specific audience: male gamers who love first-person shooters like Call of Duty.

Rounding out the leftovers were My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 ($6.42 million), Miracles From Heaven ($4.84 million), God’s Not Dead 2 ($4.05 million), The Divergent Series: Allegiant ($3.6 million), 10 Cloverfield Lane ($3 million), and Eye in the Sky ($2.83 million).

Here are this weekend’s top five at the box office:

1. The Boss – $23.48 million
2. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – $23.44 million
3. Zootopia – $14.35 million
4. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 – $6.42 million
5. Hardcore Henry – $5.1 million

Categories
Awards

The show was such a snore!! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…

‘Star Wars’ leads winners at profanity-laden MTV Movie Awards

LOS ANGELES – A passionate kiss, Leonardo DiCaprio’s “Revenant” bear encounter and a foul-mouthed hosting duo dominated Saturday’s profanity-laden MTV Movie Awards, where “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” came away the top winner.

“The Force Awakens,” the third-highest grossing film of all time, led with 11 nominations and beat out blockbusters such as “Jurassic World” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron” for movie of the year. Lead star Daisy Ridley won best breakthrough performance.

“It’s especially amazing to be part of a film that represents all genders – two genders – and races and ages in such a positive and aspirational way,” Ridley said.

It’s all about the unpredictable and irreverent moments at Viacom Inc.’s fan-voted Movie Awards, which taped Saturday in Los Angeles and will air Sunday on the MTV network.

Hosts Kevin Hart and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson set the tone for the evening as they opened with curse words and insults, at one point dressing up as Batman and Superman to throw barbs at the A-list superhero actors in attendance.

They also rapped about Oscar-winner DiCaprio having sexual intercourse with a bear in “The Revenant”.

“Pitch Perfect 2” stars Rebel Wilson and Adam Devine won best kiss and recreated their messy film smooch, passionately grabbing each other on stage.

Charlize Theron won best female performance for playing Imperator Furiosa in “Mad Max: Fury Road”. She said the film was “in part a story of the power of women and the power to create our own destinies,” dedicating her win to “all the Furoisas”.

Halle Berry introduced actor-singer Will Smith as a “champion for diversity” when awarding him the MTV Generation Award. Smith joked the accolade was “the old ass dude award”.

“I want to display love, play roles that have dignity and I just want to help in this world,” the “Concussion” star said.

Other winners included hip-hop biopic “Straight Outta Compton” for best true story, Ryan Reynolds for best comedic performance and best fight for “Deadpool,” Amy Poehler for best virtual performance in “Inside Out” and Chris Pratt for best action performance for “Jurassic World”.

Actress Melissa McCarthy crowd-surfed to the stage to accept the Comedic Genius award, saying “I’m the first woman to receive this award but I am certainly not the first one to deserve it”.

“My mother taught me not to fear being the butt of the joke, not to worry about being likeable or perfect, and to lovingly go for the kill,” she said.

List of winners from the 2016 MTV Movie Award

Winners of the 25th annual MTV Movie Awards, presented Saturday at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif.:

Movie of the year: “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”

Female performance: Charlize Theron, “Mad Max: Fury Road”

Male performance: Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Revenant”

Virtual performance: Amy Poehler, “Inside Out”

Action performance: Chris Pratt, “Jurassic World”

True story: “Straight Outta Compton”

Documentary: “Amy”

Comedic performance: Ryan Reynolds, “Deadpool”

Breakthrough performance: Daisy Ridley, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”

Best kiss: Rebel Wilson and Adam Devine, “Pitch Perfect 2”

Best fight: Ryan Reynolds and Ed Skrein, “Deadpool”

Best hero: Jennifer Lawrence, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2”

Best villain: Adam Driver, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”

Ensemble cast: “Pitch Perfect 2”

MTV Generation Award: Will Smith

Comedic Genius Award: Melissa McCarthy