AP Entertainment Digest for Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020

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THURSDAY, Dec. 17

UPDATES with MUSIC-INTERSCOPE RECORDS, CHINA-MUSIC-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

YE-AP BREAKTHROUGH ENTERTAINERS-FINNEAS — In 2020, Finneas has emerged as a vibrant addition to the world of music, writing songs, recording his own music and serving as producer and engineer to his younger sister, Billie Eilish. He's among the AP's Breakthrough Entertainers this year. By Music Writer Mesfin Fekadu. SENT: 825 words, photos and video.

YE-AP BREAKTHROUGH ENTERTAINERS-SARAH COOPER — Months after Sarah Cooper's videos lip-syncing President Donald Trump's words made her social media sensation, the comedian was filming her own hour-long Netflix special alongside anyone’s dream guest stars: Helen Mirren, Marisa Tomei, Ben Stiller, Jon Hamm and Winona Ryder. By Amanda Lee Myers. SENT: 830 words, photos and video.

THEATER-HERSHEY FIELD — Since the global pandemic shut down theaters, pianist and actor Hershey Felder has been hunkered down in Florence, remounting his shows on great composers — Ludwig van Beethoven and Irving Berlin, among them — and pivoting them for streams, keeping his crew of 10 employed. By Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy. SENT: 840 words, photos.

SMITHSONIAN-EMOJI ACQUISITION — The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum has acquired two emoji that have helped broaden diversity for users of the tiny pictures, becoming the third museum to add emoji to their digital collections. The museum acquired the “person with headscarf” and “inter-skintone couple” emoji for its burgeoning collection of digital assets. By Leanne Italie. SENT: 816 words, photos, video.

MUSIC-INTERSCOPE RECORDS — Interscope Geffen A&M has been named the No. 1 record label of the year by Billboard. The label is home to Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga. By Music Writer Mesfin Fekadu. SENT: 260 words, photos.

BOOKS-SHIRLEY JACKSON — More than 50 years after her death, we still have not seen everything by Shirley Jackson. An early story never published before, “Adventure On a Bad Night,” appears this week in the winter issue of Strand Magazine. It continues a decades-long project headed by her son, to sort through the papers left behind when his mother died at age 48. By National Writer Hillel Italie. SENT: 680 words.

CHINA-MUSIC-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — Chinese singer Tan Weiwei chants each word methodically in a two-line string of vulgarities and insults. The 16 words in her new song share something in common: The character for woman, “nu,” is part of the Chinese character for each word. Tan’s forceful and shocking use of these words — often used to disparage women — is meant to draw attention to the issue of domestic violence. By Huizhong Wu. SENT: 495 words, photo.

REAL HOUSEWIVES-ASSAULT CHARGE -— A reputed mobster admitted assaulting the then-boyfriend and now husband of a former “Real Housewives of New Jersey” cast member in exchange for a deeply discounted lavish wedding reception. SENT: 190 words, photo.

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FILM REVIEW-WONDER WOMAN 1984. By Film Writer Jake Coyle. SENT Tuesday: 809 words, film stills.

FILM REVIEW-ASSASSINS. By Film Writer Lindsey Bahr. SENT Wednesday: 655 words, film stills.

MUSIC REVIEW-PAUL McCARTNEY. By Scott Bauer. SENT Monday: 280 words, album cover

BOOK REVIEW-FOOL ME TWICE. By Jeff Lindsay. Reviewed by Bruce DeSilva. SENT Monday: 340 words, cover image.