AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 1:33 p.m. EST

Margaret Atwood reflects on literature, feminism and luck

NEW YORK (AP) — Margaret Atwood's “Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts” offers a 600-page reflection on her personal and creative journey. Atwood is known for her dystopian novel “The Handmaid's Tale.” In the new book, she explores her life from the Canadian wilderness to international acclaim. Despite her reluctance to write a memoir, she found value in sharing memories rather than a traditional biography. The book delves into her inspirations, including her childhood experiences and the influence of her parents. Atwood also discusses themes like feminism, mortality, and the impact of her work on societal issues.

Meghan Trainor says she 'Still Don't Care' — because her new album and tour are about growth

NEW YORK (AP) — Meghan Trainor will release her seventh studio album in April. It's called “Toy with Me.” The lead single is a jovial, ‘80s-pop, self-empowerment song, “Still Don't Care,” that features Pentatonix’s Scott Hoying as well as Trainor’s mom, brother and sister-in-law. Trainor tells The Associated Press that she wrote the song after receiving a lot of hate online, particularly via comments about her fitness and health journey. Trainor also announced a 2026 tour with Icona Pop. The Get in Girl tour kicks off June 12 in Clarkston, Michigan, and ends Aug. 15 in Los Angeles. Tickets will become available to the general public on Nov. 21, at 10 a.m. local time.

Cleto Escobedo III, Jimmy Kimmel's bandleader and childhood friend, dies at 59

Jimmy Kimmel is mourning the death of his longtime friend and bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III. Escobedo was 59. Kimmel announced the news Tuesday on Instagram and expressed deep heartbreak. The two met as children in Las Vegas and grew up across the street from each other. Escobedo became a professional saxophonist, touring with Earth, Wind and Fire and Paula Abdul. When ABC's “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” began in 2003, Kimmel chose Escobedo to lead the house band. Kimmel said they had unmatched chemistry. Escobedo is survived by his wife Lori and their two children. Kimmel asked for prayers for Escobedo’s family.

Balmain hires Antonin Tron, moving brand from celebrity flash to fabric-first design

PARIS (AP) — Balmain has named French designer Antonin Tron as its new creative director. Known for his structured minimalism, Tron will follow Olivier Rousteing's celebrity-driven era. This move signals a shift from sequined spectacle to construction-led refinement, echoing founder Pierre Balmain’s “architecture of movement.” Tron starts in November and will present his first collection at Paris Fashion Week in March for fall-winter 2026. Balmain, founded in 1945, is a storied French fashion house. Tron’s craft-driven approach is seen as exciting and modern, aligning with Balmain's values of creativity, modernity, and elegance.

MSNBC's name is being replaced, but its leaders insist that its mission will remain the same

NEW YORK (AP) — MSNBC enters the hall of retired corporate names this weekend, with the network formally switching over to MS NOW. It's all part of the corporate divorce from NBC News. NBC Universal's parent company Comcast spun most of its cable networks off into a new company, Versant, primarily because cable networks aren't exactly desirable in the new media world. That stung at first, some at MSNBC acknowledge. But the company is choosing to embrace the ethos of a startup. The liberal news network's lineup remains the same, but it has built a new studio and hired a new reporting staff to make up for losing its partnership with NBC.

Movie Review: Time has outrun this 'Running Man'

It’s always interesting when time overtakes the dystopias of the past. In Stephen King’s 1982 novel “The Running Man,” the United States has fallen into a totalitarian state divided between haves and have-nots. All movements can be surveilled and realistic video propaganda is easily generated. King’s book was set in the year 2025. Edgar Wright’s new big-screen adaptation is fittingly but awkwardly timed. Arriving in the year of King’s imagined dystopia, its near-future has little in it that isn’t already plausible today. That makes this “Running Man” feel a step, or two, behind, writes AP Film Writer Jake Coyle in his review.

A happy circumstance: Bob Ross paintings sell for more than $600K to help public TV stations

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three paintings from public television legend Bob Ross have sold for over $600,000 at auction. The sales took place Tuesday at Bonhams in Los Angeles. The paintings are part of a collection of 30 works being sold to support public TV stations affected by federal funding cuts. "Winter's Peace," painted during a 1993 episode of Ross' show "The Joy of Painting," fetched $318,000. "Home in the Valley" sold for more than $200,000 and "Cliffside" brought in more than $100,000. Proceeds will help stations pay licensing fees for popular programs. The famously gentle and bushy-haired Ross, who died in 1995, remains a beloved figure in art and television.

There's a Gary Cole for every TV fan. Now, he's leading an 'NCIS' Veterans Day special

TV star Gary Cole is used to being recognized for appearing in “The West Wing,” “Veep” or “Office Space.” These days he gets stopped in the street for starring in “NCIS,” the long-running and successful procedural show set in a naval investigative office. To mark Veterans Day on Tuesday, there’s a special crossover episode with a mystery starting on “NCIS: Origins” that reappears in the main “NCIS” show. Cole has met service members since featuring on the series and spent time on an aircraft carrier. He also says that most real NCIS agents are at least 15 years younger than him.

Movie Review: ‘Now You See Me: Now You Don’t’ brings back the magic with new faces and tricks

The third “Now You See Me” movie, titled “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” brings back the magic with a global twist. Directed by Ruben Fleischer, this sequel reunites the original Four Horsemen and introduces a new generation of magicians. The film kicks off with a clever heist targeting crypto bros and expands to locations like Belgium and South Africa. The plot centers on stealing the Heart Diamond from a villainous character played by Rosamund Pike. The movie embraces physical magic tricks over CGI, offering a refreshing return to old-school illusions. It’s a crowd-pleaser with a fourth installment already in the works.