Met gala guests deliver works of art on the human form
New York (AP) — Guests at the annual fashion extravaganza known as the Met Gala embraced this year's theme of “Fashion is art” with outfits and costumes showing off artistic references. Beyoncé showed up in a bejeweled silver skeleton of a gown, while Emma Chamberlain wowed with a show-stopping long-sleeved dress that appeared dipped in a rainbow of colors. The theme brought drama back to the carpet for the first time since the “Camp” theme of 2019. Nancy Hall-Duncan, an art historian and author on fashion and art, says this year's gala settled the question of whether fashion is art with a resounding “yes.”
Inside the Rolling Stones' exclusive new album event: What we know about 'Foreign Tongues' so far
NEW YORK (AP) — The Rolling Stones announced a new album on Tuesday. It is titled “Foreign Tongues.” It will arrive July 10 and feature the late Charlie Watts, Steve Winwood, Paul McCartney, The Cure’s Robert Smith and The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith. It is their follow up to 2023's “Hackney Diamonds.” Speculation surrounding a new Stones album has been going around for weeks. Leading up to their announcement, billboards with the band’s iconic mouth and tongue logo began appearing in major cities around the world with the words “Foreign Tongues” in various languages. On Sunday, the band shared a slide puzzle graphic fans believed to be the album artwork, depicting a cartoonish collage of the members’ faces.
‘The Lost Boys’ and ‘Schmigadoon!’ earn 12 Tony nominations each to lead the field
NEW YORK (AP) — “The Lost Boys” and “Schmigadoon!” each earned a leading 12 Tony Award nominations on Tuesday. With the nominations, June Squibb becomes the oldest Tony-nominated actor at 96, and Danny Burstein is now the most-nominated male actor with nine nods. “Ragtime” follows with 11 nominations, and “Death of a Salesman” gets nine. Twenty-four shows have at least one nomination. The best new musical nominees include “The Lost Boys” and “Schmigadoon!” The best new play nominees feature “Giant” and “Liberation.” The Tony Awards will be handed out June 7 at Radio City Music Hall, hosted by Pink.
Inside the Met Gala, an Olympic champion learns just how famous she's become
NEW YORK (AP) — Guests ascended the famous steps of the Metropolitan Museum and entered a lobby transformed to resemble an Italian garden, with a huge moon hanging from the ceiling. While harpists serenaded them, they waited to greet the gala co-chairs or headed to cocktails in the airy Engelhard Court. The gala attracted new controversy this year by aligning itself with Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos. Some argued, though, that billionaires have always been a part of the Met Gala. The gala is also a place where a new celebrity, like skater Alysa Liu or TV star Connor Storrie, can fully realize how famous they are.
Matthew Perry's 'Friends' keepsakes and artwork go up for auction for foundation named for him
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Friends” memorabilia and other valuables from the estate of Matthew Perry are being put up for sale at an auction to benefit the charitable foundation established in the actor’s name soon after his death. The auction includes cast-signed scripts from the first and last episodes of “Friends” and artwork owned by Perry will be put up for sale by Heritage Auctions on June 5. It will benefit the Matthew Perry Foundation, which works to destigmatize addiction and aid in recovery from substance abuse. Perry died at age 54 in 2023 from what authorities say was an overdose of ketamine.
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Mark Zuckerberg 'personally authorized' Meta's copyright infringement, publishers allege
NEW YORK (AP) — Five publishing houses and author Scott Turow are suing Meta and CEO Mark Zuckerberg for copyright infringement. They claim Meta used copyrighted material for its AI language system, Llama, without permission. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan. The plaintiffs allege that Meta reproduced and distributed millions of copyrighted works without compensation and with Zuckerberg's personal authorization. Authors published by the suing companies include James Patterson and Donna Tartt. Meta stated Monday it would fight the lawsuit aggressively, arguing AI training on copyrighted material can qualify as fair use. Numerous authors have pursued legal action against AI developers in recent years.
France reckons with Nazi-looted art in a new Paris museum gallery
PARIS (AP) — One of the top art museums in Paris has opened a new gallery dedicated to orphaned masterpieces plundered by the Nazis. The exhibit went on display Tuesday at the Musée d’Orsay as part of France’s long-delayed reckoning with Nazi-era looting. It is also the first such exhibit in France where the paintings are hung so visitors can read the backs. The stamps, labels and inventory marks map how each piece of art moved from private homes into Nazi hands. The artworks were retrieved from Germany and Austria after 1945 and entrusted to French national museums in the early 1950s. They were never claimed.
Select list of nominees for 2026 Tony Awards
NEW YORK (AP) — The Tony Award nominations have been announced, featuring a strong lineup for 2026. Competing for best musical are “The Lost Boys,” “Schmigadoon!,” “Titanique,” and “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).” In the best new play category, nominees include “The Balusters,” “Giant,” “Liberation,” and “Little Bear Ridge Road.” June Squibb becomes the oldest Tony-nominated actor in history at 96 and Danny Burstein is now the most-nominated male actor in Tony history. Twenty-four shows got at least one nomination across the 26 Tony categories. The awards ceremony will take place on June 7 at Radio City Music Hall.
Oprah Winfrey selects Scottish author Douglas Stuart's 'John of John' for her book club
NEW YORK (AP) — Oprah Winfrey has chosen Douglas Stuart's “John of John” as her latest book club pick. “John of John” is the third novel by the Scottish author best known for “Shuggie Bain,” winner of the Booker Prize in 2020. Winfrey has long been a presence for the 49-year-old author. Growing up in a Glasgow household without books, Stuart didn’t know much about the literary world beyond the recommendations given by Winfrey. She was a favorite of daytime television watchers, even in Scotland. Decades later, he would be contacted by Winfrey herself with the news of her book club choice.
Macron croons classic ballads at a state dinner in Armenia for the French leader
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has stolen some of the spotlight from other world leaders in Armenia’s capital this week when he crooned classic ballads including “La Bohème” at a glitzy state dinner. Macron was joined by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on drums and celebrated jazz musician Vahagn Hayrapetyan on piano on Monday night in Yerevan. Macron also sang “Les Feuilles Mortes” by Yves Montand. The event at Armenia’s presidential residence on Monday night was held in Macron’s honor. The French leader was in town for a state visit that coincided with a gathering of the European Political Community and a historic European Union summit.

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