AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 7:01 a.m. EDT

Kid Rock flies in Army helicopter weeks after flights near his house drew scrutiny

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kid Rock and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth both flew in Army Apache attack helicopters at a base in Virginia on Monday. It comes weeks after military pilots drew scrutiny for hovering near the country music star’s Tennessee home. Top Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell says the flights supported a “community relations event” for a White House-led initiative that's coordinating events for America’s 250th anniversary commemoration. California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office and Democratic Rep. Jason Crow criticized the flights Monday. Hegseth had shut down an inquiry into the Apache flights in March near the home of the musician, who is an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump.

Summer Movie Preview: Nolan, Spider-Man and 'Toy Story' light up the cinemas

Hollywood's summer movie season is packed with big names and franchises. Universal Pictures is releasing Christopher Nolan's “The Odyssey” and Steven Spielberg's “Disclosure Day.” Franchises like “Spider-Man,” “Minions,” “Star Wars,” and “Toy Story” are also set to draw crowds. This year, Disney kicks off the season with “The Devil Wears Prada 2" instead of a Marvel film. The industry is adapting to changes, with streaming and altered viewing habits impacting box office numbers. Despite challenges, directors like James Cameron remain optimistic about the future of theatrical releases. The summer movie season runs from May through August.

Man pleads guilty to plotting attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, Austrian media report

WIENER NEUSTADT, Austria (AP) — Austrian media say that a man accused of plotting to attack one of superstar singer Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna nearly two years ago has pleaded guilty as his trial began on Tuesday. The Kurier and Kronen Zeitung reported that he pled guilty to charges related to the concert plot. The plot was thwarted, but Austrian authorities still canceled Swift’s three planned performances in August 2024. The defendant faced charges including terrorist offenses and membership in a terrorist organization, and his defense attorney previously said he planned to plead guilty to most of the charges.

Man pleads guilty in the 2002 killing of Jam Master Jay of rap pioneers Run-DMC

NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly a quarter-century after rap star Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC was shot to death, a man admitted in court Monday to a role in a killing that stymied investigators for decades. Jay Bryant pleaded guilty to a federal murder charge, telling a judge that he helped other people get into a recording studio so they could ambush the DJ, born Jason Mizell. The 52-year-old’s admission brings some closure — but also adds complexity — to a knotty case. Bryant didn’t name the other people with whom he acted. But a jury in 2024 convicted two other men, Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington, yet a judge subsequently cleared Jordan. Washington has also challenged his conviction.

Trumps call for ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel — again — after morbid joke about first lady

Both President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, are calling on ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel after the late-night comic joked last week that the first lady had “the glow of an expectant widow.” Kimmel made the joke while delivering a mock comic routine for the White House Correspondents' Association dinner — two nights before that event was cut short when a man tried to rush the ballroom where the Trumps and other leaders were. The president said Kimmel's words were “beyond the pale.” Kimmel described the joke during his Monday night monologue as a light roast about the first couple’s age difference.

Melanie C says she's bringing joy to the club with 'Sweat,' an athletic album from the Spice Girl

NEW YORK (AP) — Melanie C, also know as Mel C or Sporty Spice from the game-changing ‘90s girl group the Spice Girls, will release a new album on Friday. Her ninth solo album is called “Sweat.” The title track and lead single is equal parts club banger and workout anthem, something for the DJ booth and a runner’s playlist. She told The Associated Press her recent foray into deejaying directly inspired the new record. It’s all about the joy of the dance floor and her trademark athleticism. She says she hopes the new release motivates her fans but also provides them with some catharsis.

Movie Review: A flatulence-filled 'Animal Farm' for tots turns a masterpiece into cinematic manure

The new animated "Animal Farm" takes a radical departure from George Orwell's classic. Screenwriter Nicholas Stoller and director Andy Serkis have transformed the allegory into a bright, modern tale, complete with iPhones and sports cars, says Associated Press critic Mark Kennedy in his review. The film introduces new characters and muddies the focus from anti-totalitarianism to a critique of Big Corporatization. Despite an all-star voice cast, including Seth Rogen and Laverne Cox, the adaptation feels misguided, Kennedy says. It ends with a "Mission: Impossible"-style caper, straying far from Orwell's original message. The movie, rated PG, releases Friday.

Michael Jackson streams skyrocket after 'Michael' biopic opening weekend, up 95% in the US

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Jackson sang “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough.” For fans of the King of Pop’s music, it’s a call to action. Streams of his catalog jumped 95% in the U.S. over the weekend when compared with the same days the previous weekend. That’s according to Luminate, an industry data and analytics company that provides insight into changing behaviors across music listenership. A blockbuster was the cause. The big-budget biopic “Michael” earned $97 million in U.S. and Canada theaters its opening weekend. As a result of the movie’s popularity, Jackson received 31.7 million streams on Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25. That's compared with 16.3 million streams the previous weekend for a 95% increase.

What to Stream: 'Wuthering Heights,' Kacey Musgraves, Tori Amos and a double dose of Matthew Rhys

Michael B. Jordan voicing a tiny woodland creature who switches bodies with a majestic bird in the animated movie “Swapped” and Kacey Musgraves’ seventh studio album, “Dry Spell,” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time for the week of April 27 as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: a TV adaptation of Isabel Allende’s novel “The House of the Spirits” on Prime Video, the anime hit “Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc” on Crunchyroll and two Matthew Rhys projects — the movie thriller “Hallow Road” and the Apple TV horror comedy “Widow’s Bay.”