AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 12:30 p.m. EST

Trump says he's hosting the Kennedy Center Honors recognizing Stallone, Kiss, Gaynor and others

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sylvester Stallone, Kiss, and Gloria Gaynor are among the luminaries being celebrated at the annual Kennedy Center Honors. Donald Trump says he's hosting the Sunday night gala in Washington, and that'll be a presidential first. Since returning to office in January, the Republican has made big changes to the performing arts institution. He's ousted the leadership and had himself voted in as chair. The honorees are being celebrated for their influence on American culture and the arts. It's expected to be emotional for Kiss members after the recent death of their original lead guitarist, Ace Frehley.

Puerto Rico salsa giant Rafael Ithier, who led El Gran Combo for more than half a century, dies

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Rafael Ithier, a beloved musician and a founder of the legendary salsa band El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, whose hits have inspired Bad Bunny and other icons, has died. He was 99. An attorney for the Ithier family, Víctor Rivera, confirmed the musician’s death to radio station WKAQ late Saturday. Ithier was a self-taught pianist, arranger, composer, music producer and orchestra conductor of what many consider was the best salsa orchestra in the world. Ithier led El Gran Combo for more than half a century with his trademark smile and black mustache.

Nobel literature laureate Krasznahorkai delivers rare lecture in Stockholm

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Hungarian author and Nobel Prize for Literature 2025 winner László Krasznahorkai, known for his surreal and anarchic novels, gave a rare public lecture in Stockholm on Sunday. The event was part of the Nobel week, where laureates hold news conferences and give speeches. Krasznahorkai, spoke in Hungarian about topics like angels, human dignity, and rebellion. He described new angels as having no wings or messages, merely existing among us. The Nobel judges praised his work for its absurdism and grotesque excess. Nobel Prize ceremonies are held on December 10, marking Alfred Nobel’s death anniversary.

A flash mob waves Ukrainian flags as La Scala features a Russian opera for its gala season premiere

MILAN (AP) — Milan’s Teatro alla Scala has celebrated its gala season premiere with a Russian opera for the second time since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Instead of protests, a flash mob demonstrated for peace. La Scala’s music director Riccardo Chailly conducted Dmitry Shostakovich’s “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.” The opera highlights the condition of women in Stalin’s Soviet Union. A dozen activists from a liberal Italian party held up Ukrainian and European flags outside. They aim to draw attention to the defense of liberty and European democracy. The party underlines that Shostakovich's opera exposes the abuse of power and personal resistance.

Trump awards medals to the Kennedy Center honorees in an Oval Office ceremony

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has presented medals to the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees during an Oval Office ceremony. The recipients are actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, the rock band Kiss and actor-singer Michael Crawford. The Republican president said the group was “perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center Honorees ever assembled.” Songs by Gaynor and Kiss were played on a sound system in the Rose Garden patio just outside the Oval Office as reporters waited to be admitted. Trump also joined the honorees at a traditional dinner at the State Department on Saturday.

Darlene Love reflects on her enduring holiday classic, 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)'

Darlene Love can't escape her holiday classic, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” She hears it everywhere, from the post office to the grocery store. Released in 1963, the song is as iconic as Bing Crosby's “White Christmas.” Love performed it for years on David Letterman's show and continues to sing it on other platforms. Her career began when Phil Spector signed her in 1962. Love fondly recalls their sessions, despite a complicated relationship with Spector. She also shares a long friendship with Cher, who sang backing vocals on “Christmas.” Love believes the song endures because its lyrics resonate universally.

Tony-nominated playwright Jeremy O. Harris arrested in Japan for alleged ecstasy smuggling

TOKYO (AP) — Prominent American playwright Jeremy O. Harris, known for his Tony-nominated “Slave Play,” has been arrested in Japan on suspicion of smuggling ecstasy. Officials said Saturday Harris was arrested at Naha Airport in Okinawa on November 16th with 0.0275 ounces of MDMA in his tote bag. He had traveled from London via Taiwan for sightseeing. Authorities believe the drug was for personal use and are investigating further. Harris' representatives have not commented on the case. Japanese law allows for up to 23 days of custody before indictment, and drug smuggling convictions can lead to multiyear prison terms.

Vanity Fair parts ways with Olivia Nuzzi amid Robert F. Kennedy Jr. controversy

NEW YORK (AP) — Vanity Fair is parting ways with West Coast editor Olivia Nuzzi amid controversy over her past coverage of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. A statement Friday from Nuzzi and the magazine says they have mutually agreed to let her contract expire at the end of the year. Nuzzi had been a star reporter for New York magazine until the fall of 2024. It was revealed she had an intense personal relationship with Kennedy, now head of the department of Health and Human Resources. Nuzzi had profiled Kennedy for the magazine but didn't disclose her relationship with him.

What Netflix's acquisition of Warner Bros. means for the movies

Netflix’s deal to acquire Warner Bros. is shaking up the entertainment industry. Warner Bros., one of Hollywood’s oldest studios, is part of the “big five” and plays a key role in theatrical releases. The studio currently has three of the top five earning films domestically. There are many questions about how Netflix’s ownership might change things, including antitrust scrutiny and the future of theatrical releases. Netflix says it plans to support theater releases but may shorten exclusive windows. The impact on movie theaters and filmmakers is uncertain, with concerns about the global exhibition business and reactions from top directors.