Ana Navarro is preparing for a special hosting assignment…
The 52-year-old Nicaraguan-American political strategist, commentator and The View co-host will be one of the celebrity hosts for this week’s Democratic National Convention as organizers take a page from the all-virtual event held in 2020.
“I can’t tell you how much it means to me,” Navarro said in a video about being a host at the DNC. “I’m a little refugee girl who fled communism, who fled Nicaragua at the age of eight, found freedom, found opportunity, found a home in America, and for me to have the chance to stand on that stage and help my girl, Kamala, make history and become the Democratic nominee, it’s just such a mind-blowing moment.”
Navarro, who will serve as the celebrity host on Tuesday, is among a roster of A-listers that includes Tony Goldwyn (Monday), Mindy Kaling (Wednesday) and Kerry Washington (Thursday,) per a convention official.
Washington was part of the lineup of hosts in 2020, when an in-person event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stephanie Cutter and Ricky Kirshner, who produced that convention, have returned this year.
The convention also will borrow some elements from the virtual roll call of 2020, as some delegations went viral for their creativity in showcasing their states.
The roll call will take place on Tuesday, and it will be ceremonial, as Kamala Harris already has been confirmed as the Democratic nominee in a virtual delegate vote earlier this month.
Other celebrities expected at various events tied to the convention include John Legend, Octavia Spencer and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak on Monday evening, with an expected appearance by Harris.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and Barack and Michelle Obama are expected on Tuesday.
Vice presidential nominee Tim Walz will give his acceptance speech on Wednesday.
Also expected to speak are Bill and Hillary Clinton. Harris’ acceptance speech will be the convention’s finale on Thursday.
The 71-year-old Mexican American politician and former Los Angeles Mayor has launched another bid for California governor, pitching himself as a “problem solver” in an announcement video.
“When I became mayor, L.A. was one of the most dangerous cities in America, so I hired a thousand police officers, took illegal guns off the street and violent crime dropped,” he said.
In the video, he noted that Barack Obama had called him “one of America’s finest leaders.”
He said later, “We have serious problems, and money alone won’t fix them. We need to focus on what works.”
The next gubernatorial election is not until 2026, but potential successors to Governor Gavin Newsom are lining up. Newsom cannot run again because of term limits.
Villaraigosa joins a field that includes Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, State Sen. Toni Atkins, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and former State Controller Betty Yee.
Villaraigosa was mayor of Los Angeles from 2005 to 2013. He considered running for governor in the 2010 cycle, but he decided against it. He ran in the 2018 cycle, but placed third in the state’s open primary, falling short of securing one of two spots to advance in the general election. Newsom went on to handily win the race over Republican John Cox.
Chef José Andrés is inviting some special guests for dinner…
The 54-year-old Spanish James Beard Award-winning chef, television personality, humanitarian and philanthropist is launching a new half-hour special, Dinner Party Diaries with José Andrés, coming to Prime Video on March 19, 2024.
The Prime Video and Amazon Freevee collaboration celebrates the joy of cooking together and how food is a source of hope, inspired by Andrés’ work with the non-profit he founded in 2010, World Central Kitchen.
Andrés will host Jamie Lee Curtis, Bryan Cranston and O’Shea Jackson Jr. to join him in the kitchen, getting their hands dirty with approachable Spanish-influenced recipes while sharing stories that inspire them. Beyond cooking and conversation, the Chef will give viewers important takeaways to apply in their own homes while embracing imperfection and spontaneity in the kitchen.
Dinner Party Diaries with José Andrés is executive produced by José Andrés, Richard Wolffe, Matthew Goldberg, Ellen Rocamora, Max Wagner, Ryan Schiavo, and Michael Antinoro. The series is from Amazon MGM Studios.
Andrés is an internationally recognized humanitarian, culinary innovator, New York Times bestselling author, educator, Emmy award-winning television personality and owner of the award-winning José Andrés Group, which operates nearly 40 restaurants in the US and beyond.
In 2010, Andrés founded World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that is first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate and community crises. His work has earned awards and distinctions including the 2015 National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama, the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the Princess of Asturias Foundation’s 2021 Concordia Prize for his humanitarian work.
In 2023, Andrés founded the Global Food Institute at George Washington University in Washington DC, and he currently serves as the Co-Chair of President Biden’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. As a naturalized citizen originally from Spain, Andrés has been an advocate for immigration reform.
Anna Gomez is President Joe Biden’s communications commission choice…
The Latina telecom lawyer has been nominated by Biden to serve on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a five-member regulatory body stuck in a 2-2 deadlock.
In addition to the nomination for Gomez, Biden announced the re-nomination of commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr to serve additional 5-year terms.
Gomez, a former FCC and U.S. Senate staffer, is serving as a telecom policy adviser in the U.S. State Department. She also served as deputy administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a key agency within the Commerce Department involved in improving internet accessibility.
For more than two years, the FCC has been in a stalemate, which has significantly limited its ability to weigh in on all but the most anodyne topics. Commissioners are nominated by the president, meaning the regulatory body should be in Democratic control with Biden in the White House.
Gigi Sohn, a longtime Washington presence and veteran regulator, withdrew her nomination earlier this year after intense opposition from Republican activists and industry lobbyists. Sohn had been part of an effort led by President Barack Obama to achieve net neutrality, a policy opposed by major broadband providers and telecom firms. During confirmation hearings, Senate Republicans said Sohn would shift the FCC too far to the left.
In a statement, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel congratulated Gomez, Starks and Carr. Gomez, she said, “brings with her a wealth of telecommunications experience, a substantial record of public service, and a history of working to ensure the U.S. stays on the cutting edge of keeping us all connected.” She added, “I look forward to working with a full complement of FCC Commissioners to advance our mission to connect everyone, everywhere.”
Christina Aguilera is celebrating a beautiful win…
The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS) has revealed the winners of the 27th Annual Webby Awards, with the 42-year-old half-Ecuadorian among the honorees.
Aguilera won the Webby Award for Music Video, General Video (Video) category for the new music video for her hit single “Beautiful.” “Beautiful (2022 Version)” was released to celebrate the 20-year-old anniversary of her Stripped album.
It’s Aguilera’s first-ever Webby Awards win.
Other winners include SZA as Artist of the Year, Tracee Ellis Ross with a Special Achievement Award and Sharon Horgan as Best Actress.
Barack Obama, Lizzo, Doja Cat, Blackpink, Hugh Jackman, Jimmy Kimmel, Hoda Kotb, Trixie Mattel, Serena Williams, the cast of Stranger Thingsand the cast of Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverwere also among the award recipients.
“This year’s Webby Winners speak to the incredible potential of the Internet and the people who shape it,” Claire Graves, president of The Webby Awards, said in a statement. “They have set the benchmark for excellence in their respective category and are an inspiration for us all to continue striving towards a more connected and creative digital world.”
Roy Wood Jr. will host the Webby Awards ceremony set to take place on Monday, May 15 at the Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
Special Achievement Winners
Webby Lifetime Achievement Award: Shigetaka Kurita, the creator of the emoji, for his significant contribution to the worldwide cultural zeitgeist and impact on the way we communicate.
Webby Breakout of The Year Award: ChatGPT, the game-changing, generative AI writing tool that created a digital phenomenon that’s changing the way we work and create.
Webby Artist of The Year: SZA for the instant classic SOS, the true intention and consideration she injects into her work, and for her ingenious use of the Internet to share unique, brilliantly honest art.
Webby Special Achievement Award: Tracee Ellis Ross for her ingenious use of the Internet to share multidimensional stories of belonging, increase Black representation in the beauty industry, and serve as a constant, positive force.
Webby Podcast of The Year: SmartLess, honoring Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett for bringing nostalgia and laughter to listeners on their podcast SmartLess.
Webby Best Actress: Sharon Horgan for capturing the Internet’s attention with her acclaimed Apple TV+ show Bad Sisters, which she created, executive produced and stars in, as well as for her incredible career in comedy as a voice of radical self-awareness and razor-sharp wit.
Webby Special Achievement Award: Tobe Nwigwe for his innovative use of the Internet to create art that is imaginative and poignant as seen in his album moMINTS and his role as ‘Nick’ in the Netflix series Mo.
Webby Special Achievement Award: Under the Desk News for making the news accessible and understandable to young people through their candid, hard-hitting and synoptic reporting, all done in bite-sized pieces on Tik Tok.
2023 Winner Highlights
Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 4 won the Webby People’s Voice Award for Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle, Branded Entertainment (Video)
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah– “America’s Door Problem” won the Webby Award for Comedy, General Video (Video)
Recess Therapy’s “It’s Corn” won the Webby People’s Voice Award for Video Remixes/Mashups, General Video (Video)
Trixie Mattel Transforms Into Dr. Manhattan won the Webby People’s Voice Award for Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle, General Video (Video)
Christina Aguilera – Beautiful (2022 Version) won the Webby Award for Music Video, General Video (Video)
Discord won the Webby Award for Community, General Websites and Mobile Sites, (Websites and Mobile Sites)
Spotify’s 2022 Wrapped won the Webby Award for Best Mobile Visual Design – Aesthetic, Mobile Specific Features & Design (Websites and Mobile Sites)
Google Store won the Webby Award for Best Mobile User Experience, Mobile Specific Features & Design (Websites and Mobile Sites)
Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez won the Webby Award for Fashion & Beauty, General Social (Social)
Doja Cat x Taco Bell: A “Contractual” Partnership won the Webby Award for Best Influencer or Creator Endorsement, Features (Social)
My BTS Story won the Webby Award for Best Community Engagement, Features (Social)
LIZZO’S BIG GIRLS | Womxn’s History Month | Animated Social Video won the Webby Award for Arts & Entertainment, Social Video (Social)
Disney’s TikTok won the Webby Award for Entertainment, General Social (Social)
HBO Max’s “Negroni Sbagliato” won the Webby Award for Best Use of Video, Features (Social)
PinkVenomChallenge – YouTube Shorts x BLACKPINK won the Webby People’s Voice Award for Best Partnership or Collaboration, Features (Social)
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever won the Webby Award for TV, Film & Entertainment, Social Content Series (Social)
Pod Save America: Obama’s Advice For Democrats won the Webby Award for Featured Guest, Individual Episodes (Podcasts)
ESPN’s 30 for 30 Podcasts won the Webby Award for Sports, General Series (Podcasts)
FIFA 23 x TED LASSO won the Webby Award for In-Game Integration, Individual (Advertising, Media & PR)
Netflix Stranger Things Global Rift Takeover won the Webby Award for Experience Marketing, Individual (Advertising, Media & PR)
The Coors Light featuring Patrick Mahomes won the Webby Award for Best Partnership or Collaboration, Advertising Campaigns (Advertising, Media & PR)
Steak-umm Beef Sheets featuring Jimmy Kimmel won the Webby Award for Digital Campaign, Advertising Campaigns (Advertising, Media & PR)
The Apple TV app won the Webby Award for Best Streaming or OTT Service, App Features (Apps, dApps and Software)
Never Done Evolving featuring Serena Williams won the Webby Award for Technical Achievement, Virtual Video Features (Metaverse, Immersive & Virtual)
For the complete list of winners check the website here.
Webby Winners are selected by the IADAS. Members include Questlove, DJ and Producer; Tan France, Fashion Designer, Television Personality & Author; Natalie Guzman, Co-President & CMO, Savage X Fenty; Werner Vogels CTO, Amazon; Roxanne Gay, Host, The Roxanne Gay Agenda; Quinta Brunson, Writer, Director and Actor; Ziwe Fumudoh, Comedian and Writer; Reshma Saujani, Founder, Girls Who Code; LeVar Burton, Actor, Podcaster and TV Host; Takashi Murakami, Artist; Samantha Bee, Comedian; and Tracy Chou, Founder & CEO, Block Party.
The Latina educational leader, who serves as president of Berkeley City College, has been named to the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities by President Joe Biden.
Bruce Cohen and Lady Gaga will serve as the co-chairs of the revived committee.
In addition to Garcia, Cohen and Lady Gaga, other committee members include Latino educator and journalist Horacio Sierra; musician Jon Batiste; Constance M. Carroll, president of the California Community Colleges Baccalaureate Association; actor George Clooney; Harvard professor Philip J. Deloria; actress Jennifer Garner; art historian, museum director and curator Nora Halpern; bookstore owner and former congressman Steve Israel; producer-writer Marta Kauffman; producer Ricky Kirshner; actor Troy Kotsur; Bad Robot Prods. co-CEO Katie McGrath; Laura Penn, executive director of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society; artist and educator Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya; author and Stanford Professor Emeritus Arnold Rampersad; producer and author Shonda Rhimes; retired attorney and CPA Kimberly Richter Shirley; writer and actress Anna Deavere Smith; singer-songwriter Joe Walsh; actress, director and producer Kerry Washington; and Pauline Yu, president emerita of the American Council of Learned Sciences.
Biden announced last year that he was reviving the committee, which was disbanded during the presidency of Donald Trump.
The committee, set up in 1982 during Ronald Reagan’s administration, advises the president and heads of cultural agencies on ways to elevate the importance of the arts, including through federal support.
In 2017, remaining Obama-era members of the committee resigned in protest of Trump’s response to the Charlottesville riots. Trump did not renew the executive order for the committee.
Biden issued an executive order in September reviving the committee.
In the order, Biden pledged that his administration would “advance the cultural vitality of the United States by promoting the arts, the humanities, and museum and library services,” including when it comes to advancing equity, accessibility and opportunity. The order also pledges to “strengthen America’s creative and cultural economy, including by enhancing and expanding opportunities for artists, humanities scholars, students, educators, and cultural heritage practitioners, as well as the museums, libraries, archives, historic sites, colleges and universities, and other institutions that support their work.”
A number of the members of the committee have ties to Biden, including as campaign donors and supporters. Along with Stephanie Cutter, Kirschner served as executive producer of Biden’s inaugural. Kaufmann hosted First Lady Jill Biden at her home for a midterm fundraising event in September. Batiste performed at a White House state dinner in December.
During the Obama administration, Cohen also served as the entertainment industry liaison for Joining Forces, the initiative from First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden to support military service members, veterans and their families. Lady Gaga performed at Biden’s inauguration, and traveled with him to support an initiative to address campus sexual assault.
Netflix has given a series order to The Madness, a conspiracy thriller starring the 53-year-old Belizean-Guatemalan American Emmy-winning actor.
The eight-episode limited series hails from Chernin Entertainment via its first-look deal with Netflix, creator and co-showrunner Stephen Belber and co-showrunner VJ Boyd.
In The Madness, media pundit Muncie Daniels (Domingo) must fight for his innocence and his life after he stumbles upon a murder deep in the Poconos woods. As the walls close in, Muncie strives to reconnect with his estranged family – and his lost ideals – in order to survive.
Belber and Boyd executive produce with Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and Kaitlin Dahill for Chernin Entertainment (The North Road Company). Clément Virgo will direct and executive produce the first two and final two episodes. Quyen Tran and Jessica Lowrey will each direct two middle episodes.
“Stephen Belber and VJ Boyd thrive in creating suspense driven emotional stories that connect with broad audiences,” said Topping, President, Chernin Entertainment. “We look forward to seeing them bring this timely conspiracy thriller to life and to continue our partnership with Netflix.”
“The Madness is a fresh take on the conspiracy thriller — turning the genre on its head with its multi-layered characters, propulsive action and swift pace,” said Peter Friedlander, Vice President of Scripted Series, Netflix, US and Canada. “We are proud to have such a powerhouse team assembled to bring this dynamic story to life for Netflix viewers around the world, and to continue producing great entertainment with team Chernin.”
Domingo’s critically acclaimed film work includes If Beale Street Could Talk, Selma, Lincoln, Candyman, Without Remorse, Zola, and he was a Film Independent Spirit, NAACP, SAG and Critics Choice Award nominee for his performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
He’ll next be in seen in the title role in Netflix biopic Rustin, the first film production from Michelle and Barack Obama’s Higher Ground.
Domingo won his first Emmy award, as well as an Imagen Award, for best supporting actor for HBO’s Euphoria. Domingo can currently be seen as Victor Strand in Fear The Walking Dead.
The 91-year-old Puerto Rican living legend, an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award) winner is set to receive the Casting Society’s career honor, the Lynn Stalmaster Award, at the 38th annual Artios Awards next month.
Yvette Nicole Brown will host the ceremony on March 9 at the Beverly Hilton.
Moreno, whose 80 for Brady hits theaters this Friday, won an Oscar for her portrayal of Anita in West Side Story. She also received the Producers Guild’s Stanley Kramer Award in 2002. Those are among the latest accolades in a seven-decade career that began with her Broadway debut at 13. She has appeared in more than 40 feature films and countless television series including most recently Norman Lear’s remake of One Day at a Time. Her documentaryRita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For Ithad its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.
Moreno’s EGOT-qualifying awards also include two Emmys, a Grammy in 1973 and a Tony two years later. She also has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush, the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama, the SAG Life Achievement Award, the Peabody Career Achievement Award and a Kennedy Center Honor.
But that wasn’t Obama’s only favorite by a Latin artist…
Best new artist Grammy nominee Omar Apollo made it onto Obama’s list.
The 25-year-old Mexican American artist made the list with his single “Tamaoatchi.”
Spanish Latin superstar Rosalia, who topped many critics’ year-end lists, was recognized by Obama for her song “Saoko.”
“I always enjoy sharing my end of year music playlist with all of you — and this year we heard a lot of great songs. Here are some of my favorites,” he wrote on social media.
“I can’t tell you how much it means to me,” Navarro said in a video about being a host at the DNC. “I’m a little refugee girl who fled communism, who fled Nicaragua at the age of eight, found freedom, found opportunity, found a home in America, and for me to have the chance to stand on that stage and help my girl, Kamala, make history and become the Democratic nominee, it’s just such a mind-blowing moment.”
