Oscars voters slam Hollywood inclusion standards amid new diversity rules

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey broke up nearly 20 years ago, but their marriage lives on in old episodes of Newlyweds, which is newly popular again thanks to TikTok.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music When the Recording Academy announced its latest updates to the Grammy Awards rules last month, there was a frantic, last-minute tweak to the wording of a new rule governing the eligilibity of recordings that used AI — so last-minute that a rep was contacting journalists beginning at 4:30 a.m. Pacific time. A new rule governing music that used AI technology, which the Academy had hoped to keep simple by saying that only human-generated music would be eligible, had been extensively revised, although the upshot remained the same: Yes, recordings that use one of the multiple types of AI technology will be eligible, but “we’re not going to be giving a nomination or an award to AI computer or someone who just prompted AI,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. clarified to Variety late last month. “That’s the distinction that we’re trying to make. It’s the human award highlighting excellence, driven by human creativity.”

Naman Ramachandran As three separate investigations involving serving politicians also acting as newsreaders are underway, Melanie Dawes, chief executive of U.K. media regulator Ofcom, has clarified the body’s position on the matter. In an article originally published in the Telegraph and subsequently on the Ofcom website on Tuesday, Dawes wrote: “The Broadcasting Code is clear that serving politicians cannot be a newsreader, interviewer or reporter in any news program, unless there is an exceptional editorial justification. And in those exceptional cases, their political allegiance must be made clear to the audience. News programs will usually involve newsreaders directly addressing the audience, and may include reporter packages or live reports, with a mix of video and reporter items.”

After the announcement last week that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have parted ways with Spotify and their $20 million deal has come to an end, there was much speculation around what the former royals would do next to sustain their lavish lifestyle. And as reports emerged that the couple were planning to pocket up to £15 million by signing a “mega-bucks” deal with fashion house Dior – something that has since been denied – culture and brand expert Nick Ede told OK! he wouldn’t be surprised if the couple have set their sights on trying to rival the likes of Victoria and David Beckham to make money.

Kevin McKidd is officially moving on from his marriage.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has reached an agreement with banks and lenders to assist mortgage holders grappling with high interest rates, but has declined to provide government support.

Bethenny Frankel has never been one to hold back. 

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The decision to realign “variety talk” and “variety sketch” this year into “talk” and “scripted variety” didn’t do much to change that. If anything, it further narrowed the field, as perennial variety talk winner “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” has now been kicked over to scripted variety. As a result, my colleague Clayton Davis counts only 14 series eligible for the outstanding talk nomination. And it’s not much better in scripted variety, where just 10 shows appear to be eligible.

Long in the works, and indicating stronger support for theatrical exhibition in the increasing age of streamers, the Board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has approved a landmark change in eligibility rules for Best Picture.

As the investigation into who pushed Caleb Miligan from a ridge continued on Tuesday, several villagers were in the frame as part of the soap’s ongoing whodunnit. With Cain Dingle, Mackenzie Boyd, Will Taylor and Leyla Harding all potential suspects, suspicions were flying left, right and centre as the police worked to crack the case.

A rare and extensive animation collection from Steven Spielberg, Shirley Kurata’s Oscar nominated costumes from 2022 Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All At Once, a blacklisted writer’s original Oscar statuette from 1958’s The Defiant Ones, and the 700+ film-strong collection of legendary film scholar and Honorary Oscar recipient Kevin Brownlow are just a few of the latest donations to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences vast collections housed at both the Margaret Herrick Library on La Cienega in Beverly Hills, as well as the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures , and the Academy Film Archive. These items and many more just add to the eye-popping collected works for AMPAS, the largest film-related collection in the world (next to my garage – NOT).

Scott Disick has prioritized staying on good terms with Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker — which includes reaching out to the couple amid their pregnancy news.

Nick Holdsworth The Lions are keeping up with the times. As it turns 70, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, casts a brighter spotlight on diversity, equity and inclusion — all of which are needed to stay competitive and successful in a fast-changing world. The event, unfolding in the South of France on June 19-23, began in the 1950s as a showcase for television and cinema advertising. Today it embraces the wide range of industries and platforms where marketing, branding, advertising and creative messaging live, from small screens to cinemas, billboards to streamers.

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is beholden to new inclusivity standards. Starting with the March 2024 awards, movies will not be considered for a Best Picture nomination unless they feature a lead or significant supporting character from an “underrepresented racial or ethnic group,” have a main storyline that focuses on an underrepresented group, or at least 30% of the cast comes from two or more underrepresented groups (women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ or the disabled).It’s got some voting members of the Academy up in arms.“It’s completely ridiculous,” one director fumed to The Post.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor The new Max dating series “Swiping America,” from “We’re Here” creators Stephen Warren and Johnnie Ingram, follows a diverse group of New Yorkers who try dating in other cities throughout the U.S. “The beautiful thing about this show is we are the most inclusive, nonjudgmental dating show out there,” Warren told me Tuesday night at the show’s premiere at NeueHouse in Hollywood. “We have queer people, lesbians, we have trans, we have nonbinary. There are no judgments because love is love.” Calling the show a “rom-doc,” Ingram explained during his intro to the screening that “Swiping America” is not a competition show and “is not about manufactured drama.”

Newlywed bliss! Naomi Watts and Billy Crudup packed on the PDA while out and about in New York City just a few days after tying the knot.  

Tribeca Film Festival is in motion, and people from around the world are in New York celebrating film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. Day 3 of the festival saw the world premiere of the new HBO Sports Documentary The Golden Boy featuring executive producers Mark Wahlberg and Mario Lopez and the ‘Golden Boy’ himself, Oscar De La Hoya.The trio posed together at the Indeed Theater at Spring Studios.

There have been rumors for years that Jessica Chastain has a secret role in the movie The Flash and she just arrived for the film’s premiere. So, are the rumors true?!

Naomi Watts was all smiles preparing for her courthouse wedding with Billy Crudup in New York City. The Hollywood star tied the knot over the weekend during a casual ceremony, wearing a beautiful lace Oscar de la Renta dress paired with heeled sandals.

Adam DeVine claimed he witnessed a fatal shooting happen across the street from his Hollywood Hills home during a live podcast taping. DeVine appeared on the "This is Important" podcast on Wednesday, along with co-hosts Anders Holm, Blake Anderson and Kyle Newacheck.The "Pitch Perfect" star shared a story in which he and his wife, Chloe Bridges, watched a man get "gunned down" in the couple's neighborhood.