Bill Condon, Jennifer Lopez unveil musical 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' at Sundance
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) -- Jennifer Lopez brought some Hollywood glamour to Park City, Utah, with the debut of her new film "Kiss of the Spider Woman." On Sunday, the Sundance Film Festival hosted the premiere of the film, which is part prison drama and part lavish MGM-style musical. "Dreamgirls" filmmaker Bill Condon wrote and directed this latest adaptation of the story. Condon quoted President Donald Trump's remarks on "two genders" before the screening, telling the audience that his film has a different point of view. Lopez said it's been a dream of hers to be in a musical. "Kiss of the Spider Woman" does not yet have distribution.
Executives at Japan's Fuji TV and parent firm resign over a sex scandal linked to a former star
TOKYO (AP) -- The Japanese network Fuji Television and its parent company say its president and chairperson are resigning immediately to take responsibility for a widening sex assault scandal linked to one of Japan's top TV celebrities. The case centers on Masahiro Nakai, a former leader of Japan's once-hugely popular boy band SMAP, and his costly settlement with a woman over the alleged sex assault at a 2023 dinner party that Fuji TV staff allegedly helped to organize. The allegations surfaced in magazine articles in December and have since triggered claims of systematic cover-ups by Fuji TV executives. Fuji Television Network President Koichi Minato said Monday that his company mishandled the case.
Percival Everett's 'James' awarded Carnegie Medal for fiction
NEW YORK (AP) -- Percival Everett's latest honor comes from the country's public libraries. On Sunday, the American Library Association announced that Everett's "James" was this year's winner of the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, which includes a $5,000 cash award. Kevin Fedarko's "A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon" was chosen for nonfiction. Everett's acclaimed reworking of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" from the perspective of Jim, Huck Finn's enslaved companion, has already received the National Book Award and the Kirkus Prize and is a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle award.
Book Review: 'This Beautiful, Ridiculous City' captures New York in an emotional graphic memoir
Kay Sohini's move from India to New York was an escape, rebirth and reunion all wrapped in one. Sohini's debut graphic memoir portrays her leaving behind an abusive relationship and broken family to start anew in the city where her heroes penned their most famous works. Donna Edwards of The Associated Press says "This Beautiful, Ridiculous City" is bite-sized, delicious, intriguing, and leaves readers wanting more. Sohini masterfully captures New York's beauty and uses her command of form, flow and color to build compelling emotional landscapes. "This Beautiful, Ridiculous City" is scheduled for release on Tuesday from Ten Speed Graphic.
A Sundance documentary called 'The Stringer' disputes who took AP's 'napalm girl' photo in Vietnam
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) -- The authorship of The Associated Press's renowned "napalm girl" photograph is being called into question in the new documentary "The Stringer," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. A freelance Vietnamese photographer named Nguyen Thanh Nghe claims that he took the iconic photo of Kim Phuc on June 8, 1972, not retired AP photographer Nick Ut. Ut has long been credited for the image. Representatives for the AP, who saw the film for the first time at the premiere, are contesting the implication that the company reviewed their findings and dismissed them.
Book Review: Hunted by the FBI and Russian Oligarch, a hedge fund manager flees into the wilderness
When hedge fund manager Paul Brightman fell in love with a beautiful photographer named Tatanya, he had no idea that her father was a Russian oligarch. Five years later, Paul is on the run. The FBI is hunting him, the CIA would like a word, and the oligarch has put a price on his head. Associated Press reviewer Bruce DeSilva says "The Oligarch's Daughter," the 17th thriller by Joseph Finder, is complex even by thriller standards. The writing is tight and the suspense is unrelenting, however, there are so many twists and surprises that he might have been better served by eliminating a couple of them.
Book Review: Susan Barker returns with 'Old Soul,' a thrilling horror story that defies description
"An immersive story that despite its supernatural grounding feels real," is how Associated Press reviewer Rob Merrill summarizes "Old Soul," the new novel by Susan Barker. The tale of a mysterious woman who appears in people's lives across continents and decades and leaves behind death in her wake, "Old Soul" is on sale Tuesday. Barker drips out details, heightening your expectations and forcing you to turn the page for answers. Described in marketing materials as "literary horror," it's a supernatural mystery that culminates in an old-fashioned chase scene in the Badlands of New Mexico
Celebrity birthdays for the week of Feb. 2-8
Celebrities having birthdays during the week of Feb. 2-8 include "Saturday Night Live" actor Cecily Strong, singer Shakira and TV chef Ina Garten, the "Barefoot Contessa." Model Christie Brinkley turns 71, singer Daddy Yankee hits 48 and actor Morgan Fairchild celebrates 75. Other singers with birthdays include Alice Cooper, Bobby Brown, Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses and Rick Astley. Actor Henry Golding of "Crazy Rich Asians" fame turns 38, comedian Chris Rock reaches 60 and actor Ashton Kutcher hits 47. Other celebs with big days include actor Charlotte Rampling, actor-director-comedian Christopher Guest and actor Barbara Hershey.
Lanvin: A return to elegance in Peter Copping's highly anticipated Paris debut
PARIS (AP) -- Lanvin, the world's oldest continually operating couture house, founded in 1889, has unveiled a new chapter in its storied history with Peter Copping's debut as artistic director. Tasked with restoring focus and relevance to the maison at Paris Fashion Week, Copping took inspiration from Jeanne Lanvin herself, channeling her 1920s and '30s vision into a collection that bridged timeless elegance with modernity.
Kenzo finds its groove in a playful, nostalgic turn at Paris Fashion Week
PARIS (AP) -- Kenzo has delivered a refreshing jolt to a Paris Fashion Week marked by fatigue. The fall 2025 collection under the creative direction of Nigo brought a striking mix of cultural exchange, personal nostalgia and archival homage. It proved that Kenzo's playful verve is far from forgotten. Nigo teamed up this season with graffiti legend Futura in a collaboration that celebrated decades of shared influence between Tokyo and New York. Futura's iconic atom logo appeared reimagined with Kenzo's floral motifs on bomber jackets, wide-leg pants, and indigo cotton suits with kimono collars. The designs unveiled on Friday were splashed with spray-paint effects. They lent an urban and tactile edge to Kenzo's traditionally polished aesthetic.