Entertainment
‘Wicked’ composer walks away from Kennedy Center: Here’s why
Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz has withdrawn from a Kennedy Center event citing Donald Trump’s takeover of the venue as the reason.
Schwartz, one of Broadway’s most influential composers, has announced that he will no longer participate in a planned Kennedy Center program in Washington, D.C.
In an email statement to Newsday, Schwartz explained that he could not ‘set foot in’ the Kennedy Center under Trump’s leadership.
He believes the venue’s association with President Donald Trump compromises the institution’s original mission.
He emphasized that the venue was founded to be an apolitical home for artists of all backgrounds and ideologies, but that its recent changes have turned appearances there into ideological statements.
Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi told Entertainment Weekly on Friday that “Stephen Schwartz was never discussed nor confirmed and never had a contract with the current Trump Kennedy Center leadership” to headline the event.
Yet prior to that statement, the outlet had reviewed a Kennedy Center webpage promoting a program titled Washington National Opera Gala: Featuring Stephen Schwartz, scheduled for May 16.
Shortly after the outlet requested comment, the listing was updated to remove Schwartz’s name.
The Kennedy Center board’s decision to attach Trump’s name to the venue has sparked backlash across the arts community.
Just a week back, musician Chuck Redd canceled his long‑running Christmas Eve jazz concert at the Kennedy Center, a tradition that had spanned two decades.
“When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert,” said the drummer and vibraphonist behind the annual Christmas Eve Jazz Jam in a statement to the Associated Press.
Entertainment
Shia LaBeouf battles addiction amid public and legal pressure
Actor Shia LaBeouf has been ordered to go to rehab after getting arrested on February 17 during Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
He was involved in a fight with two men and reportedly used homophobic slurs, according to Page Six.
He now faces three misdemeanor battery charges.
At a recent court hearing, Judge Simone Levine said she was not sure LaBeouf is serious about his alcohol problems.
She, however, denied his request to travel to Rome and set a $100,000 bond. He must also take drug tests and enter rehab.
Sources say the punishment could let him do rehab online, as they described LaBeouf as someone who can act like he is serious about recovery, even though he does not believe he has an addiction.
In a recent interview, he said his behaviour was because of a “small man complex” and not alcohol.
He added, “It’s not nice to hurt people ever. People got hurt. I got to deal with that.”
LaBeouf separated from his wife Mia Goth last year, and sources say she wants him to get help.
Friends warn that his drinking could lead to serious problems, as his Hollywood future is uncertain and he returns to court on March 19.
Entertainment
When We Were Young Festival announces 2026 hiatus: ‘See you in 2027’
When We Were Young Festival is hitting pause this year.
Organizers of the Las Vegas-based emo and pop-punk fest announced via Instagram on February 27 that the event will take 2026 off — but emphasised the break is only temporary.
“To our When We Were Young Family,” the statement began. “The songs, the memories, the moments – none of it exists without you. After an unforgettable run in Las Vegas, we’ve decided to take 2026 off to give this festival the care it deserves and to make sure what comes next feels just as special as what came before.”
While no specific reason was given for the hiatus, fans were reassured the festival isn’t going anywhere. “When We Were Young Festival will return to Las Vegas in October 2027… This isn’t goodbye – it’s just a pause. We’ll see you in 2027.”
Since launching in 2022, the Live Nation-produced event has become a nostalgic pilgrimage for millennial music lovers, taking over the Las Vegas Festival Grounds each October. Past headliners have included Green Day, Blink-182, My Chemical Romance and the Killers.
The 2025 edition featured Blink-182 and a reunited Panic! at the Disco, marking a rare return following the band’s 2023 split. In 2024, My Chemical Romance delivered a full performance of The Black Parade, alongside a stacked lineup of scene favourites.
Entertainment
NAACP Image Award host Deon Cole issues Tourette warning after BAFTAs
Deon Cole hosted the NAACP Image Award at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Saturday, February 28, and opened his monologue with a joke about the racial slur mishap at the BAFTAs recently.
The 54-year-old comedian and actor jokingly prayed to God, saying, “Lord, before we go, if there are any white men out here in the audience with Tourette’s, I advise you to tell them they better read the room tonight, Lord. It might not go the way they thinketh. Whatever medicine they’re on, they better double up on it, Lord.
Cole referred to the controversy about Tourette’s activist John Davidson shouting a racial slur while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presented an award on stage.
The Average Joe star also joked about Nicki Minaj and her recent political alliance with the MAGA movement, saying, “Lord, we want you to bless our sister Nicki Minaj. She’s been going through a lot lately and hasn’t been herself, Lord,” joking that her cosmetic injections have been “affecting her brain.”
NAACP Awards stand for National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People and celebrate the arts across different mediums including films, theatre, music, and literature, created every year.
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