Awards / Awards Shows

Matt Damon says the research for his role in "Stillwater" -- in which he plays an oil-rig worker -- was a major wake-up call on red-state culture ... something that could well earn him an Academy Award.

The actor recently dished on what went into learning about his character for the Oscar bait-y flick -- which got rave reviews and even a standing O at the Cannes Film Festival the other day -- and he says what he gleaned from the roughnecks of Oklahoma was "eye-opening."

Watch how Matt characterized the experience during a panel Q&A following the screening of his upcoming movie in France. He explains how he and director Tom McCarthy spent a good amount of time down in the South ... where they got the lay of the land, literally, from guys who do the job day in and day out -- getting a sense of their lifestyles, their POVs on life/family and, of course, their politics as well ... which Matt didn't discuss with disdain.

If anything ... he's got the opposite sentiment, saying the people he was around -- not to mention his character, Bill -- own who and what they are ... even on the issue of MAGA.

It's a pretty fascinating take on what many may perhaps write off without a second thought -- the minute you bring up Trump and his supporters ... a lot of folks will tune it all out.

Not Matt, though ... the way he talks about his encounters down there makes it seem like there's some good people around -- regardless of their politics -- and that they're more nuanced than how they're made out to be a lot of the time. To which we say ... obviously.

BTW, this film isn't necessarily a slice-of-Oklahoma-life type of a project -- where Matt immerses himself in method acting or anything. It's actually an action thriller -- a la, "Taken" -- with the oil-rig/middle America stuff as the backdrop. Still ... word is, Matt's turn here is getting tons of buzz, as they're saying he's "unrecognizable" on screen.

How do you spell "most interesting teenager in America?" Zaila Avant-garde!!!

Zaila entered the history books Thursday by winning the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee, becoming the first Africa-American champion. The 14-year-old also became the first winner from the state of Louisiana.

The teen took home the title after she correctly spelled "murraya" -- a type of tree -- but not before she joked that the word contained the last name of a comedian ... to the delight of Bill Murray fans everywhere.

Along her way to becoming the first Black American to win in 93 editions of the competition, Zaila also had to spell words like "querimonious," "solidungulate," and "Nepeta." The only other Black winner was Jamaica's Jody-Anne Maxwell in 1998.

There's much more to Avant-garde than her spelling though ... which she only began doing competitively 2 years ago. She's also a gifted basketball player who holds 3 Guinness world records for dribbling skills ... and even her last name is special. Her father changed it from Heard to Avant-garde in homage to the jazz legend, John Coltrane.

Lil Nas X triggered a wave of online criticism for kissing a male dancer during the BET Awards, but over at the FCC ... it was basically crickets. Sooo, sign of progress?

TMZ's obtained the complaints filed to the Federal Communications Commission and there were merely 3 of them made in after Lil Nas' much-talked about performance of "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)" ... which he buttoned with the kiss.

One viewer from the Bronx wrote to the FCC around 1 AM ... "I was very disturbed to see 2 men practically having sexual in the stage when the awards show is supposed to be a family show. It’s ridiculous and children and adults are being forced to endure this. Unacceptable and I will be unsubscribing from BET network. DISGUSTING AND DISTURBING!!!!!!!!"

Another pissed off viewer wrote, "During a performance 2 gay men kissed. Why are you showing this on tv. It is disgusting and wrong for kids to see because it’s unnatural." #Ugh.

The third gripe cam from a guy in Philly, but it was mostly about satanism than the kiss.

That's it. Just the 3. For comparison, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's Grammy performance of "WAP," and J Lo and Shakira's Super Bowl Halftime show each inspired more than 1,000 FCC complaints.

As we reported ... Lil Nas delivered a stunning performance at the BET Awards ... not only with his hit track but also with a tribute to Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time."

Of course, the rapper saw way more than 3 people sounding off on social media -- so many, in fact, that Lil Nas clapped back at the haters ... particularly one who called him out for using "AFRICAN CULTURE FOR S***S LIKE THIS!!!!!!!"

The incredibly low number of FCC complaints might have more to do with a lower number of viewers -- at least compared to the Grammys or a Super Bowl -- but one can hope part of it is also about tolerance.

Kodak Black has gone from prison to proclamation ... a proclamation that June 11 is now Kodak Black Day in Broward County, Florida.

Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness presented Kodak with the proclamation, stating June 11 will forever be known as a day honoring the rapper.

Holness bestowed the honor on Kodak Friday at a charity basketball tourney in Coral Springs.

Kodak was clearly moved, saying the proclamation means more to him than any platinum album.  The proclamation lists some of Kodak's charitable work and personal accomplishments over the last few years.

The basketball tournament raised $5k to benefit the Lippman Youth Shelter.

As you know, Kodak scored a commutation from then-President Trump -- at the urging of his lawyer, Bradford Cohen -- in large part because of his charity work.

Among the good work Kodak has done ... donating a years' worth of diapers, underwear and socks to the Jack & Jill Children's Center and donating thousands of dollars so community groups could provide 1,000 turkeys to people in need. He's also forked over $20k for toys and other items for XMAS presents.

The proclamation also cites Kodak's contribution of $100k to families of fallen FBI agents, along with scholarship money for the children of the agents' families.

Darnella Frazier -- the teenager who recorded George Floyd's death under Derek Chauvin's knee -- has just earned a special citation in this year's Pulitzer Prize.

Pulitzer Prize co-chair Mindy Marqués said during Friday's announcement that the Floyd story, in particular, highlighted not only the essential role of journalists, but the increasing importance of ordinary citizens.

She added, "We want to note that the board has awarded a special citation to Darnella Frazier, the teenage witness who filmed and posted the transformative video that jolted viewers and spurred protests against police brutality around the world."

The honor was presented after the board awarded the Minneapolis Star-Tribune with the Pulitzer -- arguably journalism's most prestigious award -- for its reporting of Floyd's death and the aftermath.

Darnella was 17 when she whipped out her phone to record the fatal arrest. After posting the video on social media, it spread like wildfire across the globe, sparking a worldwide movement against police brutality.

But, after the video went viral, Darnella said she had to move away from her home for safety. She also suffered anxiety attacks and couldn't sleep ... often times waking up shaking until her mom rocked her back to sleep.

On the 1-year anniversary of Floyd's death ... Darnella said even though it was a traumatic life-changing experience, she was still proud of herself. She added, “If it weren’t for my video, the world wouldn’t have known the truth.”

Pat Sajak says he doesn't mind losing another Emmy to the late, great Alex Trebek -- not only because Alex deserves it, but also ... Pat's learned to lower his expectations.

We got the legendary "Wheel of Fortune" host Wednesday in Bev Hills, and asked if he'd be cool with Trebek taking home top honors at this year's upcoming ceremony. Fact is, most see Alex as a shoo-in ... for his talent and for being the sentimental favorite.

Not too surprisingly, Pat told us he was more than fine with that ... because, honestly, what else is the guy gonna say? But, he took it a step further and echoed what Wayne Brady recently told us ... explaining he was actually rooting for AT, like most everyone else in the biz.

Now, when we pointed out the obvious -- namely, that Pat has lost to Alex in the game show host category for many years now -- he jokingly acknowledged it too ... comparing himself to soap opera star Susan Lucci, who was passed over for a Daytime Emmy a whopping 19 times before winning.

Like we said, PS seemed to mostly be kidding here, but he did promise to give us a HUGE scoop ... about his retirement!!!

A group of loyal Morgan Wallen fans believe he's been punished enough since casually dropping the n-word back in January ... so they're deploying a new round of billboards to protest the country music biz shunning him.

The fan-funded billboards went up in Nashville this week, spearheaded by a woman named Darleen Ingram, and the message is pretty simple -- "The Fans Are Speaking / Enough Is Enough."

The timing of the 7 new billboards coincides with the CMT Music Awards, which air Wednesday night. Wallen's been banned from the awards and didn't receive any nominations.

That's apparently not sitting right with his loyal fans, as their billboards add ... "Music Industry, We Want to Be Heard!"

The billboards also reference the Bible verse Mark 11:25, which says ... "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

We broke the story ... someone in Wallen's neighborhood shot video of him using the n-word after a night out partying with his friends, and the fallout was pretty swift. He was dropped by radio stations and his talent agency, suspended by his record label, and banned from several award shows.

However, his popularity still soared and he even managed to win awards at events from which he'd been banned. Morgan apologized and promised to work on bettering himself and stayed out of the public eye for months ... before returning to the stage last month.

Wayne Brady is incredibly honored to be nominated for a Daytime Emmy alongside Alex Trebek ... but losing to him? Well, that'd be one helluva honor too.

We got the "Let's Make a Deal" host in Times Square, and wanted to get his 2 cents on being nominated alongside the late legendary "Jeopardy!" host for outstanding game show host.

Wayne, always the total gentleman, couldn't help singing Alex's praises.

Wayne said the fact Alex got nominated posthumously speaks volumes ... calling him the consummate professional and the kind of host who was smooth and always in control.

There are some other notable nominees ... like Steve Harvey for "Family Feud," Alfonso Ribeiro for "Catch 21" and Pat Sajak for "Wheel of Fortune." Wayne says there'd be no shame losing to any of 'em, but losing to Alex? Well, he did set the bar after all.

Alex was nominated almost 7 months after he passed away following his courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Despite announcing the diagnosis in March 2019 ... Alex continued hosting into his 37th season.

Jay-Z had mad love for DMX, despite their fierce competition ... and he felt this way for years.

Jay was on the season premiere of "The Shop: Uninterrupted" with LeBron James and Maverick Carter, and talked about years past when he boycotted the Grammys after X was overlooked for a single nomination, despite having 2 #1 albums in 1999. Jay won his first Grammy but was a no-show as a way of standing with X.

As Bad Bunny, WNBA star Nneka Ogwumike and SpringHill CMO Paul Rivera looked on, Jay recounted his relationship with DMX.

Jay went down memory lane, remembering his first meeting with X at a Bronx pool hall. He paid homage to his friend, saying he became a better rapper by watching X perform.

It might be time for The Weeknd to invest in a new mantel -- he continues to rack up awards, despite the Grammys snub ... this time taking home the most trophies at the iHeartRadio Awards.

Abel was the winner of 3 pieces of hardware Thursday night -- including the coveted Song of The Year and Top Male Artist awards -- for his single, "Blinding Lights," and album "After Hours." The 3 wins tied him with BTS for the most of the night.

The singer was humble in accepting, thanking his team and his fans ... but you gotta imagine the last couple weeks have brought him great vindication after leaving the Grammys with goose eggs.

Fans and fellow artists were outraged when "After Hours" was snubbed. Abel vowed to never submit his work to the Recording Academy for Grammy consideration again, accusing "secret committees" within the org of getting it wrong.

However, just last week, the singer was validated when he took home 10 trophies -- the most of any artist -- at The Billboard Awards.

Drake's 3-year-old son clearly has dad's knack for big moments -- he made an unforgettable night at the Billboard Music Awards even more memorable by getting emotional on stage.

The hip-hop star cemented his spot as a legend Sunday night as he was named Artist of the Decade, and his little boy, Adonis, took the stage with him to accept the award ... to give it an adorable boost.

As Drake spoke to the celeb-stacked crowd at the Microsoft Theater in L.A. about dedication to his music and using his fear to fuel improvement, his son hugged his legs pretty tight.

But, as Champagne Papi was closing his speech, Adonis seemed to have had enough and started walking away ... only to get picked up by Drake and start crying as his father dedicated the award to him.

As we first told you ... Drake's mother, Sandi, was also in attendance to watch him win the huge award Sunday night, which previously went to Mariah Carey in the 1990s and Eminem in the 2000s.

Drake and friends celebrated his win at SoFi Stadium -- home of the L.A. Rams and Chargers -- after the show ... and there was a massive message on the big screen.

The lead singer of the music group that won the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest did NOT use drugs live on air during their celebration ... according to an official investigation.

As we told you ... Damiano David of the Italian band Maneskin -- which took top honors at the singing competition -- was accused of snorting a bump of cocaine after video showed him lowering his head toward a table where the group was gathered.

However, the European Broadcasting Union that organized the event says it conducted a review of the footage and facts -- while also claiming David took a voluntary drug test that came back negative, and determined ... "No drug use took place in the Green Room and we consider the matter closed."

The EBU added that "inaccurate speculation leading to fake news" tarnished this year's event and unfairly impacted Maneskin ... which the organization congratulated again for winning and wished them success.

As we reported ... David claimed the reason he was looking down by the table in the video clip was because a bandmate had broken a glass, and insisted to reporters he doesn't do drugs.

Legendary NBA announcer Marv Albert -- the "voice of basketball" -- is stepping away from the mic ... with the Hall of Famer confirming his retirement at the end of the 2021 season.

79-year-old Albert has been calling games for 55 years -- spending 22 years with Turner Sports. He's called 25 NBA All-Star Games, 13 NBA Finals and the 1992 Olympics, covering the iconic "Dream Team."

He's also worked at 8 Super Bowls and Stanley Cup Finals ... as well as NFL games, horse racing, tennis, baseball and more.

Albert will be signing off one final time after the conclusion of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals ... with TNT set to air a 30-minute tribute in his honor.

"My 55 years of broadcasting the NBA has just flown by and I’ve been fortunate to work with so many wonderful and talented people," Albert said Monday.

"Now, I’ll have the opportunity to hone my gardening skills and work on my ballroom dancing."

Albert -- known for his signature "YES!" catchphrase -- kickstarted his career with the New York Knicks in 1963 and went on to work with NBC Sports and CBS Sports as well, before joining TNT in 1999.

Albert was honored with the Curt Gowdy Media Award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997 ... and has a stuffed trophy case with numerous other awards for his work.

NBA commish Adam Silver praised Albert ... saying, "There is no voice more closely associated with NBA basketball than Marv Albert’s."

"My first memories of the NBA were of listening to Marv call a game with his signature style, iconic phrases and unparalleled passion. From his remarkable run as play-by-play announcer for the Knicks to his prominent national roles calling our marquee games on NBC and Turner Sports, Marv has been the soundtrack for basketball fans for nearly 60 years."

Looks like there will be one less award show next year ... NBC just axed the 2022 Golden Globes because of a lack of diversity within the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

The network announced its decision to cut ties with the Golden Globes Monday, citing the need for "meaningful reform" at the HFPA, which is stirring outrage in Hollywood due to a lack of people of color among its members.

NBC says it won't air the Golden Globes in 2022, but the network's leaving the door open for the award show's return in January 2023, as long as the HFPA follows through with a new plan to increase membership among POC.

Remember, the HFPA -- a non-profit made up of international journalists who put on (and vote for winners of) the Golden Globes -- has been called out for reportedly having ZERO Black members for several years now.

The hosts of this year's Golden Globes, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, even raised the issue during NBC's February broadcast.

NBC's decision to ax the Globes comes the same day Tom Cruise reportedly returned his 3 Golden Globe trophies to the HFPA in a sign of protest.

There's been growing opposition to HFPA ... as we reported, Mark Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson recently called on Hollywood to "step back" from HFPA, and the Globes by extension.

Meanwhile, the HFPA says it's planning to make sweeping changes ... like admitting 20 new members with a focus on Black recruitment.

NBC says change at the HFPA "takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right."

See ya in 2023?!?

LaKeith Stanfield's under fire for his involvement in a Clubhouse discussion about Louis Farrakhan's anti-Semitism that devolved into a cesspool of hateful conspiracy theories and comments about Jewish people.

The recently Oscar-nominated actor was a moderator for a discussion on the Clubhouse app Wednesday night, and although he's not accused of spewing any anti-Semitic speech himself ... many are outraged he did nothing to speak out against it either.

The Clubhouse discussion Stanfield was monitoring began when another chat -- titled, "Did Min. Farrakhan Tarnish His Legacy by Being Antisemitic?" -- got shut down by its moderator for becoming too inflammatory.

Instead of ending the convo, someone launched the second room titled, "Someone Ended the Room About Farrakhan" ... and that's where things got very disturbing, with one participant describing comments as "worse than things that I’ve read or heard about neo-Nazis saying."

When a Jewish woman in the room confronted Stanfield about why he was allowing the hate speech to continue unchecked, he skirted the issue and implied he was trying to remain neutral ... according to The Daily Beast.

For some people in the room that was inexcusable behavior from an influential Hollywood star with 79,000 followers on the Clubhouse app ... and they question his intentions.

Now, LaKeith did join another Clubhouse chat Thursday moderated by a panel of Jewish educators who wanted to address the hate speech they had witnessed ... and he admitted he fell short moderating.

He said if he continues to choose to be a moderator in a certain room, he needs to pay "attention to what is actually being discussed and determine if that’s a discussion that you really want to get into."

Stanfield also explained he lacked knowledge about "the origins of Judaism in Jewishness," but suggested he enjoys Clubhouse because he learns a lot from it.

He said ... "I've been in a couple rooms where a lot of s**t has been discussed and talked about, very heightened emotional states. It’s been very enlightening and interesting to me."

LaKeith's response was well-received within the room. Outside of it, however, you gotta wonder how a 29-year-old man didn't see the grossly anti-Semitic remarks for what they are ... hate speech.

Questlove says he had the time of his life DJ-ing the Oscars over the weekend, but his one regret ... he couldn't shoo away winners who took forever with their acceptance speeches.

We got "The Tonight Show" band frontman heading into work Tuesday at NBC Studios in NYC and he told our guy he was ordered by Oscars producer Steven Soderbergh to stand down on playing any kind of wrap-up-your-speech music.

The famous DJ said compiling his walk-off music was one of the first tasks he completed when he got the gig ... but Soderbergh, one of 3 producers of the Oscars, foiled the plan.

That's too bad ... 'cause Questlove said his playlist was tight and a perfect sendoff to long-winded winners.

All good though ... Questlove says he's been going to the Oscars for a decade now and really enjoyed the new format. So much so ... he said he hopes it's the new normal.

There were some pretty cool moments (albeit scripted) ... like when Questlove played EU's classic "Da Butt" and got Glenn Close to play along and dance her ass off.