Entertainment Daypop Archives

An anonymous industry source claimed to have witnessed E!’s Ryan Seacrest acting inappropriately toward his former stylist in an interview with Today on Wednesday.  Former stylist Suzie Hardy has accused Seacrest of sexually harassing and assaulting her over the six years that she was employed by the network from 2007-13, including grabbing her crotch multiple times. On the Today show, the unnamed source corroborated Hardy’s account.  Seacrest, 43, has staunchly denied Hardy’s allegations, and his network is standing by him as he’s set to host E!’s Oscars coverage Sunday. Seacrest has accused Hardy of attempting to blackmail him; however Hardy’s attorney, Howard E. King, said of Seacrest’s denial statement: “Not only is that false, but it is an attempt to smear the victim and divert attention from her very specific and supportable claims.”

Fuller House creator and show runner Jeff Franklin has been fired, and will no longer be a part of the Netflix sitcom. His firing follows reported complaints about his behavior in the writers’ room. Franklin, who created Full House and it’s sequel Fuller House, has been accused of being verbally abusive and making inappropriate statements in the writers’ room and on set, according to Variety. As a result of the allegations, Warner Bros. TV, which produces the series, has declined to renew the veteran TV writer’s production deal.  A Netflix spokesperson said, “Fuller House will return for a fourth season, as planned. We hope to go into production in the next few months.” Fuller House was renewed in January for season 4.  Representatives for Fuller did not immediately respond to comment as of press time.

Steve Martin and Martin Short are coming to Netflix. The comedy legends announced a new special for the streaming service, which will be called “Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget For The Rest Of Your Life.”  The special will launch globally on Netflix later this year. Martin tweeted a brief video announcement, where he and Short promised that they’ll be working with “the best video people in the business.”  Martin and Short taped the special at the Peace Center in Greenville, South Carolina during their current tour.  “Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget For The Rest Of Your Life” was directed by Marcus Raboy and executive producers include Martin, Short, Lorne Michaels, Erin David and Marc Gurvitz.  You can watch the announcement video from Martin and Short here.

The Walt Disney Company is celebrating the enormous success of Black Panther by donating $1 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, according to a news release. The donation is meant to further develop the organization’s youth STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs. “Marvel Studios’ Black Panther is a masterpiece of movie making and has become an instant cultural phenomenon, sparking discussion, inspiring people young and old, and breaking down age-old industry myths,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. “It is thrilling to see how inspired young audiences were by the spectacular technology in the film, so it’s fitting that we show our appreciation by helping advance STEM programs for youth, especially in underserved areas of the country, to give them the knowledge and tools to build the future they want.” The Boys & Girls Club will use the money to fund STEM centers at “12 communities across the country,” as per the release, Marvel’s Black Panther has earned $700 million in the worldwide box office, after two weeks of release.

Kevin Smith revealed on Twitter late Sunday night that he had suffered a “massive heart attack.” The Clerks director also shared a photo of himself in the hospital. Smith was scheduled to appear at an early and late show Sunday at Glendale, California’s Alex Theatre, when he fell ill between shows. In a follow-up Facebook post, Smith elaborated on the situation: “I was trying to do a killer standup special this evening but I might’ve gone too far.”  Smith was in good spirits following his traumatic medical ordeal, adding that he’s likely facing some lifestyle changes (and weighing going vegan) following the heart attack, but added: “The point of this post is to tell you that I faced my greatest fear tonight… and it wasn’t as bad as I’ve always imagined it’d be,” the director wrote. “I don’t want my life to end but if it ends, I can’t complain. It was such a gift.”