Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.
Roger Corman, influential B-movie king who nurtured great directors, dies at 98
Low-budget cinema maestro Roger Corman, who cranked out hundreds of outrageous films over six decades and helped launch the careers of acclaimed directors Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, James Cameron and Ron Howard, died on Thursday at age 98, family members said. Corman, a producer and director hailed as the “king of B movies,” died at his home in Santa Monica, California, his wife and daughters said in an post on his Instagram account late on Saturday without giving the cause of death.
Nemo’s Eurovision win fires up Swiss advocates for non-binary rights
Swiss advocates for non-binary rights hailed local star Nemo’s victory in Saturday’s Eurovision Song Contest, urging the country’s authorities to enable official recognition of people who identify as neither male or female. In a politically charged night in the Swedish city of Malmo, Nemo, a 24-year-old Swiss musician who uses they/them pronouns, claimed the top spot after dominating the jury section of the vote to beat out the audience favourite, Croatia’s Baby Lasagna.
Factbox-Switzerland won Eurovision’s jury vote, while viewers favoured Croatia, Israel
Swiss artist Nemo won the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday, beating 24 rivals with the song “The Code”, while Israel’s Eden Golan finished fifth despite calls for a boycott over the war in Gaza. The winner of the annual music competition was decided by votes from television audiences in Europe and around the world in combination with juries of music professionals in each participating country.
Seinfeld speech at Duke commencement prompts walkout protesting his support for Israel
Dozens of students walked out of Duke University’s commencement ceremony on Sunday as some chanted “free Palestine” to protest its guest speaker, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who has supported Israel throughout the war in Gaza, according to a video posted on social media. Figures in robes and caps, some waving Palestinian flags, were seen filing out of crowds of graduates assembled on the grass in the North Carolina University’s football stadium in the video posted on X. Reuters was able to verify the video’s date and location.
Switzerland wins Eurovision Song Contest amid Gaza protests
Switzerland on Saturday won the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Swedish host city Malmo, beating runner-up Croatia, after having been among bookmakers’ top-three to win the competition. Billed as a feel-good celebration of European diversity, this year’s contest has been thrust into the political spotlight with calls for Israel to be excluded over its military campaign in Gaza, triggered by Hamas’ deadly attack on Oct. 7 in Israel.
(With inputs from agencies.)