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Actress Cindy Williams of “Laverne & Shirley” Passes Away at Age 75

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Actress Cindy Williams of "Laverne & Shirley" Passes Away at Age 75

Cindy Williams, one of America’s most recognizable stars in the 1970s and 1980s for her role as Shirley opposite Penny Marshall’s Laverne on the hit sitcom “Laverne & Shirley,” has died, according to her family.

Williams died on Wednesday at 75 in Los Angeles after a brief illness, according to her children, Zak and Emily Hudson, in a statement released through family spokeswoman Liza Cranis.

“The death of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has left us with insurmountable sadness that can never truly be expressed,” the statement said. “Knowing and loving her has been both a joy and a privilege for us. She was one of a kind, beautiful, and generous, with a brilliant sense of humor and a sparkling spirit that everyone adored.”

Williams appeared in George Cukor’s 1972 “Travels With My Aunt,” George Lucas’ 1973 “American Graffiti,” and Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 “The Conversation” in a film career that preceded her full-time move to television.

But she was best known for “Laverne & Shirley,” a “Happy Days” spinoff that aired on ABC from 1976 to 1983 and was one of the most popular shows on television at the time.

On the show about a pair of blue-collar roommates who worked on the assembly line of a Milwaukee brewery in the 1950s and 1960s, Williams played the stern Shirley Feeney to Marshall’s more libertine Laverne DeFazio.

“They were well-liked characters,” Williams said to The Associated Press in 2002.

Feeney was naive and trusting, while DeFazio was quick-tempered and defensive. For plot inspiration, the actors looked to their own lives.

“At the start of each season, we’d make a list of what talents we had,” Marshall told the Associated Press in 2002. “We used Cindy’s ability to touch her tongue to her nose in the show. “I did some tap dancing.”

Williams told The Associated Press in 2013 that she and Marshall had “very different personalities” but that stories about the two clashing on set were “a bit overblown.”

With its self-empowering opening song, “Give us any chance, we’ll take it, read us any rule, we’ll break it,” the series was a rare network hit about working-class characters.

That scene would become as well-known as the show itself. Williams’ and Marshall’s chant of “schlemiel, schlimazel” as they skipped along became a cultural phenomenon and a source of nostalgia for many.

Penny Marshall died in 2018, along with his brother, Garry Marshall, who co-created the series.

On Tuesday, actress Rosario Dawson tweeted a video of the opening theme.

“Singing this song with so much love for both of you ladies,” Dawson wrote on Twitter. “These are absolute gems. Reunited once more… Cindy Williams, rest in peace.”

Lenny and Squiggy, Laverne and Shirley’s oddball hangers-on, were also played by Michael McKean and David Lander. Lander died in the year 2020.

McKean paid tribute to Cindy Williams on Twitter with a production memory.

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“Season 1 Backstage: I’m offstage waiting for a cue. “The script was challenging, so we’re giving it our all, and the audience is having a great time,” McKean tweeted. “Cindy scoots past me to make her entrance and exclaims, ‘Show’s cookin’!’ Amen. Cindy, thank you.”

As the show’s ratings fell in the sixth season, the characters relocated from Milwaukee to Burbank, California, trading their brewery jobs for jobs at a department store.

Cindy Williams became pregnant in 1982 and requested that her working hours be reduced. She walked off the set when her demands were unmet and sued the production company. During the final season, she made only a few appearances.

Williams was born in 1947 as one of two sisters in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Van Nuys. Her family relocated to Dallas shortly after her birth, but she later returned to Los Angeles, where she pursued acting while attending Birmingham High School and majoring in theatre arts at LA City College.

Her television acting career began in 1969, with appearances on “Room 222,” “Nanny and the Professor,” and “Love, American Style.”

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Her performance in George Lucas’ “American Graffiti” would become a defining role for her. The film foreshadowed the subsequent nostalgia boom for the 1950s and early 1960s. The following year, “Happy Days,” starring her “American Graffiti” co-star Ron Howard, would be released. Before they had their show, the characters of Laverne and Shirley appeared on TV as dates for Henry Winkler’s Fonzie.

Lucas also considered her for the role of Princess Leia in “Star Wars,” which was eventually filled by Carrie Fisher.

Williams has appeared in dozens of TV shows over the last three decades, including “7th Heaven,” “8 Simple Rules,” and “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.” She and Marshall appeared in a “Laverne & Shirley” tribute episode of the Nickelodeon show “Sam and Cat” in 2013.

Last year, Williams performed “Me, Myself, and Shirley,” a one-woman stage show filled with stories from her career, at a theatre in Palm Springs, California, near her home in Desert Hot Springs.

From 1982 to 2000, Williams married singer Bill Hudson of the Hudson Brothers. Hudson raised her two children. He previously married Goldie Hawn and is the father of actress Kate Hudson.

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Lawyer Says Raids Of The Rapper’s Homes Were ‘Excessive’ Use Of Military Force

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Los Angeles  — Sean “Diddy” Combs lawyer said Tuesday that federal officials’ searches of the rapper’s Los Angeles and Miami houses in a sex trafficking probe were “a gross use of military-level force” and that Combs is “innocent and will continue to fight” to clear his name.

The music mogul’s team issued its first public statement on Monday after Homeland Security Investigations investigators raided his house.

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Lawyer Says Raids Of The Rapper’s Homes Were ‘Excessive’ Use Of Military Force

“Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences,” stated attorney Aaron Dyer. “There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated.”

The searches were conducted as part of federal investigators’ ongoing sex trafficking investigation in New York, according to two law enforcement officials. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly about the probe and talked to the AP on the condition of anonymity.

According to Dyer’s statement, Combs was not held and spoke with authorities, and neither he nor any family members were arrested or had their travel restricted.

Dyer said that the “unprecedented ambush” resulted from a “premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.”

“There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations,” Dyer said in a statement. “Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”

Combs’ kids, Justin and Christian “King” Combs were handcuffed during the raid on their father’s home in Los Angeles. King, 25, is a musician whose song “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” featuring Kodak Black topped Billboard’s Mainstream R&B Hip-Hop charts in 2022.

Law enforcement raided Combs’ multimillion-dollar estate in Los Angeles’ wealthy Holmby Hills neighborhood on Monday and his Miami waterfront home. Command trucks were stationed outside both homes, along with many officers.

The criminal probe marks a significant increase in Combs’ scrutiny since he has been the defendant in several sexual assault lawsuits in recent months.

Cassie, Combs’ former apprentice and girlfriend, sued him in November, alleging years of sexual abuse, including rape. Combs settled the lawsuit the next day. The lawsuit claimed he pushed her to have sex with male prostitutes while filming them.

In February, a music producer sued Combs, alleging that he pushed him into soliciting prostitutes and pressuring him to have sex with them.

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Lawyer Says Raids Of The Rapper’s Homes Were ‘Excessive’ Use Of Military Force

Another of Diddy accusers was a woman who said the rap producer raped her at the age of 17 two decades ago.

Diddy and his counsel have denied all of the lawsuits’ claims.

The Associated Press does not normally name persons who claim to have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly as Cassie did.

Diddy is one of the most important hip-hop producers and executives over the last three decades. Formerly known as Puff Daddy, he established one of hip-hop’s most powerful empires, blazing a route with several businesses using his iconic name. He founded Bad Boy Records and is a three-time Grammy winner who has collaborated with several major musicians, including the Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans, and 112.

Diddy’s non-music business empire, which includes profitable private-label spirits, athletic clothes, and a television network, has been collapsing since the abuse charges surfaced.

His vodka and tequila partnership with Diageo, a major producer of distilled spirits, was officially terminated in January when the two parties settled mutual lawsuits, leaving the brands in Diageo’s hands.

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Lawyer Says Raids Of The Rapper’s Homes Were ‘Excessive’ Use Of Military Force

His fashion line, Sean John, has disappeared from Macy’s, one of the line’s principal partners; Sean John’s goods are still accessible at Walmart’s online site. However, many are severely discounted or only available in off-sizes.

In November, Combs quit as chairman of Revolt TV, which focuses on music and social justice issues for African Americans.

Source – (apnews)

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Feds Search Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Properties As Part Of Sex Trafficking Probe

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NEW YORK — Federal Homeland Security Investigations agents and other law enforcement officers searched two properties owned by music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs in Los Angeles and Miami on Monday as part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation by federal authorities in New York, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.

It is unclear whether Combs was the target of the probe. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly about the probe and talked to the AP on the condition of anonymity.

Homeland Security Investigations stated that it “executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.”

A spokesman for the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office declined to comment.

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Feds Search Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Properties As Part Of Sex Trafficking Probe

Lawyers for Combs and other representatives left messages requesting comments, but they did not immediately respond.

A police line was formed around the Los Angeles home in the affluent Holmby Hills district near Beverly Hills. Helicopter footage from KABC-TV showed several agents wearing vests, indicating they were from Homeland Security Investigations, and they were gathered in the backyard near the pool. A command post was set up outside the house, and agents were still coming and going hours after the search began.

Combs has faced many sexual assault lawsuits in recent months.

In February, a music producer filed a lawsuit saying that Combs pushed him into soliciting prostitutes and pressuring him to have sex with them. Shawn Holley, Combs’ attorney, stated of the charges, “We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies.”

Cassie, Combs’ former apprentice and girlfriend, sued him in November, accusing him of sexual abuse, including rape, over several years. The lawsuit claimed he pushed her to have sex with male prostitutes while filming them. The lawsuit was settled the day after it was filed.

Another of Combs’ accusers was a woman who said the rap producer raped her at the age of 17 two decades ago.

The Associated Press normally does not identify persons who claim to have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly as Cassie did.

In a December statement, Combs stated, “I did not do any of the awful things being alleged.”

combs

Feds Search Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Properties As Part Of Sex Trafficking Probe

According to Douglas Wigdor, an attorney representing Cassie and another woman who sued Combs, “Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.”

It is unclear whether the search is related to any of the charges in the cases.

Combs is one of the most important hip-hop producers and executives over the last three decades. Formerly known as Puff Daddy, he established one of hip-hop’s most powerful empires, blazing a route with several businesses using his iconic name. He founded Bad Boy Records and is a three-time Grammy winner who has collaborated with several major musicians, including the Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans, and 112.

Combs founded the fashion clothing company Sean John, developed the music-focused Revolt TV channel, and produced the reality show “Making the Band” for MTV.

His most recent record, “The Love Album – Off the Grid,” came out last year, just days after Combs was recognized at the MTV Video Music Awards. It was nominated for best progressive R&B album at the February Grammy Awards, but the rapper-mogul did not attend.

combs

Feds Search Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Properties As Part Of Sex Trafficking Probe

The entertainment business has faced a constant stream of career-ending sexual misconduct charges in the years since tales about movie mogul Harvey Weinstein sparked the #MeToo movement in 2017. Weinstein and “That ’70s Show” star Danny Masterson are both serving jail sentences for rape. Dozens of civil cases have been filed against prominent individuals.

The music industry has not faced the same level of reckoning, but singer and producer R. Kelly is serving a prison sentence for sexually abusing young fans, seven women have sued hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, alleging he raped them, and two women have sued Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler, alleging sexual assault.

Weinstein, Masterson, and Kelly appeal their convictions, while Simmons denies all of the claims made against him. Tyler has had one lawsuit dismissed and is now contesting the other.

SOURCE – (AP)

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Comedian Kevin Hart Joins An Elite Group Honored With The Mark Twain Prize For American Humor

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Washington – Kevin Hart, who ascended from Philadelphia’s open mics and comedy clubs to become one of the country’s most well-known entertainers, will be honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at a gala at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Celebrities and notable comedians flocked to the Kennedy Center Sunday night to pay tribute to Hart, with numerous praising the comic’s work ethic, positivism, and unwavering commitment to his craft.

“He’s just inspirational,” remarked comedian Nikki Glazer on the red carpet. “He is one of the most naturally gifted people I’ve known. But he also likes himself, which is not the case with every successful comic.”

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Comedian Kevin Hart Joins An Elite Group Honored With The Mark Twain Prize For American Humor

Comedic actor J.B.J.B.ove (Leon on “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) describes a young up-and-coming Kevin as almost dangerously eager.

“Honestly, when he was first starting out, he was a pest,” she added. “But he was always picking up pieces from here or there, always learning from people and never afraid to learn.”

The event began with a high-energy duet between Robin Thicke and Nelly.

Kevin, 44, has developed a signature style incorporating his short stature, expressive countenance, and motor-mouth delivery into a popular stand-up routine.

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Comedian Kevin Hart Joins An Elite Group Honored With The Mark Twain Prize For American Humor

Hart made his Hollywood debut in the 2002 film “Paper Soldiers” and rose to mainstream prominence with a series of scene-stealing cameos in hits like 2005’s “The 40-Year-Old-Virgin.”

Hart’s films have made over $4.23 billion worldwide.

The Mark Twain Prize, now in its 25th year, rewards performers who have had a long-term impact on humor and culture. Honorees receive a bronze bust of Mark Twain, the famed American writer and satire born Samuel Clemens.

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Comedian Kevin Hart Joins An Elite Group Honored With The Mark Twain Prize For American Humor

Mark Twain honorees are celebrated with a night of testimonials and video tributes, frequently including prior award winners. The Lifetime Achievement Award recipients include Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, and Dave Chapelle. Bill Cosby, the 2009 laureate, had his Mark Twain Prize revoked in 2019 due to charges of sexual assault.

SOURCE – (AP)

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