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Richard Belzer, Stand-Up Comic And Law & Order Detective, Dies At 78

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NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Belzer, the long-running stand-up comedian who starred as John Munch in “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Law & Order: SVU,” has died. He was 78.

Belzer died on Sunday at his home in Bozouls, southern France, according to his longtime friend Bill Scheft. Laraine Newman, a comedian, first announced his death on Twitter. “Rest in peace, Richard,” written by Belzer’s cousin, actor Henry Winkler.

Belzer played the wise-cracking, acerbic homicide detective prone to conspiracy theories for more than two decades and across ten series (including appearances on “30 Rock” and “Arrested Development“). Belzer first appeared on “Homicide” in 1993 and last appeared on “Law & Order: SVU” in 2016.

Belzer never tried out for the part. Following his appearance on “The Howard Stern Show,” executive producer Barry Levinson invited the comedian to read for the part.

“I’d never work as a detective. But if I were, I’d be like that,” Belzer once said. “They write to all of my paranoia, anti-establishment dissent, and conspiracy theories. So far, it’s been a lot of fun. It was all a dream.”

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Richard Belzer Began His Stand -Up Career in 1972

Richard Belzer’s Munch would go on to become one of television’s longest-running characters and a sunglasses-wearing presence on the small screen for more than two decades. Belzer and Michael Ian Black collaborated on the novel “I Am Not a Cop!” in 2008. He also contributed to the publication of several books on conspiracy theories, including those concerning the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

“He made me laugh a billion times,” tweeted his longtime friend and fellow stand-up comedian Richard Lewis.

Richard Belzer, who was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, was drawn to comedy during an abusive childhood in which his mother beat him and his older brother, Len. “My kitchen was the most difficult room I ever worked in,” Belzer told People magazine in 1993.

Richard Belzer began his stand-up career in New York in 1972 after being expelled from Dean Junior College in Massachusetts. Belzer became a regular on Catch a Rising Star. He made his feature film debut in Ken Shapiro’s 1974 film “The Groove Tube,” a TV satire co-starring Chevy Chase, a film that grew out of Richard Belzer’s comedy group Channel One.

Before “Saturday Night Live” changed the comedy scene in New York, Belzer appeared on the National Lampoon Radio Hour with John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, and others. He was hired as a warm-up comic for the newly launched “SNL” in 1975. While many of the cast members rose to prominence quickly, Belzer’s roles were mostly minor cameos. He later claimed that SNL creator Lorne Michaels broke a promise to include him in the show.

SOURCE – (AP)

 

Kiara Grace is a staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. Her writing focuses on technology trends, particularly in the realm of consumer electronics and software. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking down complex topics, Kiara delivers insightful analyses that resonate with tech enthusiasts and casual readers alike. Her articles strike a balance between in-depth coverage and accessibility, making them a go-to resource for anyone seeking to stay informed about the latest innovations shaping our digital world.

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Yoko Ono To Receive Edward MacDowell Medal For Lifetime Achievement

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NEW YORK — MacDowell, one of the country’s finest artist residence programs, has honored Yoko Ono with a lifetime achievement award. The trailblazing artist, filmmaker, and musician will receive the Edward MacDowell Medal this year, following in the footsteps of Stephen Sondheim and Toni Morrison, among others.

“There has never been anyone like her; there has never been work like hers,” MacDowell board chairman Nell Painter said in a statement Sunday.

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Yoko Ono To Receive Edward MacDowell Medal For Lifetime Achievement

“Over seven decades, she has pleased eyes, aroused mind, encouraged feminism, and supported refugees with imaginative works. Enduringly new and contemporary, her unusually powerful output resonates to our current times, which are in desperate need of her leitmotif: peace.”

In a statement, Ono’s son, Sean Ono Lennon, described the award as “an incredible honor.”

“The history and list of prior awardees are extremely impressive. It makes me very glad to see her work valued and celebrated in this manner,” he remarked.

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Yoko Ono To Receive Edward MacDowell Medal For Lifetime Achievement

Ono, 91, has made few public appearances in recent years and is unlikely to attend the July honors event at the MacDowell campus in Peterborough, New Hampshire. David Newgarden, Ono’s music manager, will receive the award on her behalf.

Ono first rose to prominence as a member of the avant-garde Fluxus movement of the 1960s, before becoming internationally famous after meeting John Lennon, with whom she married from 1969 until his death in 1980. Their many collaborations included the songs “Give Peace a Chance,” “Imagine,” and “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” which served as the foundation for “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko,” this year’s Oscar-winning animated short film.

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Yoko Ono To Receive Edward MacDowell Medal For Lifetime Achievement

Over the last 40 years, Ono has had a busy career as a visual and recording artist, with albums like “Season of Glass,” “Starpeace,” and “Take Me to the Land of Hell.” She was recently featured in a career retrospective at London’s Tate Modern.

SOURCE – (AP)

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Dick Van Dyke Earns Historic Daytime Emmy Nomination At Age 98

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Los Angeles — Dick Van Dyke, 98, is contending for a historic Daytime Emmy.

The actor was nominated Friday as a guest star in a daytime drama series for his role as amnesiac Timothy Robicheaux on Peacock’s “Days of Our Lives.

Van Dyke is the oldest daytime Emmy nominee. When producer Norman Lear won his final Primetime Emmy nomination in 2022, he was 100 years old. He died the following year.

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Dick Van Dyke Earns Historic Daytime Emmy Nomination At Age 98

Van Dyke is up against Guy Pearce, an Australian actor from Amazon Prime Video’s “Neighbours.”

Van Dyke earned four Primetime Emmys, including three in the 1960s, for his legendary comedy series “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”

Selena Gomez, an actor and singer, is nominated in the culinary series category for her Food Network special “Selena + Chef: Home for the Holidays.” The Food Network’s “Valerie’s Home Cooking,” hosted by actor Valerie Bertinelli and which concluded last year, is also nominated in that category.

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Dick Van Dyke Earns Historic Daytime Emmy Nomination At Age 98

CBS will cancel “The Talk” after its 15th season later this year. Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell, and Sheryl Underwood were nominated for daytime talk show hosting.

The main actress nominations are Tamara Braun of “Days of Our Lives,” Finola Hughes and Cynthia Watros of “General Hospital,” Katherine Kelly Lang and Annika Noelle of “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and Michelle Stafford of “The Young and the Restless.”

The lead actor nominees include Eric Braeden of “The Young and the Restless,” Scott Clifton, Thorsten Kaye, and John McCook of “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and Eric Martsolf of “Days of Our Lives.”

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Dick Van Dyke Earns Historic Daytime Emmy Nomination At Age 98

The Daytime Emmys will be broadcast live on CBS on June 7 in Los Angeles. The show is back to its regular schedule after being postponed until December due to strikes by Hollywood performers and writers. The hosts and Lifetime Achievement award recipients will be announced later.

SOURCE – AP

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Recently Arrested Morgan Wallen Says He’s “Not Proud” Of Behavior

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Nashville, Tennessee – Morgan Wallen, a country music singer facing charges coming in part from allegations that he tossed a chair off the rooftop of a six-story club, says he is “not proud” of his actions and accepts responsibility.

The “One Thing at a Time” singer took to social media Friday night to comment to his arrest in Nashville two weeks earlier. According to court documents, he was charged with three felony charges of reckless endangerment and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct. He is scheduled to appear in court on May 3.

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Recently Arrested Morgan Wallen Says He’s “Not Proud” Of Behavior

According to an arrest document, the chair at Chief’s pub landed about 3 feet (1 meter) from officers, who spoke with witnesses and checked CCTV footage. Witnesses informed police that they saw Wallen take up a chair, throw it over the roof, and laugh about it. Wallen was arrested early on April 8 and later freed.

“I didn’t feel comfortable checking in publicly until I had made apologies with some people. I’ve contacted Nashville police enforcement, my family, and the friendly staff at Chief’s. I’m not proud of my actions, and I accept responsibility,” Wallen stated on X (previously Twitter).

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Recently Arrested Morgan Wallen Says He’s “Not Proud” Of Behavior

Wallen, one of the most well-known artists in contemporary country music, is now on a stadium tour that includes a concert on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.

“I have the greatest regard for the cops who labor every day to keep us all safe. “There will be no changes to my tour,” his reply read, signed “-MW.”

The “One Thing at a Time” album topped the Billboard 200 for 16 weeks in 2023 and was the best-selling album in the United States last year. The top ten successes from the album included “Last Night,” “You Proof,” and “Thinkin’ Bout Me.”

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Recently Arrested Morgan Wallen Says He’s “Not Proud” Of Behavior

In 2021, the country artist was suspended indefinitely by his label when a video surfaced showing him uttering a racial slur. He was arrested in 2020 for public intoxication and disorderly conduct after being booted out of Kid Rock’s downtown Nashville bar.

SOURCE – (AP)

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