Shane Smith: Last News

Hussain Currimbhoy is the new Artistic Director at Toronto’s Hot Docs.

Two Step Inn just went all in.On Monday, Oct. 28, the annual country music festival announced their 2025 lineup and it’s a doozy.Headliners set to grace the stages at Georgetown, TX’s San Gabriel Park on April 5-6 include Alan Jackson, Sturgill Simpson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Miranda Lambert and Flatland Cavalry.They’ll be joined by Gavin Adcock, Ernest, Ryan Bingham, Treaty Oak Revival and Shane Smith & The Saints.And, as an added bonus, Nelly and Diplo are lending their talents to the festivities as well.In total, 36 (!) acts are set to grace the San Gabriel Park stages next spring.It should be noted that this will be Alan Jackson’s first Two Step Inn appearance and “like all performances on his ‘Last Call: One More For The Road Tour’…the final chance to see the country icon perform in the Austin area,” Music Row shared.If you want to be there, Two Step Inn tickets are available as soon as today.Based on our findings, single-day general admission passes start at $173 before fees on Vivid Seats.For those that would like to attend both days, two-day passes can be found for as low as $292 before fees.Still need a bit more information before scooping up tickets?We’re here for you, country fans.Our team has everything you need to know and more about the 2025 Two Step Inn Festival below.All prices listed above are subject to fluctuation.A complete breakdown of all the best prices on single and multi-day Two Step Inn passes can be found here:(Note: The New York Post confirmed all above prices at the publication time. All prices are in US dollars, subject to fluctuation and, if it isn’t noted, will include additional fees at checkout.)Vivid Seats is a verified secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower

Brent Lang Executive Editor Eddie Huang came to both bury and praise Vice at the opening night of the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday. The author, chef and former host of the bankrupt media company’s show, “Huang’s World,” was on hand with his new documentary “Vice Is Broke.” The film serves as both an ode to Vice’s anarchic spirit and the generations of aggressive, barrier-pushing, break-shit journalists and filmmakers it employed, as well as a darker look at the greed and questionable ethics that helped send it into Chapter 11.

Daniel D'Addario Chief TV Critic The title of Eddie Huang’s new documentary says it all: “Vice Is Broke.” The media company that defined counterculture sensibilities (while accepting investment from mega-corporations, too) filed for bankruptcy in 2023. And Huang — the multitalented author, on-camera personality, and documentarian — began his new film with a grievance.

EXCLUSIVE: Bill Maher has some new podcast partners.

Co-founder Shane Smith is taking on a new role at Vice. The Wall St. Journal reports that he has been appointed editor-in-chief of Vice News.

Vice has a new Executive Chairman.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Toronto’s Hot Docs, North America’s largest documentary film festival, has appointed Hussain Currimbhoy as its artistic director. He replaces Shane Smith, who left the organization in June, and will assume his role immediately. Currimbhoy has worked as a film producer, director and film curator since 2002.

Vice Media is putting bankruptcy, and years of seeking a buyer and fresh cash, behind it, as the edgy digital news and lifestyle brand announces today it’s completed the sale to a consortium of former lenders led by Fortress Investment Group, Soros Fund Management and Monroe Capital.

Dierks Bentley puts on a show.The 47-year-old country star recently shared clips from his ongoing ‘Gravel and Gold Tour’ on Instagram and if the concerts are even half as fun as they look, audience members are in for an unforgettable evening of country.Thankfully, the tour, supporting his 2022 album with the same name, is far from over.As of now, Bentley has 26 concerts remaining on his tour schedule including gigs at Holmdel, NJ’s PNC Bank Arts Center on July 27 and Bethel, NY’s Bethel Woods Center For The Arts on July 28.Even better, tickets are quite affordable to see the “Drunk On A Plane” singer live.At the time of publication, we found some seats going for $17 before fees on Vivid Seats.While that’s a bit of an outlier — most tickets start in the $30 to $80 range — a great deal may pop up at any time for any upcoming show.Plus, as an added bonus, Bentley is bringing special guests like Elle King, Jordan Davis, Tracy Lawrence, The Cadillac Three and Shane Smith and the Saints on select dates.Want to hear “Somewhere On A Beach,” “What Was I Thinkin'” and “Beers On Me” live in concert?Slow your scroll.We’ve got everything you need to know and more about Dierks Bentley’s ‘Gravel and Gold Tour’ below.All prices listed above are subject to fluctuation.A complete calendar of all upcoming Dierks Bentley concerts including tour dates, venues and links to the cheapest tickets available can be found below.(Note: The New York Post confirmed all above prices at the publication time.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Struggling media company Vice Media Group is gearing up to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection — and then sell itself to some of its backers for about $400 million, according to a new report. The Brooklyn-based company post-bankruptcy arrangement to sell to investors including Fortress Investment Group and Soros Fund Management would value it at $400 million, the Wall Street Journal reported. That would be less than 10% of its once high-flying $5.7 billion valuation back in 2017. The New York Times last week reported that Vice was prepping a bankruptcy filing. A spokesman for Vice Media declined to comment. Representatives for Fortress and Soros Fund Management did not respond to requests for comment.

Vice Media Group, the swashbuckling youth-skewing digital media brand, is preparing to file for bankruptcy.

Jennie Punter The Changing Face of Europe, which is presented by European Film Promotion (EFP) in collaboration with Hot Docs, returns to Toronto with the sixth edition of its festival-within-a-festival program—nine features and one mid-length film—exploring themes around identity, belonging and struggle. “Over the years, the Changing Face of Europe has become one of the more impactful programs in the lineup, and also an essential component of our festival programming,” Hot Docs artistic director Shane Smith told Variety in advance of the festival. “Europe has a rich history of and strong connection to the art of documentary filmmaking,” he said. “We are delighted to showcase the powerful work coming out of the continent that sheds light on crucial issues facing Europeans today.”

EXCLUSIVE: Nancy Dubuc is leaving Vice Media Group where she was CEO for the past five years. She just announced her decision to her staff in a memo (you can read it below.) It comes as the board has launched a process to sell — an acquisition of the whole company, a strategic recapitalization, or other transactions involving individual assets — under the oversight of a Special Board Committee. According to sources, Dubuc was at the end of her contract and decided it was time to move on.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Nancy Dubuc announced in a memo to Vice Media Group staff Friday that she is leaving as CEO of the media company. Dubuc, who was previously CEO of A+E Networks and spent nearly 20 years at the cable programmer, was hired as chief exec of Vice Media in 2018, when company co-founder Shane Smith shifting to a new role as executive chairman. “It’s been an exhilarating five years since joining you at Vice, and I am incredibly proud of the important and long-lasting accomplishments we have made together,” Dubuc wrote in her farewell email. “[A]s the anniversary of my tenure approaches, it is so difficult to share that I have made the decision to move onto the next chapter.” (Read the full memo below)

Holly Jones In collaboration with Hot Docs 2022, Chiledoc announced that the Toronto-based festival will showcase seven Chilean documentaries as part of its Made In Chile strand. Screening from April 29, the selections highlight the burgeoning global impact of Chile’s spirited documentary film initiative, encompassing diverse and bold perspectives from new voices nationwide.As North America’s largest documentary film festival, conference and market, Hot Docs strives to forge essential relationships that lead to production opportunities for documentary filmmakers with a keen eye on the global market.“We are excited to celebrate and spotlight this new movement of documentary filmmakers from Chile,” shares Shane Smith, director of programming for Hot Docs. “Their bold and daring approach to reexamining their country’s multifaceted history while crafting powerful and distinctively Chilean stories is making the documentary industry, and the world, take notice.” Made in Chile bows, indeed, just days after “My Imaginary Country,” from Patricio Guzmán, the doyen of Chilean documentary filmmakers, was selected for a special screening at the Cannes Festival.Paula Ossandón, director of Chiledoc, the sectorial brand for Chilean documentary, elaborates on the state of documentary filmmaking in Chile: “The production of documentaries in Chile is prolific.

Addie Morfoot ContributorFor the first time in two years the Hot Docs Canadian Intl. Documentary Festival is hosting in-person premieres and screenings, after COVID-19 forced the 2020 and 2021 editions of the annual event to unfold virtually.

Christopher Vourlias Three years ago, the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival drew nearly 230,000 attendees to venues across Toronto. It was a record-breaking turnout, and a hopeful harbinger that even amid the growing disruption of streaming platforms, audiences were flocking more than ever before to North America’s largest documentary festival.It has not returned to cinemas since.After the coronavirus pandemic prompted a last-minute online pivot in 2020, Hot Docs was again forced to host a virtual fest last year.

Two friends have been left appalled at the 'disgusting' state of a Greater Manchester cemetery after seeing rubbish dumped throughout it. Lisa Smith and Debbie Owen, from Astley, visited Leigh Cemetery on Thursday morning (April 21).

Jennie Punter The 29th annual Hot Docs Canadian Intl. Documentary Festival will open with Jennifer Baichwal’s “Into the Weeds,” about a former groundskeeper who battles an agrochemical corporation after his cancer diagnosis, it was announced this morning at a media conference in Toronto unveiling the full slate.The acclaimed Toronto filmmaker is best known for her trio of visually arresting collaborations with Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky exploring impact of humans on the planet, such as “Manufactured Landscapes.” She is the first director in Hot Docs history to have a second film open the festival, and among the 49% of female directors in its 2022 official selection.“Into the Weeds” is one of 63 titles receiving their world premieres at Hot Docs, which returns to live screenings for the first time since 2019, presenting 226 films from 63 countries across 15 programs.

Showtime is continuing its newsmagazine series Vice.