‘SNL’: Roddy Ricch Drops Out Due To Covid, Pop Band Bleachers Replaces Rapper As Musical Guest

Ethan Shanfeld The American branch of Russian state-funded media network Russia Today (RT) is shutting down and laying off most of its staff, CNN reports.According to a memo, RT America will be “ceasing production” due to “unforeseen business interruption events.”“Unfortunately, we anticipate this layoff will be permanent, meaning that this will result in the permanent separation from employment of most T&R employees at all locations,” the memo said (via CNN).Per CNN, Misha Solodovnikov, the general manager of T&R Productions, the production company behind RT, delivered the news in person to hosts, correspondents, producers and others in the Washington, D.C. bureau.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.The air will be thick with tension inside the Octagon on Saturday, when Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal face off during the main event of UFC 272.Despite there being no championship on the line, or even a shot at a belt, the headlining pay-per-view event is highly anticipated because of the public feud between the two fighters, who were former training partners before becoming rivals in the ring. Neither Covington nor Masvidal have lost a fight to anyone other than Kamaru Usman since 2017, making for a must-see fight between two evenly matched athletes.The event will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 5, kicking off with a series of prelims at 6 p.m.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterAariel Maynor, the man accused in the fatal shooting of philanthropist Jacqueline Avant at her home in December, pleaded guilty on Thursday to a charge of murder.Maynor, 30, also pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Avant’s security guard and to carrying a firearm as a felon. Maynor is scheduled to be sentenced on March 30.Avant, 81, was the wife of music industry legend Clarence Avant and the mother of Nicole Avant, a former ambassador and prominent political fundraiser who is married to Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos.The Avants were at their home in the Trousdale Estates neighborhood of Beverly Hills when Jacqueline was shot after 2 a.m.

WACO Theater Center in Los Angeles for a special screening of the new OWN series, Profiled: The Black Man. Created by Trell Thomas, the four-part docuseries examens the origins of widespread stereotypes that have haunted Black men in America over centuries and combats those myths with modern-day examples to the contrary.The most recent episode of the series, “Black Men Devalue Black Women,” tackled issues of colorism, self-hate, dating preferences, and more while also addressing the hurdles Black women face in America.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterJack Hanick, a onetime producer at Fox News, has been indicted on charges of working for a sanctioned Russian oligarch to establish TV networks in Russia and in other European countries.Hanick, 71, is accused of working for Konstantin Malofeyev, who since 2014 has been under U.S. sanctions that were imposed in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

inspiring “the next generation of female leaders…by shining a light on women who are leaders in their in their respective industries of tech, wellness, STEM, education and more with one-of-a-kind Barbie dolls in their likeness.”Of those being honored with a doll figurine are two Black icons in their respective industries—Shonda Rhimes, prolific television showrunner and Pat McGrath, “the world’s most influential and in-demand makeup artist.”Senior Vice President and Global Head of Barbie and Dolls for Mattel Lisa McKnight said, “We know that children are inspired by what they see around them, which is why it’s so important for young girls to see themselves reflected in role models who’ve daringly pushed past roadblocks and overcome the Dream Gap to become the brave women they are today…This International Women’s Day, we’re proud to honor 12 global trailblazing women to help empower the next generation of female leaders by sharing their stories.”Research by NYU’s Cognitive Development Lab funded by Mattel spurred this novel campaign.

Derek Jeter announced an unexpected decision, declaring he is stepping down as CEO of the Miami Marlins, and explaining that the vision of the future of the franchise seems to be very different from the one he “signed up to lead.”“Today I am announcing that the Miami Marlins and I are officially ending our relationship and I will no longer serve as CEO nor as a shareholder in the Club,” he admitted in a recent statement, taking a moment to show his appreciation for the fans and the players, as the community is now “stronger today than it was five years ago.”Jeter went on to explain that they “had a vision five years ago to turn the Marlins franchise around,” revealing that as CEO, he has been “proud to put my name and reputation on the line to make our plan a reality.”“Through hard work, trust and accountability, we transformed every aspect of the franchise, reshaping the workforce, and developing a long-term strategic plan for success,“ he shared.Jeter has had undeniable success and an incredible career, winning the World Series five times playing with the New York Yankees, and being elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020, after announcing his retirement in 2014.He went on to join the Marlins in September 2017, as a part of the ownership group led by Bruce Sherman, Marlins chairman, who thanked Jeter “for his many contributions,” adding that they “are determined to build a team that will return to the postseason and excite Marlins fans and the local community.”

Jason Momoa is ready for life in the fast lane. He's, in fact, joining !The star confirmed the news Wednesday to ET's Rachel Smith at premiere in New York City, where he said, «Yeah, I'm going to do » after being asked what's next on the horizon for the 42-year-old actor.Momoa, who attended the premiere in support of his stepdaughter, Zoë Kravitz (who stars as Catwoman), also said he's champing at the bit to, finally, dabble as a villain.«I get to be the bad boy,» he told ET.

Ana de Armas was spotted working with her Knives Out co-star Chris Evans on the Atlanta, Georgia set of the upcoming action feature Ghosted on Thursday.The 33-year-old performer appeared to be enjoying her time in the production area of the movie as she was seen sharing several laughs with her 40-year-old costar and interacting with the movie's crew members.This marks the first time that the actress has been seen on the set of the feature after she took over from Scarlett Johansson, who recently had to drop out of the project. Hard at work:Ana De Armas was spotted working with Chris Evans on the Atlanta set of the upcoming action-rom-com feature Ghosted on ThursdayDe Armas was costumed in a purple floral print dress that showed off her toned legs during her time on set.The Knives Out actress added a pair of high-heeled black leather cowboy boots.

Brielle Biermann appeared to enjoy a working vacation in the Bahamas this week.The Real Housewives of Atlanta cast member shared shots from a resort in Nassau, Bahamas on her Instagram feed Thursday as she shared:'Life’s better in a bikini.'The reality TV star recently celebrated her 25th birthday on February 25 in the island nation. Enjoying the sun: Brielle Biermann appears to be catching a few rays while showing off her assets during a recent trip to the BahamasModeling a thong bikini in multi-colored horizontal stripes, the young influencer tagged the Salty K brand in her post.

Dancing With The Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy has was pictured in Malibu on Wednesday, just hours after he arrived home in Los Angeles after a 'traumatic' escape from war-torn Ukraine.The 42-year-old touched down at LAX on Wednesday afternoon where he was greeted by his relieved wife Peta Murgatroyd and members of the media.Just a few hours later after a change of clothes, the DWTS dancer was then seen in Malibu while looking at his phone. Back:DWTS pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy pictured in Malibu on Wednesday, hours after an emotional reunion with wife Peta Murgatroyd following 'traumatic' escape from UkraineThe star was seen dressed casually and looked comfortable in a white shirt.His wife Pete was not see with him, though the pair had been pictured reuniting at the airport.

Jessica Biel celebrated her 40th birthday by sharing a collection of images of a birthday cake and a banner to her Instagram account on Thursday.In her shots, the actress was seen spending quality time with her husband, Justin Timberlake, 41, and their sons, Silas, age six, and Phineas, age two.The former teen star from 7th Heaven also wrote a short message in her post's caption to express her thoughts about reaching her milestone. Special occasion:Jessica Biel celebrated her 40th birthday by sharing a collection of images to her Instagram account on ThursdayBiel began her statement by writing that she was reflecting on her previous years during her special day.'Thinking of birthdays past and remembering all the amazing ones Justin and I spent solo,' she wrote.

The happiest place on Earth was a hot spot for Hollywood dads this week.Jay Z, 52, was spotted in at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on Thursday with daughter Blue Ivy, 10, alongside celebrity couple Chris Martin, 45, Dakota Johnson, 32, and Martin's teenagers Apple, 17 and Moses, 15.British actor Simon Pegg, 52, was also seen with the group of VIPs, who were being led by a private tour guide. Big day!Jay Z, 52, was spotted in at Disneyland on Thursday with daughter Blue Ivy, 10, alongside celebrity couple Chris Martin, 45, Dakota Johnson, 32, and Martin's teenagers Apple, 17 and Moses, 15It was a special father-daughter date for Jay and Blue who enjoyed a day at the amusement park without mom Beyonce or twins Sir and Rumi.The rap mogul kept his face covered with a full black neck-scarf style facemask, sunglasses and a baseball hat, and rocked a printed graphic T-shirt.

Saturday Night Live returned for its first episode of 2022 – thankfully without another coronavirus outbreak amongst the cast members!

Tonight on Saturday Night Live, Weekend Update‘s anchors addressed topics ranging from the death of Robert Durst, to the latest in the Prince Andrew Scandal, and a Sesame Street feud between Elmo and the pet rock Rocco.

Will Forte is next on the lineup of Saturday Night Live hosts, following Westside Story’s Ariana DeBose who brought the NBC sketch series back into 2022.

She earned a Golden Globe nomination for her acclaimed performance as Anita in Steven Spielberg's new adaptation of West Side Story.And breakout star Ariana DeBose used her newfound clout to convince singer–songwriter Jack Antonoff to change the name of his band Bleachers ahead of her hosting debut on Saturday Night Live.In a promo for her episode that was released Thursday, the 30-year-old dancer-turned-actress managed to gross the out the 37-year-old producer by informing him that people sometimes get intimate 'under the bleachers.' Just teasing! Ariana DeBose, 30, poked fun at Bleachers leader Jack Antonoff enough to make him want to change the band's name in a Saturday Night Live promo featuring Bowen Yang that was released ThursdayIn the clip, Ariana put on a busty display in an off-the-shoulder dress decorated with colorful pastel stripes, while Jack affected a nerdy–cool look with a black leather jacket and thick black glasses.After she introduced herself and Jack's band Bleachers, cast member Bowen Yang — who sported newly dyed-blond hair — added, 'Such a fun name, Bleachers, like, "Hey, let's go make out under the bleachers."' But the musician seemed offended at the idea.'Nobody does that!' he interjected, while Ariana shot back, 'Yes, they do.'The thought of kissing under the bleachers seemed to have turned the musician off of his own band name.

New year, new host, and new hair for Bowen Yang were on the table in the promo for Saturday Night Live’s first show of 2022.

Roddy Ricch on Wednesday withdrew from his scheduled appearance on Saturday Night Live after he was a close contact to a staffer with COVID-19.'Due to recent Covid exposure on my team and to keep everyone safe I won’t be able to perform on SNL this weekend,' the 23-year-old rapper said on Instagram Stories.The Box performer added that he was 'working with the SNL team to lock in a new date though.' The latest:Roddy Ricch, 23, on Wednesday withdrew from his scheduled appearance on Saturday Night Live after he was a close contact to a staffer with COVID-19. He was snapped in LA last yearThe Compton, California native had been slated to be the musical guest on the NBC comedy staple alongside West Side Story actress Ariana DeBose, who is hosting.The pop group Bleachers will perform in place of the Late at Night artist, making their SNL debut in support of their album Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night, which was released last summer.

EXCLUSIVE: Dana Carvey and David Spade have teamed up to launch their own weekly talk show podcast about Saturday Night Live.

West Side Story star Ariana DeBose has landed a plum gig hosting the first Saturday Night Live episode of 2022.The 30-year-old actress, who has years of Broadway experience, played the role of Anita that won Rita Moreno an Oscar in the 1961 movie version of West Side Story.Now after lending her talents to a legendary old musical she will try her hand at a comedy institution on January 15, according to Saturday Night Live's Instagram. Incoming:West Side Story star Ariana DeBose has landed a plum gig hosting the first Saturday Night Live episode of 2022In the same post the sketch program revealed that Die Young rapper Roddy Ricch will be the musical guest on the January 15 episode.Directed by Steven Spielberg, the new West Side Story film is led by Ansel Elgort - who last year denied a sexual assault allegation - and YouTube star Rachel Zegler.