'Jaws' changed movies forever, but Hollywood could still learn from it

NEW YORK (AP) — Fifty years after “Jaws” sunk its teeth into us, we’re still admiring the bite mark. Steven Spielberg’s 1975 film, his second feature, left such a imprint on culture and Hollywood that barely any trip to the movies, let alone to the beach, hasn’t been the same since. “Jaws” established — and still in many ways defines — the summer movie. And yet the “Jaws” legacy is so much more than being Hollywood’s prototype blockbuster. It’s not possible to, 50 years later, watch Spielberg’s film and see nothing but the beginning of a box-office bonanza, or the paler fish it’s inspired. It’s just too good a movie — and too much unlike so many wannabes since –— to be merely groundbreaking.

Nezza's Spanish anthem at Dodger Stadium ignites debate over team's immigrant support

LOS ANGELES (AP) — After Latin pop and R&B singer Nezza's viral controversial performance at Dodger Stadium, Dodgers fans have grown frustrated over the team’s lack of vocal support for local immigrant communities impacted by the rise of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests and raids. The baseball team has a long history with immigrant communities in Los Angeles, boasting a huge Latino fan base and hosting multiple heritage nights honoring various communities. Some fans have since called for a boycott online. Some are pushing for a more permanent boycott, while others say they’d be willing to return if the team spoke out in support.

Jeff Ross to make his Broadway debut this summer in one-man show that's far from a roast

NEW YORK (AP) — Jeff Ross, the comedian known for hosting brutal roasts of celebrities, is coming to Broadway this summer with a one-man autobiographical show that will offer fans a softer side. The show will explore Ross’ close relatives, especially his maternal grandfather. Ross calls him “the hero of my childhood,” who stepped up after the comedian’s parents died when he was a teenager. The title comes from the days when Ross was living with his grandfather in New Jersey and the older man would urge the budding comedian to pack a banana.

Music Review: HAIM return with a superb and salty breakup album

HAIM has declared this season to be “single-girl summer” and offered us the soundtrack. Heartsick never sounded so good, says Associated Press critic Mark Kennedy. “I Quit,” the fourth full-length album from the trio, is a breakup collection that never gets too weepy. You can dance to a lot of it. Even the song “Cry,” which name-checks the seven stages of grief, is an upbeat bop. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana Haim found themselves all single for the first time in a long time, looking back with equal parts venom and guilt.

The world according to Wednesday, your new favorite alt-country indie rock band

NEW YORK (AP) — North Carolina alt-country indie rock band Wednesday is an exemplar in evocative songwriting. Whole worlds are found in their short lyrical lines delivered with lap steel, guitar fuzz and folksy and jagged vocals. On Sept. 19, they will release their sixth and most ambitious full-length, “Bleeds.” In the band's first interview about the new album, Wednesday’s singer and songwriter Karly Hartzman tells The Associated Press that the main difference between this record and their others is that her songwriting has sharpened. She says there is a newfound emotional immediacy on “Bleeds.” AP ranked Wednesday's last album, 2023's “Rat Saw God,” as one of the best of the year.

Tyler Perry sued by actor on 'The Oval' for sexual assault and harassment

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An actor who worked on the Tyler Perry-created TV drama “The Oval” has filed a lawsuit alleging Perry leveraged his power in the entertainment industry to sexually assault and harass him. The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by actor Derek Dixon seeks at least $260 million in damages. The lawsuit says Perry used the fear of Dixon's character getting killed off to keep him quiet amid constant sexual harassment and several sexual assaults. Perry's lawyer said Dixon's claims are fabricated and are an attempt to shake down Perry.

Anne Burrell, TV chef who coached the 'Worst Cooks in America,' dies at 55

NEW YORK (AP) — TV chef Anne Burrell, who coached culinary fumblers through hundreds of episodes of “Worst Cooks in America,” has died. The Food Network confirms that the 55-year-old Burrell died Tuesday at her New York home. Medical examiners are set to determine what caused her death. Burrell worked in upscale New York City restaurants before beginning her two-decade television career on “Iron Chef America.” She started hosting “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" in 2008. She was known for bold and flavorful but not overly fancy dishes and for her 27 seasons on “Worst Cooks in America.”

From the Greek mountains to Manhattan: folk music icon Petroloukas Chalkias honored after death

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Fans in Greece are paying their respects to clarinetist Petroloukas Chalkias, whose hypnotic, note-bending performances over the course of seven decades made him a hero of mountain folk music. Chalkias, who died at 90, will lay in state Wednesday at Athens Cathedral, a rare honor. The musician took up the clarinet at as a boy of 11 and eventually caught the attention of jazz greats in the United States. Greek President Constantine Tassoulas describes Chalkias as a “legendary figure.” Musicians paying their respects say he was generous with his time in helping fellow artists.

List of the top summer movies since 'Jaws' turned it into blockbuster season in 1975

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Jaws” turns 50 this week, and its legacy of the summer movie blockbuster remains strong. The titles that have packed the most summer moviegoers into theaters since 1975 represent some of the best known films of the last half century, including five “Star Wars” movies, Pixar favorites like “Toy Story 3” and “Finding Nemo,” superheroes galore and both “Top Gun” films. They also include some surprises, and movies both less bombastic and less enduring. Combined, the tracking firm Comscore reports that the top-earning summer films between 1975 and 2024 earned more than $15 billion through the summer months, a figure not adjusted for inflation.

‘The Chosen’ swaps Texas for Italy to film the crucifixion for the hit drama about Jesus Christ

MATERA, Italy (AP) — In the south of Italy, Matera is known as the “City of Stones” for its architecture. For the next season of “The Chosen,” it will be known as ancient Jerusalem. The hit religious drama's sixth season focuses on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Associated Press visited the set this month as the cast and crew swapped their Texas studio for Italy. George Harrison Xanthis plays the apostle John. He says filming in Matera has helped by immersing him in the world of the show. Director and showrunner Dallas Jenkins explains he wanted authenticity. The fifth season started streaming this week. The sixth season will arrive in 2027.