'DA POPE!' Leo XIV's Chicago roots unleash spate of holy humor

A Chicago-born cardinal walks into a conclave. The rest of the joke tells itself. In the breathless day since Pope Leo XIV’s election as the first American pontiff, the memes, doctored images and tongue-in-cheek references have piled up deeper than Chicago’s pizza and more loaded than its hot dog. Stained-glass windows depicting a dunking Michael Jordan? A change in canon law to make ketchup-topped frankfurters a sin? Cameos in “The Bear”? All of it apparently as tempting as forbidden fruit. The Onion editor-in-chief Chad Nackers says the papacy always is fertile humorous ground. Hailing from the U.S. and a city as distinct as Chicago opens up a whole new world of funny.

Koyo Kouoh, 2026 Venice Art Biennale curator, dies suddenly at age 58

ROME (AP) — Koyo Kouoh, the curator of the 2026 Venice Art Biennale, has died at age 58, her home institution in South Africa said in an Instagram post. The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town in South Africa on Saturday confirmed her passing overnight in an Instagram post but gave no cause of death. The Biennale said it was “deeply saddened and dismayed” to learn of her death. Kouoh was the first African woman tapped to helm the Venice Biennale. Born in Cameroon in 1967, she was tapped to curate the 2026 edition of the biennale in December.

Maren Morris' 'Dreamsicle' album invites healing as she embraces her new life

NEW YORK (AP) — Country star Maren Morris is back with a new album, “Dreamsicle,” her fourth studio project. Following 2022’s “Humble Quest,” the 35-year-old singer-songwriter crafted a 14-track album filled with an eclectic, yet cohesive mix of traditional country, pop, soft-rock and bluegrass vibes. Morris continues the free-flowing, unconfined mix of sounds the “The Bones” singer is known for. It's the first album by the Grammy winner and long-time LBGTQ supporter since she divorced Ryan Hurd last year. Morris recently came out as bisexual. Emphasizing that “Dreamsicle” is not a “divorce record” but an album of healing, she's currently prepping for her global tour in July with more than 40 dates.

James Foley, ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’ director, dies at 71

James Foley, a journeyman director best known for “Glengarry Glen Ross,” has died. He was 71. Taylor Lomax, a representative for the director, said Foley died earlier this week after a yearlong battle with brain cancer. In his long and varied career, Foley directed Madonna music videos, 12 episodes of “House of Cards” and the two “Fifty Shades of Grey” sequels, but it was his 1992 adaptation of David Mamet’s foulmouthed Pulitzer Prize winning play that stood above the rest. Although it wasn’t a hit at the time, “Glengarry Glen Ross” wormed its way into the culture and grew into an oft-quoted cult favorite, especially Alec Baldwin’s made-for-the-film “always be closing” monologue.

Robert De Niro will receive an honorary Palme d'Or in Cannes. Here's his history with the festival

CANNES, France (AP) — Robert De Niro will receive an honorary Palme d’Or next week at the Cannes Film Festival, a culmination for the 81-year-old actor whose history with the French film festival stretches back half a century. In 1976, De Niro starred in two films — Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver” and Bernardo Bertolucci’s “1900” — that premiered in competition at Cannes. “Taxi Driver” was an immediate sensation, and went home with the festival’s top prize, the Palme d’Or. Since then, De Niro has been a regular on the Croisette, including Roland Joffé‘s “The Mission” in 1986. Joffé’s film also won the Palme, making De Niro the rare actor to star in two Palme d’Or winners.

Music Review: Blake Shelton returns to his roots with 'For Recreational Use Only'

Blake Shelton’s 13th studio album opens with a fitting declaration for both his latest project and the current state of his career. It's “Stay Country or Die Tryin’" and it would be better phrased as a question, The Associated Press' Maria Sherman writes in her review. The superstar is caught between Hollywood and Nashville. In 2025, Shelton performs between worlds. But no matter. He’s dedicated himself to big country radio hits. The songs here concern themselves with lived-in bars and backroad acuity. Shelton might live a very different life than the characters found on the album. But this is a giant pop country record with limitless potential for radio ubiquity.

Harvey Weinstein's lawyers grill ex-model who says he sexually assaulted her in her teens

NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers are seeking to raise doubts about a former model’s allegation that he repeatedly sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager. Defense lawyer Mike Cibella began questioning Kaja Sokola on Friday at Weinstein's retrial. He portrayed her as a wannabe actor who tried to leverage the former movie studio boss. Weinstein is facing charges including a criminal sex act count that's based on Sokola's allegation that he forced oral sex on her in 2006, when she was 19. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty and denies ever sexually assaulting anyone.

Lainey Wilson rules the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards once again, Alan Jackson is honored

NEW YORK (AP) — Lainey Wilson has taken home the top prize at the Academy of Country Music Awards — the title of entertainer of the year — for a second year in a row. And that was after she cleaned house, taking home trophies for both female artist and album of the year. The  60th annual edition of the ACM Awards also saw Alan Jackson honored with an inaugural lifetime achievement award. Reba McEntire once again hosted. There were a few duets, including the Backstreet Boys with Rascal Flatts, Jelly Roll with Shaboozey and Brooks & Dunn with Cody Johnson.

US poets laureate criticize Trump's firing of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden

NEW YORK (AP) — Three recent U.S. poet laureates are condemning President Donald Trump's firing of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. Hayden was the first woman and the first African American to be the librarian of Congress, and she had appointed each of the three poet laureates to their position. Outgoing U.S. poet laureate Ada Limón said Hayden “promoted books, libraries, and curiosity while dedicating herself to serving both sides of the aisle with genuine grace.” On Friday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Hayden “did not meet the needs of the American people" and that there were “quiet concerning things” at the Library of Congress “in the pursuit of DEI.”

Judge rejects claim that Sean 'Diddy' Combs was treated differently because of his race

NEW YORK (AP) — The judge presiding over the racketeering and sex trafficking trial of hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs says there was no evidence to back up his lawyers' claim he was treated differently because of his race. Judge Arun Subramanian ruled Friday and rejected the request to dismiss some charges against Combs. The ruling came three days before opening statements are scheduled to occur in Manhattan federal court. Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges that he oversaw a racketeering enterprise from 2004 to 2024 that enabled him to sexually abuse women.