Demand for equal rights take centre stage at Oscars 2015

February 23, 2015

Los Angeles, Feb 23: Equality issues dominated the 87th Academy Awards with winners Alejandro G Inarritu, Patricia Arquette, Common, John Ledend and Graham Moore calling for women, gay, immigrant and African-American rights in their impassioned speeches.87th Academy Award

Arquette, who took to stage to accept her best supporting actress win, reminded everyone that equality for women was still a dream.

"To every woman who gave birth, to every tax payer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else's equal rights. It is our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America," Arquette said as fellow nominee Meryl Streep gave her a standing ovation from the audience.

Inarritu lauded the Academy, which has faced considerable flak for being all white, for awarding the best director trophy to a Mexican director second year in a row but also called for better immigration laws for his countrymen in the US.

"And the ones that live in this country, who are part of the latest generation of immigrants, I just pray that they can be treated with the same dignity and respect as the ones who came before and built this incredible immigrant nation," he said in his speech.

'Glory' musicians John Legend and Common left many in the audience teary eyed with their performance and acceptance speech following their best song win for "Selma".

"Recently, John and I got to go to Selma and perform 'Glory' on the same bridge that Dr King and the people of the civil rights movement marched on 50 years ago. This bridge was once a landmark of a divided nation but now is a symbol for change. The spirit of this bridge transcends race, gender, religion, sexual orientation and social status," Common said.

Legend said: "The Voting Rights Act that they fought for 50 years ago is being compromised right now, in this country, today. We know that right now, the struggle for freedom and justice is real."

Graham Moore, who won the best adapted screenplay Oscar for his World War II drama on Alan Turing, who was persecuted for his homosexuality, made a moving call to all the people who find it difficult to fit in.

"When I was 16 years old, I tried to kill myself because I felt weird and I felt different and I felt like I did not belong. And now I'm standing here and, so, I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there who feels like she's weird or she's different or she doesn't fit in anywhere.

"Yes, you do. I promise you do. You do. Stay weird. Stay different. And then when it’s your turn and you are standing on this stage, please pass the same message to the next person who comes along," Moore said while paying tribute to Turing.

Both best actress and actor winners Julianne Moore and Eddie Redmayne dedicated their awards to Alzheimer's and ALS sufferers.

Reese Witherspoon, Arquette and Moore lent their support to the #AskHerMore campaign that encourages journalists to ask actresses more than just what they are wearing.

Director Laura Poitras, who won the best documentary feature Oscar for her Edward Snowden documentary "Citizenfour", thanked Snowden in her speech.

"Thank you to Edward Snowden, to his courage and many other whistleblowers," Poitras said.

Dana Perry, the co-director of Best Documentary Short winner "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1", called for greater public awareness of suicide.

Even Neil Patrick Harris took a jibe at the Academy in his opening monologue: "Tonight we honor Hollywood's best and whitest, sorry, brightest".

Political activism and Oscar speeches go hand-in-hand as Marlon Brando famously sent a Native American rights activist up to accept his best actor trophy while Michael Moore protested the war in Iraq during his Oscar speech.

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News Network
January 8,2020

Jan 8: Bollywood star Deepika Padukone on Tuesday visited the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to express solidarity with the students who were attacked by a mob, but she did not address the crowd.

The actor reached the university campus at around 7.40 pm and attended a public meeting, called by JNU Teacher's Association and JNUSU in response to Sunday's attack on students and teachers by a masked mob armed with sticks and rods.

Deepika stood as former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar was raising azaadi slogans and left by the time current president Aishe Ghosh started speaking.

The actor's decision to not address the crowd prompted Ghosh to comment, "when you are in a position, you should speak up".

"There are many people in Bollywood who do not put forth their views when they are not be aired. They are considered role models. I appeal to them: Make inspiring films after something has happened but when you are in that position, also talk about the story that is currently happening," she said.

Later, Ghosh said that Deepika expressed solidarity with the JNU students.

Deepika is in the capital to promote her upcoming release, Meghna Gulzar-directed "Chhapaak".

On Monday, the 34-year-old actor told a news channel that she feels proud that people have come out and raised their voice without fear, in reference to the protests against the amended Citizenship Act, the National Register of Citizens and violence in JNU.

"I feel proud to see that we aren't scared to express ourselves... I think the fact that we are thinking about the country and its future.... Whatever may be our point of view, it's nice to see," Deepika told NDTV India.

"I feel proud about it that people are coming out -- be it on the streets or wherever they are -- they are raising their voice and expressing themselves as it is important. If we want to see a change in life and society, it is important that a point of view be put forward," she added.

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News Network
July 26,2020

Washington, Jul 26: Regis Philbin, the iconic television personality best-known for his hosting duties on 'Live!' with co-hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Kelly Ripa, and 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,' has died. The beloved star was 88.

According to People Magazine, the longtime television host died on July 24. His family shared a statement on Saturday, "We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday,"
"His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him - for his warmth, his legendary sense of humour, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about. 

We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career and ask for privacy as we mourn his loss," the Philbin family says.

Philbin began his iconic career in 1988, as the host of 'Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee' alongside TV presenter Kathie Lee Gifford. After 15 years, Gifford left the ABC show but the pair remained close after her departure.

In 2001, the franchise became 'Live! with Regis and Kelly', co-starring Kelly Ripa before he left in 2011 after 23 years on-air.

From 1999 to 2002, Philbin also served as the original host of the widely popular game show 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.' In addition, the New York City native's hosting credits include 'Million Dollar Password', the first season of 'America's Got Talent', as well as a reoccurring co-host seat on 'Rachael Ray'.

Born on August 25, 1931, Philbin was raised in the Bronx and graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School in 1949 before attending the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a sociology degree in 1953.

After serving in the Navy, Philbin began his career in show business as a writer and made his way in front of the camera in 1961 with a local talk show in San Diego called 'The Regis Philbin Show'. Then in 1967, he became widely known as Joey Bishop's sidekick on 'The Joey Bishop Show'.

After a string of local talk shows, including 'A.M. Los Angeles' and 'Regis Philbin's Saturday Night in St. Louis', the star moved to New York in 1983 to host 'The Morning Show', which was renamed three years later as 'Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee'.

His accolades include Daytime Emmy Awards for outstanding talk show host for 'Live!' in 2001 and 2011 as well as an outstanding game show host for 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'. He also received a Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003 and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmy Awards in 2008.

Throughout his career, Philbin had various health issues. He underwent an angioplasty in 1993, followed by triple bypass surgery due to plaque in his arteries in March 2007. In December 2009, the television personality had his hip replaced.

Married twice, Philbin is survived by daughters J.J. Philbin and Joanna Philbin, whom he shared with his wife of 50 years, Joy Philbin. He was also father to daughter Amy Philbin, whom he shared with his first wife Catherine Faylen. Philbin and Faylen had another child, son Daniel Philbin, who died in 2014.

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News Network
June 24,2020

New Delhi, Jun 24: Actor Bhumi Pednekar supported migrant labourers traveling long distances amid the coronavirus pandemic, in a rather unique way- by donating footwear to them.

The gut-wrenching images of migrants walking barefoot on the roads made the 'Pati Patni Aur Woh' actor take the plunge to help them.

Pednekar joined hands with a footwear company and a volunteer-based non-government organisation - The Robin Hood Army - to help the underprivileged with footwear.

The actor helped over 1000 migrant labourers in and around Ghaziabad in Murad Nagar, Govindpuram, Vijay Nagar, and distributed footwear among men and women across age-groups.

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