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Grammys President Neil Portnow to Resign Four Months After Saying Female Artists Need to 'Step Up'

Agencies
June 2, 2018

Jun 2: Neil Portnow will step down as president and CEO of The Recording Academy and the Grammy Awards next year. The organization announced Thursday that Portnow chose not to “seek an extension on his current contract,” which ends next year.

He has led the academy since 2002. Portnow was criticized at the Grammys this year when he said women need to “step up” when asked about the lack of female winners backstage. Only two female performers won awards during the live telecast.

Portnow later said his words were taken out of context and he now understands the pain his “poor choice of words” has caused. The remarks were criticized by Pink, Sheryl Crow, Katy Perry, India.Arie and others.

“When I had the honor of being selected to lead this great organization in 2002, I vowed that on my watch, for the first time in our history, we would have a thoughtful, well-planned, and collegial transition. With a little more than a year remaining on my current contract, I’ve decided that this is an appropriate time to deliver on that promise,” Portnow said in a statement.

The academy said Portnow made the announcement at the company’s semi-annual Board of Trustees meeting last week. Over the next year he will continue to work on a transition plan with the organization.

Before leading the academy, Portnow served on the organization’s Board of Trustees. His 16-year run, the longest for a president at the academy, has been met with some criticism. For years the music community felt that the Grammys were out of date, giving out awards to older musicians and acts from the jazz, rock and country music worlds, and continually dismissing rap and R&B musicians, though those genres heavily dominate pop music. Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce, Eminem and Mariah Carey are among the acts who were on track to win top awards like album of the year at the Grammys, but constantly walked away without the big wins.

But the biggest setback for Portnow came this year at the show, where men dominated in nominations. Lorde, the only woman nominated for album of the year, didn’t get a chance to perform at the show, which was met with criticism. Three separate letters from music executives demanded a revamp at the academy.

Some of Portnow’s highlights over the years include leading the charity MusiCares and helping the Grammys establish online voting.

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News Network
January 9,2020

Los Angeles, Jan 9: Actors Salma Hayek and Tiffany Haddish are hopeful about the future for women in Hollywood and now cinema is making films about women because the audience was "neglected".

The duo along with Rose Byrne star in Like a Boss, a comedy directed by Miguel Arteta, which follows best friends Mia and Mel (Haddish and Byrne) who join forces to run their own boutique cosmetics company.

When the prospect of a big buyout offer from a notorious titan of the beauty industry (Hayek) tempts them, their lifelong bond - and their business - is put in jeopardy.

Hayek said she is happy with the increase in female-driven films in Hollywood.

"We're on the right path. And we're not going to stop," the actor told Variety.

"What I can tell you is that a lot more women are directing and acting and writing and producing. And there are a lot more movies made about women and for women because the audience was neglected, she said.

She was speaking at the premiere of the film in New York.

Haddish added that the mantle for change shouldn't be left to the traditional decision-makers.

To get things, one has to sometimes make noise, the actor-author said.

"It's about us putting in the work and creating the projects and creating the opportunities in order to do those things to make it better. I sit back and I listen to people talk sometimes, saying, 'They're not letting us; they're not giving it to us.' Why do we have to ask permission? Why can't we just start putting it together? If they want to come on board with it, come on board. And if not, oh well," Haddish said.

"I'm about creating an opportunity. People say I'm loud and obnoxious, but sometimes it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the oil and gets things done," she added.

The comedy comes on the heels of a year gone by in cinema that featured female protagonists in films like Little Women and Captain Marvel.

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Agencies
February 7,2020

Kochi, Feb 7: The younger brother of noted playback singer K J Yesudas was found dead in the backwaters near here, police said.

The body of 62-year old K J Justin, who had reportedly gone missing from his house in Thrikkakara near here on Tuesday evening was found floating in the backwaters near Vallarpadam Container Terminal on Wednesday, they said.

The relatives identified the body, police said adding it was later sent for autopsy at General Hospital here.

A General Hospital spokesperson said the body was handed over to his relatives on Thursday evening after autopsy was performed.

The funeral is expected to be held after the arrival of Yesudas from abroad, police sources said.

Police said the initial investigation suggested it was a case of suicide.

According to police, Jusin's relatives have informed the investigation team that he had been showing signs of suicidal tendency for the last one week as he was allegedly facing some financial problem.

His relatives were not available for comments.

Son of the renowned musician late Augustine Joseph, Justin is survived by his wife.

Justin had been a regular presence at popular ganamela programmes here in the past, sources said.

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News Network
January 18,2020

Mumbai, Jan 18: Actor Shabana Azmi was injured in an accident on Saturday afternoon on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway in Maharashtra's Raigad district, an official said.

The incident took place around 3.30 pm near Khalapur, over 60 km from Mumbai, when the car in which she was traveling rammed into a truck, said Raigad Superintendent of Police Anil Paraskar.

She was rushed to MGM hospital in Navi Mumbai and was undergoing treatment, he said.

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