Here's everything that's been happening in the world of Pop Culture this past week... in case you missed it! Feel free to comment on any of the stories and info shared here, add any news bits that you caught going on that may have been missed, or at least show us some love if you read the post but have nothing to comment on by clicking on that little heart icon at the bottom of the post...

GENERAL POP CULTURE NEWS:

- The set of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” is being donated to Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications after the late night talk show wrapped an 11-season run last week. The museum’s chairman and CEO DAVID PLIER confirmed the news in an interview with WGN Radio. He added that the museum is also getting some of the show’s archives, part of the marquee that was outside of the Ed Sullivan Theater, and its Emmys, sharing, “… It’s going to be part of our Evolution of Late Night Television exhibit.”

- A new study out of the United Kingdom found that out of the top films from the past three years at the U.K. box office, movies are more likely to feature a lead actor named Chris than a female lead actor over the age of 60. Looking at the 100 highest-grossing films in 2023, 2024 and 2025, six featured a man named Chris in the lead, while just five starred a woman over 60. The Age Without Limits survey found that films are also four times more likely to have a talking animal as the lead character than a female actor over the age of 60.

- KENNETH IWAMASA, the former live-in personal assistant to late actor MATTHEW PERRY, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison this week for his role in obtaining and repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine, including the administration that resulted in Perry’s overdose death in 2023. Iwamasa, who had known Perry since 1992 and had been his assistant since 2022, pled guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death and serious bodily injury. He is the last of five individuals sentenced in connection with Perry’s death.

- NAMES, HASHTAGS, MEMES, AND TRENDS FROM THIS PAST WEEK –

ROSIE O’DONNELL's facelift; NBA playoffs; “Off Campus” revives JLo song “On the Floor”; E JEAN CARROLL

AWARDS UPDATE -

- The Tony Awards: The original Broadway cast of musical “The Book of Mormon” will reunite for a 15^th anniversary performance at the 79^th Annual Tony Awards this Sunday, June 7^th. The entire principal cast – including actors JOSH GAD and ANDREW RANNELLS – will take part in the performance.

GOVERNMENT 101 -

- US: Director of National Intelligence TULSI GABBARD announced plans to leave her post, sharing that she wants to be with her husband as he battles a rare form of bone cancer. Gabbard’s resignation will be effective on June 30^th. The former US Representative is the fourth Trump cabinet departure in recent months, following former Attorney General PAM BONDI, former Homeland Security Secretary KRISTI NOEM, and former Labor Secretary LORI CHAVEZ-DEREMAR all being let go or resigning amid increased public scrutiny over how they handled their jobs. AARON LUKAS, Gabbard’s principal deputy director will now serve as acting director.

ON BROADWAY/ THE WEST END -

- Broadway musical revival “Chess” announced it will close on June 21^st, three months earlier than planned, coinciding with the final performance featuring LEA MICHELE. The production, which also stars AARON TVEIT and NICHOLAS CHRISTOPHER, had been expected to continue through September 13^th with pop singer JOANNA “JOJO” LEVESQUE set to replace Michele on June 23^rd. No reason was given for the decision to close early.

- Actress JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS will make her Broadway debut alongside ED HARRIS, ALLISON JANNEY, JOE KEERY, and LILY RABE in the first Broadway revival of JON ROBIN BAITZ’s Tony Award-winning play “Other Desert Cities”. The production will start a 16-week limited engagement at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre with previews beginning September 29^th ahead of an October 18^th opening night. The limited engagement will end January 17, 2027.

- The Broadway revival of musical “Evita”, starring RACHEL ZEGLER, will begin performances at the Winter Garden Theatre on February 27, 2027 with an opening night scheduled for March 25, 2027.

TECH TALK -

- Paramount has suspended takedown notices on an episode of Michigan public access channel series “Only in Monroe” featuring STEPHEN COLBERT after the media giant was accused of suppressing the former CBS late night host. Colbert appeared on the Michigan show as a surprise host at 11:30 p.m. on Friday after wrapping his 11 season-run as host of “The Late Show” the day before. He appeared alongside the show’s regular hosts, MICHELLE BAUMANN and KAYE LANI RAE RAFKO WILSON, as well as guests including rocker JACK WHITE, actors JEFF DANIELS and STEVE BUSCEMI, rapper EMINEM, and media mogul BYRON ALLEN, whose series “Comics Unleashed” has taken over the “Late Show” timeslot on CBS. His return to the program comes after he previously hosted “Only in Monroe” back in 2015 ahead of starting his “Late Show” hosting duties. A CBS spokesperson confirmed that the episode was financed and produced by CBS Studios and was posted on Colbert’s YouTube channel in collaboration with Monroe Community Media and “The Late Show’s” YouTube channels. After unauthorized videos of Colbert’s appearance on “Only in Monroe” surfaced online, Paramount started issuing takedown notices, but backed off the takedown notices for the time being after the company faced backlash on social media for the move and was accused of suppressing Colbert.

MOVIE NEWS:

- Lionsgate announced that “John Rambo”, a prequel to the long-running “Rambo” action franchise, will hit theaters on June 4, 2027. The film will serve as an origin story, taking place before the events of 1982’s “First Blood”, the SYLVESTER STALLONE-led action-adventure that kicked off the franchise. Actor NOAH CENTINEO will headline the new film as the younger version of the character.

- Sony’s 3000 Pictures has acquired the rights to KATY HAYS’ upcoming novel “Home Economics”. JULIA ROBERTS is set to star and produce the film.

- Actor/screenwriter/tv series creator ARMANDO IANNUCCI has been tapped to write a fourth “Paddington” film for Studiocanal. Iannucci is best known for creating hit satires “Veep” and “The Thick of It” and is currently competing on the 21^st season of UK comedy competition series “Taskmaster”.

TV NEWS:

- CNN’s usual New Year’s Eve hosting duo ANDERSON COOPER and ANDY COHEN will be doing something similar for the network on July 3^rd. “Independence Eve Live with Anderson & Andy: Celebrating 250” will feature the pair in the Crossroads of the World interacting with a variety of guests, included “celebrated American icons, cultural legends, and inspiring everyday heroes”, counting down until a ball drops to honor the nation’s semi-quincentennial.

- While game show “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” will return to ABC’s linear schedule this fall for its seventh season, the series will also air additional exclusive episodes on Disney+ and Hulu this summer. Ten new episodes of the series, hosted by RYAN SEACREST and VANNA WHITE, will drop on both streamers on June 12^th. Those episodes will reportedly will eventually also air on ABC at some stage.  

- Disney+ will be the exclusive home to three new episodes of Fox animated comedy series “The Simpsons” this summer. The first exclusive episode, the double-length “Extreme Makeover: Homer Edition” will premiere June 17^th; “Simpsley” will follow on July 3^rd; and “Yellow Mirror” will debut on August 26^th.

- TV CASTING UPDATE –

- Actor TOM HARDY has reportedly been axed from Paramount+ drama series “Mobland” over on-set tensions. The series completed filming season 2 before Hardy was let go so he will still appear in the upcoming second season but it is unclear how his departure will affect the third season.  

- Actress KATE MANSI announced she will be leaving ABC daytime drama series “General Hospital” after three years in the role of Kristina Corinthos-Davis. Mansi’s last episode will air sometime in June. The show reportedly has no plans to recast the role and will instead write the character out.

- Comedian/tv host JOY BEHAR announced she will be taking a short hiatus from her cohosting duties on ABC daytime talk show “The View” to head to Europe for a brief vacation before she heads to London to star in her play “My First Ex-Husband” for a couple of weeks. Comedian/former “The Talk” cohost SHERYL UNDERWOOD, who was one of several guest cohosts on the show when fellow cohost ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN was on maternity leave, and journalist/author KARA SWISHER have both been tapped to fill-in for Behar, as will rotating cohost ANA NAVARRO (who typically only appears on Mondays and Fridays). Additionally, cohost WHOOPI GOLDBERG, who moderates the show Monday through Thursday and is typically off on Fridays (Behar serves as the moderator on Fridays), will appear on the Friday shows during Behar’s absence.

- TV news correspondents CECILIA VEGA and SHARYN ALFONSI were fired from CBS newsmagazine series “60 Minutes” along with longtime “60 Minutes” executive producer TANYA SIMON amid a major overhaul under CBS News editor-in-chief BARI WEISS.  

- Actress KAREN GILLAN has been added to the season 4 cast of Apple TV comedy series “Shrinking” in a recurring role. Details on her character have not yet been revealed.

- TV RENEWALS* AND PICKUPS/EXTENSIONS** -

* “You’re Killing Me”, Acorn TV, renewed for season 2

- TV CANCELLATIONS* AND TRIMMED/NOT-EXTENDED SEASONS** -

* “All the Queen’s Men”, Paramount+, will end with season 5

* “Spartacus: House of Ashur”, Starz, cancelled after one season

MUSIC NEWS:

- British singer/songwriter PHIL COLLINS revealed in a new interview that he has declined the opportunity to perform at his forthcoming solo induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The rocker, who has already been inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member of the pop rock band GENESIS, has faced several health issues over recent years and those health struggles have prevented him from performing. Collins noted in the interview that he’s healthier now than he has been in a while and while he can’t really see himself performing live again, he wouldn’t completely rule it out.

- Country singer MARTINA MCBRIDE, funk band MORRIS DAY AND THE TIME, rapper YOUNG MC, r&b/funk band THE COMMODORES, and pop act MILLI VANILLI have all dropped out of scheduled performances at the upcoming 16-day Freedom 250 ‘Great American State Fair’ being held in Washington D.C. starting at the end of June, just one day after the lineup for the event was announced. McBride noted online that she was “presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading,” adding, “Yesterday things started changing and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening.” Other acts that were announced for the event that have not dropped out as of Thursday include rappers VANILLA ICE and FLO RIDA and Poison frontman BRET MICHAELS. Organizers for the event said more performers and speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.    

- LAST WEEK’S NEW #1 SINGLES AROUND THE WORLD –

Australia/ New Zealand: “Choosin’ Texas” by ELLA LANGLEY

Canada/ US: “Janice STFU” by DRAKE

Germany: “Prada Sport” by PASHANIM, AK AUSSERKONTROLLE

Japan: “Gachi Muchu!” by BULLET-TRAIN

Sweden: “Bangaranga” by DARA

- LAST WEEK’S NEW #1 ALBUMS AROUND THE WORLD –

Australia/ Canada/ Ireland/ UK/ US: “ICEMAN” by DRAKE

Greece: “Rust in Peace” by MEGADEATH

Italy: “Vangelo” by SHIVA