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The only group in the history of the Grammy Awards to have their golden gramophone revoked could pull off the ultimate redemption story if the stars align at next year’s broadcast. The upcoming Luke Korem-directed biopic Milli Vanilli has been submitted for consideration in the best film category at the awards slated to take place on Feb. 4 in Los Angeles more than three decades after the duo’s best new artist trophy was recalled by the Recording Academy.
“I actually had that vision four years ago when we began making this film,” Korem tells Billboard exclusively about the inspiration for the biopic that tells the full story of the duo’s rocket rise to fame and equally rapid descent into a music industry punchline; this writer appears in the film but was not involved in the production or marketing. “However, this time it’s not about whether or not they sang. This film is about the exploitation of two young artists – Robert Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan – at the hands of a greedy music industry. I think a lot of artists and musicians can relate.”
Milli Vanilli is among 94 films vying for a nomination for best music film, including Oscar-shortlisted David Bowie doc Moonage Daydream and Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen: a Journey, A Song, as well as films about Boygenius, Miley Cyrus, Kelsea Ballerini, Duran Duran, U2, Foo Fighters and live movies about Ellie Goulding, Guns N’ Roses, Imagine Dragons, Kendrick Lamar, Sam Smith and many more.
In an exclusive new trailer for the film that debuted earlier this year at the Tribeca Festival in New York, surviving member Fabrice Morvan solemnly admits that he and late partner Rob Pilatus were “lying” to the public before offering up a maxim in his native French: “Lies are taking the elevators while the truth takes the stairs.”
Morvan says in the trailer that he knew that at some point the truth would emerge and the pair’s charade would be uncovered after the group quickly rose to the top of global charts with a string of late 1980s hits from their smash 1989 Girl You Know It’s True album. They scored three Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s (“Blame It on the Rain,” “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You” and “Baby Don’t Forget My Number”) in 1989 and won the best new artist Grammy in 1990 before it was revealed that they didn’t actually sing on any of their massive hits, which were performed by a group of anonymous studio musicians.
Morvan and Pilatus danced to the songs on stage and did press as Milli Vanilli, but during performances they pretended to sing over pre-recorded backing tracks.
“They were going to catch us at some point or another,” Morvan says in the clip, a realization that left the friends wondering what they would do when the house of cards collapsed as the weight of the lie pressed down on them, reaching its peak when the new artist award was repossessed nine months after the Feb. 1990 Grammys; it was the first, and so far only, time a Grammy has been rescinded.
The preview also features heartbreaking testimony from Pilatus’ adopted sister, Carmen Pilatus, who says the crush of attention became a problem “pretty quickly” for her brother, as he tried to balance his painful childhood feelings of isolation and otherness with the unfiltered love he got from screaming fans. “To be loved, finally, to be loved… but having to lie to the people who love and idolize him that was for him a huge problem,” she says in the film.
Trying to blot out the pain of the constant deceit, Morvan says he and Pilatus drowned their sorrows in drugs and alcohol to “numb out,” with Pilatus admitting in an interview taped shortly before his death at age 32 in 1998 of an accidental drug overdose that he had frequent blackouts because of his out-of-control substance use.
Korem says he spent more than three years on the film in an effort to “expose the pop music machine in a way that no film has ever done,” with a focus on recognizing what Milli Vanilli gave the world: “great entertainment… And what better way than a Grammy? It would be the perfect ending to this wild story.”
Morvan tells Billboard that today he’s glad people found out about the ruse orchestrated by reclusive German producer Frank Farian, who struck gold a decade earlier with the disco pop group Boney M., which was also fronted by a dancer who did not sing.
“When people saw headlines about Milli Vanilli, they just thought of Rob and Fab,” Morvan says. “But now when they think of Milli Vanilli, they think of Rob and Fab, the music industry that was behind them, the producers, and [former head of their American label, Arista Records] Clive Davis — everybody had a hand in it and was a major part of organizing this whole thing as opposed to people believing that Rob and I did everything.”
Without naming names, both men said it’s “common practice” for acts to lip synch today to recreate studio magic on stage, to make sure, as Morvan says, “that people aren’t disappointed by not hearing what they heard on the record or on the radio.”
And while Rob and Fab (briefly) enjoyed the high life and the spoils of fame, Korem says that the price of not singing on the records was higher than either man imagined. “This deception cost Rob his life and nearly destroyed Fab,” he says. “Think about that. Someone came along to these two kids and said, ‘let me make you a star,’ and they said yes. They took a bite of the apple, and the world crucified them for it. For what? For doing something The Monkees and others had done? For dancing and providing entertainment? It’s ludicrous.”
Watch the new trailer for Milli Vanilli (which begins streaming on Paramount+ on Oct. 24) below.
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All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Madonna‘s highly anticipated Celebration Tour has officially kicked off with the premiere performance taking place in London on Saturday (Oct. 14). […]
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. When it comes to loungewear, Cardi B likes feeling “snatched” and “comfortable.” The “Bongos” rapper stars in the photo campaign for […]
Barry Manilow paid tribute to his good friend Suzanne Somers on Sunday (Oct. 15) after the 76-year-old Three’s Company star’s death was announced earlier in the day. “Suzanne and I were friends for decades. She was the sister I never had and my close confidant forever. We shared triumphs and heartaches,” wrote Manilow in a […]
After a week of slow-drip bombshell revelations about her relationship with Will Smith while promoting her upcoming memoir, Worthy, Jada Pinkett Smith told The Today Show on Monday morning (Oct. 16) that the couple are working to reconcile and rebuild their fractured marriage.
“There’s no finding another great love, and I think that’s the point,” Pinkett Smith said. “It’s like we are in a place now that we are in a deep, healing space. And we are really concentrating on healing the relationship between us.”
The update came after Pinkett Smith revealed last week that the two have been living “separate lives” for the past seven years — while presenting a unified front in public — and that though they are not legally divorced they have not been together for many years.
“There’s no divorce on paper. We really have been working hard. That’s the whole thing. We are working very hard at bringing our relationship together. Back to a life partnership,” Pinkett Smith told Today co-host Hoda Kotb. “Here’s the thing about husband-wife marriage for me, for my healing process,” she said. “I came into that with very specific ideas that were blocks to me seeing Will as who he is. He can’t be this perfect, ideal guy husband. I have to be able to accept him for the human that he is, he accepts me for the human that I am. And we want to love each other there.”
In a New York Times interview, Pinkett Smith said one of the other things that shocked her about her estranged husband’s attack on Chris Rock at last years Academy Awards was when Smith shouted “Keep my wife’s name out of your f–king mouth!” after violently slapping the comedian across the face after he made a joke about Pinkett Smith’s bald hairstyle; the actress suffers from alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.
“Even though we hadn’t been calling each other husband and wife in a long time, I said, ‘I’m his wife now. We in this.’ That’s just who I am,” Pinkett Smith told the paper: “That’s the gift I have to offer, like, ‘Hey, I’m riding with you.’” Though not divorced, not in an open relationship or polyamorous, Pinkett Smith said she and Will are in an agreement they refer to as a “relationship of transparency.”
Will Smith told the Times in an email statement that Jada’s memoir “kind of woke him up,” adding that, “when you’ve been with someone for more than half of your life a sort of emotional blindness sets in, and you can all too easily lose your sensitivity to their hidden nuances and subtle beauties.”
The 52-year-old actress/singer also told the Times that as a 50th birthday present to herself she bought her own place in Calabasas, where the couple also shared a home together; the book reveals that the Smiths have been separated since 2017.
In speaking to Kotb last week for a prime-time special, Pinkett Smith described the breakdown of the relationship. “I think by the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted with trying,” she said. “I think we were both kind of just still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be.”
Jada and Will were married in 1997, with son Jaden born a year later, followed by daughter Willow in 2000.
An Israeli production company is working on a documentary about the horrific Oct. 7 terror attack on the Supernova Music Festival at Kibbutz Re’im by Hamas militants. The assault by air and land by the militant arm of the terrorist organization that governs the more than two million Palestinians who live in the Gaza Strip included the killing of more than 260 revelers at the Paralello Universo Supernova Sukkot Gathering electronic dance music festival celebrating the Jewish holiday Simchat Torah.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Israeli production company Sipur is working with Israeli broadcasters HOT Channel 8 and HSCC on a feature documentary about the assault that was part of Hamas surprise raid on the Southern border of Israel that found the militants killing more than 1,300 Israeli men, women and children and kidnapping nearly 200 civilians and soldiers.
The film will be directed by Yariv Mozer (The Devil’s Confession: The Lost Eichmann Tapes) using exclusive footage from participants and key people at the party, with the team aiming to “present an in-depth look at the festival before, during and after the horrific event,” according to THR, including interviews with investigators, soldiers and journalists and unseen footage from attendees.
“I have seen things in my life. I have lived through wars; I have fought in wars and I have even filmed during a war,” Mozer told THR in a statement. “But nothing prepared me for the harsh images I have seen in the remains of the massacre that took place at the Nova music festival. I see it as my duty as a documentary filmmaker to bring to the world the testimonies and horrific stories from the survivors of this slaughter. Young women and men whose only sin was their desire for music, and the passion to celebrate free love, spirit and freedom.”
President Biden referenced the massacre during remarks on the Israel-Hamas conflict days after the attack, naming “young people massacred while attending a music festival to celebrate peace” among the violent incidents of the previous few days.
Sipur CEO Emilio Schenker said the team “moved quickly” to begin work on the doc within a week of the attack because they believe it is “imperative to do everything in our power to shine a light on the greatest evil committed against our people since the Holocaust. The Supernova Music Festival must be seen and understood in its entirety to truly understand the larger meaning of the unspeakable crimes against humanity that occurred there. The world must never forget.”
The producers of the Supernova Gathering issued their first statement on the massacre on Friday. “Our dear tribe of Nova, first and foremost, we want to convey our sincere and heartfelt condolences to all the families, friends, partners and couples who have lost their loved ones or have been affected by the tragic events that unfolded, following that magic night and that turned into an exceedingly heavy morning,” they wrote.
“What was planned to be the happiest and largest electronic music festival of the Nova Tribe has turned into a scene of unspeakable tragedy, an inhumane war crime, an unprecedented violation of the most basic human values,” it continued. “This is the epitome of pure and unbridled evil, the horrifying and senseless murder of countless innocent angels, whose only ‘crime’ was being Jewish and living in Israel.“
The festival was attended by approximately 3,000 people, with a lineup focused on the electronic psytrance dance subgenre. Around 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists entered the site by truck, motorcycle, ATV and paraglider and began killing festival attendees with machine guns and RPGs, while also taking a number hostage and transporting them to Gaza.
Israel is expected to launch a major land invasion into Gaza in retaliation within days with the stated aim of wiping out Hamas’ infrastructure and leadership.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
The Empire State leads this week’s Sunday Night Football matchup as the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills face off for Week 6. The game will air Sunday (Oct. 15) at 8:20 p.m. ET/5:20 p.m. PT on NBC.
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Read on for details on how to watch the Giants vs. Bills and other SNF games without cable.
Sunday Night Football on NBC: How to Watch
The internet makes it pretty easy to live stream Sunday Night Football, without the need of cable or satellite. For example, you can stream the Giants vs. Bills game with Peacock Premium Plus ($11.99/month). The subscription includes live access to your local NBC channel, ad-free streaming, access to Peacock Originals, current NBC and Bravo shows, news, and other live sports.
You can also stream NBC live on DirecTV Stream, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV and other streamers that provide live channels. To access your favorite streamers internationally, use ExpressVPN.
And if you’re not as interested in a streaming subscription, you can watch NBC and other local channels with an TV antenna like the one featured below.
Amazon
How to Live Stream Sunday Night Football for Free
Streaming subscriptions can get expensive. Luckily, there are still a few platforms that offer free trials such as DirecTV Stream and Fubo. Apart from free streaming for up to a week, DirecTV and Fubo offer affordable plans for under $75/month. Football fans can enjoy dozens of channels, along with NFL Network, NFL Redzone and more — for one low price.
To access everything from the NFL, subscribe to NFL+ Premium for $14.99/month. The subscription gives you access to NFL Network, live, local primetime games during the regular season, NFL Redzone, game replays and more.
Sunday’s Baltimore Ravens vs. Tennessee Titans game streamed live on NFL+, Fubo, DAZN and DirecTV Stream. The Ravens beat the Titans 24-16 in the final London game of the season.
For more NFL roundups, be sure to read our stories on how to watch Monday Night Football and Thursday Night Football.
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Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
Day 3 of New York Comic Con 2023 came and went; you guessed it, there was more cosplay to take in.
The rain and fall temperatures didn’t stop cosplayers from showing up in droves to the Jacob K. Javits Center on Saturday, October 14.
Keeping that same energy from Day 1 and Day 2, blerds and nerds came together to celebrate geek culture. It’s a known fact amongst the NYCC faithful that cosplayers usually save their best cosplay drip for the weekend, and that continues to be the case.
On Friday, we were stuck in the Spider-Verse with plenty of takes of arguably Marvel’s most popular superhero in the building. Saturday saw more Spideys, but his foes took centerstage this time, like Spot from Across The Spider-Verse.
Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
Another Across The Spider-Verse “villain” who showed up was Miles Morales as The Prowler. We strongly lean toward this take on the character as our favorite cosplay from the day.
Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
Marvel Was Everywhere At New York Comic Con
Other Marvel characters we spotted were Jane Foster as Thor, a spin on Wolverine in a tuxedo, another Spidey villain, Mysterio, Mile’s homie and possible love interest Spider-Gwen, Bishop from the X-Men (pictured at the top of the post), Namor from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and, of course, Loki variants.
Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez
Day 4 is underway, and if you are at The Javits Center, enjoy all the cosplay and scoop all the collectibles you can.
We will be back next year, but until then, you can see more cosplay photos in the gallery below.
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Photo: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
1. Black & White Ninjetti Rangers (Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
2. Luke Skywalker & Grogu
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
3. Star Wars
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
4. Sith (Star Wars)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
5. New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
6. Blue Beetle
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
7. Mysterio
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
8. Wolverine
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
9. Thwomp (Super Mario Bros.)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
10. Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy VII)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
11. Nightmare Springtime Bonnie (Five Nights At Freddy’s)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
12. Bender (Futurama)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
13. Sentinel (X-Men)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
14. Krillin (Dragon Ball Z)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
15. 2B (Nier Automata)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
16. Thor/ Jane Foster
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
17. President Loki and Sylvie
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
18. Spider-Punk (Hobie Brown)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
19. Namor (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
20. Titan Shifter (Attack on Titan)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
21. Aunty Entity (Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
22. President Barbie (Barbie Movie)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
23. Ghost Rider
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
24. Nurse (Silent Hill)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
25. Loki Miss Asgard Variant
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
26. X-23
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
27. Aloy (Horizon Zero Dawn / Forbidden West)
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
28. Macho Man / Beetlejuice
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
29. Samurai Leonardo
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
30. The Mandalorian/ Din Djarin
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
31. Spider-Man Group Shot
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
32. Spider-Gwen
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
33. Captain America / Venom
Source:@PhotosByBeanz/ @BeanzGotGamez / New York Comic Con
New York Comic Con 2023 Day 3 Cosplay cosplay,nycc,new york comic con
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Murdaugh Murders: The Movie, a two-part film based on the “twisted true story” of convicted killer Alex Murdaugh, premieres on Lifetime on Saturday (Oct. 14).
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Award-winning actor Bill Pullman portrays Murdaugh, a South Carolina attorney who killed his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, in 2021. Murdaugh was convicted in the gruesome double murder in March. He is currently serving two life sentences.
Read on for more details on when and how to stream the movie for free without cable.
Where to Watch & Stream Murdaugh Murders: The Movie
The first part of Murdaugh Murders: The Movie premieres Saturday (Oct. 14) at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime. Part two will premiere on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The movie will also be available to stream on Lifetime.com starting on Sunday (you’ll need a provider log-in to stream).
Can you watch Lifetime live, without cable? Yes! You can watch Lifetime live on Philo, Hulu + Live TV, and DirecTV.
Want to stream for free? Sign up for a free trial to Philo or DirecTV. Philo lets you stream free for the first week ($25/month after the trial period), plus you’ll get access to 70+ channels cable channels including Lifetime, A&E, AMC, BET, ID Network, HGTV, Discovery and TLC.
DirecTV offers a similar package with 75+ channels, but you can also watch live local channels along with cable channels. The most affordable plans are priced at $65/month for 75+ channels, or $89.99/month for 109+ channels. DirecTV also offers free Starz, Max and other channels with certain packages.
Click below to launch your free trial to DirecTV.
Want to watch Lifetime from outside of the U.S.? You’ll need a VPN such as ExpressVPN or NordVPN to stream internationally.
Watch the trailer for Murdaugh Murders: The Movie below.
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A star-studded episode of Saturday Night Live helps to kick off the show’s 49th season, with Pete Davidson taking on the role of host, and Ice Spice making her debut on the 30 Rockefeller Plaza stage as musical guest. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In a promo for […]