Editor, Writer, Producer
By DERRIK J. LANG
Senior Editor, American Way
If you squint your eyes while standing on the stretch of Reinig Road facing Mount Si, on the side of the street that borders the adjacent river, you can almost see the hand-painted sign welcoming visitors to the town of Twin Peaks (population: 51,201). It’s not actually there, of course, but as with everything auteur David Lynch creates, it has the eerie power to linger in your mind—somewhere between dream and reality.
By DERRIK J. LANG
Senior Editor, American Way
When I was mapping out a cross-country drive from Los Angeles to Miami, there was one place I wanted to stop more than any other: Marfa. I’d heard many stories about this West Texas town, which once served as a railroad water stop and Army installation before the artist Donald Judd landed here in the 1970s, later founding the Chinati Foundation art museum and transforming Marfa into a wellspring of culture and ideas.
By DERRIK J. LANG
Senior Editor, American Way
As Palm Springs guide Robert Imber pulls his minivan into the driveway of the Kaufmann House, the mid-century modernist masterpiece designed by Richard Neutra and once owned by Barry Manilow, two Chicagoan sisters in the back — who each paid $85 for the three-hour tour — pummel him with questions. When was it built? Who owns it now? How many bathrooms? Imber, a self-taught expert on modernism, rattles off the answers: 1946; the husband of a couple who are now divorced; five.
By DERRIK J. LANG
AP Entertainment Writer
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Cher is not finished.
The iconic singer-actress is returning to the stage next year for a series of performances on both sides of the country because, well, she can’t imagine not working, not even at 70. Despite bidding fans farewell in past tours, Cher is not prepared to say her final goodbye.
“Someday, I will be finished,” she said during a recent interview to promote her forthcoming “Classic Cher” residency tour. “That’s really what I’ve said to myself: ‘Someday, you won’t be able to do this, but you’re able to right now.’ It’s like my mom misses driving. My mom loved driving. She can’t do it anymore.”
For now, Cher says she’s still capable of staging an extravaganza — and that’s what she intends to do at a pair of new high-tech venues: the Park Theater at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas and The Theater at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Continue reading “Cher talks Donald Trump, emojis and ‘American Horror Story’”
By DERRIK J. LANG
AP Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES — Jimmy Kimmel isn’t planning to use his superpowers at the Emmys.
When the talk show host first emceed the ceremony four years ago, he pranked folks not watching the live telecast by bringing Tracy Morgan on stage to pretend to be unconscious.
The host of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” urged viewers to post “OMG Tracy Morgan just passed out on stage at the Emmys” on social media. A few years later, the “30 Rock” co-star was seriously injured in a car crash.
Continue reading “Jimmy Kimmel rolls out red carpet as Emmy host”
By DERRIK J. LANG
AP Entertainment Writer
SAN DIEGO — For one night only, Marc Summers returned to the podium to host “Double Dare.”
The kids’ game show was celebrated Friday night during a raucous invite-only Comic-Con event that revived the super sloppy Nickelodeon series to commemorate its 30th anniversary.
Continue reading “‘Double Dare’ revived at rowdy Comic-Con event”
By DERRIK J. LANG
AP Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES — It looks like the trippiest episode of “Star Trek” ever created.
On the bridge of a starship resembling the Enterprise from director J.J. Abrams’ “Trek” films, that series’ Dr. McCoy is at the engineering station frantically beaming up survivors of an attack, while former Borg tinkerer Seven of Nine from “Star Trek: Voyager” is firing torpedoes at a Klingon vessel. They’re both taking orders from “Star Trek: The Next Generation” chief engineer Geordi La Forge. He’s sitting in the captain’s chair, but he looks like a woman.
Continue reading “‘Star Trek’ Actors Take Series’ First VR Game for a Spin”
By DERRIK J. LANG
AP Entertainment Writer
In most first-person video games, the act of running and jumping is something a player does while shooting enemies in the face. The creators of “Mirror’s Edge” slickly subverted that overused convention in 2008 with a focus on acrobatic toes instead of trigger fingers. After a nearly decade-long break, the developers at DICE have finally retraced their steps.
Continue reading “Review: ‘Mirror’s Edge Catalyst’ is overdue poetry in motion”
By DERRIK J. LANG
AP Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES — At first glance, it has all the trappings of San Diego Comic-Con.
There’s a cavernous convention center devoid of daylight. Inside, it’s stuffed with thousands of fans lining up for everything from an autograph and a selfie to a slice of pizza and a soda. Upstairs, they’re camping out for Q&A sessions. However, there’s not a superhero in sight. Instead, the nearly 23,000 attendees of RuPaul’s DragCon are here for men glammed-up as women.
Continue reading “From drag queens to aliens, a con for all seasons”
By DERRIK J. LANG
AP Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES — I’m no stranger to virtual reality.
For the past three years, I’ve been reporting on and experiencing the evolution of modern VR at various trade shows, entertainment studios and industry events. It wasn’t until I set up the most immersive VR system on the market in my own home that I understood just how amazing — and frustrating — the interactive 360-degree medium can be.
Continue reading “Virtual Reality Check: Reporter spends week with VR system”
Derrik J. Lang