January 2021 Entertainment Round-Up Super Quiz

Amanda Gorman’s reading of the inaugural poem on Jan. 20, 2021, made her a household name. Two of her books, which are only available from September 2021, the picture story “The Change We Sing” and a poetry collection featuring “The Hill We Climb,” already occupied the top two spots on Amazon.com. She signed an endorsement deal with IMG Models, whose other clients include Kate Moss.

Anything Else?

She also appeared at the Feb. 7 Super Bowl event in Tampa, Florida.

R.I.P iconic CNN host Larry King. In his 25 years on CNN’s Larry King Live, the multiple award-winning talk show host interviewed more than 30,000 guests, from movie stars to every sitting president from Gerald Ford to Barack Obama.

Larry King’s death

One of the most prominent faces on television died on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, after a weeks-long battle with Covid-19. He was 87. The news was announced on his official Twitter account by the company he co-founded, Ora Media. 

King Kong (initially appeared in a 1933 movie) and Godzilla (originally from a Japanese 1954 film) made their first cinematic standoff in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong that hit theaters and HBO Max simultaneously on Mar. 26.

Phineas is a Hebrew name, and it first appears in the Hebrew Bible as Phinehas or Pinchas.

Justin Timberlake’s Phineas

During a virtual interview on the Jan. 17, 2021, edition of The Ellen DeGeneres show, Justin Timberlake, 39, revealed that he and actress Jessica Biel, also sharing five-year-old son Silas – named their baby boy, born in the summer of 2020, Phineas.

Pitch Perfect and Bridesmaids star Rebel Wilson hosts Pooch Perfect –  an Australian dog grooming competition show also aired in the UK.

Pooch Perfect 2021 Fact

Wilson announced on Instagram Wednesday, Jan. 13, that her show is coming to US network ABC in 2021. On a different note, Wilson revealed during a Jan. 13, 2021 episode of British Sky One’s Straight Talking series, she was once kidnapped at gunpoint and held overnight while staying in Mozambique.

Billie Eilish and FINNEAS (Finneas O’Connell) are sister and brother. He also co-wrote and produced all of her albums. Eilish is releasing a collection of hundreds of rarely seen photos in May, as Grand Central Publishing announced Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. The book is called “Billie Eilish” and, according to Grand Central, will offer “readers personal glimpses into her childhood, her life on tour, and more.” – which should include photos of the two siblings home-schooled together.

Born Jan. 17, 1922, Betty White told People in a Jan. 13, 2021, interview for her 99th Birthday that her secret to a long life is to have a great “sense of humor.” White died on Dec. 31, 2021. She would have turned 100 on Jan. 17.

Wham!’s Last Christmas topped the UK singles chart for the first time on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021, 36 years after its first release in December 1984. George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley’s song now holds the record for the longest time it took a single to reach number one.

Although it is widely assumed that “chav” is an abbreviation for “council housed and violent,” it probably originated from the Romani word “Chavi,” meaning “child.” In British slang, “chav” is a slur meant for a young working-class person, stereotypically known for aggressively loutish behavior, flashy jewelry, and athletic tracksuits. In recent years the word saw a revival in the fashion world, even more so as an Instagram or Tik-Tok challenge trend. Throughout the 2020-2021 lockdowns, social influencers who have lounged around their houses in matching loungewear sets replaced the word “lazy” with “chav” on their ads.

Sex and the City ran for six seasons on HBO, from 1998 to 2008. The series also spawned two feature films, in 2008 and 2010, and The Carrie Diaries, a two-season prequel series on The CW.

Sex and the City News Fact

A new series based on Sex and the City, called “And Just Like That…” that will follow Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte as they navigate friendship in their 50s, was announced by HBO on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. Production on the series will begin in late spring 2021 in New York.

Tom Brokaw joined NBC News in 1966, the year The Beatles made their final onstage tour.

Brokaw 2021 Fact

After 55 years on the network, the seasoned TV journalist announced retirement on January 22, 2021.

Stevie Wonder wrote the tribute song “Happy Birthday” to urge the government to establish a Martin Luther King Jr. Day formally. King was born Jan. 15, 1929, and his birthday is celebrated in the US on the third Monday every January. Wonder released a video message on MLK day 2021  as an open letter to King, who was assassinated in 1968. The legendary musician is urging the incoming Biden administration to form a national commission on equality in the letter.

• Listen to Stevie Wonder on Amazon Music Unlimited. 
• Read or listen to Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? By Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Audiobook, Kindle, or print.