CELEBRITIES

Grapevine: O’Jays want Trump campaign to cease, desist

Oprah to star in ‘A Wrinkle in Time,’ local artists perform in Detroit’s fourth Sidewalk Festival and more celeb news

Stephanie Steinberg
The Detroit News

The O’Jays send cease, desist letter to Trump campaign

Eddie Levert and Walter Williams, founding members of R&B group The O’Jays, have instructed their attorneys to send a cease and desist letter to U.S. Rep. John Mica (R-Florida) after the congressman posted a pro-Trump video with their song “For the Love of Money.” Trump’s campaign chair, Paul Manafort, was copied on the letter. Last week, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers were mortified after their song “Love Train” was altered to “Trump Train” at the Republican National Convention. “Trump and his people have no right to help themselves to our music. He presents himself as supporting ‘law and order,’ but, in truth, he’s not respecting the law at all,” Levert said in a statement. Williams added: “We don’t appreciate having our music associated with a campaign that is hurtful to so many with whom we have common ground ... We support those who inspire in a positive way as opposed to bullying and using scare tactics.” The letter demands that Mica, and any entity he’s affiliated with, “immediately and permanently refrain from exploiting (The O’Jay’s) proprietary material.”

Four-day Lollapalooza celebrates 25 years

Lollapalooza, the four-day music festival, kicks off Thursday at Grant Park in Chicago. This year’s 25th anniversary bash includes headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, J. Cole, LCD Soundsystem and Lana Del Rey. In case you’re curious, the first lineup in 1991 featured Nine Inch Nails, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Living Colour and Jane’s Addiction (also performing this Saturday). According to Spin, Lollapalooza morphed out of an attempt by Jane’s Addiction to organize a farewell tour with their favorite bands. Legend has it that drummer Stephen Perkins came up with the name Lollapalooza after hearing it in a “Three Stooges” episode. General admission tickets are sold out for this weekend, but VIP tickets are still available starting at $650 for one day. Don’t want to spend that much? You can watch select performances from home through the Lolla Live Broadcast online.

Oprah to play Mrs. Which in ‘A Wrinkle in Time’

Oprah Winfrey is in talks to star in Disney’s adaptation of MadeleineL'Engle’s science fantasy novel, “A Wrinkle in Time,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film will be directed by Ava DuVernay, who also directed “Selma,” which Winfrey co-starred in and produced. “Frozen” writer Jennifer Lee wrote the screenplay for the 1963 tale about a sister and brother, whose scientist father disappears. Winfrey is expected to play Mrs. Which, a supernatural being who, along with Mrs. Who and Mrs. Whatsit, helps the siblings on their journey to find their father. The film’s release is slated for July 2017.

Friday fundraiser for Hamtramck Disneyland

The Hamtramck arts collective, Hatch Art, will host a fundraiser at 6 p.m. Friday to boost its crowd-sourcing campaign on Patronicity to raise $50,000 to renovate Hamtramck Disneyland, the folk-art installation by the late Dmytro Szylak that sprawls across two adjoining backyards. If the campaign raises $50,000 by Aug. 20, Hatch Art will get a matching grant from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and the Michigan Economic Development Corp.’s Public Spaces Community Places program. Friday’s gala will include a strolling dinner featuring Hamtramck’s international cuisines, open bar, auction and outsider art exhibition from Kresge Award winner Timmy Lampinen, as well as live music. Tickets start at $50. The party will take place at Hatch Art Gallery, 3456 Evaline, Hamtramck.

Performance artists hit Detroit’s sidewalk

The fourth annual Sidewalk Festival of Performing Arts will pack one block — the corner of Lahser and Grand River to the corner of Lahser and Orchard — in northwest Detroit Aug. 5-6. More than 50 local and national artists will be featured at the festival. Performances include hip-hop artist Mahogany Jones, award-winning beatboxer Stevie Soul and the Rochester quartet Native How — known for their “Thrash Grass” sound. The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit also will feature the work of installation artist Paula Schubatis, and the Cranbrook Museum will present, “The Truth Booth,” prompting participants to finish the sentence, “The truth is ...” “Sidewalk is that colorful and crazy event where you can discover some of Detroit’s most innovative and daring artists,” says festival founder Ryan Myers Johnson. The festival is 7-11 p.m. Friday and 2-10 p.m. Saturday. There is a suggested $10 donation.

Compiled by Stephanie Steinberg and Michael H. Hodges

Thursday’s birthdays

Lori Loughlin, 52

Elizabeth Berkley, 44

Soulja Boy, 26