Voice of America Arts & Entertainment

1. Biden Honors Springsteen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mindy Kaling

   U.S. President Joe Biden made an observation when conferring the National Medal of Arts on rocker Bruce Springsteen on Tuesday: "Bruce, some people are just born to run, man." Springsteen and a host of actors, authors, singers and other artists joined Biden in the White House East Room where they received either a National Medal of Arts or National Humanities Medal for their contributions to...

2. 'Winnie the Pooh' Slasher Film Pulled from Hong Kong Cinemas

   Public screenings of a slasher film that features Winnie the Pooh were scrapped abruptly in Hong Kong on Tuesday, sparking discussions over increasing censorship in the city. Film distributor VII Pillars Entertainment announced on Facebook that the release of "Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey" on Thursday had been canceled with "great regret" in Hong Kong and neighboring Macao. In an email...

3. Ukrainian Artists Use Their Craft to Counter Russian Messaging in Africa

   Ukraine is supporting artists painting murals in Europe and Africa to counter Russian disinformation about Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Dubbed ''The Wall," a nod to the album by British rock band Pink Floyd, the project was recently launched in Kenya’s capital and also employs local artists. Victoria Amunga reports from Nairobi. Kenya footage by Jimmy Makhulo.

4. Adam Sandler Receives Mark Twain Prize for Lifetime in Comedy

   A host of comedic and entertainment royalty gathered at Washington's Kennedy Center to present comedy icon Adam Sandler with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.  Among those scheduled to honor Sandler on Sunday night were Jennifer Aniston, Judd Apatow, Drew Barrymore, Steve Buscemi, Dana Carvey, Luis Guzmán, Conan O'Brien, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade and Ben Stiller.  "Who...

5. Vatican Unveils New Ethnographic Display of Rwanda Screens

   The Vatican Museums officially reopened its African and American ethnographic collections Thursday by showcasing intricately restored Rwandan raffia screens that were sent by Catholic missionaries to the Vatican for a 1925 exhibit. The display at the Anima Mundi Ethnological Museum featured a scientific presentation of the restoration process as well as the research that preceded it, with...

6. What Really Helped Michelle Yeoh Win an Oscar

   As tough as action film star Michelle Yeoh is, it still might have been hard for her to clinch the best actress Oscar and become the first Asian woman to win the coveted award in its 95-year history—if everything hadn’t fallen into place. Besides her hard work and talent, Yeoh’s history-making win Sunday is a culmination of many forces, according to film experts and critics. First, Hong...

7. Reporter's Notebook: FYI on Initialisms, AKA Acronyms 

   Returning to the United States seven years ago, I was puzzled how the Bureau of Land Management had seemingly become involved with race politics. Then I deciphered that the hashtag #BLM had taken on a new meaning during my quarter century abroad: Black Lives Matter. I was likewise confused when newscasters recently began speaking about the IRA — the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The...

8. Muay Thai World Champion Trains Children in Cameroon

   Dany Bill is a Cameroon native and seven-time Muay Thai world champion. He was recently in Los Angeles, raising money for his foundation in Africa, which trains young people in the sport. Genia Dulot caught up with him there.

9. Japan’s Kenzaburo Oe, Awarded Nobel for Poetic Fiction, Dies

   Nobel literature laureate Kenzaburo Oe, whose darkly poetic novels were built from his childhood memories during Japan’s postwar occupation and from being the parent of a disabled son, has died. He was 88.  Oe, who was also an outspoken anti-nuclear and peace activist, died on March 3, his publisher, Kodansha Ltd., said in a statement Monday. The publisher did not give further details about...

10. Full List of Winners at the 2023 Oscars

    The 95th Academy Awards took place at a ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday and were broadcast live on ABC television. The following is the full list of 2023 Oscar winners:  Best Picture: "Everything Everywhere All at Once"  Best Actress: Michelle Yeoh, "Everything Everywhere All at Once"  Best Actor: Brendan Fraser, "The Whale"  Best Director: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, "Everything...