January 19, 2016: Stars Announce Boycott of Oscars, Looking for the Next Big Event Entertainer, Davos Theme Out of Touch With Global Events

1. STARS ANNOUNCE BOYCOTT OF OSCARS: Director Spike Lee and actress Jada Pinkett Smith announced plans to boycott next month’s Academy Awards ceremony to protest the lack of diversity in the acting categories. Their actions—coming on the national holiday celebrating Martin Luther King’s birthday—prompted a lengthy statement on diversity from the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Cheryl Boone Isaacs. Los Angeles Times: “If other prominent entertainment industry figures join the boycott, it has the potential to spoil Hollywood's annual showcase event. And should large numbers of African American viewers tune out, it could dent ratings for the Oscars telecast — the primary source of revenue for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.” http://lat.ms/1ntO4GP

2. LOOKING FOR THE NEXT BIG EVENT ENTERTAINER: The Association of Performing Arts Presenters—the biggest trade show for the performing arts industry—draws some 3,600 attendees there to survey the ever-expanding landscape of acts vying to book gigs at theaters, concert halls, and other events. The conference is under way now in New York. The Wall Street Journal: “To spend any time at APAP, be it walking the exhibit floors where some 370 booking agents set up shop or attending any of the 1,000 trade-oriented performance showcases at the hotel or other venues throughout the city, is to see a kind of 'America’s Got Talent' in person. Gone are the days when arts centers fed their patrons a steady diet of fairly highbrow fare. Now, just about anything goes. That ‘anything’ ranges from the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, a nine-piece bagpipe ensemble from Scotland who call themselves ‘the masters of bagrock,’ to Steve Trash, the self-proclaimed ‘rockin’ eco hero’ who builds his music and magic-filled show around the theme of garbage.” http://on.wsj.com/1lqDvmp

3. DAVOS THEME OUT OF TOUCH WITH GLOBAL EVENTS: As world leaders, business titans, celebrities, and others gather for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the programming around the theme of “Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution” seems out of touch with the geopolitical issues gripping the globe. The New York Times: “But then, problem-solving is not really the point. More than anything, Davos, at about 5,120 feet, is about high-altitude networking. The forum is where hedge fund managers, central bankers, chief executives, social-media magnates, heads of state, self-help gurus, artists, celebrities, fashion models and even archbishops engage in the equivalent of intellectual or corporate speed dating. If all goes well, they may pry open a possible business deal, pad out a contact list or maybe receive enlightenment about affairs outside their professional expertise. Many deal makers retreat to hotel suites for much of the conference, forsaking the official program in favor of a whirl of meetings, emerging only to attend private parties in exclusive chalets on the Davos slopes or invitation-only power dinners.” http://nyti.ms/1U7VCJK

* LOCAL NEWS *

AUSTIN:  Carnaval Brasileiro will take place February 27 at Palmer Events Center. Inspired by Brazil's Mardis Gras-style celebration, the event will feature two live bands playing samba music.

BOSTON:  Inspired by a Venetian bar, SRV is scheduled to open in the South End this week. The restaurant will host private events; its menu items include house-made pastas and risottos.

CHICAGO:  The Grant Park Music Festival is scheduled for June 15-August 20. All concerts are free and will take place on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.

LAS VEGAS:  The third annual cocktail festival For the Love of Cocktails will take place February 10-12 at various venues along the Strip. The event will end with a gala at Skyfall Lounge at the Delano. Eater: http://bit.ly/1n6VhMu

LOS ANGELES:  On Monday, Mayor Eric Garcetti attended the grand opening of Locol, the new community-driven fast food restaurant by chef Roy Choi in Watts.

Snoop Dogg will headline the ninth annual Calibash concert, which takes place January 24 at the Staples Center. Billboard: http://bit.ly/1nu9aVA

Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Pawpurrazzi, the annual benefit for the Humane Society of Greater Miami, will take place Friday at Jungle Island. The event, which includes a runway show featuring pets, will have a South Beach theme.

NEW YORK:  The School of American Ballet's annual Winter Ball will take place at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater on March 14.

Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  SeaWorld Orlando has stopped its beluga interaction program, which allowed visitors to get in the water with the whales. Orlando Sentinel: http://bit.ly/1JVGA9C

PHOENIX:  The Ritz-Carlton, Paradise Valley, will begin construction in the spring. The 200-room hotel will have an indoor-outdoor spa, a 400-foot-long pool, and a lawn with views of Camelback Mountain.

SAN FRANCISCO:  The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is warning residents to allow extra time for travel during Super Bowl 50 events running January 30-February 7. Traffic detours and public transportation reroutes will begin on Saturday. SFBay: bit.ly/1JcxmFP

TORONTO:  Branksome Hall has a new Athletic and Wellness Centre that can host meetings and events. The venue has an 8,900-square-foot room and another room that’s 10,700 square feet.

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, Anna Sekula, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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