Entertainment News Roundup: 'Not hiding in the shadows anymore': West Hollywood appoints first Drag Laureate; Vietnam probes Blackpink concert organiser over South China Sea map and more

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

'Not hiding in the shadows anymore': West Hollywood appoints first Drag Laureate

West Hollywood is set to anoint Los Angeles singer and performer Pickle as its brand new 'Drag Laureate' - the city's first official ambassador for the drag community and the second to hold that title in the U.S.. She will serve a two-year term raising awareness and expanding appreciation for drag culture, at a time when lawmakers in several states have tried to restrict drag performances.

Vietnam probes Blackpink concert organiser over South China Sea map

Vietnam has launched an inspection into the website of K-pop group Blackpink's tour organiser, ahead of the group's concert in Hanoi, over criticism from fans that it shows a map of the South China Sea with disputed boundaries. The controversy follows Vietnam's decision to ban Warner Bros' highly anticipated film "Barbie" over a scene allegedly featuring the "nine-dash line" used in Chinese maps to illustrate Beijing's claims over vast areas of the South China Sea, including swathes of what Vietnam considers its continental shelf.

Motor racing-Hamilton confident Brad Pitt can take F1 to new heights

Brad Pitt's Hollywood treatment of Formula One will take the sport's already surging popularity to another level, seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton predicted on Thursday.

The actor's as-yet untitled movie is being filmed at Silverstone this weekend during the British Grand Prix, with the production having a garage and pitwall stand as a fictional 11th 'APX GP' team.

Film 'Joy Ride' takes group of friends on raunchy rollercoaster to China

When actress Stephanie Hsu realized there were no limits to how outrageous she could be in the film "Joy Ride," she was confident it was going to be a "good time." Director Adele Lim, a co-writer for "Crazy Rich Asians," was similarly grateful that no one ever told her that the raunchy U.S. comedy, which arrives in theaters on Friday, was "too much."

Motor racing-Life in the Pitt-lane: F1 prepares for movie action

Formula One has its pitstops and pitlane and this weekend's British Grand Prix will also have Brad Pitt getting in on the action. The 59-year-old Hollywood actor's as-yet untitled Formula One movie starts filming at Silverstone against the race backdrop, with the production having its own garage and pitwall stand as a fictional 11th team.

Warner Bros defends 'Barbie' film's world map as 'child-like'

Warner Bros studio on Thursday said a map in its upcoming "Barbie" movie of the South China Sea is a "child-like" drawing with no intended significance, days after Vietnam said it would ban the film over the map. Vietnam balked at a scene of the map that shows China's unilaterally claimed territory in the South China Sea, state media reported on Monday. It decided to ban domestic distribution of the highly anticipated film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.

Coco Lee, Hong Kong-born singer-songwriter, dies at 48 after suicide attempt

Hong Kong-born American singer Coco Lee died at 48 on Wednesday following a suicide attempt that left her in a coma, Lee's two sisters, Carol and Nancy Lee, said in a statement posted on Instagram and Facebook. Lee died in Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong, where she had been living.

Trudeau to Taylor Swift: Don't make it a cruel summer and come to Canada

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to Twitter to try to convince American pop star Taylor Swift to add some stops on her "Eras Tour" in Canada after she announced 14 new dates in Europe. "It's me, hi. I know places in Canada would love to have you. So, don't make it another cruel summer. We hope to see you soon," Trudeau said, replying late on Wednesday to an earlier tweet by Swift announcing the new tour dates.