Entertainment Roundup: Jon Stewart assails Congress; James Bond's Aston Martin auction

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Comedian Jon Stewart assails Congress for ignoring 9/11 first responders fund

Jon Stewart, the popular former host of the late-night comedy program The Daily Show, criticized members of Congress for not attending a hearing on Tuesday on renewing funding for a program that provides health care to first responders who were sickened responding to the Sept. 11 attacks. "Sick and dying, they brought themselves down here to speak and no one," Stewart said, pointing to a mostly empty dais. "Shameful, it's an embarrassment to the country and a stain on this institution. You should be ashamed of yourselves for those who aren’t here but you won’t be because accountability doesn’t appear to be something that occurs in this chamber."

'Central Park 5' prosecutor says Netflix series defames her with false information

A prosecutor of the men known as the "Central Park Five" said a new Netflix Inc series about their rape conviction and exoneration defames her with false information about how the case unfolded and her role in it. Linda Fairstein, who has come under renewed scrutiny since the debut of "When They See Us" on May 31, wrote in an op-ed published on Tuesday in the Wall Street Journal that the drama series is "so full of distortions and falsehoods as to be an outright fabrication."

Aston Martin built for James Bond heading to auction

A 1965 Aston Martin DB5 outfitted with special gadgets for James Bond, such as tire slashers, machine guns and a bulletproof shield, will go up for auction in August, the auction house announced on Wednesday. The vehicle painted grey is expected to fetch between $4 million and $6 million, according to a statement from RM Sotheby's.

Singer Steve Lawrence, of 'Steve and Eydie' duo, says he has Alzheimer's

Steve Lawrence, the 1960s-era singer and comedian who performed at nightclubs and on television with his wife Eydie Gorme, said on Tuesday he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In a letter released by his publicist, the 83-year-old Lawrence said the disease was in its early stages and he was "being treated with medications under the supervision of some of the finest doctors in the field."

Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. to turn himself in after groping allegation: NBC

Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. intends to turn himself into New York City police after a woman accused him of groping her at a Manhattan bar over the weekend, NBC News reported on Wednesday, citing Gooding's representative. The Oscar-winning actor plans to present himself to the NYPD's sex crimes unit on Thursday, according to NBC News.

Musicians lament the reported loss of recordings in decade-old Universal fire

Several big-name musicians voiced dismay on Wednesday that some of their recordings may have been among thousands of original masters that The New York Times Magazine reported were lost in the Universal Studios Hollywood backlot fire of 2008. The blaze, which gutted a popular "King Kong" attraction and a swath of the studio's fabled outdoor lot, also destroyed nearly all the master recordings stored there in a Universal Music Group archive, a loss that has long gone undisclosed, the magazine reported on Tuesday.

Samoa bans 'Rocketman' over gay scenes: media

Samoa has banned "Rocketman", the movie-musical based on the life of British musician Elton John, over its depiction of homosexuality, the South Pacific island's sensor has said. The film was banned last week because it clashed with Samoa's "culture and our Christian beliefs", the sensor, Leiataua Niuapu Faaui, told the Samoa Observer newspaper on Monday.

Britain's BBC gets a green light to enhance iPlayer

Britain's media regulator has given the BBC provisional permission to change its popular iPlayer on-demand platform from a 30-day catch-up service to one where programs are available for 12 months or longer. Ofcom said the changes would help the BBC stay relevant in the face of changing viewing habits and deliver value to the public, which funds the broadcaster by paying an annual license fee of 154.50 pounds ($196) per household.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)