Entertainment News Roundup: Grammy Awards; Sundance Film Festival and more

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Monty Python star Terry Jones dies aged 77

Terry Jones, one of the British Monty Python comedy team and director of religious satire "Life of Brian", has died at the age of 77 after a long battle with dementia, his family said on Wednesday. Born in Wales in 1942, Jones was also an author, historian and poet. He had been diagnosed in 2015 with a rare form of dementia, FTD.

Spike Lee to introduce 2021 Cadillac Escalade with short film

Oscar-award-winning director Spike Lee has been hired to introduce the 2021 Cadillac Escalade with his short film "Anthem" on Feb. 4 in Hollywood, General Motors Co's luxury division, Cadillac, said on Thursday. The Escalade, with global sales of about 900,000 including ESV and previous EXT and Hybrid models, is a highly profitable piece of GM's new large truck and sport utility vehicle lineup that it has launched over the past two years.

Actress Annabella Sciorra expected to testify in Weinstein rape trial

Actress Annabella Sciorra is likely to take the stand in Harvey Weinstein's New York rape trial on Thursday as prosecutors try to prove that the former Hollywood producer was a serial predator who sexually assaulted young women. Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting two women, Mimi Haleyi and Jessica Mann. Sciorra's allegation is too old to be charged as a separate crime, but prosecutors hope it will show that Weinstein was a repeat sexual predator, a charge that could put him in prison for life.

Taylor Swift, Olivia Colman lead diverse Sundance 2020 lineup

Women directors and stars will be at the forefront of this year's Sundance Film Festival starting on Thursday, at a time when a lack of diversity among nominees has been the focus of the Hollywood awards season. Women directed 44% of the 118 feature-length films to be previewed at the 10-day festival in the ski resort town of Park City, Utah. Minorities have directed 34%, and directors identifying as LGBTQ 15%.

Stars flaunt Gaultier creations for designer's 'funeral' finale in Paris

Jean Paul Gaultier bade farewell to the catwalk on Wednesday in typically riotous style, as models performed jigs at his show, an actress sauntered down the runway smoking a cigarette and singer Boy George took part in a mock funeral sequence. The affable French designer, who has long cultivated an image as the 'enfant terrible' of the fashion world, announced last week the runway display would be his last after 50 years in the business.

Young, gifted and unique, top Grammy contenders march to their own tune

Move over pop and rap. From Billie Eilish to Bon Iver and Rosalia, the top contenders at Sunday's Grammy Awards are turning traditional music genres on their head with a striking fusion of styles. Teen sensation Eilish, body-positive singer Lizzo and gay, black country rapper Lil Nas X lead nominations for the highest awards in the music industry in a list that favors women and newcomers over established stars like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Bruce Springsteen.

Valentino adds subversive twist to classic gowns for Paris show

Italian fashion label Valentino subverted classic evening wear for its Paris Haute Couture show on Wednesday, displaying traditional gowns with unexpected twists. The designs, from Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, at first glance looked to be paying respectful homage to the classics, with traditional lines and forms.

Don't cry for me Portugal - Injured Madonna cancels second show in Lisbon

Pop legend Madonna has canceled another show in Portugal's capital Lisbon, the city that inspired her newest album Madame X, as she struggles to cope with pain from "ongoing injuries", her tour promoter said on Wednesday. Promoter Everything Is New issued a statement on Facebook apologizing to fans and thanking them for the "well-wishes for Madonna's recovery".

Grammy organizers deny claims award nominations are rigged

The organizers of the Grammy Awards on Thursday denied allegations that nominations for the highest prizes in the music industry are rigged, calling the claims "categorically false and misleading." Allegations that the Grammy nominations process is tainted by conflicts of interest were made in a complaint filed earlier this week by the former chief executive of the Recording Academy, Deborah Dugan, after she was placed on administrative leave.