Entertainment News Roundup: Quarantine like jail joke brings backlash for Ellen; Bosnian band cheers up fans and more

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Quarantine like jail joke brings fierce backlash for Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres, one of America's most popular TV personalities, faced a barrage of criticism on Wednesday after comparing her self-isolation in a multimillion-dollar mansion to being in prison. DeGeneres, whose daily television talk show had been off the air for three weeks because of a stay-at-home order, returned on Wednesday with a show filmed by her wife, actress Portia De Rossi, from one of their California homes.

Bosnian band cheers up fans with weekly online 'Quarantine Show'

Bosnia's most popular band, Dubioza Kolektiv, invites its audience to "stay connected and disinfected" during a weekly "Quarantine Show" online to cheer up fans locked in their homes due to the coronavirus. Bosnia, like most states in Europe, has introduced lockdown in an attempt to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus which has so far infected close to 800 people and caused 30 deaths in the Balkan country.

Elmo, Lin-Manuel Miranda team up for 'Sesame Street' coronavirus special

Elmo and Cookie Monster are reaching out to young children confused at being stuck at home during the coronavirus epidemic with a special "Sesame Street" episode airing next week. "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and actors Anne Hathaway and Tracee Ellis Ross will be celebrity guests in the 30-minute "Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate" that is aimed at entertaining kids and their families during uncertain times, broadcaster WarnerMedia and Sesame Workshop said on Wednesday.

Country folk singer John Prine dies at 73 of coronavirus complications

Grammy-winning singer John Prine, who wrote his early songs in his head while delivering mail and later emerged from Chicago's folk revival scene in the 1970s to become one of the most influential songwriters of his generation, died on Tuesday. He was 73. Prine was hospitalized in Nashville on March 26 suffering from symptoms of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, according to his wife, Fiona Whelan Prine, who was also his manager.

Broadway extends coronavirus shutdown through June 7

Broadway theaters, among New York's most-visited tourist attractions, will remain closed through June 7 due to the global coronavirus outbreak, an industry group said on Wednesday. The theaters closed on March 12 for what was supposed to be one month while authorities urged people to avoid large crowds. With the coronavirus crisis continuing and much of the United States urged to stay at home, that timeframe was extended.

Mobile-only Quibi sees more than 300,000 downloads on launch day: Sensor Tower

Mobile-only streaming service Quibi racked up more than 300,000 downloads on its launch day, industry site Sensor Tower said on Tuesday, as stay-at-home viewers lapped up its short films starring Hollywood A-listers. The service is founded by Jeffrey Katzenberg, the former chief of Walt Disney Co's movie studio and Dreamworks Animation, and headed by former eBay Inc and Hewlett Packard Chief Executive Officer Meg Whitman.

(With inputs from agencies.)