Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

CNN's Anderson Cooper remembers mom Gloria Vanderbilt as visitor from 'distant star'

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper remembered his mother, designer and society grand dame Gloria Vanderbilt, as a woman who endured a string of heartbreaks but still remained deeply in love with love. "I always felt it was my job to protect her. She was the strongest person I ever met but she wasn't tough," Cooper said in a seven-minute video obituary on CNN.

Empowerment rules at MTV awards, with win for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Superhero blockbuster "Avengers: Endgame" was the top winner at the MTV Movie and TV awards on Monday in a show marked by messages of empowerment and self-esteem. The Marvel movie, the second biggest box office hit of all time, took wins for best movie, villain (Josh Brolin's Thanos) and hero (Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man.)

Taylor Swift releases song and petition calling for LGBTQ equality

Pop singer and songwriter Taylor Swift on Monday released a star-studded music video that scolded social media trolls and urged fans to sign a petition demanding U.S. legal protections for gays, lesbians and transgender people. The video for Swift's new single "You Need to Calm Down" featured a surprise cameo by former rival Katy Perry plus a host of other celebrities. Perry's appearance signaled an end to a spat between the two musicians which began in 2013 over backup singers in their shows.

'Yesterday' comedy movie gets Beatles' seal of approval

Imagine a world where The Beatles never existed? That is what British director Danny Boyle asks audiences to believe in his new movie "Yesterday." The comedy, arriving in movie theaters next week, tells of struggling British musician Jack who wakes up after a traffic accident and finds himself in an alternate timeline where only he can remember the music of the 1960s band.

Comcast partners with Charter, Cox to advance targeted advertising

U.S. cable provider Comcast Corp on Tuesday launched a program to further develop an advertising strategy that better targets audiences, as the TV industry looks to lure more advertisers away from digital players like Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google. The initiative, called "On Addressability," aims to create standards for addressable advertising, which targets ads to certain households based on their interests. It has so far been done only on a small scale in TV advertising.

U.S. fashion icon, socialite Gloria Vanderbilt dead at 95

Gloria Vanderbilt, the "poor little rich girl" who lived a life at the highest levels of fashion, society and wealth as an heir to one of the greatest family fortunes in U.S. history, died on Monday at the age of 95, her son, CNN correspondent Anderson Cooper, said. The network said Vanderbilt died at home among family and friends. Cooper said she had learned this month that she had stomach cancer.

Crowds gather in Florence for farewell to Franco Zeffirelli

Hundreds of people gathered in Florence on Tuesday for the funeral of film and opera director Franco Zeffirelli, who died on Saturday at the age of 96. Zeffirelli, a native of Florence, was the last of a generation of Italian film luminaries who came of age after World War Two, including Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti and Vittorio De Sica. Family, friends and politicians, including Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli, filled the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral. "Florence is giving back to the master everything he gave to the city," Mayor Dario Nardella said. Zeffirelli, who was often appreciated more by the public than by critics, directed more than two dozen films, working with stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Laurence Olivier, Alec Guinness, Faye Dunaway and Jon Voight. He brought Shakespeare to the screen several times, and his "Romeo and Juliet" was nominated for Best Picture and Best Director Oscars. His 1990 "Hamlet" starred Mel Gibson.

Bill Cosby's post as 'America's Dad' on Father's Day sparks anger online

Convicted sex offender Bill Cosby's Instagram post identifying himself as "America's Dad" in a Father's Day message touched off online reaction from admiration to outrage. "Hey, Hey, Hey...It's America's Dad... I know it's late, but to all of the Dads... It's an honor to be called a Father, so let's make today a renewed oath to fulfilling our purpose - strengthening our families and communities," Cosby posted on Instagram late Sunday night.