Kennedy Centre honours

Carmen de Lavallade, Gloria Estefan, LL Cool J, Norman Lear and Lionel Richie were celebrated as the 2017 Kennedy Centre honourees at a ceremony in Washington.

“The Kennedy Centre Honours spotlights the extraordinary careers of five artists whose talent and ingenuity have enriched and shaped cultural life in America,” Kennedy Centre Chairman David M. Rubenstein said in a statement.

“Carmen de Lavallade is a national treasure whose elegance and talent as a dancer led to a career touching many art forms; international superstar Gloria Estefan has influenced American music through her infectious Miami sound; landmark hip-hop artist LL Cool J taught the world how to rhyme as one of the pioneers of the hip-hop phenomenon; Norman Lear spoke to the human condition and sparked poignant cultural conversations with some of the most epochal TV sitcoms of the 20th century; and Lionel Richie’s irresistibly recognisable melodies capture the heart and transcend generations.”

Will Smith in Nat Geo series

Men in Black star Will Smith has signed on to host One Strange Rock, a 10-episode, National Geographic series. The programme is slated to premiere in March.

“By pairing the incomparable, out-of-this-world, global appeal of Will Smith with our rock-star astronauts, who literally went out of this world, we tell the incredible story of the complexities of our planet,” said Tim Pastore, president of original programming and production at National Geographic.

“One Strange Rock will be an incredible visual treat, taking audiences from the microscopic to the cosmic, leaving viewers to see and appreciate our planet as never before.”

Toy Story land is coming to Disney World

Disney World is worth visiting in summer 2018. Why? Well, because a new attraction, ‘Toy Story Land’, will arrive at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and Shanghai Disney.

Yes, this is a section of Disney World dedicated entirely to Toy Story. Exciting, right? As it’s yet to be built, we don’t know the exact details of what ‘Toy Story Land’ will be like, but we do have its concept art to give us some hints.

When you enter, you’ll see Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and Rex, plus giant blocks and Jenga sets. The idea is that the second you enter, you feel like you’re the size of a toy, coming to life when real-life humans aren’t watching.

The main attraction will be a Slinky Dog roller coaster in which you’ll sit in a Slinky Dog design carriage and go through plenty of twists and turns. There’ll also be an arcade area with ‘The Claw’, and a rocket themed ride for Buzz fans.

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 30th, 2017