ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, AUGUST 8, 2021 NEWS/FEATURES 13

People & Places

People

Meghan launches project No grounds for my removal: Mr Spears

LOS ANGELES, Aug 7, (AP): Britney Spears’ father said in a court fi ling Friday that there are “no grounds whatsoever” for removing him from the conservator- ship that controls her money and affairs. James Spears “has dutifully and faithfully served as the conservator of his daughter’s estate without any blemishes on his record,” the fi ling said. James Spears’ fi ling also says that court-appointed professional Jodi Montgomery, who oversees Britney Spears’ life decisions while her father handles her money, called him, distraught, last month and sought his help with his daughter’s mental health struggles. Montgomery and her lawyer said in response that James Spears “misrepresented and manipulated” the call to use it to his own advantage. James Spears’ fi ling came in response to court papers fi led a day earlier by Britney Spears’ new attorney Matthew Rosengart, which requested an emergency hearing as soon as possible to suspend him from the conservatorship. James Spears said Rosengart “does not (and cannot) specify what the wrongdoing is” to prompt such a suspension. Spears James Spears stepped aside from the part of the conserva- torship that controls his daughter’s life decisions in 2019, with Montgomery taking over, though her of- fi cial status remains temporary. The allegations made by Britney Spears at hearings in June and July that seem to have spurred Rosen- Barbra presents the award for best musical at the Tony Awards in New York on June 12, 2016. Streisand’s new album ‘Release Me 2’ arrived Friday, gart’s call for her father’s removal, including “seri- Aug. 6. (AP) ous allegations regarding forced medical treatment and therapy, improper medical care, and limitations on personal rights,” are “untested” and involve issues that have long been Montgomery’s responsibility, not Music his, said Jamie Spears’ fi ling. James Spears says the call for his urgent removal is “ironic” considering the call he received from Mont- gomery on July 9. Ed Sheeran to headline NFL’s kickoff concert Concerned “Ms. Montgomery sounded very distraught and expressed how concerned she was about my daugh- ters’ recent behavior and overall mental health,” Streisand remixes her past for new album James Spears said in a personal declaration included with his court fi ling. “Ms. Montgomery explained LOS ANGELES, Aug 7, (AP): Barbra day’s world. for any other reason than to write that my daughter was not timely or properly taking Streisand likes to get things just right. AP: Today’s production technol- about my life. It’s like “been there, her medications, was not listening to the recommen- As impressive as her award-winning ogy improved “Once You’ve Been in done that.” But during the pandemic I dations of her medical team, and refused to even see superstar career as a singer and actress Love,” which you recorded in one take caught up a lot. some of her doctors. Ms. Montgomery said she was is, her success as a director and pro- in the ’70s. AP: What is your process like? very worried about the direction my daughter was ducer is groundbreaking. Until Chloe Streisand: I wanted to sing it in the Streisand: I get up in the morning. heading in and directly asked for my help to address Zhao won best director at the Golden middle of an orchestra — feel that ex- My husband (James Brolin) and I may these issues.” Globes this year for “Nomadland,” perience of being right there. Of course, trade stocks and then I work on my James Spears said they discussed the possibility of Streisand was the only woman ever they forgot to put baffl es behind me so book. Never had to dress up for any- hospitalizing Britney Spears on an emergency psychi- to win that award, a feat she accom- you couldn’t edit it then. You couldn’t body. It was kind of delicious to walk atric hold. plished in 1983 for “.” raise one element of the orchestra. But around my gardens and rearrange cer- During the pandemic, Streisand, now what’s fun for me is it’s like we’re tain things. But basically, it was about Montgomery acknowledged, in a statement through Paulina Alexis attends the LA premier her attorney Lauriann Wright, having concerns about like so many of us, suddenly had some conducting the orchestra. When I was writing the book. of ‘Reservation Dogs’ at NeueHouse on much-needed time to take on new pro- working on it with my engineer, Jo- AP: Are you ready to go back into Britney Spears’ behavior and mental health, but said Thursday, Aug. 5, in Los Angeles. (AP) James Spears’ stepping down would only help. jects — including her iPhone settings. chem van der Saag, on the iPad during the world now? The statement said “having her father Jamie Spears “My name was always coming up COVID, it was so much fun to have an Streisand: Not really. I like the pri- continuing to serve as her Conservator instead of a as ‘Barbara with three As,’” she said. engineer who could actually add con- vacy. And now look at it again, this neutral professional fi duciary is having a serious im- “You’re supposed to be a smartphone! gas or a marimba or whatever. surge because people don’t want to get pact on Ms. Spears’ mental health.” How come you can’t get my name AP: I was surprised by the radio re- vaccinated. It doesn’t make any sense. At no time during the phone call did Montgomery right?” mix he did for the new single “Sweet I’m so sad for all the people that have suggest Britney Spears qualifi es for a psychiatric hold, After famously calling Apple CEO Forgiveness.” died needlessly over the last two years. the statement said. Tim Cook to get Siri to pronounce Streisand: That’s the one with the I mean it’s just horrifi c. I just have to Montgomery reached out to Jamie Spears because her last name right — no Z sound — beat. have faith in goodness and kindness, she was concerned that an investigation of Britney Streisand learned to override auto- AP: Yes. doing the right thing, and compassion. correction with some advice from her Streisand: What did you think of it? Spears’ allegations, which he was seeking, would be Also: harmful to her. assistant. AP: I liked it. I like the original bet- “The concern that Ms. Montgomery did raise to Mr. Tackling some previously unre- ter. It loses some of its drama by being LOS ANGELES: Ed Sheeran will per- Spears during their telephone call is that forcing Ms. leased songs from her past took a bit more contemporary, but it works for form in a concert to kickoff the NFL Spears to take the stand to testify or to have her evalu- Johnson Humphries more work, but fans get to hear the radio now. season opener in Florida next month. ated would move the needle in the wrong direction for results when her new album “Release Streisand: Right. I have no idea The NFL announced Friday that her mental health,” the statement said. Me 2” arrived Friday. about that kind of thing. I mean the Sheeran will headline a pregame con- Montgomery was “saddened” that the call “is now Variety The Associated Press spoke with record company liked it or wanted me cert Sept. 9 at Julian B. Lane River- being misrepresented and manipulated” by James Streisand, 79, about her new album to do it, I guess. So I did it, but my fa- front Park in Tampa, Florida. The Spears “to gain some sort of tactical advantage in the and life during the pandemic. The vorite is the orchestration as it was. British pop star’s performance will pending proceedings to remove him.” : Paul Johnson, a Chicago interview was edited for clarity and AP: Do you like the idea of kind of take place before the reigning Super The fi ghting between those involved in the conser- disc jockey and producer who length. trying something new and seeing how Bowl champion Tampa Bay Bucca- vatorship has grown increasingly heated, and increas- scored a hit with his 1999 track “Get Get AP: “Be Aware” sounds like you it turns out? neers face off against the Dallas Cow- ingly public, since Spears’ dramatic testimony at a Down,” has died from complications of wrote it last year. It sounds like advice Streisand: Yeah. But you know, it’s boys. hearing on June 23, when she told a judge “ I just want COVID-19. He was 50. for helping people through the pan- not my primary focus now. I’ve been A portion of the performance will my life back.” Johnson died Wednesday morning at Lit- demic. doing this book — I started writing my appear on pre-game programs on NBC A hearing to address Rosengart’s petition to remove tle Company of Mary Hospital in Chicago, Streisand: I was talking at that time journals in 1999 in long hand because and the NFL Network. His full perfor- James Spears is scheduled for Sept. 29, unless the where he was hospitalized with COVID-19 (1971) about the Vietnam War. That’s I never learned how to type and now I mance will be streamed on NFL.com judge grants his request to hold one sooner. on July 17, said Camille Harry, one of his what I was thinking about. And hun- wish I did. along with the league’s Facebook page agents. ger has always been a problem in the AP: Did you spend most of the pan- and app. Also: “Paul Johnson fought up until the very world. So many things are still a prob- demic working on the book? Sheeran is a four-time Grammy LONDON: Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has shown end. His death comes as a shock to family lem — homelessness for children. The Streisand: I signed a book deal in winner who took a break from work and fans alike. Paul’s charismatic spirit world has changed a lot for the better, 2014 and it was supposed to be done and social media in late 2019 after two her comic side in a video she released Wednesday to made him a friend to many and an inspira- launch a mentoring project for women as she marked tion to all,” she said in a statement. but a lot has remained the same. And in two years. (Laughs.) I’m long over- years of touring in support of his best- her 40th birthday. Harry said Johnson’s family is devastat- it’s amazing how when I was mixing due and my book is 824 pages at the selling album “Divide.” He recently The initiative will see 40 celebrities and public fi g- ed and asks for privacy as they grieve and this thinking how relevant it was to to- moment and it’s not fi nished. I’ll look released his single “Bad Habits.” ures each commit 40 minutes of their time to help a make arrangements for his funeral, which woman in their community return to the workplace. she said remained pending Friday. “Over two million in the US alone and tens of mil- Johnson, who began DJing and produc- Johnson “was out of the woods” after being a former principal dancer with the Boston to coerce sexual acts by means of force and lions around the world have lost their jobs due to ing in Chicago’s house music scene in the hospitalized with COVID-19. Ballet sexually assaulted young dancers he fraud,” The Boston Globe reported. COVID, and I think if we all do it and all commit 40 1980s, was best known for his 1999 track “For him to make it from being shot as a was instructing, and that his wife aided in The Associated Press does not typically minutes to some sort of act of service we can create a “,” which reached No. 5 on kid, wheelchair-bound, to his legs to being the abuse. identify victims of sexual assault unless ripple effect,” the wife of Prince Harry tells comedy the British music charts, the Chicago Sun- amputated, for (COVID-19) to take him Boston Ballet’s Sage Humphries and they publicly identify themselves. actress Melissa McCarthy in the video. Times reported. out, it’s very sad,” he told the Chicago Sun- another dancer, Gina Menichino, allege The lawsuit also alleges that Mitchell Button sexually abused at least fi ve students Meghan jokes with McCarthy in the short fi lm, but The single also spent 18 weeks on Times. (Agencies) in the suit fi led in federal court in Nevada Billboard’s chart and that Mitchell Taylor Button and his wife, while working as a dance instructor in Harry then steals the show when he is seen juggling ❑ ❑ ❑ Florida, one beginning when she was 13. It balls outside a window in the background. ultimately hit No. 1, according to Billboard. Dusty Button, used their standing in the Johnson fi rst began DJing in Chicago BOSTON: Two professional dancers have dance community to gain the trust of young alleges the abuse started a decade ago. The duchess wrote on the website of her charity Dusty Button is not named as a defend- Archewell that she wants to help women who have in 1984 when he was 13, throwing his fi rst fi led a lawsuit alleging that the husband of dancers, “then exploit those relationships party at his eighth grade graduation. He ant but the suit accuses her of engaging in left the workforce due to the pandemic “regain con- started working as a producer in 1987, do- sexual abuses against Humphries, including fi dence and rebuild their economic strength” and that ing tracks for Chicago house labels Dance holding Humphries down during an assault she hopes her initiative will help inspire a “global Mania, Relief, Cajual, Nite Life, Undag- by her husband. wave of service” to those in need. round Therapy, Defected, DJax Up Beats, A lawyer for the Buttons said her clients Others who have committed to the project include Peacefrog, and Moody. deny the allegations. singer Adele, fashion designer Stella McCartney Johnson’s productions had a particular “Taylor and Dusty Button categorically and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, the wife of Canadian distinctive sound — his tracks “stood out deny these baseless claims, and they look Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. — they were as tuneful as they were pum- forward to the opportunity to disprove ❑ ❑ ❑ meling, reckless battering rams that made all of the plaintiffs’ allegations through you want to sing along even as they bowled court proceedings,” Ken Swartz said in a NEWARK, N.J.: A former online celebrity who be- you over”. statement. came known for allegedly using a hatchet to fend off Paul Johnson’s signature meld of disco An attorney for the dancers said her an attack on a highway worker failed in his attempt to loops, overdriven kicks and unfi ltered clients are trying to protect other young have his conviction in a 2013 murder overturned. sleaze was nothing short of alchemy. Even dancers. Caleb McGillvary was convicted two years ago of when chopping up the vocals of Leroy “This is a pair of perpetrators who are the 2013 murder of attorney Joseph Galfy at Galfy’s Burgess or Roy Ayers, Johnson’s records highly sophisticated, highly manipulative, New Jersey home. The two had met in New York’s simmered with raucous charisma. and are continuing, which is exactly what Times Square, and McGillvary claimed he killed the Electronic music duo Daft Punk immor- my clients were concerned about,” Sigrid older man while fending off a sexual assault. He is talized Johnson’s contributions to dance McCawley said. serving a 57-year sentence. music in their 1997 track “Teachers,” The Boston Ballet in a statement said it Among many arguments in his appeal, the Alberta, where his name was the fi rst mentioned in supported Humphries. Canada, native claimed the jury’s verdict wasn’t jus- the song’s roll call. “Boston Ballet supports Sage Humphries tifi ed by the evidence presented and that prosecutors Johnson began using a wheelchair fol- who is bravely coming forward, sharing her lowing a 1987 shooting. He later lost both experience to protect others, and seeking committed misconduct by mischaracterizing the evi- his legs to amputation. accountability and justice,” the statement dence and McGillvary’s defense. He also accused the Chicago record executive Braxton said. “The Ballet will continue to do every- trial judge of improperly allowing highly prejudicial Holmes, who had a working relation- Spanish tenor Placido Domingo performs during his free concert with Romanian thing in its power to create and promote a expert testimony. ship with Johnson when the latter curated soprano Adela Zaharia, (not shown), and the Gyor Philharmonic Orchestra in safe and supportive culture for its students, music for Cajual Records, said he thought honor of the healthcare workers in Gyor, Hungary, Friday, Aug 6. (AP) dancers, staff, and community.” (AP)