In light of the Tribeca Film Festival starting on Apr. 19, Robert De Niro paid a visit to The Today Show to discuss the event that he, himself, co-founded.

Among the subjects in question was the controversy surrounding Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Conspiracy, which was pulled from the festival’s line-up.

The film, which explores the subject of vaccinating ourselves and our children, investigates the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency’s studies suggest that vaccinations for measles, mumps and rubella do not cause autism. In fact, many people and advocacy groups feel those vaccinations may be one cause of autism, among other causes.

Due to the Tribecca Film Festival pulling the film from schedule, many turned to De Niro to explain why it was pulled, and partly due to the fact that his son is also autistic. When asked, De Niro suggested he felt he “didn’t want to start affecting the festival in ways he couldn’t see.”

During his interview with Savannah Gutheiw, however, he also stated, “I think it’s a movie that people should see.”

De Niro generally keeps his private life out of the spot light, and this controversy opened some doors for him to speak about his personal views. He also released a statement which read, “My intent in screening this film was to provide an opportunity for conversation around an issue that is deeply personal to me and my family. But after reviewing it over the past few days with the Tribeca Film Festival team and others from the scientific community, we do not believe it contributes to or furthers the discussion I had hoped for”.

Prince William and Kate Middleton took a trip to India and Bhutan, dedicating a few moments to honor his mother, the late Princess Diana, by visiting the Taj Mahal.

They proceeded to sit on the stone bench where she sat over 20 years ago. Among their whirlwind trip of some of India and Bhutan’s beautiful and historical landmarks, they also hiked to Tiger’s Nest monastery, nestled in Bhutan’s scenic mountains.

After claiming that the hike was easy about half-way to their destination, the 33-year-old Prince then suggested “I may have slightly spoken too soon. It was a little bit cheeky on the second part definitely.”

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also stopped at Kaziranga National Park during their seven-day visit and had the joy of feeding baby rhinos and elephants. In fact, during their park visit, the two had a close encounter with a rare, one-horned rhino. They also joked with a village elder in one of the park’s communities, stating that Prince George would have been “too naughty” to bring along on the trip.

Throughout the trip, Kate’s attire was closely watched and many suggested she, and Prince William, looked stunning.

Knowing how important it was to the Duke and Duchess, an official statement was released on their website reflecting Princess Diana’s relationship with India.

“The Duke of Cambridge is of course aware of the huge esteem his mother, the late Princess of Wales, is held in India and he appreciates the iconic status of the images that exist of The Princess at the Taj. He feels incredibly lucky to visit a place where his mother’s memory is kept alive by so many who travel there.”

The music icon and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist, producer and writer Prince had to make an emergency landing in his private jet in the early morning hours on Friday. He was rushed to the hospital immediately after landing.

The information was first reported by TMZ and continues to stir questions and concerns among the media and fans.

His plane landed in Moline, Illinois, and an ambulance transported him to a hospital close by. Rumors continue to swirl regarding his overall health, although he is now resting comfortably at home after experiencing severe flu symptoms.

As concerns continue to rise, a confirmation of his condition is expected in the coming days. Prince tweeted “I am transformed” after the medical emergency, adding to the confusion among some followers.

The artist, currently on a tour known as Piano and a Microphone, was also forced to cancel two shows recently due to said symptoms. His last performance to date was on Thursday night, where he proceeded to tweet, “I am still floating on a cloud of purple intoxication after last night’s Piano & A Microphone show in Atlanta.”

A music icon for over 30 years, the 57-year-old still continues to produce music and performs at a variety of events and tours to promote his talents.

Known for his unique presence and long career, even a new generation of music lovers know his prolific creations and style that have dated back over several decades. Along with his own recorded contributions, Prince has written for others and assisted both unknown and well-known artists win some of music’s highest honors.

After 20 years in the game, Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant retired with a celebrity-packed send-off at his last NBA game. Tickets were said to be in upwards of $20,000 for premium seats courtside.

Scoring 60 points for the sixth time in his career, it broke the NBA record for “most points scored during a player’s last game.”

Among the star-studded audience were Adam Levine, Brian Austin Green, Jack Levine, Behati Prinsloo, and Jay Z. Rumor has it Jack Nicolson, who also attended, got teary-eyed watching Bryant speak to his fans and teammates during his farewell speech.

Some celebrities were unable to make it to his final game, but took part in a video to thank the famed athlete. These included Ashton Kutcher, Ellen DeGeneres, Ryan Seacrest, Zac Efron, and previous Lakers cheerleader Paula Abdul. Other personalities took to Twitter to wish the NBA star the best.

Not only did Bryant’s retirement bring out a multitude of fans, celebrities and press, it helped the Staples Center break a record on Wednesday, selling $1.2 million worth of various merchandise. The more expensive items sold included snake and lamb skin hats costing over $38,000, as well as hats made of cashmere studded with diamonds for over $28,000.

After announcing his retirement in late November and writing a poem about his love of the sport, his send off was a teary and memorable one among fans. Plagued by injuries over the past few years, his colleagues and followers hope the athlete can finally get some much-needed rest.

At only 37 years old, many followers expect for new adventures on the horizon to keep him in the sport and on the spotlight.

James Corden is officially hosting the 70th Annual Tony Awards later this year, and previous hosts are already praising the versatile actor-comedian.

“James Corden is the perfect host because he is probably the only person I know who is more in love with musical theater than I am,” Rosie O’Donnell told The Hollywood Reporter (THR), who has already hosted the awards show three times to date.

“He’s gonna knock it out of the park. He’s gonna be the definitive Tony host from here on in,” she stated, acknowledging his performance on the Late Late Show’s sidewalk musicals, karaoke drives, and his role in 2012’s One Man, Two Guvnors.

Further commentary and advice was offered by none other than Hugh Jackman, a four-time emcee of the yearly ceremony. “I highly recommend going out during the commercial break and mucking around with the crowd,” he told THR. . “It’s a six-minute commercial break, and I said, ‘We’re gonna lose the whole crowd! You just leave them there for six minutes? I’m going out there.'”

Hugh Jackman then impressed the audience by grabbing Kevin Kline’s cellphone and having a relatively long conversation with his children. He joked with Nicole Kidman and convinced Sean Combs to sing “O, What a Beautiful Mornin’.”

“Puff Daddy got up and sang Oklahoma! with me,” Jackman stated amusingly while praising Corden for his upcoming hosting gig. “This is the most supportive, generous crowd you’ll ever have. I’m thrilled for him.”

The Tony Awards will be held at New York City’s Beacon Theatre on June 12, 2016.

In an effort to stay strong in the retail area, Kendall and Kylie Jenner plan to release an 18-piece handbag collection this coming fall.

According to a recent press release, the new luxury items are comprised of “clean and sophisticated styles for everyday wear.” They are essentially composed of silhouettes of varying shades. The two are also planning to release two specialty charms as part of the new line.

“I love that we played with all different sizes, from mini to large. A good handbag is functional and easy to use, without compromising the design or overall look,” Kylie said in her statement.

The handbag collection will range widely on pricing and overall value, starting at $75 and going for as much as $450. Availability will include prominent retailers worldwide such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdale’s.

“Bags are definitely a must-have accessory, they can take your outfit to a whole new level,” said Kendall.

Considering the two launched a separate, exclusive collection for Neiman Marcus recently, this is a strong indication of their plans to strengthen their brand and continue expanding the overall business.

Perhaps Kendall said it best to a Pret-a-Reporter during a luncheon in Los Angeles. “It’s like our one last thing that we keep together. We used to work a lot together — we’d shoot together, we’d only work together. And now this is like our one last thing that we’re holding on to together because it’s nice to come back.”

NBC’s long-running newsmagazine will see a limited spinoff focusing on short material that does necessarily warrant an hour-long investigation.

Known as Dateline: On Assignment, the new series starts on Sunday, May 8th, with a six-episode order. Lester Holt serves as anchor and features investigations with other news veterans such as Matt Lauer, Tom Brokaw, and Richard Engel. Original Dateline correspondents Josh Mankiewicz and Kate Snow are also set to make regular appearances.

“It’s a little bit back to the future for us,” says executive producer David Corvo.

In a way, the new series is in direct competition with CBS’ 60 Minutes, television’s longest-running newsmagazine, which attracts over 12 million viewers each week.

“It was more about stretching our own wings than trying to measure up against them,” Corvo explains in regard to CBS’ long-time show. “They do what they do and they do it brilliantly. We’re trying to use some of the muscles that we don’t use on Friday. And who knows where it goes down the road.”

Note that the original Dateline will continue to air on Fridays with single, hour-long investigations that include narrative and true crime. However, the Saturdays showing has been placed on hiatus in favor of On Assignment.

News divisions have been on a race to leverage the returning popularity of true crime series, partly thanks to the Serial podcast and HBO’s The Jinx.

“We’ve been approached by a lot of channels. So we’re trying to figure out how we make that a television series,” states Corvo. “It seems like everyone I know in Hollywood is being asked if they know how to do unscripted longform crime.”

After roughly seven years off the air, The CW is reviving MADtv as a primetime series.

The former Fox late-night sketch comedy will debut with eight new episodes comprising of a new cast, along with original members making guest appearances to host the one-hour show.

“The MADtv franchise is as vibrant as ever thanks largely to social and digital media appealing to a fan base numbering in the millions that relates to the show’s brand of authentic and irreverent cross-cultural comedy,” executive David Salzman stated. “We will continue to present the hard-hitting, laugh-out-loud, wall-to-wall pop culture parody our fans expect, but in a fresh, new way.”

The popular sketch comedy aired from 1995 to 2009, competing with the likes of Saturday Night Live throughout its run. It subsequently helped many actors and comedians launch their careers. These include Alex Borstein, Ike Barinholtz, Keegan-Michael Key, Simon Helberg, Orlando Jones, and others.

The CW recently aired a 20th anniversary reunion depicting MADtv’s most memorable moments and characters. The show’s resurrection is partly due to Fox’ decision to launch a new sketch comedy earlier this year, Party Over Here, which also takes place on Saturday nights.

A previous revival by The CW also includes Whose Line is it Anyway, which aired on the ABC network before ending its run in 2004.

Other networks have jumped on the revival bandwagon ranging from comedy to drama series. These include Fuller House on Netflix, as well as The X-Files on Fox.

There is currently no premiere date for the revived series, which is managed by Telepictures with executive producers John Montgomery, Mark Teitelbaum, and David Salzman.

Trent Harmon took home the satisfaction of being American Idol’s last winner before the show ended its 14-year run. The singer is looking forward to a successful country music career under 19/Big Machine Records, according to Billboard.

In addition, runner-up La’Porsha Renae will also join Universal Music Group and sign under 19/Big Machine/Motown Records.

“Because of the overwhelming fan demand and success of the farewell season of American Idol, we have made the decision to sign both the winner, Trent Harmon, and runner-up, La’Porsha Renae, to exclusive recording agreements,” Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta told Billboard.

He continued, “I can’t think of a better way to bring this American institution to a close. Everyone at the Big Machine Label Group, the Universal Music Group and Motown Records are so thrilled with the outcome and can’t wait to get to work.”

25-year-old Harmon, a Mississippi native, amazed viewers nationwide with his performance of Sia’s Chandelier among other hits. It’s been reported he will pay Nashville a visit as soon as he wraps up all initial contractual obligations.

“We’re going to make a country record with him,” Borchetta revealed to reporters shortly after Idol’s big finale.

Renae’s album, meanwhile, will be under the care of Ethiopia Habtemariam, president of Motown and co-head of creative at Universal Music Publishing Group.

“We are extremely excited to partner with Big Machine and 19 Entertainment on such an incredible talent as La’Porsha,” Habtemariam told Billboard.

19 Entertainment executive Jason Morey further added, “American Idol has always been about the search for a superstar. This season, America helped us find two. We’re ecstatic to welcome these world-class artists to the 19 Entertainment family.”

Bruce Springsteen has effectively canceled an upcoming concert in North Carolina in protest over the controversial anti-gay legislation recently passed.

Springsteen, who was set to play at Greensboro on Sunday, finds the bill unacceptable and hopes this move will resonate with both citizens and lawmakers.

“To my mind, it’s an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress,” the 66-year-old singer stated.

Gov. Pat McCrory signed the bill in March with the purpose of preventing in-state municipalities from passing anti-discrimination laws and regulations. Moreover, it effectively denies transgender people the use of public bathrooms for the sex which they officially identify.

The bill has made other celebrities and companies consider severing ties with North Carolina as a result. Meanwhile, other groups and organizations within the state are also fighting the new legislation.

“Taking all of this into account, I feel that this is a time for me and the band to show solidarity for those freedom fighters,” the singer said. “As a result, and with deepest apologies to our dedicated fans in Greensboro, we have canceled our show scheduled for Sunday.”

Springsteen continued in a statement: “Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.”

In response to the legislation, the Human Rights Campaign also released a statement praising Springsteen’s active involvement.

“Bruce Springsteen is a hero and an icon because he gives voice, both through his music and his advocacy, to those who struggle against injustice and equality,” president Chad Griffin stated.”