Romo to Attend This Year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Mr. Romo goes to Washington…

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is among the Hispanic celebrities expected to attend this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the final dinner of President Barack Obama’s administration.

Tony Romo

Romo will attend the event as a guest of Fox News Channel, alongside the WWE and Total Divas star Nikki Bella, who will soon be appearing opposite her twin sister Brie in E!’s Total Bellas reality series.

The 90th annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner will take place on Saturday. It’ll be hosted by Comedy Central’s Larry Wilmore.

Other Hispanic celebrities on the guest list include Rosario Dawson as a guest of Time magazine, and Christy Turington Burns as a guest of the Wall Street Journal.

Here’s a look at the list so far:

FOX NEWS CHANNEL
Cheryl Boone Isaacs (AMPAS President)
Chris Dodd (MPAA CEO)
Vivica A. Fox (Independence Day: Resurgence)
John Cena and Nikki Bella (WWE)
JC Chasez (N’Sync)
Ryan Kwanten (True Blood)
Sela Ward (Independence Day: Resurgence)
Jeff Goldblum (Independence Day: Resurgence)
Cheryl Ladd (Charlie’s Angels – 40 year anniversary of the show)
Gladys Knight
Tony Romo (Dallas Cowboys)
Toks Olagundoye (Castle)

ABC NEWS
Will Smith (Suicide Squad)
Jada Pinkett Smith (Magic Mike XXL)
Shonda Rhimes (Scandal EP, among many other things)
Kerry Washington (Scandal)
Tony Goldwyn (Scandal)
Scott Foley (Scandal)
Anthony Anderson (black-ish)
Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish)
Kenya Barris (black-ish creator/EP)
Whoopi Goldberg (The View)
Joy Behar (The View)
Paula Farris (The View)
Raven-Symone (The View)
Michelle Collins (The View) 

THOMSON REUTERS
Michael Kelly (House of Cards)
Illana Glazer (Broad City)
Abbi Jacobson (Broad City)
Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey)
Von Miller (Denver Broncos, Super Bowl MVP)
Odell Beckham, Jr., (New York Giants) 

CHRISTIAN BROADCASTING NEWORK
Candace Cameron Bure (Fuller House/The View) 

BLOOMBERG
Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Star Wars Episode VIII) 

NBC NEWS
Jaime Alexander (Blindspot) 

TIME
Neve Campbell (House of Cards)
Priyanka Chopra (Quantico)
Alan Cumming (The Good Wife)
Rosario Dawson (Daredevil)
Miles Teller (Divergent franchise)
Kendall Jenner (Keeping Up With The Kardashians)
Wendi McLendon-Covey (The Goldbergs)

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Ed Burns (Public Morals)
Christy Turington Burns

Cruz Defeats Frontrunner Donald Trump in the Iowa Republican Caucuses

It looks like Ted Cruz is peaking at the right time…

The 45-year-old Cuban-American United States Senator and presidential hopeful won the Iowa Republican caucuses, in the first vote of the US presidential campaign.

Ted Cruz

Cruz bested frontrunner Donald Trump, raising questions about the billionaire’s reliance on his celebrity instead of traditional political organization.

Meanwhile, fellow Latino Marco Rubio‘s stronger-than-expected showing could mark him as the establishment’s best hope against a grassroots revolt in next week’s New Hampshire primary and beyond.

Cruz’s big win sets him up as a force to be reckoned with in the delegate-rich, Southern states to come and offers movement conservatives hope that one of their own can become the Republican nominee for the first time since Ronald Reagan.

“Iowa has sent notice that the Republican nominee and the next President of the United States will not be chosen by the media, will not be chosen by the Washington establishment,” Cruz said.

With about 99% of the GOP vote in, Cruz was ahead of Trump 28% to 24%. Rubio was at 23%.

“It is breathtaking to see what happens when so many Americans stand up and decide they’re fed up with what happens in Washington and they want something different. They want a leader they can trust, they want a leader that stands for them against the corruption of Washington,” Cruz told CNN.

Rubio will also leave Iowa with a leg up over other establishment rivals including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who have a lot at stake in New Hampshire.

“This is the moment they said would never happen. For months, they told us we had no chance,” a jubilant Rubio said. “They told me that I needed to wait my turn, that I needed to wait in line. But tonight here in Iowa, the people of this great state have sent a very clear message — after seven years of Barack Obama, we are not waiting any longer to take our country back.”

Pentatonix Gives Impressive Performance During ABC’s Charlie Brown Christmas Special

It’s a Peanuts-sized Christmas for Kirstie Maldonado

The 23-year-old half-Mexican, part Spanish-American singer and her fellow Pentatonix members helped spread a little holiday cheer alongside the Peanuts Gang.

Pentatonix Charlie Brown Special

In honor of the beloved animated characters and the perennial favorite A Charlie Brown Christmas, ABC aired It’s Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown with a special Pentatonix performance.

The a capella group performed “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” with the All-American Boys Chorus on the show, which was pre-recorded.

Other performers included performers Sarah McLachlan, Boyz II Men, Kristin Chenoweth, and pianist David Benoit, who worked on many of the annual yuletide Charlie Brown specials.

Special guests included Barack and Michelle Obama.

The anniversary program trended worldwide on Twitter due in part to its musical moments.

Colón to Receive National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama

Miriam Colón has proven her medal

The 79-year-old Puerto Rican actress is among the 2014 National Medal of Arts recipients who’ll be recognized by President Barack Obama at a special White House ceremony, according to the National Endowment for the Arts.

Miriam Colón

Designed by Robert Graham, the medal is awarded by the president to individuals or groups for their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support and availability of the arts in the United States.

Colón is being heralded for her contributions as an actress. “Ms. Colón has been a trailblazer in film, television, and theatre, and helped open doors for generations of Hispanic actors,” according to a statement from the National Endowment for the Arts.

In 1953, The Puerto Rico-born actress moved to New York City, where she was accepted by Actors Studio co-founder Elia Kazan after a single audition, becoming the Studio’s first Puerto Rican member. While in the Big Apple, Colón worked in theater and later landed a role on the soap opera Guiding Light.

Miriam Colón

Early on in her career, she appeared mostly in westerns such as Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The High Chaparral, and Have Gun, Will Travel.

Most recently, Colón appeared on television and film in Better Call Saul, Top Five and Bless Me, Ultima.

She’s also the founder and director of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater in New York City.

This year’s ceremony will be held Thursday, September 10 at 12:00 pm in the White House’s East Room. First Lady Michelle Obama will also be in attendance.

Here’s the complete list of recipients:

John Baldessari, visual artist
Ping Chong, theater director, choreographer, and video and installation artist
Miriam Colón, actress
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
Sally Field, actress and filmmaker
Ann Hamilton, visual artist
Stephen King, author
Meredith Monk, composer, singer, and performer
George Shirley, tenor
University Musical Society
Tobias Wolff, author and educator

Fifth Harmony Performs “Happy Birthday” at the White House

It’s a presidential experience for Ally Brooke Hernandez, Lauren Jauregui and Camila Cabello

The Latina singers and their fellow Fifth Harmony members sang a special version of “Happy Birthday“ at the White House this week.

Fifth Harmony at the White House

This year’s White House Easter Egg Roll doubled as a celebration for the fifth anniversary of Let’s Move!, First Lady Michelle Obama‘s program to encourage people to exercise.

As part of the fifth year celebration, President Barack Obama invited Fifth Harmony to perform the classic birthday tune. And, the all-girl group did not disappoint.

Vega Officially Named as Co-Anchor of ABC World News Tonight‘s Weekend Editions

Cecilia Vega is making world news

The Latina broadcast journalist, a correspondent for ABC News, has been officially named as one of the anchors for ABC World News Tonight‘s Saturday and Sunday editions, as well as serve as senior national correspondent.

Screen Shot 2015-03-04 at 11.03.24 AM

Vega, who has interviewed everyone from Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto to Sylvester Stallone, will co-anchor the newscasts with Tom Llamas.

“Since joining ABC News in 2011, Cecilia has done fantastic work, deftly covering everything from the Olympics and papal conclave to the Occupy Wall Street protests and the election of President Barack Obama,” said ABC News chief James Goldston in memo to staffers. “Most recently, she has reported on the 2014 midterm elections, Ebola cases in the United States, the Sony computer hacking and fallout, and allegations against Bill Cosby.”

Prior to joining ABC News, Vega was an Emmy Award-winning journalist for KGO in San Francisco and award-winning print reporter. We’re very grateful that she’ll be making the jump from the West Coast to New York City for this new role as anchor and senior national correspondent.

Vega and Llamas will take the reins beginning this weekend, making official the posts they’ve filled with since last fall when David Muir became anchor of World News Tonight.

Dash to Publish “There Goes My Social Life” Book via Regnery Publishing

There goes Stacey Dash’s life

The 48-year-old part-Mexican American actress, former Clueless star and Fox News contributor has signed a deal to publish There Goes My Social Life, Regnery Publishing revealed.

Stacey Dash

The book, scheduled for publication this summer, will discuss how Dash became a conservative, her upbringing in the South Bronx and her Hollywood career.

In a statement, Dash credited these things for her “strong opinions about the value of a good education, the importance of family, the inanity of political correctness, and the power of personal responsibility.”

Dash has a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most outspoken female conservatives. In 2012, she announced her disappointment in the Barack Obama-led White House, and endorsed Mitt Romney for president on Twitter, receiving enormous backlash from the movie and music industries.

More recently, Dash has made news for criticizing Patricia Arquette‘s Oscar acceptance speech championing equal pay for women.

“First of all, Patricia Arquette needs to do her history,” Dash said on an appearance on Fox News. “In 1963, Kennedy passed the equal-pay law. It’s still in effect. I didn’t get the memo that I didn’t have any rights.”

She criticized the controversy over the lack of diversity in this year’s Academy Awards nominees and the snubbing of Selma in the acting and directing categories. 

“I do know that if it were something conservative and there were not any black people in the audience or on the stage getting awards, there would be a lot of problems. [It’s a] double standard. They’re hypocrites.”

Regnery Publishing has had success publishing conservative females, including Phyllis SchlaflyAnn Coulter and Michelle Malkin. Dash is the first actress to secure a book deal with the company.

Armisen to Appear on the “Saturday Night Live” 40th Anniversary Special

Fred Armisen is coming home, so to speak…

The 48-year-old half-Venezuelan actor, who currently stars on IFC’s recently renewed Portlandia series, has been added to the list of guests for Saturday Night Live‘s SNL 40th Anniversary Special on Sunday.

Fred Armisen

Armisen, who was a cast member on the long-running NBC late-night sketch comedy series from 2002 until 2013, had quite a number of memorable characters and impersonations during his run, including President Barack Obama, Garth (of Garth and Kat), Steve Jobs, Liberace and Prince.

The special will be expanded to 3 1/2 hours to accommodate the growing roster of guest stars, including SNL icon Billy Crystal; Bradley Cooper and Edward Norton; singer Miley Cyrus; and ex-castmembers Kevin Nealon, Ana Gasteyer, Colin Quinn, Joe Piscopo, Tim Meadows and Will Forte.

The SNL 40th Anniversary Special will air from 8:00 – 11:30 pm ET/PT on Sunday, February 15 on NBC.

Here’s the full list of guests set for the special:

Fred Armisen
Dan Aykroyd
Alec Baldwin
Jim Carrey
Dana Carvey
Chevy Chase
Dane Cook
Bradley Cooper
Billy Crystal
Jane Curtin
Miley Cyrus
Robert De Niro
Jimmy Fallon
Will Ferrell
Tina Fey
James Franco
Will Forte
Zach Galifianakis
Ana Gasteyer
Bill Hader
Jon Hamm
Tom Hanks
Derek Jeter
Norm Macdonald
Peyton Manning
Steve Martin
Melissa McCarthy
Paul McCartney
Tim Meadows
Seth Meyers
Garrett Morris
Eddie Murphy
Bill Murray
Mike Myers
Kevin Nealon
Laraine Newman
Jack Nicholson
Edward Norton
Joe Piscopo
Amy Poehler
Colin Quinn
Chris Rock
Paul Rudd
Maya Rudolph
Andy Samberg
Adam Sandler
Jerry Seinfeld
Molly Shannon
Martin Short
Paul Simon
David Spade
Emma Stone
Jason Sudeikis
Taylor Swift
Justin Timberlake
Christopher Walken
Kerry Washington
Kanye West
Betty White
Kristen Wiig

Cuba’s New Musical Revue “Salsa, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha” Primed for Export to the U.S.

It may be a homegrown musical revue, but Salsa, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha may soon be heading to the United States.

Previews of the Cuban musical revue started in in Havana on Tuesday night (January 27), the sold-out audience included potential show backers from the U.S.

Issac Delgado

Directed by Fela choreographer Maija Garcia, with music production overseen by Cuban salsa star Issac Delgado, the show’s chief choreographer is Santiago Alfonso, the founder of Cuba’s Contemporary Dance company. The show’s producer is Debbie Ohanian, who was a pioneer in presenting artists from the island in Miami in the ’90s.

The participation of Delgado (who performs on stage) and other well-known Cuban artists, including Bobby Carcasses and Haila Mompie, would be enough to ensure a long run for the musical in Havana. But Ohanian conceived the production for export.

As its title implies, Salsa, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha is styled as a revue showcasing music and culture. It’s in the vein of the recent Broadway homage to jazz After Midnight or the iconic Riverdance.

While Cuban music is evergreen, Ohanian’s timing for the show, which began production last year, couldn’t be better. Not only has curiosity about contemporary Cuba been peaked by the recent talks between President Barack Obama and Raul Castro, but the loosening of embargo regulations should make it easier and less costly to bring the dozens of Cuban musicians and dancers in the production to the United States.

Ohanian is the former owner of Miami Beach’s popular Starfish salsa club and a promoter who brought the Cuba’s popular dance band Los Van Van to Miami for the first time for an arena concert that was met with demonstrations by hundreds of Cuban exiles.

“I think the world is a better place when it listens to Cuban music,” Ohanian says in a promotional video sent to potential Broadway producers and other possible backers.

“Everyone loves Cuban music,” says Garcia, a Cuban-American. “Everyone loves Cuban dance. But what they know is maybe just a little picture [of Cuba]. And that picture is often frozen.”

Salsa, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha is set to wipe the standard nostalgic images of pre-revolutionary Cuba from theatergoers minds. The music and dance in the video tease retains the rawness and spontaneity found on the streets of today’s Cuba, enhanced by the seemingly spontaneous talent of a cast of sneaker-wearing professionals who have been trained for the stage since childhood.

“This is the most modern show that has ever come out of Cuba,” says choreographer Alonso. The Salsa, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha preview will be staged at Havana’s Mella Theater Jan. 28, 29 and 30.

“When people walk out of the theater they’re definitely going to leave dancing,” says Garcia.

Pope Francis: The Most Admired Living Latino in the World

Pope Francis is the most admired Latino in the world…

The 78-year-old Argentine pontiff of the Catholic Church appears on Gallup’s poll of the most admired living men and women on the planet.

Pope Francis

Pope Francis, who was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, comes in at No. 2 on the list of the most admired living men with 6% of the count, behind President Barack Obama with 19%.

Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in February 2013, a papal conclave elected Bergoglio as his successor in March of that year.

Throughout his public life, both as an individual and a religious leader, Pope Francis has been heralded for his humility, his concern for the poor and his commitment to dialogue as a way to build bridges between people of all backgrounds, beliefs and faiths.

Pope Francis is the only Hispanic person to appear on either list.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, meanwhile takes the top spot on the list of admired living women for the 13th year in a row. Oprah Winfrey ranks second.