The daily gossip: Christopher Plummer dies at 91, The Weeknd gears up for a solo halftime show, and more

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1. Legendary actor Christopher Plummer dies at 91
2. The Weeknd claims he'll perform the Super Bowl halftime show entirely solo
3. Lisa Vanderpump announces 'naughty' new reality TV show
4. Tom Brady is amused by the mean tweets about him, but draws the line at people threatening his dog
5. Watch Michael B. Jordan, Matthew McConaughey, Will Ferrell, and Maya Rudolph in the funniest 2021 Super Bowl commercials

published 5 February 2021

1. Legendary actor Christopher Plummer dies at 91

Christopher Plummer, the legendary actor known for his performance in The Sound of Music, has died at 91. Plummer died at his home in Connecticut with his wife by his side, his family confirmed to Deadline on Friday. In addition to playing Georg von Trapp in the classic 1965 musical The Sound of Music, he starred in over 100 films throughout his decades-long career. When he won an Academy Award in 2012 for his performance in Beginners, he became the oldest actor to win a competitive Oscar. "Through his art and humanity, [Plummer] touched all of our hearts and his legendary life will endure for all generations to come," Lou Pitt, Plummer's friend and manager, told Deadline. "He will forever be with us."

Though the average Boomer is still unclear if "The Weeknd" is a band or a person, the Canadian singer is set to become only the 10th performer in Super Bowl history to headline the halftime show solo — or so he claims. Speaking to the NFL Network on Thursday, the "Blinding Lights" singer was asked if fans should expect anyone (oh, you know, like Daft Punk or a projection of a beloved dead rock star) to show up with him on stage on Sunday. "I've been reading a lot of rumors," The Weeknd said, "and I wouldn't bet on it." He explained, "there wasn't any room to fit it in the narrative and the story I was telling in the performance. So, there's no special guests, no." Hmm, if you say so!

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The future of Vanderpump Rules might be uncertain with Los Angeles' restaurants shuttered due to COVID-19, but the former Real Housewife has other irons in the fire. On Friday, Lisa Vanderpump announced a new reality TV show on E!, Overserved With Lisa Vanderpump, in which she invites friends over to her estate, Villa Rosa, to wine, dine, and get in all sorts of trouble. Celebrity guests include Anna Camp, Mario Lopez, Iggy Azalea, Lance Bass, Steve-O, and others. Vanderpump stressed that she has three rules for her parties: "You've got to bust your butt for the decor to be absolutely fabulous, the guests should be naughty, but the hostess must always be naughtier." Apparently that means mooning your guests, too — take a look at the trailer here.

Ahead of the big game on Sunday, Tom Brady participated in the popular "Mean Tweets" segment of Jimmy Kimmel Live! As you might expect, many people had mean and colorful things to say about the star quarterback, ranging from calling him a "butthole" to "the kind of man who doesn't know how to use a wrench." For the most part, Brady had a sense of humor about it all; he even chuckled when a shot was taken at him and wife, Gisele Bündchen. But Brady still had his line: "F--k you Tom Brady, I hope your dog eats chocolate and gets really sick and throws up on your socks," Brady read, before looking up at the camera with straight-faced seriousness and saying, "That's f--ked up."

The Budweiser Clydesdales may be on the bench this year, but there will be plenty of other familiar faces to recognize during the breaks from Sunday's big game. Don't leave the room — you won't want to miss Alexa upgrading to look like Michael B. Jordan (swoon); Matthew McConaughey becoming 2D for Doritos; Will Ferrell, Kenan Thompson, and Awkwafina racing off to give Norway a piece of their minds for GM; or four tiny Maya Rudolphs riding into town for the payment installment service Klarna. There's even a surprise cameo by Four Seasons Total Landscaping, although you'll have to wait until Sunday to see Fiverr's full ad. For all the rest, though, you can watch here.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.