PEOPLE
LOS ANGELES — Taylor Swift is standing behind her work after another group accused her of copying their song in her 2014 hit “Shake It Off.”
The R&B girl group 3LW first sued Swift in 2017, saying the superstar had stolen the chorus of “Playas Gon’ Play” without permission. “Playas Gon’ Play” repeats a hook of “Playas, they gonna play/ and haters, they gonna hate,” while Swift’s hook of “Shake It Off” repeats “Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play/ And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.”
A judge in 2018 threw the case out, saying 3LW’s chorus was too unoriginal to be protected. The next year, however, an appeals court reinstated the lawsuit, setting the stage for a jury trial at a yet-to-be-determined date.
In a new document submitted Monday to U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald in Los Angeles, Swift outlined the meaning of her song “Shake It Off,” reiterating that she wrote the song by herself without any outside influence.
“The lyrics to ‘Shake It Off’ were written entirely by me,” Swift wrote. “‘Shake It Off’ is about independence and ‘shaking off’ negative personal criticism through music and dance. In writing the lyrics, I drew partly on experiences in my life and, in particular, unrelenting public scrutiny of my personal life, ‘clickbait’ reporting, public manipulation, and other forms of negative personal criticism which I learned I just needed to shake off and focus on my music.
“The lyrics to ‘Shake It Off’ also draw from commonly used phrases and comments heard throughout my life,” she continued. “Prior to writing ‘Shake It Off,’ I had heard the phrases ‘players gonna play’ and ‘haters gonna hate’ uttered countless times to express the idea that one can or should shrug off negativity.”
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“Insecure” and “Beverly Hills, 90210" actor Denise Dowse has slipped into a coma after contracting a “virulent form of meningitis,” her sister said Friday.
TMZ confirmed that Dowse, 64, was still in a coma as of Tuesday afternoon. Representatives for the performer did not immediately respond Tuesday to the L.A. Times’ request for comment.
“I am requesting support and prayers be offered me and my sister @denisedowse,” Dowse’s sister, Tracey Dowse, wrote last week on Instagram.
“She is currently in the hospital in a coma ... Her doctors do not know when she will come out of the coma as it was not medically induced. She is a vibrant actor and director that should have many years ahead of her. Thoughts, prayers and support are greatly appreciated.”
Dowse is known for playing Mrs. Yvonne Teasley, the vice principal of West Beverly Hills High School on the long-running teen drama “Beverly Hills, 90210.” More recently, she portrayed Molly’s (Yvonne Orji) therapist, Dr. Rhonda Pine, in three seasons of Issa Rae’s acclaimed HBO comedy “Insecure.”
Her many other credits include “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Good Trouble,” “The Guardian,” “Coach Carter” and “Rocket Power.”
The latest report on Dowse comes a day after a spokesperson confirmed that another prolific TV actor, Anne Heche, was also in a coma after crashing her car Friday into a Los Angeles home and causing it to catch fire. Heche, 53, suffered burns and a pulmonary injury in the crash and was in critical condition as of Monday evening.
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NEW YORK — Jane Lynch will be taking her final bow as Mrs. Brice in the Broadway production of “Funny Girl” Sunday, nearly a month earlier than planned.
The “Glee” alum, 62, was previously slated to leave the show on Sept. 4, but will now step away Sunday due to a previously planned vacation starting Monday, according to the production.
She was initially scheduled to return to the theater on Aug. 23 and leave for the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Sept. 1.
“With my long-planned vacation on the books and then the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony ... I will take my final curtain call on Aug. 14,” the Emmy winner said in a statement.
Lynch’s role will be portrayed by Liz McCartney until four-time Tony nom Tovah Feldshuh’s debut on Sept. 6.
Lea Michele, 35, who starred in “Glee” alongside Lynch, was announced nearly a month ago to be taking over Beanie Feldstein’s starring role as Fanny Brice — originated by Barbra Streisand in 1964.
“As I embark upon my last week in Funny Girl, my heart is filled with gratitude for this wildly talented company led by Beanie Feldstein and our wonderful audiences for keeping theater alive!” Lynch said. “I offer a special thanks to my current scene partner Julie Benko and will be back to see my friend Lea Michele light up the lights.”
Lynch’s newest date of departure is just the latest shake-up to “Funny Girl,” which was previously supposed to see both her and Feldstein stay on through the end of 2022, before they were announced to be concluding their roles on Sept. 25.
Feldstein’s departure date was then moved up to the end of July, which she attributed to the show going “in a different direction.”
Several days after news broke of the change-up, Feldstein posted on social media that she had tonsillitis and was “not allowed” to perform that weekend, until the antibiotics kicked on.
Lynch noted last month that “the only reason” she wouldn’t reunite with Michele on the stage was that the pair felt it was a “really strong idea” for Feldshuh and Michele to “premiere together.”
From combined wire services
