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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 16 augusT 2018

Diamond won’t let Parkinson’s slow him down, talks new DVD

By MESFIN FEKADU live performing is that it’s
Associated Press very much in the moment.
NEW YORK (AP) — Neil Dia- It’s just something that you
mond may have retired really can’t describe,” he
from the road due to Par- continued. “You just have
kinson’s disease, but he to be there and let the mo-
said he’s working hard to ment happen. Let yourself
get back onstage. connect with the audi-
“Well, I’m doing pretty well. ence. Let that relationship
I’m active. I take my meds. I with the audience express
do my workouts. I’m in pret- itself. It’s a powerful tool.”
ty good shape. I’m feeling Diamond is one of music’s
good. I want to stay pro- best-selling singers with
ductive. I still have my boys. a number of hit songs,
I just can’t do the traveling from “Sweet Caroline” to
that I once did, but I have “America” to “Love on the
my wife there supporting Rocks.”
me (and) friends,” he said He’s given one-song per-
in an interview with The As- formances since his Par-
sociated Press. kinson’s diagnosis, includ-
“It does have its challenges, ing at the Songwriters Hall
but I’m feeling good and I of Fame in June and last
feel very positive about. I’m month for firefighters bat-
feeling better every day,” tling a blaze near his Colo-
he added. “Just dealing rado home.
with it as best I can, and just In this Feb. 11, 2017 file photo, Neil Diamond performs at the Clive Davis and The Recording He said he’s not sure he
keep the music coming.” Academy Pre-Grammy Gala in Beverly Hills, Calif. can perform more than
The 77-year-old canceled Associated Press one song at the moment,
planned concerts when The two-hour-plus perfor- warm memories,” he said mances that I’ve done and but added: “The only way I
he announced he was di- mance featuring 33 songs of his performance. “Play- I’m proud of it.” could find out is to actually
agnosed with Parkinson’s celebrated the 40th an- ing there and doing music “I love the chemistry with do it.”
in January. Still, fans will be niversary of his original relating to the audience, it the audience and myself. “But I think I can and I will
able to see the icon per- “Hot August Night” live al- was special. It’s a special That’s part of the thrill of the give it a try at some point,”
form with “Hot August Night bum, also recorded at the experience for me.” whole thing. There’s a little he added. “I’m glad to still
Ill,” a live concert CD/DVD Greek in August 1972. He He said he re-watched the magic involved in it,” he be around. The fact that
chronicling his return to the performed 10 shows at the 2012 footage recently as it said. “I’m just going to keep I’m still singing well is a bo-
Greek Theatre in Los Ange- venue that month. was edited for the new re- on keeping on, and that’s nus and I hope to continue
les in August 2012. It’s out “It brings back memories lease, and he calls it “one about it.” doing it, but in a format
on Friday. — very deep, loving and of the best live perfor- “The thing I love most about that I can handle.”q

‘Not an easy time’ for Chris Pratt after Gunn firing

By RYAN PEARSON what’s right and be the Con but I ended up not
Associated Press best people we can be,” doing a lot of interviews
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Pratt told the AP. around that time just be-
Pratt says “it’s not an easy Gunn was fired last month cause it was so shocking.
time” as he and the rest as director of “Guardians All I know is we put a lot of
of the “Guardians of the of the Galaxy Vol. 3” be- time, thought and effort
Galaxy” cast look to the cause of old tweets that into the statement that
future of the hit superhe- recently emerged where we released about it. And
ro franchise after Disney he joked about subjects I think we all kind of want
fired writer-director James like pedophilia and rape. that statement to be es-
Gunn. He has apologized for the sentially what we have to
Pratt told The Associated tweets, which were post- say about it. And we were
Press in an interview Tues- ed from 2008 to 2011. pretty clear and honest
day that he stands behind Pratt spoke to the AP at about how we feel,” Pratt
social media posts say- a bar in Los Angeles after said. Pratt signed an open
ing he hopes Gunn can meeting with seven dis- letter released 10 days
be reinstated for the next abled athletes who are after Gunn’s firing, saying In this June 16, 2018 file photo, Chris Pratt arrives at the MTV
movie. being sponsored to run the cast fully supports the Movie and TV Awards at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica,
“It’s not an easy time. We in the New York Mara- director and the charac- Calif.
all love James and he’s a thon by Michelob Ultra. ter he showed both on the Associated Press
good friend of ours, but The 39-year-old actor, a set of the first two movies writer and director of the decked with comedy and
we also really love playing spokesman for the beer and in the wake of his fir- “Guardians of the Galaxy” retro music that made
the Guardians of the Gal- brand, said it was “shock- ing. Zoe Saldana, Bradley franchise from the start, Pratt a major movie star.
axy. It’s a complicated sit- ing” to hear news of Cooper, Vin Diesel and taking an obscure Mar- Through two installments
uation for everybody. And Gunn’s firing during Com- five other main stars of vel Comics title about a the franchise has brought
you know, we just want ic-Con in San Diego. the franchise also signed group of misfits and turn- in more than $1.5 billion in
to move forward and do “I love going to Comic- the letter. Gunn has been ing it into a space opera global box office.q