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Culture

Oct 23, 2026, 7:13 AM

No cross-spectrum stories qualified in this run.

CULTURETHE BRIEFToday

Actor Tom Skerritt, known for Top Gun and Alien, died at age 93 on Wednesday.

WHAT'S REPORTED

▸Skerritt was an Emmy-winning actor. — Los Angeles Times Entertainment & Arts, Forbes
▸Skerritt appeared in nearly 200 TV shows and films throughout his career. — The A.V. Club
▸In Top Gun, Skerritt played Mike 'Viper' Metcalf opposite Tom Cruise's Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell. — Forbes

CULTURETHE BRIEFToday

Conan O'Brien said he would do a sitcom with Debbie Shields after their viral SubwayTakes interaction.

WHAT'S REPORTED

▸Debbie Shields went viral for riffing with Conan O'Brien during a SubwayTakes interview. — The A.V. Club, NBC News
▸O'Brien told New York Magazine he would do a two-person show with Shields. — The A.V. Club

CULTURETHE BRIEFToday

Catapult Books sold its assets to an undisclosed buyer, leaving 16 scheduled titles uncertain.

WHAT'S REPORTED

▸Staff are negotiating a severance package following the sale. — Los Angeles Times Entertainment & Arts

CULTURETHE BRIEFToday

Michael Gray, who played Billy Batson in 1970s TV series Shazam!, died at age 75.

WHAT'S REPORTED

▸Gray died of natural causes, according to his representatives. — The Daily Beast
▸Gray appeared on Tiger Beat covers and was Marcia's boyfriend in a 1973 Brady Bunch episode. — The Daily Beast
▸Gray made a cameo in 2023's Shazam! Fury of the Gods after leaving Hollywood. — The Daily Beast

CULTURETHE BRIEFToday

Comcast announced plans to cut cable jobs and take a $1 billion charge after losing 144,000 broadband customers.

WHAT'S REPORTED

▸The layoffs target Comcast's broadband and wireless business ahead of NBCUniversal spinoff. — Los Angeles Times Entertainment & Arts