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Joy Awards Honors Stars from Around the World

Syrian singer Assala. Riyadh Season
Syrian singer Assala. Riyadh Season
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Joy Awards Honors Stars from Around the World

Syrian singer Assala. Riyadh Season
Syrian singer Assala. Riyadh Season

It was a dreamy night on which art and artists were honored in Riyadh, the capital of arts and creativity. In the 3rd edition of Joy Awards, the largest event of its kind in the region, the Saudi General Entertainment Authority celebrated stars from the Arab region and the globe, and gathered esteemed figures from the worlds of cinema, TV, and sports under one roof.

Organized by the Entertainment Authority during the Riyadh Season every year, the Joy Awards is one of the most prominent awards in the region, and an opportunity which artists take to meet, connect, talk, and exchange expertise, as well as a destination for esteemed figures to explore the kingdom and discover the young Saudi talents.

The event celebrates artists and creatives in different industries with 15 various awards and many honorary ones that appreciate the journeys of exceptional figures in the world of art.

The honorary awards

As an appreciation of their works over the past years, the Entertainment Authority honored a number of prominent names in different fields. Indian legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, one of Bollywood’s greatest stars. Among those who received the honorary awards was also Mel Gibson, one of the world’s best actors and winner of two Oscars.

Colombian-American actress Sofia Vergara was honored as Personality of the Year for all her works, including her famed series ‘Modern Family’, which gained a remarkable audience in the Arab region and the Middle East. The Joy Awards also honored Kuwaiti esteemed actresses Souad Abdullah and Hayat Al Fahad for their decades-long journey as two of the most prominent TV symbols in the Gulf and the Arab region.

The honorary awards also went to Egyptian cinema couple, Ahmed Helmy and Mona Zaki, US director Michael Bay, Saudi singer Rashed Al Majid, Kuwaiti singer Nawal, Spanish actress Esther Acebo, Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, chairman of MBC Group for his efforts in media and constant support of art, and Rotana CEO Salem Alhendi.

A night to appreciate local talents

Saudi artists had the biggest share of the awards in all categories. Ibrahim Al Hajjaj won Favorite Actor for his exceptional work on the Saudi drama ‘Minho Waladna?’; Ahmad Al Shugairi won Favorite Influencer; Jori Kattan won her first award, the New Voice Award, which she received with teary eyes. Abdul Majeed Abdullah won the Most Favorite Male Artist for his exceptional 50-year journey and many great albums that pleased the Arabic audience; and the Female Athlete of the Year Award went to Saudi swimmer Mariam bin Laden.

Awards for all Arabs

Many Arab artists were also honored in the Joy Awards evening including stars Ahmed Ezz and Hend Sabri with the Favorite Actor and Actress trophies for their roles in the film “Kira & El Gin”.

Star Nadine Nassib Njeim also picked up the Favorite Actress Award for her role in “Salon Zahra”; Syrian singer Assala won the Favorite Song Award for her song “Shokran”; and Lebanese influencer, Abir el-Saghir won the Favorite Female Influencer.

Salon Zahra, directed by Joe Bou Eid, won the prestigious Favorite TV Series Award; Egyptian singer Angham was honored with the Favorite Singer Award; and Moroccan player Achraf Hakimi was awarded Best Sportsman which he received with his mother.

Tribute to those who left

In a heart-warming gesture, the Entertainment Authority honored many prominent figures who passed away in 2022 including Algerian director and scriptwriter Yamina Bachir; former Kuwaiti media minister Mohammed Al-Sanousi; Egyptian sports commentator Ibrahim Hegazy; Qatari footballer Ahmed al-Malla; esteemed Lebanese actor Pierre Chamoun; and Egyptian actress Aida Abdel Aziz; in addition to Egyptian chef Osama el-Sayed; Saudi TV host Ghaleb Kamel; Saudi actor and director Ali el-Huyerini; Kuwaiti actor Ghanem al-Hamadi; Kuwaiti singer Suleiman al-Malla; Egyptian actress Rajaa Hussein; Saudi actor Khaled Sami; Kuwaiti actor Jassem Abbas; and Lebanese actor Joseph Abboud. The authority also paid tribute to Syrian singer Dhiab Mashhour; Moroccan comedian Noureddine Bikr; Lebanese singer George Rassi; Egyptian cinema producer Mohsen Alamuddin; Egyptian director Ali Abdel-Khalek; Syrian actress Antoinette Najeeb; and Egyptian director Galal el-Sharkawy.

Concluding keynote…Artists from Syria

Turki Al Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, addressed the concluding keynote, in which he thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman for their massive support to the kingdom’s entertainment industry which has witnessed a continuous progress.

Al-Sheikh congratulated the winners, and highlighted the importance of the winning and loosing culture, noting that everyone should be happy for the honoring of their colleagues. He also said he is happy to see Syria’s artists, noting that the Arabic audiences have missed the Syrian drama, the all-time favorite on Arabic TV screens.

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Rapper Lil Jon Confirms Death of His Son, Nathan Smith

Lil Jon performs at Gronk Beach music festival during Super Bowl week on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP)
Lil Jon performs at Gronk Beach music festival during Super Bowl week on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP)
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Rapper Lil Jon Confirms Death of His Son, Nathan Smith

Lil Jon performs at Gronk Beach music festival during Super Bowl week on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP)
Lil Jon performs at Gronk Beach music festival during Super Bowl week on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP)

American rapper Lil Jon said on Friday that his son, Nathan Smith, has died, the record producer confirmed in a joint statement with Smith’s mother.

"I am extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith. His mother (Nicole Smith) and I are devastated,” the statement said.

Lil Jon described his son as ‌an “amazingly talented ‌young man” who was ‌a ⁠music producer, artist, ‌engineer, and a New York University graduate.

“Thank you for all of the prayers and support in trying to locate him over the last several days. Thank you to the entire Milton police department involved,” the “Snap ⁠Yo Fingers” rapper added.

A missing persons report was ‌filed on Tuesday for Smith ‍in Milton, Georgia, authorities ‍said in a post on the ‍Milton government website.

Police officials added that a broader search for Smith, also known by the stage name DJ Young Slade, led divers from the Cherokee County Fire Department to recover a body from a pond near ⁠his home on Friday.

"The individual is believed to be Nathan Smith, pending official confirmation by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office,” the post continued.

While no foul play is suspected, the Milton Police Department Criminal Investigations Division will be investigating the events surrounding Smith’s death.

Lil Jon is a Grammy-winning rapper known for a string ‌of chart-topping hits and collaborations, including “Get Low,” “Turn Down for What” and “Shots.”

Entertainment

Keke Palmer Is a Fish Out of Water in Horror-Comedy Series Based on Cult Movie ‘The ’Burbs’

Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall attend Premiere Event Of Peacock's "The 'Burbs" at Universal Studios Backlot on February 05, 2026 in Universal City, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall attend Premiere Event Of Peacock's "The 'Burbs" at Universal Studios Backlot on February 05, 2026 in Universal City, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Keke Palmer Is a Fish Out of Water in Horror-Comedy Series Based on Cult Movie ‘The ’Burbs’

Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall attend Premiere Event Of Peacock's "The 'Burbs" at Universal Studios Backlot on February 05, 2026 in Universal City, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall attend Premiere Event Of Peacock's "The 'Burbs" at Universal Studios Backlot on February 05, 2026 in Universal City, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

The suburbs are anything but bland in the new Peacock series “The 'Burbs,” where strange things are going on. Like how jokes mix with the dread.

Inspired by the 1989 Tom Hanks-led movie of the same name, “The 'Burbs” follows a new mom as she navigates a foreign world of white picket fences and manicured lawns while also investigating a possible murder.

“It’s got the comedy, it has the drama, it's got the mystery, it's got the horror, the thrills, the suspense — all of it,” says Celeste Hughey, the creator, writer and executive producer. All eight episodes drop Friday.

Hanks is replaced by Keke Palmer, who plays a newlywed and new mom who moves into her husband's family home in fictional Hinkley Hills, where everyone is in everybody else's business. “Suburbia is a spectator sport,” she is told.

Across the street is an abandoned home, where a local teen disappeared decades ago. Palmer's Samira soon joins forces with a band of off-beat suburbanites to help solve the case, even if her own husband had some sort of role.

“I really wanted to focus on that fish-out-of-water feeling, centering Samira as a Black woman in a white suburb who is a new mom, a new wife — new everything — and trying to figure out where she belongs in the environment,” says Hughey.

The cast includes Jack Whitehall as Samira's husband and the trio of Julia Duffy, Mark Proksch and Paula Pell as her wine-swilling, investigating neighbors who form a sort of found family.

“The movie came out when I was quite young, but I remember seeing it as a kid and it being like this terrifying movie to me,” says Hughey. “But revisiting it as an adult, it's just like the most timely movie.”

The scripts crackle with witty humor, from references to Marie Kondo to “Baby Reindeer,” and jokes often improvised by the actors. Chocolate brownies are described as “the Beyoncé of desserts” and there’s a joke about how white ladies love salad.

“The ’Burbs” also touches on more serious issues over its eight episodes — microaggressions, racial profiling, bullying and childhood trauma — but takes a kooky, off-beat approach.

“I always look at things with a sense of humor,” says Hughey. “I think comedy is a way to be able to examine all these pretty heavy subjects, but in a way that’s accessible, in a way that is clarifying.”

Palmer says she grew up watching Norman Lear shows and admired his ability to both entertain and address social tensions — something she found in “The 'Burbs.”

“When I read this script for the first time, then as we started doing the show, it started to become clear that we had an opportunity to do the same thing,” Palmer says. “We can expose cliches, we can lean into things, which is one of the greatest tools of satire and comedy in itself, and horror as well, because horror can play as a good allegory for the issues in our life.”

Whitehall, who grew up in the London suburb of Putney, says he appreciates that the social commentary never feels that heavy handed between the comedy and horror: “It was great to sort of be able to play in both genres.”

There are multiple nods to the original movie, like picking the last name Fisher after the late actor Carrie Fisher, who appeared in the Hanks-led version, and naming a dog Darla after the name of the pup who starred in the 1989 version. Hanks, himself, appears in a blink-or-you’ll-miss-it image.

There’s a scene where Samira steps onto her neighbor’s grass and leaves suddenly swirl around her feet menacingly, an echo to the original. And there’s a moment when sardines and pretzels are served, a riff off a classic moment in the movie. The creators even asked original actor Wendy Schaal to return to play the town librarian.

“I really wanted to honor the original fans of the movie and make sure that they see that someone who respects the original material and loves the movie had it in their hands,” says Hughey. “I see the fans.”

Hughey said she wrote the series with Palmer's voice in mind, a piece of manifesting that turned out to actually work when she first met Palmer over a year later.

The music ranges from Bill Withers' “Lovely Day” to Steve Lacy's “Dark Red” to Doechii’s “Anxiety” and Big Pun's “I'm Not a Player.”

“Music is very much a part of my creative process and something that I wanted to stand out in the show as well,” says Hughey. “I got to pull in so many of my inspiration songs.”

Entertainment

Kurt Cobain's 'Nevermind' Guitar Up for Sale

Guitars are displayed during a press preview of The Jim Irsay Collection at Christie's Los Angeles in Beverly Hills, California, on February 5, 2026. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP)
Guitars are displayed during a press preview of The Jim Irsay Collection at Christie's Los Angeles in Beverly Hills, California, on February 5, 2026. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP)
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Kurt Cobain's 'Nevermind' Guitar Up for Sale

Guitars are displayed during a press preview of The Jim Irsay Collection at Christie's Los Angeles in Beverly Hills, California, on February 5, 2026. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP)
Guitars are displayed during a press preview of The Jim Irsay Collection at Christie's Los Angeles in Beverly Hills, California, on February 5, 2026. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP)

The guitar played by late rock legend Kurt Cobain on the anthemic grunge track "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is going under the hammer next month.

 

The 1966 Fender Mustang is among a treasure trove of instruments and musical memorabilia that also includes the logo-emblazoned drum that announced The Beatles to the United States when the Fab Four played "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964.

 

The Jim Irsay collection -- put together by the one-time owner of the Indianapolis Colts NFL team -- includes guitars played by musicians who defined the 20th century, including Pink Floyd's Dave Gilmour, The Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia, as well as Eric Clapton, John Coltrane and Johnny Cash.

 

But at the center of the collection are handwritten lyrics for The Beatles' smash "Hey Jude" as well as guitars played by John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison.

 

"I think it's fair to say that this collection of Beatles instruments...is the most important assembled Beatles collection for somebody who wasn't a member of the band," Amelia Walker, the London-based head of private and iconic collections at Christie's, told AFP in Beverly Hills.

 

"There are five Beatles guitars in his collection, as well as Ringo Starr's first Ludwig drum kit (and) John Lennon's piano, on which he composed several songs from Sergeant Pepper."

 

Also included is "the drum skin from Ringo's second Ludwig kit, which is the vision which greeted 73 million Americans who tuned in to watch 'The Ed Sullivan Show' on the ninth of February 1964 when the Beatles broke America."

 

The drum kit is expected to fetch around $2 million, while the guitars could sell for around $1 million at the auction in New York, Christie's estimates.

Perhaps the most expensive item in the collection is Cobain's guitar, which experts say might sell for up to $5 million.

"It's a talismanic guitar for people of my generation... who lived through grunge," said Walker.

"(Smells Like Teen Spirit) was the anthem of that generation. That video is so iconic.

"We're incredibly proud and privileged to have that here."