Entertainment Express: Ant-Man, Johnny Cash, Nicki Minaj, Bill Murray Day, Kate Bush

With all that’s going on – the continued unrest in Ferguson and the news that journalist James Foley, who was with South African journalist Anton Hammerl when he was killed in Libya, was beheaded, it’s hard to think about matters of triviality like entertainment news. But the arts and entertainment are there to help us live this life we do, so onward we must go.

* Hot on the heels of the new casting additions to Ant-Man comes the first look at Paul Rudd as our superhero, against the backdrop of the Golden Gate bridge where filming on the movie has begun. To be honest, I never ever thought of the comedian in this kind of role, but after talking to him at Comic Con, I’m excited to see where he takes it – even though the film has so much going against it, given all the drama it took to get it off the ground.

* The house where Johnny Cash grew up has opened its doors to the public as a museum. Fans make pilgrimages to the birthplaces of Elvis and BB King, and now they can see where the country star, who died a decade ago, grew up in a little house in Dyess, Arkansas.

* Nicki Minaj is giving it her all and leaving it all out on the table, so to speak, in the video for the single from her forthcoming album, The Pinkprint.  The video for Anaconda, the track that liberally samples Sir Mix-A-Lot’s Baby Got Back, was released at the stroke of midnight, started trending and has sent waves of wildness across the Internet. As someone with a small butt, I have to say, it’s okay if those anacondas don’t come a chasin’.

* The Toronto International Film Festival organisers are declaring September 5th Bill Murray Day. Hooray for the chance to celebrate a man who has made us smile and likes to randomly join in people’s karaoke parties and weddings.

* The lucky buggers in England who got tickets to see Kate Bush in her very limited, very rare tour, which kicks off next week, have been asked to please refrain from using cellphones and cameras at the show.  On a somewhat related note, fellow British singer PJ Harvey fans will want to see her receive an honorary degree from Goldsmiths next month.

As an added bonus of love and remembrance, and in case you missed it, David Letterman paid tribute to Robin Williams in a way only a friend who’d had the actor visit his set over 50 times could.

[Pic: Marvel]