What is a PR disaster?   

Why Brett Butler Is Broke 

►"I’ve been ashamed. Almost ashamed to death." After a recent GoFundMe plea alerted the world that Grace Under Fire star Brett Butler was in dire financial straits, she opens up to THR's Seth Abramovitch about her depression, her squandered sitcom fortune and her potential comeback. The story.  

—Island fever. THR's chief TV critic Dan Fienberg considers whether shows like HBO's The White Lotus, Hulu's Nine Perfect Strangers and Fox's Fantasy Island are tapping into our collective need for a vacation by offering varying levels of pandemic-era comfort and escape. The critic's notebook. 

—National treasure. In an interview, Dolly Parton humbly referred to her $1 million donation to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center as a “small part” in the development of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. The story. 

—Removed. Instagram and Facebook have removed several hateful comments on national treasure Lizzo’s accounts after the singer opened up on Instagram Live about the “fat-phobic,” “racist” and “hurtful” attacks she’s received on social media. The story. 

—Black women "suffer from the marginalization the most." Lizzo addressed the recent bullying and criticism she has dealt with on social media during an appearance on Good Morning America on Wednesday. The story.

Mackie to Carry the Shield

►It's official. Big news in the MCU, Anthony Mackie has been tapped to star in Disney/Marvel’s Captain America 4. Mackie already took his Avengers character, Sam Wilson aka the Falcon, from big screen to small for Disney+, with creator/writer Malcolm Spellman and director Kari Skogland at the helm. Now he’s set to board Captain America 4, with Spellman to pen the script with Dalan Musson. The story. 

—Emmys should honor international TV. THR critic Robyn Bahr writes that with streamers offering a wider breadth of television from around the globe, an international series category at the Emmys would give formal recognition to the many foreign-language shows that have captured the attention of American audiences. The column. 

—FBoy summer. HBO Max has renewed its reality dating show FBoy Island for a second season. While the streamer hasn’t provided any viewership numbers, it claims the show had the biggest launch of an original reality show since the service debuted in 2020. The story. 

—"Never happened." Lucie Arnaz, the daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, says that she attempted to have certain scenes filmed for the Aaron Sorkin drama Being the Ricardos removed due to their inaccuracy. The story. 

—Congratulations! Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost, who tied the knot in October 2020, have welcomed their first child together, a baby boy named Cosmo. The story. 

'Walking Dead' to 'The Chair' 

►This Week in TV. THR's Rick Porter runs down the TV premieres, returns and specials over the next seven days. Things to look out for over the coming week include AMC’s flagship series The Walking Dead embarking on its 11th and final season on Sunday, Spike Lee's four-part documentary essay NYC Epicenters: 9/11 —> 2021 1/2, the start of the 10th season of American Horror Story and the debut of Netflix's drama series The Chair starring Sandra Oh.  The full guide.

—Ticket to ride. Disney is releasing a new mobile app this fall that will require users to pay additional fees to skip lines at Disneyland, California Adventure and Walt Disney World in Florida. The story.  

—The power of Jane. Jane Campion’s hotly-anticipated next feature The Power of the Dog is to get a special gala screening at the BFI London Film Festival. The story. 

—"You really scared me." Matthew McConaughey credits his landing the lead in Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation in part to terrifying a casting secretary with a spoon. The story. 

In other news...  

—Film review: Hugh Jackman in Reminiscence.

—New Eternals trailer teases epic battle.

—Nine Perfect Strangers cast on getting “lucky” with eclectic ensemble.

—Pose showrunner Steven Canals on how the series "lives at the intersection of education and entertainment."

—Masterchef serves up 12th season on Fox. 

—Tim Robbins joins Rebecca Ferguson in Apple TV drama Wool.

—"Luxury experience" Heimat Gym to open on Los Angeles' La Brea Avenue. 

—Julie Bowen mocks her hiker heroics after media frenzy.

—How Howie Mandel is aiming to bring interactive content to cinema screens.

—Sheffield DocFest director Cinthia Gil steps down due to "artistic differences."

—Endeavor adds Jacqueline Reses to the board of directors.

—Garth Brooks cancels tour dates due to COVID surge.

—Francis ‘Frankie’ Mossman, actor in Spartacus and The Horizon, dies at 33.

—Prime Focus, parent company of Tenet VFX house DNEG, raises $250 Million.

—Hollywood Pantages Theatre reopens for first time in 17 months with Hamilton.

What else we're reading...

—"Extended Stay: The Rise of the COVID Bottle Show" [Vanity Fair]

—"David Duchovny: "I Wasn’t Seeing Stuff I Was Desperate To Do"" [The Guardian]

—"Fox News Mandates Employees Disclose Vaccination Status, Contradicting Rhetoric From Top Stars" [CNN]

—"What Makes Reservation Dogs the Most Radical Teen Show On TV" [Los Angeles Times]

—"Kendall Jenner, Michael Jordan, The Rock. How American Celebrities Are Changing Mexico’s Tequila Industry" [Los Angeles Times]

Today... 

... in 1973, Warner Bros. unveiled Enter the Dragon, the 98-minute, R-rated actioner starring Bruce Lee, in theaters. The film would be a worldwide hit, grossing $25 million in its initial North American run, and make Lee a global star. The original review.

Today's birthdays: John Stamos (58), Matthew Perry (52), Kyra Sedgwick (56), Manny Jacinto (34), Erika Christensen (39), Jonathan Frakes (69), Jim Carter (73), Kevin Dillon (56), Martin Donovan (64), Maria de Medeiros (56), Pablo Larraín (45), Mike Moh (38), Ahmed Best (48)