People: Judge allows amended lawsuit in Sofia Vergara embryo dispute
Sofia Vergara’s ex-fiance will be allowed to file an amended lawsuit seeking custody of two embryos he created with the “Modern Family” star, a judge ruled Friday.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Lawrence Cho ruled that Nicholas Loeb can file the revised complaint, which for the first time will seek custody of the embryos. Loeb, who dated Vergara for several years before breaking up last year, sued the actress in August seeking a ruling that the embryos could not be destroyed.
Vergara’s attorney opposed allowing the amended lawsuit, arguing during a hearing that Loeb has failed to state a viable legal claim to the embryos.
Loeb’s attorney, Christina Goodrich, argued that the case presents a novel legal question. She said the fate of the embryos has been a very personal, private struggle for her client.
“He does believe that they are his daughters,” Goodrich said.
Vergara and Loeb broke up in May 2014.
Jazz Hall of Fame inductees named
Saxophonist Dexter Gordon and pianists James P. Johnson and Lennie Tristano are the newest inductees into Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame.
Gordon was considered the first tenor saxophonist to adapt the new bebop style pioneered by Charlie Parker in the 1940s.
Johnson helped pioneer the Harlem stride style of jazz piano in the 1920s, while Tristano was an innovative modern pianist who in 1949 made the first freely improvised group recordings.
JALC announced the 2015 inductees Friday. They were chosen in a vote of jazz fans around the world from a list of nominees submitted by a committee of jazz musicians and scholars.
Joel McHale to host ESPY awards
Actor and talk-show host Joel McHale will be the host of the annual ESPY Awards show in July.
The irreverent sports awards show, created by ESPN, is actually being shown on sister network ABC on July 15. ESPN said Friday the show will take place in the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
McHale is known for hosting “The Soup” talk show and for playing student Jeff Winger on the NBC comedy “Community.”
He’s a sports fan and former athlete. McHale played for a year on the University of Washington football team.
The birthday bunch
Comedian Tommy Chong is 77. Singer Bob Dylan is 74. Actor Gary Burghoff is 72. Singer Patti LaBelle is 71. Actress Priscilla Presley is 70. Actor Alfred Molina is 62. Singer Rosanne Cash is 60. Actress Kristin Scott Thomas is 55. Actor John C. Reilly is 50.