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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! One female athlete who competed against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas is touting the sport's international governing body for effectively banning transgender athletes from competing in women's events. University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, who tied Thomas for 5th place in the 200 Freestyle finals at this year's NCAA championships, joined "America's Newsroom" to discuss the new policy and why she believes it is a critical "first step.""It's definitely a step in the right direction," Gaines told co-host Dana Perino. "I think this is kind of the first large governing body that has prioritized fairness in women's sports, and so while it's not everything, it's definitely a bold first step and a step in the right direction."FINA APPROVES ‘GENDER INCLUSION POLICY’ FOR TRANSGENDER SWIMMERSFINA voted to approve the new "gender inclusion policy" on Sunday, which bars athletes who transitioned after 12 years old from competing against women. The new rule passed the governing body with a sweeping 71.5%. University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas and Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines react after finishing tied for 5th in the 200 Freestyle finals at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18th, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta Georgia. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)The policy's critics call the rule discriminatory against transgender athletes, while those in favor stress the importance of fairness in women's sports. "This is something that women have fought so hard for, for so long, 50 years to get equal opportunities and to have that kind of taken from you and to go a complete 180 from that, it's really just a slap in the face, not only for myself, but like I mentioned, past female athletes and definitely future female athletes as well," Gaines explained. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPGaines highlighted the toll it takes on athletes to go into a meet competing against a transgender athlete given the massive time commitment swimmers endure over the course of their career. "It's a huge time commitment," Gaines said. "You're practicing over 20 hours every week. You're in the water 5 hours almost every single day, and so it's a huge time commitment and to go into a meet knowing pretty much you're going to lose and to already kind of be defeated…""It takes a big toll on you." Bailee Hill is an associate editor with Fox News Digital. | Swimming |
Two actors from the Netflix series The Chosen One died after a van connected to the production crashed in Mexico's Baja California peninsula Thursday.The actors were identified as Juan Francisco González Aguilar, known professionally as Paco Mufote, and Raymundo Garduño Cruz, the Baja California Ministry of Culture tweeted.The wreck did not happen on set but while actors and crew members were in transit from Santa Rosalía to the local airport, a Netflix spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. Two other cast members and four crew members were also injured, but their conditions remain stable.Netflix said Saturday that it did not have a comment while the investigation is ongoing.Screenwriter Faisal Lutchmedial, who worked with Mufote in the 2021 short film Beneath Us, wrote on Twitter, “Paco was kind, caring, and sensitive, and this came out in his work. He was so well loved in the community and that was immediately clear for me as an outsider. I am so very sorry for his loved ones and all that were touched by his spirit.”Production company Redrum has paused the production of the series, which is based on the comic book series American Jesus, about a 12-year-old who learns he is the second coming of Jesus Christ.SAG-AFTRA said in a statement that it has been in contact with Netflix and the local actors union and is investigating."On set safety is always our top priority," SAG-AFTRA said. "We will continue to take all necessary steps to ensure that our members and others are safe in their workplace."On the two actors’ Facebook pages, fans and friends posted an outpouring of condolences and grief, as well as demands for an investigation into what caused their deaths.“I am eternally grateful to have crossed your path, my friend,” Coral Alonso Méndez wrote for Mufote. “You were and always will be one of the most wonderful people to ever cross this world. Thank you for your art, thank you for your heart and thank you for being the light in my life and in the lives of many. I will always carry you with me.”The theater community in Tijuana in particular mourned their deaths, Jacqueline Guido wrote, adding that when Mufote performed onstage, “his talent always touched one's soul.”As questions remained about their deaths, multiple people called out poor working conditions on the production. Set working conditions — in Hollywood and other locations — have become a source of outcry in recent years as production companies seek to produce more content quickly and cheaply to meet the demands of streaming services and consumers.Novelist Rick Zazueta said in a Facebook post, “For weeks now people close to this production know that the logistics have been terrible. The actors have not stopped complaining about how poorly they are being treated specifically in the subject of transport and logistics.” Actors, Zazueta wrote, were being “transported like livestock to save ... a few pesos.” He called for changes to the Mexican film industry and added that Netflix had blood on its hands.Liliana Conlisk Gallegos, a friend of Mufote’s, told the Daily Beast that those involved with production shared “reports of abuse and exploitation.”“It pains me to think he was taken advantage of, that he was being forced to work in subpar conditions, especially for a multimillionaire company like Netflix,” Gallegos said.Actor Fernando Bonilla, a friend of Garduño’s, tweeted that the production must release how many hours of rest the driver had before losing control of the van. He pointed to other television and film productions that overworked their drivers."I'm very sad," he wrote. "And also angry." | Movies |
Darius Lee College Basketball Star Dead At 21 ... Shot & Killed In New York 6/20/2022 10:15 AM PT Houston Baptist men's basketball star Darius Lee was tragically shot and killed while at a gathering in New York on Monday, the university confirmed. He was just 21 years old. According to the NYPD, the shooting occurred at what appeared to be a barbeque in Harlem at around 12:40 a.m. Cops say when they arrived on the scene following reports of gunfire, they found nine people -- seven males and two females -- suffering from gunshot wounds. Absolutely heart-wrenching news about the passing of Houston Baptist star Darius Lee earlier today. HBU coach Ron Cottrell provided a statement on Lee. pic.twitter.com/my0fVihYSh— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) June 20, 2022 @GoodmanHoops Lee, who was ID'ed by Houston Baptist as one of the seven injured males, was transported to a nearby hospital after being struck in the chest by a bullet. He was sadly pronounced dead there, cops say. Police say a firearm was recovered at the site of the shooting, but no further details regarding the incident were revealed. Cops say they've yet to make any arrests and an investigation is ongoing. Houston Baptist officials mourned Lee's death on Monday, with men's basketball head coach Ron Cottrell calling the 6-foot-6, 230-pound wing "a remarkable young man." "We are in shock and cannot wrap our heads around this news," Cottrell said. "My heart breaks for his mom, his sister and his entire family, and for our basketball team. The only thing we find comfort in right now is knowing where Darius is. He is in the arms of Jesus… we know that as fact. And we will see him again some day." Lee was Houston Baptist's best player last season ... averaging 18.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. The rising senior was expected to graduate in December, the school said. "As great of a basketball player as he was, he was an even better person," Cottrell said. "I can't even think of basketball right now. I can only think of what a light Darius was during his short time on earth. He was a joy to coach and we loved him so much." RIP. | Basketball |
News | 6/20/2022 7:33 AM PT "We still hold steadfast in our faith and we trust that God will do what he does because God's a miracle worker" Todd and Julie Chrisley were found guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion in an Atlanta court in early June, and now they are addressing the situation with their fans. In a new episode of their podcast "Chrisley Confessions", Todd told listeners he was still holding out faith for a miracle, appearing to confirm plans to appeal their verdict. Getty Lindsie Chrisley 'Deeply Saddened' After Parents Todd and Julie's Guilty Verdict View Story "It has been a whirlwind," he admitted, per Yahoo!. "Lot of moving parts, lot of things going on in our lives and a lot of seeing God's movements right now." Todd went on to say "it's a very sad, heartbreaking time for our family right now," but said he was staying strong in his belief. "We still hold steadfast in our faith and we trust that God will do what he does because God's a miracle worker — and that's what we're holding out for," he said. "It's a tough time right now," he said thanking fans for their support, "but we are grateful for each and every one of you that has taken the effort." Getty Erika Jayne Denies Involvement After She's Named in New $2.1 Million Lawsuit as 'Aiding and Abetting' Husband Tom Girardi View Story They couple await sentencing; a hearing is on the books for October 6. The duo were found guilty of securing more than $30 million in fraudulent loans, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Meanwhile, estranged daughter Lindsie put out a statement on Instagram. Todd and Julie had previously accused her of reporting them for tax evasion, something she vehemently denied ever doing. "I know most of you are expecting to hear from me on my podcasts this week as I took time to be with my family last week," Lindsie wrote on IG. "The verdict is not what I had hoped or prayed for, and I am deeply saddened for myself, my son and my family as a whole. Please pray for us during this difficult time and know that I will be back when the time is right. Thank you for your continued love and support." | Celebrity |
It has been quite some time since the last record-breaking finding of a distant star. However, in 2022, astronomers broke all records when they detected a star that existed within the first billion years after the birth of the Universe. It is the most distant known star today. The light originating from this star (now dubbed Earendel) took 12.9 billion years to reach us. During these billions of years, the Universe has expanded so much that the star is now located at a mind-bending comoving distance of 28 billion light-years (or 8.6 billion parsecs) from Earth. These kinds of distances are hard to wrap your mind around. However, if you'd like to give it a try, be sure to check out our article that attempts to explain cosmic distances from a human point of view. "We almost didn't believe it at first, it was so much farther than the previous most distant, highest redshift star," said astronomer Brian Welch, lead author of the underlying paper.Earendel versus IcarusEarendel, meaning 'morning star,' was discovered using the Hubble Space Telescope. It appeared to astronomers as it did when the Universe was only about 1 billion years old, or 7 percent of its present age. To put into perspective how giant this leap actually is, we need to look at the previous record-breaking discovery dating back to 2018. That discovery focused on a star (dubbed Icarus) that existed when the Universe was 4.4 billion years old or 30 percent of its current age—located about 14 billion light-years from Earth. "Normally, at these distances, entire galaxies look like small smudges, the light from millions of stars blending together" said Welch. Earendel is located almost double as far away as Icarus. So how did astronomers make such a giant leap compared to a few years ago?The answer lies with a phenomenon called 'gravitational lensing.' A gravitational lens can be seen as some sort of cosmic magnifying glass. It bends the light from distant objects. Gravitational lenses form due to a distribution of matter (in this case, a huge cluster of galaxies) between a distant light source (in this case, Earendel) and an observer (in this case, the Hubble Space Telescope) that is capable of bending the light from the source as it travels toward the observer.The galaxy hosting Earendel has been magnified and warped by gravitational lensing into a long crescent that astronomers dubbed the Sunrise Arc. The research team estimates that Earendel has at least 50 times the mass of our sun and is millions of times brighter. It means it can contend with the heaviest stars we know. But even such a bright, massive star would be impossible to see at such a great distance without the aid of a gravitational lens caused by a huge cluster of stars that sits between Earendel and us. Astronomers expect Earendel to remain highly magnified for years to come.Improving our understanding of the history of the UniverseThis discovery means we can better understand a still unknown era in the history of our Universe. As Welch explains: 'Earendel existed so long ago that it may not have had all the same raw materials as the stars around us today.' Further studying it will open up a window onto an era of the Universe that we are still unfamiliar with, but that led to everything we do know.'It's like we've been reading a really interesting book, but we started with the second chapter, and now we will have a chance to see how it all got started.' Welch said.Legendary population III starsLater this year, the recently launched James Webb Telescope will have a look at the Earendel. The hope is that Webb can reveal more information about the distant star, including its age, temperature, mass, and radius. Suppose further research shows that Earendel is only made up of hydrogen and helium. In that case, it could provide the first evidence for the legendary Population III stars, believed to have been the very first stars to form after the Big Bang...Sources and Further reading:A highly magnified star at redshift 6.2 (Nature)Science Release - A Record Broken: Hubble Finds the Most Distant Star Ever Seen (ESA/Hubble)Putting unfathomable astronomical distances into human perspective (Universal-Sci)Comoving and proper distancesGravitational lensWHL0137-LSMACS J1149 Lensed Star 1 | Space Exploration |
Published June 20, 2022 4:41AM Updated 9:44AM article DETROIT - Robbie Grossman homered and drove in four runs as the Detroit Tigers beat the Texas Rangers 7-3 Sunday to split the four-game series. The Tigers and their league-worst offense scored five or more runs in consecutive games for the first time this season. Detroit had lost six straight before winning 14-7 Saturday. "Any time you hit, it brings a lot of energy to the ball club," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. "This is the brand of exceptional baseball that everyone has expected from us for a long time." Hinch had to watch most of the game from the clubhouse — he was ejected by home-plate umpire Jansen Visconti in the third inning after Grossman was called out on strikes. MORE: Texas Rangers on FOX 4 For the second day in a row, the Rangers hit a homer in the first — this time, it was Corey Seager — only to let Grossman homer during a three-run reply in the bottom of the inning. "This really feels like a missed opportunity," said Rangers manager Chris Woodward, whose team won the first two games by a combined 10-1. "We had a ton of momentum after the first two games, and we were playing against a team we feel like we should be very competitive against. "This was a series we could have won and really made some noise." Dane Dunning (1-5) walked Victor Reyes to start the inning, then hit Harold Castro before Grossman slugged his second homer in 24 hours and second of the season. "This feels really good," said Grossman, who is hitting .213. "I made some adjustments and I'm finally doing some things to help the team win. We played two good games and got two good wins." Nathaniel Lowe's RBI single made it 3-2 in the fourth, and Tigers bench coach George Lombard took out opener Drew Hutchison after Marcus Semien's two-out single in the fifth. Alex Lange (4-1) walked Seager before Adolis Garcia tied it with a hit. Detroit regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth. A single, a walk and a pair of force outs at second base left the Tigers with two on and two out. Rookie Riley Greene drew a walk, loading the bases and bringing Dennis Santana out of the Rangers bullpen. Detroit's other hyped hitting prospect, Spencer Torkelson, dropped a two-run single into shallow center to put the Tigers up 5-3. "That's one of the breaks of baseball," Woodward said. "Santana makes a great pitch down and away, Torkelson just gets a touch on it and they get two runs." Torkelson scored on a fielder's choice in the eighth to make it 6-3 and Grossman added an RBI single later in the inning. Detroit's bullpen took over at that point, only allowing one walk in the final four innings. TRAINER'S ROOM Castro left the game in the sixth inning after being hit in the leg by Dunning's pitch in the first. Hinch said he's day-to-day. ROSTER MOVE The Tigers designated Hutchison for assignment after the game. They will activate 3B Jeimer Candelario from the injured list before Monday's game in Boston. NO PLACE LIKE HOME Dunning is now winless in his last 20 road starts, including 19 for Texas. It is the longest streak in Rangers history. GREENE LIGHT Greene had two walks and two singles in his major league debut Saturday and followed that up with two more walks Sunday. UP NEXT Rangers: Texas is off Monday before starting a two-game home series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Martin Perez (4-2, 2.10) is scheduled to face Kyle Gibson (4-2, 4.04) on Tuesday. Tigers: Detroit opens a three-game series in Boston on Monday, with Alex Faedo (1-3, 4.28) pitching against Boston's Josh Winckowski (1-1, 4.50). | Baseball |
The Cuban actress talks about her role in Hands of Stone.Photography by Thomas WhitesideThomas WhitesideIn Hands of Stone, a biopic out this month about the boxer Roberto Durán, the actress Ana de Armas, 28, goes mano a mano in the marital ring. “In one scene, I find Roberto asleep with all these whores, and I slap him in the face to wake him up,” recalls de Armas, who plays Durán’s wife, opposite Edgar Ramírez. “My jewelry was chunky, and I hit him with my ring by mistake. But it was fine. Edgar would throw beer bottles at me. We always kept the scene going.”Neither does she tolerate any nonsense as the girlfriend of a man-child arms dealer (played by Miles Teller) in War Dogs, a dudes-with-guns caper also out this month. De Armas, who left her native Cuba for Spain at 18, and who only arrived in Los Angeles two years ago, is already being touted as Hollywood’s next big thing—thanks in part to her role in the much anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 cult classic, Blade Runner. But she’s not letting the accolades go to her head just yet. “I’m very impatient. I always want more. But I’m also still in the process of finding my sense of home. This business—the auditions, the anxiety—it’s all so, aaah, crazy! But I can always call my mom in Cuba to be reminded of what real life is.”Watch W’s most popular videos here: | Celebrity |
OAKLAND – Maybe this was the spark that both Seth Brown and Sean Murphy needed.
Both Brown and Murphy’s bats came to life Sunday, providing all of the offense the A’s would need in their 4-0 win over the Kansas City Royals at the Coliseum.
Now the key for both players is to keep it going and help the A’s turn around what’s been a disastrous June. Sunday’s win was just the A’s third in 16 games this month as Oakland entered Monday at the bottom of Major League Baseball’s overall standings at 23-45.
The A’s are off today and begin a three-game series at home against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday. Both Brown and Murphy bounced back Sunday afternoon from rough patches – specifically at home.
Brown had not hit a home run at the Coliseum since Aug. 8, 2021, but he went the opposite way for a first-inning solo homer off Royals pitcher Brady Singer on Sunday. The hit snapped his 0-for-8 streak and he now has nine home runs this season, with four of them being solo shots. It was a nice bounce-back effort from Brown, whose aggressive play in left field Saturday turned a single to a triple from Michael A. Taylor, who scored the Royals’ game-winning run one batter later.
“Seth works as hard as anybody else. He’s the type of guy who comes in first and leaves last. That’s the type of guy he is,” Murphy said. “It’s always one of those things where he’s never going to let himself spiral because he always just he’s going to work through it.”
Murphy’s .143 batting average at home before Sunday was the worst among all qualified MLB players. But after a day off Saturday, he went 3-for-4 with a double and a three-run homer to left field, ending an 0-for-6 slump and helping the A’s avoid being swept by the Royals for the first time since 2015. Sean Murphy: Human highlight reel. pic.twitter.com/krFoS1TUGY — Oakland A's (@Athletics) June 19, 2022 “Anytime you’re not performing to the level that you want to, it’s hard not to focus on that offensive side or to carry it with you,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said of Murphy. “The numbers are glaring up on the scoreboard. It stays there all day every day and these guys know that they’re scuffling.”
It makes a big difference to the A’s when Brown and Murphy can provide some power.
On June 11 in Cleveland, Murphy and Brown homered – Brown had a go-ahead grand slam – to lead the A’s to a 10-5 come-from-behind victory. It’s evident to Kotsay that when key players like Brown and Murphy are swinging well, it provides a jolt for this team. “Anytime you have two players in your lineup that are swinging the bat well and provide the offense, it’s a good feeling for both those players,” Kotsay said. “We’ve been talking about the approach through the middle and utilizing the whole field and I think both of them really followed the approach today.”
The A’s will be enduring a grueling stretch heading into the All-Star break with 16 of their next 25 games against division rivals like the Mariners, Rangers and Astros. Oakland also has games with the Yankees and Blue Jays.
Murphy hopes to carry what he did Sunday, when he helped the A’s record their first shutout victory since May 11 against Detroit, going forward.
“It’s good to get a crooked number,” Murphy said. “We haven’t been doing that a lot recently. So just to jump out to a little bit bigger lead and give the bullpen a little bit more room to breathe was what was important.” | Baseball |
Wimbledon's next star? Mimi Xu, only 14, is the next big hope of British tennis who has trained with US Open champion Raducanu, plays the piano and violin and will sit GCSEs early as she bids to become SW19's youngest Brit in a CENTURY!Mimi Xu could make history this week as Wimbledon qualifying gets underway14-year-old from Swansea could become youngest Brit to make the main drawXu is regarded as one of the most exciting tennis prodigies in the countryShe first picked up a racket at the age of just three and often beats older playersTeenager also has grade seven piano and violin, and will sit some exams early Published: 11:15 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 11:46 EDT, 20 June 2022 Last year, the nation marvelled at 18-year-old Emma Raducanu as the British tennis prodigy stormed into the second week of Wimbledon and then, defying the longest of odds, won the US Open in New York.This summer, an even younger rising star in the women's game could well steal the limelight and some of Raducanu's thunder.14-year-old Mimi Xu is already causing ripples among those tennis fans in the know. Three challenging qualifying matches stand between the teenager, from Swansea in south Wales, and the distinction of being the youngest British player to compete at Wimbledon in the post-1968 Open era and possibly, if the sketchy records can be trusted, in 100 years.Annabel Croft was 15 when she won through to the main draw in 1981 and American Coco Gauff was just 15 years and 122 days old when she won three qualifiers at Roehampton in 2019 and announced herself to the world.Xu would be even younger should she make the SW19 Slam, which begins next Monday, but it's fair to say little fazes a girl who appears to combine remarkable sporting, musical and academic prowess.Tall for her age, powerful and well accustomed to taking on more physically mature opponents, some four years older, in junior tournaments across the United Kingdom, Xu isn't in qualifying simply to make up the numbers. Mimi Xu, 14, is regarded as a promising talent in British tennis and is aiming to become the youngest player from this country to play at Wimbledon in a century Last year, the teenager from Swansea played at Wimbledon in the girls' tournament - this time she is three qualifying matches away from the main draw Xu started playing tennis at the age of just three and is now tipped for big things in the sportAt last week's Ilkley Trophy in West Yorkshire, she was disappointed to be beaten 6-2, 6-2 by the former US Open semi-finalist Yanina Wickmayer, who is more than twice her age.Let's not forget that Mimi is a Year 10 student, who is set to take her GCSEs in Mathematics and Spanish at Olchfa Secondary School this summer, and the rest next year.It's clear her talents extend far beyond the court. Her Twitter account - run by her parents - features tennis pics interspersed with videos of her recitals on the piano and the violin. She has achieved grade seven in both. Her place in Wimbledon qualifying was secured when she claimed the Under-18 British title well ahead of her years back in April.You only have to go back three years to find Twitter pictures of Xu posing on Centre Court as part of a 'first taste of Wimbledon' tour organised by the LTA. Next week, she could be playing there.Later in that tournament, she was left thrilled after champion players Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep signed a tennis ball for her. Xu poses for a picture at Wimbledon on an LTA tour of the iconic venue three years ago She competed at Wimbledon in the girls' draw last year - but could now be in the main eventLike Raducanu - whose father is Romanian and mother is Chinese - Xu is a British junior player from an ethnic minority background.Her mother Wendy, a retail store manager, and father Tony, a digital engineer, are both Chinese and met when studying at Swansea University.The family still live in the city and Xu was first introduced to the sport at the Swansea Tennis and Squash Club aged only three.She then moved onto a development programme under the guidance of coach Fran Lewis at Swansea Tennis Centre. As with Raducanu, who played at Bromley Tennis Centre in Kent growing up, having ready access to good facilities has handsomely paid off.Naturally, Xu was inspired by Raducanu's astonishing success in New York last September and recently hit with the British No 1 for an hour-and-a-half at the National Tennis Academy in Loughborough. Xu claims that she has been buoyed by fellow British teenager Emma Raducanu's success Having achieved plenty of success in junior competitions, Xu will now step up to senior events'It's been really eye-opening,' Xu said last week. 'Seeing that if she can win like that, we can do that one day, too.'It was really fun being in the moment and she was really nice, really encouraging. That helped me.'Xu has already played at Wimbledon in last year's girls' singles and doubles events but this time around she is in qualification for a place in the main draw.In last year's singles, she was knocked out by Polina Kudermetova, 18, having been handed a wildcard into the draw. She made it through to the second round of the doubles before suffering defeat. A year prior to that, Xu won the Teen Tennis competition in Bolton, an event previously won by Andy Murray, Gauff and Justine Henin.Given the success three-time Slam winner Murray went on to achieve, that could well be a good omen. Mimi Xu can qualify for Wimbledon aged just 14, a year younger than Annabel Croft was in 1981 As well as potentially play at Wimbledon this summer Xu will take two of her GCSE exams Advertisement | Tennis |
Conductor Riccardo Muti has been cleared to resume concerts at the CSO, according to an announcement Monday from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association. “After two consecutive days of negative COVID-19 test results over the weekend, Music Director Riccardo Muti resumed rehearsals for Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera on Sunday,” a spokesperson for the CSOA said in the announcement. “He tested negative again today and rehearsals continue this afternoon, as scheduled. He is in good health and good spirts and looking forward to this week’s CSO program.”Muti turned over the podium to conducting apprentice Lina González-Granados last week after testing positive for COVID, with González-Granados leading CSO subscription concerts June 16-18.“Muti Conducts Verdi Un ballo in maschera” concerts are slated for June 23-28 at Symphony Center. More information at cso.org or by calling patron services at [email protected] | Music |
'I spent a lot of my childhood terrified of Glastonbury': Emily Eavis reveals ball bearings were shot through the windows of her family home and their car was torched during the 'wild' days of the festival in the 1980sEmily, 42, says her family's car was burned out when the festival first startedThis year’s festival sold out in just 20 minutes after it was cancelled in 2021She told Annie Mac’s Changes podcast that she felt a lot of ‘animosity’ Published: 12:21 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 12:24 EDT, 20 June 2022 Glastonbury festival organiser Emily Eavis has revealed that she was ‘terrified’ of the festival as a child after locals burned her family’s car.Emily Eavis, 42, has been co-organising the iconic music event since 1999 alongside her father Michael, 86, who founded the festival in 1970.She told Annie Mac’s Changes podcast that there was so much ‘animosity’ towards Glastonbury when it first started.The family even had ball bearings shot through their window by angry locals who ‘loathed’ the festival.Emily told the former BBC 1 presenter: ‘So festivals in the eighties were like entirely different. 'The festival was growing radically and you know, every year had a different narrative with the travellers and it was like, with music and it was just- there were so many different stories to it. Organiser Emily Eavis said that she was initially scared of the festival when her dad set it up because locals shot through their windows and burned down their car. She told a podcast that there was a lot of 'animosity' towards the event Emily, pictured with her father, has been co-organising the iconic music event since 1999 alongside her father Michael, 86, who founded the festival in 1970. She says that the family were targeted by locals who shot their home with ball bearings Emily said she would be trying to get people to her dad’s festival as a young girl, taking in books of tickets and flyers to school in her blazer. But she was 'shy' and not many people took her up on the offer in the 80s The largest greenfield festival in the world Glastonbury Festival is now a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts. Headliners this year include Diana Ross, Kendrick Lamar and Olivia Rodrigo‘But I spent a lot of my childhood feeling terrified of it because it was like, it was pretty wild and very divisive and very, very kind of tribal in the area that we lived in.‘There was just so much kind of animosity about it and like loathing, and it was really like full on feelings to grow up around.‘So I was like terrified. I was like blimey- you know we had like, ball bearings shot through our window by like, locals, and, you know, our car was burned down.‘It was burnt, you know, and things like that. It was just kind of- so I lived with a lot of this kind of fear of the festival.‘Cause I was like, “can we just have a normal life?”.’Emily also explained that she was quite a ‘shy’ child, despite her dad Michael being ‘the opposite’, explaining that she would always be ‘hiding’.But even from a young age she would be trying to get people to her dad’s festival, taking in books of tickets and flyers to school in her blazer.She added that had her mother, Jean, not become unwell she would have had a ‘different, quiet life’ as a teacher. Emily had been training as a teacher when her mother became unwell, and moved back to live with her dad and help him organise the festival. She has not looked back and has become a key part of Glastonbury over the past twenty years Highlights for fans will include the festival's youngest and oldest-ever solo headliners - Billie Eilish (left), 20, and Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney (right), 80 Ticket sales for the huge festival sold out in just 20 minutes, after it was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic Emily told Annie: ‘I'd gone from this like, point of really being kind of fearful of it and wondering why we were putting up with all of this, to suddenly being like, actually this is a really great thing.‘Like it's not just about that, it's about all these things.’This year’s festival sold out in just 20 minutes, after deposits that were initially paid for Glastonbury 2020 were rolled over for a second year following the cancellation of the 2021 festival.Headliners at the festival, which is running from June 22 to 26, include Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar and Billie Eilish.Diana Ross was previously confirmed for this year’s Sunday ‘Legends’ slot. Advertisement | Music |
Megan Rapinoe Trans Athletes Aren't Ruining Women's Sports ... 'Show Me The Evidence' 6/20/2022 10:47 AM PT U.S. women's soccer legend Megan Rapinoe believes it's "disgusting" to ban transgender athletes from competing in women's sports ... saying people need to "get a grip on reality and take a step back." The 36-year-old made the comments in an interview with TIME shortly after FINA -- the swimming world's governing body -- voted to restrict female swimmers who transition after turning 12 or have started puberty from competing against biological women. FINA announces new policy on gender inclusion 👇https://t.co/tOcoTKz8WK— FINA (@fina1908) June 19, 2022 @fina1908 Rapinoe says these sort of bans are a serious issue ... and voiced her stance against the decision. "I’m 100% supportive of trans inclusion," Rapinoe said. "People do not know very much about it. We’re missing almost everything." "Frankly, I think what a lot of people know is versions of the right’s talking points because they’re very loud. They’re very consistent, and they’re relentless," she added. Rapinoe pushed back against the perception that transgender participation in sports is a "free-for-all" ... saying there has been regulation at the collegiate, professional, and Olympic levels. The 2-time Women's World Cup champion says the focus is no longer on how peoples' lives are being affected ... but more about sports. "We’re talking about kids," Rapinoe said. "We’re talking about people’s lives. We’re talking about the entire state government coming down on one child in some states, three children in some states." NCAA champion Lia Thomas has been at the forefront of the conversation ... after some politicians claim her participation in women's sports destroys the spirit of competition. Megan strongly disagrees. "Show me the evidence that trans women are taking everyone’s scholarships, are dominating in every sport, are winning every title," Rapinoe said. "I’m sorry, it’s just not happening. So we need to start from inclusion, period," she continued. "And as things arise, I have confidence that we can figure it out. But we can’t start at the opposite. That is cruel. And frankly, it’s just disgusting." | Other Sports |
Four Tet, AKA Kieran Hebden, has announced that he has settled his dispute with Domino Records over royalty rates.In August 2021, Hebden sought damages against the independent British record label for applying a historic royalty rate to streaming revenue and downloads of four studio albums he released on the label between 2001 and 2010.When Hebden signed to Domino in 2001, streaming services did not yet exist and his contract stipulated an 18% royalty rate for physical sales. With the advent of streams and downloads, Domino continued to apply the 18% rate.But Hebden and his lawyers argued that he is entitled to a “reasonable” 50% royalty on streams and downloads, and sought damages of up to £70,000 plus costs in a case that was due to go before the business and property courts of the High Court.In November 2021, Domino removed Hebden’s first three albums for the label – Pause (2001), Rounds (2003) and Everything Ecstatic (2005) – from digital stores and streaming services. At the time, Hebden said he had not agreed to this and said he was “truly shocked”.Today, he announced that Domino had recognised his original claim and agreed to pay a 50% royalty rate on streaming and downloads, and that these transactions should be treated as a licensing agreement rather than equivalent to a CD or vinyl sale.I have a bodacious update on my case with @Dominorecordco. They have recognised my original claim, that I should be paid a 50% royalty on streaming and downloads, and that they should be treated as a license rather than the same as a CD or vinyl sale.(1/8)— Four Tet (@FourTet) June 20, 2022
Hebden shared images of the settlement, which showed that he would receive £56,921.08 in respect of all historical streaming and download income from the accounting period commencing 1 July 2017 – namely the difference between the 18% and 50% royalty rates – in addition to simple interest calculated at a rate of 5% per year.“It has been a difficult and stressful experience to work my way through this court case and I’m so glad we got this positive result, but I feel hugely relieved that the process is over,” Hebden wrote in a series of tweets.He said he hoped his situation would open up a “constructive” dialogue and encourage other artists to pursue “a fairer deal” on historic contracts.Nonetheless, he said that Domino still owned these parts of his back catalogue for life and that he was not given the option to take back ownership of his work. “I hope these types of life of copyright deals become extinct,” he wrote. “The music industry isn’t definitive and given its evolutionary nature it seems crazy to me to try and institutionalise music in that way.”Hebden’s lawyer Aneesh Patel told Resident Advisor: “The case came at an important time while there was a government enquiry into the economics of streaming and the Broken Record campaign has been gaining increasing momentum.”Pause, Rounds and Everything Ecstatic have also been restored to streaming services and digital platforms. The Guardian has contacted Domino for comment.Hebden has been releasing music since 1997 under a variety of names, including Four Tet, Percussions, 00110100 01010100 and ⣎⡇ꉺლ༽இ̛)ྀ◞ ༎ຶ ༽ৣৢ؞ৢ؞ؖ ꉺლ, as well as in collaboration with artists such as Steve Reid, Geoff McIntire (as Dempsey) and Adem Ilhan and Sam Jeffers (as Fridge).He has continued to make albums under the Four Tet name since leaving Domino. His last, Parallel, was released on his own independent label Text Records in December 2020. That month, Hebden also released the album 871 under his 00110100 01010100 alias, also on Text. | Music |
If you have been affected by anything in this article and need support call the Samaritans on 116 123 or email [email protected] Published: 12:19 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 13:40 EDT, 20 June 2022 Rylan Clark has confessed he slept in his mum Linda's bed during his highly-publicised divorce from his ex-husband Dan Neal last year.The presenter, 33, lauded his Celebrity Gogglebox co-star, 69, for being his 'entire support' and helping him find a 'new life' for himself amid his woes.Revealing she also forced him to eat, Rylan previously claimed he dropped to just nine stone and was hospitalised for 'safety reasons' after refusing food. Support: Rylan Clark has confessed he slept in his mum Linda's bed during his highly-publicised divorce from his ex-husband Dan Neal last year He's now told OK! magazine: 'At one point, I didn't want to come back, I didn't want this job any more - I didn't want to do anything.'In the joint interview, she chimed in: 'He's got this beautiful home, but he was here with me. He couldn't sleep so I said, "Get in my bed with me."'He'd lost so much weight, he was just staring all the time. I was crying all day with him, and I was forcing him to eat.'Earlier this year, Rylan revealed he 'didn't know if he could continue to live' following the breakdown of his marriage, which saw him take a step away from the spotlight. Exes: The television presenter and former policeman Dan announced their split in June last year after six years together (pictured in 2015)The TV personality shocked his fans when he temporarily gave up his BBC Radio 2 hosting duties, but has now confessed he was hospitalised for 'safety reasons' after refusing food.He admitted he 'was a danger to himself' and 'didn't think he would get better' when things were at their worst, nor that he would 'be here today'.At a time where drones were flying over his house and concern from his adoring supporters was mounting, Rylan revealed he couldn't have felt lonelier.He told The Observer: 'It's really strange talking about this, because I've not even spoken about it to my friends. I just never thought I could get that ill.' Family: The presenter, 33, lauded his Celebrity Gogglebox co-star, 69, for being his 'entire support' and helping him find a 'new life' for himself amid his woes 'I went down to just over 9st and I'm 6ft 4in. It got bad. Like, very bad. And I didn't think it would get better. I needed help.'The former X Factor contestant confessed he 'did not know himself at certain points' and was 'having thoughts and doing things that made him f****d up'. He continued: 'I didn't think I'd be here. I didn't think I could continue [to work or to live]. I didn't think I'd actually come back. I was very… gone.'Rylan admitted in a recent interview with The Sun that he became 'dangerously thin' and 'mentally unwell' following his split from husband Dan Neal last year. Wow! Revealing she also forced him to eat, Rylan previously claimed he dropped to just nine stone and was hospitalised for 'safety reasons' after refusing food (pictured in April 2022) The television presenter and former policeman Dan announced their split in June last year after six years together.And, while Rylan admits life was 's**t' after the break-up, he has since bounced back, concentrating on his health and diet while buffing up in the gym, putting on four stone.He said: 'I got ill and I lost weight, I went down to under ten stone — and I’m six feet four inches, so that’s not good.'The honest truth is that it’s been s**t.'Celebrity Big Brother winner Rylan took a break from his work commitments over the summer in a bid to look after himself, hailing his mother Linda as a 'lifesaver' in that time.The media personality said his family had been 'majorly worried' about him after he 'disappeared' for four months this year, taking a break from public life and staying quiet on social media.'One of my biggest regrets of this year was putting my mum through me not being well,' he said. 'I needed to get back to me.'If you have been affected by anything in this article and need support call the Samaritans on 116 123 or email [email protected]. Exes: The presenter who went through a highly publicised breakup his husband Dan Neal last year, explained that he now saw the heartbreaking event as a 'blessing' (Pictured in 2017) Advertisement | Celebrity |
A follower of the Bahá’í faith since her teenage years, Los Angeles jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton hasn’t shied away from weaving her spirituality into her music.
Most explicitly, the nine-time Grammy Award-nominated singer opened her 2009 album“Desire” reciting several verses from a sacred Bahá’í text, “The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah.” But it was the album’s hushed version of the standard “It’s Only a Paper Moon” that revealed how thoroughly Sutton’s faith could transform a song. Usually delivered at a headlong gallop, the Harold Arlen/Yip Harburg celebration of American hokum morphed into a meditative expression of yearning for God in a world of illusory surfaces with her mantra-like repetition of the phrase “without your love.”
A Bahá’í connection is also the prime mover behind the new album she’s celebrating June 26 at Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society in Half Moon Bay and June 27 at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz, where she’s focusing on material from “Paris Sessions 2.” A follow-up to 2014’s exquisitely intimate “Paris Sessions,” her popular album with French guitarist Serge Merlaud, the new project captured them in the midst of their pandemic sequestration.
A lot has happened since the previous “Paris Sessions” album, most significantly their marriage in 2019. It’s a union that grew out of their shared adherence to the Bahá’í faith, a young universalistic religion founded in the mid-19th century by Persian mystic Baháʼu’lláh (whose adherents in Iran are subject to brutal persecution, according to Human Rights Watch). After a 1992 gig in Switzerland, Sutton decided to spend some time bopping around Paris. At a jazz session one night she happened into American jazz vocalist Sarah Lazarus, who had recently moved to France. When Sutton mentioned her faith in passing Lazarus put her in touch with Merlaud, the only other Bahá’í person she’d met in Paris. Though he spoke little English and Sutton’s French was rudimentary, they spent a week hanging out seeing music, and then didn’t see each other again for 20 years.
A 2012 trip to Paris with her band gave Sutton a chance to renew the acquaintance, and she suddenly realized what a profound impact Merlaud had on her musical identity. Shortly after their week together he’d sent her cassettes two piano trio albums, “You Must Believe In Spring” by Bill Evans and “Landscape” by Kenny Barron, “and in meeting Serge again Irealized they formed the core of the sound of the Tierney Sutton band,” she said, referring to her quartet with pianist Christian Jacob.
“I knew ‘The Peacocks,’” the sumptuous ballad by Jimmy Rowles, “because it was on the Bill Evans album Serge had given me,” Sutton continued. “The only arrangement by another artist we play is Kenny Barron’s ‘Spring Is Here’ from the cassette that Serge had given me. These were the greatest hits of the Tierney Sutton Band, all from that musical connection.”
Reconnected 20 years later, their relationship blossomed when Merlaud contributed on two tracks of 2013’s “After Blue,” her Grammy-nominated album focusing on the music of Joni Mitchell. “He played some simple but beautiful straight ahead guitar parts,” she said. “We bonded and ended up recording the first ‘Paris Session.’”
While Sutton and Merlaud are celebrating their “Paris Session” albums at the Bach and Kuumbwa concerts, they’re also drawing on her Pandemic-renewed relationship with Israeli-born Los Angeles pianist Tamir Hendelman. A mainstay on the Southern California jazz scene since the 1990s, he’s toured and recorded extensively with drum great Jeff Hamilton and the big band he co-leads with bassist John Clayton, the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. But he’s best known for his work with vocalists, such as the Bay Area’s Jackie Ryan, Roberta Gambarini, Natalie Cole, and Barbra Streisand. Hendelman had performed with Sutton in the late ‘90s, but then he got busy with Jeff Hamilton’s trio and she launched the vaunted Tierney Sutton Band. They didn’t get a chance to work together until a 2018 tour of Japan. The collaboration really flourished during the pandemic when Hendelman started a weekly livestream from home. Sutton ended up joining him for a series of thematic concerts, such as a show devoted to the music of Johnny Mercer and a concert of songs about spring.
As a connoisseur of vocalists, Hendelman relishes the opportunity to join Sutton outside of virtual settings.
“She has two things that balance beautifully,” he said. “Tierney is a real technician who approaches the music as an instrumentalist. She’s always thinking about intonation and presenting a really pure sound. At the same time she’s so deeply into lyrics and telling a story. And in interpreting a song she is really being part of the band, not just herself, which is so refreshing. There’s no attitude, it’s just let’s make music together.”
Details: 4:30 p.m. June 26; Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society, Half Moon Bay; $35/$45; 5650 726-4143, bachddsoc.org. 7 p.m. June 27; Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Santa Cruz; $21-$42; 831-427-2227, www.kuumbwa.org. | Music |
July Fourth is almost here, and you don’t want to miss out on any of these spectacular fireworks displays. Here is how you can catch the show from practically anywhere in the Bay.
Fireworks Spectacular at Alameda County Fair: 9:30 p.m. July 1, Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton. Enjoy the fireworks show the Friday before the big day, viewable from anywhere on the fairgrounds with the best viewing over the Stella Artois Grandstand. The show will begin after the concert performance. Free with admission. annual.alamedacountyfair.com/
Pleasant Hill Fourth of July Celebration: 7:45 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. July 4, Pleasant Hill. Celebrate the Fourth with a Firecracker 5k run in the morning, followed by a parade through downtown, a party in the park, a decorating contest and a grand fireworks show finale. Free. phjuly4.com/
Foster City Fourth of July Celebration: 9 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. July 4, Leo J. Ryan Park, 650 Shell Blvd., Foster City. Enjoy games, food, entertainment, a family and dog parade and fireworks display. Free. fostercity.org/ Atwater Fourth of July Celebration: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 4, Atwater. This 4th of July celebration at Ralston Park is free to the public with a concert and fireworks at Castle Air Base Parade Grounds. $10 per car. atwater4thofjuly.org/
Sonoma’s Hometown 4th of July Celebration: Starting at 10 a.m. July 4, Sonoma venues. The Fourth of July parade begins at 10 a.m., winding its way around the town’s historic plaza. Afterward, enjoy an old-fashioned festival with food, drink and game booths. At dusk, shift your eyes up above General Vallejo’s field for a spectacular fireworks show. Free. sonomavolunteerfirefighters.org/
Lakeport Fourth of July Street Fair: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 4, Library Park, 200 Park St., Lakeport. Celebrate the holiday with a street fair featuring craft vendors, food vendors and a beer booth, then fireworks at dusk. Free. lakeportmainstreet.com/
Redwood City Fourth of July Festival: 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. July 4, 2200 Broadway St.,
Redwood City. Enjoy a Fourth of July parade beginning at 10 a.m. followed by an arts and crafts festival on Courthouse Square, and end the day with a brilliant fireworks display at the Port of Redwood City beginning at 9:30. Free. redwoodcitydowntown.com/
Moraga Fourth of July Celebration: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 4, Moraga Commons Park, 1425 St. Mary’s Road, Moraga. The July Fourth Celebration includes community activities throughout the day, culminating with a concert at 7 p.m. followed by a spectacular fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. Free. moraga.ca.us/ Suisun City July Fourth Celebration: 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. July 4, Harbor Plaza, 558 Solano St., Suisun City. The Suisun City celebration returns this year with food and retail vendors, carnival rides, live music and a fireworks show at 9:15. Free. FestivalNet: bit.ly/3tHldU5
Benicia Fourth of July Picnic in the Park and Fireworks: 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. July 4, Benicia. Join the fun at Benicia’s City Park, which will be filled with arts and crafts booth, food stalls, live entertainment and children’s activities. Fireworks start about 9 p.m. at the foot of First Street. Free. ci.benicia.ca.us/
Fourth of July at American Canyon: 3 to 10 p.m. July 4, American Canyon. Enjoy a patriotic parade and a concert in the park, and finish off with a spectacular fireworks show at 9:30. Free. cityofamericancanyon.org
Morgan Hill Freedom Fest Fireworks on the Green: 4 to 11 p.m. July 4, 15880 La Porte Court, Morgan Hill. Join Arena at the Morgan Hill Freedom Fest Fireworks on the Green celebration. Free. Facebook Events: bit.ly/39rByFv
Milpitas Red, White & BOOM! Concert and Fireworks: 6 to 9 p.m. July 4, Milpitas Sports Center, 1325 E Calaveras Blvd., Milpitas. Join the holiday celebration and enjoy food trucks, live music and fun activities such as a climbing wall and a game truck before an evening of spectacular fireworks. $6. milpitas.gov/
Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular with the Santa Rosa Symphony: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. July 4, Weill Hall, 1801 E Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. The biggest fireworks display in Sonoma County returns with a bang. This family-friendly celebration features the Transcendence Theatre Company and Santa Rosa Symphony in an evening of show tunes and patriotic classics, followed by a spectacular post-concert fireworks show. $30-60. sonoma.edu/
Concord Fourth of July Fireworks: 9 p.m. July 4, Mt. Diablo High School, 2450 Grant St., Concord. This family friendly celebration on the green includes fireworks over Mt. Diablo High School. Free. concordjuly4th.coml
Fourth of July Fireworks at Healdsburg: 9 p.m. July 4, Healdsburg High School, 1024 Prince Ave., Healdsburg. Enjoy fireworks, lighting, special effects and an epic grand finale. Free. healdsburgfireworks.org/
Vallejo Fireworks on the Waterfront: 9:15 p.m. July 4, Barbara Kondylis Waterfront Park, 301 Mare Island Way, Vallejo. Enjoy a great fireworks show on the waterfront with explosives fired off a barge in the middle of the channel. Free. artvallejo.org/
Gilroy’s Annual Fireworks Show: 9:30 p.m. July 4, Gilroy. Enjoy the fireworks show that will originate from Gilroy High School, 750 W. 10th St., which can be viewed from nearby neighborhoods and at Christmas Hill Park. Free. cityofgilroy.org/
Fourth of July Celebration on Pier 39: 9:30 p.m. July 4, Pier 39, The Embarcadero, San Francisco. Pier 39 hosts one of the largest Fourth of July celebrations in the city with live music, barbecue, a day of entertainment and family-friendly activities and an impressive pyrotechnic show that starts at around 9:30 pm. Free. CrawlSF: bit.ly/3Hv3u7V
Cupertino Fireworks Show: 9:30 p.m. July 4, Creekside Park, 10455 Miller Ave., Cupertino. Enjoy a colorful fireworks show in the sky above Cupertino, with pyrotechnics launched from Hyde Middle School. Free. cupertino.org
Rotary Downtown Fireworks: 9:30 p.m. July 4, Discovery Meadow, 180 Woz Way, San Jose. The Rotary Fireworks Downtown Committee is hosting San Jose’s annual signature fireworks display, while creating a model for sustainability. Entertainment, provided by San Jose Jazz, will start at 7 p.m. with fireworks to follow at 9:30 p.m. Free. sjrotary.org/rotary-fireworks-downtown/
Fourth of July Celebration at California’s Great America: 9:45 p.m. July 4, 4701 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara. After a day of riding roller coasters and having a splashing good time in South Bay Shores, sit back and enjoy the Fourth of July fireworks display set to a patriotic soundtrack. Fireworks begin at 9:45pm in the skies above the Flight Deck rollercoaster. Free with admission. cagreatamerica.com | Festivals |
When 18-year-old American tennis star Coco Gauff became the youngest Grand Slam finalist in women’s tennis since Maria Sharapova in 2004, I cheered. When she lost to Poland’s Iga Swiatek at the French Open this month, I cheered again. Women have come a long way in sports. But it has taken grit, determination and enormous patience for women and girls to be truly valued and to find their equal footing with men. This week we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX, the landmark legislation that gave women athletes the right to equal opportunity in sports and federally funded educational institutions. It was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Nixon on June 23, 1972. 50 years later, there is a lot to celebrate. Banning sex discrimination at federally funded schools opened the way for women and girls. Since Title IX’s passage, female participation in high school sports has grown by 1057 percent and in college sports by 614 percent. In 1972 there were just over 300,000 women and girls playing high school and college sports in the United States, and female athletes received only 2 percent of college athletic budgets and barely a single scholarship. Title IX prompted more women to seek educational advancement. That one piece of groundbreaking legislation also paved the way for women in professional sports and representation in the Olympics. In 1972 only 90 women joined the U.S. Olympic team. By 2016 American women dominated Olympic sports from gymnastics and basketball to swimming. In her book “Strong Like A Woman,” Fox Sports journalist Laken Litman chronicles the inspirational stories of 100 female athletes who revolutionized their sports and paved the way for future generations of young girls and women. I asked Litman what Title IX means to her as a female sportswriter. “Growing up I had the opportunity to play sports, in part because of Title IX, and that led to my career covering sports,” she said. One of the women profiled in Litman’s book is legendary basketball coach Pat Summitt, who won eight NCAA championships. Summitt, who died in 2016, seemed larger than life to many of us — a hero for women and girls. But her story is a reminder of what it was like in the early days as told in a forthcoming book by New York Times bestselling author Andrew Maraniss entitled, “Inaugural Ballers: The True Story of the First U.S. Women’s Olympics Basketball Team.” Interviewed by the Tennessean newspaper, Maraniss reveals that Summitt told him about sleeping in a sleeping bag on the opposing team’s floor because they couldn’t afford a hotel. “They were supposed to sew their jersey numbers on their own uniforms, but she didn’t know how to sew so she put her number on with a paper clip or a safety pin or whatever she could find.” Maraniss told the paper. A half-century later, there are still signs of inequality in women’s sports. Cases have been brought by women athletes in the NCAA, for example, where there remain disparities between men’s and women’s events in terms of resources, uneven workout and training facilities, spending, pay and conditions for play. Investigations like one by USA Today found that some colleges inflate their numbers of women athletes by padding the rosters on existing teams instead of creating new teams. When it comes to women and sports, the obvious question is: Do audiences care as much about women’s’ sports as they do about men’s sports? My answer is that people would probably be more interested in women’s sports if the media covered them more. A 30-year study by the Nieman Journalism Lab released last year found a systemic problem with media ignoring women’s sports. “Our analysis shows men’s sports are the appetizer, the main course, and the dessert, and if there’s any mention of women’s sports it comes across as begrudging ‘eat your vegetables’ without the kind of bells and whistles and excitement with which they describe men’s sports and athletes.” As Litman reminded me. “I’m often the only woman in the press box or covering a sport.” Title IX paved the way. But the next 50 years must be about renewed advancement and determined progress on the field and courts, and in the media. Tara D. Sonenshine is the Edward R. Murrow Professor of Practice in public diplomacy at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. | Tennis |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving sent out a cryptic tweet following a report that he and the team were at an "impasse" over contract negotiations, and he may test free agency this summer.The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers were rumored to be the two teams interested in trading for Irving, The Athletic reported Monday. Irving would have to opt into his contract for any trade to occur since those teams have salary-cap constraints. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during Round 1 Game 4 of the 2022 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2022 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)The New York Knicks are rumored to be interested in acquiring Irving as well, but would have to either cut or trade a bunch of players to open up their own options for Irving or find a trade and match the contracts.In an apparent response to the report, Irving issued a cryptic tweet from the critically acclaimed HBO series "The Wire."KENNY ATKINSON SPURNS HORNETS TO STAY ON WARRIORS' BENCH: REPORTBrooklyn's general manager Sean Marks said last month that conversations about Irving’s deal were ongoing, but he was noncommittal about the point guard’s future with the franchise. Kyrie Irving, #11 of the Brooklyn Nets, looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 6, 2022 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)"So he has to look at what he’s going to do with his player option and so forth like that," Marks said. "I think we know what we’re looking for. We’re looking for guys that want to come in here and be part of something bigger than themselves. Play selfless, play team basketball, and be available … and that goes not only for Kyrie but for everybody here."Irving expressed interest in staying in Brooklyn. Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts during Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Barclays Center on April 25, 2022 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Elsa/Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPHe and Kevin Durant signed with the Nets prior to the start of the 2019-20 season and both have had their share of injuries during their time with Brooklyn. The team has not gotten further than the Eastern Conference semifinals in the playoffs. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]. | Basketball |
Durham seamer Brydon Carse mulled briefly over whether he could be England’s enforcer. It only took a second. “Yes,” he said. “That’s what I’d like to see myself as. I want to come on and be aggressive. I want to make an impact in the game. That might not necessarily be taking wickets but creating opportunities from the other end.”Carse bowled aggressively during England’s victory over the Netherlands in the second ODI at Amstelveen on Sunday, hitting the pitch hard and generating enough pace to give the Netherlands batters the hurry up as well as helping to run out the Dutch captain, Scott Edwards, with a sharp throw from midwicket.Carse, who turns 27 next month, made his England debut last year as part of the shadow squad hurried together after Covid wiped out England’s first-choice team. He played in three ODIs, picking up five wickets in the third game at Edgbaston as Pakistan tried to build on the platform provided by Babar Azam, before cover-driving them to victory with two overs to spare.He is highly thought of by the England hierarchy – old and new – and though he was ruled out of last winter’s Lions tour due to a knee injury, has bounced back quickly. In a climate where England are missing seven of their fastest bowlers through injury – Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood, Matt Fisher, Olly Stone, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes and Ollie Robinson – that is a very valuable asset. Most excitingly, he is quick, clocking up mph speeds in the late 80s and early 90s, and ambitious for the future.“When things are clicking it’s good to bowl quick,” he said. “It adds a different dimension to the team. If I can be bowling in and around that 90mph mark then I am sure it will create opportunities for me in any side in which I am playing … There’s a few guys who can bowl those speeds who are carrying injuries so if any more opportunities come up I’ll be happy to take them.”Many see him in the Liam Plunkett role, bowling the middle overs in ODIs, forcing the opposition batters on to the back foot, and he is very happy with the comparison. “That’s something I am striving to be like. Obviously, he had a very good England career and if I can fulfil that role going forward it’s a big positive.”The Spin: sign up and get our weekly cricket email.It will not do his prospects in red-ball cricket any harm that he plays for Durham, alongside the new England red-ball captain, Ben Stokes, and Matthew Potts, who made his debut in the Test series against New Zealand.“I missed the first five Championship games at Durham because I was coming back from injury. But I want to play Test cricket for England,” he said. | Other Sports |
CelebrityTristan ThompsonTristan joined Khloé and her innermost circle, including Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott, for a pre-Father's Day lunch in Calabasas.Posted 4 hours ago In their first joint public outing since that incredibly messy paternity scandal, exes Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson were pictured out looking pretty cozy the day before Father’s Day. Jerritt Clark / Getty Images for Remy Martin As I’m sure you’re aware, Tristan admitted to welcoming a child with personal trainer Maralee Nichols during his and Khloé’s relationship in a shocking Instagram statement shared in January. He’d spent weeks denying that he was the father when Maralee had sued him for child support and pregnancy-related expenses, though ended up admitting not only that the child was his, but also that the pair had engaged in a months-long secret sexual affair. Sam Forencich / NBAE via Getty Images “Now that a paternity test has been established I look forward to amicably raising [mine and Maralee’s] son,” he wrote on his Instagram story, before going on to add: “Khloé, you don’t deserve this,” he wrote. “You don’t deserve the heartache and humiliation I have caused you. You don’t deserve the way I have treated you over the years.” A few months later in May, Khloé revealed that Tristan hadn’t told her about the scandal before it was made public when the court documents were leaked in December, despite having spent months discussing his future — including marriage — with her. Shein X 100k Challenge 2021 / Getty Images for SHEIN “I find out with the rest of the world, which is the most offensive part,” she said on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast on May 24. “I mean, all of it is fucked up, but, like, can there be a little respect? Could you have let me know before I find out on Daily Mail? That would be nice.” She later dragged Tristan further for giving her no warning on his newfound paternity, with last week’s episode of The Kardashians, which had been filmed earlier this year, revealing Khloé’s raw reaction to the entire scandal. “I’m not sure that there is one thing that hurts more than the other,” she said in a confessional. “Everything is an act of betrayal, everything is a lie, everything is manipulation. It’s deceit.” Christopher Polk / NBCUniversal / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images “Did Tristan have every opportunity to tell me? Yes,” she added. “Was Tristan going to tell me if there wasn’t a baby involved? Absolutely not, and that shows a lot about his character. The entire thing is despicable.” However, despite everything that has unfolded between the pair, Khloé has maintained that Tristan will always remain a part of her life for the sake of their 4-year-old daughter, True. “We talk because of True,” she told NSBNF host Amanda Hirsch when asked if she and Tristan were on speaking terms, before going on to explain that their daughter FaceTimes him every night. “It’s just very cordial,” she said of their relationship as coparents. “There’s just not drama. To me, the facts are the facts. What are we continuously fighting about? What is there to talk about?” Well, we’ve now received a rare glimpse at Khloé and Tristan’s “cordial” relationship, with the pair stepping out on Saturday, in their first joint public appearance since the paternity scandal. In a series of paparazzi photos obtained by multiple outlets and published on Sunday, the exes were seen with their daughter True in Calabasas as they reportedly joined several members of Khloé’s family for a cute pre-Father’s Day lunch. Tristan could be seen walking alongside Kris in a bunch of the pictures, while he held True in his arms in some of the others. George Pimentel / Getty Images However, fans were really caught off-guard by several snaps in particular, in which Tristan could be seen with his arms wrapped around Khloé as the pair stood beside an SUV. Tristan appeared to squeeze Khloé’s arm as she leaned in and hugged him from the side, with the two seemingly helping True into the backseat of the car. The photos were quick to pick up steam online, with some social media users speculating that Khloé and Tristan had rekindled their relationship, perhaps given that she’s taken him back after he cheated on her several times in the past. Mike Coppola / Getty Images But other fans believed that Khloé is simply set on maintaining a close relationship with her daughter’s father, whom she has repeatedly called a “great dad.” “Do yall understand that co-parenting takes communication and understanding? Khloé just wants what’s best for True and I think having a discussion about where they stand on the family front is important. Don’t assume they’re just getting back together,” one person wrote. “true had her first dance recital today and he went,” tweeted another, referring to the 4-year-old’s performance. “Then after she dropped true off with him at the parking lot and drove off ALONE? She gave him a one arm hug cos that’s the father of the child? He may be a BS partner but he’s a decent father according to her so they’re cool.” Before long, Khloé entered the conversation herself to seemingly confirm that the family outing was nothing more than what it seemed, as she called the paparazzi out for releasing the eyebrow-raising photographs of her and Tristan in a move she deemed “calculated.” Under a reposted picture of Khloé, Tristan, and True, the reality star wrote on Instagram: “Hummmm Very calculated of the paparazzi to not release photos of my other sisters and the fathers of their children Kim/Kanye Kylie/Trav.” Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue This was perhaps in response to the overwhelming amount of comments mocking Khloé for her public, cozy appearance with Tristan — something that she’s sadly faced for years. Meanwhile, several fans were quick to question whether or not Tristan spent Father’s Day with his other children — including 5-year-old son Prince with ex Jordan Craig, and baby Theo with Maralee — given that recent reports claimed that he’s made no effort to meet the 6-month-old, and has no “immediate plans” to do so. “Tristan is very absent from Theo’s life,” a source told Us Weekly on June 17. “He hasn’t met Theo nor has he initiated any meetings. He doesn’t have any immediate plans to meet his son face to face.” And Maralee herself condemned the NBA player for his alleged absence in February, claiming through a representative that he’d “done nothing” to support Theo. Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images “Despite news reports stating otherwise, Tristan Thompson has done nothing to support his son,” the spokesperson said. “He has not made any attempt to meet their son nor has he provided any financial assistance.” In light of this, fans questioned whether or not Tristan spent some time with his other children on Father’s Day. “Did Tristan Thompson spend Father's day lunch with his other baby mamas??” one person tweeted. Did Tristan Thompson spend Father's day lunch with his other baby mamas?? So Khloe Kardashian is happy to parade with this man because he is "Truth's dad".... Girl that's your man own up to it lmao. 09:52 AM - 19 Jun 2022 Twitter: @her_khumalo “@khloekardashian while you were out cozying up to Tristan for Father's Day, hopefully you reminded him that he also has 2 other kids,” wrote another. @khloekardashian while you were out cozying up to Tristan for Father's Day, hopefully you reminded him that he also has 2 other kids. One of them being an innocent baby that he is choosing not to spend time with. Yet, you want to support him like he's father of the year. 07:21 PM - 19 Jun 2022 Twitter: @Michelek74 incomingYour weekday morning guide to breaking news, cultural analysis, and everything in between | Celebrity |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe expressed her support for transgender inclusion in sports in a recent interview published Sunday.Rapinoe, who is engaged to WNBA legend Sue Bird, talked to Time magazine about a bevy of topics, including transgender people playing the same sports as the gender they identify as. Rapinoe was asked about the challenges she faces in her LGBTQ advocacy.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Megan Rapinoe, #15 of OL Reign, looks on before the game against the San Diego Wave at Lumen Field on April 14, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)"For a long time, I was the only player that was out. And so just being the only spokesperson and making sure I’m setting the right example, saying the right things, whether it comes to gay marriage or difficult and nuanced topics like trans inclusion in sports," Rapinoe told the magazine. "Those are the challenges of just continuing to stay educated. I am not just speaking for me, I’m speaking for a lot of people. I don’t want to make anything weird. Nothing goes unsaid. Speak it plainly. And I’m gonna speak it loudly, and I think that that helps other people who maybe don’t have the ability to do that, or who aren’t in a place to do that quite yet."Rapinoe expressed support for "trans inclusion.""I’m 100% supportive of trans inclusion. People do not know very much about it. We’re missing almost everything. Frankly, I think what a lot of people know is versions of the right’s talking points because they’re very loud. They’re very consistent, and they’re relentless," the Olympic gold medalist said.FINA FACES BACKLASH OVER NEW 'GENDER INCLUSION POLICY' FOR TRANSGENDER SWIMMERS Megan Rapinoe #15 of OL Reign looks on against the Washington Spirit during the second half at Lumen Field on May 22, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)"At the highest level, there is regulation. In collegiate sports, there is regulation. And at the Olympic and professional level. It’s not like it’s a free-for-all where everyone’s just doing whatever."Rapinoe said trans inclusion should be thought of more broadly than just through the sports prism."… Like that is not the way that we need to be framing this question. We’re talking about kids. We’re talking about people’s lives. We’re talking about the entire state government coming down on one child in some states, three children in some states. They are committing suicide, because they are being told that they’re gross and different and evil and sinful, and they can’t play sports with their friends that they grew up with. Not to mention trying to take away health care. I think it’s monstrous," she added.Rapinoe’s comments were published the same day FINA, the international governing body for elite swimming, approved new eligibility rules for trans swimmers.The new policies will only permit swimmers who transitioned before the age of 12 to compete in women’s events. FINA members voted 71.5% in favor of the new policies. A logo of the international governing body of swimming, diving, water polo, synchronized swimming and open water swimming, FINA is displayed during the FINA World Championships in Rome on July 25, 2009. (MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThere was also a proposal for a new "open competition policy." The organization said it was setting up "a new working group that will spend the next six months looking at the most effective ways to set up this new category." Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]. | Soccer |
2022 NBA Champion team portrait of the Golden State Warriors.
(Photo by Karl Mondon) Hundreds of thousands of fans streamed into San Francisco on bikes, trains — some even flew in on planes while at least one drove an iron fire-shooting snail car across the Bay Bridge — to join the celebration as the Golden State Warriors paraded down Market Street on Monday in recognition of the team’s 2022 NBA championship.
About 11:20 a.m., the parade will begin as Warriors players will ride on double-decker buses while an ocean of fans outfitted in gold and blue cheer on their hometown heroes.
And not to be outdone by fans who braved BART delays and showed up with gold-blooded goats in Dubs jerseys, the team also embraced the spirit of the day in how they arrived.
Klay Thompson cruised to the parade in his boat, streaming the trip on Instagram Live and losing his NBA Championship hat to the wind on his way there.
Steph Curry showed up with his three other NBA Championship rings slung around his neck.
Coach Steve Kerr, however, bearing five rings as a former NBA player and four now as the Warriors team leader, left his jewelry at home; instead, he rocked a black T-shirt with Curry’s signature “night night” phrase written on it.
The parade begins at Market and Main streets and will run for about 1.4 miles to Market and Eighth streets, where it ends about 2 p.m.
It is the fourth Warriors parade in eight years and marks the team’s seventh total NBA title since the Warriors were founded in Philadelphia 76 years ago.
Enjoy photos of the jubilation below.
A man on a bike rides past the double decker bus for Stephen Curry and his brother-in-law Damion Lee before the start of Golden State Warriors Championship Parade in San Francisco, Calif, on Monday, June 20, 2022. (Ray Chávez/Bay Area News Group)
Danielle Martinez of Santa Cruz woke up at 3:30 this morning to get her front row spot for the Golden State Warriors Championship Parade on Market Street in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 20, 2022. The Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics to win their fourth NBA Championship in eight years. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
The Golden State Warriors’ championship trophies arrive for their parade along Market Street in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 20, 2022. The Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics to win their fourth NBA Championship in eight years. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) Fans gather for the Golden State Warriors’ Championship Parade on Market Street in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 20, 2022. The Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics to win their fourth NBA Championship in eight years. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry is introduced during the Championship Parade and rally on Market Street in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 20, 2022. The Warriors won their fourth NBA Championship in eight seasons after defeating the Boston Celtics in the Game 6. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Mia and Andrew Barton, from San Bruno, have been up since 6 making signs. They plan to make more while at the parade, including a “Kid Splash” for Jordan Poole. (John Metcalfe/Bay Area News Group) Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson arrives wearing his championship rings and captain’s hat during the Championship Parade on Market Street in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 20, 2022. The Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics to win their fourth NBA Championship in eight years. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) | Basketball |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Oklahoma has made valiant defensive efforts on the field during the College World Series, Super Regionals and Regionals this year and Sunday was no exception.Blake Robertson may have made the play of the tournament – which was somehow better than Kendall Pettis’ amazing grabs in the Super Regionals against Virginia Tech.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Jun 19, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; Oklahoma Sooners first baseman Blake Robertson (26) is helped up by Notre Dame Fighting Irish pitcher John Michael Bertrand (28) after falling into the dugout during the first inning at Charles Schwab Field. (Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports)In the top of the first against Notre Dame, outfielder Ryan Cole fouled off a pitch toward the first-base foul line. Robertson, a first baseman, tracked the ball and ran as fast as he could toward it. He then caught the ball for the out and flipped headfirst over the Fighting Irish’s dugout railing.Robertson finished 0-for-4 at the plate, but the Sooners were still able to win the game 6-2.NOTRE DAME UPSETS NO. 1 TENNESSEE AS COLLEGE WORLD SERIES PICTURE COMES INTO FOCUSTanner Treadway had three hits, drove in two runs and scored twice for the Sooners in the win. Jun 19, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; Oklahoma Sooners first baseman Blake Robertson (26) dives into the dugout to catch a ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first inning at Charles Schwab Field. (Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports)"I really like to keep things simple," he said after the game. "I get in patterns like this where I can go on a long stretch and do pretty well. I try not to get out of my zone. I think the two-strike approach has been really good for me the last couple weeks. I’m trying to hit good pitches and do my thing and be on time." Oklahoma infielder Blake Robertson puts out Texas A&M Dylan Rock (27) at first during the seventh inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game Friday, June 17, 2022, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/John Peterson)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPOklahoma will play the winner of an elimination game between Texas A&M and Notre Dame on Tuesday.The Associated Press contributed to this report. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]. | Baseball |
Logan Paul The Rock Cut Ties With Me ... After Suicide Forest Vid 6/20/2022 7:29 AM PT Logan Paul says his relationship with The Rock was completely ruined amid the fallout from his suicide forest vlog in 2017 ... revealing his idol asked him to remove any traces of them together from social media following the controversy. The 27-year-old YouTuber/boxer had celebs and politicians calling for him to be canceled after posting footage of a man taking his own life to his channel after a trip to Japan ... but claims one person, in particular, left him truly hurt. "This was one of the saddest moments of my life, what I'm about to say." Logan said on the True Geordie Podcast. "After Japan happened, I obviously found myself in a hole -- rightfully so -- that I had never been in before. Extremely low, mentally, and I got a call from my publicist, who also repped Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson." "She's like 'Hey, Dwayne has asked that you remove every video and picture that you've done with him. Maybe in the future, the relationship can be reconciled, but for now, he basically wants nothing to do with you.' Which I also understood. I get it. I made a grotesque error." "He has had things happen in his life where that incident has affected him in a vastly different way," Logan added. Johnson has previously opened up about his mother's suicide attempt when he was just 15 years old ... calling for people to look out for and take care of each other. Logan says he wishes The Rock had reached out to him personally to explain his decision to cut ties ... saying, "I feel like we had a healthy relationship, an open line of communication. I was so sad that my hero wanted nothing to do with me." "I was sad because I understood it. I really f***ed up." As for their relationship now, Paul says Johnson recently hit him up via Instagram DM and pretended like nothing happened ... but he didn't respond. Johnson also reacted to Logan's recent WrestleMania appearance, saying he was very proud of the Maverick's work .... but it sounds like this relationship is far from fixed. If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. | Celebrity |
Playboi Carti, Post Malone and surprise guest Quavo were among the artists at this weekend’s music celebration in Douglass Park. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] Sunday’s Summer Smash lineup peaked with a towering finale by Playboi Carti.Kate Scott/For the Sun-Times Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash Festival, one of the largest showcases for hip-hop, wrapped up Sunday at Douglass Park (1401 S. Sacramento Dr.). The festival featured three stages with some of the biggest musicmakers in the genre. Bars, a culinary village and immersive art experiences were also part of the mix.You couldn’t have asked for better weather on Saturday and Sunday, as the skies over Chicago were a turquoise blue and the humidity-free sunshine was served well by cool breezes. Thousands flocked to the festival grounds for a lineup of more than 60 artists including G Herbo, Polo G, Dreezy, Playboi Carti, BIA, Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz, and headliner/first-time papa Post Malone. Malone’s fiancee gave birth to their daughter recently (the date has not been revealed, nor has the identity of the singer’s longtime lady love).Cordae and Quavo dropped by for surprise sets.Here’s a look at some of the sights and sounds from Saturday and Sunday. Rapper 2 Chainz played along to his drummer at Summer Smash on Sunday.Kate Scott/For the Sun-Times Quavo (left), from Migos, performed a surprise Summer Smash set Sunday featuring Lil Yachty.Kate Scott/For the Sun-Times Rapper Lil Yachty had the crowd screaming as the sun started to set on Sunday at Summer Smash.Kate Scott/For the Sun-Times $not, who performed Sunday with his face covered, waves a vest that a fan brought to Summer Smash.Kate Scott/For the Sun-Times Rapper Cordae performed a surprise set Sunday at Summer Smash at Douglass Park.Kate Scott/For the Sun-Times Key Glock played an energetic set Sunday at Summer Smash in Douglass Park.Kate Scott/For the Sun-Times Food trucks from Harold’s Chicken and other Chicago restaurants keep fans fed at Summer Smash.Kate Scott/For the Sun-Times Oliver Tree brought irreverent style to Summer Smash on Sunday.Kate Scott/For the Sun-Times Flo Milli is all smiles during her Sunday afternoon set at the Summer Smash.Kate Scott/For the Sun-Times Fans take videos and sing along to Flo Milli on Sunday, the last day of Summer Smash at Douglass Park.Kate Scott/for the Sun-Times Post Malone performs on the Lyrical Lemonade stage at the 2022 Summer Smash Hip-Hop Music Festival at Douglass Park on Saturday night.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Post Malone performs at the 2022 Summer Smash Hip-Hop Music Festival in Chicago on Saturday night.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Post Malone performs the closing set on Saturday night at the 2022 Summer Smash Hip-Hop Music Festival at Douglass Park.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Post Malone crouches over a speaker as performs on the Lyrical Lemonade stage at the 2022 Summer Smash Hip-Hop Music Festival at Douglass Park on Saturday night.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Polo G performs on the Lyrical Lemonade stage at the 2022 Summer Smash Hip-Hop Music Festival at Douglass Park, Saturday, June 18, 2022. Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Polo G performs on the Lyrical Lemonade stage at the 2022 Summer Smash Hip-Hop Music Festival on Saturday.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Fans sing along and cheer as Polo G performs on the Lyrical Lemonade stage at the 2022 Summer Smash Hip Hop Music Festival at Douglass Park on Saturday.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times BIA performs on the-SPKBX stage at the 2022 Summer Smash Hip Hop Music Festival.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times BIA performs on on Saturday afternoon at the Summer Smash Hip-Hop Music Festival in Douglass Park, Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Nardo Wick performs on the Lyrical Lemonade stage at the 2022 Summer Smash.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Festival goers get their hair braided at the 2022 Summer Smash Hip-Hop Music Festival at Douglass Park.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Fans cheer as Ski Mask the Slump God performs on the SPKBX stage at the 2022 Summer Smash. .Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Ski Mask the Slump God performs on the SPKBX stage at the 2022 Summer Smash.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Ski Mask the Slump God performs on the SPKBX stage at the 2022 Summer Smash.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Ski Mask the Slump God performs on the SPKBX stage at the 2022 Summer Smash.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times | Music |
Published June 20, 2022 12:24PM Updated 12:24PM AUSTIN, Texas - Texas is planning to add enough electric vehicle charging stations throughout the state to support 1 million electric vehicles with dozens of new stations to allow for easier long-distance travel. In a draft plan released this month, the Texas Department of Transportation broke down a five-year plan to create a network of chargers throughout the state, starting along main corridors and interstate highways before building stations in rural areas. The plan is to have charging stations every 50 miles along most non-business interstate routes. In most other areas in the state, there will be charging stations within 70 miles, according to the plan. Each station is designed to have multiple stalls so there will likely be one available whenever someone stops to charge. The chargers will be high-powered at 150kW, able to bring most electric vehicles from 10% to 80% in about half an hour, according to the report. The funding is coming from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed last year, which is estimated to allocate about $408 million over five years to Texas for the purpose of expanding its electric vehicle charging network. No funds from the state budget will be used. Nationally, the goal is to create a network of 500,000 convenient and reliable electric vehicle chargers by 2030. In total from the infrastructure act, Texas is expected to receive about $35.44 billion over five years for roads, bridges, pipes, ports, broadband access and other projects. Less than 1% of Texans’ registered vehicles are electric. As of May 31, there were 129,010 electric vehicles registered in Texas, according to the report. "However, since 2020, the total number of electric vehicles across Texas has nearly tripled as more people adopt the technology," TxDOT stated in its report. "With rapidly growing adoption rates, it is necessary to ensure Texas will be able to meet the demand of these new vehicles on the road." The state is gathering public comment on the plan, after which it will be finalized. To receive the funds, TxDOT must submit a finalized plan by Aug. 1 to the Federal Highway Administration. Officials plan to award contracts for construction starting in January. BRISTOL, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 06: Electric cars are charged by a wall charger in a city centre car park, on June 06, 2022 in Bristol, England. The government's commitment to reducing future Co2 carbon emissions will mean many more motorists will nee During the first year of implementation, Texas plans to add around 48 new locations to satisfy the 50-mile FHWA requirement. This is in addition to 27 existing private sector locations and 26 planned locations funded by a separate grant. The next year, the focus will turn to stations in rural counties, small urban areas and areas advised by metropolitan planning organizations. After that, during the third through fifth year of implementation, Texas will continue building out charging infrastructure in smaller and rural areas. The report states that charging stations might be equipped with a combination of solar and battery equipment to supplement their power supplies. Gov. Greg Abbott stressed the importance of including rural areas in TxDOT’s plan in a March 22 letter. "Texas’ sheer volume of roadway miles leaves ample opportunity for EV charging deployment. The plan should ensure that every Texan can access the infrastructure they need to charge an EV," Abbott wrote. "Additionally, I direct TxDOT and stakeholders to include in the plan a way for Texans to easily get from Beaumont to El Paso and Texline to Brownsville in an EV–with a focus on rural placement and connectivity." Chandra Bhat, a University of Texas transportation engineering professor and the director of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Center on Data-Supported Transportation Operations and Planning, said the additional charging stations are a welcome upgrade to Texas transportation. Some of Bhat’s research has been funded by TxDOT. Bhat said there are several barriers to electric vehicle adoption by consumers: the upfront cost, anxiety over how far a driver can travel and the wait times for charging. This new plan addresses range anxiety by providing many options only 50 miles apart — however, it doesn’t address cost or fully address wait times, he said. Although the planned chargers will be high speed, it still takes around half an hour, he said. A driver might not know how long they may have to wait if someone else is already using the stalls. That uncertainty can cause consumers to pass on purchasing electric vehicles altogether, he said. Bhat said he thinks allowing drivers to reserve charging stations at specific times might help reduce that uncertainty. But still, Bhat said he is optimistic that more people will adopt electric vehicles in Texas due to the planned infrastructure upgrades. He also hopes the state will invest in putting information in front of consumers about the increased availability of chargers. "We will see a clear uptick in the next two or three years, I believe," Bhat said. "And if we get an announcement that batteries are going to be lasting longer and are going to be less expensive, you're gonna see them bought by the droves." More from The Texas Tribune | Automotive and Transportation |
Taylor Hill/FilmMagic/Getty ImagesOver the years, Selena Gomez has been very outspoken about her struggles, both with body image and mental health. And now that the actress has been fully embracing TikTok, she has another platform where she can speak her mind. Over the weekend, Gomez posted on her TikTok Stories, a new feature on the app where the videos disappear after just 24 hours. In the video, Gomez speaks directly to all of her body shamers, and though the clip has now vanished into the ether, Gomez fan accounts recorded in for posterity. In the clip, Gomez sits in bed, her new bang and bob hairstyle on full display. “So I be trying to stay skinny, but I went to Jack in the Box and I got four tacos, three egg rolls, onion rings, and a spicy chicken sandwich,” Gomez says. “But honestly, I don't care about my weight because people bitch about it anyway.” She then goes on to mock various comments she’s heard about her body over the years. “‘You're too small,’ ‘You're too big,’ ‘That doesn't fit,’” she recalls. The actress finishes off her message by looking directly into the camera to really drive home her point. “Bitch, I am perfect the way I am,” she says, before adding, “Moral of the story? Bye.” Back in 2019, Gomez spoke about her “weight fluctuations” on her old video podcast, Giving Back Generation. "I have lupus and deal with kidney issues and high blood pressure, so I deal with a lot of health issues, and for me that's when I really started noticing more of the body image stuff," she said while talking to her friend, Raquelle Stevens. “It's the medication I have to take for the rest of my life,” she said, explaining that her weight can change as often as month by month. “So for me, I really noticed when people started attacking me for that. And in reality, that's just my truth. I fluctuate. It depends what's happening in my life.”Three years later, and it seems like some people still haven’t gotten the message. And while Gomez’s TikTok story may have disappeared, hopefully her sentiment does not. | Celebrity |
The "Elvis" director tells IndieWire that he believes bringing all audiences back to the theater is "my mission." If you’re 25, Elvis Presley died 20 years before you were born. “Oh, yeah, they don’t care [about Elvis],” said “Elvis” director Baz Luhrmann, who sat down with me in a sunny suite at the JA Marriott shortly before his film premiered in Cannes. “In a way, I like that. Because they’re very honest about it. Even when I was a fan as a kid, I was more Bowie and Elvis became wallpaper. And I think they know him through ‘Lilo and Stitch,’ or he’s in a video game. Like he’s the guy in the white jumpsuit.”
Never say that the Australian director isn’t down for a challenge. On his first trip to Cannes three decades ago, he walked the Croisette in a warm wool suit looking for financing for his first feature, “Strictly Ballroom.” Since then he’s made “Romeo + Juliet,” Cannes 2000 opening-night dazzler “Moulin Rouge,” “Australia,” and his last film, “The Great Gatsby,” which debuted at Cannes in 2013. With a dense wall of visuals and music, he sets out to hypnotize, overwhelm, and entertain. Telling the Elvis story through three decades of his life, from rangy heartthrob to bloated lounge singer, ticks all of those boxes. After a decade of development, “Elvis” also became the first film that fell to a pandemic lockdown after star Tom Hanks, who portrays the Elvis Svengali, Colonel Tom Parker, contracted Covid. Luhrmann feared his movie was dead — but also wondered if that wasn’t such a bad thing; Elvis seemed like more than even he could handle.
“It’s really hard to remember just how naive the world was,” said Luhrmann. “We had no idea. That Covid thing was like a bomb with Hazmat suits and we got locked down. And at first I loved it, because there was so much pressure on me. I felt like, ‘Have I really got this wrangled?’ I was with my kids and everything. I used to dress up every night and have crazy dinners and go like, ‘Wow, maybe I don’t have to make the movie.’ You know, I’m off the hook again. Tom wasn’t sure: ‘Well, maybe we can wait until February when it’s all over.’ The film was absolutely slipping away. And I got time to re-look at the structure. I pretty much restructured the entire first act.”
“Elvis”screenshot
He’d already spent 10 years moving “Elvis” from one back burner to another. “I’d been talking about using Elvis as a way of exploring America,” he said. “And then at some point Warners buys the estate thinking I’m going to do it. Actually, the world had changed to this idea of the commercial carnival barker figure who puts his name on everything and knows how to exploit people and emotions and the artist. This suddenly became relevant to me: ‘Well, hang on, this is really important.’ So I came back to the idea of doing it.”
After working with a series of writers (“I wear them out”), Luhrmann took what had been linear storytelling and added layers and compressions, split screens, graphics, and audio in the editing room, packing a crazy amount into the first hour. (He’s not a fan of the episodic approach, having found his Netflix series “The Get Down” to be a grueling experience.) “I just can never make a scene work where he was discovered at Sun Records singing ‘That’s All Right, Mama.’ And so at some point I said, ‘Well, you want to meet him. You want to discover him when he’s singing.'” Luhrmann used music to layer initial crowd reactions to the way Elvis moved at his Hayride performance. ‘All of a sudden, the girls were screaming, and he actually said, ‘What are they reacting to?’ ‘It’s the way you’re moving.’ And the truth is the pleated trousers and all of that.”
The director also figured out how to cinematically unite the two worlds of Elvis, the juke joint and the gospel tent. That stemmed from obsessive research: Luhrmann not only took over a room at the vast Graceland archives in a barn behind the Presley mansion, but also tracked a childhood friend of Elvis’, Sam Bell, who told the story of the Presleys living in a black neighborhood, Elvis joining his gang, and soaking up both kinds of music. (Bell passed last September.)
“The whole issue of Elvis and race,” said Luhrmann, “you can’t explore America in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, and use Elvis at the center of that if you’re not dealing with race.” The film also delves into Presley’s friendship with B.B. King (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.) as well as Little Richard (Alton Mason).
Drone-“fireworks” at the “Elvis” afterparty in Cannes.
The director promised himself he would not make the movie if he couldn’t find someone to embody Presley; he put Harry Styles and Miles Teller through workshops. “It’s a privilege for me that they would put themselves on the line and come in and work with me, because I learned about the script working with them,” Luhrmann said. However, they weren’t quite right.
Then came a taped audition from this young Californian, Austin Butler, who had been a working actor since he was 13 but his highest-profile role was a small part as Manson killer Tex Watson in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”
“I got this tape of this young guy playing ‘Unchained Melody’ and crying,” Luhrmann said. “It was just strange. I mean, it was so moving. I thought, ‘This isn’t really acting.’ Now I learned years later that it was Austin thinking about his mother, who passed at the same year that Elvis’s mother did.”
Denzel Washington called Luhrmann out of the blue to vouch for Butler’s work ethic; the Oscar-winning actor performed with him on the 2018 Broadway production of Eugene O’Neill’s “The Iceman Cometh.” Butler had no idea the veteran star would support him in that way. When Luhrmann met Butler, the actor fooled the director with his southern accent. “He had this kind of naivete about him,” Luhrmann said. “He was kind of Elvis. He has basically lived as Elvis for nearly three years.”
When Priscilla Presley came to see the movie, “she was extremely skeptical that Austin could pull it off,” said Luhrmann. “That was the most nervous screening we’ve ever had. And when she came out, and what she wrote! People forget that Elvis is like cultural wallpaper, but he’s also a father, a husband, a grandfather. So it meant the world to us that the whole family is actually really behind the movie so much.” “Elvis”Warner Bros.
Butler opted to stay in Australia during the hiatus, moving in with Luhrmann and his costume designer wife Catherine Martin. “We became very close,” he said. “We had acting and movement coach Polly Bennett down there.”
Luhrmann fixed the script enough to convince Hanks to come back, partly because “we don’t make the Colonel just the bad guy. The Colonel is going to argue that from his point of view, all he was doing was facilitating your love for Elvis. It’s a paradox. We’re not making a judgment about him, it’s up to the audience to decide what they think about the Colonel. He’s not easy to love. The court of public opinion decided he was fleecing Elvis.”
What the Colonel did was keep Presley in Las Vegas and block him from touring because the manager was in exile from Holland without a passport and the ability to travel. (Elvis never did a world tour.) “Also, the Colonel’s got this massive gambling addiction,” said Luhrmann. “He probably lost more money in Vegas than any man in history.”
Luhrmann follows his own biopic rules. “There’s dramatic license and there’s compressions because you’ve got to compress times,” he said. “My rule is, as long as it doesn’t fundamentally change the truth. I mean, you’re telling a 42-year-long life in two-and-a-half hours.”
Luhrmann’s showmanship knows few bounds. He orchestrated the infamous Cannes opening-night party for “Moulin Rouge” as a Spiegeltent nightclub with a hall of mirrors, complete with table-hopping Can-can dancers from the Moulin Rouge in Montmartre. Rupert Murdoch and Nicole Kidman DJed and danced on tables. Even Luhrmann, who considers himself the Leonardo da Vinci of party-throwing — he and Anna Wintour collaborate on the Met Ball every year — thinks it was “probably the best party I have ever given. I mean, it just took off.”
“Elvis”Warner Bros.
The “Elvis” after-party at Cannes was impressive. Along with Hanks, Presley’s ex-wife Priscilla, Sharon Stone, Shakira, Kylie Minogue, and Jeremy O. Harris, and Butler, it included pre-programmed drone Elvis displays in the sky, DJ Diplo debuting Swae Lee and star Austin Butler’s original song from the soundtrack, and a pulsing live performance by Italian rock band and Eurovision winner Måneskin. However, as a studio party it couldn’t scale Luhrmannian heights.
Also in play was new Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav along with producer Gail Berman, studio chief Toby Emmerich, and marketing executive Josh Goldstine, who must find the audience for the movie beyond older adults who revere the king of rock ‘n roll. In turn, that task will fall to Butler, not veteran Hanks, who is buried beneath a fat suit and prosthetics.
Team Warners beamed after a 12-minute ovation, but that applause rings hollow when reality bites. Mixed reviews rolled in, especially for Hanks. Of course, the same was true for musical juggernaut “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which landed Rami Malek an Oscar. However, Luhrmann’s dense musical biopic is two hours and 39 minutes long and cost at least $150 million to make and market; the six-month pandemic shut-down in Australia only added to the cost. So be it. “I make theatrical movies,” said Luhrmann. “It’s a theatrical experience. And the theater simply means a place in which strangers come together in an environment. and for a few moments are united by what happens in the theater, whether my theatrics are good or bad. That’s my only job. That’s my mission. Right now, we haven’t really proved that non-franchise movies can bring all quadrants back into the theater. I consider that to be on my shoulders.”
“Elvis” premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Warner Bros. will release it in theaters on Friday, June 24. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. | Movies |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Kate Hudson's Father's Day post had Kurt Russell in tears.Hudson, 43, shared a throwback photo of herself and the actor on Instagram to mark the holiday."Fun, adventurous, passionate, determined, honest, devoted, amazing father and the best head of hair in Los Angeles! Lucky us! Love you Pa! Happy Father's Day," Hudson captioned the photo.Russell, who doesn't have his own Instagram account, shared a comment via Hudson's mom Goldie Hawn.KATE HUDSON SAYS FAMOUS PARENTS GOLDIE HAWN, KURT RUSSELL WANTED TO HAVE ‘THE BEST FAMILY’ Kate Hudson's Father's Day post brought Kurt Russell to tears. (Photo by: Chris Polk/WireImage)"Honey I showed this to daddy. Here's his message…" Hawn wrote before adding Russell's words."Birdie, mommy just showed me this picture, this perfect Father's Day present. I've never seen it before. Wow…It's a killer. Lotta water under the bridge…It's kinda hard to see it though cause all that water seems to somehow have found its way into my eyes…thanks for making me the luckiest father in the world sweetheart. I love you, Pa."Hawn and Russell first met while filming 1968's "The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band." The two started dating in 1983 when they filmed "Swing Shift" together. Russell responded to Hudson's Instagram post via Goldie Hawn. (Photo by Jim McIsaac)CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERHudson would have been roughly four years old at the time the two first began their relationship.They have been together ever since, although they vowed they would never get married."We have done just perfectly without marrying," Hawn previously explained. "I already feel devoted and isn't that what marriage is supposed to do? So as long as my emotional state is in a state of devotion, honesty, caring, and loving, then we're fine. We have raised our children brilliantly; they are beautiful people. We did a great job there, and we didn't have to get married to do that." Russell and Hahn began dating in 1983 and Hudson was born in 1979. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage via Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPHawn and Russell have one son together: actor Wyatt Russell. Hawn also has two kids -- Kate and Oliver Hudson – with her ex Bill Hudson, while Russell shares son Boston Russell with his ex-wife Season Hubley. Lauryn Overhultz is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. | Celebrity |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Martin Sheen changed his name to become a successful Hollywood actor like his idol James Dean – but today, the star wished he could have stayed as Ramon Estévez."That’s one of my regrets," the 81-year-old recently told Closer Weekly. "I never changed my name officially. It’s still Ramon Estévez on my birth certificate. It’s on my marriage license, my passport, driver’s license. Sometimes you get persuaded when you don’t have enough insight or even enough courage to stand up for what you believe in, and you pay for it later. But, of course, I’m only speaking for myself."It was 1968 when Sheen, the father of Charlie Sheen, starred in an adaptation of "Hamlet" in New York City. He has since led a decades-long career in Hollywood appearing in hit films and shows like "Apocalypse Now," "Badlands," "Wall Street" and "The West Wing" among others.MARTIN SHEEN ON SON CHARLIE SHEEN’S SOBRIETY: ‘HIS RECOVERY AND HIS LIFE IS A MIRACLE’ Actors Martin Sheen (left) and Charlie Sheen attend AARP's Movies For Grown Ups Film Festival screening of ‘The Way’ at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on September 23, 2011, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage)Sheen told the outlet that despite his father’s objections, after finishing high school, he chose to leave "almost immediately" for New York."You couldn’t blame him," Sheen reflected on his father's disapproval. "Both my parents were immigrants. My father was from Spain, and my mother was from Ireland. My real name is Ramon Estévez. My father was very practical. He was a factory worker for most of his adult life, and he wanted me to go to college and improve my chances of making a better living than he did. We had some very, very painful confrontations about it."But eventually, the patriarch warmed up to the idea of his son pursuing show business."He was a big fan of TV Westerns in the ’50s," Sheen explained. "One night, we started a discussion about my going to New York. He said to me, ‘You want to go into the theater. You can’t sing, you can’t dance. You don’t know what you’re doing!’ I said, ‘Pop, you sit here every night watching Westerns — do you see anyone singing or dancing?’ He said, ‘No, but you don’t ride a horse either.’ He finally saw that I was committed and realized it would be a life and death struggle with me if I didn’t pursue it. When I got ready to go, he blessed me, and he continued to bless me the rest of his life. I adored him."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER (Original Caption) Martin Sheen arriving with his daughter Renée Estevez. (Photo by Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images)All four of Sheen’s children went on to pursue acting careers: Charlie, as well as Emilio Estevez, Renée Pilar Estevez, and Ramon Estevez. Charlie’s birth name is Carlos Irwin Estévez.Sheen said that at first, he "wasn’t aware" that they all wanted to make their marks in Hollywood."I was so self-involved and trying to be a provider that I wasn’t aware of their inclination to being actors," he said. "I was doing a show one time, and Emilio showed up. I thought he was there to visit me, but he’d gotten a part in the same show. The only influence I had on Emilio was to keep his name. When he started out, his agent was advising him to change his name to Sheen, and he wouldn’t do it. And I thank God he didn’t."Looking back at his career, Sheen said he has a favorite role, and it pays homage to his roots. From left: Martin Sheen, Ramon Estevez and Emilio Estevez. (Photo by E. Charbonneau/WireImage for The Weinstein Company)CHARLIE SHEEN’S DAUGHTER SAMI SHEEN, 18, REACTS TO TROLL WHO ASKED IF SHE HAD ‘THE BODY’ FOR ONLYFANS"The one that fills me with the deepest gratitude and satisfaction is called ‘The Way,’’ said Sheen about the 2010 film. "We made it in Spain about the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and dedicated it to my father, who was from Galicia. It was written, directed and starred my son Emilio Estevez. It is the best thing I’ve ever done. Thousands of people have seen the film and been inspired to do the pilgrimage. That is a great source of satisfaction and pride." Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com. | Celebrity |
Lord Coe has previously warned that the future of women's sport is in jeopardy if sporting organisations get regulations wrong for transgender athletesWorld Athletics president Lord Coe has hinted the sport could follow swimming in banning transgender women from elite female competitions, insisting "fairness is non-negotiable". The landmark decision set swimming apart from almost all other Olympic sports, with most using testosterone limits as a basis for inclusion. But Lord Coe has now revealed that World Athletics is set to discuss adopting a new eligibility policy, and welcomed Fina's move."We see an international federation asserting its primacy in setting rules, regulations and policies that are in the best interest of its sport," he told BBC Sport. "This is as it should be. We have always believed that biology trumps gender and we will continue to review our regulations in line with this. We will follow the science. "We continue to study, research and contribute to the growing body of evidence that testosterone is a key determinant in performance, and have scheduled a discussion on our regulations with our council at the end of the year."Listen to The Sports Desk podcast: Sport's transgender conundrumQ&A: Transgender women in sport - key questions answeredWhat do the scientists say?Newsnight report - should trans athletes compete in female categories?What is the background?Under Lord Coe, World Athletics has already introduced rules that cap testosterone levels at five nanomoles per litre (5nmol/L) for transgender athletes and for competitors with differences in sex development (DSD) in some women's running events.And with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently placing responsibility on individual federations to determine eligibility criteria of their own, other sports are now bringing in tougher policies. Last week, cycling's world governing body the UCI lowered the permitted testosterone level from 5nmol/L to to 2.5nmol/L, and doubled the period of time before a transgender rider can compete to two years. But Fina has now gone further after a report by a scientific panel said that going through male puberty meant trans women retained a "relative performance advantage over biological females", even after medication to reduce testosterone. It is only the second Olympic governing body, after World Rugby in 2020, to introduce a ban on transgender competitors, but it now looks increasingly likely that track and field could follow suit. On Monday football's world governing body Fifa also said it was "currently reviewing its gender eligibility regulations in consultation with expert stakeholders". But Fifa added it was "not in a position to comment on specifics of proposed amendments to the existing regulations"."We've always tried to find a navigable way through. We haven't wanted to stigmatise," said Lord Coe, who was in Budapest as a guest of Fina as it made its decision at an extraordinary general congress at the weekend. "But when push comes to shove, if it's a judgement between inclusion and fairness, we will always fall down on the side of fairness - that for me is non-negotiable."The integrity of women's sport is really, really important here, and we can't have a generation of young girls thinking there is not a future for them in the sport. So we have a responsibility…maintaining the primacy and the integrity of female competition is absolutely vital, and that's why we were at the forefront of tabling those regulations that allow as close as you can get to a level playing field. "Those regulations are always under review… if there are events, distances or disciplines that we think are being unfairly impacted we will of course look at those again in the light of the science."Fina's new policy means transgender American college swimmer Lia Thomas, who has expressed a desire to compete for a place at the Paris Olympics, is now blocked from participating in the female category at the Games.The governing body says it will aim to establish an 'open' category at competitions for swimmers whose gender identity is different than their birth sex.Its policy does not apply to national federations or the US college championships, the NCAAs, at which Thomas recently won the women's 500-yard freestyle. Instead, each national federation - including British Swimming - will need to decide whether it is to implement the Fina policy. British Swimming told BBC Sport it would "take time to review [the policy's] content" before making any further comment.With the debate around the inclusion of transgender women among the most contentious in sport, Fina's decision has already divided opinion. Former GB swimmer Karen Pickering told BBC Radio 4: "I empathise that there will be people who now can't compete in the category that they identify with as their gender. That is very sad and I do understand that, but in this situation inclusivity and fairness cannot be compatible and the science has shown that there is just no way to make that compatible."Four-time Olympic champion Cate Campbell - who had addressed the governing body's members before the decision was made - asked them to "uphold the cornerstone of fairness".However, fellow Australian swimmer Maddie Groves has criticised Campbell's comments, asking on Twitter whether she was "OK with ostracising an already marginalised group?"A spokesperson for LGBT rights body Stonewall said: "In sport, inclusion should always be the starting point. Everyone deserves to benefit from the sense of wellbeing and community that sport brings - and that includes trans people."The inflammatory rhetoric surrounding the issue of trans inclusion in elite competition only serves to perpetuate an atmosphere where trans people feel unwelcome to play community sport with friends, or go to the gym."Trans inclusion in sport is a complex, evolving field that requires nuanced, evidence-based discussion. A discussion weaponised by those that seek the total removal of trans people from public life does not serve sport or trans people well."Meanwhile, US women's football star Megan Rapinoe, one of the most influential voices in sport, has said she is "100% supportive" of trans inclusion."Show me the evidence that trans women are taking everyone's scholarships, are dominating in every sport, are winning every title. I'm sorry, it's just not happening," she told Time magazineexternal-link."I have confidence that we can figure it out. But we can't start at the opposite. That is cruel. And frankly, it's just disgusting. We're putting everything through 'God forbid a trans person be successful in sports.' Get a grip on reality and take a step back."America's most powerful man in history: How did J Edgar Hoover know too much for any US president to fire him?Test Match Special: Jonathan Agnew asks Moeen Ali all of your questions in the commentary box | Swimming |
Luke Piotrwoski The search for the ever-elusive "bop" is difficult. Playlists and streaming-service recommendations can only do so much. They often leave a lingering question: Are these songs really good, or are they just new? Enter Bop Shop, a hand-picked selection of songs from the MTV News team. This weekly collection doesn't discriminate by genre and can include anything — it's a snapshot of what's on our minds and what sounds good. We'll keep it fresh with the latest music, but expect a few oldies (but goodies) every once in a while, too. Get ready: The Bop Shop is now open for business. Bartees Strange: "Mulholland Dr." What a long, strange trip it's been for Bartees. It actually hasn't been that long — his fiery debut LP dropped in 2020, and since then, he's toured with the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, his heroes in The National, and more. Importantly, he was always a headliner; now the bookings have caught up with his talents. That's extremely apparent on "Mulholland Dr.," a standout cut from his second album, Farm to Table, which is out today. The twinkly guitar and icy keyboard lines make it timeless, existing in a framework of indie rock not tied to any particular era (even with its brief Steely Dan detour around 2:10 in). And his emotional vocals ("I don't believe in the bullshit") make everything memorable on top. —Patrick Hosken Wonho: "Crazy" I’ve been following Wonho’s career for a while now. I’ve been there through the ups and downs and watched and listened to him play with different sounds and concepts. All of it. With his latest release, Facade, you can hear the culmination of his efforts and maturity as an artist. He brings all that into view with his genre-bending focus track, “Crazy.” The infectious single finds Wonho at his best, experimenting and executing flawless choreography. A driving bassline, guitar riffs, smooth vocals, and a chorus that has been stuck in my head for days — it’s definitely a bop. And while I’ve been going “Crazy” over Wonho for some time, it truly feels like we have so much more to see from him, and personally, I can’t wait. —Daniel Head Loveless: "Middle of the Night" Los Angeles alternative rock duo Loveless formed less than three years ago, but they’ve already managed to accumulate hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram resulting in millions of streams. Their much-deserved success is a prime example of the power that social media has in the music industry right now. Singer Julian Comeau has a captivating, emotive voice that he uses to effortlessly breathe new life into well-known pop songs on the band’s TikTok. On “Middle of the Night,” Loveless puts a powerful pop-punk spin on Elley Duhé’s enchanting 2020 original, a track that’s experienced a recent viral resurgence. The cover is striking, well-produced, and sure to introduce Loveless’s new fans (like myself) to some of their original music, which I’m finding to be equally impressive. —Farah Zermane Between Friends: "Try" Indie-pop sibling duo Between Friends put their own twist on MTV with new project Cutie, crafting a series of dreamy and nostalgic visuals that speak to their definition of “modern music television.” Amongst a sea of tranquil and daydream-hued entries is “Try,” an exceptionally sweet meditation on finding your place in another’s life and the threat of things going south. Armed with a synthesizer, filtered vocals, and a heavy bass, the two craft a tune fit for sleepless summer nights and picturesque sunsets with a simple chorus: “Tryna be the one you stay awake for / And you know that if you ask me, I would be yours.” —Carson Mlnarik The Beths: "Silence Is Golden" The Beths are a favorite foursome from New Zealand whose take on "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" I play every single year for maximum yuletide melancholy. The other 11 months, however, The Beths are perfect for rip-roaring, peppy and melodic avalanches of indie rock, like on new single "Silence Is Golden." The title is delivered with a straight face — over careening waves of distorted guitars and huge drums. It's enough to make you laugh, and you should! Then you should proceed to rock the hell out. Their new album, Expert in a Dying Field, is out September 16. —Patrick Hosken Yung Gravy: "Betty (Money)" Yung Gravy is known for his tongue-in-cheek, satirical hip-hop tracks, but he brings a new definition to Rickrolling in this absolutely classic banger, using the instrumentals of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” and blending it with his own groovy trap beats. While he modifies the lyrics to sing about his pursuit of big bucks, he still manages to make them catchy with his smooth bass vocals: “Never gonna take an L / Never take a damn thing slow / All I know is chase this dough and get money.” —Athena Serrano Julius Rodriguez: "Two Way Street" Julius Rodriguez is a tornado of talent. As the 23-year-old showcases in this live, at-home take of his breakneck bebop song "Two Way Street," he'll begin on drums and move to piano in the middle of the tune. He plays guitar as well, including onstage with a collective that toured with A$AP Rocky in the past. Rodriguez, a.k.a. Orange Julius, shows this all on his debut album, Let Sound Tell All, which dropped on June 10. Throughout, he dips into noirish soul and a bit of R&B, always keeping his compass pointed toward the unexpected. —Patrick Hosken Princess Nokia: "Diva" Princess Nokia is back, and she’s giving flowers to the divas who have inspired her. “I feel like Beyoncé / I feel like Shakira / Lemonade, I’m juicy / Hips don’t lie, Selena / Britney, Christina, rest in peace Aaliyah,” she sings on the track’s ethereal refrain, channeling the female music trailblazers who came before her both sonically and spiritually. The influence doesn’t stop there, and she uses the single’s verses to spit some rhymes and celebrate her lineage as well: “I just learn from these women, do whatever it takes / I’m the daughter of the witches that they burned at the stake.” It’s a meditative, summer-flavored take on a self empowerment anthem, ensuring that by the end, you’ve found your own inner diva. —Carson Mlnarik Special Interest: "(Herman's) House" In May, the great New Orleans punk band Special Interest released a dance track called "(Herman's) House," wherein a fuzzy pulsating bassline lays the groundwork for a history lesson. The Herman in the song's title refers to Herman Wallace, a Black revolutionary and member of the Angola 3 who served 41 years in prison in solitary confinement before his eventual release. "This song bears witness to our wonder and desire to dismantle the oppressive systems that hinder our possibilities towards true liberation, to annihilate, to destroy and to rebuild with one another," band members Alli Logout and Maria Elena said in a statement. —Patrick Hosken Music Princess Nokia Yung Gravy The Beths Special Interest Loveless Between Friends | Music |
School’s out, the sun is blazing and those California beaches are most definitely calling.
The only thing that might be missing is a proper soundtrack for the season.
So, let’s once again turn to the greatest summertime band of all time.
Yes, of course, we’re talking about the Beach Boys. Capitol Records and UMe are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame act by releasing a greatly expanded and remastered edition of “Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys.”
The original multiplatinum-selling album was released in 2003 and featured 30 songs. The new version adds 50 more to the mix, resulting in 80 tracks that range from the band’s best-known hits to deep cuts.
Sing along with these Heroes of Hawthorne on “California Girls,” “I Get Around,” “Surfer Girl,” “God Only Knows,” “Good Vibrations,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Barbara Ann,” “Help Me, Rhonda.” “In My Room” and many other beloved offerings. “Sounds of Summer” is available for streaming and as a 3-CD set ($29.98). Yet, the best way to enjoy these classics is by grabbing the 6-LP 180-gram black vinyl boxed set ($179.98-$199.98). See thebeachboys.com for details.
Down the road a bit, local fans will have the chance to hear many of these “Sounds of Summer” songs in person when the Beach Boys perform on Sept. 11 at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga. Tickets start at $54, mountainwinery.com. | Music |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Todd and Julie Chrisley are speaking out for the first time since being convicted of fraud and tax evasion.Despite "not allowed" to discuss the case in-depth, the couple wanted the audience to know "that it’s a very sad, heartbreaking time for our family right now.""But we still hold steadfast in our faith, and we trust that God will do what he does best because God’s a miracle worker," Todd said."We’re alive and kicking, and we appreciate all the support we have received from everyone." Todd and Julie Chrisley are speaking out for the first time after the couple was convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion. (Tommy Garcia)SAVANNAH CHRISLEY WILL ‘STAND BY’ HER PARENTS AFTER THEIR FINANCIAL CRIME CONVICTIONSOn June 7, Todd and Julie were found guilty on charges of bank fraud and tax evasion in an Atlanta courtroom. The couple was initially indicted in August 2019, and a new indictment was filed in February. The couple faced 12 counts of bank and wire fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy over a nine-year period.They denied all the accusations.Todd was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax fraud. Todd and Julie's daughter Savannah has been supportive of her parents on social media following their financial crimes convictions. (NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERJulie was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax fraud. She was also charged with wire fraud and obstruction of justice.Todd and Julie's daughter Savannah recently took to Instagram in support of her parents."I will continue to stand by my family and fight for justice. Justice for ourselves and for others that the system has failed. (There is only so much I can comment on legally at this moment.)," she wrote alongside images of her parents.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The couple has found fame through their reality TV show "Chrisley Knows Best." ( Dennis Leupold)"Recently, I’ve felt let down by God, that my relentless prayers have been unheard. But I do believe that He will use every hardship and adversity we go through to strengthen us and prepare us for an even greater purpose."So I will continue believing in our Lord and Savior…I pray for strength, hope, and love. Thank you to all of those that continue to stand by our sides. This fight isn’t over."Fox News' Tracy Wright and Janelle Ash contributed to this report. Lauryn Overhultz is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. | Celebrity |
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comMANCHESTER, England, June 20 (Reuters) - World soccer's governing body FIFA and World Athletics said on Monday that they are reviewing their transgender eligibility policies after swimming passed new rules that restrict transgender participation in women's events.On Sunday, swimming's world governing body FINA voted to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women's competitions and create a working group to establish an 'open' category for them in some events as part of its new policy. read more The new policy states that male-to-female transgender swimmers (transgender women) are eligible to compete in women's competitions only if "they can establish to FINA's comfortable satisfaction that they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 (of puberty) or before age 12, whichever is later".Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comA spokesperson for FIFA told Reuters it was in a consultation process over a new policy."FIFA is currently reviewing its gender eligibility regulations in consultation with expert stakeholders," said the spokesperson."Due to the ongoing nature of the process, FIFA is not in a position to comment on specifics of proposed amendments to the existing regulations," the spokesperson added.Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, told the BBC that the organisation's council would discuss their regulations at the end of the year.Coe praised FINA for taking the decision, which has been criticised by trans rights advocates."We see an international federation asserting its primacy in setting rules, regulations and policies that are in the best interest of its sport," he told the BBC.FIFA's logo is seen in front of its headquarters during a foggy autumn day in Zurich, Switzerland November 18, 2020. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann"This is as it should be. We have always believed that biology trumps gender and we will continue to review our regulations in line with this. We will follow the science."We continue to study, research and contribute to the growing body of evidence that testosterone is a key determinant in performance, and have scheduled a discussion on our regulations with our council at the end of the year," he added.FIFA said it was taking guidance from medical, legal, scientific, performance and human rights experts and also the position of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)."Should FIFA be asked to verify the eligibility of a player before the new regulations will be in place, any such case will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, taking into account FIFA’s clear commitment to respect human rights," the spokesperson said.Last year, the IOC issued a 'framework' on the issue, leaving eligibility decisions up to individual sports bodies, but adding that "until evidence determines otherwise, athletes should not be deemed to have an unfair or disproportionate competitive advantage due to their sex variations, physical appearance and/or transgender status".World Athletics' current rules cap testosterone levels at five nanomoles per litre (5nmol/L) for transgender athletes and for competitors with differences in sex development (DSD) in some women's running events.Coe said it was important to protect the integrity of women's sport."When push comes to shove, if it's a judgement between inclusion and fairness, we will always fall down on the side of fairness - that for me is non-negotiable."We can't have a generation of young girls thinking there is not a future for them in the sport. So we have a responsibility…maintaining the primacy and the integrity of female competition is absolutely vital," he added.Last week the International Cycling Union (UCI) tightened its rules on transgender participation by increasing the transition period on low testosterone to two years and reducing the maximum permitted testosterone level.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Simon Evans, Editing by Ken Ferris and Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Swimming |
Draymond Green Drops F-Bombs... At Championship Parade 6/20/2022 12:20 PM PT NBC Warriors star Draymond Green just dropped 2 f-bombs at the team's championship parade ... and, as expected, the crowd absolutely loved it!! Green was on stage with his teammates -- who just won the NBA Finals in 6 games over the Boston Celtics -- to celebrate the Warriors' 4th title in 8 years. And per usual ... Green didn't hold back when he hopped on the mic. "I don't know what y'all want me to tell you, that we better than everybody," Green said. "This has been an amazing year. I told y'a'll don't let us win the f***king championship." "Clearly, nobody could stop it. I warned y'all," Green added. Dray opened up his speech by admitting he was trying to think of the most controversial thing to say ... and boy did he deliver. The 4-time NBA champ -- who is quite outspoken on social media -- owed to "continue to destroy people on Twitter" ... then went on to say how much he loves the guys he plays with. In vintage Draymond fashion, Green ended his speech to the crowd with an emphatic message to anybody not in Dub Nation. "I just want to say thank you all," Green said, "and as always f*** everybody else," he added. Klay lost his championship hat while boating to the parade 😭pic.twitter.com/8UJ6f5r4sS— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) June 20, 2022 @NBCSWarriors But, before the festivities got underway, Green's teammate, Klay Thompson, lost his championship hat while boating on his way to the parade. "Oh, no," Thompson said. "I lost my hat." Klay's running mate and fellow Splash Brother, Steph Curry, pulled up to the parade donning some serious bling ... a necklace with the 3 rings he won from 2015, 2017, and 2018 on it. Oddly enough, that wasn't even the best part of the day so far ... a fan showed up with an actual goat dressed in a Curry jersey. Someone brought a goat in a Curry jersey to the parade 😂🐐 pic.twitter.com/1SOC97NYNy— TheWarriorsTalk (@TheWarriorsTalk) June 20, 2022 @TheWarriorsTalk What's interesting -- Warriors players called out the Boston fanbase for chanting expletives during the heated series ... but it all must be a context thing for them. You never know what to expect at these kind of celebrations ... so stay tuned!! | Basketball |
In the era of robot dogs and jocked-up AI machines doing shudder-inducing feats of parkour, sometimes it’s comforting to consider a potential future where bots are just warm, squishy friends, or—better yet—a future where they all look like Charles from Brian and Charles.Standing about 7 feet tall and with a boxy abdomen that’s made of what seems to be a washing machine, Charles trots around the Welsh countryside like a newborn foal, as content with a plate of boiled cabbage as most of us would be with a seven-course dinner. His creation comes when Brian (played by writer David Earl), experiencing a bout of depression, decides to take a wack at inventing something new. Lightning strikes—perhaps literally—and Brian and Charles’ lives are changed forever.As Brian and Charles hits cinemas, WIRED caught up with Earl and cowriter Chris Hayward to talk about optimism, character comedy, and how the pair worked to find the intersection of American Movie and AI.WIRED: David, you've been doing the Brian character for some time, though he's gone through some changes and tweaks over the years. How would you describe where he is in this film emotionally and mentally?David Earl: He's always come up with silly ideas. When I did him live, he'd come up with jokes, but the jokes were a bit wonky and didn't quite work. Now, it's the same in that he's building inventions that aren't quite right and aren't quite working. In this film, he's just a bit more likable, and maybe a bit more lovable. We tried to make the film more accessible.When I played him in comedy clubs, I would be a little bit more bristly, a bit more defensive. In the film, he's a bit more likable, hopefully.He is, and he's a little sad too. Not in a bad way, but in a way viewers can relate to, because that loneliness is very real.Earl: But it is positive! He's always looking on the bright side, all the time.He has a level of confidence in his own creations that I think anyone would admire. How do you relate to that?Earl: When we were writing it, we looked at some documentaries, like American Movie, which is my favorite movie. In that, it's just about [Mark Borchardt's] determination to get films made. Maybe they didn't turn out very well, but he got it done. So there's definitely an influence on Brian there.There was another one called Monster Road about a recluse who made these little clay models.I feel like if you're ever creating anything, most things you make aren't very good, or they at least have the potential to be appalling. So you're always treading that fine line whenever you come up with something new.Brian and Charles first came to life a few years ago as a short film. Where did the idea of Charles come from?Chris Hayward: David was doing Brian as a stand-up character, and he had a little internet radio show where people would call in and he would talk with them. Our friend Rupert [Majendie] called in, but he didn't talk. He used this computer software where he would type in what he wanted to say and it would read it out in various strange voices. One of the voices was the voice of Charles.I was listening to it—we were all friends at that point—and their dialog was so funny that we talked about doing it as a live show. I had no idea how I could build the robot costume, but for a few years we did it as a live gig at comedy shows where I'd been in the Charles costume talking to Brian, and Rupert would be typing the dialog.We just did that for fun, while hoping it took off in some way. It didn't, so we ended up making the short film. That eventually led to the feature, but it was a long process.How does it work on set? You're working from a script. Is Rupert still sitting there on the side with a keyboard hitting cues?Hayward: All of Charles' dialog in the script was prerecorded. When we were doing scenes indoors, Rupert could trigger the dialog. He could also improvise if we were doing an improvised scene.If we were filming outside, I would say the dialog, because we couldn't get the laptop to work outside. So I'd have to either memorize the dialog, or sometimes we'd improvise little scenes. Then, in post, we could mess around with Charles' dialog, which meant we could tweak all the lines, or we could change them completely. That gave us a lot of freedom to finesse.How did you tweak Charles for the movie? He looks a little different than he has in the past. What's new about Charles 2.0?Hayward: For the original one, I just bought one head on eBay, and because we've done a lot of live gigs, after three years, he was looking sort of bashed.We needed to get about four heads all together for his various incarnations in the film, so the first problem was finding these heads, because I just got this one about seven years earlier. [Director] Jim [Archer] was scouring the internet looking for these heads, which was mad, but he finally tracked them down.When they turned up, though, they actually came from America and they looked slightly different. They were more handsome and more tanned, and they had sort of pink lips. It was sort of Charles, but it was like the Hollywood version, so that's what we went with.So many things in the movie are never really addressed, which makes it slightly magical. Like, we don't really know how Charles came to life or how he eats his beloved cabbages. How did you decide not to explain anything?Hayward: Well, when we first see Charles coming alive, for instance, we wanted the lightning to be a bit of a red herring. There's also the idea that Mr. Williams, the mouse, had got inside Charles' head.We actually filmed a scene that had the mouse coming out of Charles' mouth, but it looked so revolting. It looks like Raiders of the Lost Ark where a python comes out of the skull. It looked so grotesque that we thought, "Well, this isn't the comedic effect we're going for." So that's why we have Brian explain what happened.Earl: Brian hasn't got a clue how it happens.Hayward: It doesn't really matter if it's a mouse. He's not even sure how it happened himself.Well, just because the mouse made the electricity work doesn't explain how Brian learned how to do AI programming.Earl: Yeah, we don't want that thread to be pulled.Why is Charles what Brian needs during the movie and why is Brian what Charles needs?Hayward: Initially, Brian is slightly in denial, because he says he's building a robot just to help around the house and lift things. We know, though, that he's clearly alone, but he would never acknowledge it. He might not even know it, but he clearly is. So he's building Charles kind of as a friend.It does seem to help him grow up, or to become more emboldened.Hayward: He does become more responsible. If you have kids, you do become more responsible. It makes you grow up. And I don't want to get into spoilers, but it also makes him stand up for himself and have more confidence to talk to people.Has working on Brian and Charles for so many years made you two think more about AI? Have you learned about it? Do you have thoughts about the joys or dangers?Hayward: I regularly look at AI things, and for the most part it terrifies me. When I look at those robots ... there's a video of these massive robots doing parkour and I watch it and I just think, "Those things could be hammering my door down at some point in the future and marching us all down the streets." Whenever I hear about robots, it's all like, "Oh, we're gonna put weapons on drones now," and you go, "Oh, OK."I mean, if the culmination of AI is Charles, we'll be fine, because we can just push those robots over. But I'm more worried about those robot dogs that I've seen on videos walking around, trying to attack.They really are terrifying. If they made them look like Charles, we'd all be on board, but instead they just look like war machines.Hayward: Exactly. It's those weird dogs that walk with their arms bent. It's like, "What? What is that? Why have you made that? What's it gonna do?"Earl: I just put my head in the sand. I don't know about any of that.Playing one character over the course of many years isn't something that we necessarily see a lot of in the States, though it does happen. The tradition is stronger in the UK, where a character can live over multiple projects and decades.What do you think keeps calling you back to Brian? Do you have him mastered, or are you still trying to figure him out?Earl: I think it's just finding a project. When we were writing this, After Life came at the same time, and I didn't really think into the future. Eighteen months down the line, both projects have come out at the same time and they both have the same character. I really didn't think ahead.It's always been just wanting to find a project to put Brian in. I wanted to find a story to plunk him in. Also, now, I just find it really easy to slip into those mannerisms and react to other characters and robots. It's like a habit.Is there a germ of you in Brian? Is Brian just an enhanced or downgraded or parallel version of you?Earl: I don't know what Brian is, because there have been so many different incarnations. He's gone from shy to rough and aggressive to jokey. I don't know what he is.So, I have to ask, how does the Charles costume actually work? It seems obvious looking at it, but what is it like inside?Hayward: So, it's a reinforced cardboard box. The mannequin head is on a stick that you pick litter with, and the picking bit is the mouth. I operate the head with one hand, and my other arm is sticking out the side. So I've got one arm that I can move and the other is false.I also put a big set of armor on my shins, like a knight's armor on my legs to give a bit of a joint on the knees. We're always trying to make the legs look less human. So I had to wear big puffy trousers and put bits of metal wherever we could to try and make it look less like my spindly legs. Along with the blue eye, there you go, that's Charles.Earl: We always wanted the audience to go "Well, that's just a bloke in a box." It's just about the cheekiness. | Movies |
Andy Murray plans to play at Wimbledon but has said he is still recovering from an abdominal strain and only the next few days will tell him how close he is to full fitness as the championship approaches.“The next couple of days are pretty important for me,” Murray said. “Obviously the plan is still to play. The injury is improving. I’ve had it rescanned and it’s progressing in the right way. But you can probably work out from the nature of the injury which shots it is that I’ve been struggling with and haven’t been able to practise. In the next few days, I’ll start to increase that and test it out. Hopefully it’s recovered sufficiently.”Murray sustained the injury in the Stuttgart final against Matteo Berrettini on June 12, his first grass court final since his Wimbledon victory in 2016, just after he forced last year’s Wimbledon finalist to a third set. Although he could still move competently, Murray was unable to serve properly in the third set.Murray opted not to identify the shots most affected by his injury, but said that his practices have been limited. His serve and overhead are likely to be the most problematic.“I’m feeling better than I was on the Sunday afternoon, evening,” Murray said. “Training has been going well in some aspects. With the nature of the injury, it’s not stopped me from practising. I’ve been able to do a lot of work on the court, but there’s specific shots that I haven’t been able to practice yet. In the next couple of days, we’ll start to do that.”Andy Murray is hopeful an abdominal injury will clear up in time for him to play at Wimbledon. Photograph: AMCSuch an injury is particularly frustrating for Murray considering the form he was in during his run to the Stuttgart final, as he defeated Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas, the latter being his first win against a player ranked in the top five since 2016. He is choosing to focus on the positives, however, noting that his body struggled with the load precisely because he has not played consistently enough in recent years to string together six matches in nine days, as he did between his final in Stuttgart and the Surbiton semi-final.“Everyone that I trust and respect in terms of their opinions on my game and my movement were very happy with how that side of things was going and progressing,” he said. “It’s frustrating to be in this position in the build-up to Wimbledon, but I’ve been in worse situations in recent years. The positive for me is that I’ve dealt with certainly worse issues in the last few years and handled them OK.”Murray’s practice partners have included Stan Wawrinka and Dan Evans, with coach Ivan Lendl joining him in London. During the pre-event press conference in Eastbourne on Monday, Evans said Murray “was playing pretty well” and looked to be enjoying his time on the court.“The injury that I have is not a significant injury, but it’s an injury that is tricky for tennis players,” Murray said. “You need to manage them well and do everything properly and respect it. I’ve done that so far. Hopefully that will pay dividends come Monday.”As Murray continues to work his way back to full fitness, so does Emma Raducanu, who trained at Wimbledon on Monday as she bids to recover from a side injury sustained during her first match on grass, which ruled her out of the rest of the pre-Wimbledon events.Andy Murray will wear the Championship Collection from his signature AMC range at Wimbledon 2022. | Tennis |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A Texas man who caught a massive fish may have broken a world record in spearfishing.Braden Sherron, 20, of Texas wowed onlookers with his 137-pound cubera snapper catch earlier this month when he and his brother went spearfishing in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this month.On June 3, the pair hopped on their 25-foot panga boat and traveled "offshore off the coast of Texas" like they usually do, Sherron told Fox News Digital, in an email.FLORIDA FISHERMEN CATCH A WARSAW GROUPER THAT WAS BIGGER THAN A MAN: ‘IT WAS A MONSTER’Sherron, who’s a fan of freedive spearfishing, made sure he had his speargun ready when he entered the water. Braden Sherron, a 20-year-old fisherman from Texas, speared a 137-pound cubera snapper in the Gulf of Mexico in early June. (Port Aransas Fisherman's Wharf/Brianna Pool)"I speared the snapper while spearfishing, and it took about an hour to land," Sherron recalled.He added, "I wasn’t out hunting for a record fish, the fish speared just happened to be that large."Photos of the rust-colored fish show the cubera snapper appeared to be as wide as Sherron’s shoulders and about three-quarters of his standing height.TEEN CATCHES GIANT CATFISH MINUTES AFTER DOUBTING HER LUCK, FATHER SAYS"I realized how big it was once the fish was in the boat and how I could barely lift it up," Sherron said. "It was just huge and the biggest fish I’ve ever caught."Cubera snappers are a marine ray-finned fish that are commonly found in the western Atlantic Ocean. A cubera snapper’s typical maximum weight and length is 125.7 pounds and 63 inches, according to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.Sherron took his catch to the Port Aransas Fisherman's Wharf in southeast Texas for weighing, which revealed the cubera snapper to be 137 pounds."After weighing officially, I cleaned the fish and shared it with family and friends," said Sherron. "I’ve had multiple fish fries, and everyone has loved it."SCHOOL OF FISH SWIMMING IN HEART FORMATION STUNS ONLOOKERS: DRONE FOOTAGE He continued, "It has been exceptional eating, despite being such a large fish and will be eaten throughout the coming months."Sherron’s catch could be a record-breaker with the International Underwater Spearfishing Association (IUSA).Records published by the association show the current cubera snapper record under the men's speargun category was caught in 2006 in the waters of Brazil and weighed 122.4 pounds. Braden Sherron took the 137-pound cubera snapper to the Port Aransas Fisherman's Wharf for official weighing and photo capturing. (Port Aransas Fisherman's Wharf/Brianna Pool)Andrew Ansin, president of the International Underwater Spearfishing Association, told Fox News Digital that the association "is aware of the catch but has not received an application" from Sherron at the time of publication. "We hope he submits one," Ansin said. "This was an awesome catch."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPSherron said his cubera snapper catch was filmed, and he plans to share a video about his experience to his YouTube account, @Braden Sherron, where he posts all his offshore fishing and spearfishing trip videos.Fox News Digital’s Ann Schmidt contributed to this report. Cortney Moore is an associate lifestyle writer/producer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent on Twitter at @CortneyMoore716. | Other Sports |
Director Paul Haggis attends the "Woman In Gold" premiere at the Museum of Modern Art in New York March 30, 2015. REUTERS/Andrew KellyRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 20 (Reuters) - Oscar-winning screenwriter Paul Haggis is under house arrest in southern Italy on charges of sexual assault and aggravated personal injury, accusations that the Canadian director denies, his lawyers said on Monday."Mr Paul Haggis was detained on Sunday with an emergency measure issued by the Brindisi prosecutors and is now under house arrest in Ostuni. He will be questioned by Thursday by a judge who will have to decide whether or not to confirm the detention," his Italian lawyer Michele Laforgia told Reuters.Haggis was charged with forcing a woman to have sexual intercourse over two days in Ostuni, Italy, public prosecutors in Brindisi said in a statement on Sunday.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"Under Italian law, I cannot discuss the evidence. That said, I am confident that all allegations will be dismissed against Mr. Haggis," Haggis' personal attorney Priya Chaudhry said in a statement.Both lawyers said Haggis was pleading innocent and would cooperate with authorities."A young foreign woman was forced to seek medical care" following the sexual relations, the prosecutors said in the statement.They said that on Sunday after the alleged assault that the male suspect accompanied the woman to Brindisi airport, where she was left despite her "precarious physical and psychological conditions". Prosecutors did not name Haggis and referred to the suspect by his initials.An investigative source told Reuters the unidentified woman will be questioned in the coming 10 days in what is known in Italy as an evidentiary incident, setting out evidence for a possible future trial.Haggis, 69, wrote "Million Dollar Baby" and co-wrote and directed crime drama "Crash". He won two Oscars for "Crash" - one for "Best Picture" and one for "Best Original Screenplay."In 2018 he denied accusations of sexual misconduct made by four women, including two who accused him of rape.Haggis was in Ostuni to hold several classes at the Allora Fest, a new film event being launched by Los Angeles-based Italian journalist Silvia Bizio and Spanish art critic Sol Costales Doulton that is set to run from June 21 to June 26.The Allora Fest said they "learned with dismay and shock the news", adding that the festival's directors "immediately proceeded to remove any participation of the director from the event".Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington and Emilio Parodi in Milan; Additional reporting by Francesca Landini in Milan; Editing by Toby Chopra, Angus MacSwan and Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Celebrity |
Rapper and activist Killer Mike says that rap lyrics shouldn’t be used as criminal evidence in court cases amid the high-profile detainments of Atlanta-based rappers Young Thug and Gunna. In an interview with ABC News published on Saturday, Killer Mike, whose real name is Michael Render, said that Young Thug used his rapping career to escape his troubled upbringing in the streets of Atlanta, the city where Killer Mike grew up as well. “[Young Thug] came out of a very desperate situation,” Render, half of the hit duo Run the Jewels, told ABC. “The side of town he comes from — Cleveland Avenue, southeast Atlanta — has been wrought with poverty forever … he managed to escape the streets using rap lyrics, and he’s managed to help people change their lives.” “Young Thug — that’s a character that Jeffrey Williams created … but Jeffrey Williams is a father,” Render added. “He’s a human being that’s capable of love, care and compassion.” Young Thug and Gunna, whose real name is Sergio Kitchens, were among the more than two dozen individuals to be charged with racketeering by authorities last month, with prosecutors alleging that Williams founded a street gang and promoted its lifestyle through music and social media posts. The indictment unsealed against them in Fulton County, Ga., includes lyrics from their music. “These lyrics are no more than braggadocio rap lyrics,” Render told ABC. “It is no more than Killer Mike saying I’m a killer on the mic.” Both rappers have been denied bail and are set to appear in court in January ABC News noted. “For now, I don’t have my freedom. But I am innocent. I am being falsely accused and will never stop fighting to clear my name!” the “Pushin P” Kitchens said in a statement, adding “Nothing will stop me from chasing my dreams, I won’t stop being a good person, even if some unnamed and unknown accusers want the world to see me as a bad person.” Render, who won a Grammy award with acclaimed hip-hop duo OutKast, said that hip-hop is a form of art, noting that authorities targeting Black art in criminal cases is a part of dehumanizing Black people in the U.S, according to ABC News. Render said, “Hip hop is not respected as an art because Black people in this country are not recognized as full human beings. If we allow the courts to prosecute these men based on characters they created and stories of pretend that they tell in rhyme then next, they’ll be at your door.” | Music |
Andy Murray reveals 'the plan is still to play' at Wimbledon next week... but British icon is STILL unable to practice serves and overheads since injuring a stomach muscle in his Stuttgart Open final defeat against Matteo BerrettiniAndy Murray injured a stomach muscle at the Stuttgart Open earlier this monthHe has not been able to practice his full array of shots since that injuryHowever, he is still hopeful that he will be able to compete at Wimbledon Published: 15:07 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 15:51 EDT, 20 June 2022 Andy Murray is cautiously optimistic that he will be fit for Wimbledon next week, but parts of his game are still not functioning properly.The 35 year-old Scot will join the star-studded roll call of the unready when The Championships begin, due to the strained stomach muscle that kept him out of Queen’s last week.He has been unable to hit serves and overheads so far in his training sessions at the All England Club, which have been taking place under the eye of Ivan Lendl, who has arrived in London to oversee preparations. Andy Murray needed treatment for a stomach muscle injury during the Stuttgart Open final His preparations have been hampered by injury, but Murray still intends to play at Wimbledon‘The positive is that I've been able to get on the practice court and hit balls and work on a lot of different things, but there's specific shots that I have not been able to practise,’ admitted Murray yesterday. ‘That has obviously hampered the preparations. In the next couple of days, I'll have to start to increase that and test it to see where it's at.‘Obviously the plan is still to play. The injury that I had is improving. I've had it rescanned since then (his withdrawal from Queen’s) and it's progressing in the right way.’ Credit: Andy Murray is wearing the Championship Collection from his signature AMC range which he will be playing in for Wimbledon 2022. Technically advanced and beautifully designed for maximum performance. View the kit at www.castore.com/collections/amc Credit: Andy Murray is wearing the Championship Collection from his signature AMC range which he will be playing in for Wimbledon 2022. Technically advanced and beautifully designed for maximum performance. View the kit at www.castore.com/collections/amcMurray had been coming nicely to the boil - playing nine matches across the Surbiton Trophy and Stuttgart Open – moving well and making the final of the latter, where he lost to Matteo Berrettini. The nine matches played in less than a fortnight were a workload he has been unaccustomed to in recent years due to the various problems that have been related to his metal hip.‘It's frustrating to be in this position in the build-up to Wimbledon, but I've been in worse situations in recent years. The positive for me is that I've dealt with certainly worse issues in the last few years and handled them okay.’Andy Murray is wearing the Championship Collection from his signature AMC range which he will be playing in for Wimbledon 2022. Advertisement | Tennis |
After spending the last eight-plus months climbing towards the NBA’s mountaintop, the Warriors got to bask in the sunshine at the summit Monday afternoon.
They’ve been reveling in their fourth championship in eight years all weekend, but Monday’s parade through San Francisco gave them a setting to specifically do so.
Draymond Green was waiting for this moment, four years after the Warriors last hosted a parade like this one.
“I told y’all, ‘Don’t let us win a (expletive) championship and clearly nobody could stop it. I warned y’all,” he said. “So I’m just going to continue to destroy people on Twitter, as I have been.” The NBC Bay Area telecast didn’t catch any of Green’s swears — there were multiple — in time to keep them off the air.
Klay Thompson and Steph Curry followed Green and Andrew Wiggins on stage.
“Real mature, Draymond. This guy has the maturity level of a third-grader,” Thompson joked before giving Curry a hard time for the tears he shed at the end of Thursday night’s clinching win in Boston.
“Who cries on a basketball court?” he asked Curry, who replied, “There’s no crying in basketball.”
Leave it to Steve Kerr, a five-time champ as a player now on his fourth coaching title, to answer the more serious questions. In an interview just off the stage, Kerr shed a bit of light on Atkinson’s decision to stay with Golden State for next season. Recent reports said that he was headed to Charlotte to become the Hornets’ head coach.
Kerr pointed to Atkinson’s two children, as well as the chance to live in Northern California and work for a winning organization.
“I think it’s a really difficult thing to try to take a job in the middle of the Finals without really getting a chance to unwind,” Kerr said. “And I think, over the course of the Finals, he just felt it. He felt like this is not the best time for my family and me to leave.”
Who would want to leave these Warriors when they look to be having so much fun? Jordan Poole got his party started by blasting the crowd with a water gun as soon as he ascended the stage.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – JUNE 20: Golden State Warriors’ Jordan Poole takes the stage as he is introduced during the Championship Parade and rally on Market Street in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 20, 2022. The Warriors won their fourth NBA Championship in eight seasons after defeating the Boston Celtics in the Game 6. (Ray Chávez/Bay Area News Group)
But Curry did have another team on his mind: Team USA. Olympic gold is the one major item missing from his resume now that he has his first Finals MVP trophy. “I’m not good yet ’cause I gotta go play for Coach Kerr in 2024 in Paris,” Curry said before clarifying that it wasn’t a binding statement to play in the next Summer Olympics.
Owner Joe Lacob sounded as if he expects his team to be defending a three-peat by then.
“We’re ready to come back next year and do it again,” he told the crowd. | Basketball |
The multi-year project in Texas aims to support up to 1M electric cars The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has rolled out a draft plan to install more than 200 electric vehicle charging stations across the state as part of a multi-year project to bolster infrastructure for current and future EV drivers. An Electric Vehicle charging station lights up green in the parking lot of a Ralph's supermarket in Monterey Park, California on May 18, 2021. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)The Texas Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan unveiled by TxDOT earlier this month was driven by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law by President Biden in November, which created funding programs for EV charging infrastructure for states. THESE ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE CHEAPER TO OWN THAT GAS ONES NOW According to TxDOT, 80% of funding for the program will be covered by the federal government, with Texas receiving $407.8 million from the Federal Highway Administration over the next five years. The remaining 20% will be covered by third parties, and no state funds will be used for the project, the agency said. The charging station for electric vehicles at Park West and Mobility Works. (FOX Business / Fox News) Under Texas' plan, 237 new EV charging stations will be installed, first prioritizing interstate highways determined to be Electric Alternative Fuel Corridors with stations placed every 50 miles in accordance with federal guidelines. EV charging stations in rural areas will be spaced out further, by roughly 70 miles apart.I RENTED AN ELECTRIC CAR FOR A 4-DAY ROAD TRIP. I SPENT MORE TIME CHARGING IT THAN I DID SLEEPING.TxDOT reported that less than 1% of the vehicles currently registered in Texas are electric, but noted that "since 2020, the total number of electric vehicles in Texas has nearly tripled as more people adopt the technology." Ford F-150 Lightning pickup trucks are shown at the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center on April 26, 2022 in Dearborn, Michigan. The F-150 Lightning is positioned to be the first full-size all-electric pickup truck to go on sale in the mainstream U.S. (Getty Images)The plan aims to support the charging needs of 1 million electric cars upon completion. There are currently 129,000 EVs registered in Texas.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE"With rapidly growing adoption rates, it is necessary to ensure Texas will be able to meet the demand of these new vehicles on the road," the report states. | Automotive and Transportation |
The surprise announcement by BTS last week that they were taking a break to focus on members’ solo projects stunned their global fanbase, shaking their label’s stock price and leaving many questions about the K-pop supergroup’s future.
HYBE, the company behind the band, denied the group was taking a hiatus — a word used in a translation of the group’s emotional dinnertime video announcement. In the days since, band members have remained active on social media, continuing the stream of posts, photos and assurances that the band wasn’t breaking up.
Despite the immediate impacts — HYBE’s stock initially dropped more than 25% and has yet to fully recover — several factors may still affect BTS’ future. One is looming military enlistment for older BTS members, as well as how engaged the group and their devoted fans, known as ARMY, will continue to be in social issues.
In 2020, at the height of BTS’ success, the South Korean government revised the country’s military law that requires able-bodied South Korean men to perform approximately two years of military service. The revised law allows top K-pop stars — including Jin, the oldest member of BTS — to defer their military service until they turn 30 if they’ve received government medals for heightening the country’s cultural reputation and apply for the postponement. All BTS members meet the criteria as recipients of government medals in 2018.
“Obviously, there’s a looming military enlistment so they might have thought it’d be good to do something individually before it’s too late and that’s why I think military enlistment was the biggest factor,” said Lee Dong Yeun, a professor at Korea National University of Arts.
There have been calls — including from South Korea’s former culture minister — for an exemption for BTS because of their contribution to heightening South Korea’s international reputation. But critics say that such an exemption would be bending the conscription rules to favor the privileged.
Jin, 29, is expected to enlist this year unless he receives an exemption.
Military enlistment of members has always been a headache for HYBE; BTS once accounted for 90% of the label’s profit. Currently, the group makes up 50%-60% of the label’s profit according to a report from eBest Investment & Securities.
The eBest report noted that the rapid stock plunge might have resulted from an “anticipation that the activities as the whole group might be uncertain after being discharged from the military.”
HYBE has been attempting to diversify its portfolio by debuting new K-pop bands, making online games, and rolling out Korean language tutorials.
As the most successful K-pop band to date with hits like “Dynamite” and “Butter,” BTS has for years commanded tremendous attention on social media and with each new music release. They recently performed several sold-out shows in the United States, became the first K-pop act to get a Grammy Award nomination, released an anthology album, “Proof,” and channeled their global influence with an address at the United Nations and a trip to the White House to campaign against hate crimes directed at Asians.
“Once you achieve success like BTS achieved success, then it means there’s a constant expectation to continue doing something that is connected to what you’ve already done, where you’ve already been. In the most recent releases that BTS has brought out, also we can see how they continually reflect back on where they have been,” said CedarBough Saeji, professor of Korean and East Asian Studies at Pusan National University.
She said Tuesday’s announcement signaled the band’s intention to figure out “where they are going for themselves without interference from other people” and “being able to choose their own path forward as artists.”
Last week’s announcement also leaves in doubt the group’s social justice efforts, which have included vocal support for the Black Lives Matter movement and anti-violence campaigns. BTS’ legions of fans have embraced the causes, matching a $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter after George Floyd’s death.
But the group has faced mushrooming questions about why it isn’t as vocal about discrimination in their own country.
A leading South Korean newspaper recently published a column in which the author mused why South Korea, despite having BTS — “the ambassador of anti-discrimination and human rights” — has struggled to enact an anti-discrimination law for 15 years.
“It’s an irony,” the writer said. “South Korea needs their force for good.”
The country’s lack of an anti-discrimination law has led to unfair treatment against women and foreigners, among others.
Jumin Lee, the author of the book “Why Anti-Discrimination Law?” told the Associated Press that there’s a dire need for the anti-discrimination law in the country.
“South Korea is in essentially the same situation legally as America’s Jim Crow South. Equal protection exists as a constitutional concept, but there is no implementing legislation that allows the government to force private businesses to comply,” Lee said. “What that means in practice is that if I’m a business owner, I could post a sign on my door tomorrow that says, ‘no gays’ ‘no blacks’ or ‘no old people,’ and absent extraordinary intervention by the Constitutional Court, there’s very little the law can do to stop me.”
Lee recently expressed disappointment in the band for not speaking up about the important domestic issue.
“BTS and their business folks know that speaking up in the U.S. is profitable but doing the same back home would be more trouble than it’s worth. So, they don’t,” tweeted Lee after the band’s visit to Washington.
Despite that, Lee said the band’s silence is understandable, stating that BTS would be met with “indifference at best and hostility at worse” from politicians if they did speak up.
Some South Korean celebrities like singers Harisu and Ha:tfelt have been speaking out on touchy subjects such as the anti-discrimination law and feminism, despite backlashes.
After speaking out about the 2014 sinking of the Sewol ferry, which killed 304 people in one of the country’s worst disasters, Cannes-winning actor Song Kang-ho and director Park Chan-wook were blacklisted by the administration of the ousted President Park Geun-hye, noted Areum Jeong, a scholar of Korean pop culture.
“So, although many idols might be politically conscious, they might choose not to discuss social issues,” Jeong said.
Several BTS members said during last week’s announcement that they were struggling with the group’s successes and having trouble writing new songs.
“For me, it was like the group BTS was within my grasp until ‘On’ and ‘Dynamite,’ but after ‘Butter’ and ‘Permission to Dance,’ I didn’t know what kind of group we were anymore,” member RM said. “Whenever I write lyrics and songs, it’s really important what kind of story and message I want to give out but it was like that was gone now.”
While that clouds what BTS’ next steps might be, Saeji said their continued candor was necessary because of how much the group has impacted their fanbase.
“They’re meeting the fans with that same honesty and saying to them, ‘You had my help when I needed it. And now I need my help,’” she said. “‘I need to be on my own. To think for myself, to know what I want to write a lyric about, to understand my own mind, to become inspired on my own.’” | Music |
Published June 20, 2022 10:14AM article FILE - Bob Saget and Lara Saget attend Comedians "Stand Up" for Scleroderma at Cool Comedy - Hot Cuisine at Caroline's On Broadway on Oct. 22, 2012, in New York City. (Photo by Shawn Ehlers/Getty Images for Scleroderma Research Foundation) LOS ANGELES - Lara Saget, one of Bob Saget’s three daughters, shared a loving tribute to her late dad on Father’s Day. "My dad wasn’t just my dad, he was my best friend. He wore his heart. He didn’t hide it; he wasn’t afraid of love. My dad simply wanted to share laughter and love with this world," she wrote in a post on Instagram, alongside a throwback photo of the pair. Lara Saget, 32, noted the "Full House" star and comedian’s enduring commitment to love others in the face of obstacles and fear. "I have noticed how scary it can be to love that big, to open so fully. It can be easier to be angry, fearful, negative. Maybe because love has an infinite quality, it is boundless," Lara Saget continued. "My dad taught me that it doesn’t matter what life throws, how hard, how painful, how seemingly impossible. It doesn’t stop that love. He chose love, always." She added that she has committed to "doing the same" in memory of the actor, who died unexpectedly in January at age 65. "The love is right here. And it’s my responsibility to give it to myself and to share by living in the love. I love you infinitely, dad. Happy Father’s Day," concluded Lara Saget, who is an artist and curator. Bob Saget was found unresponsive on Jan. 9 in his room at The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Orlando. He had been staying there while performing comedy shows in the area. An autopsy later revealed that Saget died from an accidental blow to the head, likely from a backward fall. RELATED: Florida deputies shared news of Bob Saget's death before officials notified his family, report says Investigators called to the luxury hotel suite found no evidence of a struggle, foul play, or signs that anyone else had been in Saget’s suite during his stay. A toxicology analysis didn’t show any illicit drugs or toxins in Saget’s body. There were also no signs of blood on the hotel bed’s sheets or bedspread, according to the report. Inside Bob Saget's hotel room: Bodycam video, photos released of Orlando suite Photos that were taken inside actor and comedian Bob Saget's hotel room in Orlando, where he died earlier this year, were officially released by Orange County sheriff's deputies. In total, more than 30 photos were released, mostly offering varying vantage points throughout the room – the living room, bedroom, bathroom, and closet, which still had clothing on the hangers. Last week, the medical examiner released additional details about the potential cause of the comedian's death: a fracture was found at the base of Saget's skull with evidence of bleeding around the brain. The medical examiner suggested that Saget may have fallen and hit something hard, following by something soft, such as a carpeted floor. In addition to Lara, Bob Saget had daughters Aubrey and Jennifer with his first wife Sherri Kramer before divorcing in 1997. He married Kelly Rizzo in 2018. RELATED: 911 call, new details revealed in actor's death in Orlando The actor-comedian was most known for his "Full House" role as beloved single dad Danny Tanner and as the wisecracking host of "America’s Funniest Home Videos." But his stand-up also showed his notoriously filthy sense of humor. In early 2020, Saget was preparing for the start of his comedy tour when the pandemic put it on hold. He turned his energies to a podcast, "Bob Saget’s Here For You," and also occasionally focused on directing over the years. Once on his "I Don’t Do Negative Comedy Tour," Saget celebrated in January after receiving warm audience receptions at his shows. "I’m back in comedy like I was when I was 26. I guess I’m finding my new voice and loving every moment of it," he posted Jan. 9 on Instagram. Earlier this month, the beloved comedian was posthumously honored with the 2022 Critics Choice Real TV Impact Award, which recognizes "an outstanding individual for career excellence and the positive impact they have made on the world of nonfiction content." Fellow "Full House" star and friend John Stamos presented the award to his widow. This story was reported from Cincinnati. The Associated Press contributed. | Celebrity |
“Elvis” star Austin Butler plays the singer in every stage of his career, starting with the hip-swiveling rocker who made the girls swoon.Warner Bros. The numbers vary from Internet source to Internet source, but the general consensus seems to be there were something like 200 Elvis Presley impersonators in the world at the time of the King’s death in 1977 and the number has grown to at least 35,000 today. And we’re not even including all the actors who have portrayed Elvis on TV and in the movies, from Kurt Russell to Jonathan Rhys Meyers to David Keith to Don Johnson to Harvey Keitel to Michael Shannon to Val Kilmer as the Elvis apparition who advises Christian Slater’s Clarence in “True Romance.”So one can’t help but ask: With every chapter of the man’s life and times already so deeply etched into the pop culture landscape, do we really need another movie about the man and the myth and the legend that was Elvis Presley?In the case of “Elvis,” the answer is a resounding YES, thanks to the gloriously excessive, razzle-dazzle direction of Baz Luhrmann (“Romeo + Juliet,” “Moulin Rouge!”), a smoldering star turn performance from Austin Butler as the title character and a sure-to-be-polarizing but fantastically eccentric spin on Colonel Tom Parker, courtesy of a nearly unrecognizable Tom Hanks. This is 2 hours and 39 minutes of screen-popping, candy-colored, highly stylized, fever-dream showmanship that serves as a Greatest Hits compilation touching on the many, many permutations of Elvis, from malleable country bumpkin to sex symbol icon to B-movie star to seemingly irrelevant near has-been to the Comeback King to Las Vegas icon to his death at the age of 42, and it’s such a sprawling, amazing rollercoaster ride that it’s difficult to process the fact Presley has been dead longer than he was with us.If you thought the magnificently flamboyant Luhrmann was well-suited to put the flashiest of spins on “The Great Gatsby,” you can imagine what he does with the made-for-overkill mythology of Elvis — and from the moment we see a bejeweled version of the Warner Bros. Pictures logo, we know Luhrmann is going to flood our senses with a nonstop medley of arresting sights and sounds, never taking his foot off the directorial gas pedal. (Who wants to see a version of Elvis unplugged, am I right?)“Elvis” is told through the skewed, self-serving, huckster’s perspective of Colonel Tom Parker, who was not a colonel and was born Andreas Cornelis van Kujik in the Netherlands (hence the strange Dutch/Southern hybrid accent), an admittedly great showman and promoter who latched onto Presley early on and rode his show pony into the ground, allegedly bilking Presley of millions and maneuvering him into making all sorts of deals that benefitted Parker first and Presley a distant second. Parker keeps trying to convince us he’s not the villain in story, as he we see him always lurking backstage, always making side deals to line his pockets or cover his gambling debts, always in the middle of everything while looking out for himself first, always spinning things with his almost cartoonishly evil cadence. Tom Hanks is nearly unrecognizable as Elvis’ wheeler-dealer of a manager, Colonel Tom Parker.Warner Bros. Luhrmann employs a sparkling array of visual and aural tactics, from period-piece graphics to sepia-toned flashbacks, from nostalgic color schemes to swooping camera movements to split screens and cool and creative match-cut transitions. We know Elvis didn’t write his own material and we know he appropriated, aka stole, the sounds of gospel and blues from Black artists, and perhaps more than any previous Presley biopic, “Elvis” continually acknowledges that, with the likes of BB King (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), Little Richard (Alton Mason), Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup (Gary Clark Jr.) and Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Yola Quartey) getting their moments.Still, the film’s fate rests on the shoulders of Austin Butler, who flashed serious movie-star potential as the evil fool Tex Watson in Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and is mesmerizingly strong here. Butler doesn’t do an Elvis impersonation, but he does a stunningly good job of capturing the hip-swiveling, pink-suited Elvis who makes girls swoon and scream in a comedically effective early sequence; the ’60s Elvis who starred in a series of forgettable and dopey movies; the brilliant performer who made one of the most memorable pop-star comebacks of all time in a 1968 TV special, and the lost and borderline self-parodying Karate King who sweated and toiled on the Vegas stage and only occasionally touched greatness. Butler is an electric performer who shines in the spotlight when Elvis is onstage, but he also infuses Presley with an empathetic humanity and vulnerability. We know the man was hardly a saint, but we understand his sins. Hanks’ characterization of Colonel Tom Parker is a big swing for someone who has held the unofficial title of America’s Most Likable Movie Star for more than 30 years. Some might argue he’s miscast, but I found the performance to be suitably oily, for despite Parker’s protestations, he IS the villain of the story. Even as Parker constantly reminds us that he “made” Elvis Presley (and there’s an element of truth to that), we see that time and again, he also contributed to the destruction of the man.Still, for all its tragic elements and the heartbreak of an ending we know is coming, “Elvis” is a brilliant celebration of an artist who left a lasting and huge footprint on our culture. | Music |
Release the Luhrmann cut? There's a whole lot more of "Elvis" than the 159 minutes hitting theaters this Friday. “Elvis”Warner Bros. Anyone who has a “burning love” for more “Elvis” is in luck: Director Baz Luhrmann confirmed a four-hour cut of the film exists.
The “Moulin Rouge!” auteur told the Radio Times that the longer version of the film, whose theatrical cut is 159 minutes and opening June 24, includes the more “wackadoo” aspects of real-life Elvis Presley’s career.
“I would have liked to lean into some of the other things more. There’s so much more. I mean, there’s lots of stuff that I shot like the relationship with the band, I had to pare [that] down, and it’s so interesting how the Colonel [Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks] gets rid of them,” Luhrmann said of the four-hour version, with Austin Butler starring as Presley.
The four-hour cut dove into Presley’s “addiction to barbiturates and all of that,” according to Luhrmann. “What happens is he starts doing wackadoo things, like going down to see [President] Nixon. I had it in there for a while but there just comes a point where you can’t have everything in, so I just tried to track the spirit of the character.” Luhrmann added that the longer version also further explored Presley’s relationship with his “first girlfriend Dixie” and how that heartbreak shaped his career. “Once he’s caught in a trap, and he’s discombobulated and doesn’t understand…someone who’s got such a hole in his heart like Elvis constantly looking and searching for love and finding it onstage but nowhere else,” Luhrmann detailed.
“Elvis” ended up with a 159-minute running time, with Luhrmann calling the finished film a “three-act pop-cultural opera” culminating in the “epic” 1970s iteration of Presley.
IndieWire’s David Ehrlich criticized the film for being “an Elvis Presley movie about Baz Luhrmann” rather than the other way around.
“There’s nary a single moment in the movie of Elvis actually creating anything; he’s just a sexy oracle, receiving music from the collective unconscious and shivering it out through his body,” Ehrlich penned in the review. “[Butler’s] Elvis never becomes his own man. Instead, he evolves from an avatar for post-war America into a helpless addict trapped in a golden cage. He doesn’t have a whit of agency in either mode; pin-balling through the years and bouncing from one superimposed newspaper headline to the next, Elvis doesn’t come off like someone who reshaped the 20th century so much as he does someone who watched it faint around him and then force him out.”
Read IndieWire’s own interview with Luhrmann here. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. | Movies |
Workers are cleaning up at the Frisco Athletic Center after a weekend water leak.Staff at the facility arrived Saturday morning to discover a major leak that caused extensive water damage to the facility, according to a Facebook post.By Monday morning, most of the facility had reopened but the Play Depot remains closed until further notice. The fitness floor and indoor aquatics center were closed on Sunday.According to building operators, access to the locker rooms and elevators will be through the aquatic center for the coming weeks and signage will guide visitors around closed hallways.The water park was not affected, and will be open normal hours from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Related:These North Texas cities are the best for single dadsAnna Caplan, Special Contributor. Anna Caplan covers McKinney, Southlake, Grapevine and Colleyville. For nearly 10 years, she wrote restaurant reviews for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and her work has appeared in 360 West, Eater Dallas, Edible DFW, A+C magazine, D CEO, GlobeSt.com and Houstonia magazine. She was the founding editor of the websites PureWow Dallas and Racked [email protected] | Other Sports |
EastEnders star Jessie Wallace was arrested outside a nightclub on Sunday on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and being drunk and disorderly.The actress, known for playing Kat Slater in the BBC soap, was pictured at a Madness gig in Thetford Forest in Suffolk hours before her arrest in Bury St Edmunds.
A Suffolk Police spokesman told Sky News: "A 50-year-old woman was arrested early on Sunday morning in St Andrew's Street, Bury St Edmunds, on suspicion of assaulting a police officer/drunk and disorderly conduct and was released without charge after receiving a conditional caution."Mobile phone video from outside Flex nightclub appears to show Wallace being restrained by officers.Wallace's Kat Slater is one of the most well-known EastEnders' characters of the last 20 years, where she had a tumultuous relationship with Alfie Moon, played by Shane Richie. Fifty-year-old Wallace currently features in the soap - her third stint since her debut in 2000.She was reportedly suspended from EastEnders for two months in 2020 over an "incident" on set and was convicted of drink driving in 2003. | Celebrity |
It takes a lot for one as stoical as Billy Foster to admit that failure brought him to tears. But he says he was in that state – all the way from Sandwich home to Yorkshire, in fact – after Thomas Bjørn passed up the opportunity to win the 2003 Open Championship. “I thought about that every day for six months,” Foster said. “It broke my heart.”Matt Fitzpatrick was rightly lauded for his US Open victory at Brookline, but it felt like even more goodwill was flying towards Foster. One of the most popular characters in golf had broken his duck.In close to 40 years of caddying for high-profile golfers such as Seve Ballesteros, Lee Westwood, Bjørn and Darren Clarke, there had been no victory in a major. More than 40 title wins and a key role in Ryder Cup moments that are the stuff of legend, but never one of golf’s big four titles. That a 27-year-old fellow Yorkshireman afforded Foster his moment led to appreciation from across the sport. An emotional Foster kissed the flag at the 18th hole as victory was confirmed by a Will Zalatoris putt squeezing just past the hole.“I’d seen a lot of my mates win majors,” Foster said. “I had gone so close over the years. Darren had his chances, Thomas at Sandwich, Westy with Mickelson at the Masters and three-putting at Turnberry in 2009. There was a lot of heartbreak in there, a lot of scar tissue. Once Will’s putt missed it was just utter relief. The gorilla is now off my back. Not a monkey, a gorilla.”Foster missed his scheduled Sunday-night flight home. He was unclear on whether he would make the Monday-night flight home. “I’m going on holiday on Wednesday so I’d better be home by then,” he said.The bond between Fitzpatrick and Foster is strong. “This means the world to Billy,” said the new US Open champion. “It’s unbelievable for him. I know it’s something he’s wanted for a long, long, long time. To do it is incredible.“We ended up working together when I was kind of in between caddies. He had just split up with Lee and just happened to work out. It’s so funny. He kept telling me the first time on the job, ‘I’ll just do 25 weeks and maybe get a fill-in for the others.’ I think he’s had about two weeks off in four years.”Matt Fitzpatrick fulfils ‘dream’ to win his first golf major at US Open – videoFitzpatrick has unquestionably benefited from Foster’s straight talking but there is a softer side to the caddie which he masks well. Foster was quietly confident about his employer’s US Open chances long before a ball was struck. There was cause for concern on the back nine on Sunday, though, as Fitzpatrick missed short par putts at the 10th and 11th. On the closing hole, he found sand from the tee before launching a wonderful iron shot that will be a US Open reference point for years to come.“He has been playing incredible golf,” Foster added. “When he kept missing the five-foot putts I thought to myself, ‘The little bastard!’ It was doing my head in because we all know how good a putter he normally is. ‘What are you doing to me?’ I thought he was trying to finish me off.“What an incredible shot at the 18th. We had a difference of opinion on the tee. He likes to hit a driver on that hole, I like him to hit a three wood. He hits a three wood and puts it in the bunker and I thought to myself, ‘Oh no.’ But his recovery was one of the best shots I’ve ever seen. Thank God.“I always thought Matt was a winner but I must admit didn’t think he’d become as good as he has. He’s far better than I thought. He has an incredible work ethic, no one works harder. I can definitely see him winning further majors.” | Golf |
By Mark SavageBBC Music CorrespondentImage caption, Four Tet's best songs include Butterflies, Two Thousand and Seventeen, and LushPioneering electronic artist Four Tet has reached a settlement in the legal battle against his former record label. The musician, whose real name is Kieran Hebden, sued Domino Records last year over the royalties he gets paid when his music is downloaded or streamed.He argued that the 13.5% royalty rate he was being offered was unfair, and demanded a 50% split with the label.In a settlement, Domino agreed to the honour the 50% rate and reimbursed the musician for historic underpayments.It was quite a reversal for the indie label, which originally responded to the case by removing several Four Tet albums from streaming services (they were later reinstated)."It has been a difficult and stressful experience to work my way through this court case and I'm so glad we got this positive result," wrote Hebden in a statement announcing the settlement. "Hopefully I've opened up a constructive dialogue and maybe prompted others to push for a fairer deal on historical contracts, written at a time when the music industry operated entirely differently."The result could set a legal precedent for contract disputes in the music business; where royalty rates have been subject to heavy scrutiny since last year's inquiry into the streaming market by MPs on the Culture Select Committee.However, Four Tet's legal challenge was ultimately decided out of court, so any future disputes would not be able to cite a legal judgement.The BBC has contacted Domino Records for a statement.Figure caption, Warning: Third party content may contain advertsHebden's case concerned the recording contract he signed with Domino in 2001, which resulted in four albums: Pause (2001), Rounds (2003), Everything Ecstatic (2005) and There Is Love In You (2010).The deal was signed before the advent of downloads of streams - and his dispute hinged on whether those methods of accessing his music could be defined as a "sale" or a "licence" under the terms of his contract.The difference is far from academic because most artists receive 50% of the royalties for a licence but a much lower figure, typically between 12% and 22%, for a sale. Historically, the difference was due to the way music was distributed: selling music in the era of CDs, vinyl and cassettes incurred huge costs in manufacturing and distribution, which meant labels needed to cover their overheads. But when music is licensed to movies, television or advertisements, artists generally get a bigger payday, on the understanding that a third party is bearing the relevant costs. After the advent of iTunes and Spotify, labels often argued that downloads and streams should be counted as sales.This prompted a flurry of lawsuits, especially in the US. Most famously, the producers who discovered Eminem won a case against Universal Records that forced the label to pay the higher "licensing" rate when his songs were downloaded.Four Tet's case in the UK essentially made the same argument.Domino had argued that digital downloads, including streams, were considered a new technology format and Hebden was only entitled to the 13.5% royalty rate (although they have paid him as much as 18% on a discretionary basis).The case quickly became complicated, with Hebden adding a claim for breach of contract after Domino withdrew his music from streaming services; and Domino saying they may to take the case to the High Court, which Hebden could not afford.However, in a statement posted on social media today, Hebden said he had been offered the 50% rate he had sought in a settlement, the details of which were made public.I have a bodacious update on my case with @Dominorecordco. They have recognised my original claim, that I should be paid a 50% royalty on streaming and downloads, and that they should be treated as a license rather than the same as a CD or vinyl sale.(1/8)— Four Tet (@FourTet) June 20, 2022
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter"Domino have now agreed to treat streaming and download income as licensing income and will apply the 50% rate to streaming and download income going forward, and have reimbursed Kieran for the underpayment over recent years," said his lawyer, Aneesh Patel, in a statement. "I really hope that my own course of action encourages anyone who might feel intimidated by challenging a record label with substantial means," added Hebden."Unlike Domino, I didn't work with a big law firm and luckily the case took place in the IPEC [Intellectual Property and Enterprise court] where legal costs are capped, so I was able to stand my ground."Hebden shared images of the settlement, which showed that he would receive £56,921.08 in respect of all historical streaming and download income, dated back to July 2017, in addition to interest calculated at a rate of 5% per year.Follow us on Facebook, or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. | Music |
It is the US Open triumph with its genesis at Augusta National. Mike Walker, the coach of Matt Fitzpatrick since the golfer’s early teens, was pacing the fairways at the Masters in 2020 when a stark realisation hit home.“Matt was playing with Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas in the first two rounds,” Walker recalls. “I thought to myself ‘It doesn’t matter how straight I can get you to hit a seven wood, it’s not going to beat their six irons.’ I remember them hitting shots into the 11th. Matt hit an unbelievable seven wood but the other two were just flicking seven irons. To get to where he wanted to go, he had to do something about it.”As Walker readily concedes, there are “warning signs” when golfers try to add extra length. Fitzpatrick was already one of the world’s leading players, if not in the ultra elite group. Here was a highly rated tutor instigating a potentially dangerous switch. Yet he needed an extra level; one shown when the Yorkshireman held the US Open trophy aloft at Brookline on Sunday.“He has worked with Matt Roberts on strength and conditioning for years,” Walker says. “Matt has made him stronger. We went to see Sasho Mackenzie [a biomechanist] on a consultancy basis, which would always be categorised as a risk but we didn’t change Matt’s pattern. We were just trying to speed up his existing pattern without changing his golf swing. Matt is really fast in terms of rotation but he hasn’t got much leverage. One of the areas he could have gone down, although I don’t think you’d have heard about him again, was adding more lateral movement but we decided against that. He has done it with a combination of gym training with Matt Roberts and Sasho in the background with his weights [fixed to the end of a practice stick called ‘The Stack].“I have felt, since he took that distance on and retained his accuracy, that he can compete everywhere. Whereas before, as the coach you are always aware of the goals and what they want to achieve but I felt I had my hands tied behind my back a bit. This has made him a top-10 player who can potentially stay a top-10 player.”Key of course was that Fitzpatrick, who is more analytical than most of his peers, accepted he needed to find extra yards. On Fitzpatrick’s first year as part of PGA Tour statistics, 2013, his average driving distance did not reach 280 yards. It now touches 300.“I feel like Matt has challenged me a lot,” Walker says. “There were times where I felt like I was getting close to his full potential but he didn’t look at it that way. He was already top 30 in the world, with his size he wasn’t a really long hitter. He was always hell bent on one thing and that was getting to the top.“We had agreed on a goal for this year of getting to the top 10 in the world. We thought that was fairly realistic. But you don’t realise that it takes some doing. One thing we did always think was that if he was going to win a major, it would probably be the US Open. We felt it really suited his game. He obviously proved us right.”Fitzpatrick added length to his game to take him to the next level. Photograph: Amanda Sabga/EPAFitzpatrick was still in the midst of celebrations when he stated his desire to reach six major wins, matching the total of Nick Faldo. Walker knows Fitzpatrick better than anybody and knows he does not speak in jest. “He will go for more, without question,” Walker says. “He struggles to take two days off. Once the whirlwind subsides in the next few days, he will be right back at it. He just has a relentless desire to continue to improve. All this will have done is given him a shot of major adrenaline.”Walker was on the M6 near Birmingham as Will Zalatoris’s putt slid past the 18th hole at the Country Club and Fitzpatrick’s glory was confirmed. Emotions? Just a few. “Lets’s just say he made a few grown men cry. I might have been one of them.“Mine and Matt’s relationship is more than player and coach. I don’t know whether I’m like surrogate big brother or surrogate very young father. It means more and I think all the other players I work with will understand me saying that.”Fitzpatrick had been confident enough in his US Open position and mindset to let Walker leave the premises on day three. The champion called his coach on Saturday evening to discuss events at Tulsa last month, where Fitzpatrick passed up a strong position after 54 holes and Thomas went on to claim the USPGA Championship. The contents of that phonecall will remain confidential but when Walker saw Fitzpatrick crack his opening tee shot down the fairway, he knew there was mental stability. “He hasn’t said this to me but I think the USPGA was a pretty bitter pill for him to swallow,” Walker adds.If the Fitzpatrick-Walker bond is beyond dispute, the one between player and caddie is also hugely significant. Billy Foster, a popular veteran of the bag carrying world, cut an emotional figure after ending a near four-decade wait for a major win.“Matt is scared of him – or do you call it mutual respect?” Walker says with a laugh. “Billy is a great psychologist without having ever studied it. It’s cliched but he knows when to say things at the right time, how to read situations. When you add all that experience on top of it … he is also extremely diligent, meticulous in fact. They are both football fans. Their personalities match really well.” Fitzpatrick has discovered the perfect blend. | Golf |
X Factor star Tom Mann reveals his fiancée died suddenly on their wedding day as he shares emotional tribute: 'I am completely broken'The X Factor star revealed the mother of his eighth month old son passed away in the early hours of SaturdayThe singer - who was part of the band Stereo Kicks - posted a sweet photo of Dani and their son Bowie along with a touching messageTom auditioned for the X Factor as a solo artist but was put in Stereo Kicks, which made it to the final of X Factor in 2014 Published: 16:19 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 16:32 EDT, 20 June 2022 Tom Mann has revealed his fiancée Danielle Hampson tragically passed away on the morning of their wedding day. The X Factor shared a heartbreaking tribute to Instagram on Monday as he revealed the love of his life and mother of his eighth-month-old son passed away in the early hours of Saturday. The singer-songwriter - who found fame in the band Stereo Kicks - posted a sweet photo of Dani and their son Bowie along with a touching message.He revealed that he was feeling 'completely broken' but vowed to stay strong for the sake of their young son. Tragic: Tom Mann shared a heartbreaking tribute to Instagram on Monday following the sudden death of his fiancée Danielle Hampson Sad: The X Factor star revealed the love of his life and mother of his eighth month old son passed away in the early hours of Saturday - the day of their weddingTom wrote: 'I can't believe I am writing these words but my darling Dani - my best friend, my everything and more, the love of my life - passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, 18th June.'On what was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives ended in irreversible heartbreak.'I feel like I have cried an ocean. We never made it to the alter; or got to say our vows, or dance our first dance, but I know you know that you were my entire world and the best thing that has ever happened to me, Danielle.'I will wear this ring that I was always supposed to wear as a sign of my unconditional love to you.' Tom wrote: 'On what was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives ended in irreversible heartbreak' Heartbreaking: Tom explained that he'll stay strong for his baby boy BowieHe explained that he'll stay strong for his baby boy Bowie: 'I am completely broken trying to process this and I honestly don't know where to go from here, but I do know I need to use any strength I can muster for our little boy.'I will not be a mark on the parent that you had already become but I promise I will do my everything to raise Bowie just the way we always wanted. I promise you he will know how amazing his mummy was. I promise to make you so so proud.'The most beautiful person inside and out. The most incredible soul. We have lost such a special person and I am sure we are about to see an abundant outpouring of love that reflects that. I will try to find peace in your messages and comments, but right now I am grieving and I will be for a very, very long time.'Tom added: 'My darling Dani, the brightest light in any room, my world is nothing but darkness without you. I will miss you forever.' He continued: 'I will wear this ring that I was always supposed to wear as a sign of my unconditional love to you'Tom auditioned for the X Factor as a solo artist but was put in Stereo Kicks, which made it to the final of the ITV singing show in 2014.The group consisted of Jake Sims, Chris Leonard, Charlie Jones, Casey Johnson, Barclay Beales, Reece Bibby, and TomHe went on to write songs for acts including JLS, Lewis Capaldi, Becky Hill and Mimi Webb. The group split up in 2015 just 10 months after they were formed on The X Factor.A statement to fans on the eight-piece boy band's Facebook page revealed they decided to go their separate ways after struggling to secure a record deal.The group wrote: 'We all feel the time has come for us to now continue our journeys individually.'We have learnt first-hand just how tough the industry is as an unsigned act. Unfortunately, due to these circumstances, we are no longer able to carry on as a band.'Please understand that there is nothing more that you could have done and that this is a situation completely beyond both your control and ours. We have considered endless ways of how we might try to make this work, but it is logistically impossible for us to continue as Stereo Kicks.'From the bottom of our hearts, we will be forever grateful for all of your hard work, support and love. We can't thank you enough.'The group went on to add that there had been no falling out between the members before they decision to call it a day: 'We still remain the BEST of friends and will continue to support each other in everything we do.'Although this is really sad for us, we felt that we wanted to end on a high. You guys have been with us every step of the way and have been the first to hear our news, and we wanted to keep it that way!' The group all performed a solo artists during the auditions stage of The X Factor in 2014, before being merged into a group by the judges.Former panellist Louis Walsh then put the boys through to the live shows, where they stayed until they were kicked out after a sing-off with Lauren Platt in week eight.Louis fumed at Simon Cowell at the time, insisting he would regret his decision not to save them when they became a huge hit.He said to the Metro: ‘It was totally the wrong decision by Simon. The potential for these boys is incredible and time will tell who will do well between these boys and the girl.‘I am never going to let him forget it. And when they sell all those records I will say, “Do you remember when you voted them off?”’The group had been tipped to be the next One Direction, but suffered a series of scandals in the early days of their formation.Barclay was the victim of revenge porn at the end of last year after an explicite naked photo was leaked online.Meanwhile, Jake was caught up in two drugs scandals in a month after pictures showing him lying in a daze after allegedly snorting Class A drug ketamine emerged just weeks after he was accused of making several references about smoking drugs online. Band: Tom auditioned for the X Factor as a solo artist but was put in Stereo Kicks, which made it to the final of X Factor in 2014 Advertisement | Music |
Katie Ledecky continued to pile up her gold medal collection on Monday after earning a record extending 17th world championship title with victory in the 1500m freestyle.Ledecky, who won the women’s 400m freestyle on the opening day of the championships, cruised to the gold medal with a time of 15 minutes and 30.15 seconds. The 25-year-old American finished more than 14 seconds ahead of compatriot Katie Grimes, who took the silver. Australia’s Lani Pallister won bronze.The win gave Ledecky her 20th world championship medal, equalling the women’s record set by compatriot Natalie Coughlin.“It’s pretty wild because I feel like just yesterday I was in Barcelona at my first worlds. It’s awesome representing Team USA year after year, and it’s an honour and a privilege, and it’s why I work hard,” she said.Elsewhere on Monday, Romanian teenager David Popovici confirmed his status as one of the most exciting emerging talents in the sport after producing a blistering swim to take gold in the men’s 200 metres freestyle.Popovici, 17, has been drawing comparisons with some of swimming’s greats with his dominant performances in junior championships and outpowered a strong field in the 200m free for a victory which announced his arrival in the elite.The Bucharest athlete, who finished fourth in Tokyo, became the first male Romanian swimmer to win gold at the world championships as he finished with a time of 1:43.21 – a new junior world record. He finished more than a second ahead of South Korea’s Hwang Sun-woo while Britain’s reigning Olympic champion Tom Dean finished third.“People at home believed in me. This medal is for them,” said Popovici. “Now, I will go to recover and get ready for the 100m competition,” he said looking ahead to the clash with Olympic champion Caeleb Dressel.Italy enjoyed a memorable session at the Duna Arena with Thomas Ceccon breaking the men’s 100m backstroke world record and 17-year-old Benedetta Pilato clinching the women’s 100m breaststroke.Italy’s joy began when Ceccon, 21, finished the 100m backstroke with a phenomenal time of 51.60 seconds – 0.25 seconds better than American Ryan Murphy’s previous mark. Murphy, a four-times Olympic gold medallist, finished second while fellow American Hunter Armstrong was third.“I have no words, there was an Olympic champion in 2016 [Murphy] and other strong people. I’m pretty happy,” said Ceccon.The women’s 100m breaststroke race was without Olympic champion Lydia Jacoby and Tokyo silver medallist Tatjana Schoenmaker and Pilato took full advantage.“I’m super happy, it was my dream and it came true tonight,” an emotional Pilato said as she broke down in tears, unable to finish her post-race interview | Swimming |
Chris Brown Me Better Than Michael Jackson??? That's CAP, Ends Internet Debate!!! 6/20/2022 1:40 PM PT Chris Brown wants no part of the Internet debate about whether he's more talented than Michael Jackson -- he's shutting down the whole convo after an interview on "Big Boy's Neighborhood." During the opening moments, the L.A. radio host addressed the swirling controversy to which CB decided to dead things once and for all. Breezy says if it wasn't for Michael Jackson, he wouldn't be anywhere near the entertainer he is today and cited a shrine he has dedicated to the late King of Pop. For the past few weeks, hip hop artists like Fivio Foreign and Tank have been leaning toward giving CB the ultimate crown -- but Chris himself says he'd concede to the man who brought us "Thriller," "Rock With You" and "Billie Jean." Going forward, CB is gearing up to go on tour with Lil Baby and drop his new album "Breezy" -- a project he tells Big Boy he recorded 250 songs for, before whittling it down to just 23. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. The album drops June 24, and you can spare Chris the comparisons to "Bad" or "Dangerous." "Thriller" goes without saying. | Music |
“We’re going to the Senior Open in Bethlehem, Pa., from here,” Monti said. “We’re going to get out before the traffic.”For the entire week, Adam Scott and Gary Woodland and Justin Rose and Louis Oosthuizen and Tommy Fleetwood and other citizens of the nomadic golf world had sat for a trim underneath a special US Open cape that featured the logo of The Country Club, squirrel and all, on the front. This was part of everyday life as part of the magic village that had been created on the grounds of this institution of privilege in Brookline, doors thrown open to the world, more than 175,000 people traipsing through the manicured hills and dales, drinks and iPhones in hand, everyone a visiting cousin from Peoria or Baton Rouge or Jamaica Plain, make yourself at home.Now it was all going to disappear.“Everything will be broken down and gone by tomorrow afternoon,” Jamie Palatini of NBC Sports said as his company’s 100 cameras and 750 employees recorded the finishing heroics of Fitzpatrick, the 27-year-old Englishman, who captured the US Open trophy (and a $3,150,000 check) with a sweet 9-iron approach to the 18th green to finish at 6 under par, one stroke better than 25-year-old Californian Will Zalatoris. “We’ve got more major championship golf coverage with the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Bethesda, Md., and the US Senior Open in Bethlehem.”Gone. Just like that.The two Brookline fire trucks (and assorted firefighters) hidden discreetly on the grounds in case of emergency, ready to fight a fire without fighting the local traffic, would be gone as soon as the golf ended. The 175 local police officers, recruited from surrounding towns and universities, would be gone by the end of the day. The Homeland Security kids and the FBI, some of them involved in preparations for this event for a year and a half, would be gone. The postal police, the inspectors …The postal police?“Every bit of mail has been inspected, X-rayed at a special location,” a Brookline policeman explained. “Then it is put in a truck and brought to the club. If the trip takes more than seven minutes because of traffic, the truck has to go back and the mail is inspected all over again.”Gone.An entire infrastructure would disappear. A social construct. Special wristbands no longer would be needed for a person to be admitted to special corporate tents to eat special corporate foods and drink special corporate drinks. Gone. Ropes that were held up to keep spectators from crossing fairways while golfers unloaded long-distance drives, sometimes to the middle of those fairways, sometimes (sigh) not, would be gone. Walk where you want. Go ahead. Walk straight down the well-cut grass.Volunteers, a legion of them, holding the ropes, waving orange paddles to warn of errant shots, keeping people out or letting people in, doing all kind of jobs, would return to normal lives.“I’m on a plane back to England tomorrow,” 74-year-old Brian Taylor, a volunteer from “30 minutes outside London,” said as he checked bags at the front of the large merchandise tent at the side of the 18th hole. “This is my 15th year of volunteering at the US Open wherever it is. I have to work four hours a day, then the rest of time I watch the golf. Eighty-five percent of the volunteers come from around the local area. Fourteen percent come from different states in America. And 1 percent are international.”The shelves inside the tent — splashed with trendy names like Ralph Lauren Polo and Vineyard Vines and Peter Millar — already were largely vacant. They resembled the toilet paper aisles at the local supermarket during the height of the COVID crisis. Hats and shirts and doodads had disappeared.“Do you have any blankets?” a late patron asked.“We did yesterday,” Brian Taylor answered. “Then it got chilly …”Gone.The merchandise tent was bustling with activity during tournament week, but the store is closed now.John Tlumacki/Globe StaffThe weather, for the record, was uniformly good for the tournament. A bit chilly, yes, for the final two days, but warm before that. Sunny, a taste of New England. The course, the players mostly said, was a golfing wonder. Hard, but fair, like a final exam from a very good teacher. There were 26 eagles during the four days, 16 of them on the par-5 eighth hole. There were 111 double bogeys, 27 “other,” the designation for large trouble. A total of 1,087 birdies were posted, 1,765 bogeys, 4,820 pars. No statistics were listed for curse words or moments of self-satisfaction.After an opening round of hard news about the newly formed LIV Series, which is backed by money from the Saudi Arabian government, the conversation mostly stopped when the LIV dissidents fell by the competitive wayside, though there was the occasional heckling. Fitzpatrick, the winner, was public-relations perfect, with his US Amateur championship history at The Country Club, his local story about staying with the Fulton family in Jamaica Plain.“Six majors to be a legend,” he said. “That’s the rule. Six is a lot. But this is one. It’s a good start.”The bulk of the golfers, but not Fitzpatrick, left for the short trip to Hartford, where many of the pieces will be reassembled for the Travelers Championship next weekend at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell. Many of the Mercedes vans, contracted from around the country, used to shuttle passengers from satellite parking lots, made the same trip. The Lexus courtesy cars would follow. Maybe. Or maybe they would be put up for auction. Hard to tell. Vehicles disappeared in all directions.Members at The Country Club would be back on the course as soon as next weekend, playing the same holes with the same problems the pros faced but not with the same results. The stands, the infrastructure, would disappear “by a specified date in August,” according to a spokesman for TCC. The grounds, trampled into submission, would be back to normal “by next spring, or maybe the end of the year, depending on the weather in the fall.”No date was scheduled for a return of the Open. That was part of the charm of the whole thing. Unlike, say, the Boston Marathon or another 162-game Red Sox season, there will be no repeat next year. There will be no repeat in five years, the event already scheduled through 2027 (Los Angeles Country Club, Pinehurst, Oakmont, Shinnecock Hills, Pebble Beach.) This was a rare event. There could be no repeat for a long time.The last Open at The Country Club was in 1988, a 34-year spread between then and now. If there is another 34-year wait, well, the magic will return in 2056.Matt Fitzpatrick will be 61 years old in 2056, maybe coming over from the Champions Tour, maybe with those six or more major victories in his pocket. Or maybe not. Keegan Bradley, local favorite, will be 70 years old. Fran Quinn, from Holden, oldest golfer in the field this time, will be 91. Mike Tirico, the lead NBC broadcaster, will be 89. Curtis Strange, the 1988 winner, a color commentator this time, will be 101. The Open will be 156. The Country Club will be 174.See you then. | Golf |
A man racing his Jeep on the runway of a Sierra Nevada airport was killed when he flipped the vehicle.
Nathan Henson, 46, of Oakdale, was participating around 6:45 p.m. Friday in an event during which drivers could drag-race on a closed course at the Columbia Airport. He was driving a Jeep CJ-5 in a one-on-one competition when he lost control, according to the Tuolumne County sheriff’s office. The Jeep rolled over multiple times. Henson was pronounced dead at the scene. His Jeep didn’t hit anything, and nobody else was injured, the sheriff’s report said. The Columbia Airport, in the Sierra’s western foothills, has a 1,500-yard runway. The racing was a preliminary event to the Father’s Day Fly-in, a weekend of activities for pilots and plane enthusiasts. | Extreme Sports |
WASHINGTON (AP) — WNBA star Brittney Griner tried to call her wife nearly a dozen times through the American embassy in Russia on the couple’s fourth anniversary Saturday, but they never connected since the phone line at the embassy was not staffed, Cherelle Griner said Monday.The couple has not spoken by phone in the four months since Griner’s arrest in Russia on drug-related charges. That was to have changed Saturday, when a long-awaited call was to have finally taken place. But the day came and went without any contact, leaving an anguished Cherelle Griner to wonder what went wrong and to suspect at least initially that Russian authorities had thwarted the call.On Monday, she said she learned from her wife’s lawyers a more distressing truth: Brittney Griner had actually tried to call 11 times over a period of several hours, dialing a number she’d been given at the U.S. embassy in Moscow, which the couple had been told would then patch the call through to Cherelle Griner in Phoenix. But each time, the call went unanswered because the desk at the embassy where the phone rang was apparently unstaffed on Saturday.“I was distraught. I was hurt. I was done, fed up,” Cherelle Griner told The Associated Press in an interview, recounting how an anniversary she had eagerly anticipated was instead spent in tears. “I’m pretty sure I texted BG’s agent and was like: ’I don’t want to talk to anybody. It’s going to take me a minute to get my emotions together and just tell everybody I’m unavailable right now. Because it just knocked me out. I wasn’t well, I’m still not well.”The experience has further exacerbated already simmering frustrations about the U.S. government’s response to her wife’s case. U.S. officials have repeatedly said they are working behind the scenes to get the two-time Olympian home from Russia and consider her case a top priority. But Cherelle Griner said she remains “very pissed” by the snafu, especially since the call had been on the schedule for two weeks and yet no one warned her during that time that it might be logistically impossible because of the weekend.The State Department said Monday that it was aware of the issue and was looking into it. Cherelle Griner said a contact in the U.S. government had apologized to her for the error. She said she’s since learned that the one number Brittney Griner had been told to dial typically processes calls from prisoners on Mondays through Fridays but not weekends.“But mind you,” Cherelle Griner said in the interview, “this phone call had been scheduled for almost two weeks — with a weekend date.”She added: “I find it unacceptable and I have zero trust in our government right now. If I can’t trust you to catch a Saturday call outside of business hours, how can I trust you to actually be negotiating on my wife’s behalf to come home? Because that’s a much bigger ask than to catch a Saturday call.”Cherelle Griner said she was still hoping to talk to or meet with President Joe Biden, but “at this point it’s starting to feel like a no.”Brittney Griner, a seven-time WNBA All-Star who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, was detained at a Russian airport on Feb. 17 after authorities there said a search of her bag revealed vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. The State Department in May designated her as wrongfully detained, moving her case under the supervision of its Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, effectively the government’s chief hostage negotiator. Russian state-run news agency Tass reported last week that her detention had been extended until July 3.So far, Cherelle Griner says she’s had to rely exclusively on others’ assessments about her wife’s condition. Lawyers and consular affairs officials have been able to speak with the basketball star, but her wife has not. On the evening before the call, she went to sleep at 5 p.m. so that she’d be awake and alert at midnight to receive the anticipated call from Russia to Phoenix that never came.“This was such a big moment because this would have been the first time where I truly could tell if she’s okay,” Cherelle Griner said. “This would have been the first time for me to actually just hear her in real time and to truly know if she’s okay or to know if she’s seconds away from not being in existence anymore.”____Feinberg reported from New York. Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. | Basketball |
About two hours after Game 6, I walked past Golden State’s locker room and saw the remnants of the brief but raucous party. There were empty bottles everywhere, with Modelo and Moet the obvious drinks of choice.▪ Say what you want about Green, but the man is an elite troll. TD Garden fans at Game 4 received white T-shirts that showed all 17 of Boston’s championship banners, with an empty slot for No. 18. Green got his hands on one, and after the Game 6 win, he or an accomplice used a black marker to write “Warriors” atop the empty banner, and “Nope!! Maybe in 23,” inside of it. Then he wore the shirt on the flight home.Get Court SenseBounce around the NBA with our Celtics-centric look at the latest happenings on and off the court.The Golden State locker room was littered with evidence of a postgame party.Adam Himmelsbach/Globe staff▪ These teams face each other just twice each regular season, and one Finals matchup isn’t enough to spark a true rivalry. But thanks to some of the petty battles — mostly involving Green — the seeds are certainly there. Some already have suggested that this rematch should be featured on Christmas Day next season. But as long as Kyrie Irving remains in Brooklyn — which is no certainty — it should be Celtics vs. Nets and Warriors vs. Grizzlies.▪ But if you just can’t wait until next year for a chance at revenge, the Celtics and Warriors will meet in the Las Vegas summer league July 12 at 8 p.m. Can you feel the excitement?▪ Former Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge told me more than a month ago that he was going to be back in Boston to attend the US Open at The Country Club in Brookline. So it was not a surprise that he was at TD Garden last Thursday.Ainge guided this franchise for 18 years before retiring last summer and eventually resurfacing as the CEO and alternate governor of the Jazz. His son, Austin, is still a Celtics assistant general manager, and he remains quite close to just about everyone within the franchise.So, somehow, it didn’t seem out of place to see Ainge, who holds a top job with another NBA team, walking through the tunnel with Tatum and Jaylen Brown after the final buzzer. In just about any other situation, that juxtaposition would have been quite odd.Danny Ainge (left) congratulated Golden State veteran Andre Iguodala after Game 6.Jim Davis/Globe Staff▪ There were some tense moments during the Finals, but it’s truly wild that all six games were decided by double digits.▪ Tatum’s first NBA Finals were forgettable, and it’s too bad that his last night of a mostly excellent season ended up being one of his worst as a Celtic. In addition to his 6-for-18 shooting, he just appeared lost at times, and his confidence seemed rattled.I’ll remember one fourth-quarter possession when he caught the ball in the left corner — an extremely high-percentage shot for him — then hesitated, drove to the rim, and was clearly discombobulated as he traveled, one of his NBA-record 100 playoff turnovers.You could actually hear fans yelling “Shoot it!” before he passed up that corner three.It was not a happy ending for Jayson Tatum (left).Jim Davis/Globe StaffTatum is the only one who can say whether fatigue factored into his slowdown. He certainly had a long year, from the Tokyo Olympics to leading the NBA in playoff minutes. But it’s hard to believe that this would be the point that the wear and tear finally became too much.In the Finals, there were two days of rest after four of the games, a virtual vacation compared with the rest of the season. The timeouts were longer, there were no overtimes, and all of the lopsided scores reduced the intensity of typically high-stress, high-energy late-game moments.Tatum’s usage rate of 28.8 percent in the playoffs was behind players such as Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Stephen Curry.Maybe Tatum just wasn’t quite ready for the biggest stage. But the experience certainly will help.▪ The playoff crowds at TD Garden were considerably rowdier than those in any opposing venue. Oddly, it didn’t seem to provide a boost. The Celtics finished the postseason just 6-6 at home and 8-4 on the road. The Warriors, meanwhile, were 11-1 at home.▪ If Celtics fans are looking for something to feel good about, go watch some Robert Williams highlights. The 24-year-old center was hobbled for much of the playoffs with lingering soreness from his March knee surgery, but he started to resemble his usual above-the-rim self against the Warriors.When he wasn’t swatting away shots — he had 17 blocks in the series while averaging just more than 26 minutes per game — he was making Golden State players rethink their choices in the lane. The Celtics know what they have in Tatum and Brown, but Williams’s ceiling continues to rise and his development could be the most important factor in the Celtics’ pursuit of a title.Robert Williams (left) denies Andrew Wiggins at the basket.Jim Davis/Globe Staff▪ The Celtics bench probably could use an upgrade, but its decrease in playoff minutes wasn’t really an indication of coach Ime Udoka’s lack of trust in his reserves. The playing time of stars is always ramped up when games matter most. This isn’t unusual.Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Grant Williams all had excellent moments during the playoffs. They just did not really shine during the Finals. Against Golden State, Williams had a minus-22.8 net rating and White was minus-18.7. Pritchard was 0 for 7 from the field over the final three games.▪ I’m a self-proclaimed chocolate chip cookie expert. Next time you’re in San Francisco, get one from Victoria’s Pastry in North Beach. I may or may not have stopped by four times over the last few weeks. It’s the best I’ve ever had.▪ When a team has a few bad stretches during a specific quarter, there is a tendency to dissect apparent issues that arise during those segments. For much of the Finals, for example, the Celtics were walloped in the third period, a stretch that Golden State dominated throughout the playoffs.For the entire postseason, the Celtics outscored opponents by 12.8 points per 100 possessions in second quarters, the best mark in the NBA. They had a plus-9.4 net rating in fourth quarters and minus-6.0 in thirds. Their first quarters were dead even.Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach. | Basketball |
Rob & Chyna Settle Revenge Porn Case ... Trial Jurors Sent Home 6/20/2022 9:35 AM PT Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna don't agree on much, but were apparently able to hammer out an agreement before another nasty trial was scheduled to kickoff between the two. Jury selection in the former couple's revenge porn case was to begin Monday in L.A., however, potential jurors were informed they'd no longer be needed -- as the two had reached a settlement. We don't yet know the terms of the deal, or if it was financial ... but we do know Rob and his legal team put up quite a fight to prevent the trial from even happening in the first place. As we reported, Rob claimed he and Chyna had already struck a deal to end the revenge porn case. Rob said he had agreed to help Chyna get out of another case if she'd drop the revenge porn case ... but then claimed Chyna never held up her end of the bargain. A judge decided Rob's proof of a prior deal wasn't good enough, and ordered the revenge porn case to continue ... but obviously, that changed Monday morning when the two sides figured something out. It was back in 2017 when Rob posted several naked photos of Chyna on social media. At the time, she reportedly was looking for 7-figures from Rob for the alleged damage his posting the photos did to her reputation and potential business deals. | Celebrity |
It is 42 years since Sharron Davies won a silver medal in the Moscow Olympic swimming pool, yet she is still driven by the injustice that she did not get the gold. She had the option thereafter of making peace with her past and putting it behind her, but has elected instead to raise her voice louder than ever. Even the death threats will not silence her.This is where the transgender debate in sport has got to. Davies has campaigned vociferously for transgender women to be prevented from joining female competition. You might have thought on Sunday when Fina, swimming’s world governing body, banned transgender athletes from women’s elite events that her argument was won and her job was done. Far from it.Davies | Swimming |
Even if you've never held one of his namesake instruments, you may know that Les Paul designed one of the first solid-body electric guitars. Astonishingly, Gibson, which manufactured the guitar, was fearful this radical new direction in instrument design would flop, and it didn't even show the prototypes to the public for years.But the Gibson Les Paul was far from being the first electric guitar. In 1931, the very first electrically amplified stringed instrument sold commercially was a simple, all-metal, cast aluminum lap steel guitar nicknamed the "Frying Pan"—and a certain Adolph Rickenbacker invented the electromagnetic pickups for it. Now, 90 years later, the Kassell, Germany-based industrial designer Robin Stummvoll, founder of Verso Musical Instruments, is going back to basics, and is seemingly taking inspiration from the electric guitar's humble beginnings. With no formal training as a luthier, Stummvoll has decided to pare down the electric guitar to its minimum parts, reducing the amount of materials used to make each instrument. "There's a guitar made in the '70s by Allan Gittler [held in the MoMA design collection] that is basically just a steel rod with steel frets welded on," Stummvoll says. “It's really the minimum a guitar needs to be, but it's very complicated to build it and very expensive. So my approach was on this was something that can be built in a smaller shop, yet creates a new perspective on luthierie.”For a much different take on steel-bodied guitar design, check out James Trussart's rusty beasts.Rather than a lump of wood, the Cosmo's body is a carefully bent sheet of powder-coated steel. This ergonomic shape not only houses the necessary circuitry to make the guitar work, it also allows an innovative approach to the placement of the pickups, transducers that capture the strings' mechanical vibrations and convert them to electrical signals that can then be amplified and played through a loudspeaker. Pickups are usually screwed in place to a guitar's body, but where they are placed affects the tone of the sound created. This is why you see multiple pickups in different locations on, say, a Fender Stratocaster or a Les Paul. Stummvoll has made his pickups mobile so they can be moved around and placed where the player chooses. "This was a happy accident," explains Stummvoll. "It wasn't the intention." As pickups are magnetic, they naturally clamp themselves to the surface of the Cosmo's metal body. Realizing the potential benefits of this in terms of versatility of sound, Stummvoll made it a feature. You can watch and listen to some YouTube demos of this changing sound."It has its own character and sound, a very warm and resonant tone with lots of harmonic content, but it's nothing weird or strange," Stummvoll says. "I would say it's somewhere between electric guitar and an acoustic, because you have these added overtones—but more towards electric." Photograph: Verso InstrumentsAs well as the $1,781 (€1,710) Cosmo and the brand's Gravis bass guitar, Stummvoll has now released his latest creation, the $1,935 (€1,860) Orbit, a baritone guitar. As well as featuring Verso's signature movable pickups, Stummvoll says the Orbit's long 28.5-inch (720 mm) scale gives this instrument precise and gritty bass response in standard B to B or A to A tunings, while that added length also apparently brings plenty of sustain.Stummvoll also claims that the Orbit's “natural microphonic effect is less pronounced than on Cosmo, which makes it even more suitable to distorted sounds.” Metal fans, take note. | Music |
Drake Enough with This Fake Drake!!! Supports Nightclub Booting Famed Imposter 6/20/2022 2:04 PM PT Drake has a new album and a new vibe, but he's totally fed up with the fake Drake's same ol' tricks. The social media personality -- who actually gets paid thousands of dollars to impersonate Drake -- was spotted over the weekend in Houston nightclub Area 29. Promoters DJ Eric and Chris Chizer also spotted the imposter and demanded security remove him from the premises ... in the name of loyalty to the real deal. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. After the damning video made its rounds to DJ Akademiks' Instagram page, the real Drake let his actions speak louder than words, and attacked the clone ... by liking the clip! The plot thickened when fake Drizzy claimed the embarrassing nightclub moment was staged to help promote real Drake's new album, "Honestly Nevermind." Well, PretendPapi might wanna pump his brakes on that story -- TMZ Hip Hop spoke to Houston Ross, the promoter who shot the clip, and he says the altercation was totally organic. What's more, he says fake Drake and his manager paid the $30 cover just like everyone else. Ross tells us DJ Eric and Drake are actually close friends and seeing the imposter set him off. Drake actually has his own reserved section inside Area 29, so it wouldn't make any business sense to bring the phony guy in to host. Ross also shared Instagram DMs from fake Drake's manager, blaming DJ Eric and Drake for putting his client in the embarrassing viral moment. Drake's new album projections are circling the 210-230K first-week sales benchmark ... a total steal for an album announced just hours prior to its release. Fake Drake might wanna try hitting clubs where the real McCoy isn't so popular. Good luck finding one, though. | Music |
World Athletics may follow FINA's restriction on transgender women competing against biological women in swimming at the elite level. Sebastian Coe
, the president of World Athletics, said his governing body for professional track and field events was examining data and statistics on the issue, adding another review on transgender participation in sports as FIFA is also reassessing eligibility policies
. WATCH: SWIMMERS REACT TO ‘FAIR’ TRANSGENDER BAN IN WOMEN’S WORLD SWIMMING EVENTS "We continue to study, research and contribute to the growing body of evidence that testosterone is a key determinant in performance, and have scheduled a discussion on our regulations with our council at the end of the year," Coe said to BBC Sport
. FINA's new policy, approved by 71% of national federation members, bans transgender women from competing in women's swim events if they have not transitioned before the age of 12. FINA also plans to create "open" meets in which all athletes can compete. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER "FINA's approach in drafting this policy was comprehensive, science-based and inclusive, and, importantly, FINA's approach emphasized competitive fairness," Brent Nowicki, the governing body's executive director, said to the BBC. The move follows a controversy in which swimmer Lia Thomas became the first known transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division 1 title earlier in the year. | Swimming |
Roxy Music fans definitely need to search out the stunning cover of the band’s “Avalon” by the Bay Area’s own René Peraza.
Peraza, the former Malo band frontman who has shared stages with Los Lobos, Santana, A Flock of Seagulls and other well known acts, delivers one of the best cover versions we’ve ever heard of this title track to Roxy Music’s brilliant 1982 album.
The South San Francisco takes Bryan Ferry’s gorgeous lyrics and sings them in Spanish on this moving rendition, dubbed “Ilusión.”
It’s Peraza’s tribute to the mighty album — which was released 40 years ago this year — as well as a song that he dubs as “perhaps the most beautiful ballad in the English language.” Folks can check out “Ilusión” at the artist’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/reneperaza. While they are there, however, they should also give an ear to Peraza’s latest groovy single — “What is Real?” — which proves to be an excellent showcase for the crooner’s baritenor vocals.
Learn more about this talented Bay Area musician, who is also an actor with credits in “Nash Bridges,” “Bicentennial Man” and other films/programs, by visiting reneperaza.com. | Music |
Celebrity | 6/20/2022 10:42 AM PT As Billy comes out as "straight," Kendrick exclaims, "You're free now ... our love can flourish!" Billy Eichner just celebrated Pride Month by coming out as straight. Kinda. The actor went viral over the weekend after he shared a screen shot of a clickbait headline reading, "These new celebrity couples made us believe in love in 2022" -- which came alongside a 2019 photo of him and Anna Kendrick together on the red carpet (above). "Um ... Hey @AnnaKendrick47 - cats out of the bag!!!" tweeted Eichner, who has been an out gay man since the start of his career. Kendrick quickly responded to his comment, exclaiming, "We can finally live our truth Billy! You've felt so pressured to seem like a gay man that you made #BrosMovie but you're free now! Our love can flourish!" Eichner used the opportunity to promote his upcoming movie "Bros" -- which has been celebrated for having the first openly gay man (Billy himself) co-writing and starring in his own major studio film. The movie also features an almost entirely LGBTQIA+ cast in all roles -- including the straight ones. "Guys I know this is really bad timing with all the Bros stuff but ... I'm straight," he continued. TV writer Carey O'Donnell responded to Billy, joking that Kendrick "performed Cups at your wedding," launching another NSFW thread. "She pegs me with a cup," cracked Eichner, before Kendrick once again jumped into the replies. "Billy!! If you keep talking about our sex life in public I swear on everything holy I will stop using lube," she wrote. "Ok fine. Just please don't tell anyone sometimes I beg you to dress up as your character from Trolls," added Billy, bringing that thread to a close. While Billy said the "Bros" trailer was "PROOF I'M STILL GAY," he also joked that he has to say he's straight "so I can win AWARDS for playing gay" -- a reference to straight actors like Tom Hanks, Hilary Swank, Sean Penn and Jared Leto all getting Oscar love for playing queer roles. "Bros" hits theaters September 30. Think Kendrick -- who is reported to actually be dating Bill Hader -- will score an invite to the premiere? | Celebrity |
French Montana My New Album is OG Wave... Just Ask NYC Mayor Adams, Haaan!!! 6/20/2022 2:20 PM PT Instagram / @frenchmontana French Montana says he and his mopstick are ready to clean up the rap competition this summer with his album "Montega" -- an album that now has certified approval from NYC Mayor Eric Adams. French & fam were out in The Big Apple last night soaking up the sounds of the new project, which won over listeners with features from Quavo, Rick Ross and late collaborator Chinx ... over a bangin' bevy of longtime producer Harry Fraud's beats. French tells TMZ Hip Hop he's back in his bag saying, “This album takes me back to my roots and original wave sound with Harry. I create my best work with him and always trust him to see the vision." He adds, "I think the fans are going to appreciate this one, it’s really going to bring them back." Last weekend, French dropped off the intro track video "Blue Chills" and plans to keep the hype moving into the album's June 24 release date. Interesting to note: Mayor Adams take on French's new music is night and day from his reaction to the city's drill music. Just sayin' ... but for whatever reason, hizzoner's riding for Montana's "Montega." | Music |
Published: 17:08 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 17:21 EDT, 20 June 2022 Celebrating his 80th birthday with his family at the weekend, Sir Paul McCartney looks in no hurry to get back.The former Beatle took his family for a cruise off the Greek island of Mykonos. On board the yacht were his wife Nancy Shevell, 62, daughters Stella and Mary, Stella’s husband Alasdhair and Mary’s sons Arthur and Elliot. Listen to what the man said: Sir Paul, watched by Mary, with grandsons Arthur, 23, and Elliot, 19 Sun king: Sir Paul relaxes on the yacht with Stella Sir Paul will become the oldest solo artist to headline at Glastonbury festival on Saturday Sir Paul, in wet navy trunks and shirt, was seen joking around with his wife after they took a dip in the sea. Fashion designer Stella, 50, also took the plunge in a black one-piece and was seen athletically using a rope to haul herself in and out of the water.On Saturday, Sir Paul will become the oldest solo artist to headline at Glastonbury. The musician shares a hug with wife Nancy Letting go: Stella McCartney takes the plunge from a ropeMary, 52, in an elegant black and white jumpsuit captured pictures of Sir Paul with his family soaking up the evening sun together on the boat.Simply dressed in a white shirt and dark trousers Sir Paul looked relaxed and contented as he opened presents from his family on his milestone birthday. Advertisement | Celebrity |
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 20 (Reuters) - Swimming's world governing body FINA has voted to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women's competitions and create a working group to establish an "open" category for them in some events as part of its new policy.Here is an explanation of what the policy is and FINA's reasoning behind the change:WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE NEW POLICY?FINA officials said the aim of the policy was to ensure fair competition in women's races.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comFINA cited scientific evidence that males who transition to being women (transgender women) retain physical advantages despite undergoing hormone therapy and testosterone reduction as part of their treatment."By 14 years or older, the difference between boys and girls is substantial. That's due to the advantages experienced due to the physiological adaptations in testosterone and the possession of the Y chromosome," said Dr Sandra Hunter, an exercise physiologist who was part of FINA's panel looking into the issue."Some of these physical advantages are structural in origin such as height, limb length, heart size, lung size and they will be retained, even with the suppression or reduction of testosterone that occurs in the transition from male to female."WHAT IS THE BIG CHANGE?The new eligibility policy for FINA competitions states that male-to-female transgender swimmers (transgender women) are eligible to compete in women's competitions only if "they can establish to FINA's comfortable satisfaction that they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 (of puberty) or before age 12, whichever is later".WHAT IS 'TANNER STAGE 2'?Typically boys will begin puberty at ages 11-12 and complete the process by 16-17. Tanner Stage Two is the second of five stages of puberty. While puberty timetables vary according to a number of factors, boys can have completed stage 2 and entered stage 3 by the age of 12 or 13. In some cases it may be earlier or later.Stage 2 is when physical changes begin including genital development, growth of hair around penis and under arms and an increase in height which can bring growing pains.WHAT IS THE POLICY FOR TRANSGENDER MEN?In the case of female to male transgender swimmers (transgender men), given there is no physical advantage gained, they are eligible to compete in men's competition.However, swimmers who are undergoing testosterone treatment or receiving other anabolic substances as part of hormone treatment need to obtain a Therapeutic Use Exemption in line with anti-doping regulations.Female-to-male transgender athletes (transgender men) who are not using exogenous androgens can compete in the women’s category.Male-to-female transgender athletes (transgender women) remain eligible for the men’s category whether or not they are suppressing their endogenous androgens.Swimming - FINA World Championships - Budapest, Hungary - June 19, 2022 General view of Alex Walsh of the U.S. in action before winning the women's 200m medley final REUTERS/Antonio Bronic DOES THIS POLICY APPLY TO ALL SWIMMING COMPETITIONS?The policy only applies to eligibility for FINA competitions and events recognised by FINA. Those include world championships and the Olympic Games. The policy also impacts on who FINA considers eligible for a world record.While national federations and other bodies are therefore in charge of their own events, FINA stated that the policy is "intended to operate uniformly around the world".WHAT IS THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS?All athletes must certify their chromosomal sex with their national swimming federation in order to be eligible for FINA competitions.Transgender swimmers must provide FINA with a comprehensive medical history and other evidence to prove they are eligible for the competition category and be willing to undergo a physical examination.An independent expert will review the submission and make a decision on eligibility.FINA can also monitor through random or targeted testing of athlete's testosterone levels.FINA can also conduct investigations of swimmers who have not filed a declaration as a transgender athlete.Swimmers can appeal any decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.WHAT IS THE NEW 'OPEN CATEGORY'?FINA voted to set up a working group to establish a new 'open category' that could be held alongside men's and women's races.They will look into the feasibility of a category where anyone "who meets the eligibility criteria for that event would be able to compete without regard to their sex, their legal gender, or their gender identity."DOES THIS POLICY COVER OTHER SPORTS?Yes. The policy is to be applied for FINA events -- as well as swimming, they include Diving, Water Polo, Artistic Swimming, and High Diving and Open Water Swimming.WHAT HAVE LGBTQI+ GROUPS SAID?The U.S based campaign group Athlete Ally said the policy is "deeply discriminatory, harmful, unscientific" and out of line with the stance of the International Olympic Committee."The eligibility criteria for the women's category as it is laid out in the policy police the bodies of all women, and will not be enforceable without seriously violating the privacy and human rights of any athlete looking to compete in the women's category," said Anne Lieberman, Director of Policy and Programs at Athlete Ally.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Simon Evans,Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Swimming |
According to Baz Luhrmann’s biopic, Elvis Presley’s dream was to be a great actor. But his Hollywood ambitions were frequently stifled by his controlling manager, Colonel Tom Parker (played by Tom Hanks). A key scene in the film has a rueful Elvis (Austin Butler) explaining that he won’t be able to co-star opposite Barbara Streisand in the 1976 remake of A Star Is Born (a part he really wanted), because negotiations between Streisand and Parker ended extremely badly. Though that’s the only example that makes it into the movie, there are a number of other films that Elvis could have made, proving that his big screen career would have been very different if Parker had wielded less influence.The Rainmaker (1956)The same year that Elvis landed his first film role in Love Me Tender, he was asked to screen test for The Rainmaker, a Depression-era drama starring Burt Lancaster as a conman who hoodwinks a small town and falls in love with a middle-aged spinster (Katharine Hepburn). Elvis auditioned for the role of Hepburn’s brother but, according to the film’s screenwriter N Richard Nash, he only showed the acting ability of “the lead in a high school play”, and the part eventually went to Earl Holliman.Thunder Road (1958)Robert Mitchum had seen Elvis on stage before he was famous, and the pair remained friends once Elvis hit Hollywood. At a Christmas party, while playing songs together, Mitchum tried to talk Elvis into taking the part of his younger brother in Thunder Road, a moonshine-fuelled chase thriller he was producing. However, Parker vetoed the idea because it wasn’t a musical and he didn’t want Elvis “to do a movie he couldn’t get an album out of”. The part of Robin Doolan eventually went to Mitchum’s son, James Mitchum.Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)In 1958, Elvis was offered the role of Brick Pollitt in the adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play about an alcoholic former high school athlete trying to recapture his glory days and resisting the affections of his wife, Maggie “the Cat” (Elizabeth Taylor). Parker apparently refused the role on Elvis’s behalf and it went to Paul Newman instead.Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis in The Defiant Ones, directed by Stanley Kramer. Photograph: United Artists/Kobal/REX/ShutterstockThe Defiant Ones (1958)By 1958, Elvis had made his first three movies: Love Me Tender, Loving You and Jailhouse Rock. His film career established, he was keen to play the role of John “Joker” Jackson, opposite Sidney Poitier, in The Defiant Ones: about a black and a white escaped convict who are shackled together. Once again, Parker vetoed the role, which eventually went to Tony Curtis – the actor and the film were both Oscar-nominated.West Side Story (1961)It has long been rumoured that Elvis was considered for the part of Tony, but Parker turned down the role on the grounds that he didn’t think a film about street gangs would be good for the King of Rock’n’Roll’s image.Sweet Bird of Youth (1962)Clearly, Elvis didn’t have much luck when it came to parts in Tennessee Williams adaptations that eventually went to Paul Newman. He was approached to play Chance Wayne, a drifter (a sanitised version of the play’s gigolo) who has a relationship with a faded movie star. Once again, Parker reputedly vetoed the role because he didn’t want Elvis playing a seedy character.Your Cheatin’ Heart (1964)It could have been so different … a photograph of Elvis is surrounded by the Oscars won by MGM films. Photograph: Fred Prouser/ReutersIn 1964, MGM considered Elvis for the lead in their Hank Williams biopic. This time, however, it was Williams’ widow Audrey Williams who intervened, saying that she didn’t want the King to take away from Hank’s legacy. The part eventually went to George Hamilton.Valley of the Dolls (1967)According to a Vanity Fair article, author Jacqueline Susann wanted Elvis to play crooner Tony Polar in the screen adaptation of her Hollywood potboiler, but the studio ignored her request. Elvis probably had a lucky escape on that one, as the film was a critical disaster and regarded as one of the worst movies of all time.Another kind of rodeo … Jon Voight’s Joe with Dustin Hoffman’s Ratso in Midnight Cowboy (1969) Photograph: Warner Bros/AllstarMidnight Cowboy (1969)United Artists wanted Elvis for the role of Joe Buck, a naive Texas hustler trying to make it in New York. True to form, Parker turned down the part on the grounds of its seedy connotations, without even bothering to consult Elvis. Of all Elvis’s near-misses that one probably stung the most, as the film won three Oscars as well as best actor nominations for both Jon Voight as Joe and his co-star Dustin Hoffman.Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)Elvis was briefly considered for the lead role in the 1971 musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The part eventually went to Gene Wilder (two years older than Elvis).King crossed … Marlon Brando in the title role of The Godfather (1972). Photograph: Paramount/Kobal/ShutterstockThe Godfather (1972)Elvis was a huge fan of Mario Puzo’s novel and wanted to play the the role of consigliere Tom Hagen – the part that eventually went to Robert Duvall. Various sources suggest he got as far as being asked to screen test, and also that he lobbied for the title role. | Movies |
X Factor star Tom Mann has revealed his fiancée Danielle Hampson died on Saturday - the morning of their wedding day. The singer, 28, shared a heartbreaking Instagram tribute on Monday as he revealed the love of his life and mother of his eighth-month-old son passed away in the early hours of Saturday. The singer-songwriter - who found fame in the band Stereo Kicks - shared a photograph of Dani and their son Bowie as he revealed that he was feeling 'completely broken' but vowed to stay strong for the sake of their young son. Tom had just returned from a holiday with PR Executive Danielle, 34, in Sardinia last month. Danielle did not suffer from any known health problems and her cause of death is unknown. Tragic: X Factor star Tom Mann, 28, has revealed his fiancée, 34, and the mother of their eight-month-old son died suddenly on their wedding day as he shared an emotional tribute about being 'completely broken' Heartbreaking: The X Factor star (pictured on the show in 2013) revealed the love of his life and mother of his eighth month old son passed away in the early hours of Saturday - the day of their weddingTom wrote in his Instagram post: 'I can't believe I am writing these words but my darling Dani - my best friend, my everything and more, the love of my life - passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, 18th June.'On what was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives ended in irreversible heartbreak.'I feel like I have cried an ocean. We never made it to the alter; or got to say our vows, or dance our first dance, but I know you know that you were my entire world and the best thing that has ever happened to me, Danielle.'I will wear this ring that I was always supposed to wear as a sign of my unconditional love to you.' Broken: The singer-songwriter - who found fame in the band Stereo Kicks - shared a photograph of Dani and their son Bowie as he revealed that he was feeling 'completely broken' but vowed to stay strong for the sake of their young son Tom wrote in his Instagram post: 'I can't believe I am writing these words but my darling Dani - my best friend, my everything and more, the love of my life - passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, 18th June' Tom went on to vow that he would stay strong for his son, penning: 'I am completely broken trying to process this and I honestly don't know where to go from here, but I do know I need to use any strength I can muster for our little boy.'I will not be a mark on the parent that you had already become but I promise I will do my everything to raise Bowie just the way we always wanted. I promise you he will know how amazing his mummy was. I promise to make you so so proud.'The most beautiful person inside and out. The most incredible soul. We have lost such a special person and I am sure we are about to see an abundant outpouring of love that reflects that. 'I will try to find peace in your messages and comments, but right now I am grieving and I will be for a very, very long time.'Tom added: 'My darling Dani, the brightest light in any room, my world is nothing but darkness without you. I will miss you forever.' He continued: 'I will wear this ring that I was always supposed to wear as a sign of my unconditional love to you'The couple are believed to have been dating since 2015, when Danielle shared her first Instagram post with Tom. Her last social media post came three weeks prior to her death when she shared pictures from the couple's holiday in Sardinia with friends. Tom received an outpouring of support and condolences from his celebrity friends. Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle wrote: 'Sending so much love, light & healing to you, Bowie & everyone who loved Dani!!'Mimi Webb penned: 'Tom I’m so so sorry ❤️ sending all my love to you & thinking of you❤️ love you brother x we are with you', while Strictly star HRVY wrote: 'so so so sorry Tom, we all love you ❤️ thinking of you man.'Lewis Capaldi commented: 'Love you brother ❤️' Last post: Danielle's last social media post came three weeks prior to her death. She shared pictures from the couple's holiday in Sardinia Family snaps: Danielle had shared a gallery of images with her fiancé and their baby boy Fun with friends: Danielle and Tom had been joined by a group of friends on their trip Tom auditioned for X Factor as a solo artist but was put in Stereo Kicks, which made it to the final of the ITV singing show in 2014.The group consisted of Jake Sims, Chris Leonard, Charlie Jones, Casey Johnson, Barclay Beales, Reece Bibby, and TomHe went on to write songs for acts including JLS, Lewis Capaldi, Becky Hill and Mimi Webb. The group split up in 2015 just 10 months after they were formed on The X Factor.A statement to fans on the eight-piece boy band's Facebook page revealed they decided to go their separate ways after struggling to secure a record deal. Tom said of Danielle: 'The most beautiful person inside and out. The most incredible soul. We have lost such a special person and I am sure we are about to see an abundant outpouring of love that reflects that' Condolences: The star's famous friends reached out to share their support The group wrote: 'We all feel the time has come for us to now continue our journeys individually.'We have learnt first-hand just how tough the industry is as an unsigned act. Unfortunately, due to these circumstances, we are no longer able to carry on as a band.'Please understand that there is nothing more that you could have done and that this is a situation completely beyond both your control and ours. We have considered endless ways of how we might try to make this work, but it is logistically impossible for us to continue as Stereo Kicks.'From the bottom of our hearts, we will be forever grateful for all of your hard work, support and love. We can't thank you enough.'The group went on to add that there had been no falling out between the members before they decision to call it a day: 'We still remain the BEST of friends and will continue to support each other in everything we do. Band: Tom auditioned for the X Factor as a solo artist but was put in Stereo Kicks, which made it to the final of X Factor in 2014'Although this is really sad for us, we felt that we wanted to end on a high. You guys have been with us every step of the way and have been the first to hear our news, and we wanted to keep it that way!' The group all performed a solo artists during the auditions stage of The X Factor in 2014, before being merged into a group by the judges.Former panellist Louis Walsh then put the boys through to the live shows, where they stayed until they were kicked out after a sing-off with Lauren Platt in week eight.Louis fumed at Simon Cowell at the time, insisting he would regret his decision not to save them when they became a huge hit. First post: The couple are believed to have been dating since 2015, when Danielle shared her first Instagram post with TomHe said to the Metro: ‘It was totally the wrong decision by Simon. The potential for these boys is incredible and time will tell who will do well between these boys and the girl.‘I am never going to let him forget it. And when they sell all those records I will say, “Do you remember when you voted them off?”’The group had been tipped to be the next One Direction, but suffered a series of scandals in the early days of their formation.Barclay was the victim of revenge porn at the end of last year after an explicite naked photo was leaked online.Meanwhile, Jake was caught up in two drugs scandals in a month after pictures showing him lying in a daze after allegedly snorting Class A drug ketamine emerged just weeks after he was accused of making several references about smoking drugs online. Celebrity spot: Danielle (pictured with Gary Barlow) did not suffer from any known health problems and her cause of death is unknown | Celebrity |
Ryan Giggs has stepped down as Wales manager.The Manchester United legend – who temporarily left the role after being charged with assaulting his ex-girlfriend – announced his decision on Monday evening, which was revealed by Mail+.Talks with FAW officials have been ongoing, with Giggs finalising the move following the country's qualification for the World Cup under interim boss Rob Page earlier this month. The 48-year-old – who strenuously denies the charges and who initially stepped down following the allegations in November 2020 - has decided to bring closure to the situation following the delay of his court case.Giggs does not want his situation to act as a distraction as his country prepares for its first appearance in a World Cup finals since 1958.He remains determined to clear his name, but given proceedings are now unlikely to take place until August, he feels that now is the time for clarification. In a statement released on Monday, Giggs said: 'After much consideration, I am standing down from my position as manager of the Wales men’s national team with immediate effect.'It has been an honour and a privilege to manage my country, but it is only right that the Wales FA, the coaching staff and the players prepare for the tournament with certainty, clarification and without speculation around the position of their head coach.'As has been well publicised, I have pleaded not guilty to the criminal accusations being heard at Manchester Crown Court. Man United legend Ryan Giggs has stepped down as Wales manager on Monday evening He finalised the move following the country's qualification for the World Cup under interim boss Rob Page'Whilst I am confident in our judicial process, I had hoped that the case would have been heard earlier to enable me to resume my managerial responsibilities.'Through nobody’s fault the case has been delayed.'I do not want the country’s preparations for the World Cup to be affected, destabilised or jeopardised in any way by the continued interest around this case.'I have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed some unforgettable moments during my three years in charge of the national team.'I am proud of my record and will cherish those special times forever.'It has been a pleasure to work with such well-established, senior professionals, and it has given me immense pride to watch so many young players progress into the national squad and flourish in the proud red colours of our country.'I am touched and grateful to our passionate supporters for following us all over the world.'To see nearly 3,000 of our loyal, travelling fans in Baku for the European Championship qualifier against Azerbaijan made me appreciate the sacrifices people make to watch our nation play. Giggs does not want his situation to act as a distraction as his country prepares for its first appearance in a World Cup finals since 1958'I am sad that we cannot continue this journey together because I believe that this extraordinary group will make the country proud at our first World Cup since 1958.'I would like to thank the chief executive Noel Mooney, his predecessor Jonathan Ford, the board of the FAW, plus the many people behind the scenes who work tirelessly to help our national team and for the support they have given me during this difficult time in my personal life.'It is my intention to resume my managerial career at a later date and I look forward to watching our national team alongside you in the stands.'Finally, I would like to wish the players, the staff and the supporters at the FAW every success at the World Cup and in the future. Thank you and best wishes. Ryan'Giggs's trial was adjourned for close to seven months to August 8 following a backlog of cases at Manchester Crown Court.He is accused of causing his ex actual bodily harm at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester, in November 2020 and using coercive behaviour towards her. He has also been accused of assaulting his ex's sister. Giggs denies all the allegations.Following qualification Page revealed his contract with Wales had been extended but Giggs's pending move will remove any confusion over the situation.Read the full story on the Mail+ by clicking HERE. GIGGS' STATEMENT IN FULL After much consideration, I am standing down from my position as manager of the Wales men’s national team with immediate effect.It has been an honour and a privilege to manage my country, but it is only right that the Wales FA, the coaching staff and the players prepare for the tournament with certainty, clarification and without speculation around the position of their head coach.As has been well publicised, I have pleaded not guilty to the criminal accusations being heard at Manchester Crown Court.Whilst I am confident in our judicial process, I had hoped that the case would have been heard earlier to enable me to resume my managerial responsibilities.Through nobody’s fault the case has been delayed.I do not want the country’s preparations for the World Cup to be affected, destabilised or jeopardised in any way by the continued interest around this case.I have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed some unforgettable moments during my three years in charge of the national team.I am proud of my record and will cherish those special times forever.It has been a pleasure to work with such well-established, senior professionals, and it has given me immense pride to watch so many young players progress into the national squad and flourish in the proud red colours of our country.I am touched and grateful to our passionate supporters for following us all over the world.To see nearly 3,000 of our loyal, travelling fans in Baku for the European Championship qualifier against Azerbaijan made me appreciate the sacrifices people make to watch our nation play.I am sad that we cannot continue this journey together because I believe that this extraordinary group will make the country proud at our first World Cup since 1958.I would like to thank the chief executive Noel Mooney, his predecessor Jonathan Ford, the board of the FAW, plus the many people behind the scenes who work tirelessly to help our national team and for the support they have given me during this difficult time in my personal life.It is my intention to resume my managerial career at a later date and I look forward to watching our national team alongside you in the stands.Finally, I would like to wish the players, the staff and the supporters at the FAW every success at the World Cup and in the future.Thank you and best wishes. Ryan Giggs' nascent managerial career showed early promise and he would not rule out a return to management in the future if he clears his nameRyan Giggs may have stepped down as Wales manager but the 48-year-old still believes there is life left in his managerial career if he can prove his innocence in August.And with what he managed to achieve in his near three-year stint as manager of his country - after some harsh lessons learnt at United - it is no surprise he wants more of the action if he manages to clear his name.His nascent managerial career came after a glittering time on the pitch as a player, winning 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, four FA Cups and three League Cups. But the start to his managerial career was not so plain sailing. It began in topsy-turvy circumstances, appointed as United's interim player-manager at the back end of the 2013-14 season following the sacking of the unsuccessful David Moyes in April 2014. Ryan Giggs was in charge of Man United for four games in 2014 as an interim player-managerHe was in charge for four games before being named an assistant to incoming boss Louis van Gaal, winning half of those fixtures following 4-0 and 3-1 victories against Norwich and Hull City. Those wins came either side of a 1-0 defeat by Sunderland at Old Trafford, before the Red Devils secured a 1-1 draw away at Southampton on the final day of the season. Having had a taste of what victories as manager could bring though, Giggs felt the time was right to hand up his boots at the age of 40.And he made an immediate impression on experienced Dutchman van Gaal, who publicly anointed Giggs as his successor after just a year into his two-year deal at Old Trafford. He was then appointed as an assistant at Old Trafford to Dutchman Louis van Gaal During his caretaker spell, Giggs was praised for giving debuts to youngsters James Wilson and Tom Lawrence and his willingness to give youth a chance had seen him gain favour with those who wanted to see him appointed on a full-time basis. However, United chose against taking a chance on the yet untested and unproven Giggs, instead appointing Jose Mourinho, Giggs subsequently announced his departure from the club in July 2016.Having enjoyed two decades under the guidance of the great Sir Alex Ferguson as a player and then working on tactics and philosophy with van Gaal, Giggs felt an opportunity to show his worth was not too far away.Less than two years later, that chance arose when his national team - who he had won 64 caps for as a player - came calling and duly appointed him as head coach on a four-year contract in January 2018. He left United after Jose Mourinho was appointed and became Wales boss in January 2018Not only was his appointment met with a lukewarm reception from the fans, but he had also signed up to the unenviable task of succeeding Chris Coleman.The former Fulham boss had taken Wales to their first international tournament in 58 years at Euro 2016, where they reached the semi-finals.Initially it seemed to not play on Giggs' mind even though they lost the China Cup final to Uruguay early on in 2018, having thrashed the hosts 6-0 in the same tournament.But if he had not realised the size of the task when he arrived, he was sure aware of it by the end of the calendar year, with the first 12 months appearing at best to be shaky. No doubt the Nations League double over the Republic of Ireland would have offered him some hope of winning the fans over, but two defeats by Denmark in the same competition extinguished that promise. Giggs' tenure got off to a shaky start, with defeat against Albania a low point to end 2018A hammering against Spain in a friendly was also a blow but the year was rounded off in the worst possible fashion with an embarrassing 1-0 defeat by Albania, who at the time were sat 42 places below them in the FIFA rankings.There was seemingly little sign of improvement when 2019 began, with a victory over Slovakia in Euro 2020 qualifying followed by successive defeats to Croatia and Hungary.The latter was the seventh defeat in 13 matches in charge for Giggs and they were now playing catch up to try and qualify for Euro 2020. So the fact they climbed that mountain - trailing group leaders Hungary by six points - was remarkable.Despite gradual signs of improvement, Giggs' men had largely looked vulnerable out of possession, not to mention the sloppy defending and poor finishing at either end of the field under his guidance.But the defeat in Budapest was their last of the qualifying campaign, beating Azerbaijan twice and drawing with Croatia and Slovakia, before securing qualification for Euro 2020 against Hungary. His side showed little signs of improvement at the start of 2019, with defeat in HungaryGiggs described leading Wales to Euro 2020 as a career highlight. After the victory over Hungary that sealed Wales' place in the finals, Giggs said: 'It is one of the greatest nights of my life.'The calendar year of 2020 showed that turnaround was no fluke, with a 3-0 defeat against England in a friendly at Wembley the only blemish on Wales' five games that year under him.But in November 2020, football took a back seat for Giggs when he was arrested at his Manchester home.And in April 2021 he received the devastating news he would not be able to lead his country at the tournament he had put all his energy into helping them qualify for. But they then completed a dramatic turnaround to seal qualification for Euro 2020He was charged with causing actual bodily harm to a woman in her 30s and common assault of a woman in her 20s, as well as one count of coercive and controlling behaviour between December 2017 and November 2020.Page was put in interim charge of Wales in November 2020 and took the Dragons to the round of 16 at last summer's delayed European Championship across Europe.The same man will now lead Wales into the World Cup in Qatar, but Giggs believes his managerial career will be far from over if he clears his name. | Soccer |
Story at a glance The International Swimming Federation (FINA) on Sunday issued a new policy banning virtually all transgender women from competing in elite international swimming events. Transgender female athletes under the policy would only be eligible to compete in the women’s category if they receive gender-affirming care before the age of 12 or at the onset of male puberty. The policy comes months after an update from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that rejected the belief that athletes assigned male at birth hold an inherent advantage over those assigned female at birth. The International Swimming Federation (FINA), the world governing body of elite swimming, on Sunday announced a majority of its members had voted in favor of a new policy effectively banning transgender women from competing in elite international swimming events. The policy, FINA said, was developed to control for a “performance gap” between athletes assigned male and female at birth that emerges during puberty. “Without eligibility standards based on biological sex or sex-linked traits, we are very unlikely to see biological females in finals, on podiums, or in championship positions,” a portion of the new policy reads. FINA members also determined that cisgender women – who in the policy were referred to as “biological females,” a term often used by anti-transgender activists – would be at greater risk of injury should they regularly compete against transgender women. “We have to protect the rights of our athletes to compete, but we also have to protect competitive fairness at our events, especially the women’s category at FINA competitions,” FINA President Husain Al-Musallam said Sunday in a news release announcing the policy change. America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news. Under the new policy, which takes effect Monday, transgender athletes assigned male at birth are eligible to compete in the women’s category in FINA competitions if they can establish to the governing body’s “comfortable satisfaction” that they have not undergone male puberty. Transgender female athletes may also be eligible to compete if they are able to prove that they received gender-affirming medical care before the age of 12 that prevented them from experiencing “any part of male puberty” beyond its onset. Testosterone levels must also remain under 2.5 nanomoles per liter of blood. According to the policy, if gender-affirming care is initiated after the onset of male puberty, “it will blunt some, but not all, of the effects of testosterone on body structure, muscle function, and other determinants of performance.” The policy adds that “legacy effects” from transitioning after puberty will give transgender women “a relative performance advantage” over cisgender female athletes. The policy’s requirement that transgender athletes receive gender-affirming health care – like puberty blockers or hormones – as preteens comes as more than a dozen states this year have introduced measures to restrict access to them, particularly for transgender minors. In Alabama, a law was passed – and later partially blocked by a federal judge – in April that made it a felony for doctors to provide or recommend gender-affirming health care to patients younger than 18 years old. Other bans on medical care for transgender youth have been passed in Arizona and Arkansas. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has called gender-affirming care “child abuse” and ordered state agencies in February to open investigations into the parents of transgender children. Late last week, Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration introduced a proposed rule that would eliminate Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming health care. The new FINA policy is also, at least in part, at odds with an International Olympic Committee (IOC) policy updated in November that rejects the presumption that athletes assigned male at birth hold an inherent advantage over those assigned female at birth. “No athlete should be precluded from competing or excluded from competition on the exclusive ground of an unverified, alleged or perceived unfair competitive advantage due to their sex variations, physical appearance and/or transgender status,” the IOC framework reads. But the IOC in the same six-page document said the organization is not in a position to issue regulations defining eligibility requirements for every sport, and tasked each individual sport and its governing body with determining “how an athlete may be at a disproportionate advantage against their peers.” On Sunday, FINA also announced that a working group will spend the next six months establishing an “open competition category” for athletes to compete in FINA events “without regard to their sex, their legal gender, or their gender identity.” “FINA will always welcome every athlete,” Al-Musallam said. “The creation of an open category will mean that everybody has the opportunity to compete at an elite level. This has not been done before, so FINA will need to lead the way. I want all athletes to feel included in being able to develop ideas during this process.” Calls to establish a similar division have been made this year, particularly in swimming, where Lia Thomas in March became the first transgender woman to win a national Division I title. Thomas during that meet swam a personal best of 4:33.24 in the the 500-yard freestyle – nearly 10 seconds slower than the NCAA record set by Katie Ledecky, a cisgender woman, in 2017. But creating a separate category for transgender athletes could also create a unique slate of problems, Joanna Harper, a leading international expert on gender and sport, told Changing America. Harper said she’s skeptical whether athletes competing in the new category will be able to earn a professional living and – especially in sports like swimming, with 16 events, four different strokes and a range of distances – if there will even be enough athletes to compete against each other at an elite level. “I’m skeptical as to how this all will work,” she said. “But before denouncing it, I’m at least willing to give them a chance.” FINA also isn’t the first governing body to effectively bar transgender women from elite international competition, Harper pointed out. World Rugby last year said transgender women would no longer be permitted to play in international competitions “because of the size, force- and power-producing advantages conferred by testosterone during puberty and adolescence, and the resultant player welfare risks this creates.” The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the international governing body for cycling, earlier this month announced that transgender women must maintain a testosterone level of 2.5 nanomoles per liter of blood for at least two years before they are eligible to compete in elite international events. The FINA ban is by far the largest ban on transgender athletes in sport, encompassing diving, water polo, artistic swimming, high diving and open water swimming. “Forcing all transgender athletes into an open category is not a valid solution for equity in sports,” Chris Mosier, the first transgender athlete to represent the United States in international competition, told Changing America in an email. Mosier pointed out that in professional running, some races have already added “open” or nonbinary categories, but participation in those categories is voluntary. Requiring transgender athletes to compete in a separate category would be “isolating” and “harmful,” he said. “It deprives all athletes of the incredibly powerful social and community aspects of sport,” Mosier said. “Which include making meaningful relationships with and learning from a diverse group of teammates and fellow participants.” Published on Jun. 20, 2022 | Swimming |
Celebrity | 6/20/2022 10:32 AM PT DeuxMoi shared a message from a source that claimed, "I heard she was dating another NBA player…." Khloe Kardashian is happy to focus on herself and her daughter True following Tristan Thompson's infidelity scandal and she wants the world to know it. After rumors that she had started dating another NBA player began circulating on celebrity gossip Instagram account DeuxMoi, the Good American founder was quick to nip things in the bud. The original submission was shared by a fan wondering when the reality star would start her "BDE" era and date men like Pete Davidson or Travis Barker who have made her sisters Kim and Kourtney Kardashian giddy as of late. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. DeuxMoi posted a photo that contained the original submission side-by-side with a screenshot of a text from a source that claimed, "I heard she was dating another NBA player…." Although the mystery poster couldn't identify a name, "No, my boss couldn't remember his name, sorry!" When a Kardashian fan account reposted the image, Khloe got wind of the rumor and replied, "Definitely NOT True !!! I love you! Thank you for the nice wishes but I am not seeing a soul. I am happy focusing on my daughter and myself for a while." On last Thursday's season finale of "The Kardashians" on Hulu, viewers saw how the family and Khloe herself reacted to the drama in real time, after it was exposed that Thompson had sex with another woman and possibly got her pregnant. At the time the episode filmed, Maralee Nichols was about to have the child -- but it wouldn't be confirmed until later that Tristan was 100% the father. Getty Khloe Kardashian Tweets Statement After Watching Tristan Paternity Scandal Unfold in The Kardashians Finale View Story After learning the news from the Daily Mail -- and not Thompson himself, despite Tristan knowing full well it was coming -- Kim called a mini-family meeting, which Khloe opted out of attending. "All of you f---ing trolls on the internet that make Khloe feel like the biggest piece of s--- ... I will find each and every one of you and ... not threaten you on TV, but it's wrong," the SKIMS mogul said straight to viewers in a confessional. "It's so wrong because you guys don't understand that when you have a child, you do anything to try and make it work and I'm so proud of who Khloe is that she wanted to give her relationship a second chance, even after he dogged her and embarrassed the s--- out of her." "When the whole world is looking at you, laughing at you, calling you every name in the book, do you know how hard that is?" she asked. "That is 10 times harder to stay in a situation, than it is to leave." | Celebrity |
Movie Details Details for In Theaters Calendar for movie times. is selected. Skip to Movie and Times Loading calendar… Filter movie times by screen format. is selected. Theaters near How To Watch On Demand Stream over 150,000 Movies & TV Shows on your smart TV, tablet, phone, or gaming console with Vudu. No subscription required. In theaters on Friday, Jun 17, 2022 | Movies |
Matt Fitzpatrick has said his maiden major win, achieved at the US Open on Sunday, surpassed his wildest dreams.The 27-year-old from Sheffield had never won a professional event in the US before seeing off Will Zalatoris at the end of an epic battle at Brookline. A day later Fitzpatrick remained on cloud nine.“It’s way better than I ever expected,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s something I dreamed of as a little kid, everyone wants to win a major and to have done it – I honestly didn’t believe it would feel as good as it does. To have that feeling is incredible. It’s really something special. I just want to take it all in.”Key to his achievement was a widely acclaimed bunker shot on the tournament’s 72nd hole. From 159 yards the Englishman fired an iron to inside 20ft. There were shades, in fact, of Sandy Lyle’s fantastic recovery from sand on the 18th during the final day of the 1988 Masters.“I wasn’t looking forward to that shot,” Fitzpatrick said. “I have struggled with fairway bunkers all year. Billy [Foster, Fitzpatrick’s caddie] has been on at me for a while to improve that. I have practised it but have just struggled, it hasn’t been my forte. In the heat of the moment natural ability took over, I tried not to think too much about it and hit the shot of my life.”The champion’s younger brother, Alex, has just turned professional after a successful college career in the US. He will play in the upcoming Irish Open having shunned lucrative offers from the Saudi Arabian-backed LIV Series.“This reinforces to me that I made the right decision with LIV,” Alex said.“It was money being thrown at me and more money than I could comprehend but what was the risk? Matt’s win has just highlighted to me why I practise so hard every day. It’s about the dream not money, although the money is, of course, very nice. Matt helped me make my choice, along with my parents, and this just shows that we made the right decision. I can’t tell you how much I would love to achieve what my brother has. He isn’t anywhere near finished either.”Dustin Johnson was the highest LIV-associated finisher at the US Open in joint 27th place. Fitzpatrick denied thoughts of golf’s wider, troubled landscape were in his mind at all at Brookline but he is clear where his career focus lies.“All I was thinking about was trying to win,” he said. “You want to win majors, you want to win on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. That’s what it is all about.” | Golf |
Nas My Lyrics Are Supreme Team Influenced... Talks New Docuseries 6/20/2022 9:57 AM PT TMZ.com Nas famously immortalized his neighborhood kingpin, Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, and his Supreme Team drug empire on his classic debut album "Illmatic" — and now he’s making a movie about him! During a Q&A for his Showtime docuseries, "Supreme Team" ... Nas spoke on how McGriff and his Queens-based gang were influential in getting C.R.E.A.M. and helping pump his creative juices in the process. After rising to prominence in the early 90s at the height of NYC’s crack-cocaine boom, McGriff was eventually convicted of murder in 2007 and eventually sentenced to life in prison … where he remains to this day. ST's success in the streets and flashy wardrobe are said to directly influence the styles -- and command the respect -- of early hip hop artists, and the docuseries digs into that phenomenon. The conversation between his co-director Peter J. Scalettar and Billboard’s Deputy Director of R&B/Hip-Hop Carl Lamarre marked the end of the 2022 Tribeca Festival ... and NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Tribeca CEO Jane Rosenthal were watching the convo. Incarcerated Supreme Team leader, and McGriff nephew, Gerald "Prince" Miller called in from federal prison. "Supreme Team" premieres July 8 on Showtime. Check out the sneak-peek trailer. | Music |
Conservatives on Twitter got the phrase “No Tim Allen” trending Monday as they explained how they’re probably responsible for why “Lightyear” might have had a disappointing opening at the box office this weekend.
They repeated their allegations that the comedian’s conservative politics were responsible for his absence from the new film. Allen had voiced Buzz Lightyear in four previous films, but wasn’t asked to reprise the role in Disney and Pixar’s latest entry into the “Toy Story” saga.
They also argued that the “woke” animated feature suffered at the box office because it features a kiss between two lesbian characters. The film, with its $200 million budget, earned only $51 million this past weekend.
Industry analysts, however, told Variety there are more mundane, non-political reasons that “Lightyear” struggled. The film’s producer Galyn Susman and Berkeley-based director Angus MacLane pushed back against claims that Disney had nefarious intent in replacing Allen with Chris Evans, an outspoken liberal star who is most famous for playing Captain America in Marvel films that have grossed more than $1 billion worldwide. LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 13: Chris Evans is interviewed by young fans at the UK Premiere of Disney Pixars’ “Lightyear” on June 13, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures UK)
In a report, Variety agreed that “Lightyear’s” “lackluster” ticket sales were “confounding,” in part because Pixar has long been box office “royalty” and because the film landed “decent” reviews.
However good the reviews, they weren’t “euphoric,” Variety noted, and the film had a confusing premise, Variety writer Rebecca Rubin said. The Buzz in “Lightyear” isn’t the mirror image of the iconic toy figure from four prior “Toy Story” movies. He is instead presented as the cinematic inspiration for that toy.
As Susman explained: “Tim Allen is Buzz Lightyear the toy, and he’s the embodiment of Buzz Lightyear the toy. We weren’t making a ‘Toy Story’ movie. We’re making Buzz Lightyear’s movie, the Lightyear movie. And so first and foremost, we just needed to have a different person playing that Lightyear, separate from the toy.”
“Try explaining that to a 6-year-old,” Rubin said. “Heck, try explaining that to an adult.”
“Lightyear” only has “a tenuous connection” to the movies in the “Toy Story” franchise, Rubin wrote. Director MacLane called the film a “side-quel,” which means it can’t rely too much on people’s nostalgia for the original “Toy Story” storyline. Other challenges Disney faced is that family audiences have been largely absent from movie theaters during the COVID-19 pandemic and have only returned to movie theaters “in fits and starts,” Rubin said. Meanwhile, Disney spent the last two years putting Pixar movies, such as “Soul” and “Turning Red,” directly on Disney+, which may have inadvertently conditioned people to expect to see the animation studio’s newest releases at home.
Still, Rubin said a $51 million opening weekend is “far from catastrophic,” and “Lightyear” won’t face any serious competition among family audiences until Universal’s “Minions” sequel comes out July 1.
Jeff Bock, an analyst with Exhibitor Relations, told Rubin that “Lightyear” has all summer to “play out.” “If a film catches fire, people are going to go see it,” he said.
One Allen colleague who wasn’t dazzled by Evans’ performance, based off the trailer, was actor Patricia Heaton, who last week tweeted that it “castrated” a beloved character.
“Saw the trailer for Buzz Lightyear and all I can say is Disney/Pixar made a HUGE mistake in not casting my pal @ofctimallen,” the “Everybody Loves Raymond” star wrote. “Tim Allen in the role that he originated, the role that he owns. Tim IS Buzz! Why would they completely castrate this iconic, beloved character?”
A few commenting on the Variety story complained that it, like “Lightyear,” was “woke” because it avoided “the truth” of why the movie “flopped.” They lashed into the article’s failure to address online complaints about the Allen/Evans casting or the lesbian kiss. “I think parents refused to send their kids because of the LGBT content,” someone wrote.
Others have praised Disney for presenting diversity on screen with the kiss, which is between Buzz’s commander, Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba), and her wife, both of whom are Black. “It’s the briefest of smooches, and it almost wound up on the cutting room floor,” wrote Bay Area News Group film correspondent Randy Myers.
Whether it’s true that the kiss was too much for some audiences, there is no evidence that Allen was penalized by Disney for his politics, or that he is a victim of “cancel culture,” according to Snopes.com. In addition to the fact that Evans is playing a different iteration of the Buzz Lightyear character, Allen and Disney are working together on an upcoming TV series based on his “The Santa Clause” movies.
Evans also paid homage to Allen when it was announced in December 2020 that he was cast in the movie but that his character would be would be different than Allen’s, Yahoo reported.
On Instagram, Evans wrote, “Since Tim Allen is Buzz Lightyear, and no one could ever touch his performance, I needed to know how this character was different and why this story was worth telling. I can say 2 things with absolute confidence: 1. I didn’t stop smiling through the ENTIRE pitch. Ear to ear. 2. Everyone can rest easy. And get very excited.” | Movies |
Evans has no plans to revisit playing Captain America, but the "Lightyear" star is open to bursting into flames again as Johnny Storm. Chris Evans hopes the third time might be the charm for playing Johnny Storm aka the Human Torch in “Fantastic Four,” 17 years after he first burst into flames in the 2005 comic book film.
Evans told MTV News that after also starring in the sequel film “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” in 2007, he would love to give Johnny Storm a proper modern-day MCU portrayal.
“God, wouldn’t that be great?” Evans said in a video interview. “Wouldn’t that be great? No, no one’s ever come to me about that. I mean, I don’t exactly look the same anymore. That was 15, almost 20 years ago. Oh my God, I’m old. But I really love that character, but I think…aren’t they doing something now with Fantastic Four?”
Jon Watts was set to helm a “Fantastic Four” reboot, but since exited to lead “Star Wars” Disney+ spin-off series “Skeleton Crew” starring Jude Law. However, that hasn’t detracted from Evans’ enthusiasm for the “Fantastic” franchise. “Look, I would love it,” Evans continued about playing the Human Torch again as a return to the MCU since hanging up his Captain America shield with the last “Avengers” film. “I would love it. That would actually be an easier sell to me than coming back as Cap. You know what I mean? Cap is so precious to me. And you know, I almost don’t want to disrupt what a beautiful experience that was. But Johnny Storm, I feel like he didn’t really get his day. That was before Marvel really found its footing. So, I loved that role and, you know, who knows?”
John Krasinski made his debut as “Fantastic Four” leader Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” reigniting fan casting rumors that Krasinski’s real-life wife Emily Blunt would play his onscreen superhero spouse Sue Storm aka the Invisible Woman in the upcoming standalone “Fantastic Four” film. Villain Doctor Doom is also rumored to be appearing in “Black Panther 2.” No official “Fantastic Four” casting has been announced yet.
Although, ironically Krasinski auditioned for the role of Captain America years prior before Evans landed the Avengers position.
“The truth is, they hadn’t offered it to [Chris] yet, so they were like, ‘Let’s see who else is out there before we offer it to Chris Evans.’ And um, I went in and I tested for Captain America,” Krasinski previously explained about wanting to join the Marvel franchise. “I acted my heart out that day, and it didn’t work out.”
The “Quiet Place” director/star also previously said, “I would love to be in the Marvel universe. I love those movies because they’re fun, but I also think they’re really well done. And certainly, a lot of my friends are in those movies. I have no idea what [Marvel is] thinking. But if they are considering me for Mr. Fantastic, continue to consider me because I would love it.” Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. | Movies |
Darius Lee College Basketball Star Dead At 21 ... Shot & Killed In New York 6/20/2022 10:15 AM PT Houston Baptist men's basketball star Darius Lee was tragically shot and killed while at a gathering in New York on Monday, the university confirmed. He was just 21 years old. According to the NYPD, the shooting occurred at what appeared to be a barbeque in Harlem at around 12:40 AM. Cops say when they arrived on the scene following reports of gunfire, they found nine people -- seven males and two females -- suffering from gunshot wounds. Absolutely heart-wrenching news about the passing of Houston Baptist star Darius Lee earlier today. HBU coach Ron Cottrell provided a statement on Lee. pic.twitter.com/my0fVihYSh— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) June 20, 2022 @GoodmanHoops Lee, who was ID'ed by Houston Baptist as one of the seven injured males, was transported to a nearby hospital after being struck in the chest by a bullet. He was sadly pronounced dead there, cops say. Police say a firearm was recovered at the site of the shooting, but no further details regarding the incident were revealed. Cops say they've yet to make any arrests and an investigation is ongoing. Houston Baptist officials mourned Lee's death on Monday, with men's basketball head coach Ron Cottrell calling the 6-foot-6, 230-pound wing "a remarkable young man." "We are in shock and cannot wrap our heads around this news," Cottrell said. "My heart breaks for his mom, his sister and his entire family, and for our basketball team. The only thing we find comfort in right now is knowing where Darius is. He is in the arms of Jesus… we know that as fact. And we will see him again some day." Lee was Houston Baptist's best player last season ... averaging 18.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. The rising senior was expected to graduate in December, the school said. "As great of a basketball player as he was, he was an even better person," Cottrell said. "I can't even think of basketball right now. I can only think of what a light Darius was during his short time on earth. He was a joy to coach and we loved him so much." RIP. | Basketball |
Celebrity | 6/20/2022 11:42 AM PT "My dad wasn't just my dad," she wrote, "he was my best friend. " Lara Saget shared a touching tribute to her late dad Bob Saget on Father's Day. The 32-year-old took to Instagram on Sunday posting a throwback photo of the father-daughter duo. "My dad wasn't just my dad," she wrote, "he was my best friend. He wore his heart. He didn't hide it; he wasn't afraid of love. My dad simply wanted to share laughter and love with this world." Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. "I have noticed how scary it can be to love that big, to open so fully," she continued. "It can be easier to be angry, fearful, negative. Maybe because love has an infinite quality, it is boundless.""My dad taught me that it doesn't matter what life throws, how hard, how painful, how seemingly impossible. It doesn’t stop that love. He chose love, always I commit to doing the same. The love is right here. And it's my responsibility to give it to myself and to share by living in the love.""I love you infinitely, dad. Happy Father’s Day," she wrote concluding her message. Getty John Stamos 'Disappointed' Bob Saget Was Left Out of Tony Awards In Memoriam Tribute View Story Saget was found by hotel security around 4 p.m. ET at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Orlando, Florida on January 9, per TMZ, following a standup performance in Jacksonville. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Saget's family released a statement, saying, "Now that we have the final conclusions from the authorities' investigation, we felt it only proper that the fans hear those conclusions directly from us. The authorities have determined that Bob passed away from head trauma. They have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep. No drugs or alcohol were involved." The statement continued, "As we continue to mourn together, we ask everyone to remember the love and laughter that Bob brought to this world, and the lessons he taught us all: to be kind to everyone, to let the people you love know you love them, and to face difficult times with hugs and laughter." Saget was laid to rest on January 14 in a small, private memorial service for close friends and family at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. Many stars were in attendance, including "Full House" cast members, Kathy Griffin, John Mayer and more. | Celebrity |
“I think ‘exceeding expectations’ is a great way to describe it,” Lyman Bullard, president of The Country Club, said Monday. “When we were down on the fairway at the trophy presentation, I think all of us were sort of pinching ourselves. ‘Did this really happen?’ ”Indeed, much of the week felt almost too good to be true. The comfortable weather alone made it a terrific experience for players and fans alike. It was the USGA’s first “normal” US Open in three years, and just about everything fell into place to make it one of the finest golf majors in recent memory.“I think ‘epic’ would kind of sum it up,” said John Bodenhamer, chief championships officer for the USGA. “From metrics like attendance and merchandise and partners and how it looked on television and viewers, I just don’t know where we didn’t knock it out of the park on every front.”It started with the golf itself. The Sunday leaderboard was stacked with seven of the world’s 15 top-ranked players, including Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, and Hideki Matsuyama. That only the star players could navigate the course was a testament to the difficulty of The Country Club.The championship came down to a thrilling finish on the 72nd hole, with England’s Matt Fitzpatrick executing a fairway bunker shot for the ages, and Will Zalatoris missing a playoff-forcing putt by mere centimeters.It produced an historic champion, with Fitzpatrick joining Jack Nicklaus as the only male golfers in 122 years to win a US Open and a US Amateur at the same course.And The Country Club, a founding member of the USGA, which hadn’t been played by professionals since the 1999 Ryder Cup, was truly magnificent.It played like a classic US Open course with penalizing rough, tiny greens, and a variety of options to play each shot. The USGA likes to boast that it forces golfers to use “every bag in the club” throughout the week, and The Country Club certainly fulfilled that requirement.“The Country Club is spectacular. It’s my favorite US Open venue I’ve ever played,” said New England native Keegan Bradley, who appeared in his 10th championship and electrified the local crowd with a run at the top of the leaderboard. “I think it’s one of the best golf courses in the world, and alongside probably the best sports fans in the world. Combine those two, and you get this out here.”The championship was also a terrific partnership among TCC, the state, the town of Brookline, and local police. The 29 parking lots used for the event were a record for the USGA, Bodenhamer said. It was also the USGA’s most environmentally friendly championship ever. And TCC’s Lee Elder Internship provided 25 minority youths with an opportunity to learn the business of golf and create connections.“It was a whole community undertaking, for us and the town and the USGA to produce such an amazing championship,” Bullard said.That’s not to say the golfers always enjoyed themselves. TCC provided challenges from tee to green that aren’t usually seen on the PGA Tour.McIlroy, who tied for fifth at 2 under par, was flummoxed by the blind tee shots caused by the rocks protruding from the landscape.“A few tee shots I’m happy to not see again for a few years,” he said. “But, overall, really good setup, great US Open. It was a really good week.”Morikawa, who also tied for fifth, said TCC required more navigation than most courses, especially when considering driver, wood, or iron off the tee.“You really have to plot your way around the course. You’ve got to think through it,” Morikawa said. “I thought it was the best place I’ve played in a while.”The small, sloping greens were also a challenge.“These greens are brutal,” said Zalatoris, whose 113 putts over four days were fifth-fewest in the field. “I just had a really hard time getting uphillers to the hole this week just because they’re so uphill.”But the difficulty is what made it fun. The winner came in at 6 under, and only 9 of 156 golfers finished under par — exactly what a US Open should be.“I think it just goes to show that a golf course doesn’t need to be overly long to play tough,” McIlroy said. “This thing’s 7,200 yards, which is pretty short by today’s standards. But just with good architecture and good setup, the winning score is going to be sort of 5-6 under par, which I think is a fair reflection of how the course played all week.”“I thought it’s a really good track, and I’d love to see it come back here.”McIlroy isn’t alone. Bullard said it was an “overwhelming sentiment” among TCC members and USGA officials Sunday night to bring the US Open back sooner than the 34-year hiatus between the last two. Other USGA events like the US Amateur could be in play in the relatively near future. TCC has a relationship with the USGA that dates back more than a century, and it has hosted 17 amateur and professional championships, including four US Opens.“It’s a special place for us, and I know we’d love to come back,” Bodenhamer said.But bringing the US Open back is easier said than done. The USGA has already booked out 19 future US Opens, and the only ones available in the next two decades are in 2028, 2031, 2036, and 2038-40.The Country Club almost certainly won’t become a USGA “anchor” like Pinehurst, Pebble Beach, and Oakmont, three sites on permanent rotation, getting a championship every 5-10 years.But this past week’s tournament was such a success that it certainly shouldn’t take three decades for it to come back to Brookline.“I would say right now we are just soaking in the overwhelmingly positive sentiments from the week for everyone involved,” Bullard said. “But we certainly are proud of being a founding USGA member and club, and I think the membership is very interested in exploring more national championships in the future.”Ben Volin can be reached at [email protected]. | Golf |
Sony's lower-priced movies rule the VOD charts elsewhere as consumers look for value in their home-viewing spending. Is it a sign of consumers becoming more price-conscious? This week’s VOD charts suggest perhaps, and also that Sony is still figuring out how to thread the needle without its own streaming channel.
“Morbius,” just reduced to $5.99, “Uncharted” at the same price though not new, and the quickly lowered “Father Stu” all got the placement, with the first two sharing #1 positions.
Sony has normally had somewhat extended windows for its top films like “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Uncharted,” then doing well on more expensive PVOD transactions for extended periods. “Morbius” and “Father Stu” both had more standard 45-day PVOD releases, and “Stu” an expedited reduced price play.
The lower-cost “Morbius” is back at #1 on Google Play and Vudu, with “Uncharted” ahead on iTunes. When not #1, each film is either #2 or 3 on the remaining chart. “Stu” is #5 on iTunes, and 10th on Google Play. This is a switch from last week, when two new PVOD releases — “Downton Abbey: A New Era” (Focus) and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24), both $19.99 — led all charts. Neither sustained its lead position, with “Everything” ranging from #3 to #5, “Downton” #6 on two charts and missing from Google Play’s top 10. That even Vudu, which calculates by money paid for titles rather than transactions, has “Morbius” and “Uncharted” in its two top, and three of its top five similarly lower-priced, raises questions. That means four times or more people chose them over the highest-ranked PVOD title (“Bad Guys”/Universal at $19.99). It appears that many home viewers now see that if you wait a few weeks, a film can be seen for a lesser price. And this might also reflect the quicker drop for recent new films — those viewers most interested still go with PVOD, while others show patience.
This hardly means that either “Downton” or “Everything” is suffering. Both though getting decent or better theatrical interest are lower-budget films. The broader audience that propels top films like “No Way Home” or “Top Gun: Maverick” isn’t interested in more niche titles to the same level. It’s more important that they sustain multi-week play (we of course have little awareness as of now of the actual relative levels on these charts), and both likely jump when their price is reduced.
“The Lost City” (Paramount/$4.99) joined “Everything,” “Morbius,” and “Uncharted” on all three charts. This week though, atypically, saw no new releases. This week sees both “Watcher” (IFC) and “Crimes of the Future” (Neon) available after their respective third weekends in theaters.
“Cha Cha Real Smooth”Apple
Home viewing this week saw streaming debuts of multiple films that previously would have been theater exclusives with some potential. “Cha Cha Real Smooth” came to Apple, the same day as limited theaters. “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” is on Hulu, with Searchlight’s acquisition skipping theaters entirely. The latest remake of “Father of the Bride” is on HBO Max. “Hustle,” Adam Sandler’s latest film, in its second week on Netflix is getting a strong critical response. It’s possible the quality of films like these is causing more competition for people who might otherwise spend money for standalone viewing. It also comes at a moment when among the expected reasons for the disappointing showing for Disney’s “Lightyear” include that many viewers are savvy enough to figure they can watch it on Disney+ soon similar to other recent Pixar titles. It’s too early to spot a cost-cutting trend, and some of this may be the result of a wider number of movie choices on lots of platforms at the moment.
“Hustle” was displaced as #1 at Netflix by “Spiderhead.” This is yet another example of the streamer attracting top talent, then at least initially getting viewing. The thriller with prisoners volunteering to take experimental drugs in exchange for sentence reductions was directed by Joseph Kosinski. He made this after completing the long-delayed “Top Gun: Maverick.” Miles Teller from that film co-stars here with Chris Evans.
“Hustle” is now #3. (“It” from Warner Bros. — streamer placement patterns continue to be baffling — just arrived at #2). During the week, it held off the Jennifer Lopez documentary “Halftime,” which reached #2 (now #4). It is a stronger-than-usual group of original releases for the streamer, which despite all the bad headlines does continue to deliver in terms of creative participation elevated programming.
iTunes and Google Play rank films daily by number of transactions. These are the listings for June 20. Distributors listed are current rights owners.
iTunes
1. Uncharted (Sony) – $5.99
2. Morbius (Sony) – $5.99
3. Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24) – $19.99
4. The Lost City (Paramount) – $4.99
5. Father Stu (Sony) – $5.99
6. Downton Abbey: A New Era (Focus) – $19.99
7. Dog (United Artists) – $5.99
8. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Paramount) – $4.99
9. Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony) – $5.99
10. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Lionsgate) – $19.99
Google Play
1. Morbius (Sony) – $5.99
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Paramount) – $4.99
3. Uncharted (Sony) – $5.99
4. Everything Everywhere Always All at Once (A24) – $19.99
5. The Lost City (Paramount) – $4.99
6. Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony) – $5.99
7. The Bad Guys (Universal) – $19.99
8. Jurassic World: Forbidden Kingdom (Universal) – $3.99
9. Top Gun (Paramount) – $2.99
10. Father Stu (Sony) – $5.99
Vudu
Vudu ranks by revenue, not transactions, which elevates Premium VOD titles. This list covers June 13-19
1. Morbius (Sony) – $5.99
2. Uncharted (Sony) – $5.99
3. The Bad Guys (Universal) – $19.99
4. The Batman (Warner Bros.) – $5.99
5. Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24) – $19.99
6. Downton Abbey: A New Era (Focus) – $19.99
7. The Lost City (Paramount) – $4.99
8. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Lionsgate) – $19.99
9. Dog (United Artists) – $5.99
10. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Paramount) – $4.99 “Spiderhead”Netflix
Netflix Movies
Most viewed, current ranking on Netflix’s daily chart on Monday, June 20. Originals include both Netflix-produced and -acquired titles it initially presents in the U.S. Netflix publishes its own weekly top 10 on Tuesdays based on time viewed.
1. Spiderhead (2022 Netflix original)
2. It (2017 theatrical release)
3. Hustle (2022 Netflix original)
4. Halftime (2022 Netflix documentary original)
5. Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness (2022 Netflix animated original)
6. Speed Kills (2018 home video release)
7. Collision (2022 Netflix South African original)
8. The Amazing Spider-Man (2012 theatrical release)
9. Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (2011 theatrical release)
10. The Wrath of God (2022 Netflix original) Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. | Movies |
Megan Rapinoe Trans Athletes Aren't Ruining Women's Sports ... 'Show Me The Evidence' 6/20/2022 10:47 AM PT U.S. women's soccer legend Megan Rapinoe believes it's "disgusting" to ban transgender athletes from competing in women's sports ... saying people need to "get a grip on reality and take a step back." The 36-year-old made the comments in an interview with TIME shortly after FINA -- the swimming world's governing body -- voted to restrict female swimmers who transition after turning 12 or have started puberty from competing against biological women. FINA announces new policy on gender inclusion 👇https://t.co/tOcoTKz8WK— FINA (@fina1908) June 19, 2022 @fina1908 Rapinoe says these sorts of bans are a serious issue ... and voiced her stance against the decision. "I’m 100% supportive of trans inclusion," Rapinoe said. "People do not know very much about it. We’re missing almost everything." "Frankly, I think what a lot of people know is versions of the right’s talking points because they’re very loud. They’re very consistent, and they’re relentless," she added. Rapinoe pushed back against the perception that transgender participation in sports is a "free-for-all" ... saying there has been regulation at the collegiate, professional, and Olympic levels. The 2-time Women's World Cup champion says the focus is no longer on how peoples' lives are being affected ... but more about sports. "We’re talking about kids," Rapinoe said. "We’re talking about people’s lives. We’re talking about the entire state government coming down on one child in some states, three children in some states." NCAA champion Lia Thomas has been at the forefront of the conversation ... after some politicians claim her participation in women's sports destroys the spirit of competition. Megan strongly disagrees. "Show me the evidence that trans women are taking everyone’s scholarships, are dominating in every sport, are winning every title," Rapinoe said. "I’m sorry, it’s just not happening. So we need to start from inclusion, period," she continued. "And as things arise, I have confidence that we can figure it out. But we can’t start at the opposite. That is cruel. And frankly, it’s just disgusting." | Other Sports |
Brittney Griner Wife Says U.S. Botched Scheduled Call With WNBA Star ... 'Very Pissed' Over Snafu 6/20/2022 3:31 PM PT Brittney Griner's wife, Cherelle, is absolutely livid she didn't get to talk to the WNBA superstar on their 4-year anniversary this past weekend ... claiming the U.S. government botched a long-awaited, scheduled call between the two. Cherelle says Griner -- who recently had her detention in Russia extended yet again by a court in the foreign country -- tried calling nearly 12 times on Saturday, but did not get through to her, according to the Associated Press. Cherelle says she's "very pissed" over it ... because the call had been scheduled for close to two weeks, and she had been told it would go through. And, it obviously meant the world to her -- as she's still yet to hear Griner's voice since the basketball player was taken into custody back in February. But Cherelle says the U.S. government dropped the ball ... and didn't staff someone to work the phone on Saturday -- leaving all 11 of Griner's calls to go unanswered. “I was distraught. I was hurt. I was done, fed up," said Cherelle, who told the AP that she later learned that the phone line is generally only staffed on weekdays, not weekends. Cherelle said a contact from the State Department apologized to her for the mishap. The AP, meanwhile, reported the State Dept. said in a statement it's "aware of the issue and was looking into it." However, despite the apology, Griner's wife said she's now very skeptical of the government moving forward ... saying she has "zero trust" in U.S. officials at this moment. "If I can’t trust you to catch a Saturday call outside of business hours, how can I trust you to actually be negotiating on my wife’s behalf to come home?" Cherelle asked. "Because that’s a much bigger ask than to catch a Saturday call." ABC Cherelle -- who previously said she was hoping to personally meet with Joe Biden over Griner's status -- said she's losing faith that that meeting will actually go down now. "At this point," she said, "it's starting to feel like a no." No word yet if Cherelle and Griner have set up a makeup date for the call. | Celebrity |
BG24 logo on the court in honor of, former Baylor star Brittney Grine as the Dallas Wings played the Atlanta Dream during the first half of their WNBA basketball game, in Arlington, Texas on Saturday, May 7, 2022. .
(Michael Ainsworth / Special Contributor)WASHINGTON — WNBA star Brittney Griner tried to call her wife nearly a dozen times through the American embassy in Russia on the couple’s fourth anniversary Saturday, but they never connected since the phone line at the embassy was not staffed, Cherelle Griner said Monday.The couple has not spoken by phone in the four months since Griner’s arrest in Russia on drug-related charges. That was to have changed Saturday, when a long-awaited call was to have finally taken place. But the day came and went without any contact, leaving an anguished Cherelle Griner to wonder what went wrong and to suspect at least initially that Russian authorities had thwarted the call.On Monday, she said she learned from her wife’s lawyers a more distressing truth: Brittney Griner had actually tried to call 11 times over a period of several hours, dialing a number she’d been given at the U.S. embassy in Moscow, which the couple had been told would then patch the call through to Cherelle Griner in Phoenix. But each time, the call went unanswered because the desk at the embassy where the phone rang was apparently unstaffed on Saturday.“I was distraught. I was hurt. I was done, fed up,” Cherelle Griner told The Associated Press in an interview, recounting how an anniversary she had eagerly anticipated was instead spent in tears. “I’m pretty sure I texted BG’s agent and was like: ‘I don’t want to talk to anybody. It’s going to take me a minute to get my emotions together and just tell everybody I’m unavailable right now. Because it just knocked me out. I wasn’t well, I’m still not well.”The experience has further exacerbated already simmering frustrations about the U.S. government’s response to her wife’s case. U.S. officials have repeatedly said they are working behind the scenes to get the two-time Olympian home from Russia and consider her case a top priority. But Cherelle Griner said she remains “very pissed” by the snafu, especially since the call had been on the schedule for two weeks and yet no one warned her during that time that it might be logistically impossible because of the weekend.The State Department said Monday that it was aware of the issue and was looking into it. Cherelle Griner said a contact in the U.S. government had apologized to her for the error. She said she’s since learned that the one number Brittney Griner had been told to dial typically processes calls from prisoners on Mondays through Fridays but not weekends.“But mind you,” Cherelle Griner said in the interview, “this phone call had been scheduled for almost two weeks — with a weekend date.”She added: “I find it unacceptable and I have zero trust in our government right now. If I can’t trust you to catch a Saturday call outside of business hours, how can I trust you to actually be negotiating on my wife’s behalf to come home? Because that’s a much bigger ask than to catch a Saturday call.”Cherelle Griner said she was still hoping to talk to or meet with President Joe Biden, but “at this point it’s starting to feel like a no.”Brittney Griner, a seven-time WNBA All-Star who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, was detained at a Russian airport on Feb. 17 after authorities there said a search of her bag revealed vape cartridges containing cannabis oil.The State Department in May designated her as wrongfully detained, moving her case under the supervision of its Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, effectively the government’s chief hostage negotiator. Russian state-run news agency Tass reported last week that her detention had been extended until July 3.So far, Cherelle Griner says she’s had to rely exclusively on others’ assessments about her wife’s condition. Lawyers and consular affairs officials have been able to speak with the basketball star, but her wife has not.On the evening before the call, she went to sleep at 5 p.m. so that she’d be awake and alert at midnight to receive the anticipated call from Russia to Phoenix that never came.“This was such a big moment because this would have been the first time where I truly could tell if she’s okay,” Cherelle Griner said. “This would have been the first time for me to actually just hear her in real time and to truly know if she’s okay or to know if she’s seconds away from not being in existence anymore.”+++To view subscription options for The News and SportsDay, click here.The TickerGet the latest D-FW sports news, analysis and opinion delivered straight to your inbox.By signing up you agree to our privacy policyMost Popular on DallasNews.com123456 | Basketball |
Brazil's Economy Minister Paulo Guedes gestures during a meeting at Economic Affairs Committee (CAE) of the Brazilian Federal Senate in Brasilia, Brazil March 27, 2019. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBRASILIA, June 20 (Reuters) - Brazilian Economy Minister Paulo Guedes is firmly against the idea of tax increases on the oil and gas industry, four ministry sources told Reuters, following days of government discussions about how to address political blowback over high fuel prices.The Economy Ministry officials, who requested anonymity to comment on confidential discussions, said the internal debate kicked off on Friday, when state-run oil firm Petrobras (PETR4.SA) announced higher gasoline and diesel prices, which have hurt President Jair Bolsonaro's popularity.Bolsonaro called the price increases, triggered by a company policy he has struggled to reverse, a betrayal of the Brazilian people. Lawmakers threatened to open a congressional probe on the company's conduct. The Petrobras CEO quit on Monday in the face of the political backlash. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comAs pressure mounts ahead of an October general election, the Economy Ministry has held preliminary discussions about raising the so-called Social Contribution on Net Income (CSLL) for oil firms, according to the sources.Guedes pushed back forcefully against the idea, the sources said, because he saw a risk of scaring investors away from an eventual privatization of Petrobras, which he openly supports.The Economy Ministry declined to comment on the matter.Some countries have adopted a windfall tax on oil firms' profits amid a commodities shock that has boosted the sector's earnings but has also fueled inflation worldwide.Three of the ministry sources said that any CSLL increase would have to wait 90 days before taking effect, which would reduce its potential impact this year.Higher government revenue could eventually be used to finance more generous income transfers to the poorest Brazilians, sources said, which Economy Ministry officials have long preferred over broad fuel subsidies.But that would also raise legal questions, as the government is prohibited under electoral law from boosting social spending in the months leading up to the October election, sources said.New spending would also have to fit in a tight federal budget, requiring another waiver to the constitutional spending cap or a cut to other expenditures, both seen as politically difficult, the sources added.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Marcela Ayres and Bernardo Caram
Editing by Brad Haynes and Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Latin America Economy |
Published June 20, 2022 5:37PM EULESS, Texas - Entertainer Pharrell Williams has lifted the college financial burden off of several students' shoulders. The "Happy" singer used Juneteenth weekend to announce he's clearing college debt for five NAACP youth leaders who attend historically Black colleges and universities. One of those students is from North Texas. It was an unexpected twist for North Texas Channing Hill: her student loan debt paid in full. "It took a moment for it to really sink in," the Howard University senior said. "And then it took another moment to realize just the impact of what that meant for me." Channing is one of five NAACP college student leaders still reacting to Pharrell’s gift. "It took place in D.C. about 10 minutes away from Howard right across the street from the White House," she said. Channing is an aspiring criminal defense attorney originally from Euless. The panel discussion Friday was part of Pharrell’s upcoming music festival. "We were there to give testimony about our experiences as Black students, as HBCU graduates," Channing said. "Currently, I have two jobs. And just the financial burden of the cost of living in D.C. on me, my mom and my dad, it’s heavy." Channing’s dad is Star-Telegram Sports Writer Clarence Hill. "If I don’t pick up, they’ll call me back to back to back. I was actually doing an interview with a Cowboys coach, and she kept calling," Clarence said. "I said, ‘Hold on. My daughter’s calling me.’ She goes, ‘Dad! Dad! Dad! This just happened!’ She’s in tears." The music fest switched locations from Virginia Beach to D.C. Also, Channing would’ve been home by now. "If that would’ve happened in Virginia Beach, she’s not even there," Clarence said. "Then she was thinking about coming home but got this internship for the summer." Channing and the other panelists shared their thoughts on the national topic of student loan forgiveness, but she had no idea what Pharrell had in mind all along. "She didn’t know she was going to get blessed with this. She was fighting for the principle of student loan debt forgiveness," Clarence said. "Over $18,000. All of my loans, my federal financial aid has been wiped clean," Channing said. Channing says she’s very passionate about helping people in underserved communities improve their lives. She says she'll continue to speak out in support of student loan debt forgiveness. | Music |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Amber Heard went shopping with her sister at a TJ Maxx discount retail store in the Hamptons on Thursday, amid a looming $8.3 million judgment following her loss in court earlier this month against ex-husband Johnny Depp in their multi-million dollar defamation trial. The 36-year-old actress wore blue jeans and a long-sleeved, white button-down shirt while indulging in retail therapy with her younger sister, Whitney Henriquez, at the Bridgehampton location of the national chain retailer, per TMZ. According to the outlet, it's unclear what the two purchased — if anything — from the store. While Heard perused the aisles on the East Coast wearing black loafers with her blonde hair tied back in a bun, Depp has "moved on" from the trial, and took to the stage to perform with Jeff Beck at the Helsinki Blues Festival on Sunday in Finland.Depp was awarded $10.35 million in damages after a jury declared Heard defamed Depp on all counts following a nearly seven-week trial in Virginia amid allegations of domestic violence and sexual assault. Heard lost the defamation case, but was awarded $2 million in her countersuit as jurors found that Depp defamed her through his attorney.The "Pirates of the Caribbean" star initially sought a $50 million payout, and Heard counter sued for $100 million in damages. Johnny Depp performed at the Helsinki Blues Festival on Sunday with Jeff Beck while Amber Heard shopped for discounts at a TJ Maxx in New York following their defamation trial (TMZ, Getty Images)AMBER HEARD SAYS THERAPIST NOTES PROVE JOHNNY DEPP ABUSED HERDepp looked at ease on stage wearing a black vest on top of a long shirt with sleeves rolled up above his elbows to show off his tattoos while he played the guitar.He will soon release an album with his musical partner, Beck, as the actor reportedly "isn't even talking about the trial" anymore and "just wants his career back." "The trial was necessary, but he is happy that it's over," a source told People. "Although he is relieved about the jury's verdict, he isn't gloating about it."Last week, Heard denied being "cut" from "Aquaman 2" and called recasting claims "slightly insane" after reports surfaced she was out of the Warner Bros. film following the trial."The rumor mill continues as it has from day one — inaccurate, insensitive, and slightly insane," Heard's representative told Fox News Digital.Heard portrayed Mera in the film, working alongside Jason Momoa, Dolph Lundgren, Nicole Kidman and Willem Dafoe. The second film, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," is set to be released in 2023. Amber perused the aisles on the East Coast wearing black loafers with her blonde hair tied back in a bun, and Depp took the stage and performed with Jeff Beck at the Helsinki Blues Festival on Sunday in Finland. (TMZ) Amber Heard seen walking through aisles at TJ Maxx discount retail store in Bridgehampton, New York on Thursday amid the $8 million judgment she owes ex Johnny Depp (TMZ)"Warner Bros. decided to recast Amber Heard‘s role after screen testing the movie. They are going to be doing reshoots with Jason Momoa and Nicole Kidman," sources told Just Jared.An insider later revealed to the publication: "Amber has not been completely cut from the film. She still has a very small role."Walter Hamada, president of DC-based film production, said in a pre-taped deposition played for jurors during the defamation trial that Heard and Momoa were not a good match, while Heard had testified her role was "pared down" due to her public battle with Depp. "They didn’t really have a lot of chemistry together," Hamada said in a tape recorded on March 15, 2022. "I think editorially they were able to make that relationship work in the first movie, but there was concern that it took a lot of effort to get there."There was a delay recasting the part of Mera in "Aquaman 2" and discussion of replacing Heard with an actress who had more "natural chemistry" with Momoa, he said, but the studio decided to move forward with Heard."Was her role [in 'Aquaman 2'] ever reduced for any reason?" Depp's lawyer Ben Chew asked Hamada. Johnny Depp performs on stage with Jeff Beck (not pictured) during the Helsinki Blues Festival at Kaisaniemen Puisto on June 19, 2022 in Helsinki, Finland. (Venla Shalin/Redferns)AMBER HEARD STANDS BY TESTIMONY TO HER 'DYING DAY'"No," he replied. Hamada said the movie was originally pitched as a "buddy comedy," and the part of Mera was always intended to be minor. He was called by Johnny Depp's legal team as a rebuttal witness to undermine Heard's claim that her role in "Aquaman 2" was reduced after Depp allegedly conspired with his lawyer to defame her in a series of statements made to the press.On Friday, she shared her therapist's notes documenting her reports of alleged abuse at the hands of her ex stretching back to 2012 with Savannah Guthrie on NBC's "Dateline.""There’s a binder worth of years of notes dating back to 2012 from the very beginning of my relationship that were taken by my doctor, who I was reporting the abuse to," she said. The judge did not allow in the evidence at the Fairfax County Circuit Court trial as it's considered hearsay. Nicole Kidman and Jason Momoa seen with Amber Heard at the premiere of "Aquaman" at TCL Chinese Theatre in 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Presley Ann/FilmMagic)CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERThe handwritten notes, which were shown on-screen, state that Heard reported that Depp allegedly "hit her, threw her against a wall and threatened to kill her" in a 2012 incident, according to the program.Another document details an incident eight months later when she said Depp, 59, allegedly "ripped her nightgown, threw her on the bed."In 2013, the therapist allegedly memorialized another statement from Heard, after she claimed that Depp "threw her against a wall and threatened to kill her."Heard said in the interview with Guthrie that she hoped speaking out would help restore her reputation."My goal, the only thing I can hope for at this point, is I just want people to see me as a human being," she said.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFox News' Rebecca Rosenberg and Larry Fink contributed to this report. Tracy Wright is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. | Celebrity |
MONROE TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (WABC) -- Dozens of golfers hit the links for the Amputee Golf Classic, not only for the love of the game, but to prove to themselves what they are capable of.Each swing and putt carried with it a feeling of confidence and overcoming obstacles.The Eastern Amputee Golf Association teed off Monday in New Jersey with its 21st JFK Johnson Howard Taylor Memorial Golf Classic."This is a real benefit to spreading the game of golf and letting people know, no matter what your disability is there's a way to play, we have people that are playing out of a seated golf cart -- it's a game for everyone," said Bob Buck, Executive Director of the Eastern Amputee Golf AssociationDr. Heikki Uustal is the Director of Prosthetics and Orthotics at JFK Johnson Rehab Institute and Hackensack Meridian. He says golf is not only part of the rehab process, but also helps unite golfers of all abilities.ALSO READ | Experts urge swim lessons, water safety to prevent child drownings"It's a wonderful opportunity to get out to a group that is both your peers, because half the players here are amputees, and able-bodied players. It heightens the awareness for both," Uustal said."To me it's the social medicine, it doesn't matter if the ball is in the hole, don't care if you roll it with your nose or even if it gets there, it just depends on how it gives value to yourself," Oak Ridge resident Gianna Rojas said.The accomplishments on the greens extend well beyond the golf course."Once your start playing golf, once you start hitting a golf ball, that you realize that there are other things that you can do. If you can hit a golf ball and you don't have any legs, what's next," Woodbury resident Louis Namm said.----------* Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More New Jersey news* Send us a news tip* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Follow us on YouTubeSubmit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. Copyright © 2022 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved. | Golf |
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, referred to as KOTOR II by fans, is considered by some to be the best Star Wars game of all time. The title, first released in 2004, saw a re-release on the Nintendo Switch earlier this month. The release was largely unchanged from the 18-year-old original. For gamers playing as Jedi 4,000 years before Episode I: The Phantom Menace, a bug makes the game unbeatable. The game-breaking crash comes after the Basilisk Crash cutscene, according to VGC. Twitter user Daniel Moore, who goes by @Moo_Resolutions, tweeted at Aspyr Media, the Austin-based studio responsible for the port. Moore said he reported the bug before it became a known issue and had been stuck for a week. Are you guys aware there is no way to complete this game? I've been stuck on the onderon basilisk crash for a week now. Whats the eta on a patch?— Daniel Moore (@Moo_Resolutions) June 20, 2022 Aspyr responded on Twitter that it's a known issue and will be addressed in the next patch, but it didn't have an ETA at the moment. Hi, this is a known issue that will be addressed in the next patch. While we cannot provide an ETA at this time, we will definitely let you know when the patch is live. You can click the "Follow" button in this article to get the latest info in your inbox: https://t.co/vJAvEOVdX2— Aspyr (@AspyrMedia) June 20, 2022 Aspyr Media didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. While KOTOR II is a nearly two decade-old game, given the success of the Nintendo Switch, which currently sits at 107 million units sold, it's no surprise older titles are being ported to the platform. Some of that success can be pinned on former president of Nintendo of America, Reggie Fils-Aimé. The Bronx native recently dished about his time at Nintendo, including overseeing the launches of the Nintendo DS and Wii and the challenges facing the release of the company's next console. Aspyr is currently working on a remake of the first Knights of the Old Republic for PS5 and PC. This remake will require largely rebuilding the game from the ground-up, greatly improving visuals in the process. | Video Games |
Klay Thompson Accidentally Knocks Over Woman ... At Championship Parade 6/20/2022 12:20 PM PT UPDATE 2:20 PM PT -- The Warriors' title celebration just had its first hiccup ... Klay Thompson accidentally barreled into a woman -- causing her to hit the ground hard. UPDATE Thompson was hanging with some Golden State fans, when he slipped and knocked a woman over. UPDATE UPDATE Thankfully, despite hitting the deck with force, the woman appeared to be fine. UPDATE Klay, meanwhile, was super apologetic after hitting her -- helping her up to her feet ... before he left to entertain more screaming Warriors fans. UPDATE 1:08 PM PT -- Green's cussin' didn't end with his speech onstage ... he just dropped another F-bomb while live on TV! UPDATE — ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 20, 2022 @ClutchPointsApp Warriors star Draymond Green just dropped 2 f-bombs at the team's championship parade ... and, as expected, the crowd absolutely loved it!! Green was on stage with his teammates -- who just won the NBA Finals in 6 games over the Boston Celtics -- to celebrate the Warriors' 4th title in 8 years. NBC And per usual ... Green didn't hold back when he hopped on the mic. "I don't know what y'all want me to tell you, that we better than everybody," Green said. "This has been an amazing year. I told y'all don't let us win the f***king championship." "Clearly, nobody could stop it. I warned y'all," Green added. Dray opened up his speech by admitting he was trying to think of the most controversial thing to say ... and boy did he deliver. The 4-time NBA champ -- who is quite outspoken on social media -- vowed to "continue to destroy people on Twitter" ... then went on to say how much he loves the guys he plays with. In vintage Draymond fashion, Green ended his speech to the crowd with an emphatic message to anybody not in Dub Nation. "I just want to say thank you all," Green said, "and as always f*** everybody else," he added. Klay lost his championship hat while boating to the parade 😭pic.twitter.com/8UJ6f5r4sS— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) June 20, 2022 @NBCSWarriors But, before the festivities got underway, Green's teammate, Klay Thompson, lost his championship hat while boating on his way to the parade. "Oh, no," Thompson said. "I lost my hat." Klay's running mate and fellow Splash Brother, Steph Curry, pulled up to the parade donning some serious bling ... a necklace with the 3 rings he won from 2015, 2017, and 2018 on it. Oddly enough, that wasn't even the best part of the day so far ... a fan showed up with an actual goat dressed in a Curry jersey. Someone brought a goat in a Curry jersey to the parade 😂🐐 pic.twitter.com/1SOC97NYNy— TheWarriorsTalk (@TheWarriorsTalk) June 20, 2022 @TheWarriorsTalk What's interesting -- Warriors players called out the Boston fanbase for chanting expletives during the heated series ... but it all must be a context thing for them. You never know what to expect at these kinds of celebrations ... so stay tuned!! | Basketball |
Sports June 20, 2022 / 5:59 PM / AP Brittney Griner's detention in Russia extended WNBA star Brittney Griner's detention in Russia extended 00:30 WNBA star Brittney Griner tried to call her wife nearly a dozen times through the American embassy in Russia on the couple's fourth anniversary Saturday, but they never connected since the phone line at the embassy was not staffed, Cherelle Griner said Monday.The couple has not spoken by phone in the four months since Griner's arrest in Russia on drug-related charges. That was to have changed Saturday, when a long-awaited call was to have finally taken place. But the day came and went without any contact, leaving an anguished Cherelle Griner to wonder what went wrong and to suspect at least initially that Russian authorities had thwarted the call.On Monday, she said she learned from her wife's lawyers a more distressing truth: Brittney Griner had actually tried to call 11 times over a period of several hours, dialing a number she'd been given at the U.S. embassy in Moscow, which the couple had been told would then patch the call through to Cherelle Griner in Phoenix. But each time, the call went unanswered because the desk at the embassy where the phone rang was apparently unstaffed on Saturday. "I was distraught. I was hurt. I was done, fed up," Cherelle Griner told The Associated Press in an interview, recounting how an anniversary she had eagerly anticipated was instead spent in tears. "I'm pretty sure I texted BG's agent and was like: 'I don't want to talk to anybody. It's going to take me a minute to get my emotions together and just tell everybody I'm unavailable right now. Because it just knocked me out. I wasn't well, I'm still not well." Brittney Griner #42 of the Phoenix Mercury is seen during the game against the Indiana Fever at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on September 6, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Getty Images The experience has further exacerbated already simmering frustrations about the U.S. government's response to her wife's case. U.S. officials have repeatedly said they are working behind the scenes to get the two-time Olympian home from Russia and consider her case a top priority. But Cherelle Griner said she remains "very pissed" by the snafu, especially since the call had been on the schedule for two weeks and yet no one warned her during that time that it might be logistically impossible because of the weekend. The State Department said Monday that it was aware of the issue and was looking into it. Cherelle Griner said a contact in the U.S. government had apologized to her for the error. She said she's since learned that the one number Brittney Griner had been told to dial typically processes calls from prisoners on Mondays through Fridays but not weekends."But mind you," Cherelle Griner said in the interview, "this phone call had been scheduled for almost two weeks — with a weekend date."She added: "I find it unacceptable and I have zero trust in our government right now. If I can't trust you to catch a Saturday call outside of business hours, how can I trust you to actually be negotiating on my wife's behalf to come home? Because that's a much bigger ask than to catch a Saturday call."Cherelle Griner said she was still hoping to talk to or meet with President Joe Biden, but "at this point it's starting to feel like a no." U.S. considers Brittney Griner wrongfully detained 00:20 Brittney Griner, a seven-time WNBA All-Star who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, was detained at a Russian airport on February 17 after authorities there said a search of her bag revealed vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. The State Department in May designated her as wrongfully detained, moving her case under the supervision of its Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, effectively the government's chief hostage negotiator. Russian state-run news agency Tass reported last week that her detention had been extended until July 3.So far, Cherelle Griner says she's had to rely exclusively on others' assessments about her wife's condition. Lawyers and consular affairs officials have been able to speak with the basketball star, but her wife has not. On the evening before the call, she went to sleep at 5 p.m. so that she'd be awake and alert at midnight to receive the anticipated call from Russia to Phoenix that never came."This was such a big moment because this would have been the first time where I truly could tell if she's okay," Cherelle Griner said. "This would have been the first time for me to actually just hear her in real time and to truly know if she's okay or to know if she's seconds away from not being in existence anymore." In: WNBA Joe Biden Brittney Griner Russia Crime Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue | Other Sports |
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn have been aligning in order this month for the first time in 18 years. This week will offer the peak viewing time to see the planet parade. You won’t need a telescope to see the rare grouping of planets, as they will all be visible to the naked eye. It might still be difficult to see Mercury, however, because of how dim it appears. As we get closer to the end of June, Mercury will become brighter as it gradually climbs higher above the horizon each night, according to Sky and Telescope. The best day for viewing will be on Friday, June 24, when the waning crescent moon joins the lineup of planets. Looking toward the southeast, the moon will appear positioned between Venus and Mars. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will align in order through the end of June. (WGNO) The best time to look to the sky will be about 45 minutes to about 1 hour before sunrise through the end of June. Keep in mind that June has some of the earliest sunrises of the year, so this means the ideal viewing time is just before 5 a.m. This “parade of planets” hasn’t been seen from Earth since 2004, and it won’t happen again until 2040, experts say. Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will still be visible for most mornings in July, but the group of planets will spread out farther and farther as the month goes on. Tags | Space Exploration |
Pixar's "Lightyear" struggled to travel to infinity and beyond at the domestic box office this past weekend, coming in at an estimated $51 million, below industry projections of around $70 million thanks to a perfect storm of headwinds. Ticker Security Last Change Change % DIS THE WALT DISNEY CO. 94.34 +0.05 +0.05% Box Office Pro editorial director and senior vice president of content strategy Daniel Loria told FOX Business that there haven't been many data points to accurately forecast families' movie-going habits post-pandemic. "If you look at forecasting right now for every title, I think forecasting, to be frank, has been way off," Loria said. "I think when it comes to Lightyear's opening weekend, if we look at just the raw data that have been there, the data points that we have since the pandemic reopened cinemas, it's performing well within that streak but definitely not at the pre-pandemic levels we expect." AMC CEO: MOVIEGOERS SPENDING DESPITE INFLATIONLoria said that Lightyear's box office receipts may have been a casualty of increased competition with "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Jurassic World: Dominion," which have surpassed worldwide cumulative grosses of $600 million and $885 million, respectively, according to Sunday estimates from Comscore. "Top Gun: Maverick" is based on the Navy's Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, commonly referred to as TOPGUN. (Paramount Pictures)"I think the number one lesson, especially looking at the international numbers, is that the U.S. market is in a position where ever since a ‘Quiet Place Part II,' the U.S. market has been one big movie coming out every two to three weeks," he explained. "This last weekend at the box office you had ‘Top Gun,’ you had ‘Jurassic World' and you had ‘Lightyear.’ It was a crowded marketplace with three films that performed really competitively, and no one took that lion's share because I think there was that much competition." This image released by Disney/Pixar shows character Buzz Lightyear, voiced by Chris Evans, and Sox, voiced by Peter Sohn, in a scene from the animated film "Lightyear," releasing June 17. (Disney/Pixar via AP)Film critic Scott Mantz added that inflation is making consumers more selective about what they see in theaters and that "Lightyear" being a spinoff to the original Toy Story franchise may have made it a tougher sell for families."Remember the movie in the first ‘Toy Story’ that Andy, the little kid, was a big fan of that made him want to get a Buzz Lightyear action figure? This is that movie," Mantz told FOX Business. "Try pitching that to families. It's confusing."GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREIn addition to competition and economic uncertainty, Mantz believes "Lightyear" may have been hurt by families conditioned to Pixar's previous direct to streaming releases of "Soul", "Luca" and "Turning Red." "Pixar used to be the gold standard and I think it still is the gold standard," Mantz said. "But the adjusted standard has been now these last couple of years releasing these Pixar films on Disney Plus because theaters were closed, but also because Disney was really trying to boost subscriptions."Loria argues that strategy has turned the Pixar brand into an "afterthought" in Disney's massive media empire. "Disney put itself in a very difficult situation with a marketing campaign around Lightyear because it had to compete with two plus years of marketing that entire brand to go straight to streaming. And I think that's something that a lot of studios are battling with," Loria emphasized. "I think the new paradigm of different theatrical exclusivity periods is creating confusion among a general audience and maybe a frustration there."CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESSThough "Lightyear" has been banned in Malaysia and other countries over a same-sex kiss in the film, Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian argues that any surrounding controversy over it likely had no impact on the film's opening weekend. "Historically speaking, controversies surrounding a movie only serve to raise awareness and curiosity among consumers and thus have little demonstrable impact on box office," he told FOX Business. "Of course there may have been some potential moviegoers who opted out of seeing ‘Lightyear’ for personal or political reasons, but pragmatically speaking, for families who want to see a brand new PG-rated animated movie in theaters, ‘Lightyear’ is the only game in town until ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ opens on July 1 and therefore the film could wind up building its box office revenues over time rather than with a big launch on opening weekend."According to Comscore, "Lightyear" is on track to hit $100 million globally this week and could potentially surpass $100 million domestically if it holds steady over the next two weeks. | Movies |
An 18-year-old from South Korea has won the 16th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, one of the top showcases for the world's best pianists. The competition held in Fort Worth, Texas, ended Saturday night with Yunchan Lim becoming the competition's youngest winner of the gold medal. His winnings include a cash award of $100,000 and three years of career management. In this photo provided by The Cliburn, the winners of the 16th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, silver medalist Anne Geniushene, left, from Russia, gold medalist Yunchan Lim, from South Korea, and bronze medalist Dmytro Choni, from Ukraine pos The silver medalist was Anna Geniushene, a 31-year-old from Russia, and the bronze medalist is Dmytro Choni, a 28-year-old from Ukraine. Lim told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he'll discuss with his teacher what the next move for his career should be. "I am still a student and I feel like I have to learn a lot still," Lim said. "This is a great competition and I feel the burden of receiving this great honor and award so I will just push myself to live up to the honor I received today." The competition was founded in 1962 in honor of the celebrated pianist Van Cliburn, who lived in Fort Worth. Cliburn, who died in 2013 at age 78, played for U.S. presidents, royalty and heads of state around the world. He is best remembered for winning the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1958, at the height of the Cold War. The competition is traditionally held every four years. This year's competition was originally scheduled for last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. | Music |
OMAHA, Neb. – Although Stanford entered as the odds-on favorites, its stay in the College World Series was a short and disappointing one.
Auburn knocked off the No. 2 national seeded-Cardinal 6-2 in an elimination game on Monday on the strength of Cole Foster’s three-run double in the sixth inning.
Stanford (47-18) lost both of its games in Omaha, including its opener Saturday against Arkansas, 17-2 — the most lopsided game here in 34 years — and then did next to nothing after taking an early lead against Auburn.
Stanford coach David Esquer said the pain of losing will subside and the most important thing about the trip will remain. “When time passes, nobody is going to remember the scores,” Esquer said. “What I’ll remember is that I went to the College World Series with the team I love.”
Stanford, which staved off elimination five times in its regional and super regional, went 0-2 in a CWS for the first time in 18 appearances.
The victory was Auburn’s first in the College World Series in 25 years. The Tigers had been 0-3 in the CWS since beating Rice 10-1 in 1997. Trace Bright (5-4) went five innings for the win and Blake Burkhalter, the Tigers’ star closer, struck out six of the eight batters he faced for his 16th save.
The Tigers, who lost 5-1 to Mississippi on Saturday, had managed one run and seven hits in 14 innings before breaking out in the sixth against the Cardinal. Foster, who doubled twice, was back in the lineup after leaving in the middle of Saturday’s game because of illness and dehydration. Auburn coach Butch Thompson said before Monday’s game that seven or eight of his players have had a stomach virus.
Stanford starter Drew Dowd, a former Serra High standout, turned in a strong start. Although the sophomore left-hander struggled with his fastball command his last few appearances, he was dialed in through the first four innings.
Stanford starting pitcher Drew Dowd (49) throws a pitch against Auburn in the first inning during an NCAA College World Series baseball game, Monday, June 20, 2022, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/John Peterson)
Dowd, though, gave up Brooks Carlson’s double leading off the fifth and walked Foster on four pitches to bring on Quinn Mathews (9-2).
Mathews got Stanford out of the inning but ran into trouble in the sixth, giving up two singles, hitting a batter and issuing a walk before Foster’s bases-clearing double off the wall in left center put the Tigers up 4-2. Auburn added two more in the seventh.
Stanford had an opportunity to cut into the lead in the seventh when it loaded the bases with two outs against Tommy Sheehan. That’s when Auburn called on Burkhalter, and he went to a full count against Brett Barrera before blowing a fastball past him for an inning-ending strikeout.
Barrera and Adam Crampton hit RBI doubles off Bright to put the Cardinal up 2-0. Crampton, a sophomore shortstop from Oakland Tech, had three of the Cardinal’s eight hits, including a pair of doubles.
Nonetheless, after Stanford jumped out to the early lead, Bright settled down to retire 10 of the last 11 batters he faced.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | Baseball |
ATLANTA — Joc Pederson’s famous pearls reappeared here Monday night for the first time this season.
In fact, it was the first time Pederson had donned the pearl necklace that became synonymous with his contributions on the Braves’ World Series run last season since leaving in free agency and signing with his hometown team. Back here for the first time since that World Series title, Pederson received a hero’s welcome while receiving a championship ring that he helped design.
“It just felt right to wear them,” Pederson said. “The whole story of why I started to wear them is because it just kind of felt right, and the Braves took it to another level, so I didn’t want to wear them until I was here.”
To a degree even more than his impactful introduction with the Giants, the team he grew up rooting for, Pederson over his two months in Atlanta endeared himself to the fan base with his exuberant, eccentric personality — no better exemplified than the jewels dangling from his neck — but more than anything, the clutch contributions for which he’s become known. For proof, look no further than the finger bling he was presented during a pregame ceremony.
On one side of the World Series ring — which, by the way, is gargantuan compared to the Giants’ three rings from 2010, 2012 and 2014 — was an encrusted pearl, a clear nod to Pederson, whose most memorable moment likely came in the form of a walk-off home run against then-Dodger Max Scherzer in Game 2 of the NLCS. As he rounded third base, those peals hung even closer to the ground as he bent down to low-five third base coach Ron Washington.
“Joc, the style of player he is, his personality, is exactly what baseball needs,” said Giants manager Gabe Kapler, who watched the ceremony and the reception from the fans from the visitor’s dugout. “He’s a pretty engaging dude and a very, very entertaining player. It’s just not surprising at all.”
After the title, Pederson reached out to Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopolous about the design of the ring — an odd move for a player, but only fitting for someone with the swagger of Pederson — yet he promised the pearl came as a surprise.
“You see all these rings online, the NBA teams, and how creative and really cool they are,” Pederson said .”I mean, we’re in Atlanta. I just felt it needed to be something super flashy and cool. … It’s not like I had that much input – they say that – but we were in a lockout, so I told them, hey don’t mess it up, really. … I think they crushed it.” The Braves offered to ship the ring to him, but Pederson requested the in-person ceremony instead because, he said, “it brings back more emotions.”
Former Atlanta Braves outfielder Joc Pederson ,left, holds his daughter Poppy as he is presented his World Series ring by Braves pitchers Luke Jackson and Ian Anderson, sporting pearls, before the San Francisco Giants play the Braves in a baseball game on Monday, June 20, 2022, in Atlanta. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
When he was traded here from the Cubs at midseason, he received a standing ovation in his first at-bat. A couple ushers summoned him over as he was taking fly balls for the first time, just to welcome him to Atlanta. As he entered the ballpark Monday, Pederson was reminded again of the kinship he developed with the fans here in such a short amount of time. He was greeted so enthusiastically by security guards and stadium workers that it prompted jokes from current teammates Jake McGee and Anthony DeSclafani.
“They were like, you were here for two months, what’s the deal?” Pederson said. “I was like, I don’t know. It’s just a special spot. They were welcoming from day one, which just shows how awesome the whole experience really was.”
Although the pearl necklace Pederson wore for the World Series now rests in Cooperstown, he was rocking an identical piece from the same jeweler on Monday. He wasn’t in the starting lineup against Braves’ left-hander Max Fried, but he said he intends to wear the pearls for the rest of the four-game series. | Baseball |
Celebrity | 6/20/2022 2:35 PM PT He also detailed another incident with a "hero female actress" -- asking, "Can you imagine saying that to somebody?" Bradley Cooper is opening up an interaction with a director that he'd rather forget. During an appearance on the "Smartless" podcast with Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes, the 47-year-old revealed that he was at a party four years ago when a director had said, "What world are we living in where you have seven nominations and she's only got three?" while referring to an actress Cooper regarded as a "dear friend." "I was like, 'I f---ing hate this business,'" the "Star is Born" star admitted. "I'm like, 'Bro, why are you such an a--hole? Like, go f--- yourself.'" Although Cooper never clarified if he forgave the director for the incident, he noted that he "never forget[s] anything anybody mean has ever said" -- before bringing up another time when a "hero female" actress relayed the same mean sentiment after his Best Actor nomination in 2013. It was the first time he had been nominated for the prestigious award and recalled feeling so excited he had been "levitating." At the time, he was honored for his work in "Silver Linings Playbook" and was up against acting legends like Daniel Day-Lewis and Denzel Washington. "This hero female actress, that I didn't know at all, comes up to me, she goes, 'I saw your movie. You deserve the nom,'" he revealed. "I was like, 'What? I'm sorry, what?' 'The nom.' Getty Bradley Cooper Opens Up About Feeling 'So Lost' While 'Addicted to Cocaine' In His 20s View Story "Then like 10, 20 minutes later — I'm not kidding — I pass her going to the bathroom and she mouths it: 'The nom.' I remember [thinking], 'What the f--- is this town?' Can you imagine saying that to somebody?" he asked the hosts. "You've got to be f---ed up to do that." Since his first nomination for "Silver Linings Playbook," the actor has earned a Best Supporting Actor for "American Hustle," Best Actor and Best Picture for "American Sniper" and Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture for "A Star Is Born." Cooper also earned two more nominations for the "Joker" and "Nightmare Alley," as both films -- which he co-produced -- were considered for Best Picture. | Celebrity |
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