Month: January 2023

It’s been a while since Craig Ferguson departed American late night television — eight years and just shy of a month, to be exact. So much has changed since then and is changing. For one thing, the highest rated late night show is now on Fox News, of all places. For another, late night shows keep either losing their hosts or getting cancelled. But now, after refusing to return to the scene, Ferguson’s on his way back, albeit with a very different sort of comedy program.

As per Variety, Sony Pictures Television is working on a syndicated late night show that will air this fall. It’s called Channel Surf, and instead of a chat show with guests and bands and whatnot, it will find a host looking back at the most “shocking, surprising and hilarious moments” from the week’s shows. In other words, it’s a show about other shows. And the host will be no less than the erstwhile emcee of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

Sony has already filmed a pilot for Channel Surf, and the format will find Ferguson discussing — although really joking about — what went down on television. The show exists in part, says a Sony exec, to fill the gap left by the dearth of new sitcoms, saying, “viewers need a place to laugh.”

Ferguson called it “a TV show which contains clips of questionable moments from other TV shows thus creating a spectacular visual turducken of stupid.”

“Turducken of stupid”? That’s a lot of stupid. Sign us up.

(Via Variety)

Peyton Manning discussed halftime adjustments on Monday night during the Manningcast broadcast of the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Dallas went into the locker room up, 18-0. Manning built a Hall of Fame career on his unbelievable football IQ that could decipher and counter any defense. He was a master manipulator at the line of scrimmage, so much so that he made “Omaha” the most famous football audible known to man.

Surely, he would have some insightful commentary on how the Bucs could adjust at halftime after their season-long struggles on third down and in the running game. Well, according to Manning, halftime is more about bathroom breaks than adjustments to what the other team is doing on defense.

In practice, this makes a lot of sense. Halftime of an NFL game is only 12 minutes, and in most NFL stadiums, it takes at least a couple minutes just to get back into the locker room and then another few more minutes to walk back onto the field. That leaves, say, seven or eight minutes for coaches to communicate adjustments to several different position groups after they spent an entire week formulating a game plan. A coach concocting a genius adjustment at halftime is mostly for sports movies. For Peyton, and most NFL players, halftime is about oranges and Gatorade.

Drake is no stranger when it comes to living in the lap of luxury. So it’s not surprising that in his new video for a track titled “Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin,” he wanted to bring fans into his world of opulence — dazzling diamonds, beautiful women, and fast cars. Throughout the video, the Candian crooner can be seen sporting several different (and costly) pieces of jewelry. But where does one purchase such precious stones?

Drake loves having exclusive items, so it would make sense that he would sport jewelry formerly owned by Pharrell Williams, who is known for his eccentric style and taste. This past October, the NERD producer hosted an online auction in which he sold off his personal jewelry and other items.

In the video, Drake was spotted with three pieces of jewelry, including “a 14K three-tone N.E.R.D pendant chain ($2,184,000), a white gold brain pendant chain ($725,000), and a skateboard pendant chain ($103,750),” HipHopDX estimates. In total, the rapper allegedly spent over $3 million to acquire the jewelry.

Drake’s long-running musical success not only continues to fill his love of expensive things but also allows him to afford them. Her Loss debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart after its release, moving roughly over $400k album-equivalent units in its first week. Since then, the album has surpassed over one million sales in the U.S. and over a billion streams on Spotify.

For the last month, freshman representative George Santos has been more famous than Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert combined. What did he do to earn such an honor? By lying his teeth off. He’s been busted embellishing his résumé, lying about his education and his heritage. The guy even claimed his mom died on 9/11. (She didn’t.) He was sworn in the House anyway and refuses to resign despite widespread calls for his removal. But if you thought he’d be punished by his superiors for bluffing his way into a government job, guess again.

As per The Hill, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy — who was elected after four chaotic days — revealed he won’t be teaching Santos a lesson in why not be dishonest. Quite the contrary. Instead he announced Santos will be seated on committees, where he’ll have sway over the lives of millions of Americans.

Earlier McCarthy claimed Santos wouldn’t be getting any top committees. But he didn’t say anything about seating him on lower committees. Indeed, McCarthy voted to put him on both the Science, Space and Technology Committee and the Small Business Committee, as per NBC News.

The move inspired conflicted feelings in Santos’ colleagues. “I don’t agree with what [Santos] said, did and all. I don’t agree with any of that, OK? It’s wrong,” Small Business Chairman Roger Williams told NBC News. “But at the same time, he’s on the committee, we’re gonna have rules to follow. He does represent about a million people in New York and a lot of main street issues.”

It wasn’t that long ago that then-president Donald Trump was borrowing a phrase from fellow disgraced POTUS Richard Nixon and calling the GOP the party of “law and order.” (Trump later helped foment an attempted insurrection that left multiple people dead.) But if there’s anything Santos can take away from misleading voters, it’s that lying pays off.

(Via The Hill and NBC News)

The 2023 Golden Globe Awards was an incredible night for Michelle Yeoh. The 60-year-old actress had waited 40 years to play the lead in a Hollywood film, and winning the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy for her starring role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” was a dream come true.

Yeoh’s moment in the spotlight made headlines that night as her award speech went viral. But following the ceremony, another moment went viral—the split second Yeoh’s name was called as the winner and the reaction of her co-star, Jamie Lee Curtis.

Curtis herself had been nominated for the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in the film but didn’t win. (That award went to Angela Bassett in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”) But whatever disappointment Curtis may have felt about not winning her own award did not diminish her response to Yeoh’s win, which was immediate, intense and immensely joyful.

A screenshot of Curtis’ triumphant celebration of Yeoh’s win was shared on LinkedIn by Erin Gallagher, CEO and founder of gender equity company Ella, along with a powerful message that’s resonating with women everywhere.

Gallagher wrote:

“Ladies, this is your vibe for 2023: unabashed hype woman.

Look. At. Her.”

Gallagher continued:

“You can feel her energy, her fire, her power.

Find your Jamie.
Hype their Jamie.
Be her Jamie.”

The message hit home, and hard. Reposts on Facebook have circulated thousands of times as women share the message with an enthusiastic, “Yes, this!”

The sense of competition between women is often unspoken and not overtly encouraged, yet it exists. Research indicates that women have had complex relationships with one another, marked by both competition and cooperation, throughout human history. Throw in the uphill battle for social and political power in the modern era and it’s perhaps unsurprising that women can sometimes see other women’s success as threatening to their own.

That isn’t really how it works, though. It’s not like there’s a finite amount of female good fortune to go around. Success is not pie. As Gallagher points out, another woman’s success does not detract from our own, and there’s ample awesomeness out there for all of us.

Plenty of forces will try to pull women down and hold them back—do we really want to add to that? Be a force that lifts women up. Hype those you know who are crushing it. Celebrate their successes. Be their Jamie. There’s nothing but winning in it for us all.

WCNC reports that Nash Johnson, an 8-year-old boy in Lexington, Kentucky, wanted an Xbox, but his $5-a-week allowance wasn’t enough to make it happen. An Xbox costs about $300 so at that rate, it would take him five years to save up enough money to buy one.

Nash figured he’d earn money a lot faster if he got a job. He saw a “help wanted” sign in front of Drake’s restaurant near his grandmother’s house so he went online and applied for a dishwasher position. “I’m very good at washing the dishes,” Nash told WCNC.

The only problem for Nash was that you have to be 16 years old to get a job in Kentucky. The application caught the attention of the management at Drake’s and they reached out to Nash to speak with him.

“At the very bottom of the application, he put that he was 8 years old … and when the kitchen manager saw the application, she just assumed that he forgot to put the 1 in front of the 8. And so she called him in very innocently,” Mark Thornburg, the chief operating officer at Drake’s, told Good Morning America. “The number that he put on [the application] was his grandmother’s house and … she asked for Nash and Nash gets on the phone, and he says, ‘Well, I’m only 8 years old.'”

Nash’s mom, Belinda Johnson, thought it was funny that her son applied for the job but it didn’t surprise her one bit. “That kid is not afraid to fail. He’s a go-getter,” she said.

Financial literacy is a big thing in the Johnson household, which isn’t the case in a lot of American homes. A recent CNBC + Acorns Invest in You survey found that only 15% of parents talk with their children more than once a week about household finances and 31% never do.

Belinda gives her son three jars so he knows what percentage of his money he should spend, save and give. After looking in his jars he realized he needed to put more money in the “save” jar. “He’s like, ‘I can get me more money if I get me a job,’” Belinda said.

Even though Nash didn’t get hired at Drake’s, the restaurant’s management invited him to a new hire orientation to show him what it’s like to start a new job. At the orientation, Nash was given an official Drake’s employee shirt.

“I tell a lot of people he would have been just as happy with his uniform shirt because his eyes got about as big as a softball. I mean, he was so excited when I gave him his uniform shirt,” Thornburg told Good Morning America. They also taught Nash how to use the dishwasher, should he’d be ready to work for the restaurant when he’s older.

u201cThis is what I’m talking about!!! Love this kid! If you want something,, work hard for it!!nnLexington 8-year-old applies for Drake’s dishwasher job to buy Xbox https://t.co/CkpEtIHtoh via @WDRBNewsu201d

— Mike C (@Mike C)
1667578189

But, by far the best part for Nash at the orientation was when Thornburg gave him a new Xbox for having such a great work ethic. Thornburg says the gift “changed the little guy’s life for sure.”

“We got to do something for this young man. He’s obviously very special,” Thornburg said, adding that the third grader is “definitely is the youngest applicant” he’s ever had.

Few things will carry a person further in this world than having the willingness to go out and work for the things they want in life. Kudos to Belinda for instilling financial literacy in her son and to the management at Drake’s for encouraging his work ethic.

Like the rest of the world, we at Upworthy have found Brendan Fraser’s glorious return to the Hollywood spotlight to be inspiring. After a multiyear hiatus, his role in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” has been a career milestone—both catapulting him back onto the big screen and gaining widespread accolades for his incredible performance. Seriously, if you haven’t seen it yet, do. And bring tissues … it’s beautifully heartbreaking.

At long last, it seems this beloved actor and genuinely decent guy is getting the comeback he deserves. Since “The Whale” released to theaters, Fraser has been a frontrunner for the coveted Best Actor title, and scored his first win (of probably many) at the 2023 Critics Choice Awards.

As you can probably imagine, this full-circle moment meant a lot to Fraser. The video below captures his initial reaction to hearing his name being announced and taking his triumphant march to the stage.

The moment Brendan Fraser won Best Actor at the #CriticsChoiceAwards

See the full winners list: https://t.co/7bQikYH6Le pic.twitter.com/lAgX8fAPJI

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) January 16, 2023

And as he delivered a moving acceptance speech, there wasn’t a dry eye left in the house.

Because Brendan Fraser wouldn’t be Brendan Fraser without a charming sense of humor, he began by making the audience laugh. “Where were you for ‘Furry Vengeance’?” he quipped, harkening back to his comedy heyday.

He continued by praising his cast and crew members—including Aronofsky, who essentially plucked the actor out of obscurity. “I was in the wilderness and I probably should have left a trail of breadcrumbs, but you found me. And like all the best directors, you merely just showed me where to go to get to where I needed to be,” he told the director.

Then, with his voice trembling with emotion, Fraser declared, “If you, like a guy like Charlie, who I played in this movie, in any way struggle with obesity or you just feel like you’re in a dark sea, I want you to know that if you too can have the strength to just get to your feet and go to the light, good things will happen.”

Brendan Fraser’s emotional acceptance speech at the #CriticsChoiceAwards

See the full winners list: https://t.co/7bQikYH6Le pic.twitter.com/j0cj0tw3YQ

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) January 16, 2023

In “The Whale,” Fraser plays a 600-pound man who uses his final days to reconcile with his estranged daughter (played by Sadie Sink). Whether or not obesity is a mental illness has been a subject of debate, however it has been closely linked with mood disorders like depression—which, let’s face it, can make anyone feel hopeless and inert, overweight or not. Above all, the big theme of the film is about having the strength to hold onto hope, regardless of circumstances. Or as Fraser put it, “finding the light in a dark place.”

Fraser’s words touched many who have found themselves in similar situations:

hearing this at a dark time in my life really does make me emotional gyat dayum

— gungbunglung (@anthonypalmier9) January 16, 2023

I have yet to watch this movie 😭😭🥺 Getting to the light is so worth it, especially after rough times, when you felt trapped, subdued and with no way out! I’m so happy because I did that, here I am, in the light 💜💜💜

— Mariana / Your Curly Girl ☺️ (@mar5729_) January 17, 2023

Amazing speech! 👏 So many people out there struggling & so beautiful how he expresses how it feels & how to look for the Light! Keep pressing on till you find it! 💯

— Lynnda Mackey (@lynndamack) January 16, 2023

Time will tell if this moment foreshadows an Oscar win, but in our hearts, Fraser is already a winner. Thank you for giving us all a masterclass in emotional resilience and compassion.

Prior to joining the Los Angeles Clippers, John Wall spent two years on the roster of the Houston Rockets. Wall made his way to Houston in the trade that sent Russell Westbrook to the Washington Wizards, but only played 40 games in Houston due to a mix of injuries and, for the entirety of the 2021-22 NBA season, an agreement that Wall would stay home while the Rockets focused on developing their young guards.

As it turns out, Wall had some gripes about his tenure in Texas. The veteran guard appeared on the “Run Your Race” podcast, where he talked about how he “worked my ass off” on a team that was trying to “lose on purpose.”

Wall specifically pointed out the fact that they were starting Justin Patton, a former first-round pick for the Minnesota Timberwolves who is currently playing in France, as proof they were tanking.

“This how our starting lineup was, it was like me, David Nwaba, Jae’Sean Tate, Justin Patton, somebody else,” Wall said. “Who the f*ck, can I win a game with this sh*t.”

Wall said he was being a professional and wanted to team the young players — “Don’t get used to this sh*t, it’s not how the NBA is, it’s just a bad organization right now,” he said. But still, calling out Patton this explicitly didn’t sit well with the former Creighton big man, who saw Wall’s quote going around and called him out on Twitter.

Patton, the No. 16 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, suited up for the Timberwolves, Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Oklahoma City Thunder before heading abroad in 2021.

Nostalgia reboots can be tricky, to say the very least. For every Cobra Kai, there are a sea of efforts that fail to harness the same energy as the originals while also bringing updated reasons to root for the same characters. That ’90s Show will soon take the plunge into charted waters on Netflix, and over on Peacock, an already successful rewarming of a classic series will return.

We’re talking about Bel-Air, the Will Smith-produced Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot that stars Jabari Banks (as Will). And back when this series first came together at Peacock, few would have imagined that a gritty update could work (especially with this tagline: “You know the Banks family, but not like this”) when the original show was so comedic in tone. Yet the show brought muscle without the cursed Carlton dance, and Peacock saw fit for a renewal. Here’s what to know before Season 2.

Release Date

The one-hour drama will return to Peacock on February 23 (with three fresh episodes) and continue to roll out on a weekly basis. For those who have already watched the series, expect to see familiar faces return.

Cast

Those roughed-up Philly streets haven’t left Will’s psyche as easy as with his 1990s counterpart. He landed in California, where Uncle Phil wants him to turn his life around, and the show got dark during the first season by diving deeper than a 30-minute sitcom could do even if it really tried. Banks is back as will with Olly Sholotan as Carlton, Adrian Holmes as Uncle Phil, and Cassandra Freeman as the updated Aunt Viv (who will hopefully not be controversially replaced like one of her predecessors was). Also expect to see Coco Jones as Hilary, Akira Akbar as Ashley, and Jordan L. Jones as Jazz.

Variety also recently reported that rapper Saweetie will enter in cameo form at some point this season with three actors on tap for recurring roles: Brooklyn McLinn, Jazlyn Martin, and Riele Downs. There’s been no word on whether Marlon Wayans and April Parker Jones will step back into view as Will’s parents, and only time will tell.

Plot

Here’s the second season’s official synopsis:

Season two of Bel-Air picks up with Will at a crossroads as a new figure comes into his life who challenges what he’s learned in Bel-Air and competes for control of his influence. He juggles this while navigating his home life with the Banks family and trying to rebuild the trust that was broken at the end of last season. We’ll see Will and Carlton’s brotherhood start to evolve as they grow closer, but still challenge each other about their differences. We’ll also see Hilary evolve as she becomes more of a boss in her influencer world and how that spills over into her relationship with Jazz, and also highlight the relatable struggles around Viv and Phil balancing marriage and family while trying to forge their own career paths and reconnect to the things that are important to them.

Trailer

You can view the official teaser for Bel-Air Season 2 below:

Bel-Air streams again on February 23.

Chance The Rapper is no stranger to controversy, and it looks like he has to field even more in the wake of his Black Star Line festival in Ghana this past weekend. Although the festival was organized with the best of intentions, it has drawn some criticism for centering Ghana, which has a fraught political climate right now, as well as booking acts like Dave Chappelle, who has been embroiled in some controversy of his own involving perceived anti-trans rhetoric in his stand-up.

As one Ghanaian writer put it, “Accra [the site of the festival] is uninhabitable for regular Ghanaians. The only people thriving are the diaspora and the wealthy.”

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Chance tried to address the backlash to the festival, highlighting its successes and doing his best to reframe Chappelle’s comments as a needed, ongoing dialogue. “I think it’s something that Dave was actually shining a light on,” he said of the comic’s set, which addressed Ghana’s anti-gay laws. “That’s where that conversation came from. Dave was making a comment about the comedy scene in Ghana when he said, ‘I bet gay jokes go over so well here.’”

“I feel bad that the person in the audience felt singled out or that the violence against the trans community or LGBTQ community in Ghana wasn’t being respected,” he continued. “… so if having Dave there made people feel like they weren’t, that they didn’t have space or that they weren’t welcome, that was not my intention… I can’t really all the way speak for Dave. I don’t want to say what he thinks or what he feels, but what I think I know about him is that he loves everybody, especially his people, meaning Black people, meaning Black people that are trans, Black people that are gay, Black people that are gender non-conforming, people period.”