Datasets:

valurank

/

Topic_Classification

like 1

Gracie Marie Bradley, Sharon Stone, Niecy Nash, and Giancarlo Esposito star in the 2022 Tribeca-selected film, streaming on Netflix June 29. “Beauty”Netflix What really is the cost of fame? The 1980s music industry is explored in Netflix’s “Beauty,” written and produced by Lena Waithe and directed by Sundance Film Festival darling Andrew Dosunmu, who also executive produces the feature. “Beauty” premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Festival and premieres on Netflix June 29. Gracie Marie Bradley stars as the titular Beauty, a rising singer who struggles to maintain her identity after being offered a lucrative recording deal by an executive, played by Sharon Stone. Niecy Nash and Giancarlo Esposito star as Beauty’s parents, who worry if she’s “ready” for all the spotlight has to bring. “You know what they do to stars? They build you up just so they can take you down,” Nash says in the trailer, before warning Bradley, “You won’t be real. You’ll be a fantasy.” Bradley as Beauty states, “I don’t know how to sing Black, white. I just know how to sing, because that’s what I like to do. I just want to use the gift God gave me.” “Queen and Slim” screenwriter Waithe penned the R-rated drama set in the 1980s. The Emmy-winning “Master of None” writer/producer/star also appeared on “Better Things” and lent her voice to “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” animated revival series. Waithe additionally writes on TV series “The Chi,” which she created, and is producing basketball drama “Chang Can Dunk” and foster care drama “A Thousand and One” next. Waithe currently is in pre-production on the documentary “Being Mary: The Mary Tyler Moore Documentary,” which she co-created with late Moore’s husband Dr. S. Robert Levine about the making of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” “Beauty” director Andrew Dosunmu previously helmed “Mother of George,” “Restless City,” and the critically acclaimed “Where Is Kyra?.” The Sundance alum is set to direct the historical period piece “Marked Man,” about a young Black man who joined J. Edgar Hoover’s Federal Bureau of Investigation and infiltrates Marcu Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association organization. Winston Duke, Jesse Williams, and DeWanda Wise are set to star. “Beauty” is produced by Waithe and Michael Ellenberg, with Dosunmu, Carrie Fix, and Rishi Rajani serving as executive producers. Check out the trailer below. “Beauty” premieres June 29 on Netflix. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.

Movies

John Warnock Hinckley Jr., the 25-year-old son of a wealthy oilman and the man accused in the attempted assassination of President Reagan March 30, is seen in the rear of a police car as he was transported to U. S. District Court for arraignment. (DALLAS MORNING NEWS PHOTO by PHIL HUBER via UPI)As his full, unconditional release goes into effect as early as Wednesday, John Hinckley Jr., the former Highland Park resident who shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981, wants to launch a music career and already has sold out his first upcoming live show in Brooklyn.In the assassination attempt outside the Washington Hilton, Hinckley also wounded press secretary James Brady, U.S. Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy and D.C. police officer Thomas Delahanty. Brady was paralyzed during the incident by a shot to the head, and later died in 2014 as a result of the shooting. Brady and his wife, Sarah, went on to become high-profile gun control advocates.Hinckley, a former Highland Park resident and now an aspiring songwriter, was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982 and was confined for over two decades at St. Elizabeths hospital in Washington D.C. In 2016 he was allowed to live full-time with his mother in Williamsburg, Virginia.After his mother died in 2021, Hinckley moved out on his own and made money selling books online and items at an antique mall, according to The Associated Press.Hinckley was given full unconditional release on June 1 by U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman, which went into effect on Wednesday, according to the AP.“He’s been scrutinized. He’s passed every test. He’s no longer a danger to himself or others,” Friedman said at the final hearing.Following the news of Hinckley’s full release, Reagan’s foundation released a statement in opposition.“The Reagan Foundation and Institute is both saddened and concerned that John Hinckley Jr. will soon be unconditionally released and intends to pursue a music career for profit,” Reagan’s foundation wrote in a statement. “We strongly oppose his release into society where he apparently seeks to make a profit from his infamy.”Before the assassination attempt, Hinckley was a musician and artist. He began posting original music to his YouTube channel created in Nov. 2020. Among the songs he’s posted are “You and I are Free” and “Can’t We All Get Along.” He also sold artwork anonymously until a judge allowed him to publicly display writings, artwork and music in Oct. 2020, according to the Associated Press.On the day a judge granted his full, unconditional release Hinckley took to Twitter and thanked his supporters and wrote, “what a long strange trip it has been. Now it’s time to rock and roll.”A big thank you to everyone who helped me get my unconditional release. What a long strange trip it has been. Now it’s time to rock and roll.— John Hinckley (@JohnHinckley20) June 1, 2022 Over time he has amassed 28,400 followers on YouTube and has received a total of 985,929 views. On Twitter he has gained 27,300 followers since joining in Oct. 2021.His first show will be at Market Hotel in Brooklyn, New York City on July 8. He announced the show as part of his “Redemption Tour” via Twitter on April 8, before posting it had sold out on April 12.He also has a show lined up at Logan Square Auditorium in Chicago on July 23.Related:Flashback: Photographing John Hinckley hours after assassination attemptMarket Hotel defended its choice to book Hinckley over Twitter in a series of replies questioning the move.“The man was found not guilty by reason of insanity, served 40 years incarcerated / in treatment for mental health. He acknowledged his crimes and has repeatedly expressed remorse,” the venue wrote in one reply. “Several courts have found him to be safe for unsupervised release. People can recover and get better.”Rebekah Alvey, Washington bureau intern. Rebekah Alvey is completing a masters degree in Journalism at American University. Before coming to D.C. she attended Western Kentucky University where she studied Journalism and Arabic. She's previously interned at the Lexington Herald-Leader, and worked for her undergrad student newspaper in several roles including editor-in-chief. rebekah.alvey@dallasnews.com @bekah_alvey Get Political PointsReceive the latest political news delivered every Tuesday and Thursday from reporters in Austin, Dallas and Washington.By signing up you agree to our privacy policyMost Popular on DallasNews.com123456

Music

Now is not the time to be talking about a quest to be more productive—yet here we are. Amidst high levels of stress, deteriorating work-life boundaries, and a terrible news cycle, listening to that inner monologue about what you could or should be doing at any moment is hard on one's mental health. But still, I want to talk about it, because I am bad at relaxing. And there might be a way to alleviate productivity's pull: Pokémon Legends: Arceus.I’m a firm believer that I can’t help how I feel about things. (I’m embarrassed by my addiction to Merge Mansion, even though I know I shouldn't feel that way.) My obsession with productivity, with life hacks, with getting more done than I possibly physically can in any moment, is a byproduct of how my brain works, how I was raised, and a whole lot of societal factors that would require an entirely different story to unpack. It’s a toxic cocktail, but one that I’ve accepted I have no power over. My brain wants to be productive all the time. The trick is not giving in. I benefit from downtime, and I need to stick with it, even when it doesn’t feel good—the long-term benefits are too necessary.That’s where certain types of video games come in. Games are ideal for decompressing because they keep my hands busy while forcing my brain to check out from the digital, always-on, always-connected world. Collection-style titles, specifically, scratch the get-things-done itch, tricking my productivity-focused mind into thinking I’m accomplishing something even though it’s just for fun.Pokémon Legends: Arceus is perfect for this. I’ve been tempted by many a Pokémon game before, but this is the first one I’ve actually purchased and played. A lot of people I trust told me it was ideal for people new to the franchise, and they were right. I love structured or quest-based open-world games because they give players the freedom to do what they want without being overwhelming (too many options is also not a good thing for my brain). Arceus isn’t truly open-world, but it comes close.The story is as follows: You, as the main character, fall into a mysterious world through a portal with no memory of who you are. What you do have, though, is an affinity for catching Pokémon, the mysterious creatures that inhabit this world. You are recruited to become a Surveyor, tasked with cataloging the creatures within your Pokedex. There are missions, and a story, as well as the mystery of your own origins, but you’re very much in control of what you explore and make progress on. You don’t really have to focus on the story unless you feel like you’ve exhausted one area and want to unlock the next.This is where the productivity hack comes in: I have spent so much time just filling in the Pokedex instead of actually progressing in the game. For each type of Pokémon there are different things for you to do: collect a certain number of them with stealth or defeat them with a certain element-based move, for example. As you make your way through the Pokedex, it really feels like checking things off a to-do list. And if you’re a person who writes things down after you’ve done them, just to be able to check them off (I see you!), then you’ll understand this satisfaction.When I’m having a-high anxiety day and recognize that I need serious relaxation, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is where I turn. It makes relaxation seem productive, it calms my mind even when I’m super stressed. It may seem strange to trick your brain into thinking unwinding is work. But when you’re great at working hard and terrible at blowing off steam, you do what you have to, whenever and wherever you can.And now I can finally check “decompress” off that never-ending to-do list.

Video Games

Destiny 2 Bungie Finally, we arrive at my last god roll guide of the season, as I’ve already done Opulent weapons and Duality dungeon weapons before this. I was waiting on the Haunted weapons because it takes a long, long time to be able to even start crafting any of them, but I suppose these are rolls you can either craft or drop. But if you’re a die-hard player like me, you may have finally gotten a few patterns complete. I really like these weapons, and while I don’t have all my perfect rolls yet, I’m getting there. Here’s what I would look for: Tears of Contrition (Kinetic Scout Rifle) Destiny 2 Destiny 2 Triple Tap/Explosive Rounds – Any scout that can roll explosive rounds, I’m going to get, and more ammo regen means more explosions. Triple Tap/Fourth Time’s the Charm – If infinite magazines are more your thing. Perpetual Motion, Triple Tap or Well Rounded/Focused Fury – Low mag, high precision hit scout rifles are a solid option for Focused Fury, a perk I don’t normally love. The other two perks you can pick your stats boosts from. Triple Tap helps with focusing, I believe. Firefright (Kinetic Auto Rifle) Destiny 2 Destiny 2 Threat Detector or Well-Rounded/Adagio – Since the Adagio buff, that can actually be some solid damage if you don’t mind how the rate of fire decrease feels. Fourth Time/Focused Fury – Given that I believe the precision requirement for Focused Fury is half your original mag, not how much is added to it with a perk like Fourth Time, these two should go well together. Nezarec’s Whisper (Arc Glaive) Destiny 2 Destiny 2 Tilting at Windmills/Unstoppable Force – With how good glaives are at tanking now with the shield, maybe worth your time. Demolitionist/Adrenaline Junkie – On a glaive? Yes. Demo instantly refilling your glaive ammo is great, and even though the Adrenaline stacks only work on the projectiles, it’s still good in this meta. Impulse Amplifier/Frenzy or Vorpal – While both Frenzy and Vorpal only work on the projectiles, they’re both good to pair with Impulse. It’s still a great glaive perk, but after recent projectile speed baseline buffs, it’s not quite as mandatory as it once was. Hollow Denial (Void Trace Rifle) Destiny 2 Destiny 2 Adaptive Munitions/Killing Tally or Swashbuckler – Adaptive is going to be good in a lot of endgame material. Killing Tally is the return of a rare perk, but you may prefer Swash which can ramp up faster given it procs on any melee kill. Adaptive Munitions or Lead from Gold/Repulsor Brace – Repulsor is a new perk that barely drops on anything, but in a dedicated void build, is going to be supplying you with non-stop Overshields. Highly recommend. Without Remorse (Solar Shotgun) Destiny 2 Destiny 2 Threat Detector or Well Rounded/Incandescent – Incandescent is the hot new solar perk that you’re going to want on everything that can roll it. I need to check if Stats for All triggers on Incandescent damage, but if so, that’s a great pick. Threat Detector/One-Two Punch or Vorpal – If you want to be boring and just go for single target damage instead. Bump in the Night (Stasis Rocket Launcher) Destiny 2 Bungie Autoloading/Chill Clip or Vorpal – Any rocket you’re going to want with Autoloading, and I think Chill Clip might have the damage edge here after the Vorpal nerf. Tracking Module/Chill Clip, Vorpal or Frenzy – If you can give up Autoloading, this is the only way you’re going to get this type of rocket launcher actual tracking. Frenzy could be good here for boosted reload. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to my free weekly content round-up newsletter, God Rolls. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.

Video Games

In her Today show interview, Heard said she "took for granted what I assumed was my right to speak" in writing her op-ed. She said that she now worries that continuing to speak about the trial and her allegations against Depp could put her at risk of facing more lawsuits brought by her ex-husband."I’m scared that no matter what I do, no matter what I say or how I say it, every step that I take will present another opportunity for this sort of silencing," she said. "Which is what I guess a defamation lawsuit is meant to do — it’s meant to take your voice."Heard hit back against Depp's team for claiming her abuse allegations were nothing more than lies. The trial was "meant to cast aspersions on who I am as a human, my credibility, to call me a liar in every way you can," she said.She also responded to the suggestion that bruises seen on her face in photos presented during the trial were fake."Again, it’s that thing — if you have bruising, if you have injuries, it’s fake," she said. "If you don’t have any, then you weren’t injured.""This was a hoax, according to [Depp's] team. Why didn’t I cooperate with the police?" she said. "As I’ve testified before and I will stand by until my dying day, I didn’t want to cooperate with them. I didn’t want this to be out, I didn’t want this to be known. I didn’t want to cooperate with them because I didn’t want … to get him in trouble."Heard said she still has love for Depp and does not wish ill on him."I love him. I loved him with all my heart," she said. "And I tried the best I could to make a deeply broken relationship work. And I couldn’t.""I have no bad feelings or ill will towards him at all," she continued. "I know that might be hard to understand — or it might be really easy to understand. If you’ve just ever loved anyone, it should be easy."

Celebrity

Emelie Mahdavian's documentary "Bitterbrush" is a sublime and slow-moving feature that packs a hell of a punch. Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2021 Telluride Film Festival. Magnolia Pictures releases the film in theaters on Friday, June 17 and on VOD on Friday, June 24. Emelie Mahdavian’s documentary “Bitterbrush” looks at women in a state of becoming, but where most films position their subjects on a threshold — say, the evolution from girl to woman — “Bitterbrush” is about the quiet moments when you’re already an adult but wonder what the next decade or two will bring. A slow-moving feature of itinerant lives cast against the sublime landscapes of the American West, Mahdavian’s film is quiet — but it packs a hell of a punch. Horses and wide open spaces are in every frame of “Bitterbrush” as we meet Hollyn and Colie putting their horses in the back of a trailer. They’re on their way to a campsite where they’ll spend a season herding cattle off a mountain range. The work is hard and lonely, with only the pair keeping each other company for most of the journey. They delight in the little things, like having a cabin where they can lounge with their dogs. “Bitterbrush” revels in the ways silence can connect. The film reveals little about Hollyn and Colie’s relationship, outside the fact that they’ve probably known each other for five years. Understanding the depth of their friendship comes from watching them ride horses or silently enjoy each other’s company during the protracted gig. This is a film that reveals its true power in quiet moments, like when the pair offer the audience glimpses of their past while around a campfire, or even washing dishes. On the surface, it’s hard to know why these two beautiful young women would want the itinerant job of herding cattle. “Bitterbrush” can feel a bit like Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland,” as its two figures going from place to place and hold little to no connections with others. Yet Hollyn and Colie are always talking about their connection to the land. Colie feels especially conflicted about the way her life has turned out. She struggles to hold back emotion while discussing her mother’s aneurysm and the funeral procession that saw a wagon take her mom back around their property, her horse walking behind her. She would love to have a place of her own, but sees the process of attaining that goal as so punishing that it would not be worth the struggle. Making something of yourself means accepting starvation; for her, this nomadic life feels more acceptable than anything else. Hollyn, with her bright smile, is the joker of the pair. “I was born ready,” she says. “Also, premature!” Like Colie, Hollyn is used to an itinerant life and her connections to others are different. She achingly talks about losing her dog, even as she apologizes: “I know she’s a dog,” as if that means she can’t be torn up about it. Cinematographers Derek Howard and Alejandro Mejia do a fantastic job of placing Hollyn and Colie amongst the land they love. The sublime was an 18th-century art movement in which works captured an overwhelming sense of beauty and grandeur beyond calculation; it’s a beautiful irony to see Hollyn and Colie flanked by giant mountains and open plains that threaten to swallow them up as they travel in search of cattle. As much as they’ve removed themselves from the modern world, they seem just as isolated in the grandiosity of nature as they would in any urban environment. There isn’t a lot that passes for suspense within “Bitterbrush.” Hollyn breaks a colt in an extended sequence that takes on added anxiety as she approaches the horse with a blanket, is forced to draw back, and start over with a saddle. When Hollyn receives news that forces her to question how her life will change, it’s not treated as a revelation; it’s a simple line of text. Her nomadic existence can’t continue, or can it? For her, it wouldn’t be impossible, just “harder.” That’s the heart of “Bitterbrush”: They don’t necessarily feel there’s much in their life that needs to change. If there’s challenges to face, they find ways to adapt or believe that “God will provide.” For two women so closely bound to nature, it’s not surprising they believe things will work out in the end, no different than the sun rising every day. Mahdavian is best known as the writer and producer of the critically acclaimed documentary “Midnight Traveler,” but this is her second documentary feature as a director; her first, “After the Curtain,” followed four Tajikistan women who must weigh their passion for dance against the breaking cultural norms of their largely Muslim nation. With “Bitterbrush,” Mahdavian announces herself as a filmmaker with a keen eye for capturing the contradictions and complexities of outsider women’s lives. Grade: B “Bitterbrush” premiered at the 2021 Telluride Film Festival. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.

Movies

The Summer Game Fest 2022 livestream last week showcased a number of exciting games coming this year and in early 2023. Along with the reveal of The Last of Part remake, we also got an early look at Marvel's Midnight Suns and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022). But there was much more to Summer Game Fest than its online show. Select members of the press and games industry insiders got exclusive access to games at SGF's Play Days hands-on event, which showcased several exciting games coming out sooner than you think. Some of these games included Sonic the Hedgehog's first foray into an open world with Sonic Frontiers and Capcom's upcoming fighting game Street Fighter 6.These were the nine games from Summer Game Fest's Play Days event that stood out.Street Fighter 6The classic fighters return for the next-generation outing. Capcom Street Fighter is one of Capcom's most iconic gaming franchises, and the latest game is in a great position to revitalize the series in a big way. Street Fighter 6 brings many of the series' legacy characters into a more modern take on the classic setup of a globetrotting trek to see who's the world's strongest warrior. It sticks to its roots as a 2D fighter. Still, it adds modern flourishes and tweaks to make it less daunting for newcomers but engaging to veterans.I got to play Street Fighter 6 at Play Days, and it was a stunning fighting game to jump into. There were four characters for me to try: returning fighters Ryu and Chun-Li and relative newcomers like Luke and Jamie. Jumping in felt familiar but brand new, as the upgraded visuals greatly enhanced the series' strengths for intense fights that revolve around reading your opponent and executing tactical, split-second choices to take them down.Even with its classic roots, it felt fresh and exciting to jump into different matches without knowing where things would go next. It's not coming out until 2023, but I was stunned by how impressive the game looks and feels. With more characters being announced, I'm excited to see what else is in store with Street Fighter 6, especially its intriguing single-player World Tour mode.Sonic FrontiersThe upcoming open-world Sonic game has some lofty ideas that captures the sense of speed fans love, but there's still some things it's struggling to nail down. Sega If there's one classic gaming franchise that could use a Breath of the Wild-esque breakthrough, it would be Sonic the Hedgehog. I got a chance to play Sonic Frontiers, and it has some interesting ideas, bringing the lovable hedgehog into a large open world that has surprising connections to its classic roots.I should stress that my hands-on time came from an early build, which had several odd bugs and technical hitches. Unfortunately, these quirks showed up quite often, but I still got a sense of the game's ambition. 3D Sonic games have had difficulties translating Sonic's speed into a new dimension. Being able to speed across landscapes with Sonic's agility felt like it captured those moments from cinematics from Sonic CD, the ones you'd usually see before jumping into the more confined stages. My time with Frontiers is the first time since Sonic Adventure that I could get a sense of the series venturing into exciting new territory. If there's one Sonic game that needs to get it right, it's Sonic Frontiers. I hope it nails its attempt to bring Sega's speedy mascot into a new era.Escape AcademyThe Headmaster of Escape Academy is one of of many characters you'll meet throughout your school year as you work to become a master escape artist. iam8bit, Skybound Games / Coin Crew Games Escape rooms have been all the rage over the last few years, and the upcoming Escape Academy aims to offer its own take on the shared experience of solving puzzles and escaping confined spaces in the nick of time. Described as "Hogwarts, but with escape rooms instead of magic," Escape Academy has you play as young students who must master the art of solving puzzles under pressure. In this puzzle adventure game, you'll interact with a group of teachers and students who attend the academy in between challenges, which you can take on solo or cooperatively.In my experience, playing the game in co-op felt like the best way to play, as my escape partner and I would shout out instructions to each other. It created this impromptu social element that was fun. It felt tense being trapped in several rooms with flooding water, but that gave way to a thrilling sense of satisfaction when accomplishing a goal. Escape Academy is one to watch for those looking for a puzzle game to dive into, especially with a friend.SchimThe shadows in Schim are your saving grace, serving as platforms to jump onto. Extra Nice / Ewoud van der Werf Lights and shadows are often left as background details to convey the look and atmosphere of games. It's not so simple in Schim, a charming puzzle platformer that uses shadows as actual platforms to jump onto. Featured in the 2022 Day of the Devs lineup, the indie platformer puts you in the role of a magical creature called a Schim that can only survive in the shadows. Unfortunately for the Schim, it's stuck outside during a particularly sunny day. To survive, it'll need to jump from one shadow to the next one, all cast by everyday objects.The concept for Schim is wild, but I found it so clever and endearing to jump between shadows to survive, often using stationary objects or timing your movement with moving objects. There's a lot of activity in the various stages, and it was fun getting to explore and figure out how to best move around the level by shifting your camera's perspective and looking at what's around you. Schim takes the "what if shadows were platforms" concept and runs with it, and it's a game I'm looking forward to checking out more in the future.Tower of FantasySimilar to Genshin Impact, Tower of Fantasy will focus on exploring a massive world and expanding your roster of playable heroes. Perfect World Coming from the developer and publisher Perfect World, Tower of Fantasy is an incredibly stylized take on an open-world action game. It's clear Tower of Fantasy has similarities with Genshin Impact, which swept the gaming world in 2020, but that's OK in my book. There's plenty of room to operate with the premise of an anime-inspired open-world game, and Tower of Fantasy brings exuberance and depth with its approach.What sets Tower of Fantasy apart is its focus on customization with your chosen character. While there's a roster of colorful and energetic characters to amass, just like in Genshin Impact you also have a custom hero. This character can be whoever you want them to be, and you can give them a set of skills and weapons that fit your play style. Moreover, the world effectively blends sci-fi with fantasy, creating an intriguing world to explore. I dug the sense of style Tower of Fantasy had, and as a free-to-play game on PC and mobile, it'll be readily available for players who want to jump on.Metal: HellsingerMetal: Hellsinger truly leans into the aesthetic of a heavy metal rock album. Funcom OK, get this, Metal: Hellsinger is a first-person shooter that's also a rhythm action game. Think of it as Doom with a dash of Guitar Hero's pacing and a heavy metal soundtrack. Playing as a half-human, half-demon warrior with a massive arsenal of guns, you'll fight through a hellish demonic underworld to take down the ruler of Hell itself. The premise sounds like a description you'd read from the back of a vinyl cover for a heavy metal rock album, which is appropriate because the rhythm and intensity the music inspires is a core part of Metal: Hellsinger's experience.Instead of firing your guns with wild abandon, you'll need to maintain a level of focus to efficiently clear out demons. You'll stay in step with the music by timing your shots and skills with on-screen musical chords. This emphasis on staying in step to a specific rhythm can be tricky to grasp, and it can initially feel like your play style is limited by keeping up with the music. But once you get into the flow of Metal: Hellsinger's music is thrilling. I was so impressed by how I managed to pick up on the game's approach to musical combat. And with a diverse arsenal of weapons, you effectively have difficult instruments to use to unleash hell on foes.If you're looking for a fresh and thrilling shooter that puts its killer soundtrack at the forefront, then Metal: Hellsinger is one to watch out for. If you're itching to give the game a shot, there's a free demo on the game's Steam page right now.Soul Hackers 2The main crew in Soul Hackers 2 will strengthen their bonds and amass greater power to fight off the evil forces lurking in a cyberpunk-inspired city. Sega / Atlus The upcoming Japanese role-playing game Soul Hackers 2 is another stylish and engaging adventure from Atlus, the developers of Shin Megami Tensei V and Persona 5. In the same vein as their previous RPGs, Soul Hackers 2 has you control a group of hip and witty youths who tap into demonic powers to take down some of their city's most sinister forces. But unlike Persona and SMT, Souls Hackers 2 takes a more mature look at the seedy underbelly of a cyberpunk-inspired city, which will test the bonds of each member of the ragtag group of demon slayers.I got to play a short section at Summer Game Fest, and even in that brief time, I got a sense of how stylish, fun and deep its combat and social elements are. Along with it being a dungeon crawler, letting you control your squad and fight demons in the city's lower depths, you'll also spend time bonding with each member over drinks and activities. Soul Hackers has a clever mix of classic RPG mechanics with a heavily stylized and exuberant tone that makes it enticing to want to jump into. Star Trek: ResurgenceOne of the playable characters takes on the role of First Officer, putting her right in the middle of diplomatic situations. Paramount We don't often get Star Trek games, especially ones that focus purely on storytelling and the intricacies of its deep universe. That's where Star Trek: Resurgence comes in, blending the sensibilities of classic Trek with modern games storytelling. Coming from developers who worked on Telltale's The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us, Star Trek: Resurgence is a story-driven game that feels like you're playing a season-long story from the era of The Next Generation.I played Resurgence during GDC 2022, and I was impressed with the game's attention to detail and its approach to replicating classic Trek. I played another section of the game at Summer Game Fest, which picked up at a later point in the overarching story. With the game set on the USS Resolute, you play as two Starfleet officers -- one who works on the main bridge and the other who works on the lower decks -- who see a large diplomatic crisis from different sides. I do enjoy and admire the newest installments of Star Trek, but there's still something enjoyable about the classic era, and Resurgence effectively re-creates that. This latest Star Trek game has some big shoes to fill, but I'm feeling good with its intimate and diplomatic approach to its storytelling, which is almost always the best kind of Star Trek.

Video Games

Get The Big To-DoYour guide to staying entertained, from live shows and outdoor fun to the newest in museums, movies, TV, books, dining, and more.Austin Butler stars as Elvis Presley in "Elvis."Hugh StewartLuhrmann’s love of the moving image goes back to his childhood. Growing up in the tiny town of Herons Creek, he watched old black-and-white movies like “Citizen Kane” and “The Red Shoes” on the family TV’s single channel. His father ran a small movie theater, which helped develop his viewing into a calling.“We weren’t getting first-run films,” Luhrmann said. “We were showing ‘Hello, Dolly!’ and ‘The Sound of Music,’ and on Sundays, we had an Elvis matinee, so that was my introduction to Elvis, even before hearing his music.”By the time he was 18, Luhrmann had his own theater company and was putting together plays and operas.“I was also acting in movies and television to fund my theater company,” he said. “I went to the National Institute of Dramatic Art [in Kensington, Australia] to study acting, but by then I was also directing and creating at the same time.”Baz Luhrmann attended the "Elvis" UK special screening at BFI Southbank on May 31, 2022 in London.Tim P. Whitby/Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Warner Bros.His first film was a reworking of his semi-autobiographical stage creation “Strictly Ballroom,” and it became an international success. He started adapting iconic works, imbuing them with his own imaginative vision. His “Romeo + Juliet” took place in the fictional Verona Beach, Fla., with a soundtrack featuring artists such as Radiohead, Prince, Garbage, and the Cardigans.“‘Romeo and Juliet’ was always tedious to study, but I saw a modern dress production of ‘Twelfth Night’ at school, and it was a revelation,” Luhrmann said. “I thought, ‘If Shakespeare were here, making a movie, how would he do it?’ That was the genesis of it.“With ‘Gatsby,’ I didn’t particularly love the book,” he added, but after “Moulin Rouge!” a journey he took on the Trans-Siberian Railway opened his eyes. “I happened to have in my backpack a new invention called the iPod. There were talking books on it, and one of them was ‘The Great Gatsby.’ I put it on, and all night long I was listening to it while drinking some fabulous red Aussie wine, and I realized what a cinematic piece it was. I knew that I never understood the story of Gatsby, but I always thought: There’s a great movie in there, I must do that one day.”While there have been plenty of movies about (and starring) Elvis before, Luhrmann was interested in making a film about an icon whose journey to fame — and dramatic decline — says something bigger about the country that made him King.“The two biggest gestures in America are selling and being creative,” Luhrmann said. “The big sell is Colonel Tom Parker, and the big creative is Elvis. He was channeling all these rich musical influences and layers, and out of that came something new. Then there’s the selling of that. These two characters embody these two big American gestures. It’s a film about America.”Austin Butler in “Elvis.”Courtesy of Warner Bros. PicturesLuhrmann first had the idea for the film in 2014, and after some starts and stops, he was granted access to the Elvis archives at Graceland in 2017. He and his team pored over materials there for close to three years — a painstaking process that led to decisions about what to cut out of the script.“There was a meticulous and disciplined process of going, ‘Well, I think it would be fun to have Elvis go and see Nixon, because that would be a great moment. But does that serve the greater arc?’” Luhrmann recalled. “I knew that a lot of really fun things had to come out. . . . But I did realize that having Colonel Tom Parker as the film’s unreliable narrator was the way in.”Luhrmann offered the part to Tom Hanks after listening to some tapes at Graceland made by Parker. “He’s a big character, and you need a big actor to play that . . . someone who’s fearless,” he said. “Tom’s one of the great actors of all time. Usually, it takes a month to get someone onboard with a role like this. But I sat with him and told him about Colonel Tom Parker, and he stopped me 10 minutes in and said, ‘If you want me, I’m your guy.’ I think he realized it was such a fantastic character, and I think he was looking to play a note on his acting instrument that the audience had not heard before.”Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker in “Elvis.”Hugh StewartIt was a different story with Austin Butler, who had sent Luhrmann an audition tape singing “Unchained Melody” at a piano. That impressed Luhrmann, who threw a curveball at the actor. He asked Butler to prepare three Elvis songs of his choice for his screen test, but when the actor arrived, Luhrmann told him to play three other songs instead.“When he walked in and read the scenes at the audition, he was already becoming Elvis,” Luhrmann said. “Not in an acting sense, but almost in disappearing into the spirit and the humanity of the man. My next job was to find out if he could be robust. I think that Elvis is the musical equivalent to Hamlet for an actor in that, in the journey, there are three Elvises: rebel Elvis, Hollywood Elvis, ‘70s Elvis. Now, to ask a young actor to climb that mountain, you have to know that they can handle anything. I knew that we would be facing very fearful and challenging moments. But I could see that he was robust.”Butler also builds believable chemistry in a few key scenes with Australian actress Olivia DeJonge (“The Visit”) as Elvis’s much younger wife, Priscilla (he was 32 and she was 21 when they married).Working on the script, Luhrmann and his longtime collaborator Craig Pearce formed three distinct Elvis phases into a three-act story. It was a familiar structure for Luhrmann, who earlier in his career had staged operas at his theater company, and directed a Broadway run of “La Bohème” in 2003.So did he consciously make “Elvis” in the shape of an opera?“Yes! I studied opera profoundly when I was young, and I find that operatic structure and cinematic structure are quite similar,” Luhrmann said. “I consider ‘Elvis’ to be the grand tragic American opera. And, yes, it is in operatic form.”Ed Symkus can be reached at esymkus@rcn.com.

Movies

A Phoenix Suns employee resigned in May from her position with the team, alleging that she faced bullying and retaliation from fellow colleagues after raising concerns about the organization’s workplace culture. ESPN reported on Tuesday, citing documents it had obtained, that longtime employee Melissa Fender Panagiotakopoulos on May 20 sent her resignation email to the Suns’ management and ownership group, which includes team majority owner Robert Sarver. Panagiotakopoulos, who served as the team’s senior premium experience manager, made a number of allegations in her email, including of gender discrimination and inequities within the organization. “Is it a coincidence that I have been the only mother in the entire sales organization for the last 15 years? Is it because certain males were being paid more in equivalent roles?” Panagiotakopoulos wrote in her email, ESPN reported. Panagiotakopoulos also cited issues with the organization’s human resources department in her email, saying that the department failed to follow up on employee’s complaints and resolve issues, ESPN noted. She specifically alleged that she was not paid as much or given the same opportunity to work from home as a male coworker who she said had worked with the organization for a similar amount of time but had a lower level of responsibility than her, per the outlet. “As a working mother, when I requested the same flexibility, I was denied,” she wrote in the email. “I have observed these kinds of inequities throughout the Suns organization, and I have personally experienced the kind of gender-based misconduct described in recent media reports.” “And when I attempted to share my concerns with HR and leadership (including individuals at the highest level), I was dismissed – and once was even told to ‘take a cold shower,” she added. “Over many years, it has become clear to me that the Suns organization does not place the same value on developing women in its workforce, or even on ensuring they are treated equally as compared to their male counterparts.” The NBA announced last November that it had launched an investigation into the Suns organization and Sarver’s conduct following a previous ESPN report alleging he engaged in racist and misogynistic behavior. For that report, the outlet interviewed 70 current and former Suns employees who described a work environment that was “toxic and “sometimes hostile” under Sarver, who has owned the team since 2004. They also alleged that he ran an organization where “employees felt they were his property.” Sarver owns the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury as well. In a statement to ESPN, the Suns said they have been made aware of Panagiotakopoulos’s allegations and are investigating her claims. “The Phoenix Suns are committed to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive work environment free of discrimination and harassment, and we do not tolerate retaliation for the reporting of alleged misconduct,” the organization told the outlet. The Hill has reached out to the Phoenix Suns and the NBA for comment.

Basketball

Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey is set to appear at a London magistrates' court tomorrow, after he was charged with four counts of sexual assault against three menVideo LoadingVideo UnavailableKevin Spacey: Hollywood actor charged with four sexual assaultsHollywood actor Kevin Spacey is set to appear in court tomorrow, after he was charged with four counts of sexual assault against three men. Spacey, 62, who is set to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court tomorrow morning, has also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. The charges come after a review by the Crown Prosecution Service of the evidence gathered by the Met Police. The Oscar winner has been charged with two counts of sexual assault on a man, who is now in his 40s, in March 2005 in London; sexual assault on a man who is now in his 30s, in August 2008 in London and a separate count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent on the same man. Actor Kevin Spacey is set to appear in court tomorrow ( Image: DANIEL JOUBERT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock) He has also been charged with sexual assault on a man, now in his 30s, in April 2013 in Gloucestershire. Spacey had previously said that he would travel to the UK to face the charges. The Crown Prosecution Service authorised charges against him last month, but Spacey could only be charged once he had travelled to the UK. Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, had previously said: "The CPS has authorised criminal charges against Kevin Spacey, 62, for four counts of sexual assault against three men. Kevin Spacey is known for his work in The Usual Suspects and House of Cards ( Image: AFP via Getty Images) "He has also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. "The charges follow a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation. "The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Spacey are active and that he has the right to a fair trial." Following the CPS announcement, Spacey said in a statement released to Good Morning America: “While I am disappointed with their decision to move forward, I will voluntarily appear in the UK as soon as can be arranged and defend myself against these charges, which I am confident will prove my innocence.” Kevin Spacey is set to face charges tomorrow ( Image: Press Association) Spacey has won two Oscars and is known for his roles in The Usual Suspects, American Beauty and Netflix political drama House of Cards. He was also artistic director of The Old Vic theatre in London.

Celebrity

Topline Megan Thee Stallion told Rolling Stone Wednesday she wants rapper Tory Lanez, who allegedly shot her in the feet in 2020, to be imprisoned after he faces trial over the incident in September. Megan Thee Stallion performs on day 2 of Parklife Festival at Heaton Park on June 12, 2022 in ... [+] Manchester, England. Redferns Key Facts Megan, whose real name is Megan Pete, said she wants Lanez to “go to jail, I want him to go under the jail,” when he faces trial for one count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and one count of carrying an unregistered weapon, to which he pleaded not guilty. Megan said she “never put my hands” on Lanez and doesn’t understand why he allegedly shot her after the two and a former friend of hers got in an argument in a car, saying “people argue every day.” Lanez has denied shooting Megan, and Megan told Rolling Stone she has faced a strong group of detractors online who believe she is lying about Lanez shooting her or who say “I would’ve shot that bitch too,” she said. Megan said she doesn’t “feel like anybody’s taking me seriously,” but she doesn’t want those who speak against her to know how much their words affect her. Lanez, who is being tried in Los Angeles in the fall, declined to comment to Rolling Stone through his lawyer, who Forbes has also reached out to for comment. Crucial Quote “In some kind of way I became the villain,” Megan said. “I wonder if it’s because of the way I look. Is it because I’m not light enough? Is it that I’m not white enough? Am I not the shape? The height? Because I’m not petite? Do I not seem like I’m worth being treated like a woman?” Key Background In July 2020, Megan, Lanez and Megan’s former friend Kelsey Harris left Kylie Jenner’s house in a car. Megan told Gayle King in an interview this spring that the Harris and Lanez began to argue, and Megan got out of the vehicle twice. When she returned she got involved in the argument. The last time she exited the vehicle, Lanez allegedly told Megan to “dance, bitch” and shot her. Megan said Lanez offered her $1 million for her silence and quickly apologized after the incident, though he didn’t offer her help. Stallion said she initially told police and other emergency responders that she stepped on glass, which she said she did in order to protect Lanez and the group from the police, believing they weren’t safe with law enforcement. CBS obtained Megan’s medical records that showed she still has bullet fragments in her feet, and text messages from Harris to Megan’s security at the time that said “Tory shot Meg.” In April, Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, violated a protective order Megan had obtained against him by discussing her and DNA evidence on social media. Lanez has said Megan and him were in a relationship at the time, which Megan denied. Further Reading Megan Thee Stallion Details Alleged Tory Lanez Shooting in Gayle King Interview (Pitchfork) What to Know About the Megan Thee Stallion Shooting Case (The Cut)

Music

Test drive: 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor The 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor is the best version yet of Ford's high performance pickup, but Fox News Autos Editor Gary Gastelu says it may soon be even better.NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The Ford F-150 Raptor R is ready to make some noise on the high performance truck scene.The off-road pickup made a surprise appearance this week at a launch event for the Ford Bronco R in Johnson Valley, California.An F-150 Raptor R came storming through the desert past the assembled journalists, but not closely enough for them to get a good look.What could not be missed was the sound of its engine, which will be a V-8 rather than the 450 hp turbocharged V-6 in the normal F-150 Raptor or the electric powertrain used in the F-150 Lightning. The Ford F-150 Raptor R made an appearance at a media event in the California desert. (Ford)Ford had previously announced the truck was getting a V-8, but now Ford CEO Jim Farley has revealed part of the reason why."We listened, Twitter helps us sharpen our focus since we can listen to individual feedback," Farley tweeted in response to a fan thanking him for putting the V-8 in it. The standard Ford F-150 Raptor uses a 450 hp turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6. (Ford)What's still to be confirmed is exactly what V-8 it is or how much power it will deliver.FOX NEWS CAR REVIEWS: FORD F-150 RAPTORVarious bits of information that have leaked out -- including a possible window sticker and data in Ford's dealer information tool -- point to it being a version of the 760 hp supercharged 5.2-liter "Predator" V-8 featured in the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.That would make it a worthy competitor to the Ram 1500 TRX, which is powered by a 702 hp supercharged V-8 borrowed from the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat muscle car that makes it the most powerful pickup with an internal combustion engine.Unfortunately, unlike Ram's motor that makes a pronounced supercharger whine, the Predator's supercharger is pretty quiet, so it's hard to tell for sure from the video if that's what's in the F-150 Raptor R. The Mustang Shelby GT500 is equipped with a 760 hp supercharged 5.2-liter V-8. (Ford)If it is indeed the Predator, the F-150 Raptor R may not end up being only the most powerful pickup, but also the thirstiest. The TRX currently holds that title at 12 mpg combined and the much smaller and lighter Mustang Shelby GT500 gets just 14 mpg.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFord has yet to announce the official date for the F-150 Raptor R's full reveal, but it will happen sometime in 2022. Gary Gastelu is FoxNews.com's Automotive Editor covering the car industry and racing @foxnewsautos

Other Sports

'Halo Infinite' Ape Badge For Juneteenth?!? Changed After Backlash 6/15/2022 9:03 AM PT The video game developer for "Halo Infinite" is under fire for rolling out a new nameplate to honor Juneteenth ... folks are enraged the customization was named after an ape. The folks over at 343 Industries apparently thought it would be a good idea to title the nameplate -- a palette adding a red, black and green colorway to a player's username -- "Bonobo" ... which is an endangered primate. Problem is ... folks were angry with the association of apes with Juneteenth, considering the racist and discriminatory history between those words and Black people. As you know ... Juneteenth is now a federal holiday, commemorating the day the last enslaved Americans got the news President Lincoln had abolished slavery. In response to the backlash, the video game developer renamed the nameplate to "Freedom" and then to "Juneteenth." 343 Industries says the nameplate was originally named "Bonobo" in reference to a developer tool -- and they claim it was an oversight on their end. Bonnie Ross, the founder and head of 343 Industries, says once they were made aware the nameplate "contained a term that was offensive and hurtful" they immediately made a change with a game update. Ross adds ... "We are a studio and franchise that is committed to inclusivity where everyone is welcome and supported to be their true self. On behalf of 343, I apologize for making a celebrated moment a hurtful moment."

Video Games

The former England captain Steph Houghton will miss the Euros after not being included in the squad for next month’s tournament.The goalkeeper Sandy MacIver also misses out, with Hannah Hampton, Ellie Roebuck and Mary Earps preferred, and the Chelsea full-back Niamh Charles and Manchester United’s Katie Zelem and Lucy Staniforth are also omitted.The five have been training with England since being named in a 28-player provisional squad which has been cut to 23 for the tournament.Teams can swap players in and out of the squads submitted to Uefa in the event of Covid or serious injury up until their first game.Houghton has been in a race to prove her fitness to the manager, Sarina Wiegman, for the home Euros after she missed much of the season through injury. The Manchester City defender picked up an ankle injury during Wiegman’s first camp last September and has not played under the manager. She made her return for City in January but aggravated the injury after playing five games.Quick GuideEngland squadShowGoalkeepers Mary Earps (Manchester United), Hannah Hampton (Aston Villa), Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City).Defenders Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Manchester City), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Rachel Daly (Houston Dash), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Demi Stokes (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal).Midfielders Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Jill Scott (free agent), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Manchester City), Leah Williamson (Arsenal).Forwards Beth England (Chelsea), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Nikita Parris (Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Manchester United), Ellen White (Manchester City).In the meantime, Chelsea’s Millie Bright and City’s Alex Greenwood have likely nailed down starting spots at the heart of the England defence.England’s second-most-capped player Jill Scott is included in the 23 having battled back from injury. Scott, a free agent after announcing her departure from Manchester City after eight and a half years and having spent much of the past two seasons on loan, has 156 caps for England, second only to Fara Williams on 172, and has been to nine major tournaments.Nine players – Roebuck, Hampton, Jess Carter, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Alessia Russo, Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Bethany England – will be taking part in their first major tournament.Wiegman said: “I am excited by what is possible for this group. We all know this is a huge opportunity and it is one we have to grab with both hands. The chance to represent the nation on such a big stage on home soil is one to relish. This group so far has proven they are prepared to give it all they have in every training session, in every meeting and in every game.“Making the final selection is always difficult because we know the talent and commitment of every single player. All 28 players have all been superb on and off the pitch, since I started. I am certain those we have had to disappoint will give everything to support us and be ready if called upon.“Of course, we hope to avoid any setbacks before we start against Austria but we know where we can turn in case we need a replacement. Togetherness is a big part of what we are all about and from every player in the squad to my superb support team, and with the strong backing of everyone at the FA and our fans, we are committed to make it a summer to remember.”The Lionesses are unbeaten in 11 games under Wiegman and have scored 72 goals and conceded one.England play Belgium on Thursday at Molineux in the first of a series of three pre-tournament friendlies. They then face the holders, Wiegman’s former team the Netherlands, at Elland Road before travelling for a week-long camp and match in Switzerland.England kick off the Euros at a sold-out Old Trafford on 6 July against Austria.

Soccer

Sharon Osbourne and pregnant daughter Kelly visit Ozzy Osbourne at hospital ahead of spinal surgery that could 'determine the rest of his life' Published: 11:13 EDT, 15 June 2022 | Updated: 11:13 EDT, 15 June 2022 Advertisement Sharon Osbourne was joined by her daughter Kelly on Monday as they both supported her husband Ozzy Osbourne ahead of a pivotal spinal surgery. The 69-year-old talk show host and her 37-year-old daughter were spotted as they walked past an ambulance on their way to a hospital in Los Angeles were the 73-year-old rocker was being operated on later in the day. Sharon arrived at the hospital while pairing a stylish navy blue double-breasted blazer with a pale pink cardigan and a white shirt. She stayed casual with baggy pale blue jeans and blue suede shoes as she carried a large white bag on her shoulder and wore a blue exam mask. The red-haired former co-host of The Talk also pulled along a black suitcase, though it wasn't clear if she was bringing supplies for Ozzy's stay or if she was planning an extended visit to the hospital for herself. Kelly, who shared the happy news that in May that she was expecting her first child with Slipknot DJ Sid Wilson, 45, had her burgeoning baby bump hidden under a light blue denim shirt. The Osbournes fixture wore a thick lilac scarf draped around her neck that complimented her dyed hair, which she tied up in a high ponytail. She also had on loose-fitting black track pants with classic white Adidas trainers, and she sported playful black cat-eye glasses and a small white handbag. On Tuesday, the day after Ozzy's surgery, Sharon posted to social media (pictured) to inform the singer's fans that all was well so far after he went under the knife. 'Our family would like to express so much gratitude for the overwhelming amount of love and support leading up to Ozzy's surgery!' she began. 'Ozzy is doing well and on the road to recovery! Your love means the world to him,' she added, concluding with a praying hands emoji. A family source previously told Page Six that the metal legend was going to go through a 'lengthy amount of convalescence' that would likely require a home nurse for some time. 'Ozzy is 73 and any kind of surgery when you get older is difficult,' they added. 'This is quite major. He’s having the pins in his neck and back realigned from when he had a fall back in 2019.' Sharon announced that Ozzy would be having the surgery on Sunday on the UK's The Talk on TalkTV. '[Ozzy] has a very major operation on Monday, and I have to be there,' she said, explaining that she would be heading back to Los Angeles from London. 'It's really going to determine the rest of his life,' she said. In 2020, Osbourne revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and he later clarified that he had a variant of the condition known as Parkin, named after a gene associated with his illness. The surgery was to repair damage to his neck and back that he suffered after a debilitating fall at his home three years earlier, which necessitated him getting 15 screws installed in his spine. He had previously hurt his neck in a 2003 quad bike crash, and the most recent fall exacerbated that damage. However, Sharon noted in her announcement that Ozzy has plenty to look forward to in the near future, as their son Jack is expecting a baby daughter with his fiancée Aree Gearheart to be born in 'about three weeks,' and after that Kelly will be welcome her own child. July 1 will be a big day for the musician and his wife, as they'll mark 40 years of marriage. Advertisement

Celebrity

Life in plastic with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling? It's fantastic. It’s a Barbie world, and we’re all just living in it. What seems like a Mattel doll lifetime ago, Margot Robbie confirmed the “Barbie” live-action film adaptation in July 2019, with Greta Gerwig and partner Noah Baumbach co-writing the script. Gerwig was later announced to be directing the film. The news marked the famed blonde-haired doll’s 60th anniversary. “Barbie” will premiere in theaters on July 21, 2023. Robbie, who will star as Barbie opposite Ryan Gosling’s Ken, is slated to produce the film through her production company LuckyChap Entertainment. Mattel Films and HeyDay Films will co-produce. The “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” star admitted that the film “comes with a lot of baggage and a lot of nostalgic connections” to honor the doll’s legacy. “But with that come a lot of exciting ways to attack it,” Robbie said to British Vogue. “People generally hear ‘Barbie’ and think, ‘I know what that movie is going to be,’ and then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and they’re like, ’Oh, well, maybe I don’t…’” The Barbie franchise originally was going to make its debut on the big screen courtesy of Diablo Cody, who re-wrote former “Sex and the City” writer Jenny Bicks’ 2014 Sony script, as reported by W Magazine. Amy Schumer boarded the project in 2016, with a new script by Hillary Winston about a woman who is kicked out of “Barbie-ville” due to not meeting its standards of physical perfection. Schumer exited due to “scheduling conflicts” for her film “I Feel Pretty,” but later clarified that there were creative differences behind-the-scenes for the vision of Barbie. “They definitely didn’t want to do it the way I wanted to do it, the only way I was interested in doing it,” Schumer told The Hollywood Reporter. Schumer wanted Barbie to be an “ambitious inventor,” but Mattel and the studio allegedly pushed back that her invention be high heels made of Jell-O. “I felt like I was disappointing my team by not being Barbie,” Schumer recalled, adding that she was sent a pair of Manolo Blahniks to celebrate the film deal at the time. “The idea that that’s just what every woman must want, right there, I should have gone, ‘You’ve got the wrong gal.'” By 2019, Robbie took over the new Warner Bros. production, with Gerwig and Baumbach tapped as screenwriters. While the plot is still kept under wraps, we do know the star-studded cast. Robbie also teased to The Hollywood Reporter that “Barbie” will be “the thing you didn’t know you wanted.” And “Barbie” is already setting a new precedent for adaptations: Mattel and MGM confirmed in June 2021 that Lena Dunham was writing and directing a Polly Pocket movie with Lily Collins in the lead role and serving as a producer. “Polly Pocket was responsible for countless hours of childhood escapism for me — Polly gave me a tiny world of magic and autonomy to narrate, so it’s pretty poetic to be tackling these same ideas now as a director collaborating with the brilliant Lily Collins, Robbie Brenner, Mattel and MGM,” Dunham said, via Deadline. “I’m so thrilled to bring to bear both my love of this historic property and also my deep-seated belief that young women need smart playful films that speak to them without condescension.” Other Mattel Films projects in development include “American Girl,” “Barney,” “Hot Wheels,” “UNO,” and “Masters of the Universe.” In the meantime, find out all there is to know about the “Barbie” film below. Meet Barbie and Ken All hail the casting gods for this live-action “Barbie” world. Producer Margot Robbie will play the titular Barbie, with Ryan Gosling co-starring as Barbie’s iconic love interest Ken. If Robbie’s “Wolf of Wall Street” wardrobe is any indication of the Barbie-verse, we already know Robbie can rock an all-pink ensemble in the rumored plotline of Barbie escaping her doll fantasy world only to find herself overwhelmed with reality. Robbie made her producing debut with “I, Tonya,” later serving as executive producer for Hulu’s “Dollface” and Netflix’s “Maid.” Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment production company was also behind Harley Quinn film “Birds of Prey” and critically acclaimed #MeToo revenge comedy-drama “Promising Young Woman.” “Barbie” is currently in pre-production as of February 2021. Simu Liu Follows up “Shang-Chi” with Doll Dramedy Simu LiuElizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection Simu Liu was officially announced to be joining the “Barbie” cast in February 2021. Liu told Vanity Fair that he didn’t want to be typecast following the success of Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings.” “I was like, ‘If I don’t have something ready to go, it’s going to be “Simu is Shang-Chi,” and that’s it,'” Liu said. “I still feel very much like I’m an outsider in Hollywood…but I’m starting to realize I don’t have to prove to anyone or myself that I deserve to be here. Taking up this space and being unapologetic — these things came a lot easier to me back in the day, when I didn’t have a seat at the table. I was playing a very different game, but I think I’m slowly finding that courage again.” Next move? “Barbie” on the big screen. Kate McKinnon Reunites with “Bombshell” Co-Star Kate McKinnonJason Smith/Everett Collection After playing friends with benefits in “Bombshell,” Kate McKinnon reunites alongside Margot Robbie for “Barbie.” Robbie previously gushed to PRIDE.com about her love for the “Saturday Night Live” breakout star, saying that they just “clicked immediately” after meeting. “We had chemistry so readily there,” Robbie said. “It was so fun to play with Kate. She improvs a lot, and she’s funny and hilarious. She’s so talented, and she’s the nicest person ever. I could talk for an hour about how much I love Kate.” McKinnon is currently portraying “Tiger King” alum Carole Baskin in Peacock limited series “Joe vs. Carole.” America Ferrera Is Ready to Make the Film “Super” America FerreraElizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection “Superstore” alum America Ferrera joined the “Barbie” ensemble cast in January 2022. Ferrera is currently starring as Elishia Kennedy in Apple TV+’s “WeCrashed,” based on the Wondery podcast “WeCrashed: The Rise and Fall of WeWork,” about startup founder Adam Neumann. Ferrera made her film debut in 2002 film “Real Women Have Curves,” going on to star in “Ugly Betty,” “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” and “The Good Wife.” Ariana Greenblatt Continues Her Winning Streak Ariana GreenblattFaye Sadou/MediaPunch/IPx Fresh face Ariana Greenblatt may seem like a newcomer, but the 15-year-old has already landed an impressive resume in just six years of acting. Greenblatt portrayed a young Gamora in “Avengers: Infinity War” before going on to appear in “In the Heights” and “Awake.” Greenblatt is set to star opposite Cate Blanchett in Eli Roth’s “Borderlands,” as well as partnering with Adam Driver for Beck/Woods’ mysterious “65.” Now, she’s entering the “Barbie” world. Alexandra Shipp Joins the Cast Alexandra ShippSipa USA via AP “Tick, Tick…BOOM” star Alexandra Shipp accompanies her “65” co-star Greenblatt to “Barbie.” While Shipp’s “Barbie” role has yet to be revealed, we do know that she can sing thanks to a duet opposite Vanessa Hudgens in “Tick, Tick…BOOM.” Shipp also has filmed “Kung Fury 2” with Michael Fassbender and will appear in Kyra Sedgwick’s directorial debut “Space Oddity.” Will Ferrell Is on Board Will FerrellAP Legendary comic star Will Ferrell announced he was joining “Barbie” in April 2022. The “Shrink Next Door” alum is confirmed to be playing the CEO of a toy company that is rumored to be modeled after Mattel. Seems like Ferrell is back in the toy market after “Elf”! Issa Rae Makes Her Mark Issa RaeSipa USA via AP Following the final season of award-winning HBO series “Insecure,” multi-hyphenate creator Issa Rae joins “Barbie” in an unspecified role, as reported on April 14. The Emmy nominee is currently starring in AppleTV+ anthology series “Roar,” and will also appear in writer-director B.J. Novak’s film “Vengeance.” Rae additionally is set to lead “Empress of Serenity” opposite Bill Hader about a grieving man who embarks on a cruise with his estranged father. Michael Cera Brings His Comedy Style Michael CeraSipa USA via AP “Life After Beth” star Michael Cera continues his 2022 takeover with a new role in “Barbie.” The “Superbad” alum also is in pre-production on comedies “Jonty” and “Sacramento.” “And Just Like That” Hari Nef Is Part of “Barbie” Hari NefAP After stealing scenes as Rabbi Jen on “Sex and the City” revival series “And Just Like That…” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” Hari Nef will star in “Barbie.” While Nef’s role is being kept under wraps, the trans actress has previously starred in “Transparent” and “You.” Nef is currently in pre-production on “L.A. Law” and leads upcoming film “1UP.” Kingsley Ben-Adir Enters Barbie World Kingsley Ben-AdirAP “High Fidelity” and “One Night in Miami…” star Kingsley Ben-Adir officially joins the “Barbie” cast. The news came just weeks after Ben-Adir was confirmed to be playing Bob Marley in a yet untitled biopic, adding to his resumé of playing real-life titans like Barack Obama and Malcolm X. Ben-Adir is also currently filming Marvel Studios’ “Secret Invasion” with Samuel L. Jackson, Olivia Colman, Martin Freeman, Ben Mendelsohn, Cobie Smulders, and Emilia Clarke. Emerald Fennell Is a “Promising” Casting Choice Emerald FennellAP Oscar winner Emerald Fennell was announced as part of the “Barbie” cast. Fennell most recently played Camilla Parker Bowles on “The Crown” and is currently behind-the-camera writing, producing, and directing two upcoming feature films, including DC Comics superhero movie “Zahanna.” Fennell previously won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for 2020’s “Promising Young Woman,” which she also directed. Rhea Perlman and More Round Out the Cast Rhea PerlmanPhillip Faraone/FilmMagic “Cheers” alum Rhea Perlman joined “Barbie,” along with Ncuti Gatwa, Sharon Rooney, Scott Evans, Ana Cruz Kayne, Connor Swindells, Ritu Arya, and Jamie Demetriou. “Bridgerton” Breakout Nicola Coughlan Is Said to Be Joining Nicola CoughlanAP Nicola Coughlan, who is set to lead Season 3 of hit Netflix series “Bridgerton,” is reportedly linked to “Barbie.” Dua Lipa Is Rumored to Be Cast Dua LipaAP British pop star Dua Lipa might have already found her sophomore film feature with “Barbie.” The Grammy winner is already set to make her film debut in Matthew Vaughan’s “Argylle” opposite a star-studded cast including Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Henry Cavill, Samuel L. Jackson, Bryan Cranston, John Cena, Catherine O’Hara, and Ariana DeBose. Yes, the cast list almost rivals that of “Barbie.” Based on the novel by Elly Conway, “Argylle” follows the world’s greatest spy over the course of a globe-trotting adventure. Seems like Lipa’s career is about to be “Levitating” on the big screen… Saoirse Ronan May Be a “Barbie” Saoirse RonanPA Wire/Press Association Images From “Lady Bird” to “Little Women,” Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan is rumored to now be a “Barbie”…literally. Buzz from the 2022 Cannes Film Festival hints that the “Barbie” film will feature various iterations of the famed Barbie and Ken dolls, played by different actors. But we also don’t know how Ronan will find the time to reunite with writer-director Gerwig: She’s already is in the middle of filming the adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s novel “The Outrun” opposite Paapa Essiedu, plus Ronan recently completed whodunnit comedy “See How They Run” with Sam Rockwell and Adrien Brody. And don’t forget “Foe,” which has Ronan paired alongside Paul Mescal as post-apocalyptic farmers. 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! All Elite Wrestling (AEW) suspended Jeff Hardy without pay on Tuesday following the wrestling superstar’s latest DUI arrest in Florida.AEW President and CEO Tony Khan announced Hardy’s discipline on social media.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Nov 21, 2021; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Jeff Hardy during the men’s five on five elimination match during WWE Survivor Series at Barclays Center. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)"We were able to resume contact with Jeff Hardy this afternoon," Khan said in the statement. "AEW does not condone Jeff’s alleged behavior. We’ve made it clear to Jeff that we’ll assist him in getting treatment for substance abuse issues, which he has indicated that he’s open to receiving. In the interim, he is suspended without pay, and he can only return to AEW upon successfully completing treatment and maintaining his sobriety."IF you or a loved one needs help, please reach out to SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-66-2HELP (4357)."Matt Hardy, Jeff’s older brother, also released a statement on his arrest."It was disheartening to hear the news about my brother yesterday. Recovery isn’t a linear process & I’ll continue doing whatever I can to help my brother be healthy. Being healthy & well is the most important thing for Jeff, his wife, his children & our family at this time," Matt Hardy tweeted.Jeff Hardy, 44, was arrested for DUI, driving while his license was canceled/revoked and violating a restriction in which he was required to have a DUI interlock device in his vehicle. This was Hardy’s third DUI offense in the last 10 years and is a third-degree felony, according to The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Jeff Hardy was arrested in Volusia County, Florida. (Volusia County Corrections)Florida Highway Patrol arrested Hardy in Volusia County on Interstate-4. Police said Hardy was "swerving all over the roadway, failing to maintain (his) lane, and running off the roadway…"Police said Hardy admitted to drinking earlier in the day. Hardy agreed to two breathalyzer readings and blew an 0.294 and an 0.291. The legal limit in Florida is 0.08.Hardy, a North Carolina native, was arrested in his home state in 2018 and 2019 for driving while impaired. He also was arrested for public intoxication in July 2019 in Myrtle Beach, S.C.Hardy is best known for his theatrics in the WWE ring. His high-flying style in the company’s Attitude Era and beyond made him a fan favorite and created a legacy that still carries through to the present day. Professional wrestler Jeff Hardy of WWE The Hardy Boyz attends Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia 2017 - Day 1 at Pennsylvania Convention Center on June 1, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPHe was let go after another stint in WWE in 2021. By the beginning of 2022, Hardy was performing with his brother Matt for AEW. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to Ryan.Gaydos@fox.com.

Other Sports

The value of El Salvador's Bitcoin stash has lost half its value amid the cryptocurrency crash. The Nayib Bukele tracker, which records each purchase the nation makes along with its cost basis and total reserves, has purchased 2,301 Bitcoins at $45,000, for a total cost of $104.6 million. As of Wednesday, the price of Bitcoin is around $22,000. El Salvador's reserves have lost 51% of their value and are worth $51.6 million. Despite the crash, Finance Minister Alejandro Zelaya showed few worries about the drop. EL SALVADOR BECOMES FIRST COUNTRY TO ACCEPT BITCOIN AS LEGAL TENDER "When they tell me that the fiscal risk for El Salvador because of Bitcoin is really high, the only thing I can do is smile. The fiscal risk is extremely minimal," Zelaya said. El Salvador became the first nation to adopt a cryptocurrency as legal tender in June 2021. The poverty-stricken nation hoped to open up greater access to alternative forms of finance for its citizens, as 70% of Salvadorans do not have a bank account. The move brought both warnings and praise from domestic and international institutions. In September 2021, Bitcoin experienced a 15% drop in value, but Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele did not stray from the country's investment in the cryptocurrency. Instead, Bukele announced that the country bought 150 more coins. "Buying the dip. 150 new coins added," Bukele tweeted. In January, the International Monetary Fund recommended that El Salvador liquidate its Bitcoin holdings and drop the cryptocurrency as legal tender. However, the Latin American nation was not deterred and rebuked the IMF's recommendation. "No international organization is going to make us do anything, anything at all," Zelaya said. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Bukele's government envisions a "Bitcoin City" that will be partly financed by Bitcoin bonds. A golden model of the city was released last month, and the city would rest underneath the shadow of a volcano. Bukele envisions the city as being a tax haven but has not specified when or how the city would be constructed. El Salvador's cryptocurrency troubles come as the market struggles across the globe. Tesla, which bought $1.5 billion worth of cryptocurrency in 2021, has reportedly seen all of its gains wiped out in the crash.

Latin America Economy

Internet Explorer has gone the way of the dodo. Microsoft stopped supporting the 27-year-old browser application Wednesday, in accordance with a 2021 announcement from the Big Tech company. The plan to terminate Internet Explorer on June 15 has been in the works since last year, Microsoft said. CALIFORNIA ANIMAL SHELTER BANS PET ADOPTIONS FOR GUN RIGHTS SUPPORTERS Microsoft's Edge browser, which launched in 2015, will be Internet Explorer's successor, according to a report. "Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications," Sean Lyndersay, general manager of Microsoft Edge Enterprise, said in a 2021 statement. The death of Internet Explorer, which was first released in 1995, saw mixed reactions on social media. "Today marks the official end of Microsoft’s support for Internet Explorer. RIP to the #1 Chrome installer of all time," one Twitter user posted. Today marks the official end of Microsoft’s support for Internet Explorer. RIP to the #1 Chrome installer of all time— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) June 15, 2022 CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER "Goodbye Internet Explorer. You'll be missed by no one other than old boomers who don't know how to install a better web browser," another user tweeted. Goodbye Internet Explorer. You’ll be missed by no one other than old boomers who don’t know how to install a better web browser. pic.twitter.com/hMDvX1JpWa— Oliver Jia (オリバー・ジア) (@OliverJia1014) June 15, 2022

Software Applications

Read the Globe’s US Open special sectionLet’s find out how to play The Country Club: Your hole-by-hole guide of the US Open course‘I will never, ever forget that walk up 18′: Remembering Curtis Strange’s 1988 US Open victory at The Country ClubThe Country Club’s devilish 17th hole is bound to play a role in this US OpenLet’s wade into this deep US Open rough, inch by terrifying inchWith a pro caddie to guide us, we played The Country Club. Here’s the hole-by-hole report.Oral history: From 1913, to 1988, to 1999, the three biggest moments at The Country ClubHow The Country Club toughened up: Larger greens and trickier putts await in the US OpenWill the US Open’s big hitters go for the green on The Country Club’s reachable par-4s?Yes, the PGA Tour is getting younger — but that’s because power and distance ruleCracking the code at Brookline’s venerable and fiercely private The Country ClubAt local qualifiers, dreams of the US Open dance in the heads of amateur golfersThe 18th hole will be surrounded by stands and corporate tents — it'll be a championship-like atmosphere.Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff2022 US Open: The basicsWhere: The Country Club, BrooklineDates: June 16-19Purse: $12.5 million in 2021Winner’s share: $2.25 million in 2021.2022 US Open scheduleMonday-Wednesday: Practice roundsThursday: First roundFriday: Second roundSaturday: Third roundSunday: Fourth roundPlayoff: If necessary, it is a two-hole aggregate upon completion of the final round.How to watch the 2022 US OpenHow to watchTelevision: NBC, USA NetworkStreaming: Peacock, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports appThursday, June 166:45-9:30 a.m.: Peacock9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: USA Network2-5 p.m.: NBC and Peacock5-7 p.m.: USA Network7-8 p.m.: PeacockFriday, June 176:45-9:30 a.m.: Peacock9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.: USA Network4-7 p.m.: NBC and Peacock7-8 p.m.: PeacockSaturday, June 1810 a.m.-noon: PeacockNoon-8 p.m.: NBC and PeacockSunday, June 199-10 a.m.: Peacock10 a.m.-noon: USA NetworkNoon-7 p.m.: NBC and PeacockUS Open 2022: Players to watchJustin Thomas: The former world No. 1 captured the PGA Championship last month, rallying from seven shots back on the final day to force a three-hole playoff, where he defeated Will Zalatoris.Scottie Scheffler: The No. 1-ranked player in the world won the Masters in April.Phil Mickelson: After ending his four-month hiatus to play in the LIV Golf Invitational in England, Mickelson announced he is headed to Brookline as he looks to play in the last two majors of 2022.Dustin Johnson: The 2016 US Open champ will be back to try to win another title despite resigning from the PGA Tour to play in the LIV Golf series.Jon Rahm: The Spaniard is second in the world rankings. He won last year’s US Open when he birdied the final hole of the fourth round, taking the title by one stroke at Torrey Pines in California.Collin Morikawa: Ranked No. 4, the former Cal golfer has struggled in recent weeks. He missed the cut at the Memorial, the fifth straight tournament in which he did not finish in the top 25.Rory McIlroy: A fan favorite, McIlroy has won four majors, having captured the US Open in 2011,the 2014 Open,endad, and a pair of PGA Championships. He also won the Deutsche Bank Championship twice (2012, 2016) at TPC Boston.Will Zalatoris: The San Francisco native has five top-10 finishes in his eight major appearances. He lost to Thomas in a playoff at the PGA last month, and was runner-up at the Masters in 2021.Brooks Koepka: Less than two weeks after getting married to actress Jena Sims in Turks and Caicos, the 32-year-old Florida native will go for his third US Open and fifth major.Keegan Bradley grew up in Vermont and graduated from Hopkinton High School.Darron Cummings/Associated PressKeegan Bradley: A local favorite (he won the MIAA golf championship as a senior at Hopkinton High), Bradley, who won the PGA championship in 2011, will be looking to win his second major.The US Open course: The Country ClubThe Country Club’s championship course is 7,264 yards and will play to a par of 35-35–70. The yardage for each round will vary due to course setup and conditions.The club is a collaborative design. In 1893, the first six holes were designed by the club’s first golf committee. In 1894 three new holes were added, and there was a redesign of the original six. Five years later the club expanded to 18 holes. A third nine, which is called Primrose, was designed in 1927.The course used for championships, including the 2022 US Open, is a composite that incorporates 3½ holes from the Primrose.Past US Opens at The Country ClubThis is the fourth time the US Open is being held at The Country Club, and if history is an indication, four rounds may not be enough to determine a champion. Here’s how the three previous championships turned out:1913Francis Ouimet, a 20-year-old amateur who learned the game as a Brookline caddie and had grown up across the street from the course, defeated pros Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in an 18-hole playoff to win the title in his first attempt.[ Brookline resident buys Francis Ouimet’s boyhood house, with eye on renovation and preservation ]1963Julius Boros won his second US Open by defeating Jacky Cupit and Arnold Palmer in an 18-hole playoff.1988After Curtis Strange and Nick Faldo had completed 72 holes tied at 6-under 278, Strange shot even-par 71 in an 18-hole playoff to defeat Faldo by four strokes and claim the first of his back-to-back US Open titles.Three things to know▪ This marks the 17th USGA championship to be held at The Country Club, tying it with Oakmont Country Club for second most and one behind Merion Golf Club (18). The most recent USGA event held at The Country Club was the 2013 US Amateur.▪ In addition to the three events at The Country Club, Massachusetts has been the site of of the US Open six additional times, with Myopia Hunt Club hosting the event on four occasions (1898, 1901,1905, and 1908). Brae Burn Country Club in West Newton was the host in 1919 and Worcester Country Club had the honor in 1925.▪ The youngest winner was 19-year-old John McDermott, who won in 1911. The oldest winner is Hale Irwin, who was 45 and playing on a special exemption when he won his third title, in 1990.Future US OpensJune 15-18, 2023: The Los Angeles Country Club (North Course)June 13-16, 2024: Pinehurst Resort & Country Club (Course No. 2), Village of Pinehurst, N.C.June 12-15, 2025: Oakmont (Pa.) Country ClubJune 18-21, 2026: Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, N.Y.June 17-20, 2027: Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf LinksJune 15-18, 2028: TBDJune 14-17, 2029: Pinehurst Resort & Country Club (Course No. 2), Village of Pinehurst, N.C.Spectator policyAutographs: Autographs should only be obtained at designated areas at the completion of the player’s round. On-course autographs are not permitted. This includes, but is not limited to, tees, fairways, greens and practice areas during practice and championship rounds.Safety and etiquette: Stay behind gallery ropes and follow directions of championship marshals. Only cross fairways at designated crosswalk areas. Stay quiet and stand still when players are about to hit or when instructed by marshals. All mobile devices must be set to silent or vibrate at all times.First-aid stations will be located adjacent to Holes 2, 14, and 16.Parking and transportationTaking public transportation is encouraged by the USGA, which is providing complimentary shuttle transportation to and from the following MBTA stations: Forest Hills, Boston College, Cleveland Circle, and Reservoir.There is no fan parking at Forest Hills, Boston College, Cleveland Circle, or Reservoir.The MBTA is offering complimentary parking for US Open fans and volunteers at 100+ MBTA stations. Fans are encouraged to park at one of the listed facilities and take the subway, commuter rail, or bus to the championship. Parking rules, policies, and payment enforcement will remain in effect for non-US Open attendees and daily MBTA commuters.Parking: There is no general fan parking or parking for fans with disabilities available in the immediate vicinity of The Country Club.Ride share: Fans can take ride share services to Larz Anderson Park. US Open ride share and passenger drop-off only will be allowed at the designated area at Larz Anderson Park, accessed via Avon Street, and located within a 10-minute walk to Gate 6.Fans can also take ride share services to Lot X (37 A Street, Needham) where complimentary shuttle transportation will be provided to and from The Country Club.There is no parking or staging for vehicles at either location, so pick-up times will need to be coordinated accordingly. Vehicles will be instructed to follow signs and parking attendants to the appropriate pick-up and drop-off location. Access is limited to vehicles no larger than a 12-passenger van or limousine.Read the Globe’s US Open special section in print on Sunday, June 12.Follow Andrew Mahoney on Twitter @GlobeMahoney.

Golf

Kyiv Mayor and former world heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko is set to receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2022 ESPYs, according to a Tuesday ESPN announcement. The 50-year-old mayor of Ukraine's capital city and Hall-of-Fame boxer has been adamant in his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin for years, and he has been a primary face of Ukrainian resistance to Russia's invasion. Klitschko, along with his brother and fellow former world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, swore to defend their land and took up arms in a territorial defense battalion in Kyiv. CALIFORNIA ANIMAL SHELTER BANS PET ADOPTIONS FOR GUN RIGHTS SUPPORTERS "It is a great honor for me to receive this award," Klitschko said. Former heavyweight boxing champion and mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, will be honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the 2022 @ESPYS.Klitschko has been a central figure in his country’s defense since it was invaded by Russian forces in late February. pic.twitter.com/3jZ2lWLvpF— ESPN (@espn) June 14, 2022 "I am convinced that this is a recognition of the courage and inviolability of the Ukrainian people, who have been bravely resisting the Russian aggressor for more than [three] months. This is an award for everyone who defends the independence and freedom of Ukraine." Klitschko is the longest-serving mayor in the history of Kyiv and is committed to his city. At the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, the former champion told listeners that the war in his nation will have far-reaching effects. "Vitali's poise and strength as his city and country faces unfathomable tests have far surpassed the incredible resolve he demonstrated as one of boxing's top heavyweight champions," said Rob King, senior vice president and executive editor-at-large, ESPN Content. "His commitment to the people of Ukraine has been a global inspiration, and his bravery is a prime example of the resilience of the human spirit. It is our privilege to bestow him with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award." Muhammad Ali and famed broadcaster Howard Cosell are former Ashe Award honorees, according to the report. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The 2022 ESPYs will take place on July 20 in Los Angeles.

Other Sports

Andrew (Cooper Raiff) and Domino (Dakota Johnson) become close after meeting at a bar mitzvah in “Cha Cha Real Smooth.”Apple TV+ Writer-director-star Cooper Raiff’s smart and charming and delightfully offbeat “Cha Cha Real Smooth” is a movie very much of the present day, but there’s something almost nostalgic about the self-consciously indie material in that it reminded me of somewhat similarly themed gems such as “Rushmore” (1998), “Igby Goes Down” (1998) and “Tadpole” (1998) — and all of these films are generational descendants of “The Graduate” (1966).The protagonists of the former three films were eccentric, mildly rebellious, anxious but empathetic teenagers engaging in possibly romantic entanglements with older women, while Raiff’s Andrew is, like Dustin Hoffman’s Benjamin Braddock, a recent college grad who is eccentric, mildly rebellious, anxious but empathetic and has a crush on an older woman.At the age of 22, Andrew sports the kind of beard usually favored by middle-aged men and has a slightly awkward, grows-on-you handsomeness (he could play Adam Scott’s son). Andrew has gone through college, but he has absolutely no idea what he wants to do with his life, so he works a soul-crushing job behind the counter at a fast-food joint called Meat Sticks, pines over a girlfriend who has moved to Barcelona and apparently has moved on from him — and still shares a bedroom in Jersey with his 10-years-younger brother David (Evan Assante), in the home of their stepfather Greg (Brad Garrett), whom they call “Stepdad Greg,” and their mother (Leslie Mann), who is coping with bipolar disorder and is fiercely protective of her sons.Whatever dreams Andrew might have had as a kid, he’s definitely NOT living those dreams.Chaperoning his brother to one of what appears to be an endless medley of bar and bat mitzvahs in the neighborhood, Andrew meets Lola (Vanessa Burghardt), a new student at David’s school who is autistic, and Lola’s mother Domino (Dakota Johnson), who had Lola at a young age and has raised her on her own but is now engaged to a lawyer named Joseph (Raúl Castillo), who we won’t meet until much later in the story because he spends most of his time in Chicago working on a big case.As Lola sits in a corner, wearing oversized headphones and working a puzzle, Andrew makes it his mission to get her on the dance floor — and he does it with such sincerity and utterly without condescension, and that’s the moment we’re taken with him, as is Domino. She asks Andrew if he wouldn’t mind babysitting for Lola from time to time, and that could be weird but it’s not. It’s just … something that happens, and something that brings Andrew and Domino close, and as to whether that evolves into a romance, I’ll leave it to you to discover. Suffice to say that, as a writer, the 25-year-old Raiff has an impressive skill set that enables him to simultaneously embrace certain clichés while saying something fresh. Andrew (center) lives with his mom (Leslie Mann) and stepdad (Brad Garrett).Apple TV+ For all of Andrew’s admirable qualities — he’s a fantastic older brother to David and even his unwarranted teasing of Stepdad Greg is laced with an undercurrent of respect for how much Greg loves his mom — he can also be kind of a jerk when his feelings are hurt, or he feels underappreciated. He’s hired as a host for the aforementioned slew of bar/bat mitzvahs and he has a knack for getting the party started, as they say, but he has a bad tendency to drink too much at these events. Not good, Andrew. This leads to some borderline slapstick hijinks and some major laughs, and also a great moment of triumph for Stepdad Greg, who deserves just such a moment. Raiff and his cinematographer Christina Dunlap serve up appealing visuals throughout, giving the film an authentic look (with Pittsburgh filling in for Jersey) but also some appropriately lush, saturated-colors moments when Andrew sees Domino in a certain light, so to speak. Leslie Mann delivers beautifully nuanced work, though the screenplay doesn’t delve too deeply into her character’s condition, while young actors Vanessa Burghardt and Evan Assante are utterly likable and real. Even the smaller parts, e.g., Odeya Rush as a beautiful former classmate of Andrew’s who is also treading water career-wise and is probably a better match for Andrew than Domino, are strongly written and well-acted.Dakota Johnson continues her string of wonderful performances in quality films(“The Peanut Butter Falcon,” “The High Note,” “The Lost Daughter”) with luminous work here, playing a woman who is almost unbearably sad and lonely at times, but doesn’t really have the luxury of indulging in that because she has a daughter who needs her every waking moment. As an actor, Raiff has an easy, comfortable screen presence. To be sure, he gives himself a plethora of terrific lines and maybe a few too many adoring closeups — but you can’t blame a guy for directing himself to the cusp of stardom, can ya?

Movies

This amiable, flawed indie has been winding some pundits up – and yes, maybe the auteur-star has a personality that might trigger a hives breakout among a proportion of his audience. This is 25-year-old Cooper Raiff, whose microbudget debut Freshman Year (alternatively titled Shithouse) was a study in semi-articulate anxiety in the manner of the Duplass brothers. Now he gives us this indulgent relationship comedy-drama in which he himself stars as Andrew, a recent college grad whose girlfriend has airily gone off to Barcelona.Without the funds (or indeed a clear invitation) to join her, Andrew must come back to live in the family home with his bipolar mom (Leslie Mann) and stepdad Greg (Brad Garrett), sharing a room with his kid brother David (Evan Assante), getting a humiliating job in a fast food restaurant and nursing a growing drink problem. But going with David to a batmitzvah, he discovers he has a gregarious talent for being a professional “party-starter”, encouraging shy teen guests to get on the dancefloor. And this is where he meets the unhappily engaged Domino (Dakota Johnson), and her neurodiverse daughter Lola from a previous relationship, played by newcomer Vanessa Burghardt, an actor on the autism spectrum. Lonely Andrew is drawn to them and they to him; he offers to babysit Lola – who really likes him – and soon Andrew has fallen deeply in love with Domino.Wide-eyed, ingenuous, borderline pass-agg Raiff is an acquired taste; he is maybe a tad insufferable and, as a writer-director, he is not shy of giving himself this sympathetic and attractive role. Sometimes the irony level is difficult to gauge: there’s a tense moment when Lola allows Andrew to scratch her back while she is in bed when Domino is out for the evening. Another type of film-maker, a Todd Solondz, might have let the implications and possibilities of that scene drift another way. Does Andrew realise how potentially inappropriate this is? Does he just not notice? Is he, as he playfully suggests to Domino, on the spectrum himself? It is difficult to tell, and sometimes Raiff’s gravitational pull to a happy ending doesn’t quite ring true. Yet this is a fluent and very watchable work, and Johnson and Burghardt carry it.

Movies

Topline Actress Amber Heard said Wednesday she is afraid of future lawsuits from her ex-husband Johnny Depp if she continues to speak out about their relationship—but said she still loves him—nearly two weeks after jurors found she defamed him and awarded Depp $10.4 million in damages. Amber Heard sits during the defamation trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, ... [+] Virginia, on May 26, 2022. (Photo by MICHAEL REYNOLDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) POOL/AFP via Getty Images Key Facts In an interview with NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, Heard said she was nervous about what she could say after the verdict, adding she “took for granted what I assumed was my right to speak.” Heard also continued to contend the 2018 Washington Post op-ed at the center of the trial was not about Depp, even despite the trial’s outcome. The actress maintained the op-ed, which did not mention Depp by name, was about “loaning my voice to a bigger cultural conversation that we were having at the time,” referring to the #MeToo movement. Heard said she had “teams of lawyers” review the drafts of the op-ed, as “it was important for me not to make it about him,” or “do anything like defame him.” Guthrie asked if Heard still stands by a statement she made during the trial—that she still had “love for Johnny”—and Heard said, “Absolutely, I love him,” and that she holds “no bad feelings or ill will toward him at all.” Crucial Quote “I’m scared that no matter what I do, no matter what I say or how I say it, every step that I take will present another opportunity for the sort of silencing, which is what, I guess, a defamation lawsuit is meant to do,” Heard said. “It’s meant to take your voice.” Tangent Heard addressed the controversy around her $7 million divorce settlement during the interview, which the actress said she would donate to two charities—the American Civil Liberties Union and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. During the trial, ACLU executive Terence Dougherty testified she had not donated the $3.5 million she had pledged to the organization, and that he believed billionaire Elon Musk, who briefly dated Heard, made a payment of $500,000 on her behalf. Heard said Wednesday she still plans to honor her pledge, and agreed with Guthrie it may have damaged her credibility during the trial. Key Background Depp sued his ex-wife for defamation, claiming the Post op-ed insinuated he abused her, and sought $50 million in damages, leading to a six-week trial. The jury found Heard defamed Depp and awarded the actor $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, though the punitive damages were knocked down to $350,000—the maximum amount allowed under Virginia state law, where the trial took place. Heard was awarded $2 million after she won part of a countersuit against Depp. Heard’s lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, said earlier this month Heard cannot afford to pay the $10 million judgment. What To Watch For In addition to the portions played on TODAY, Heard’s full interview will air Friday on NBC’s Dateline at 8 p.m., and part of the Dateline interview will be available Thursday on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock. Further Reading Amber Heard Says She Doesn't 'Blame' Jurors For Siding With Johnny Depp—But Says Trial Wasn't 'Fair' (Forbes) Jury Rules Amber Heard Defamed Johnny Depp In Domestic Abuse Op-Ed (Forbes) Musk Likely Paid Portion Of Amber Heard's Pledged ACLU Donations, Exec Testifies (Forbes)

Celebrity

First came HAL-9000 and The Terminator. Now, Google's LaMDA chatbot?Last week, Google suspended an engineer for breaching the company's confidentiality policy, after he publicly revealed his conviction that the search giant's AI chatbot LaMDA had achieved sentience. It opened the door for plenty of jokes — and nervous laughter — about the deadly sentient computers that have been part of popular culture for decades, from "2001: A Space Odyssey" to "The Terminator."But you don't have to worry: Most AI experts agree that an actual sentient computer program is likely still a few decades away."There's a bunch of breakthroughs that have to happen," Erik Brynjolfsson, a senior fellow at Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered AI and director of the school's Digital Economy Lab, tells CNBC Make It. "Sometime in the next 50 years [is more likely] ... Having an AI pretend to be sentient is going to happen way before an AI is actually sentient."Some notable tech names — including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg — insist that the advancement of AI could be a very positive development for humanity, particularly in areas like health care and transportation. Others disagree: Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, for example, has called AI "a fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization."Regardless of which camp you fall into, it feels safe to agree that an actual sentient artificial intelligence is a fascinating possibility. But, what will — and should — it look like?Our brains are hard-wired to see sentient AI, even if it doesn't yet existIn a tweet on June 12, Brynjolfsson wrote that the Google engineer's belief in LaMDA's sentience was "the modern equivalent of the dog who heard a voice from a gramophone and thought his master was inside.""As with the gramophone, these models tap into a real intelligence: the large corpus of text that is used to train the model with statistically-plausible word sequences," Brynjolfsson wrote. "The model then spits that text back in a rearranged form without actually 'understanding' what [it's] saying."Google's own technologists are adamant that the company's chatbot has not become sentient, and that the software is simply advanced enough to mimic and predict human speech patterns in a way that's meant to feel real. Brynjolfsson says that's unsurprising: Our brains are wired to imbue non-human objects or animals with human consciousness as a means of forming social connections. "Humans are very susceptible to anthropomorphizing things," he says. "If you paint a smiley face on a rock, a lot of people will have this feeling in their heart that that rock is kind of happy."When it comes to judging actual AI sentience, experts say AI advancements will have to be judged based on specific tasks, and how well computers or machines can perform them in comparison to humans. In 2017, a University of Oxford poll of more than 350 AI experts found that they predicted AI would outperform humans at certain tasks – translating languages, writing an essay, even driving a truck – before 2030.Other tasks will likely take much longer: The experts predicted that AI won't be capable of outperforming humans at writing a best-selling novel until 2049, or performing surgery until 2053.How AI could still go wrong, from replacing human workers to 'slaughterbots'There are still plenty of reasons to be concerned about the future of AI and its impact on humans. In the short term, Brynjolfsson says that as chatbots like LaMDA become more common, people could start to use them maliciously: Hackers or other bad actors could create millions of realistic bots that pass as human, and use them to disrupt political and economic systems around the world.Regulators might want to start considering laws forcing AI programs to disclose that they are machines when engaged with a human, Brynjolfsson says: "It's just an unfair fight because you can spin up a program and generate a million bots that are arguing some case, and humans can't keep up."Brynjolfsson also points to the sort of autonomous weaponry that's already being developed by the world's superpowers, so-called "slaughterbots" that experts warn could easily be used toward horrific ends."You don't have to be super creative to imagine how that could go wrong," he says.In the long term, Brynjolfsson echoes one of Musk's concerns: that AI-enhanced machines could one day replace humans. Part of the problem, the Stanford researcher says, is that current AI research is too focused on using AI to replicate human intelligence, rather than trying to augment or improve human behavior.The latter could theoretically help boost human workers and their skills, like AI-powered digital assistants that already help customer service employees more efficiently answer customer calls. (Brynjolfsson himself is an advisor for one such platform, called Cresta.)Following that route could make workers more productive and "create a lot more wealth" in a largely accessible way, Brynjolfsson says. "Ultimately, billions of lives will be affected — and their livelihoods — depending on which path we take."Sign up now: Get smarter about your money and career with our weekly newsletterDon't miss:Elon Musk warned of a 'Terminator'-like AI apocalypse — now he's building a Tesla robotMark Cuban predicts AI will dominate the future workplace

AI Research

Meet Ken! First look at Barbie star Ryan Gosling as he bares his chiseled chest and bleached hair to transform into the beloved dollA first look at Ryan Gosling as the famous Ken doll was released on WednesdayHe stars alongside Margot Robbie in the live-action Barbie movie Margot, 31, plays the titular doll while Ryan, 41, stars as her counterpart The movie is being directed by indie filmmaker Greta Gerwig Published: 12:28 EDT, 15 June 2022 | Updated: 12:42 EDT, 15 June 2022 Ryan Gosling has been pictured for the first time as the beloved Mattel doll Ken, as he gears up to star alongside Margot Robbie in the live-action Barbie movie.On Wednesday, the Oscar-nominated actor was seen showing off his tanned and chiseled chest in a cut-off denim jacket and white bleached hair for the role. Warner Bros. released the promotional still via a tweet simply with the film title and a release date of July 21, 2023, that was previously revealed when they shared the first image of Margot, 31, as Barbie in April. Meet Ken! First look at Barbie star Ryan Gosling as he bares his chiseled chest and bleached hair to transform into the beloved dollRyan, 41, is known for his serious acting work in acclaimed films such as Drive, Blade Runner 2049, Blue Valentine, and Half Nelson.Sporting a cheesy grin and white underwear branded with his character's name, the role of Ken certainly appears to be somewhat of a left turn for the thespian. Little Women and Ladybird filmmaker Greta Gerwig is directing the project, and wrote the script for the film with her longtime partner Noah Baumbach. Stunning: The 31-year-old Australian actress looked absolutely iconic behind the wheel of a pink classic Chevrolet Corvette in front of what looked like the Barbie MansionThe film features an all-star cast including Will Ferrell, Issa Rae, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, America Ferrera, Michael Cera, and Alexandra Shipp. A synopsis on IMDB of the upcoming film reads: 'A doll living in "Barbieland" is expelled for not being perfect enough and sets off on an adventure in the real world. A Live-action feature film based on the popular line of Barbie toys.'Margot has been long slated to play the world's most iconic fashion doll in a live-action movie and back in December 2020, she vowed to give audiences 'something totally different.'Opting for something 'a little left center,' when it comes to her portrayal of the Mattel doll, the project will be produced by her LuckyChap Entertainment Company whose motto is, 'If it's not a f**k, yes, it's a no.'Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about the project Robbie said: 'Something like Barbie where the IP, the name itself, people immediately have an idea of, "Oh Margot is playing Barbie, I know what that is."'But our goal is to be like, "Whatever you're thinking, we're going to give you something totally different – the thing you didn't know you wanted."' The live-action Barbie flick is set for release on July 21, 2023. Advertisement

Movies

State Of Rest made every yard to win the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, the feature race at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.Trained by Joseph O’Brien and ridden brilliantly by Shane Crosse, the Irish raider (5-1) was just too strong for the 10-11 favourite Bay Bridge in the final furlong. Previous winner Lord North lost any chance when slow to start, while well-fancied Japanese star Shahryah dropped away at the finish.Crosse, riding his first Royal Ascot winner, said: “The plan was to not be complicated in a small field and fair play to this horse. In the space of last 12 months he has done a lot. This is an absolute dream.”Earlier, Dramatised justified her tall reputation with a runaway victory in the opening Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. Trainer Karl Burke has made no secret of the regard in which he holds the Showcasing filly, who made a huge impression on her debut at Newmarket in April and had been kept fresh for the Royal meeting since. The North Yorkshire handler said: “Her work has been excellent – she’s a bit of a diva, so we’ve just had to keep a lid on her, but she handled everything really well.“She’s the quickest two-year-old I’ve trained over five furlongs, but I’m sure she will stay six. The Lowther and Morny could be options for her and later in the year the Cheveley Park.”Eldar Eldarov got up in the shadow of the post to prevail in a thrilling Queen’s Vase. A winner over a mile at Nottingham in October and a mile and a quarter at Newcastle last month, Roger Varian’s colt faced a big step up in class and distance for this one-mile-six-furlong Group Two. The son of Dubawi was nearer last than first turning for home, but came from the clouds to seal the narrowest of victories in the hands of David Egan as the 5-2 favourite.Varian said: “I wasn’t sure. I thought we were a good winner before the line and a good winner after the line, but we got the bob wrong, which sometimes can go against you. We’ve got the give the second credit, he ran a great race, we’re all elated and he was on the wrong side of a tight photograph so I feel for the second. I’m delighted for this horse and these connections, they’re supporting the industry very strongly, they’re supporting me. Days like this are very special to all of us and to get the horse home in front with a lot of expectation is always satisfying.”

Other Sports

Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney I have not loved most of Obi-Wan Kenobi so far, a series that has so far felt like it’s kind of shuffling to a conclusion, and one that we already know, at that. But this week’s episode? That’s a different story, and while it still struggles in a few ways, it’s also full of some great moments, many of the best of the whole series so far. Spoilers follow. You can tell right from the opening that this one is different, as finally, finally poor Hayden Christensen gets some actual screen time out from under the Vader mask. We get an extended sequence that has him lightsaber training with Obi-Wan back in what seems like maybe post Attack of the Clones, pre-Revenge of the Sith, given his hair. The entire battle is used as an extended comparison to the current conflict between Vader and Obi-Wan, and the tactics Obi-Wan will use to slip away once more, but it’s just great to finally see Hayden back as Anakin, and we also got at least one more new shot of him killing Younglings as we learn Reva’s origin story. Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney While it was not a huge surprise that Reva was a Youngling (many Inquisitors are former Younglings or Padawans), it was somewhat surprising that her grand plan was to ultimately assassinate Vader for what Anakin did to the Jedi temple and the other kids all those years ago. I guess the idea was to work her way up and land an audience with Lord Vader for a chance to literally stab him in the back, but…that does not go so well, as you might expect. This was an excellent Vader sequence, as before this, Vader catches a starship, pulls it down, and wrenches it open, showing the sheer force of his power at this point. But then the duel against Reva was a different kind of flex. Vader does not even use his own lightsaber, he force pushes Reva around until he ultimately steals her own dual-bladed one, then tosses her half of it just to be sporting. Then he plays around a little more, disarms her again, and stabs her with the patented “this should kill you but it won’t” lightsaber move that this show has now used on two separate occasions. The episode ends with the injured Reva discovering the message to Obi-Wan about Vader’s children, as I think she’s connecting the dots on Leia being his daughter, and now will head to Tatooine, it seems, to do…something with Luke? I’m not exactly sure what the plan is here. In theory, maybe another way to bring Ben to her, and where Ben goes, Vader will go. Reva has no love for Ben either, as she openly questions where he was, and why he didn’t help save her and her friends from his own raging padawan. I mean she’s got a point. So yes, this was a good episode. I thought outside of the Vader fight it did suffer from some awkward choreography during the Stormtrooper invasion of the hideout (a frequent sticking point for this series), and I was not terribly interested in five scenes of Leia fiddling around with wires. But overall, yes, this is an episode that finally seemed to live up to the promise of bringing Anakin/Vader back for this, and I’m definitely not opposed to the Hayden Christensen suggestion that Vader could have his own series during this era. We’ll see if Disney agrees. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to my free weekly content round-up newsletter, God Rolls. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.

Movies

The early-season duels are falling into place. There’s USC, agreeing to host Auburn in December. Here’s Arizona, lining up a date with Indiana in Las Vegas. There’s UCLA, finalizing a trip to Maryland. Here’s Arizona State, taking on SMU in Dallas. In college basketball, the offseason is for NBA Draft decisions, transfer portal moves and non-conference scheduling — three interconnected elements that test the savvy of head coaches and set the stage for the upcoming season. Poor scheduling decisions in the spring can affect performance in the fall which, in turn, impacts the outlook for Selection Sunday. The Pac-12 placed just three teams in the 2022 NCAA Tournament — a measly bid total that has become standard fare: The conference sent just three teams to the ’18 and ’19 tournaments, as well. “I saw a stat regarding the percentage of teams that each Power Five conference advanced to the Sweet 16 relative to the number of berths for each conference,” Colorado coach Tad Boyle told the Hotline. “It was very positive for the Pac-12. As a conference, we show pretty well. The challenge is how do we consistently get more teams in.” The tournament selection committee gathers in Indianapolis on the second weekend of March to extend bids and create the 68-team field. Decisions are guided by advanced metrics (for example, the NET rankings) that weigh the results of non-conference games. Success creates a multiplier effect that elevates middle-tier teams throughout the eat-your-own nature of conference play. At the same time, early-season failure creates a lasting sinkhole that swallows teams and leaves only the very best in position for NCAA bids. Want proof? — Four times in the past 10 years, the Pac-12 won at least 70 percent of its non-conference games; each time, it received four or more NCAA Tournament bids. — Six times in the past 10 years, the Pac-12 won less than 70 percent of its non-conference games; each time, it received two or three NCAA bids. “The whole key for the Pac-12 is that we have to perform well in November and December,” Boyle said. “It’s about being realistic about what your team is going to look like. That has become much more difficult.” For decades, coaches had one consideration when projecting roster strength: NBA Draft decisions. Those impacted only a few players — and on some teams, no one at all. But the transfer portal has created an extended free agency period that can affect half the roster and unfolds concurrently with scheduling decisions. Coaches don’t know who’s staying, who’s leaving or who’s arriving. Wait too long to line up quality opponents and options could be limited. Commit to premium matchups too early and attrition might leave you overmatched. “If you’re trying to build a culture and establish a successful program, you might want to schedule lighter because you need wins for people to see that you’re on the rise,’’ said UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond, a member of the NCAA selection committee. “But if your goal is the NCAA tournament, then it’s a different situation. “I told the (Pac-12) head coaches that it’s about who you play, where you play, and how you do. From what I learned being in the (committee) room, scheduling harder maximizes your opportunities. You don’t get penalized for playing up.” But “playing up” requires a financial and emotional investment. Coaches “can’t under-schedule” to save their jobs, Boyle said. To avoid non-conference schedules filled with cupcakes, the Pac-12 in 2019 implemented scheduling standards built on four pillars: “(i) a non-Conference five-year trailing average of opponents’ NET ranking must be 175 or less, “(ii) no participation in road buy games, “(iii) no regular season games against non-Division I opponents and, “(iv) no road games versus a non-conference opponent with a five-year trailing average of 200 NET. But a schedule light on cupcakes doesn’t necessarily maximize chances for success. Too often, Pac-12 teams agree to home-and-home series with schools from mid-major conferences or one-bid leagues. It does the collective no good when members play road games against Big Sky, Big West or West Coast Conference teams (unless it’s Gonzaga). Those are lose-lose matchups within the NET algorithm: A victory provides no upside, but a loss can undercut your ranking and potentially drag down other teams in the conference. “If we want to maximize NCAA bids,” Jarmond said, “we have to get away from putting ourselves at risk. But that costs money.” The going rate for home games is approximately $75,000. The expense is nullified by home-and-home series, because of the payment received for the away portion. Ideally, the Pac-12 only would play road games against other power conferences or tournament-caliber opponents from the mid-major leagues. In order to collectively eliminate risky road games against Big West or WCC teams, Pac-12 schools must be willing to buy two or three additional creampuffs (at $75,000 each). “It takes a commitment,” Jarmond said. But even for schools willing to spend the money to reduce risk, non-conference scheduling is complicated. Coaches don’t know their own rosters and often cannot be sure of their opponents’ personnel, which is why aiming high makes sense. The top half of the Power Six and the best of the mid-majors will provide quality competition even if they get hit by attrition. “It’s definitely a balancing act between how good you’re going to be and coming up with a schedule that’s commensurate with your team,” Boyle said. “To me, the league is measured by how the middle tier, and more importantly by how the lower tier, does in November and December.” Last season, the Pac-12’s lower-tier lost a bevy of high-risk, low-reward games in the opening weeks. By the time conference play ramped up in January, the NET’s multiplier effect was destined to work against the conference. “As much as you can,” Jarmond said, “you have to play tough opponents on the road. It doesn’t hurt you, but it can help you.” Support the Hotline: Receive three months of unlimited access for just 99 cents. Yep, that’s 99 cents for 90 days, with the option to cancel anytime. Details are here, and thanks for your support. *** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716 *** Follow me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline *** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.

Basketball

A man who looked a lot like Klay Thompson made his way onto the Chase Center court Monday ahead of NBA Finals Game 5 and drilled a couple of 3-pointers. The Warriors promptly banned him from Chase Center — because he was not Thompson. He was Dawson Gurley, a YouTuber from Arizona who has been seen before at Warriors games dressed like Thompson. Gurley posted a video online of his escapade, including being served with a ban from the arena by a person he identified as Chase Center’s vice president of security. He also posted a photo of his ban letter. “An individual falsely impersonated a Warriors player in a deliberate attempt to access unauthorized areas within Chase Center,” a Warriors spokesperson said in an email. “These actions have resulted in a lifetime ban from both Chase Center and Kaiser Permanente Arena.” Gurley and his cameraperson simply waltzed right into Chase Center through the media and player entrance, receiving a bit of encouragement from someone near the security checkpoint. “Let’s get a dub today, Klay,” the man said. “We got this,” Gurley responded, turning to the camera in disbelief. After a few shots on the court, a security guard approached Gurley asking whether he had any credentials, then escorted him with a laugh out of the arena bowl and through the security checkpoint (but not before he took a photo with Bay Area rapper P-Lo, who may or may not have known it wasn’t Thompson). Gurley claimed that he had paid $10,000 for tickets to the game, and the security guard suggested he would be able to attend the game: “You are welcome as a ticketed guest.” In the end, Gurley was not welcomed into the game, and the head of security told him that a ticket refund was not up to the Warriors because he bought them on the secondary market. But this may not be the last we see of Gurley: “I guess we gotta go to Boston,” he said in wrapping up his day.

Basketball

Liam Payne suffered a nose bleed as he headed home from a night out in the early hours of Monday morning. The former One Direction singer, 28, suffered as he left the Soccer Aid afterparty at the swanky Nobu Hotel in London's Shoreditch at 3am after he was seen play-fighting with pals earlier on in the night.Liam, who looked a little gaunt, had a mystery brunette hidden away in the back seat of his car who kept her head down to avoid being seen. The outing comes just a fortnight after Liam had a fling with model Aliana Mawla, 24, which took place just weeks after he split from fiancée Maya Henry, 21. The on/off couple called off their relationship for good in May. They had previously called off their engagement in 2021 but rekindled their romance just two months later and were going strong until they hit the rocks again this year. Ouch: Liam Payne suffered a nose bleed as he headed home from a night out in the early hours of Monday morning. The former One Direction singer, 28, suffered as he left the Soccer Aid afterparty at the swanky Nobu Hotel in Shoreditch at 3am Night out: Earlier on Liam took part in the star-studded Soccer Aid game which raises money for charity and had been seen play-fighting with pals earlier on in the evening It had been reported that Liam had split from Maya to spend more time with his son, Bear, four, whom he shares with ex Cheryl, 39. The former couple welcomed Bear in 2017 but split the following year following a two and a half year romance.Speaking on Logan Paul's Impaulsive podcast, he admitted he originally struggled with becoming a father at the tender age of 23, but that it helped tame his reckless behaviour.The singer, who has detailed his addiction and mental health issues, said he would 'listen to the nasty beastie in his head' and would often take advantage of the hotel mini bar and trash his room during his time in the band.He explained: 'I spent a lot of my life pretty f***ed up. Whatever the nasty beastie in my head wants to tell me, and that bit is hard to deal with.'Now I'm happy with who I am and the person I have grown into. The biggest thing is being asked, 'What do you enjoy in life?' And I don't really know as I just chose to enjoy the mini bar and trash up the hotel room. That was it.' Low-key: Liam looked casual in a plain white T-shirt that he paired with a navy bomber jacket and gold watch Hidden away: Liam, had a mystery brunette hidden away in the back seat of his car who kept her head down to avoid being seenLiam previously admitted that during his time in One Direction he struggled with addiction and mental health issues that he kept secret until last year.The group, formed of Liam, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik was formed on The X Factor in 2010, and they went on to become the biggest boyband in the world before their split in 2015.Yet Liam struggled to stay sober on tour, confessing: 'There were a few pictures of me on a boat and I was all bloated out and I call it my pills-and-booze face.'My face was 10 times bigger than it is now. The problem was, the best way to secure us was to lock us in our rooms, and what is in the room? A mini-bar.'So I had a party-for-one that seemed to carry on for years. It was wild but the only way you could get frustration out.'Liam went on to reveal that he slipped back into bad habits during lockdown, and became reliant on alcohol, which led to him putting on weight. Speaking on The Diary Of A CEO podcast last year he said he needed to 'work on himself' - and that he had been sober from alcohol for over a month.Sleepy? Liam looked ready for bed as the clock struck 3am after his night out at the Soccer Aid afterparty He said: 'I feel like more than anything at this point, I'm more disappointed in myself that I keep on hurting people.'That annoys me. I've just not been very good at relationships. And I know what my pattern of things is with relationships at this point.'I'm just not very good at them so I just need to work on myself before I put myself on to somebody else.'Liam also said he had been sober for a month at the time of his interview. He has admitted to having drinks recently and said in May that he was under the influence of alcohol while presenting on an Oscars show. Low profile: Liam's female companion seemed a tad camera shy as she relaxed on the journey home Something caught your eye? Liam looked a tad alarmed by something going on in the vehicle Liam was forced to explain why his accent appeared to have completely changed in May when he was interviewed about the infamous Will Smith slap.Liam blamed 'a lot of drink' for the bizarre Irish-American accent had during a Good Morning Britain interview which went viral for all the wrong reasons.He described himself as a 'social chameleon' and called his accent is 'ever-changing' depending on who he is around, before insisting he is normally 'good at accents'.Addressing his interview in an Instagram Live video, Liam joked: 'I'm good at accents, I pride myself on them! I just wish sometimes I could do my own.'No I mean, what can I say about that really? It was quite funny.'Former flames: The outing comes just a fortnight after Liam had a fling with model Aliana Mawla, 24, (left) which took place just weeks after he split from fiancée Maya Henry, 21The former One Direction star admitted that he had told the presenter not to ask him any difficult questions because he 'had a lot to drink', as his friends could be heard laughing in the background.He explained: 'I had asked Good Morning Britain, the presenter, I said, "Please don't ask me too much because I've had a lot to drink and I'm under-ly educated about the Oscars". I said "please don't ask me too much".'Now the very first question the man asked me was, "What do you think about Will Smith?".'Now can you imagine, imagine being put on the spot in that moment and knowing, "I can't say anything wrong because I'm gonna upset someone" and I just did the best I could.'Liam went on to say he has listened back to his interview and said he 'stands by' his comments - which were slammed as 'rambling - adding: 'I'm just sorry it came out in so many accents! I'm not even sure if it's an accent I can do.' Case of the ex: It had been reported that Liam had split from Maya to spend more time with his son, Bear, four, whom he shares with ex Cheryl, 39. The couple split in 2018 following year following a two and a half year romance (pictured 2018) Struggles: Liam recently admitted he originally struggled with becoming a father at the tender age of 23, but that it helped tame his reckless behaviour He then said people only need to watch back his X Factor audition for proof of his 'ever-changing', where he claims you couldn't even tell he was from Birmingham.'I didn't know the Birmingham accent was going to become really cool because of Peaky Blinders, but I don't sound like I'm from Birmingham really [in the audition],' he said.Meanwhile, Liam recently came under fire from fans after he labelled former One Direction bandmate Zayn Malik a 'd*ck'. Bloated out: Liam revealed last year he struggled to stay sober in One Direction, confessing: ' There were a few pictures of me on a boat and I was all bloated out and I call it my pills-and-booze face' (pictured in 2014) Liam spoke about his lockdown weight gain saying: 'I did one performance on TV with the BAFTAs (left) and I was disappointed with myself. I didn’t look how I wanted to look' (pictured right in 2019)Liam and Logan discussed Zayn's headline-making online feud with Logan's brother Jake Paul in 2020, which ended with Zayn's then-girlfriend Gigi Hadid slamming Jake as 'irrelevant' and defending her beau as 'a respectful king'.Liam gave his thoughts on the drama, saying: 'She tweeted something about get yourself a respectful man or something. That one didn’t age very well.'The comment was interpreted by fans as a reference to the allegation that Gigi's mother Yolanda Hadid made last year, that Zayn had shoved her into a dresser and called her a 'f***ing Dutch slut'.Liam continued to talk about Zayn, saying there were 'many reasons why I dislike Zayn' but that he will 'always be on his side' because of Zayn's alleged tough upbringing. Finding fame: One Direction - Liam, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Harry Styles - formed on The X Factor in 2010, and they went on to become the biggest boyband in the worldHe said: 'There’s many reasons why I dislike Zayn and there’s many reasons why I’ll always, always be on his side.'If I had had to go through what he went through, through his growth and whatever else. You know are your parents very supportive?'My parents are overly supportive to the point where it’s annoying at times and they don’t even mind me saying that. And Zayn had a different upbringing in that sense.'He continued: 'You can always look at the man for where he is and say, "Oh, yeah, whatever that guy’s a d*ck." Right? But at the end of the day, once you understand what he’s been through to get to that point, and also whether or not he even wanted to be there…'I’m so misunderstood by myself more than anyone, like I don’t know what I’m doing or why I’m here. It’s like, I can’t sit here and d*ck on him because of whatever.' Liam later apologised for his remarks, saying he failed to articulate himself properly. He said: 'Guys - I wouldn’t normally comment on this stuff but when its your family it’s hard to let it slide.'They mentioned a specific incident involving Zayn which I responded to - but listening back maybe I didn’t articulate myself as well as I could have.'I was saying that there will always be things we disagree on but that I will always, always be on his side. That’s family. Zayn is my brother and I will stand by him forever.' Backlash: Liam recently came under fire from fans after he labelled former One Direction bandmate Zayn Malik a 'd**k'

Celebrity

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Brooks Koepka suggested Tuesday he was finished with the LIV Golf questions.Koepka was among the PGA Tour golfers who were asked about the Saudi-backed league, but the two-time U.S. Open winner was angered about the spotlight getting taken away from this week’s major.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Brooks Koepka chips a shot onto a green during a practice round ahead of the U.S. Open golf tournament, Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)"I don’t understand. I’m trying to focus on the U.S. Open, man. I legitimately don’t get it. I’m tired of the conversations. I’m tired of all this stuff," Koepka said. "Like I said, y’all are throwing a black cloud on the U.S. Open. I think that sucks. I actually do feel bad for them for once because it’s a sh—y situation. We’re here to play, and you are talking about an event that happened last week."RORY MCILROY UNLEASHES ON LIV GOLF, THOSE WHO SPURNED PGA TOUR: 'ONCE YOU MAKE YOUR BED, YOU LIE IN IT'LIV Golf has been a source of controversy since it began luring top professional golfers away from the PGA Tour. The Tour responded by indefinitely suspending players who rescinded their memberships from events as long as they are playing in the rival league. Brooks Koepka of the United States plays his shot from the sixth tee during a practice round prior to the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club on June 13, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)Not to mention Koepka’s own brother, Chase, is a member of the new Tour.This will continue to be a topic of conversation as long as the money and the players it lures away from the PGA Tour continues. Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson and Charl Schwartzel are among those competing in LIV Golf. Brooks Koepka of the United States smiles on the eighth tee during a practice round prior to the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club on June 13, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe United States Golf Association allowed those who competed in LIV Golf’s first tournament to compete in this year’s U.S. Open. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to Ryan.Gaydos@fox.com.

Golf

Kenan Thompson Files for Divorce ... Exes Sharing Child Custody 6/15/2022 12:50 AM PT 'SNL' star Kenan Thompson is taking the next step in his separation from his wife of 11 years ... filing divorce docs and hammering out custody of their kids. According to online records, Kenan filed last month in New York to make his announced split from Christina Evangeline all legal. TMZ broke the story back in April that the couple had separated and were successfully co-parenting their daughters Georgia and Gianna. We're told the couple had been secretly separated for a few years. Sources connected with the former couple tell us Kenan and Christina agreed to share 50/50 custody -- and they are still living close to one another in NYC to make the custody arrangement easier for everyone involved, especially the kids. Kenan and Christina tied the knot way back in 2011, saying their "I dos" at an aquarium in Atlanta. As for why they split, our sources have said they simply grew apart as the years progressed. Professionally, they lead much different lives. While Kenan's always been in the spotlight ... first as a child star on Nickelodeon, and now the longest-running 'SNL' cast member ... Christina works as an interior designer. We're told the divorce has been amicable, and they're both putting their kids first.

Celebrity

"Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story" also now stars Jim Gaffigan, James Marsden, Jack McBrayer, Christian Slater, and more. Melissa McCarthy, Hugh Grant, Amy SchumerAssociated Press Comedy mogul Jerry Seinfeld has taken a crack at directing at least four times in his career, from an episode of his beloved “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” to specials for comedian Colin Quinn. Now, Seinfeld is getting back into the director’s chair to direct his very first narrative feature, and it’s about the history of how, of all things, one of America’s favorite sugary breakfast snacks came to be. “Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story” is directed by Seinfeld, who also co-wrote the film with Spike Feresten, Andy Robin, and Barry Marder. It’s set in Michigan 1963, when Kellogg’s and Post, sworn cereal rivals, race to create a pastry that will change the face of breakfast forever. A tale of ambition, betrayal, sugar, and menacing milkmen — according to Netflix — “Unfrosted” stars Seinfeld as well along with a stacked ensemble of comedy favorites. The cast just announced on Wednesday set to join the Netflix movie includes Melissa McCarthy (most recently on the streamer in “God’s Favorite Idiot”), Jim Gaffigan (“Linoleum”), Amy Schumer (Hulu’s “Life and Beth”), Hugh Grant (“The Undoing”), James Marsden (“Sonic 2”), Jack McBrayer (“Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show”), Tom Lennon (“Reno 911!”), Adrian Martinez (“iGilbert”), Bobby Moynihan (“Saturday Night Live”), Max Greenfield (“The Neighborhood”), Christian Slater (“Dr. Death”), and Sarah Cooper (“Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine”), the breakout TikTok star whose lip-synced impressions of Donald Trump during his administration made her a global sensation. The list of cast members suggests it wasn’t hard for Seinfeld to tap many of his comedy friends to come on board the feature, which was first announced back in mid-2021. That was right around when Netflix paid a cool $500 million-plus for the streaming rights to the “Seinfeld” sitcom. The show, which Netflix won out on amid an escalated bidding war among streamers, will live on the streaming platform for five years. The upcoming Pop-Tart movie had its origins in Seinfeld’s last special for Netflix. As he told Deadline back in June 2021, “Stuck at home watching endless sad faces on TV, I thought this would be a good time to make something based on pure silliness. So we took my Pop-Tart stand-up bit from my last Netflix special and exploded it into a giant, crazy comedy movie.” Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.

Movies

Tired of being bummed about everything? Let the following batch of new movies – the sexy smart “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande,” the unconventional rom-com “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” the teambuilding Pixar gem “Lightyear” and the delightfully quirky “Brain and Charles” — work their considerable charms on you. Here’s our roundup. “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande”: The scenario sounds contrived — a sexually uptight former teacher Nancy Stokes (the grand Emma Thompson) hires a hot escort (Daryl McCormack, steaming up every second of his screen time) to help her discover the joy of sex, something that’s eluded her for years. Though there are plenty of laughs to come from this sexy and liberating dramedy, this is one thoughtful upstart that delivers a rare, healthy, much-needed message: Give yourself the freedom to enjoy sex. Thompson does bare all, but it’s how she and McCormack flesh out their characters that make this such a rewarding film. The skillful screenplay from Katy Brand and observant direction by Sophie Hyde contribute in making it one of my favorite films of 2022. Details: 3½ stars out of 4; available June 17 on Hulu. “Cha Cha Real Smooth”: Actor/filmmaker/screenwriter Cooper Raiff steers clear of a sophomore slump with a radiant follow-up to 2020’s “Sh@$house.” Once again, he excels at massaging the kinks out of the overworked rom-com format. Raiff plays nice-guy Andrew, a 22-year-old college grad searching for his career rudder while kicking it back at his Long Island hometown. He lands a gig party-hosting at bar mitzvahs and he encounters Domino (Dakota Johnson), who’s there with her autistic daughter. Raiff diverges from the rote, creating complications and backstories that never feel artificial. As Andrew’s loving manic-depressive mother, Lesley Mann is first-rate. Ditto Raul Castillo as Domino’s hard-working boyfriend. Details: 3 stars; available June 17 on Apple TV+. “Lightyear”: Should you be a fan of classic sci-fi along the lines of “Star Wars,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Star Trek” and so on — prepare to have an absolute blast with Pixar’s latest release, an inventive, funny and touching standalone feature about a space ranger film character who inspired that Buzz Lightyear toy little Andy cherished so in the “Toy Story” franchise. Director and co-screenwriter Angus MacLane loads up this splendidly animated action/adventure — it might be just a little scary for the very small ones — about heroic loner Buzz (voiced by Chris Evan) learning the value of allowing teammates to come up with solutions, not just himself. It’s a message about finding a common bond in these disharmonious times that’s much needed for both children and adults to hear. The story finds Buzz and crew stranded on a boggy planet where he’s trying — with the hyper-intelligent robocat Sox — to fly home due to a mistake he’s made. Instead, he keeps leaping into the future. He meets up with a ragtag team that includes his former commander’s daughter (Keke Palmer). MacLane and a team of animators create an imaginative planet but they also create tender moments, including a bittersweet montage on Buzz’s relationship with his commander Alisha (Uzo Aduba) who shares a sweet kiss with her partner, along with a final-hour twist that not only works but is cerebral and metaphysical. All in all, it’s one of the best sci-fi movies — animated or live-action — in recent memory. Details: 3½ stars; in theaters June 17. “Brian and Charles”: The danger whenever your lead character is doddering and eccentric is that the film will turn into something saccharine-sweet and overly precious. This British confection from director Jim Archer threatens to go overboard in the adorable department but manages to stay steady because there’s a genuine droll sense of humor throughout as well as a lovely screenplay and hilarious performances. “Brian and Charles” celebrates those of us who are different as it introduces us to the brilliant Wales inventor/town outsider Brian (David Earl). He cobbles together the inquisitive AI robot Charles (Chris Hayward) who’s fascinated by the dictionary and doesn’t like being penned up indoors. Filmed as a mockumentary, both Brian and Charles, portrayed with appealing fondness by co-screenwriters Earl and Hayward, encounter hostility a la Frankenstein from townsfolk. Even an appropriately awkward love story gets tossed in and contributes in making “Brian and Charles” one of the most unexpected heart-warmers of the summer. Details: 3 stars; opens in select theaters June 17. “Mad God”: If all this feel-goodness bums you out, venture into the stop-motion nightmare that beloved Berkeley animator Phil Tippett has created. A visceral, unorthodox experience 30 years in the making, “Mad God” dives into the underworld where a main character who looks a bit like Darkman tangles with freaky creatures that would make Dante want to fire up the Inferno. It’s a striking, unsettling vision that defies narrative norms as it tugs you into the cesspool depths. It’s unlike much anything else you’ll ever see, and you might just want to un-see it afterward. Details: 3 stars; available June 17 on Shudder and also screens June 17-23 at the Roxie in San Francisco. It’s worth a a trip there to see it on a big screen; Tippett will attend a June 18 screening, but that show is sold out. “Mid-Century”: So many “thrillers” slog their way through a familiar, uninspired formula that it becomes easy to figure out the “big surprise” in the first 10 minutes. Not so director Sonja O’Hara and screenwriter Mike Stern’s wackadoodle expectation-buster. Tom (Shane West) and his overworked emergency doctor wife Alice (Chelsea Gilligan) rent a vacation home that was designed by a legendary architect Fredrick Banner (Stephen Lang) with a checkered past to say the very least. As Tom ambles around the house he uncovers some of the dirty secrets. “Mid-Century” opens with a murder and it all seems to be building to an obvious conclusion, and then a wicked twist slaps you in the face and changes everything. Does it all work? Oh, no, but you can’t help but admire its ambition. Details: 2½ stars; available on various streaming platforms June 17. Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

Movies

No fictional movie about porn is as revealing on the subject as actual porn, and however ironic or tragicomic or poignantly insightful, dramas like this are always suspect on the have-your-cake-and-eat-it issue of hitching a free ride on the dark fascination of porn itself. The greatest porn drama of our time is probably still Emma Stone’s classic SNL sketch about the serious actress who applies her method training to a brief role she gets in a porn film.But Ninja Thyberg’s explicit movie (developed from an earlier short of the same title) is an interesting and even pioneering film on this issue because it is explicitly about consent: about the elaborate failsafe discussions that female performers in the adult industry have about what they’re comfortable with before shooting, and about what happens when they really try to say no at the last moment, and about what they wanted – what they consented to – in joining the industry in the first place.A young Swedish woman called Linnea changes her name to Bella Cherry and moves to LA to make it in porn: she is very well played here by newcomer Sofia Kappel, showing a transformation into a hardshelled sexbot. Initially freaked out by the hardcore stuff that people expect the serious contenders to do, Bella tearfully calls her mum in Sweden (who thinks she’s just doing an internship) and says she wants to come home; but her mum tells her to toughen up. So after one painfully graphic scene, Bella finds herself making it big in erotica, but in doing so experiences a crisis of loyalty to her new friend and fellow pornstar Joy (well played by real adult film performer Zelda Morrison) who is the only person in the business with a sense of humour.Pleasure doesn’t take a doomily disapproving line on porn, and real pornstars and agents are given cameos. Yet neither is it necessarily celebratory or porn-positive. The people in charge are overwhelmingly male and Thyberg shows how the power relations in the business are really the same as they ever were.

Movies

Airbus A321XLR takes off for its maiden flight at Hamburg-Finkenwerder Airport, Germany, June 15, 2022. REUTERS/Fabian BimmerRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comHAMBURG, June 15 (Reuters) - Airbus (AIR.PA) on Wednesday staged the maiden flight of its newest and largest narrowbody airliner, the A321XLR, as the European planemaker seeks to capitalise on lucrative demand for long-range single-aisle jets.The twin-engined passenger jet took off at 11:05 a.m. (0905 GMT) from a factory in Hamburg, Germany, ahead of more than a year of trials before the latest addition to Airbus's best-selling A320 medium-haul family enters service in 2024.Shares in the European manufacturer rose 0.6%.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comAirbus is pitching the A321XLR as a game-changing addition to its narrowbody fleet, making it possible for airlines to serve thinly flown long-distance routes profitably, rather than forcing passengers to fly indirectly via wide-body hubs.It says the A321XLR can fly 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 km), 15% further than its most capable current narrowbody, allowing airlines to fly routes like Houston-Santiago, New York-Rome or Tokyo-Sydney without the cost of a bigger twin-aisle jet.The extra range is made possible by the addition of a new rear-centre fuel tank moulded into the lower fuselage.But Airbus faces questions from regulators over the risk of fire in the event of a belly landing and has been forced to delay the entry to service by at least three months to early 2024 to allow the lower structure to be modified. read more AIM TO PRESERVE RANGE TARGETThe weight of any strengthening material could crimp the jet's range, one of its key selling points, analysts say.Gary O'Donnell, the Airbus executive in charge of the A321XLR programme, told reporters his "aim" was to deliver the new jet to customers with the 4,700 km range previously advertised.Industry sources have told Reuters addressing the design problem could take 6-9 months or even up to a year.Industry publication Leeham News reported this week that some of the plane's airline customers also believe certification could be delayed by up to a year as regulators worldwide take a tougher stand in the wake of a Boeing (BA.N) safety crisis.No target date has been established for certification or the first A321XLR delivery, industry sources have said. read more In a rare intervention, Boeing last year expressed concerns about fire risks from its rival's design. read more The U.S. planemaker is meanwhile racing to complete certification of its competing 737 MAX 10 jet before a new safety standard takes effect at the end of the year. read more Its shares rose 5% on Wednesday after a smaller version of the MAX conducted test flights in China in a sign that the jet's return in China could be nearing after long delays. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Jan Schwartz Writing by Tim Hepher Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Emerging Technologies

The best known line of dialogue from Toy Story – the best known line from any Pixar film, in fact – is Buzz Lightyear’s gloriously nonsensical catchphrase, “To infinity – and beyond!” It’s hardly surprising, then, that he says it once every 15 minutes in Lightyear, the new Pixar cartoon which is, supposedly, the sci-fi blockbuster which prompted Andy’s mother to buy him a Buzz action figure back in 1995. What is surprising is that Buzz’s exploits in the film are the exact opposite of what that catchphrase implies. He doesn’t hurtle away to the edge of the universe, let alone beyond it. He spends most of the cartoon stranded on one desolate desert planet, like Matt Damon in The Martian, only with fewer laughs.The Toy Story series is stranded in a similar sort of way. One of the most touching aspects of the other films is that they show time slipping past. Andy grows up, leaves home, and puts away childish things, whereupon any viewer who’s ever had a child or been a child bursts into tears. Lightyear scraps all of that poignancy and profundity. By retreating to when Andy was six years old, it lets us forget that, by now, he’d probably have kids of his own. But it isn’t just the Toy Story team that’s pressing the rewind button. Everywhere you look, Hollywood’s biggest science-fiction, fantasy and action franchises have stopped exploring uncharted territory, and put themselves into reverse gear.Instead of another Toy Story film, we have a nostalgic trip back to Andy’s childhood viewing. Instead of another Despicable Me, we have a flashback to Gru’s childhood, too, in next month’s Minions: The Rise of Gru. Instead of a Star Wars episode recounting Rey, Finn, and Poe’s further adventures in a galaxy far, far away, we have several TV series (The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi) set before The Force Awakens. And instead of a film about a middle-aged Harry Potter, we have the Fantastic Beasts spin-offs, which revisit those halcyon days when Dumbledore wore a tweed suit and not a dress. The pop-culture river is full of boats beating on against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.Flashback … Otto the Minion in a scene from Minions: The Rise of Gru. Photograph: Illumination Entertainment/APSome of these retro films and TV series are straightforward origin stories, such as Joker (2019) and Cruella (2021), but most of them aren’t the same as the creation myths which were all the rage 10 or 15 years ago. The likes of Batman Begins (2005), Casino Royale (2006), Star Trek (2009), and Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) looked backwards, in that they envisaged the earliest escapades of familiar characters. But they also promised to wipe the slate clean, to start afresh, and to forge exciting new continuities in which anything was possible. Today’s biggest film and TV franchises prefer to drift around continuities where most things aren’t possible, because they have to include events we’ve seen or heard about already. We already know who’ll be killed off, and who won’t. We know roughly what’s going to happen. Whatever Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan gets up to, we know he’ll be waiting on Tatooine when Luke Skywalker comes knocking.And just think of the latest Star Trek series. Once upon a time, the whole point of the programme was to boldly go where no one had gone before. That pioneering spirit infuses the sub-title of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which premiered on Paramount+ in May. But the series is set aboard the USS Enterprise as it was depicted in the pilot episode of Star Trek in 1965, which means that it covers the period before James T Kirk took the helm from Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), and when Spock (Ethan Peck) and Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) were still learning the ropes. Other high-profile series are taking the same historical approach. House of the Dragon, set 200 years before Game of Thrones, is due in August; The Rings of Power, set thousands of years before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, follows in September. And, back on the subject of films, Timothée Chalamet will be playing Willy Wonka in a prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which is coming out next year. At last, the secret of how he concocted Whipple-Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight will be revealed.All of this is quite a contrast with the forward-looking optimism that such money-spinners had just a few years ago. The Force Awakens, Jurassic World and Creed revived three old franchises in 2015. Man of Steel (2013) and Wonder Woman (2017) saw Warner pushing on with its efforts to form a Marvel-rivalling shared universe for DC’s superheroes. And in 2016, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child opened in London’s Palace theatre, its posters boasting that “the story continues on stage”. Everyone, it seemed, wanted their narratives to keep advancing, with no end in sight. Who knew where they would go? Who knew which twists and turns were on the road ahead?Today, we’re seeing story after mega-budget story grinding to a halt. The so-called “Skywalker saga” sputtered out with The Rise of Skywalker; the Jurassic World Dominion posters bill it as “the epic conclusion of the Jurassic era”; and No Time to Die brought the James Bond chronicles to a definitive end. OK, so the character is bound to return in some form or other but, for the first time in 60 years, a Bond movie closed with a full stop rather than a comma. Even Marvel’s superhero blockbusters have yet to pick up speed after the grand finale of Avengers: Endgame. Black Widow was set earlier, despite being released two years afterwards, and none of Marvel’s other recent films have been heading anywhere in particular. They’re all just … there. The only franchises with any momentum are the ones that are going backwards.Watch your step … John Boyega as Finn in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Photograph: Landmark Media/AlamyThere are exceptions, admittedly. The Mission: Impossible and the Fast and the Furious franchises are still chugging along, Ghostbusters: Afterlife will be followed by “the next chapter in the Spengler family story”, and, who knows, maybe next year’s Indiana Jones 5 will lead to a spate of octogenarian Indy sequels. But when so many films and TV series are delving into their own fictional history books, there’s no denying that something strange is going on.The trend certainly suggests that studios have lost confidence – that they’re afraid of upsetting their viewers and damaging their share prices by taking their intellectual property anywhere unexpected. But maybe it’s our own nervousness that’s to blame. There have been countless articles about our urge to rewatch our favourite films and series during lockdown. What we’re getting now is the next best thing – films and series that give us the comforting impression that we’ve seen them before, even when they’re brand new.I wonder, too, if there’s a despairing pessimism involved in this fixation on the imagined past. Between the invasion of Ukraine, the pandemic, the climate crisis and all the other crises, it can be hard to picture a thrilling, limitless future. It’s easier to reminisce about our younger selves – so why not reminisce about the younger Obi-Wan, Andy, Spock and Dumbledore while we’re at it?

Movies

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Wednesday released initial data on the nearly 400 crashes since last summer that involved vehicles with various levels of automated driving systems. In these crashes, six people died and five were seriously injured. Vehicles equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), which offer features such as lane centering assistance and adaptive cruise control, were involved in 392 crashes over a roughly nine-month period starting in July 2021, according to the NHTSA data.Tesla accounted for 273 crashes, Honda 90 and Subaru 10, with other carmakers reporting five or fewer ADAS-equipped crashes. To be included in this data, the NHTSA said, "various levels of automated systems" needed to be in use at least 30 seconds before a crash.NHTSA separately released crash data on cars with fully automated driving systems, which are intended to eventually operate without a human driver but aren't available yet to consumers. Over the nine-month span starting last July, 130 crashes were recorded, with Alphabet-owned Waymo accounting for 62 of them.NHTSA said the initial data has limitations and isn't comprehensive. "As we gather more data, NHTSA will be able to better identify any emerging risks or trends and learn more about how these technologies are performing in the real world," NHTSA Administrator Steven Cliff said. The agency plans to release monthly updates going forward. Vehicles with automated systems represent a small portion of overall car crashes in the US. In 2020, for example, 8.5 million passenger vehicles were involved in crashes, including more than 41,000 of them in fatal crashes, according to the NHTSA.Tesla didn't immediately respond to CNET's request for comment. The automaker has no public relations department that can typically field such requests.A Waymo spokesperson said there is benefit in releasing this information to the public."We see value in having nationally standardized and uniform crash reporting during this early stage of the development and deployment of autonomous driving technology, and there's public benefit in NHTSA sharing its findings," the Waymo spokesperson said in a statement, adding that reporting should be refined in order to "limit confusion and potentially enable more meaningful comparison."

Automotive and Transportation

The London-based tribute concert for Foo Fighters’ late drummer Taylor Hawkins will include Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor, Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde, Oasis’ Liam Gallagher and comedian Dave ChappelleFILE - Musician Taylor Hawkins appears at One Love Malibu in Calabasas, Calif., on Dec. 2, 2018. Foo Fighters will honor the rock band’s late drummer Taylor Hawkins with a pair of tribute concerts in September — one in London and the other in Los Angeles. The twin shows will take place Sept. 3 at London’s Wembley Stadium and Sept. 27 at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Hawkins died March 25, 2022, during a South American tour with the rock band. He was 50. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)The Associated PressNEW YORK -- The London-based tribute concert for Foo Fighters' late drummer Taylor Hawkins will include Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor, Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde, Oasis’ Liam Gallagher and comedian Dave Chappelle.Others announced are Jane’s Addiction’s Chris Chaney, the Police’s Stewart Copeland, Omar Hakim, Rufus Taylor, Wolfgang Van Halen, and Hawkins’ cover band Chevy Metal.The show will take place Sept. 3 at London’s Wembley Stadium and another is scheduled for Sept. 27 at The Kia Forum in Inglewood, California. The performers for the U.S. concert are to be revealed later. Both concerts will benefit charities chosen by the Hawkins family.Hawkins died March 25 during a South American tour with the rock band. He was 50.Hawkins joined Foo Fighters in 1997, first appearing with the band on the tour supporting its sophomore album “The Colour & The Shape.” He made his recording debut with Foo Fighters on 1999′s “There Is Nothing Left To Lose.” Hawkins played on every subsequent band album, including “One by One” and “In Your Honor,” and on hit singles like “Best of You.”

Music

DETROIT — Chicago White Sox third-base coach Joe McEwing wanted to make something clear Tuesday at Comerica Park.“First things first, I’m a pescatarian, so I don’t eat meat,” McEwing said. “I don’t eat ribeye or fillet ... I eat fish.”McEwing was referencing Lance Lynn’s reasoning after the pitcher was asked after Monday night’s game about a lively discussion caught on camera between the two during a game against the Detroit Tigers.[ [Don’t miss] Column: Another day, another Chicago White Sox controversy that gets more interesting by the day ]“He was trying to get me going,” Lynn said after the game. “He kept telling me that fillets are better than ribeye. I’m more of a ribeye and potatoes guy. He’s a fillet and Caesar salad. I just told him was wrong.“And then he went back to coaching third.”McEwing said the situation was a miscommunication.“Let it be known I love Lance to death,” McEwing said. “We have the same personalities. We’re both competitors and we both care so much about how much work goes into a daily game. It was a miscommunication between us. And we took care of it, we hugged each other. I was thinking something else that he was thinking internally and mentally. And we hugged it out and we’re good.”The Tigers had seven hits in the first two innings. The discussion was before the third. The assumption was the conversation centered on positioning of players.“And that’s the miscommunication part, that’s what I assumed,” McEwing said. “And it was more or less about him not making pitches. He wasn’t making pitches. He was leaving balls in the middle of the zone, and that’s what he was feeling internally.“My assumption was that it was about something else. And that’s where the miscommunication comes. And it happens. When you’re out there competing and both sides care about their job and winning and losing and things like that may happen. But that’s part of the game. ... We have the same fiery personalities and that’s where it came out. But we talked about it and moved on.”Lynn allowed three runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts and no walks in 4⅓ innings in the 9-5 victory.[ [Don’t miss] ‘That was serious pitching’: Chicago White Sox starter Dylan Cease improves to 10-0 versus the Detroit Tigers ]“Lance battled and perhaps most importantly told me after the game he feels good,” Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. “He feels really good. Location might have shown a little bit of rust. I know he got frustrated because he didn’t make a couple of pitches that he is normally used to making.“But he battled through with his stuff, without his best stuff like the veteran that he is and gave us what we needed to get a win (Monday). That was good to have him back from a performance standpoint, and it’s just fantastic having him back in that (clubhouse) giving his presence.”Hahn didn’t make much of what was shown on camera between Lynn and McEwing.“I viewed it as two competitors having a conversation,” Hahn said. “Now the fact that Joe doesn’t eat meat makes me a little dubious of the explanation that you all reported that the conversation was about, but I’m not going to question your sources. (Lynn’s explanation) was impressive, but you’ve got to check your sources on that one.“That’s a nothing burger. No pun intended.”

Other Sports

NBA's Jaxson Hayes Avoids Jail Time For July Arrest ... Gets 3 Years Probation, Dom. Violence Classes 6/15/2022 6:20 AM PT Jaxson Hayes will not spend another minute behind bars stemming from his July altercation with cops that led to his arrest -- the New Orleans Pelicans player was just sentenced to three years probation, 450 hours of community service and weekly domestic violence classes. 22-year-old Hayes pleaded no contest to resisting arrest and false imprisonment in February ... and was facing up to 364 days behind bars for both charges. The timeframe is unclear on when Hayes must complete his community service ... but he will be allowed to complete it where he lives, instead of in Los Angeles. Hayes will be able to take his domestic violence classes online over the next 52 weeks. Los Angeles Police Department TMZ Sports broke the story ... Hayes was arrested on July 28 after cops responded to a reported domestic incident at his then-girlfriend's house around 3 AM. When officers showed up at the scene, cops say Hayes refused to let them inside ... which resulted in a scuffle. One officer was injured ... and Hayes -- who was tased during the incident -- was heard on video telling cops he couldn't breathe, which led to an LAPD investigation into excessive use of force. Hayes was taken to a nearby hospital to receive treatment for minor injuries ... and was released from custody later that day. Hayes' ex, Sofia Jamora, is currently suing him for assault, battery and infliction of emotional distress ... claiming he got physical with her on multiple occasions during their relationship.

Basketball

NEW YORK -- The sleek four-wheeled carts look familiar enough, but not even UPS knows precisely how to describe what could be the delivery giant's latest way to get packages to your door.UPS unveiled Tuesday a battery-powered, four-wheeled cycle to more efficiently haul cargo in some of the world's most congested streets and to reduce its carbon footprint. The company is trying to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.The slimmed-down vehicles don the company's gold-colored logo and accompanying stripe on a dark brown background. But the "eQuad" - as the company calls it - garnered amusement from passersby.Ian Lagowitz had never seen one and walked over to give it a look."It's funny looking," he said, "but it's probably good for the city, right?"Mohammad Islam called the vehicle "cool stuff," and wished the program well."Big trucks always blocking the traffic," he said, "so if they do that kind of stuff, it's 10 times better for everybody."The pedal-powered vehicle was dwarfed by one of the company's more traditional delivery trucks, which rumble through traffic and sometimes draw the ire of motorists trying to get by parked trucks on narrow streets.Delivery companies have tried all sorts of ways to deliver packages - from traditional vans to drones. The company now has a fleet of more than 1,000 electric vehicles and thousands more that aren't powered by traditional gas engines.UPS said a trial run is focused on New York City and in several cities in Europe."New York is a complicated city, when we look at the density," said Nicole Pilet, the industrial engineering director for UPS. "So if we can have success here in the city, then we can see how we implement in other cities throughout the U.S."The company had its start in Seattle more than a century ago and the first deliveries were made by foot or bicycle. As the company grew, its motorized fleet did, too."This is right in my wheelhouse," said Dyghton Anderson, a 22-year-old UPS delivery person and an avid cyclist who is helping pilot the program. "I ride to and from work - from all the way from the Bronx all the way to here on 43rd - so it's pretty comfortable for me."ALSO READ: Best Bets: 7 On Your Side Father's Day buying guideABC7 New YorkABC7 New YorkBest Bets: 7 On Your Side Father's Day buying guideFather's Day is fast approaching, and a Retail Me Not survey indicates 4 in 10 simply want a day spent with family, and a third want to have dinner in a nice restaurant.----------* Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More New York City 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 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Automotive and Transportation

Yung Bleu XXL Got Freshmen Right This Year!!! Also, Breezy Vs. MJ is a Silly Debate 6/15/2022 10:31 AM PT TMZ.com XXL just released its hotly debated Freshman List for the 15th year — and there are no noticeable snubs ... as far as Yung Bleu can see. The budding star's the perfect guy to weigh in with his hot take, because just last year he was the center of attention when XXL left him of the 2021 Freshman List. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. We caught up with Bleu Davinci outside LAX and he had no smoke for the '22 XXL Freshman, which consists of Babyface Ray, BabyTron, Big30, Big Scarr, Cochise, Doechii, Kali, KayCyy, KenTheMan, Nardo Wick, Saucy Santana and SoFaygo. While Bleu feels like the list doesn't have power over artists' careers anymore -- rendering it kind of irrelevant -- he was happy to see the new class members get their shine. We also got his take on the social media debate of Michael Jackson vs. Chris Brown's talent supremacy -- and Bleu didn't go the route of his homie Tank and side with CB ... he simply stated each generation will crown their hero and both their talents are uncanny. Bleu’s career has been thriving since the 2021 “snub” … he went on to win Best New Artist at both the BET Hip Hop and Soul Train Awards that year and his double platinum-selling Drake collab “You’re Mines Still” has over 200 million YouTube views. And on top of that, he'll be on CB's new album, which is dropping this summer. All of his success after the XXL snub makes ya think ... maybe he's right about the list?

Music

Artistic conception of Sierra Space’s upcoming Dream Chaser spaceplane. Image: Sierra SpaceSierra Space announced its plans yesterday to launch a spaceflight center and astronaut training academy, which is good news for all of the adults out there who never got to go to space camp as a kid.Colorado-based private space company Sierra Space announced yesterday its plans to build and operate the “world’s first fully integrated commercial human spaceflight center and astronaut training academy.” The academy will recruit and train three different types of astronauts who will work on Orbital Reef, the proposed space station that’s a collaboration between Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Sierra Space. Professional astronauts will be trained on upkeep of Orbital Reef and the rigours of an extended stay in space; specialist astronauts will be trained on scientific research and manufacturing; and experiential astronauts will be trained for shorter and more casual stints. The company said that Dr. Janet Kavandi, a NASA veteran, will lead Sierra Space’s Human Spaceflight Center and Astronaut Training Academy, which will be based at its offices at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.NASA veteran Dr. Janet Kavandi will lead the Human Spaceflight Center and Astronaut Training Academy.Image: Sierra Space“The commercialization of space, starting with low Earth orbit, will require an innovative new approach to the selection, training and preparation of the large numbers of women and men that we will need to live and work in space,” said Sierra Space CEO Tom Vice in the announcement. “We are really excited to have Dr. Kavandi lead this center. Janet has an unequaled level of expertise and experience that uniquely qualifies her for this one-of-a-kind role.”Sierra Space said it will begin the astronaut selection process in 2023 and with training beginning in 2024. The company hopes to get its first astronauts to space in 2026, where they will begin construction of Orbital Reef. The proposed low Earth orbit outpost is being designed to host a number of activities, from film-making through to scientific research. Collaborator Blue Origin has likened the station to a “mixed-use business park.” Orbital Reef is expected to hold 10 people within a total volume akin to the space available on the International Space Station. Launch and construction is slated for the back half of this decade. Sierra Space also confirmed its plans for Dream Chaser, a spaceplane designed to transport 12,000 pounds (5,443 kilograms) of cargo to the International Space Station (and Orbital Reef in the future). According to the company, the first test flight of Dream Chaser will take off from Kennedy Space Center in 2023 (under a supply mission contract with NASA), while a crewed Dream Chaser will supposedly be operational by 2026.Orbital Reef still feels a bit hand-wavey to me, and perhaps even a bit overpromised. Still, Sierra Space’s proposed timeline and investment into an astronaut academy does lend some credence to its future efforts to build a ground-breaking private space station; the company secured $1.4 billion in funding last year, while Blue Origin received $130 million from NASA to build the space station. What’s more, Orbital Reef won’t be the only game in low Earth orbit, with future space stations being planned by Axiom, Nanoracks, and Northrop Grumman, the latter two also receiving funding from NASA.More: Billionaire-Led Crew Prepares for Private SpaceX Mission by Scuba Diving and Climbing Volcano.

Emerging Technologies

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Tom Parker’s widow Kelsey is opening up about her life after losing the singer.The member of the English boy band The Wanted passed away in March at age 33. He was diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma in 2020.On Tuesday, Kelsey appeared on the British talk show "Lorraine" and discussed how she and her daughter Aurelia Rose, 2, have been adjusting."I’ve been really honest, but she does still talk about him every day and she doesn’t quite understand that he’s not coming back," Kelsey admitted. "So I have to be really blunt to say he’s not coming, that’s it. He’s dead and he’s not coming back."THE WANTED'S TOM PARKER DEAD AT 33 Tom Parker and Kelsey Hardwick Parker married in 2018. (David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for The London Cabaret Club)Kelsey and Parker married in 2018. They welcomed a son named Bodhi Thomas in November 2020 after his diagnosis. The heartbroken spouse said Bodhi hasn’t gotten a grasp of the situation, but Aurelia insists that her father is still on tour with his bandmates."She’s a bit like, ‘Well, you’ve been on tour, so is he going to come back from this?’" said Kelsey. "She’s just really confused by it. She does ask me every day about him. We have little things around the house of Tom’s, so she’ll see his wallet and be like, ‘Oh, that’s daddy’s wallet!’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s daddy’s wallet.’"Kelsey shared that despite Parker’s diagnosis, their home remained a place of optimism for their children before his passing."Our house was never sad," she explained. "It was a happy place to be in, so we wanted to write a book and share that with people. That you can be in a really dark place, but take some light from it."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER "[The kids] wake up happy… so I can’t be sad," she continued. "And he wouldn’t want us to be sad and mourning. Don’t get me wrong, I get my bad days, of course, I do. At night, it is lonely. But this is my life, I have to get on with it."Still, Kelsey said she’s still trying to make sense of losing her beloved husband."He was my actual best friend," she said. "I just love him so much. I think it’s that I don’t get to text him when things happen and I don’t get to call him. I think that’s what I find really, really hard. I really miss him."Just days before his death, Parker announced his new book on Instagram. He told his followers that it was "not about dying" but "about living."THE WANTED SINGER TOM PARKER DIAGNOSED WITH BRAIN TUMOR Tom Parker and Kelsey shared two children. (Dave M. Benett/Getty Images)The Wanted reunited for a brief U.K. tour right before Parker’s death. The musicians served as pallbearers at his London funeral. They have since canceled an upcoming performer earlier this month, telling fans that they were "still processing" his death. Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com.

Music

Celebrity | 6/15/2022 8:29 AM PT The 38-year-old has been candid about her sex life amid divorce from Matthew Lawrence. Cheryl Burke admits that she's never reached the "big O" with the help of a partner during intercourse. During the newest episode of her podcast "Burke in the Game," the professional dancer spoke to sex therapist Miss Jayla about her previous experiences with intimacy. "[There's something] I wanted to confess, since this is about my experience and I always say I’m an open book with you guys," the "Dancing With the Stars" pro began. "What I was going to [say to her] was I've never really had an orgasm before when it comes to intercourse." Before continuing her sentiments, Burke clarified that she didn't want her confessions to badly reflect "on any partner I've been with." Getty Cheryl Burke Calls Divorce From Matthew Lawrence 'Sh-t Show' View Story "I think the reason I didn't want to say it [at the time] was because I didn't want to hurt anyone. But that has nothing to do with the person, it has everything to do with me and my shame and my child abuse and my vulnerability," she reflected. Cheryl explained that she decided to get candid about her experiences in an effort to be completely transparent with her followers, "I just wanted to say that because it didn’t feel good inside that I was hiding that from you guys." The 38-year-old also previously got candid about how her sex life has been faring while going through the divorce process with her estranged husband Matthew Lawrence. Getty Matthew Lawrence Responds to Cheryl Burke Divorce Filing, Asks Judge to Terminate Spousal Support View Story While teasing her previous podcast episode, Burke captioned her promotional video on Instagram, "When you are about to interview a sex therapist today on the 'Burke in the Game' podcast and realize you haven't had sex since 2021." The professional dancer discussed her complicated love life and relationship with sex in her new episode. "I always had a shame [around sex]. I understand what you are saying when there's a lot of shame [behind those conversations]. There's a lot of guilt, like, 'Why do I think like this? Why am I turned on by watching other people have sex?'" she asked. "It is difficult conversations to have especially now. I never really had a lot of conversations about that with my ex-husband. I never really thought of having a conversation."

Celebrity

A Tesla logo is seen in Los Angeles, California U.S. January 12, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy NicholsonRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) reported 273 vehicle crashes since July involving advanced driving assistance systems, more than any other automaker, according to data U.S. auto safety regulators released on Wednesday.Automakers and tech companies reported more than 500 crashes since June 2021, when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued an order requiring the information.Car companies are rushing to add driver assistance systems, saying these improve safety by handling some maneuvers. U.S. regulators are trying to understand the practical effect of the changes. But automakers collect and report data in different ways, making it difficult to draw conclusions on systems performance.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comTesla's advanced driver assistant software dubbed "Full Self Driving" has also created some confusion about vehicle capabilities.NHTSA ordered companies to quickly report all crashes involving advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and vehicles equipped with automated driving systems being tested on public roads.Of the 392 such crashes reported by a dozen automakers since July, six deaths were reported and five serious injuries. Honda Motor (7267.T) identified 90 crashes.Companies also reported 130 crashes involving prototype automated driving systems, while 108 involved no injuries and one was a serious injury crash.NHTSA said Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) self-driving car unit Waymo reported 62 crashes involving vehicles with automated driving systems, while General Motors' (GM.N) Cruise had 23.Waymo said its crashes were not high severity and one third were in manual mode. Airbags deployed in only two crashes.Cruise said it "has logged millions of miles in one of the most complex urban driving environments because saving lives is our chief aim."NHTSA said in releasing the first batch of data that it has already been used to trigger investigations and recalls and helped inform existing defect probes."By providing NHTSA with critical and timely safety data this will help our investigators quickly identify potential defect trends," NHTSA Administrator Steven Cliff said, cautioning the raw number of incidents reported per manufacturer "is by itself inadequate to draw conclusions."The agency emphasized crashes are tracked by individual automakers in different ways and discouraged comparisons of performance among automakers in part because there aren't comprehensive metrics on how widely each system is used.Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.Honda told Reuters it had found no defects in the systems and its crash reports were based on unverified customer statements "to comply with NHTSA’s 24-hour reporting deadline."No other automaker reported more than 10 ADAS crashes during the period.Despite the limitations, NHTSA said the data was essential in order to quickly spot potential defects or safety trends. Incidents that occur when an advanced system was engaged within 30 seconds of a crash must be reported within 24 hours to NHTSA.The agency plans to release new data monthly.NHTSA has been scrutinizing Autopilot and said last week it was upgrading its probe into 830,000 Tesla vehicles with the system, a required step before it could seek a recall. The regulator had opened a preliminary evaluation to assess the performance of Autopilot after about a dozen crashes in which Tesla vehicles struck stopped emergency vehicles. read more Separately, NHTSA has opened 35 special crash investigations involving Tesla vehicles in which ADAS was suspected of being used. A total of 14 crash deaths have been reported in those Tesla investigations, including a May California crash that killed three people.Tesla says Autopilot allows the vehicles to brake and steer automatically within their lanes but does not make them capable of driving themselves.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Automotive and Transportation

Lizzo is not the kind of pop star who usually faces criticism from the Left. Her upbeat songs and message of radical self-love (often to the detriment of propriety, but who cares about that anymore!) have made her a millennial icon. But even liberal darlings can’t keep up with all of the new demands. After she released her song “Grrrls,” Lizzo got in trouble for lyrics containing an “ableist slur,” a phrase eagerly repeated by countless news outlets. The word in question: “spaz.” “Hold my bag, b**** / Hold my bag / Do you see this s***? / I’m a spaz,” she sings in the intro. Personally, I had no idea that “spaz” was considered a pejorative by some until the Lizzo controversy. It appears that this might partially be a cultural difference between the United States and United Kingdom, where the word is considered more offensive. This isn’t the first time the word has caused controversy as part of a song lyric, though. “Kanye West was criticized for using the word in a 2015 song ‘FourFiveSeconds,’ a collaboration with Paul McCartney and Rihanna,” the New York Times notes. “And in 2014, Weird Al Yankovic said he was ‘deeply sorry’ for including a related word in his song ‘Word Crimes,’ saying he didn’t know it was considered offensive.” Merriam-Webster does categorize the word as “slang, often offensive.” (And yes, that was its description before the Lizzo controversy, though you’d be forgiven for wondering if the dictionary had stealth-edited the definition to fit its own political agenda.) The drama began on Saturday, when Hannah Diviney, a disability advocate who hails from Australia, tweeted at Lizzo, “My disability Cerebral Palsy is literally classified as Spastic Diplegia (where spasticity refers to unending painful tightness in my legs) your new song makes me pretty angry + sad. ‘Spaz’ doesn’t mean freaked out or crazy. It’s an ableist slur. It’s 2022. Do better.” And Lizzo, doubtless terrified of bad press, changed the lyric. “Let me make one thing clear: I never want to promote derogatory language,” she said in a statement just two days later. “As a fat black woman in America, I’ve had many hurtful words used against me so I [understand] the power words can have (whether intentionally or in my case, unintentionally).” The new lyrics, which you can already hear when you stream the song, are: “Hold my bag, b**** / Hold my bag / Do you see this s***? Hold me back.” While I can’t say this scintillating lyricism has particularly suffered from the change, I do think the speed with which Lizzo effusively apologized and changed her song at the eruption of a little internet outrage is part of a worrisome trend, one that might arise at the use of much more benign words than “spaz.” Just days after criticizing Lizzo and suggesting “crazy” or “freaked out” as alternatives to “spaz,” Diviney received her own education. In response to a commenter saying those words are ableist slurs, Diviney conceded, “Quite a few people have rightfully pointed this out and I’m so grateful to everyone for doing so! … I will be removing both of these words from my vocabulary.” “Crazy” and “freaked out” are offensive? Notify everyone from Aerosmith to Beyonce. And those aren’t the only seemingly innocuous phrases off the list. A Harvard Business Review article cautions readers, “If you [say] ‘stupid,’ ‘insane,’ ‘crazy,’ ‘lame,’ or ‘dumb,’ you have (unknowingly or not) participated in spreading ableist language.” This kind of language policing isn’t just dangerous. It’s downright insane.

Music

This year marks five decades since John Denver’s iconic, occasionally controversial and resolutely pastoral folk anthem “Rocky Mountain High” was released, and Coloradans can celebrate with a major concert — as well as some self-directed excursions. Colorado Symphony this week announced a Sept. 8 show at Boettcher Concert Hall honoring the song and Denver, a two-time Grammy award winner and former poet laureate of Colorado. He’ll be present, in a way, via archival footage of him performing songs from the 1972 “Rocky Mountain High” album and other hits. While John Denver tribute shows have been common in Colorado since his 1997 death at the age of 53, the show will also feature members of his band performing live and telling stories about the singer-songwriter. Tickets, $15-$98, are on sale now at coloradosymphony.org. On June 8, Gov. Jared Polis also marked the song’s 50th anniversary by renaming the Mountain Lion Trail in Golden Gate Canyon State Park to Rocky Mountain High Trail. “Here in Colorado, we’ve always known that our majestic mountains, our bright blue skies, our starlit nights and our forest and streams were the stuff of legends — but John Denver made them the stuff of song lyrics, too,” Polis said in a statement. “And not just any lyrics, but world-famous lyrics that span genres and generations.” Released on Oct. 30, 1972, “Rocky Mountain High” became a chart-topping hit in 1973 and a staple of Denver’s live sets. He had moved to Colorado three years prior, according to Red Rocks and the Colorado Music Hall of Fame (the latter of which inducted Denver in 2011), and his time living in the fast-changing mountain town of Aspen — now synonymous with glitz and unaffordability — inspired him to see Colorado through itinerant eyes. “When he first came to the mountains his life was far away,” he wrote in the gentle, melodically intoxicating song. “On the road and hanging by a song / But the string’s already broken and he doesn’t really care / It keeps changing fast and it don’t last for long.” Denver had just debuted at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on June 21, 1972, about four months before “Rocky Mountain High” began climbing the charts, according to the Castle Pines Connection monthly newspaper. That kicked off a run of 16 concerts that would position Denver as the first-ever artist to play four consecutive nights at the venue. His final show there was in the summer of 1989. Even when he was alive, “Rocky Mountain High” had come to symbolize Colorado’s musical identity for many in the state, and was approved by legislators as the state’s second official song in 2007 (the first is “Where the Columbines Grow” by Dr. Arthur John Flynn). It’s also become shorthand for Colorado culture to many people outside of our state, its name borne on craft beers, art exhibitions, theater productions and other public culture. Denver’s pioneering eco-activism is now often synonymous with Colorado. “Denver used his popularity to promote his favorite cause: the environment,” Colorado Music Hall of Fame officials wrote upon his induction. “He founded the Windstar Foundation in 1976 in Snowmass as an education and demonstration center dedicated to a sustainable future.” Singer John Denver, left, and Dick Lamm greet prospective voters in downtown Denver’s Civic Center park on Oct. 24, 1974. The song, however, was not always universally loved. At both the time of its release and during its 2007 induction as a new state song, critics charged the “high” in the song referred to drug use. In the early 1970s, some radio stations event banned it. Denver would probably have been flummoxed in 2007, as well, when his so-named sanctuary in Aspen removed “scandalous” lines from his songs in a bout of hasty censorship, according to The Aspen Times, including “Rocky Mountain High.” “My brother didn’t write it that way, and he never sang it that way,” Denver’s brother told the newspaper. “He’d be pissed like I’m pissed. It’s just not right.” Denver had already experienced and in many ways anticipated future reactions before he died. “This was obviously done by people who had never seen or been to the Rocky Mountains …” Denver told Congress as part of the Parents Music Resource Center in 1985, according to Eric D. Nuzum’s 2001 book “Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America.” The fact that Colorado has successfully pioneered legal, recreational cannabis in Colorado since 2014 is something Denver might have found amusing, given his defense of the lyrics and the fact that openly admitting to smoking pot in the 1970s was still problematic (at best). Denver was no saint. Ex-wife Annie Martell said Denver choked her and cut their bed in half with a chainsaw near the end of their marriage (they were divorced in 1982). Denver owned up to that — sort of — in his autobiography “Take me Home,” confirming but toning down the events. He racked up DUIs, including one after crashing his car into a tree in Aspen. Before he died in a plane crash in 1997, he had defied a court order that kept him from flying his plane. (To be sure: there was no evidence of alcohol involvement in his death, according to NTSB public meeting notes.) Regardless, fans of the song and Denver can mark the 50th anniversary in their owns ways by hiking his newly, so-named trail, learn more about him via the Colorado Music Hall of Fame (cmhof.org), or check out the exhibit on him at Red Rock’s Trading Post (free and open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every day), where his “Spirit” statue now resides.

Music

Former England Women captain Steph Houghton has been left out of head coach Sarina Wiegman's final 23-player squad for this summer's Euro 2022 tournament.Houghton, who has been battling an Achilles injury all season and has not been featured since January, will be absent for the first time in five major tournaments. However, Chelsea striker Fran Kirby has been selected for the competition, which begins on Wednesday 6 July when England clash with Austria at Old Trafford.Kirby missed the second half of the Women's Super League season with fatigue, but returned to Emma Hayes' squad for May's FA Cup final against Man City, despite not making it onto the pitch.The Lionesses will be led by captain Leah Williamson and supported by vice-captains Millie Bright and Ellen White - England's all-time leading goal-scorer on 50 goals. Other players who have not made the final 23 include Lucy Staniforth, who is returning from an injury, together with Sandy MacIver, Niamh Charles and Katie Zelem. The news comes on the eve of England's first of three warm-up matches, against Belgium at Molineux before the team play Holland at Elland Road and Switzerland in Zurich, ahead of the opening game. More on Women's Euro 2022 Women's Euros 2022: Meet the Lionesses Steph Houghton omitted from England's 23-player squad for Women's Euros but Fran Kirby included England announce Euro 2022 provisional squad: Jordan Nobbs the high-profile omission from Sarina Wiegman's list Image: Manager Sarina Wiegman at a news conference to announce the England Women's Euro 2022 squad However, the door is not entirely closed at this stage for those left out of the 23 - changes can be made to the squad until 26 June.In a statement from the Football Association, Wiegman described feeling "excited by what is possible for this group"."We all know this is a huge opportunity and it is one we have to grab with both hands," she said."The chance to represent the nation on such a big stage on home soil is one to relish."This group so far has proven they are prepared to give it all they have in every training session, in every meeting and in every game."Making the final selection is always difficult because we know the talent and commitment of every single player."All 28 players have all been superb on and off the pitch, since I started (last September). I am certain those we have had to disappoint will give everything to support us and be ready if called upon."Of course, we hope to avoid any setbacks before we start against Austria but we know where we can turn in case we need a replacement."Togetherness is a big part of what we are all about and from every player in the squad to my superb support team, and with the strong backing of everyone at the FA and our fans, we are committed to make it a summer to remember."The goalkeepers selected include Mary Earps, Hannah Hampton and Ellie Roebuck, while Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Jess Carter, Rachel Daly, Alex Greenwood, Demi Stokes and Lotte Wubben-Moy make up the defenders.The midfielders have been announced as Fran Kirby, Jill Scott, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Kiera Walsh, and Leah Williamson. Image: Fran Kirby has been included in the line-up. Pic: AP Bethany England, Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly, Beth Mead, Nikita Parris, Alessia Russo and Ellen White have been named as the team's forwards.England will face Norway at Brighton and Hove Community Stadium at 8pm on Monday 11 July - then play against Northern Ireland at St Mary's on Friday 15 July.The tournament will culminate with a final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 31 July.The groups are as follows:Group A: England, Austria, Norway, Northern IrelandGroup B: Germany, Denmark, Spain, FinlandGroup C: Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal, SwitzerlandGroup D: France, Italy, Belgium, Iceland

Soccer

Topline The 10 U.S. stadiums that will host soccer matches for FIFA’s 2026 World Cup will be announced Thursday, ending a four-year bidding war among 17 finalists across the country. INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 08: The interior of SoFi Stadium is seen following a ... [+] ribbon-cutting event on September 08, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for Hollywood Park Management Company) Getty Images for Hollywood Park Management Company Key Facts U.S. cities in the running include New York, Dallas, Atlanta, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Seattle, Miami, Baltimore, Kansas City, Boston, Nashville, Denver, Orlando, Cincinnati and Los Angeles, the last of which has submitted entries for two venues: the Rose Bowl Stadium and SoFi Stadium. The World Cup can be an economic boon for cities that are chosen, as tourists flock to the host cities, staying in hotels and visiting local businesses: according to U.S. Soccer, host cities can expect windfalls as high as $480 million from the World Cup. Chris Canetti, the president of the 2026 Houston World Cup Bid Committee estimates the revenue from ticket sales and tourism over a potential six matches in Houston could be as high as $1.3 billion, up from the $347 million garnered at the 2017 Super Bowl in Houston. Robert Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough Massachusetts, one of the 17 stadiums in the running, said, “half of the world’s population watches some part of the World Cup.” FIFA, the international governing body in charge of running the World Cup every four years, has already selected three Mexican cities (Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey), as well as three Canadian cities (Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver). The U.S. stadiums are set to host a combined 60 matches, in a World Cup field of 48 teams, up from 32 in past tournaments. What To Watch For FIFA’s decision will be announced at 5 p.m. EST Thursday on Fox Sports 1. Key Background The number of U.S. stadiums in the running has been narrowed from 49 to 17 over the past four years. Chicago, Minneapolis and Phoenix were some of the first to drop out in March 2018, over what city officials called burdensome financial demands by FIFA, primarily over proposed tax waivers. FedEx Field, in Landover Maryland withdrew from the running in April over financial reasons. Montreal dropped out last August, after Quebec officials withdrew their support. Key Quote "This is the biggest and most important sporting event globally," Canetti told ABC. "That would be the equivalent of hosting five or six super bowls in Houston in three weeks." Further Reading 5 Under-The-Radar Factors That Could Decide 2026 FIFA World Cup U.S. Host Cities (Forbes) Which U.S. cities will host 2026 World Cup games? We’re about to find out (Yahoo Sports) Gillette Stadium among sites that find out Thursday whether they will host 2026 men’s World Cup games (Boston Globe)

Soccer

I’m singing in a Wagner opera and I’m having a ball. Once I never thought I’d say that – I was always a little intimidated by his operas and also by those who sing them. Even though I’ve now sung in quite a few of these epics, I still feel I’m walking on hallowed ground. Much of this is, of course, nonsense. Wagner’s operas may require something different to Mozart’s operas from both the singer and the listener but it doesn’t mean that they are “better” or indeed more “special” than the rest – in fact I’m far from alone in thinking that Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro is perhaps the most perfect opera ever written.But for many others, Parsifal would give it a run for its money, and it is this, Wagner’s last great work, that I am part of now.He took his time composing this one – 25 years to be exact – but he was also otherwise engaged writing several of his lengthiest operas during that time. We say “opera” but Wagner described Parsifal as a “consecration of the stage” and it’s easy to see why it became a tradition at his Bayreuth festival to not applaud at the end of Act One. The music is astonishing in its scale and beauty and leaves audiences reeling even by the end of that first act. One of my colleagues suggested that if Wagner were around today he would probably be our most famous celebrity film-score composer, and you can hear so much of his influence in the great MGM and Cecile B DeMille movies of the past, all the way through to Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and many of today’s blockbusters.The plot is based on the tale of the knight Parsifal and his quest for the holy grail, but to put it as simply as that is to do a disservice to the composer, the piece and its devotees. For the sake of space, please permit me to suggest you look online to explore further some of the many great minds who have pondered its wider and deeper meanings.Grail quest … Parsifal at Opera North. Photograph: Clive BardaThe role I’m singing is the old knight Gurnemanz. Bizarrely, despite being the longest role of the opera by a clear hour, in terms of notes sung, he is not one of the main characters of the story. He is, in effect, the narrator, but one who is actively involved in the events and carries all in his head and heart. It’s a bucket list role for an operatic bass and I’ve wanted to sing it ever since I first heard it performed at the Royal Opera House several years ago.What is so great about it then? It is so multifaceted and gives the singer lots of opportunities to show what he can do, and you need all the tools in the box to do it. There’s slow sustained singing (like press-ups, always harder than the quick stuff) loud and dramatic, soft and tender; there’s anger, sadness and ecstasy to portray, and it requires a large vocal and dynamic range.The opposite of a “park and bark” role, this is one that requires vivid storytelling. Diction needs to be front of the mouth stuff, and perhaps most importantly, you need heaps of stamina. If you were to set your stopwatch and sing the role from beginning to end non-stop it would take about 95 minutes, and that doesn’t include time standing on stage while someone else is singing at you. By comparison the role of Parsifal is approximately 25 minutes of actual singing – and he still gets the best dressing room!I’m fairly sure I could not have sung this fella even 10 years ago, I just didn’t have the vocal stamina or power. It’s important to tackle this repertoire only when you have got a few miles on the clock and know better what you’re doing vocally. I remember as a keen and cocky 24-year-old bringing some Wagner along to a singing lesson and my brutally honest teacher asked in her heavy Scottish accent “what the …. do you think you’re gonna do wi this?” Brilliant.Gurnemanz is so skilfully written that it rarely “hurts” but I do have to talk myself through some of the last, long and high phrases: “Come on Brin, come on, steady, relax, breathe, here we go and … woah not too bad, nearly there, one last top note and … (just) made it.”Because it’s my first shot at this role it’s taken well over a year to learn the reams of German text and I’ve had many a disturbed evening going through the part, grinding to a halt and having to get up and find my music score to see what that bloody line was. I still need to spend a good half hour going through each act with the score before each performance as I can be very easily distracted during the performance by either the attire of two chaps in the front row or a rather lovely oboe solo and miss the start of my line.Some of our performances will be in a concert format in concert halls. Unlike in Leeds’ Grand theatre where our first four performances were, we will be largely static and without costumes, set or lighting but I doubt this will dampen the impact of this piece. My experience of opera as a semi-staged concert has always been just as impactful as a fully staged version. For a start, you get to actually see the orchestra. Watching dozens of bows sweeping and flailing, two harps, rows of gleaming brass and two timpanists hitting the heck out of the drums is a wonderful spectacle and you will be genuinely surprised by how many musicians are involved. Then without distractions such as, say, a strange set or costume design or a terrible wig, the evening becomes more about the music and the text, and the onus is on the singer to bring it all to life.Stuart Skelton, Jane Dutton and Tom Fox in Nikolaus Lehnhoff’s 2011 staging for English National Opera. Photograph: Tristram Kenton/The GuardianI dare say that there will be many Wagner lovers – or Wagnerati as I like to call them – at these performances and they really are extraordinary people. They are able to discuss at length the differences between the two Knappertsbusch recordings of 1951 and 1964 and Wagner’s interest in Kabbalah and gematria and they also know my role far better than I shall ever do. I’ve met quite a few at Wagner Circle events and I resort to nodding politely while pulling out the “I just sing them” card.However, please don’t worry if you’re not as keen, knowledgable or as passionate, this music and this story of suffering and redemption will still blow your socks off and change you. Some years back I was involved in a production where things were not all hunky dory in the rehearsal studio (a clash of egos) and my solace from all the silliness was to dash over to English National Opera where Nikolaus Lehnhoff’s staging of Parsifal was playing, to catch the prelude and let it calm me down. By the end of Act One I loved everybody.Gurnemanz spends much of his time lamenting how bad things have become and desperately waiting, in hope for things to get better. Can we possibly relate to that in any way?

Music

Couldn’t score costly tickets to the Celtics’ last stand at TD Garden on Thursday night? Don’t worry; Mayor Michelle Wu and the Red Sox have your back.Wu’s office said Wednesday in a statement that she and the Sox will host a free watch party at Fenway Park when the Celtics take on the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. The Celts are down 3-2 and must win Thursday to force a series-deciding Game 7 on the West Coast.Per the statement, admission to the watch party at Fenway is free, with general admission seating available in the lower bowl of the ballyard. Pre-registration is required online at http://redsox.com/viewingparty. The statement said “limited concessions” will be available at Fenway during the watch party.“We’re so excited to partner with the Boston Red Sox to bring a free watch party to Fenway Park for our residents to cheer on the Celtics together,” Wu said in the statement. “While we celebrate our team and our city, please be respectful of others so we can all safely enjoy the game. These watch parties are large-scale events that require careful planning for public safety, and the late starts mean even more planning to balance neighborhood quality of life late into the night.”Wu said that the despite the city’s storied history of championship teams, “Boston doesn’t have a history of hosting many of these free watch parties, so we have worked to test out different locations and learn from each event as we go. I’m grateful to the Red Sox for joining alongside us to cheer on our beloved team in a welcoming, exciting venue.”The city had hosted an earlier watch party for Game 2 in the Faneuil Hall area, an event that drew hundreds of spectators.Speaking at a news conference Wednesday in Charlestown, Wu said, “I want to encourage everyone to cheer on our team and do so responsibly.”“We have had a few small issues at some of our previous watch parties with folks’ emotions running a little high, throwing bottles, and things like that just can’t happen if we are to continue this kind of activity around Boston,” Wu cautioned.Alcohol will be served at Fenway through halftime, said Wu, who also voiced hope for a Game 6 victory for the home team.“I believe in our team, know we’re going to pull it out, Go Celtics!” she said.Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe. Danny McDonald can be reached at daniel.mcdonald@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @Danny__McDonald.

Basketball

Danny Care has been urged to play his way into England’s World Cup plans next year after being called up this week for the first time in nearly four years. Care has returned to the squad in preparation for the annual fixture against the Barbarians on Sunday and the England assistant coach, Richard Cockerill, has challenged the scrum-half to seize his spot on the summer tour of Australia.Care has been out of the England picture since November 2018 against Japan and has been vocal in his frustrations at being repeatedly overlooked since then despite his form for Harlequins. With Raffi Quirke injured and Ben Youngs unavailable with Leicester in the Premiership final, however, Eddie Jones has seen fit to call on Care this week.The 35-year-old scrum-half is competing with Harry Randall and Alex Mitchell for a place in the squad on Sunday while Leicester’s Jack van Poortvliet will also come into the equation for the Australia series but if Youngs does not feature in the touring party, Care’s experience – with 84 caps only Courtney Lawes has more in the current group – could work in his favour.“If he’s playing well enough and he’s playing better than anybody else, whether they’re young or old, then he’ll come into contention,” Cockerill said. “World Cups are about having that balance – having enough caps of experience to be able to control and manage the pressure, but also having those young guys who are so hungry. That gives you that balance of experience, energy and enthusiasm. We need that balance in our group. I don’t think age will be a barrier, whether young or old. Guys will be picked on how well they’re playing.The Breakdown: sign up and get our weekly rugby union email.Of the Australia tour, Cockerill said: “Everybody in this squad is in contention to go on tour. They have the opportunity on Sunday to put their hand up. There’s no door closed. If people train well enough, play well enough and contribute to what we’re doing then everybody is in the mix.”

Other Sports

Amber Heard has said she realises she is not a "likeable" or "perfect victim" - and that she still has love for ex-husband Johnny Depp and has "no bad feelings or ill will towards him".The actress made the comments in the second half of an interview with NBC in the US, her first since Depp won his multimillion-pound libel trial against her. Asked if she still has love for the actor, Heard replied: "Yes, absolutely. I love him. I loved him with all my heart and tried the best I could to make a deeply broken relationship work. And I couldn't. Image: Heard pictured hugging her attorney Elaine Bredehoft during the trial. Pic: Michael Reynolds/Pool Photo via AP "I have no bad feelings or ill will towards him at all. I know that might be hard to understand. Or it might be really easy to understand if you have just ever loved anyone... It should be easy."However, Heard also admitted she fears she could be sued for defamation again by Depp by continuing to speak out following the verdict in court. Depp has strenuously denied her allegations of domestic abuse. Asked whether Depp had achieved "total global humiliation" for her - as the court heard he wrote in a text message to a friend - the actress, 36, told journalist Savannah Guthrie: "I know he promised it. "I testified to this. I am not a good victim, I get it. I am not a likeable victim. I am not a perfect victim. But when I testified I asked the jury to see me as human and here, his own words, which is a promise to do this, it seems as though he has." More on Amber Heard Amber Heard says she and Johnny Depp were 'awful to each other' but that she 'always told the truth', in first interview since actor's libel case win Amber Heard breaks silence after losing Johnny Depp libel trial - saying she doesn't blame the jury and criticising 'vitriol' on social media Amber Heard responds to Johnny Depp's TikTok message: 'Women's rights are moving backward' The Aquaman star was then asked if she is nervous about what she can and cannot say now, and responded: "Of course. I took for granted what I assumed was my right to speak."Addressing potentially being sued again, she said: "I am scared that no matter what I do, no matter what I say or how I say it, every step that I take will present another opportunity for silencing, which I guess is what a defamation lawsuit is meant to do." She also maintained her column on domestic abuse published in the Washington Post in 2018 - the article at the heart of Depp's case against her - was not about her ex-husband, but about the "bigger cultural conversation" surrounding the #MeToo movement at the time."The op-ed wasn't about my relationship with Johnny," she said. "What the op-ed was about was me loaning my voice to a bigger cultural conversation that we were having at the time."Heard said it was "important" to not make the article about Depp "or to do anything like defame him. I had lawyers, teams of lawyers, review all the drafts of this".Heard questioned on TMZ and Depp being 'cancelled'She said she never wanted Depp to be "cancelled" and lose his career over the article. "Of course not. It wasn't about him."The actress also addressed evidence by a former employee of celebrity website TMZ, who testified during the trial that the publication had been tipped off about when she would attend a Los Angeles courthouse to file a restraining order against Depp following their break-up in May 2016."He certainly didn't get tipped off by me or anyone in my [team]," she said. "Why would they? No. As I testified before, it had nothing to do with me."'We were awful to each other'Heard's latest comments were made in the second half of her two-part interview. In the first part on Tuesday, the actress admitted she and Depp were "awful to each other" and that she "made a lot of mistakes" - but claimed she "always told the truth".After six weeks of testimony, the court case came to an end on 1 June, with the jury finding that a 2018 article Heard wrote for the Washington Post, about her alleged experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse, was defamatory towards Depp.The actor was awarded $10.35m (£8.2m) in damages.Read more:Depp v Heard: The key bits of evidence from six weeks of 'soap opera' trialHeard did win on one count of her counter-suit, successfully arguing that one of Depp's attorneys defamed her by claiming her allegations were "an abuse hoax" aimed at capitalising on the #MeToo movement.The jury awarded her $2m (£1.5m) in damages.What did Depp say in his testimony?During his time on the stand in court, Depp denied abusing Heard and told jurors that his ex-wife's allegations of domestic violence were "heinous and disturbing".He said he was "obsessed" with getting to the truth of what really happened during their relationship."I felt it was my responsibility to clear my name and my children of this horrid thing that they were having to read about their father," he said. "My goal is the truth, because it killed me that people I'd met over the years... would think that I was a fraud and had lied to them".Later on in the trial, when asked what it had been like listening to Heard's testimony, Depp said: "It's insane to hear heinous accusations of violence, sexual violence, that she's attributed to me, that she's accused me of."I don't think anyone enjoys having to split themselves open and tell the truth, but there are times when one just simply has to because it's gotten out of control."He then paused before saying: "Horrible. Ridiculous. Humiliating. Ludicrous. Painful. Savage. Unimaginably brutal, cruel, and all… false. All false."After appearing in court for all the evidence, Depp was not there for the verdict, instead touring the UK with musician Jeff Beck.Elaine Bredehoft, one of Heard's lawyers, has said she plans to appeal.Sky News has approached Depp's representatives for comment on Heard's interview.

Celebrity

Zendaya No, I'm Not Pregnant ... After Viral Prank Says Otherwise 6/15/2022 11:07 AM PT Zendaya's shutting down rumors that she and BF Tom Holland are expecting, after viral videos convinced the internet the two have a baby on the way. The actress took to Instagram Wednesday after some posts took the internet by storm -- ones that claimed she was pregnant with Tom's kid. She puts in plainly -- "See now, this is why I stay off Twitter..." adding, "Just making stuff up for no reason ... weekly." Waiting for your permission to load TikTok Post. The now-viral clip shows a faked screenshot from what's supposed to be Zendaya's IG, with an ultrasound on full display. The pic has a caption saying, "I love you. Halfway there," with a tag for the "Spiderman" actor. The vid then cuts to what's being called "Krissing" -- a clip of Kris Jenner dancing to "Lady Marmalade," saying the whole thing was a prank. Call it a Rick Roll of modern times. People still fell for it online, and Twitter blew up about the news ... with many still confused while "Zendaya pregnant" is trending. Rumors first started spreading about the two being an item back in 2016 when they first started filming "Spiderman: Homecoming" ... those rumors lasted for years until things got more concrete last year -- TH and Z were spotted kissing in a car.

Celebrity

The world will get a close look at Austin Butler when the 30-year-old actor appears in a role he was apparently born to play — the title character in Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis.”Harry Styles said recently that he auditioned for the role but didn’t get it. “The real issue with Harry is, he’s Harry Styles,” Luhrmann responded. The director wanted someone less instantly recognizable to inhabit that gold lamé suit.Since Elvis Presley’s death in 1977, scores of actors have played the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, some instantly recognizable and others not at all. From the devils in disguise to the ones who did the clam, let’s take a look at a few.Austin Butler as Elvis Presley and Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker in "Elvis."Courtesy of Warner Bros. PicturesKurt Russell in “Elvis,” 1979Just two years after Presley’s death, the actor ably portrayed the singer he once met on the set of “It Happened at the World’s Fair” (1963), when Russell was 12. In that film, Elvis’s character wants to meet a certain nurse, so he pays a boy (played by the young Russell) to kick him in the shin. Russell later dubbed Elvis’s voice in “Forrest Gump” (1994).Get The Big To-DoYour guide to staying entertained, from live shows and outdoor fun to the newest in museums, movies, TV, books, dining, and more.Kurt Russell as the King in 1979's "Elvis."Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesDon Johnson in “Elvis and the Beauty Queen,” 1981Before the height of his TV fame, the “Miami Vice” guy took a gig playing Elvis in this made-for-TV movie. The reviews were not kind. “Undoubtedly the WORST movie, done by anybody, that I’ve ever seen,” one viewer, who self-identified as a Johnson fan, posted on IMDb.com.Stephanie Zimbalist as Linda Thompson and Don Johnson as Elvis Presley in "Elvis and the Beauty Queen."NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty ImagesVal Kilmer in “True Romance,” 1993A Presley-obsessed character played by Christian Slater needs some guidance on what to do about his girlfriend’s pimp. The apparition that mentors him comes in the form of Elvis.Harvey Keitel in “Finding Graceland,” 1998The star of “Reservoir Dogs” and “The Piano” might seem an unlikely person to play the Big E, but that’s this movie’s premise. A drifter is convinced he’s Elvis. “What’s there to doubt?” he asks.Bruce Campbell in “Bubba Ho-Tep,” 2002Aptly billed as part horror, part comedy, this odd one features a nursing home resident who claims he’s the King, 20 years on. Weirder still, a fellow resident played by Ossie Davis thinks he’s JFK.Jack White in “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,” 2007The former White Stripes frontman joined John C. Reilly in this biopic sendup, karate chopping and mumbling to beat the band. God “plucked me from all those millions and millions and millions of people,” he says with a mouthful of marbles.Michael Shannon in “Elvis & Nixon,” 2016Based on a true story, this film recounts the exceptionally weird real-life moment when Elvis showed up at the White House to ask the president to swear him in as an undercover narcotics agent. “So, you think we should meet with him?” a skeptical Nixon (Kevin Spacey) asks an aide. “During my nap hour?”E-mail James Sullivan at jamesgsullivan@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @sullivanjames.Michael Shannon as Elvis Presley in "Elvis & Nixon."Steve Dietl / Amazon Studios & Bleecker Street

Movies

Netflix has settled a lawsuit Mo'Nique filed against the streamer alleging a discriminatory salary offer for her shelved stand-up special. Oscar-winner Mo’Nique has settled a lawsuit filed against Netflix that alleged a gender and racial bias when it came to her stand-up salary. The “Precious” actress filed the suit against Netflix in November 2019 about a shelved comedy special and the subsequent professional fallout of her pay dispute. “Netflix courted Mo’Nique, saw what she had to offer and made her an offer,” Mo’Nique’s attorneys from the deRubertis Law Firm and Schimmel & Parks stated in a multi-claim complaint filed in L.A. Superior Court, as reported by Deadline. “But the offer Netflix made Mo’Nique wreaked of discrimination; it perpetuated the pay gap suffered by Black women.” Mo’Nique sued Netflix for the $500,000 salary offer back in 2017, with her lawyers saying, “Netflix’s business practice of paying Black women less than non-Black women for substantially equal or similar work causes harm to Plaintiff that outweighs any reason Netflix may have for doing so.” The suit continued: “Mo’Nique objected to Netflix’s discriminatory pay offer, pointed out how it was discriminatory and asked Netflix to do the right thing by negotiating fair pay with her. In response, Netflix did the opposite. It dug its heels in the ground, refused to negotiate fairly and stood behind its discriminatory offer. In stark contrast, when a white female comedian objected to her offer (given how much lower it was than comparable males), Netflix reconsidered and upped her offer. In short, as this lawsuit shows, Netflix’s treatment of Mo’Nique began with a discriminatory low-ball offer and ended with a blacklisting act of retaliation.” The suit sought to “bring fair and non-discriminatory pay to Mo’Nique and stop Netflix’s discriminatory practices going forward.” Netflix has now settled for an undetermined cost. The streamer filed two motions to throw out the discrimination lawsuit. In 2020, Judge Andre Birotte Jr. issued that Mo’Nique, real name Monique Hicks, plausibly alleged that Netflix was “shutting down its standard practice of negotiating in good faith that typically results in increased monetary compensation beyond the ‘opening offer’ and denying her increased compensation as a result. “While Netflix argues that the novelty of Mo’Nique’s claim and the absence of on-point legal authority for it should bar her retaliation claims outright, the Court disagrees,” the U.S. District Court judge added. A spokesperson for Netflix previously said in 2019 that the company cares “deeply about inclusion, equity, and diversity and take any accusations of discrimination very seriously,” before stating, “We believe our opening offer to Mo’Nique was fair — which is why we will be fighting this lawsuit.” Netflix is currently embroiled in an ongoing shareholder lawsuit with claims that the streamer misled investors about subscriber loss, resulting in Netflix stock (NFLX) sinking by roughly 25 percent — or down about $85 — per share following the Q1 announcement last month. The streamer has additionally laid off more than 150 employees. Mo’Nique executive-produced the 2020 special “Mo’Nique & Friends: Live from Atlanta” and is set to make her return to acting after a six-year hiatus in the upcoming series “BMF” about 1980s Detroit. She is also slated to appear in the horror film “The Reading” and “Precious” director Lee Daniels’ “Demon House” alongside Glenn Close, Octavia Spencer, and Rob Morgan. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.

Movies

"Why would they completely castrate this iconic, beloved character?" Disney Pixar's upcoming film "Lightyear" starring Chris Evans is being praised by critics, however, actress Patricia Heaton isn't on board with the positive Buzz. On Tuesday, the "Everybody Loves Raymond" alum took to Twitter to slam the animated flick over the recasting of Buzz Lightyear, who, of course, was famously voiced by Tim Allen -- Heaton's friend -- in the "Toy Story" franchise. While the Buzz in "Lightyear" isn't the same character as the Allen-voiced action figure, Heaton said Pixar "castrat[ed]" the character and "made a HUGE mistake" by not having Allen lend his voice in the new film. YouTube Disney Restores LGBTQ Kiss in Lightyear View Story "Saw the trailer for Buzz Lightyear and all I can say is Disney/Pixar made a HUGE mistake in not casting my pal @ofctimeallen," wrote Heaton, 64. "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?" she added. According to Pixar, "Lightyear" is "the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the hero who inspired the toy." Meanwhile, in a tweet shared to the film's Twitter account on Tuesday, below, the account broke down the premise in a single sentence, sharing that the Buzz in "Lightyear" is based on a character from Andy from "Toy Story's" "favorite" film. — Pixar's Lightyear (@PixarsLightyear) June 14, 2022 @PixarsLightyear Alongside side-by-side photos of Andy holding his Buzz Lightyear action figure and a shot of Evan's Buzz from the upcoming film, the account wrote, "In 1995, Andy got a toy from his favorite movie... ...this is that movie." Meanwhile, as for Heaton, it appears that fans explained to her how the new film's Buzz and Allen's "Toy Story" version differ -- however, that didn't seem to change her opinion. "Ok so the current Buzz Lightyear movie is an origin story - but the reason the character became so beloved is because of what @ofctimallen created," she wrote. "Why remove the one element that makes us want to see it? #stupidHollywoodecisions." In addition to Evans, "Lightyear" also stars Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, Uzo Aduba, James Brolin and more. Saw the trailer for Buzz Lightyear and all I can say is Disney/Pixar made a HUGE mistake in not casting my pal @ofctimallen 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?— Patricia Heaton (@PatriciaHeaton) June 14, 2022 @PatriciaHeaton Ok so the current Buzz Lightyear movie is an origin story - but the reason the character became so beloved is because of what @ofctimallen created. Why remove the one element that makes us want to see it?#stupidHollywooddecisions https://t.co/bRn1lZgkac— Patricia Heaton (@PatriciaHeaton) June 14, 2022 @PatriciaHeaton "Lightyear" blasts off into theaters this Friday.

Movies

South Korea's Cho Min-Ho Olympic Hockey Hero Dead At 35 ... After Battling Cancer 6/15/2022 11:26 AM PT Sad news ... South Korean hockey player Cho Min-Ho -- who scored the first-ever goal for the country's Olympic team in 2018 -- has passed away after battling cancer. He was only 35. The International Ice Hockey Federation confirmed Min-Ho's passing in a statement on Wednesday -- saying the forward died at a Seoul hospital after an eight-month battle with lung cancer. "The Korean ice hockey family will remember him not only as a great player," IIHF officials said, "but also as a great human and leader on and off the ice." Min-Ho started playing for South Korea's national team in 2008 -- and became a hero during the PyeongChang Olympics. Within the first few minutes of the team's preliminary round game against the Czech Republic, Min-Ho scored ... making him the first-ever Korean player to hit the back of the net in Olympic men's ice hockey history. In total, Min-Ho competed in 11 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship tournaments ... and was named the team captain for the South Korean national team at the Final Olympic Qualification for the 2022 Olympics in 2021. RIP.

Hockey

Raja finally snatched herself a Legendary Legend star, but we been knew about Raja’s legendary status. The regal winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 3 might not have competed on the series since she was crowned back in 2011, but Raja has continued to be a fan favorite as a co-host on Fashion Photo RuView — critiquing the queens’ runway looks on the World of Wonder digital series. Raja is now back in the workroom, competing to be named the “Queen of All Queens” on All Stars Season 7, the “all winners” season. Whether it was in her gold Realness of Fortune Eleganza look or as Madame on Snatch Game, Raja has been serving it every week, but since this season’s competition is so stiff, the California native had yet to earn a Legendary Legend star — until the most recent episode. Raja spoke with Logo about what it was like to finally get a star, “Gemini delusions,” starting her own cult, and her recent terrifying trip to the top of the Empire State Building. Hi, Raja! So it’s my birthday… Happy birthday, Gemini! Thank you! You’re a Gemini too, so I wanted to ask: Why do you think us Geminis get such a bad wrap? People think we’re crazy. What are your thoughts on that? People think we’re crazy because we are. But that crazy is also part of what makes us so beautiful and charming. Our crazy has a reason. We don’t just act crazy to act crazy. If you provoke us, then we’re going to react to it and you’re going to regret it. So I do understand why people would perceive us as being crazy, but we’re also quite genius. If you list the Geminis, Judy Garland, Boy George, Prince, Naomi Campbell, just to name a few… It’s one genius after the other. I think people just love us. I think because we’re quite accommodating and we know how to blend and how to make people feel comfortable. Most Geminis have great senses of humor, and we’re just genius creatives all around. There’s always a method to our madness, for sure. There we go. So on this week’s episode, when you were practicing your speech, you mentioned “Gemini delusions.” What is that? I don’t remember the conversation. I’m going to have to re-watch it because it doesn’t air until tomorrow. But I would imagine that the conversation was about how Geminis are a little delusional. I can admit that because we realize that we can do things last minute and we’re always going to be able to perform when need be. And that comes with a confidence/delusion that is our own. And that can’t be explained by any other sign in the Zodiac other than a Gemini. We believe our own nonsense, and we believe it wholeheartedly, and usually, we get the job done because of those delusions. So I think that’s what we talked about. What's Gemini season without a little delusion? ♊️✨ #AllStars7 @sutanamrull @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/e1NkD8IEPW — RuPaul's Drag Race (@RuPaulsDragRace) June 13, 2022 So it seemed like Ru was really getting your speech. What was it like performing it in front of Ru? I actually felt quite confident in it because I really enjoy writing. Over the last few years, I’ve utilized that writing skill and talent into doing my own one-woman shows, or solo shows, whatever you want to call it. I think Ru understood it because Ru is also a guru and my role in my life is to encourage people and to uplift people and to give advice and spiritual counsel. So I think Ru and I really saw eye to eye on that part. That our life experiences now are suddenly in a place where we are there to encourage people and inspire. So I think that’s where we really understood each other in that challenge. I loved your wizard’s cloak. Did you already have that cloak? It seems like something that you would already have in your closet. No, that is something that I actually wear around the house, the entire outfit. I am a caftan queen. Always, I love comfort, I love robes and there’s something regal in a robe. And I have plenty of them to do that with when I’m at home. So that’s something that already existed in my closet. And yeah, I love looking like a cult leader any day of the week. I feel like you could start a cult. I’m going to. After this episode, it’ll be Kool-Aid for everyone. What was it like standing on stage with Nancy Pelosi? Well, the timing of that was really interesting because it was shot last year. We had just gone through the entire trauma of being in Trump-era America during a pandemic. And I remember seeing Nancy Pelosi as this beacon constantly on TV. She was always the shady voice of reason on so many things. I remember saying to her while we were there that I thought that her hand clap was one of the shadiest and iconic things I’d ever seen. So it was a little bit emotional. It was like finally seeing somebody that you looked at for safety in some ways. Anything that Nancy said, I was like, Oh finally, somebody in their right mind and wits. So meeting Nancy, it was a big deal for me. It wasn’t a huge deal for The Vivienne. I’m not even sure if she knew who Nancy Pelosi was. But for me, and for most of us, it was a pretty big deal. We were like, oh my God, this is the second most powerful person in the entire country. So it was very, if not the most powerful person in the country. It was significant. I’d never met anyone in that position, especially someone as a political figure, never in my life. So it was a big deal for me. It was an honor to make an appearance on episode 5 of @RuPaulsDragRace All Stars 7 this week. I was inspired by the contestants because they know their power. Their freedom of expression is what America is all about. #PrideMonth pic.twitter.com/d5D7wubRKp — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) June 12, 2022 And she looked fabulous. Didn’t she? Her shoes and her entire canary yellow suit was impeccable. Hair, makeup all done. She was pretty gorgeous, so I was impressed by that as well. And then what about that Lizzo lip sync? That song has a lot of lyrics. How was it performing that? I know I completely fucked that up. I remember that. Well, here’s my logic to that. I had for every week, I knew that I was doing a good job. And all of the judges had been complimenting me so much on it. What people don’t realize as viewers is that every episode really is every other day. So every other day you had to learn a new lyric just in case you were at the top and you had to lip-sync. So at that point after four episodes in, I was exhausted. I know I’m going to do a great job, but once again they’re probably going to overlook me and ignore me. So maybe I’ll lip-sync, but most likely not. That was what was happening in my head. So it was a little bit of a shock to me when it came down to it. Because when I realized that I had won the challenge, I was like, oh fuck that means I have to lip-sync. And I do not know this song, I had not made any preparations. It was very lyricy. And so I was like, okay, well let me just do this not knowing the lyrics. And I’ll do what I do in every club, let the audience just enjoy how gorgeous I was. But for me, I was content with the fact that I had the star and I could care less about the 10 grand of winning. I was just like, give me the star. I don’t care about anything else. I’d waited too long. And the star was finally mine. And sometimes that happens. We’re not perfect, we’re not superheroes. So it was the best that I could do at that moment. It must have felt pretty great to finally get that star. Yeah. All I wanted was a star. And the whole time we were lip-syncing against each other I just kept thinking, Oh my God, I finally got a star. Oh, wait, we’re also lip-syncing… And then my last question is about this TikTok that makes me laugh every time I watch it. It’s of you and the other All Stars 7 queens on your press tour. And you’re up on top of the Empire State Building. Have you seen this? Oh my God. I have not seen the TikTok. @nattiershields01 I can’t get over Raja and Viv 😂😂#fyp #rpdr #rpdras7 #rajagemini #thevivienne #monetxchange ♬ original sound – Natalia Shields You’re terrified, so I feel bad for laughing, but it’s so funny. What is happening? Why are you walking on the edge of the Empire State Building? First of all, I was excited to go to the Empire State Building because the last time I was there I would say was 2007. My friends were the designers of Heatherette, and they had their office and their showroom inside the Empire State Building. So I’d never gotten to do the Empire State Building as a tourist, and there’s nothing I love more than being a tourist. I will be a tourist in my own city of Los Angeles. So it was really exciting. It was exciting to be there to help light the spire of the Empire State Building orange for the Trevor Project. So it had a lot of meaning, it was exciting. But when they finally took us up to the observation deck, I was like, I’m terrified of heights but as long as I know that there’s a fence around me that’ll keep me from flying off the edge of this building I’m fine. I can look down onto the city and appreciate the beauty and the view. Then the people who work there were like, “Hey, there’s another spot that we only take very special people to. And it’s the very top…” In theory, I was excited. I was like, Oh cool yeah take us up there. Well, we had to climb a ladder… Oh no. All of us were in high heels. And then once the doors opened, I realized that there was nothing holding me back from the bottom of New York City, which is like, I don’t know, 80 floors below. And the fence that separated me from the sky was at hip height. So I remember The Vivienne was in front of me and we literally crawled the entire circular area where everyone was walking. I was looking up at Monét [X Change] and she was taking selfies. And I was like, Get me the fuck out of here. We were screaming. You could feel the wind blowing on us. Any gust could have sent me down, careening and plummeting to my death. It was terrifying. But one of those moments in my life that I’ll probably never do again. I’m thankful that I did do it. Now I can handle anything. Now I’m going to stick a spider in my mouth and wrap myself in a boa constrictor. Because those are my next two fears, spiders and snakes. So I can handle anything now. I write about drag queens. Dolly Parton once ruffled my hair and said I was "just the cutest thing ever." @chrisreindeer

Celebrity

New safety tech and creature comforts make the drive better for occupants in every row. 1 of 12 Subaru 2 of 12 Subaru It arrives at dealers this fall in five trims: Base, Premium, Onyx Edition, Limited and Touring. 3 of 12 Subaru To help bring its look closer in line with other new Subaru models like the Forester, the Ascent picks up more angular headlights and a new set of taillights, in addition to a tweaked front bumper with better aerodynamics. 4 of 12 Subaru Subaru also gave its safety systems a boost. 5 of 12 Subaru The latest iteration of the EyeSight suite of driver aids promises smoother operation over a wider range of conditions, thanks in part to a wider field of view, software tweaks and an electric brake booster. 6 of 12 Subaru An additional wide-angle, forward-facing camera promises to improve pedestrian and cyclist detection at intersections, as well. 7 of 12 Subaru Models with blind-spot monitoring also get a new evasive steering aid that can help steer the vehicle around a potential collision at speeds under 50 mph. 8 of 12 Subaru There's also a new surround-view camera system on offer, and the backup camera gets its own washer to keep the lens from getting gunked up. 9 of 12 Subaru Pricing has not yet been announced, but Subaru will likely do that closer to the Ascent's on-sale date. 10 of 12 Subaru Keep scrolling to check out more pictures of the 2023 Subaru Ascent. 11 of 12 Subaru 12 of 12 Subaru

Automotive and Transportation

After a series premiere that smashed Hulu records—and nine subsequent episodes of family drama—the first season of The Kardashians is coming to a close. Covering topics from Kim’s “walking campaign” for Balenciaga to her controversial criminal justice reform efforts, as well as the changing relationship statuses of her sisters and the production of the reality show itself, the show’s catchy storytelling certainly felt familiar—albeit with a little less TMI and a much more overt focus on the family’s brand. As Benny Drama (dressed as a devilish Kris Jenner, of course) aptly joked in one of his videos featured on episode nine, the new show is “so different from Keeping Up—it’s on Hulu!”Here are the nine moments that kept me up after season one of The Kardashians.Kim’s repeated references to herself as “the underdog” in the first episodesAny good story begins by defining the journey of its protagonist, and The Kardashians made sure to position Kim as the little guy as she prepared for her hosting gig on Saturday Night Live. While it’s undeniable that Kim Kardashian was a pop culture outlier during her early-aughts origins—and that, even in 2021, plenty of people were rooting for her to flub on live TV—it was a little ironic to see Kim self-identifying as an underdog. After all, if we’ve learned anything from this season, it’s that she’s in her most influential era to date.When Kourtney described a Bel-Air mansion as “Sinatra vibes, which is so us”Courtesy of HuluThe true legacy of Kravis might turn out to be the relentless way they self-mythologize—just take their Halloween outfits, for which they dressed up as Clarence and Alabama of True Romance and later as punk icons Sid and Nancy. Even while assessing real estate, they can’t help but align themselves with cultural emblems. Sure, most of us have experienced the oxytocin haze of the honeymoon phase, in which we fancy our love stories to be cinematic. But Kourtney and Travis have taken that starry-eyed urge to the next level, repeatedly referencing pop culture to further revel in their love. Why? Because they can. They can just run to Vegas wedding chapels to fake elope in a simulation of what Clarence and Alabama did; they can dress up exactly like Sid and Nancy under the direction of Hollywood’s finest stylists; and they can buy a vintage home to channel those “Sinatra vibes” if they’re in a mid-century mood, as they did while house-hunting in episode two.The camerawork during Travis’s Santa Barbara proposalTravis’s proposal to Kourtney in episode four was meant to be not only a surprise, but a private moment. That’s why, when we see Kravis walking up the beach towards a massive display of roses and candles, it’s from the POV of a hidden camera. At the same time, we all know the constant surveillance required by The Kardashians’ production crew is inescapable. When Kourtney saw the grand display and realized that something was happening, did she immediately know she was being secretly filmed for the show? What does that even feel like?Kendall’s Miami trip to get an IV dripThe Kardashians are on a constant quest for optimization, so the scene when Kendall—a self-identified hypochondriac—and Hailey Bieber visit Miami to receive elective nutritional IVs, I was not as startled as I was perhaps ought to be. The Kardashians, whether consciously or unconsciously, reflect the anxieties of the culture. So even though we’re looking at a Miami penthouse containing two socialites who are surrounded by medical professionals and being pumped with greenish saline bags, just because they can, we’re also seeing more relatable instincts around a fear of sickness and a yearning to return to normalcy after a painful pandemic. Whether we can actually relate to the way they go about quashing these anxieties is a different question.The Emmy on Kris’s desk that she boughtCourtesy of HuluIn episode eight, Khloé and Scott visit Kris at work to help her prep for her upcoming Masterclass, and Khloé asks about the Emmy behind her, assuming it’s a fake. Kris says, “it’s real: Kim bid for it at an auction.” “You guys bought someone’s random Emmy?” Khloé asks. “Fake it till you make it,” Kris shrugs. Khloé’s question is meant to highlight the absurdity of the purchase, but it also succeeds in spotlighting something else. Buying a historic trophy so that you can manifest winning said trophy is the ultimate power move, putting economic and symbolic capital at odds with one another. The Kardashians know, by this point, that they don’t need an Emmy. They already have one of the most successful TV shows in the world. So, who, really, has the power here? The Emmys because they pick winners, or the Kardashians because their TV show has such lucrative mass appeal that they can afford to award themselves any trophy they want? Much to think about.The multi-episode references to MTV CribsThroughout the season, the Kardashians made semi-regular references to MTV Cribs, the beloved celebrity home tour series that launched in 2000. When Kris throws a birthday dinner to debut her new home, Khloé greets guests at the door declaring, “MTV Cribs!” Several episodes later, Khloé concludes her own house tour with a classic Cribs trope: Telling the cameras to “get the f*ck out.” Finally, while introducing us to her private plane, Kim remarks, “I feel like I’m in MTV Cribs for planes.” Did the family watch the show as research for the coming season? It’d certainly be appropriate. Their homes—from the design, to the construction, to the décor—played a huge role in many of their storylines this season, almost manifesting as characters in and of themselves.Using the shaking of a salad to break the fourth wallIn one scene this season, Kim, Khloé, and Kourtney hang out in the kitchen and begin preparing to shake and eat their to-go salads in the same way they always have since Keeping Up’s humble beginnings. Kim makes sure, however, that this nod to seasons past comes with a touch of self-awareness. As she shakes her salad, Kim stares dead at the camera—practically penetrating through the TV screen—and says, “You guys love it when we do this.” The moment was the very definition of breaking the fourth wall.The Kardashians grappling with the process of agingCourtesy of HuluIn a later episode, we hear the age 40 come up at least four times. Kris reminds us that she started her career at 40; Kim talks about how wonderful it is that she’s a Sports Illustrated cover girl in her 40s and later reveals that her age helps in the bedroom; Khloé even expresses her eagerness to turn 40. The Kardashians seem increasingly invested in challenging the idea that fame, sex appeal, and success are for the young. Of course, it’s in their best interest to undermine this culturally institutionalized belief. They themselves are aging, after all. It would be nice if we didn’t live in a society where the passage of time is a business liability for women, but we do, and nobody’s aging process will be as heavily scrutinized as the Kardashians thanks to their extreme phenomenon of parasocial investment. I suspect they’ll continue to be inclined to tell us it’s fine and that getting older is great—and personally, I have a hard time finding fault in a narrative that says life only gets better for women as they mature.Kim pumping iron while ranting about Tristan’s infidelityIn the cliffhanger scene of the penultimate episode, we see Kim on the phone with Kourtney and Kylie, exploding about the revelation of Tristan’s umpteenth infidelity. Still, ever the multi-tasker, she doesn’t let the outrage interrupt her scheduled workout, and she continues pumping away at her little bicep curls. Way to build muscle and suspense, Kimmy!

Celebrity

Lil Wayne will no longer appear at a music festival this weekend after he was banned from entering the UK. The American rapper's visa was denied by the Home Office in a "last-minute decision", according to the Strawberries and Creem Festival, where he had been due to headline on Saturday. The A Milli singer was expected to perform alongside the likes of Tion Wayne, Mabel, Wilkinson and Katy B.Announcing the change in line-up, event organisers said they had "received minimal notice", describing the timing of the decision as "upsetting for all involved"."Due to extreme circumstances beyond our control or influence, we are very sorry to inform you that Lil Wayne is now unable to perform at the festival," they added. "Lil Wayne has been refused entry to the UK directly by the Home Office in a last-minute decision. We are deeply disappointed by this sudden and negative ruling." According to organisers, the festival was due to be the muti-Grammy-winning artist's only European show in 2022. More from Ents & Arts Amber Heard says she still has love for Johnny Depp and 'no bad feelings' - and realises she is not a 'perfect' victim Author James Patterson apologises for saying older white male writers face racism Chris Evans defends Buzz Lightyear spin-off against anti-gay critics - calling them 'idiots' The Home Office confirmed the hip-hop star had been denied entry, saying that all individuals who have received a custodial sentence of 12 months or more "must have their application refused".Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter, was sentenced to a year in prison back in 2010 on a gun possession charge, of which he served eight months behind bars.In 2020, he pleaded guilty to a federal weapons charge but was later pardoned by then-president Donald Trump in January last year.He has been denied entry to the UK in the past due to his criminal convictions. Twitter Due to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view this. Open Privacy Options Grammy-winning artist Ludacris will now perform in Lil Wayne's place, but the decision did not go down well with ticket holders, with many demanding a full refund.One tweeted: "Gotta be issuing refunds here. Literally, the only act people are coming for is Wayne. The only reason he hasn't performed in the UK for so long was because he was refused entry before, so surely you checked this before announcing him?"Another said: "Absolutely no way. Please can you let me know I can receive a full refund. This is false advertising."The festival has offered guests free entry for Sunday's event or a discount on tickets for next year's festival as a result.

Music

News | 6/15/2022 8:55 AM PT The stunning house includes Tesla solar roof tiles, a solarium and crafting room for Deschanel. Jonathan Scott and Zooey Deschanel spent the last two years renovating their Brentwood home and are finally ready to show off the fruits of their labor. The two shared photos of the finished product in the latest issue of Drew + Jonathan Reveal magazine, which features Scott and Deschanel on the cover. According to the publication, the duo picked up the house, built in 1938 by architect Gerard Colcord, in Spring 2020 and have been working on it ever since. TREVOR TONDRO/DREW + JONATHAN REVEAL "As soon as we pulled into the driveway, we knew this house was special," Deschanel said of the property. "It was a beautiful home with a lot of history," added Jonathan. While the "Property Brothers" star focused on construction and architectural details, the "New Girl" alum had a hand in the finishes and all the "dope-ass tile and upholstery." "It was really hands-on for both of us," said Deschanel. "Many Saturdays, we sat searching for the right details to add to this home." The finished abode includes a solarium, crafting room for the actress, garden with a gazebo, pool and is also incredibly energy efficient thanks to Tesla solar roof tiles, a battery system and an irrigation system which recycles gray-water from baths and sinks. TREVOR TONDRO/DREW + JONATHAN REVEAL "This isn't just a smart house. It's a genius one," quipped Scott. "This is a house that suits our tastes and needs, aesthetically and functionally," added Deschanel, "Jonathan is so amazing at figuring that out. He's been doing it for his clients for so long, and now he's done that for us and our family." The two have been together since 2019, following Deschanel's divorce from Jacob Pechenik. Zooey and her ex-husband share two children; Elsie, 6, and Charlie, 5. The new issue of Drew + Jonathan Reveal is available on newsstands, Amazon, and online -- where you can see more photos of the home. Getty Jonathan Scott Responds to Zooey Deschanel Engagement Rumors View Story

Celebrity

British Gymnastics is bracing itself for a damning 300-page report into its abuse scandal. The document is expected to strongly criticise the governing body’s previous leadership when it is published on Thursday afternoon.Anne Whyte QC’s independent review, which is being published nine months later than originally planned, is said by those who have seen it to be a comprehensive and wide-ranging investigation into allegations of mistreatment of gymnasts at all levels of the sport.In her interim report last year, Whyte revealed she had received submissions from nearly 400 people, with 39 cases considered so serious they have been passed to local authorities because of child safeguarding reasons or concerns of ongoing criminal conduct.Whyte also wrote that British Gymnastics received 300 complaints a year on average between 2015 and 2020, and that she had received information concerning more than 100 coaches and 90 clubs.The full Whyte Review is understood to make a number of recommendations to fundamentally change the culture in the sport. However it is said to accept that British Gymnastics has already undergone significant reforms since the report was commissioned in 2020 and acknowledging that a new leadership team is already making a difference.The report, which was delivered by Whyte to UK Sport and Sport England last week, was passed on to British Gymnastics on Monday. Since then the organisation has held a series of meetings with coaches, gymnasts and parents and has already promised to implement its recommendations.This year British Gymnastics pointed to the “significant changes” that it has put in place, including a new chief executive, Sarah Powell, better complaint-handling systems and a larger integrity team.Publication of the Whyte review comes just days after it emerged that a former national acrobatic gymnast has become the first to win a civil case against British Gymnastics for the abuse she endured in the sport. The governing body admitted full liability and reached a settlement with Eloise Jotischky, who alleged that between 2016 and 2018 she was left “physically exhausted” after being subjected to inappropriate weight-management techniques at her local club.Quick GuideHow do I sign up for sport breaking news alerts?ShowDownload the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhones or the Google Play store on Android phones by searching for 'The Guardian'.If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version.In the Guardian app, tap the yellow button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications.Turn on sport notifications.The 19-year-old is one of more than 40 gymnasts to make a claim against British Gymnastics, saying they were victims of systemic physical and psychological abuse.A joint UK Sport and Sport England statement said the full review would be published on Thursday afternoon. “We recognise the courage shown by everyone, including gymnasts, parents and coaches, who shared their experiences, and thank them for their contributions. We would also like to express our thanks to Anne Whyte QC and her team for their work in preparing the review.”

Other Sports

Edit StoryJun 15, 2022,02:00pm EDT| Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Paramount Pictures With $7.65 million on Tuesday, -44% from last Tuesday and +15% from Monday, Top Gun: Maverick has earned $409.5 million after 19 days at the domestic box office. That puts it (sans inflation) in 33rd place between Iron Man 3 ($409 million in 2013) and Wonder Woman ($412.5 million in 2017). It will crack the top 30 probably tomorrow when it passes the $417 million cume of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. It already passed the domestic cume of Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness which (with a current $399.5 million cume) itself should pass $400 million domestic today. Meanwhile, presuming a continued 52.6/47.4 domestic/overseas split, the $170 million legacy sequel is at $778 million, past both The Batman ($770 million) and No Time to Die ($774 million). That makes the Joseph Kosinski-directed action drama, co-starring Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Jon Hamm and Glen Powell, Hollywood’s third biggest Covid-era earner behind Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ($930 million) and Spider-Man: No Way Home ($1.9 billion). It’s fifth overall behind those two and China’s Hi Mom ($835 million) and Battle at Lake Changin ($911 million) but give it time. Oh, and barring a fluke, it’ll also pass Mission: Impossible – Fallout ($792 million in 2018) sometime tomorrow to become Tom Cruise’s biggest global grosser. Presuming no major changes, it’ll pass $800 million worldwide on Friday. On Saturday or Sunday, it will likely become Cruise’s biggest inflation-adjusted domestic earner (past the $440 million adjusted total of Top Gun) as it aims to end weekend four past $450 million. As noted in the aftermath of its colossal $160.5 million domestic and $300 million global debut, Top Gun: Maverick should mark the first time since Cruise’s Mission: Impossible II ($215 million domestic and $545 million worldwide) in 2000 that a real-world action movie has topped at least the domestic box office for the summer. It’s still some distance from Doctor Strange 2 and I wouldn’t yet count out Jurassic World Dominion, but even Spider-Man ($403 million domestic and $821 million worldwide) was tops domestically but third worldwide (behind the second Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films) in 2002. It’ll surely end the summer as the biggest domestic earner, and only Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in November and Avatar: The Way of Water in December are serious threats. It’s already the biggest-grossing non-fantastical action movies ever (give or take whether you count Titanic as “action”) in unadjusted domestic grosses. It’s already soared past Skyfall ($303 million), American Sniper ($350 million) and Furious 7 ($353 million). Yes, The Dark Knight ($533 million) and Black Panther ($700 million) contain next-to-no supernatural/fantastical elements, but they are costumed DC/Marvel superheroes. Heck, Top Gun: Maverick might be past The Dark Knight Rises’ $449 million cume by Sunday anyway. It has sold more domestic tickets than any James Bond film save for Goldfinger and Thunderball. In terms of inflation-adjusted grosses, we can debate what qualifies as “real world action” (Smokey and the Bandit, The Towering Inferno, etc.) once we see if Top Gun: Maverick will end closer to $500 million or $550 million. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website. Send me a secure tip. Editorial StandardsPrintReprints & Permissions

Movies

The NFL Players Choir performed on NBC's "America's Got Talent" and will sing again at a Project Unity event Wednesday night at the Meyerson Center in Dallas.(NBC / Trae Patton/NBC)You might have heard the NFL Players Choir perform on America’s Got Talent on Tuesday night. If you missed it, you have the chance to hear them in person tonight in Dallas at Project Unity’s “Together We Sing” musical event at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center.The choir is led by Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and several current and former NFL players. In honor of gospel singer Richard Smallwood, the NFL Players Choir will perform an original composition called Together, written by SMU alumnus Derrick Horne, a music professor and director of the Meadows Jazz Orchestra at SMU.The group, which has been around since 2008, performed Tuesday night on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. They sang renditions of Bill Withers’ “Lean On Me,” both a cappella and with a backing track. The choir impressed the judges enough to advance to the next round.The Project Unity program starts at 6 p.m. with an awards segment. The musical portion begins at 7:30 p.m. A limited number of tickets are available at the door and on the Project Unity website.Horne is a musician and composer with over three decades of musical productions and performances on over 600 publicly available recordings. Horne has channeled modern popular music styles while using traditional classical ensembles.“Together We Sing” is Project Unity’s signature fundraising event. It brings together the business, faith and entertainment communities in the name of building unity.The event benefits Project Unity and its efforts to bring dialogue, understanding and racial harmony to communities and places of business in North Texas.The NFL Choir will be joined by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, a 200-voice multi-faith choir. Fort Worth native Tamela Mann and national Gospel recording artists Myron Williams, Niya Cotton and Darrell Blair are also scheduled to perform.The NFL Choir is comprised of 12 performers. Besides Newton, the headliners are Leonard Weaver III, a two-time Pro Bowl choice and fullback from the Philadelphia Eagles, and Tully Banta-Cain, who led the New England Patriots in quarterback sacks for consecutive years.The rest: Bryan Scott, Michael Gaines, Stephen Pierce, Dwayne Wright, Nick Roach, Tommie Harris, Tyrell Adams, Jamon Brown and Prince Amukamara.The choir performs each year at the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration and performed the National Anthem at February’s Pro Bowl in Las Vegas.On America’s Got Talent, the choir sang for an NBC audience and was the final act of the episode. After the players’ opening rendition, the choir received a resounding round of applause from the audience and a positive reaction from the judges.AGT judge Simon Cowell surprised the performers and the audience when he asked for an encore, only this time without a track playing.The players responded by belting out an a cappella version of Lean On Me.Cowell told the choir that he was particularly impressed by their vocal skills.“I can tell you really want to win,” he said, “and I love that.”Top Arts & Entertainment StoriesGet the latest Arts & EntertainmentCatch up on North Texas' vibrant arts and culture community, delivered every Monday.By signing up you agree to our privacy policyMost Popular on DallasNews.com123456

Music

Australian surfer Jack Robinson recently posted two images on Instagram. In the first, a 12-year-old Robinson glides effortlessly through a barrel at G-Land. With his knee bent, one hand on the rail of his surfboard and the other caressing the water, Robinson looks at home in the heart of the wave.The second image, taken during the recent World Surf League event at the same famous Indonesian break, which Robinson won, is almost identical. Same wave, same stance, same style – but with 12 years separating the photos. “Then and now,” he wrote.The similarity between the images is fitting. Ever since Robinson was a child, he has been regarded as the next big thing in surfing. The West Australian started surfing at three and was charging Pipeline, a famously-heavy Hawaiian wave, by age 11. In 2010 the Weekend Australian magazine put Robinson on the cover and called him the next Kelly Slater. That same year, Quiksilver, a major surfing label, took Robinson to G-Land on one of his first sponsored trips – when the initial photo was taken.“It’s so long ago now,” Robinson says of the G-Land montage. “It’s pretty wild to think – we’ve done so much work to get where we are. To come back and be there again, it’s quite surreal hey – full circle.”Robinson is currently riding on a high, having won his home-town WSL event at Margaret River in May and then triumphed at G-Land earlier this month. The consecutive victories have elevated him to No 2 in the world rankings and put him in WSL championship contention with four events remaining until the finals (the Surf City El Salvador Pro is currently underway). No Australian man has been crowned WSL champion since Mick Fanning in 2013; suddenly, Robinson is on the verge of a major breakthrough for Australian surfing.But the two photos only tell half of the story. It has not been a straight line from G-Land barrel to G-Land barrel, 12 years apart. Robinson’s journey to the heights of competitive surfing may have been foretold since he was a fresh-faced grommet with blond locks and extraordinary ability. In recent years, though, his success has looked far from guaranteed. Robinson has only ever known surfing, and it shows in his mellow demeanour. The 24-year-old natural footer seems unfazed by life’s challenges, texting Australia Guardian with humour throughout his drama-filled two-day transit from Bali to El Salvador. The shaka emoji, a favourite of the surf community, punctuates his messages. When time-zones finally align for an interview, a jetlagged Robinson is all too happy to chat.Born in Western Australia, Robinson was in the waves of Perth from the age of three after being encouraged by his dad, Trev, a passionate surfer. The family relocated to Margaret River two years later and Robinson was thrown in the deep-end – the area is notorious for its waves of consequence. “It was a bit heavy for me to start,” he laughs. “But I’ve been hooked ever since.”Robinson in Peniche, Portugal earlier this year. Photograph: Thiago Diz/World Surf League/Getty ImagesRobinson was soon a fixture in the line-up, charging waves with surfers a decade or two older than him. “It was funny because I never really saw kids my age out there,” he says. “But I saw all the older guys that I really looked up to going for it – I wanted to jump the gun, doing what they were doing.”With his barrel-riding prowess, aerial flair and silky-smooth turns, Robinson landed a sponsorship deal with Quiksilver before he was even a teenager. The surf brand signed fellow youngsters Kanoa Igarashi and Leonardo Fioravanti at the same time and gave the trio a global profile – they were considered the future of surfing. Robinson, Japan’s Igarashi and Italy’s Fioravanti travelled the globe together and befriended the world’s best surfers. “Jack, Kanoa and Leo – little shits man!” joked 11-time world champion Slater in a recent episode of TV show Make or Break. “I love those guys.”But while clips from the time show the trio living a grommet’s dream, some observers were asking questions about the ethics of throwing children into this commercialised, competitive environment at such a young age. This was particularly the case for Robinson, whose father was acting as his coach and manager all while home-schooling him, to ensure maximum time in the water. “At what point does the ‘rearing’ of a sport prodigy result in other, more prosaic aspects of parenting being neglected?” asked The Australian in its 2010 profile. “And what happens when a parent’s ambition for a child becomes the family’s raison d’être?”Robinson reflects fondly on his childhood. “I did home-school for a lot of the years,” he says. “Everyone kind of thought I was gonna go crazy, like didn’t know what was gonna happen with me, because I’d be surfing all the time. It was like: ‘He’s not at school!’. But I had the best time ever. I was lucky to travel at a young age and see the world, see different cultures. It was pretty cool growing up like that.”Robinson after winning the Margaret River Pro in May. Photograph: Matt Dunbar/World Surf League/Getty ImagesBut he admits that he was not blind to the pressure. “You can feel a lot – especially from the companies, the sponsors, and you’re just a little kid. There’s that side of it. You just want to live your life as a kid, it’s the best years of your life growing up. Yeah, I think I felt it for a lot of years. But once I knew what was going on, once I knew how to handle people, how to be my own man … but it took a long time.”Robinson pauses, reflecting, before conceding: “It was definitely interesting, it’s not always like that for everybody.” This is quite the understatement. Few surfers have been so highly-rated, with so much expectation from peers and sponsors, from such a young age.Having found fame and commercial success, the next stop for young Robinson was the top-tier of elite surfing: the WSL. He proved his competitive acumen in 2014, winning a big junior event at Sunset Beach in Hawaii, aged just 16. In the same year Robinson switched from Quiksilver to Billabong, in a six-figure sponsorship deal. The WSL was surely only a matter of time.And then – the drift. As Robinson came of age, he seemed to falter in the competitive environment. Wins came here and there, but the prodigy lacked the consistency to vault up the rankings in the qualifying series. He almost secured a WSL spot in 2018, but fell agonisingly short. He briefly withdrew from competition, a previously unimaginable decision from a surfer who could out-barrel the world’s best.“I think looking back on it, I was just a completely different person,” he says. “On the QS [qualifying series], when me and my dad were travelling together, I just don’t think I was in a very good headspace.”One factor in Robinson’s stall was the quality of waves. WSL surfers compete at the world’s best breaks; competition organisers prioritise wave conditions in deciding when to run heats. The QS can be more of a grind, criss-crossing the globe on a gruelling schedule from one wave to the next, battling it out in what can be little better than beach slop. “I think my view on it wasn’t very good – especially when the waves were shitty,” he says.Jack Robinson surfs the G-Land break. Photograph: Matt Dunbar/World Surf League/Getty ImagesWith each year that Robinson failed to qualify for the WSL, the pressure built, particularly as a number of high-profile Australian male surfers retired from the tour and fans looked to the next generation. “I know that there’s a lot of eyes on you, this ‘you’ve got to prove yourself’,” he says. “And you can get caught up in that. But in the end, I know I’ve got what it takes. I’ve got the talent, I have the package, it’s just about putting it together.” Robinson adds that, in his time slogging it out on the QS, he learnt a lot about himself. “You can get ahead of yourself – you want to win everything,” he says. “It’s about enjoying the ride, too.”Then came the change. Robinson met Julia Muniz, a Brazilian model. The pair began dating and travelling together. It coincided with Robinson’s best form of his competitive career and, in turn, qualification for the WSL, ahead of the 2020 season. The couple were married in mid-2020, after Covid-19 interrupted Robinson’s debut WSL season. “She’s amazing,” says Robinson. “It’s everything you want.”The arrival of Muniz coincided with Robinson’s father, Trev, taking a backseat. After a long stint with his father closely involved in his career, this marked a significant change for Robinson. Surfing magazine Tracks described Trev as his son’s “coach, confidant and chief strategist” and noted that over the years some commentators had drawn comparison with highly-strung “soccer dads”. But Robinson junior insists that while the relationship may have evolved, he remains on good terms with his father.“I think it’s not always the easiest when you’re doing it with your family, them playing the manager as well – doing that with the companies, managing me and then also managing the deals,” he says. “He’s my Dad – we keep that relationship like that, and I think it’s in a much better place.” After a period apart, the pair were reunited at the recent Margaret River event. “He was super stoked,” adds Robinson. “To see me win at home – I think he was over the moon.”Last year, in his debut season, Robinson claimed his maiden WSL event in Mexico, helping him to 12th place finish overall. This year, the Australian made the quarter-finals in the second event of the series, in Hawaii, and the semis at Bells Beach in Victoria. Having won consecutive events in Margaret River and G-Land, a world title is now within grasp.Australia has long been a force in competitive surfing. Mark Richards reigned supreme in late 1970s and early 1980s. Tom Carroll and Damien Hardman won two titles apiece over the next decade, before Mark Occhilupo, Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson won championships during an era otherwise dominated by Slater. But while Australia’s women stars – Tyler Wright, Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons – have continued to perform, in the men’s WSL it has been Brazilian and Hawaiian surfers at the forefront in recent years.Almost a decade since Fanning’s last world title, which came just as Robinson was rising to prominence, is the 24-year-old ready to lead a new generation of Australian surfers to WSL glory?“I’ve always wanted that,” he says. “But it’s a long road to get there. I feel like it’s just one milestone after another. Even these event wins – it’s a long journey ahead. There’s so much more to come.”After more than a decade in the limelight, Robinson knows that success is not predestined. A WSL championship, if it is to come, will need an ingredient that can be hard to find in the glare of the surfing spotlight.“There’s a lot going on, more eyes on you, people saying this and that,” Robinson says. “But I think the main thing is to focus on yourself. Take it moment by moment, being present, going surfing.”

Extreme Sports

‘You guys know that I’m 78 years old?” yells Diana Ross, should anyone watching be thinking their eyesight is playing tricks on them. Midway through 1980’s Chic-penned disco smash dunk Upside Down, she has turned the UK’s largest concert venue into a gigantic aerobics class, with the grinning septuagenarian singer as personal trainer. “I’ve still got the moves,” she beams.She has, and she’s making every second count in this twice delayed (owing to Covid) first UK tour in 15 years. She began this British visit with a shaky-then-triumphant performance at the Queen’s platinum jubilee, and is due to grace Glastonbury’s “legends” slot next Sunday. There will presumably be more euphorically received emotional rollercoasters such as this one, which spans the Motown star’s career from early Supremes hits to last year’s lockdown-recorded album, Thank You.The 90-minute show is cleverly segmented into sections divided by a band interlude – which allow the singer to catch her breath as well as change into an array of magnificently OTT outfits, the best of which, an array of orange tulle ending in a train, makes her look like a glorious bird of paradise.The setlist begins with another Chic-penned smash, I’m Coming Out, in its twin role as perfect entrance song and LGBTQ+ anthem, before she rolls back the years with a string of Supremes classics. She brings an exquisite touch of hurt to My World Is Empty Without You and smiles as the audience accompany the famous “Ooh, ooh” beginning of Baby Love.Stop! In the Name of Love et al are some of the greatest pop singles ever made, and to hear them sounding exactly as they should almost 60 years later is a pinch-yourself moment. Thereafter it’s on to her solo career, and highlights such as 1985 Bee Gees-penned No 1 Chain Reaction and 1976’s Love Hangover, a trip to disco heaven. She reveals that during Covid isolation she feared she’d never perform again, so cheered herself by penning If the World Just Danced, an unexpected highlight which sees her turn into a house music diva.In truth, it would have been nicer to hear Touch Me in the Morning, Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand) or Reflections rather than the covers of hits by Frankie Lymon (Why Do Fools Fall in Love) and Gloria Gaynor (an overlong but appropriate I Will Survive).Still, maybe an audience can only take so many Ross classics before requiring oxygen. She sings I’m Still Waiting beautifully reflectively, and if her voice falters during Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To) it soars through Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.She ends sat on a chair as fan requests result in the seemingly unscripted The Boss, then Home, from 1978 film The Wiz. It’s a lovely, rarely heard song although a slightly low-key note on which to end a mostly stellar performance. Still, who would want to quibble with Ms Ross?

Music

Yorkshire cricket club and a number of people have been charged with bringing the game into disrepute by the sport's bosses over allegations of racism. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has chosen not to name the individuals. The charges relate to breaches of its anti-discrimination code.The board began an investigation last year after former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq accused his teammates and the management of racism.The 31-year-old whistleblower gave harrowing testimony to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee about his experience at the club across two spells between 2008 and 2014 and 2016 to 2018. He told MPs he felt "isolated, humiliated at times" due to the bombardment of racism he suffered and the "constant uses of the word p***'". In response to the ECB's charges, Yorkshire CCC said it is reviewing them and will cooperate with the CDC. More on Azeem Rafiq Six members of Yorkshire Cricket Club fired in racism scandal win unfair dismissal claims Yorkshire County Cricket Club signs 'Clean Slate' stadium deal after racism scandal Yorkshire's ban on hosting cricket internationals at Headingley lifted after racism scandal prompts changes It added: "For clarity, YCCC notes that the allegations relate to charges as far back as 2004 up until 2021 and the Club will need the cooperation of those in position during this time in order to fully consider and respond to the matters raised." Analysis: ECB charges are a reminder cricket's racism scandal is far from over When international test match cricket resumes at Headingley next week it could easily be seen as job done at Yorkshire. Difficult expensive decisions have been taken, new faces have arrived and big gestures have been made. Not least the new sponsors - the Indian media firm “Clean Slate.” The name, and fairly unsubtle message, is now up everywhere around Yorkshire’s famous old ground. The ECB charges are a reminder though that cricket’s racism scandal that started here is far from over. Accountability is still being sought. While everyone is entitled to a fair hearing it’s also about the authorities trying to prove they meant what they said on acting on racism. That’s their job - anyone with a degree of realism knows this stuff in engrained in some people. You don’t just change it overnight - it’s a long hard slog. Rafiq says he would prefer hearing to be public Rafiq has welcomed the ECB's announcement but said he would prefer the hearing to take place publicly."This has been another gruelling but unfortunately necessary process. It has been a long two years since I went public about my experiences, but I hope this all means that no young player ever goes through such pain and alienation again," he added.Rafiq's allegations prompted wholesale changes at Headingley and forced the ECB to vow to take action and introduce a 12-point plan to tackle racism in the game.In the wake of the allegations 16 members of staff were sacked.Six members of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, including the former head coach, Andrew Gale, won an unfair dismissal claim against the club last Wednesday.Rafiq's testimony In Rafiq's testimony, former England internationals Matthew Hoggard, Tim Bresnan, Alex Hales and Gary Ballance had all been subject to fresh claims of racial discrimination.Ballance, who is still with Yorkshire but has not played yet this season, has apologised for using a racial slur towards Rafiq but Rafiq said in March that he had not received an apology directly from Ballance.Hoggard has apologised to Rafiq, while Bresnan has apologised for bullying Rafiq but has categorically denied making racist comments.Nottinghamshire batsman Alex Hales categorically denied after the DCMS hearing last November that there was any racial connotation to him naming his dog Kevin.Read more:Rafiq calls for 'total clear-out' of Yorkshire leadershipEngland Test captain vows to change cricket's dressing room cultureRafiq meets Holocaust survivor after antisemitic messages revealedRafiq alleged that Ballance used the word "Kevin" as a derogatory term towards people from ethnic minority backgrounds.Rafiq has also alleged that former England captain and ex-Yorkshire teammate Michael Vaughan had said to him and a group of players of Asian origin in 2009 that there were "too many of your lot" at Yorkshire and that "we need to do something about it".Vaughan has categorically denied making that comment.Another former cricketer, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, corroborated Rafiq's claim, as did current England player Adil Rashid.A fourth player, Ajmal Shahzad, said he had no recollection of the comment Vaughan is alleged to have made.

Other Sports

Is it better to be lucky or good? How about being both? As the Warriors sit one win away from a fourth title in eight years, it’s important not only to recognize the faith, determination, and incredible talent necessary to achieve such a feat, but also to make note of the good fortune that has befallen Golden State amid this rise to greatness. Specifically, the good fortune that the Minnesota Timberwolves have bestowed upon them. It’s good to spot a mark and to repeatedly exploit the mismatch both on and off the court. The Warriors — consciously or through serendipity — found their mark with the T-Wolves. And if they raise the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the coming days, Minnesota’s front office should get a special shoutout amid the celebration. Not only did Minnesota fail to draft Steph Curry, despite having not one but back-to-back picks above the No. 7 spot, where the Warriors selected him. No, they also failed to finalize a deal that would have brought Klay Thompson to the Twin Cities and then, in 2020, traded the Warriors not just Andrew Wiggins, but also a first-round pick that became Jonathan Kuminga for D’ Angelo Russell. Do you think Russell would have been part of a Warriors’ championship push? If you do, you didn’t pay any attention to the lost season of 2019-20. Three big decisions, three team interactions, and each worked out, without question, in the Warriors’ favor. Each has an overt impact on these Finals. There’s a lot of legend around the first Minnesota mistake — the biggest Minnesota mistake: not drafting Curry. Of course, four other teams failed to secure one of the greatest players in NBA history, but Minnesota, by virtue of having two picks ahead of the Warriors and using one of those picks on Jonny Flynn, who busted out of the league in three years, puts the Timberwolves in the spotlight. So why didn’t Timberwolves general manager David Kahn draft Curry with either pick No. 5 or No. 6? It’s been alleged that Curry threatened to not sign with the Timberwolves. Those rumors don’t hold up to scrutiny, though. Nor do the claims that the T-Wolves didn’t draft Curry, an avid golfer, because Minnesota has a short in-season golf window. The truth is that Minnesota didn’t think Curry was big or strong enough; that his greatest skill, 3-point shooting, either wouldn’t translate or wouldn’t be worthy of an early pick. Perhaps the Timberwolves felt justified in their choice in the early portion of Curry’s career, where constant ankle injuries kept him on the sidelines. But 13 years later, we’re still talking about it. Clearly, it didn’t work out for Minnesota. There’s also a great deal of legend around the Warriors and Timberwolves’ trade negotiations in 2014. The baseline of the deal was Thompson for Kevin Love. A blockbuster, no doubt. There was a time when a true power forward could be a top player in this league, kiddos. Asking about it years a later, with the Warriors on the right side of history, there’s an admittance that Golden State had serious interest in the move. But then-advisor Jerry West shut it down. He threatened to quit if the Warriors traded Thompson, such was his belief in the then not-yet-broken-out Splash Brother. Steve Kerr, just hired as the team’s head coach, concurred, he wasn’t going to leave a job he just got as retaliation, though. The fact that it came to a vote tells you how far negotiations were. Had Minnesota sweetened the pot a bit, who knows, they might have been able to convince the Warriors to override The Logo and Kerr. Instead, the deal died with West’s threat and history has been kind to the Warriors for that. These teams did make a trade, though — Wiggins and a first-round pick for Russell and some deep-bench role players in February 2020. With Wiggins making a case to be the NBA Finals MVP, it’s fair to say the deal worked out for Golden State. Hell, the upside of Kuminga alone might have been worth the pick. Russell might be a bucket-getter and a friend of Wolves big man Karl Anthony Towns, but for the Warriors, ridding themselves of the point guard was addition by subtraction. (And in the case of trading away Omari Spellman and Jacob Evans, that subtraction saved tens of millions of dollars for the Warriors, as they went under the NBA’s luxury tax line, as to avoid paying repeater tax in the years to come.) Russell was a nice guy, but he wasn’t a winning basketball player. I remember this like it was yesterday: I asked Draymond Green about Russell’s length and athleticism before the start of the 2019-20 season. He had the tools to be a great perimeter defender — so why wasn’t he? Green said that he was going to take Russell under his wing and train him to be the kind of defender the Warriors wanted him to be next to Curry. Three games into the season, three games in which Russell was truly abysmal on defense, I asked Green was asked follow-up question about Russell’s defense. There was a lot of dancing around the issue, but then, after Green started rolling, he delivered the truth: “Some guys just don’t want it.” But Minnesota wanted that guy. And while Wiggins was seen as perhaps the worst contract in the NBA at the time of the trade, the Warriors knew they weren’t going anywhere fast with a secondary point guard who couldn’t play alongside Curry or inside the Warriors’ offensive systems. They figured they would be better off betting on Wiggins’ upside. No harm, no foul. Wiggins, of course, has been a professional since he arrived in Golden State. He was a clear fit from Game 1 of his tenure, too. And while it took him a while to find his groove with the team, now that everyone has been in sync, he’s been a godsend for the Dubs and arguably the best wing in the NBA Finals. That’s kind of a big deal. The fact that a first-round pick was attached to the deal makes it even more comical. Kuminga is the future of the Warriors — a player with the talent (and temperament) to be an All-Star down the line, as Wiggins was this past season. Had any one of these three events not gone the Warriors’ way, there’s no way the Dubs are playing for a championship today. So if the trophy is raised on Thursday, Sunday, or even if the Western Conference crown is all the Dubs win this season, and you’re thanking Curry and Kerr, Bob Myers and Thompson, Wiggins and even Kuminga, give a shoutout to the Timberwolves as well. They had a big hand in building this championship squad. They just had no idea they were doing it.

Basketball

Celebrity | 6/15/2022 9:41 AM PT "As far as people sitting down and playing it [Austin] is one of very few people aside from my grandfather." An honor few have ever been bestowed, the Presley Family allowed Austin Butler to play the strings of Elvis Presley's famed guitar. Riley Keough took to Instagram to share a few photos of the intimate experience when the 30-year-old "Elvis" actor visited Graceland in Tennessee over the weekend. Keough described the weekend as "such a special and overwhelming experience I haven't quite processed." "One of many sweet things that happened while we were there- Austin played my grandfather’s guitar in the house," she continued. "This guitar hasn't been played by many people. I know it was tuned by @paulmccartney once, but as far as people sitting down and playing it @austinbutler is one of very few people aside from my grandfather." Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. The Presley family have raved about Butler's performance as the late King in Baz Luhrman's new biopic. Back in May, Lisa Marie Presley gave the movie her stamp of approval and grieved the loss of her son Benjamin Keough who she regrets wasn't able to see the film after his passing. She shared her thoughts on the biopic in a powerful statement to Instagram. "I haven't posted in quite some time because there really isn't much to say, as I am and will forever be mourning the loss of my son," she opened her message, which accompanied the movie poster for the new film, out June 24. "Navigating through this hideous grief that absolutely destroyed and shattered my heart and my soul into almost nothing has swallowed me whole." Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. She said that while she mostly devotes her time to her other children at this point, she did take the time to see Lurhmann's film "twice now," calling it "nothing short of spectacular" and "absolutely exquisite." Lisa had nothing but praise for Butler in the lead role, embodying the youthful energy of Elvis as he changed the face of music forever. "Austin Butler channeled and embodied my father’s heart and soul beautifully," she wrote. "In my humble opinion, his performance is unprecedented and FINALLY done accurately and respectfully." She even said she felt the performance was Oscar-worthy, saying if he didn't score the actual trophy, "I will eat my own foot, haha." Again using the word "finally," which says a lot about her opinion of so many of the previous projects that attempted to tell her father's story, Lisa Marie said that you could "feel and witness" the "pure love, care, and respect" that Lurhmann had for his subject matter throughout the film. She added that the final project is something the Presley family "can be proud of forever."

Celebrity

SAN FRANCISCO — Almost lost in the Giants 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals the previous evening was another outing where relief pitcher Tyler Rogers had Oracle Park fans at the edge of their seats. And not in a good way. Taking over for Logan Webb to begin the eighth inning with a 3-0 lead, Rogers gave up three hits and two runs (one earned), putting the Giants in a precarious position in a game that appeared in the bag. Rogers turned in one of the best seasons by a reliever in the National League in 2021, pitching in a league-high 80 games and going 7-1 with 13 saves and a 2.22 earned run average. Currently, Rogers stands at 0-2 with no saves and an ERA at 5.40. “You’ve just got to tell yourself to keep sticking with your strengths,” Rogers said Wednesday before the Giants closed out a nine-game homestand with a getaway day game against the Royals. “It’s a round ball, round bat.” While Rogers hasn’t gotten nearly the same results, there are statistical indicators that he’s pitched in some tough luck. That was never more evident than pitching one-third of an inning against the New York Mets on May 24 and giving up seven hits and seven earned runs in a game the Giants won 13-12. The Mets didn’t exactly wear the ball out, with all manner of bloop hits and seeing-eye ground balls finding open spaces rather than Giants’ gloves. Such is the life of a pitch-to-contact reliever. Rogers relies on soft contact, and sometimes soft contact isn’t enough to prevent base hits. Rogers would love to tell you he has the same outlook and concentration on every pitch whether things are going well or going poorly, although it’s not necessarily the whole truth. “I’d like to stand here and say it’s the same thing but it probably isn’t,” Rogers said. “You have to have that mindset that the ones that roll through are going to even out and there will be a rocket hit right at somebody or something. You’ve got to play those odds.” Asked if things have begun to even out this year, Rogers said flatly, “No.” There are numbers that back up the theory that Rogers for the most part has simply had bad luck. His hard-hit rate of 27 percent is in the top three of major league baseball. Opponents are hitting .307 against him but the “expected” average based on contact is .255. His .5.40 ERA is accompanied by an “expected” ERA of .297. The solution for manager Gabe Kapler is a simple one. Keep sending Rogers out there. “I think for Tyler, it’s all a mindset,” Kapler said. “Tyler is going to be at his best when his wins are smaller. `I deliver a sinker or slider in the location I wanted, I got the weak contact I wanted on the ground.’ That’s the win. The win is not us converting it into an out. The win is not avoiding an earned run. “It’s the process of every pitch, so the frustration of the ball going through the hole — again — doesn’t start to creep in.” There was evidence of some frustration Tuesday night against the Royals when Rogers didn’t properly back up the plate after a base hit and wasn’t in position to field an overthrow from centerfielder Austin Slater. “We’re working with Rodge to keep that mindset even in a time of turmoil where things haven’t gone his way so far this season,” Kapler said. “I’m very confident that if we keep giving him opportunities — and we will — he’s going to capitlize on those. He’s going to buzz through the toughest part of lineups and we’re going to go, `How did he just do that against the nastiest part of the other team’s lineup?’ ” ROSTER NEARING FULL STRENGTH With Brandon Belt having returned from a knee strain and in the lineup at designated hitter, Kapler is enjoying the flexibility he hasn’t always enjoyed this season due to injuries. “The last couple of days, for the first time, our bench kind of feels deep,” Kapler said. “There’s interesting ways to mix and match. Today we have some righties on the bench, sort of how we envisioned this. (Austin) Slater and (Darin) Ruf) and (Evan) Longoria on the bench at the same time. It gives you a lot of options if Amir Garrett is in the game, which he might be.” Garrett, a reliever, is the lone lefty on the Royals roster LINEUP Luis Gonzalez RF Mike Yastrzemski CF Wilmer Flores 3B Joc Pederson LF Brandon Belt DH Thairo Estrada 2B Brandon Crawford SS Tommy La Stella 1B Curt Casali C Sam Long P

Baseball

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! George Washington University’s sports teams will no longer be known as the Colonials.The school said in an announcement Wednesday the school’s board of trustees and a special committee determined the name Colonials "can no longer serve its purpose as a name that unifies." The George Washington Colonials' logo on the floor before a first-round Atlantic 10 women's basketball tournament game against the Richmond Spiders at the Smith Center March 3, 2020, in Washington, D.C. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)The school said the process to change the name began in 2019, adding the special committee "found that the Colonials moniker does not adequately match the values of GW and can no longer serve its purpose as a name that unifies the community." Additionally, the committee said when the nickname was adopted in 1926, those who chose it lacked "thoughtful university-wide consideration."CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMThe committee outlined why those who favored the nickname supported it, saying it was a term for those who lived in the American colonies before the U.S. became independent and for those who fought for independence. The committee said that for those who opposed it, "Colonials means colonizers who stole land and resources from Indigenous groups, killed or exiled Native peoples and introduced slavery into the colonies."The committee said George Washington "firmly rejected" the term colonial, and the term itself "was not used during the 1607-1776 Colonial era, and it did not become popular until the Colonial Revival period of the late 19th and 20th centuries." The George Washington Colonials mascot performs in the second half against the Massachusetts Minutemen during the second round of the 2022 Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament at Capital One Arena March 10, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (G Fiume/Getty Images)FLASHBACK: QUIDDITCH LEAGUES SEEK NAME CHANGE TO BREAK FROM JK ROWLING'S 'ANTI-TRANS' VIEWS, AVOID MARKETING OBSTACLES"The board recognizes the significance of changing the university’s moniker, and we made this decision only after a thoughtful and deliberate process that followed the renaming framework and special committee recommendation that considered the varying perspectives of our students, faculty, staff, alumni and athletics community," board Chair Grace Speights said in a statement. "A moniker must unify our community, draw people together and serve as a source of pride. We look forward to the next steps in an inclusive process to identify a moniker that fulfills this aspiration."President Mark S. Wright said the school must "continue to lead with our values, strengths and the diversity" of the community."I was impressed by the principled and collaborative approach of the special committee, and it was clear this process was driven by research and robust engagement with the community. While some may disagree with the outcome, this process has determined that changing the moniker is the right decision for our university."The moniker came under fire in 2019 after a student-led petition surfaced calling for the nickname to be changed. The nickname Colonials is "extremely offensive by not only students of the university, but the nation and world at large," the petition said.A new nickname will be unveiled before the start of the 2023-24 academic school year.Over the last few years, pro sports teams and colleges have been under pressure to change their nicknames over objections. The George Washington Colonials logo on a uniform during the second round of the 2022 Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament at Capital One Arena March 10, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (G Fiume/Getty Images)The Washington Redskins changed to the Washington Football Team and then to the Washington Commanders. The Cleveland Indians changed to the Cleveland Guardians. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe Nebraska Cornhuskers altered Herbie Husker to separate itself from an alleged White supremacy link. PETA called on baseball to change the name of the bullpen to "arm barn." Quidditch leagues sought to change the name of their sport to break from "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling. And even the Texas Rangers were called on to change their name. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to Ryan.Gaydos@fox.com.

Other Sports

MLB Ump Nate Tomlinson Struck In Face By Trout's Broken Bat ... Leaves Game Bloodied 6/15/2022 6:31 AM PT Scary moment on the MLB diamond Tuesday ... an MLB ump was struck near his eye by a shattered bat -- but somehow, it appears the official is going to be OK. The frightening scene happened in the ninth inning of the Dodgers' game against the Angels in L.A., when Mike Trout was at the dish looking to bring the Halos back from a 2-0 deficit. — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 15, 2022 @BleacherReport On a 3-2 count, Trout smacked a ball so hard, his bat shattered ... and a large piece of the splintered lumber hit home plate ump Nate Tomlinson right in the face. You can see in video from the game's broadcast, Tomlinson was nearly stabbed in the eyeball by the bat's jagged edge, and he immediately crumpled to the ground. Home plate umpire Nate Tomlinson is hit with a broken bat from Angels Mike Trout in the face and would leave the game in the 9th against the Dodgers during a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. @dodgers #dodgers @angels #angels @mlb #mlb #baseball @billplunkettocr pic.twitter.com/869n1sdIA3— Keith Birmingham (@photowkb) June 15, 2022 @photowkb Trainers raced to Tomlinson's aid, and video shows he was bleeding from several areas of his head. Tomlinson was forced to leave the game -- but, fortunately, he walked off under his own power. Second base umpire Laz Diaz eventually filled in for Tomlinson for the last few outs of the game. Trout, who ultimately singled on the play, was left stunned by the scene. His Angels would go on to lose the game, 2-0. Get well soon, Nate.

Baseball

Sunday Morning June 15, 2022 / 12:06 PM / CBS News The 2022 Tribeca Festival continues to unspool, in New York City and — in some cases — in your home, with selected films, events and VR available for viewing via the Tribeca At Home platform.This year's festival, which runs through June 19, includes 111 feature films from 40 countries. While only some features have been previewed at press time, below are several highlights. More reviews will be published as the festival continues. (Films accessible through the At Home platform can be watched through June 26.) For more highlights, read Part 1 and Part 2 of our Tribeca coverage. Features: Julia Akkerman and Johan Leysen, as a daughter confronting her father who plans to end his own life, in the Dutch dramedy "Pink Moon." Urban Sales "Pink Moon" (World Premiere) Dutch filmmaker Floor van der Meulen, who directed the 2019 documentary "Last Male Standing" (about the last male northern white rhino on Earth) takes a different stab at mortality in this unsentimental dramedy about a father and widower who informs his two grown children that he has decided to end his life on his own terms, by way of a mysterious powder mixed into his yogurt. Though not suffering from any health issues, he is instead ruled by the conviction that avoiding a 76th birthday — "checking out" while still possessing all his faculties — will avoid an anticipated decline and loss of agency. His son, Ivan, and daughter, Iris, each take this news differently, which creates divisions between siblings who are now tasked with the legal logistics of enacting dad's final wishes. But Iris, who works for an NGO dedicated to saving lives (and whose own life is punctuated by fits of morose depression, alcohol and indiscriminate sex) finds it especially hard to let go, and decides to move in with her dad in the hopes of altering his plans. The performances of Julia Akkerman as Iris, Eelco Smits as Ivan, and Johan Leysen as the father are all first-rate. The film's subtext is of course quite heavy, but the screenplay (by Bastiaan Kroeger) and van der Meulen's direction adroitly balance drama and humor in the face of a family that risks splintering over the finality of death, a patriarch's stubbornness, sibling rivalry and the immutable deprivations of time lost. Indeed, van der Meulen makes so many right choices (including an astonishing 14-minute tracking shot that smoothly carries the characters' constantly shifting emotional weight) that it's inspiring to note this is only her first feature-length fiction film. May there be many more. In Dutch with English subtitles. Screens in-person June 15. Screens at-home beginning June 15. Ticket info. To watch a trailer for "Pink Moon" click on the video player below: by on Vimeo "You Can Live Forever" (World Premiere)When a family crisis prompts the teenage Jamie to move in with her aunt and uncle, devout Jehovah's Witnesses living in a small Canadian town, she finds their community and the Witnesses' strict precepts to be isolating. Then, she develops a close bond with Marike, the daughter of a church elder. Their friendship stirs a queer attraction that both girls find liberating, and which the community defines as a threat, forcing the girls to make monumental, life-changing choices. Writer-directors Sarah Watts and Mark Slutsky avoid shaming or making easy villains in their tender, low-key drama about young people figuring out how to define the boundaries of their lives, their desires, and their responsibilities to family and faith. Anwen O'Driscoll gives a standout performance as the unapologetic Jamie, whose defensive teen surliness is casually chipped away by the friendship and longing of Marike, played passionately by June Laporte. They get excellent support from the rest of the cast: Liane Balaban and Antoine Yared as Jamie's aunt and uncle, Tim Campbell and Deragh Campbell as Marike's father and sister, and Hasani Freeman as a classmate who offers Jamie an emotional refuge. In English and French with English subtitles. Now available to screen at-home through June 26. Ticket info. YOU CAN LIVE FOREVER | Official Trailer | Prospector Films by ProspectorFilms on YouTube "Broadway Rising" (World Premiere)When the COVID-19 outbreak shut down Broadway in March 2020, the unknowables that existed at the time — How bad was the virus? How long would the shutdown last? Would New York theater ever be the same? — affected not just on-stage talent, but also myriad industries that depend upon Broadway productions for their life's blood. In tracing the effects of the pandemic lockdown on the industry over 18 months, Amy Rice interviews producers, actors, musicians, dancers, backstage staff, costumers and dry cleaners, tracing how they dealt with the physical dangers of COVID, the financial stresses and the isolation. In addition to looking at how individuals considered career changes, Rice also examines how the entire industry — once it was stopped dead in its tracks — began reflecting on how the theater world might address years of systemic racism once the curtains rose again. Because, eventually, the show must go on. Screens in-person June 16, 19. Ticket info."Endangered" (World Premiere)"We are moderators of fact, moderators of falsehoods," says Miami Herald photographer Carl Juste, one of several journalists profiled in Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady's riveting documentary that is both invigorating (in its depiction of how the calling to journalism is followed) and depressing (in its recounting of the hazards facing journalists, in America and around the world). As Brazilian reporter Patrícia Campos Mello is personally attacked by President Jair Bolsonaro, Mexican photographer Sáshenka Gutiérrez tear-gassed while covering protests against violence towards women, and Guardian writer Oliver Laughland harassed by Trump supporters in America's heartland, we witness the personal dangers they face while trying to hold those in power accountable. With the attrition of newspapers, the polarization of audiences, the weaponization of propaganda by politicians and corporate interests, and the violence waged against journalists worldwide, the last thing these wielders of truth need is to be labeled "fake news" by those who may be too conflicted, corrupted or ignorant to question the "real news." But when you are fighting to uphold a constitutionally-protected right or advocating for that most human dignity of self-determination, you do what you have to do, even if it means being arrested while the cameras are rolling. Executive produced by Ronan Farrow. Screens in-person June 15, 17. Available to screen at-home through June 26. Ticket info. Debuts on HBO Max June 28. Endangered | Official Trailer | HBO by HBO on YouTube "Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power" (World Premiere)In the 1960s, 80% of the population of Lowndes County, Alabama, was African American — yet not a single Black person was registered to vote. Sam Pollard and Geeta Gandbhir's powerful documentary traces the story of how local grassroots organizers, joined by voting rights advocates from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, created the apparatus and groundswell of popular support to register Americans of color to cast ballots for the first time, in the face of institutional racism and the very real threats of violence just for seeking a place at the table. Through archival footage of such figures as Stokely Carmichael and new interviews with participants in the '60s and '70s activism, we learn how the residents of the poorest county in the country demanded a voice, and of the rise of the Lowndes County Freedom Organization, whose illustrative insignia on billboards and ballots — a roaring black panther — would lead to a nationally-recognized symbol of Black self-determinism. The film is an invaluable addition to the story of how much work was required to access the ballot box, even after blood was spilled on a bridge in Selma and the ink was dry on the Voting Rights Act. Screens in-person June 16, 18. Ticket info. For more info:2022 Tribeca Festival (June 8-19)In: Tribeca Film Festival David Morgan David Morgan is a senior editor at CBSNews.com and cbssundaymorning.com. 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

Movies

The Warriors are one win from a fourth NBA title in eight years. Where that win comes from surely doesn’t matter much to them. As for their last win, ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst said the Game 5 victory to put Golden State on the brink of another championship came from a checkbook. “You don’t just have to beat the Warriors on the court, you have to beat their checkbook,” Windhorst said Monday night, citing the $340 million in payroll the Warriors are paying after luxury tax. “Nothing away from Andrew Wiggins tonight but this was a checkbook win for the Warriors.” In a Wednesday morning interview on 95.7 The Game, Windhorst insisted he didn’t intend to deride the Warriors with the comment, though that’s how it was largely taken by Golden State fans. “I was giving the Warriors a compliment for being able to stick with spending through their rebuild, and that’s why they have the depth on this team,” Windhorst said on the Morning Roast with Bonta Hill and Joe Shasky. “Nobody would argue that Bob Myers and their front office haven’t done a tremendous job, and that Joe Lacob and Peter Guber haven’t done a great job in financing the team, but it is not a level playing field.” “When you play the Warriors, you gotta deal with a fourth man who’s worth $40 million,” he said later. Hill and Shasky pushed back: “It felt like you were picking up water for some of the poor owners who refuse to dip into the luxury tax,” Shasky said. Windhorst pointed to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which pre-emptively traded James Harden away from an NBA Finals-level team to avoid the potential burden of three maximum-level contracts on the roster. He also emphasized that the Warriors’ success itself should be enough for Golden State fans. “Do you think the Yankees apologized for spending a lot of money? The Yankees outspent everybody for decades, they won a bunch more titles and they don’t care,” he argued. “And neither should the Warriors.” In the end, Windhorst and the hosts found something worth agreeing on — that sealing this title just might be more amazing than anything they did during the initial three-title run. “This would be their most remarkable accomplishment,” Windhorst said.

Basketball

Right-hander Kyle Hendricks’ changeup has been a staple of his big-league success.So it’s not a coincidence that the pitch was at the root of shutting down the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night after nearly two-week layoff for the pitcher.A dead arm and shoulder fatigue had sidelined Hendricks, but time off resolved the issue. After nearing a shutout last month against San Diego, Hendricks went five-plus innings and allowed one run while not walking a batter and striking out six batters.[ [Don’t miss] How a new slider helped Glen Ellyn native Eric Stout earn a call up to his childhood-favorite Chicago Cubs ]But the Cubs squandered Hendricks’ outing in a 12-5 loss, which was a season-high eight straight defeat. The bullpen imploded after his departure, allowing all 12 runs to score over the final four innings. Manager David Ross needed three pitchers to get through the seventh inning when the Padres loaded the bases twice with nobody out as they sent 12 batters to the plate in the six-run, go-ahead inning.“I feel back to 100% normal,” Hendricks said. “Fatigued a little bit for sure, maybe a little bit at the end. I left that pitch up and that was maybe the one bad pitch for me. But overall I felt healthwise great and stamina-wise real good there for a while. My stuff and my mechanics felt really good so I’ve got to get back into a routine now and get that pitch count back up.”Right-hander Caleb Kilian will start Wednesday against the Padres, Ross announced after the loss. The Cubs will need to put someone on the injured list to recall the rookie since Kilian hasn’t spent the minimum 15 days in the minors since the team optioned him.Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks during the sixth inning against the Padres on June 14, 2022. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)The Cubs’ scuffling offense wasted Willson Contreras’ stellar performance, which featured a double and his 10th career multi-home run game.Hendricks surrendered a leadoff double in the sixth, prompting a mound visit from Ross. Prior to the inning, they had discussed in the dugout that Hendricks would be going batter-to-batter in the inning. Coming into the game, Hendricks and the Cubs felt comfortable letting him throw in the 85-pitch range. But, at 78 pitches and with a five-run lead, Ross went to the bullpen following the double.“I was watching and it looked like he was running out of gas,” Ross said.The bullpen’s meltdown thwarted Hendricks’ momentum-building start. Of the five relievers used — Chris Martin, Scott Effross, Mychal Givens, Brandon Hughes and Eric Stout — only Hughes did not allow a run. Givens failed to record an out in the seventh, walking three Padres and was charged with four runs allowed.“It’s hard to hard to put my finger on it and sometimes they have a bad night,” Ross said of the bullpen. “They’d been really good. I’m not going to sit up here and make some excuse or something. They weren’t good. They’ll be back in there tomorrow night.”[ [Don’t miss] A bruised finger doesn’t stop Justin Steele in a much-needed start for the Chicago Cubs: ‘The pain was manageable’ ]Getting Hendricks right is important after his ups and downs dating to the start of last season.“Kyle was fantastic, I couldn’t ask for more,” Contreras said. “He battled. He execute every pitch that was called.”His changeup appears to be the key to unlocking better consistency, and the Cubs need that to carry over. He threw 40% changeups Tuesday, his highest Pitch% in 12 starts this year. He hadn’t thrown a higher percentage in a start since Sept. 16. Hendricks tallied nine whiffs on the Padres’ 17 swings against his changeup.“There’s some things that we tried to identify in his downtime of getting back to what he is,” Ross said. “I want him to continue to do that and let the other teams figure out what the difference is, but I thought he got back to a lot of the ways that he’s had success this year.”Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks delivers during the first inning against the Padres on June 14, 2022. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Hendricks is known for how frequently he throws in between starts and values getting work in off a mound. But “for a guy that wants to throw a lot, it’s kind of hard at times,” to take the proper rest needed, Hottovy said. Based on the off days last week, the Cubs had targeted Hendricks to return Tuesday while also considering Sunday’s series finale at Yankee Stadium.The Cubs opted to not put Hendricks on the injured list because of rotation flexibility with scheduled off days and optimism he wouldn’t need to be sidelined too long. If they had needed his active roster spot, maybe the Cubs would have taken a different path to getting Hendricks the rest he needed for his arm and shoulder to bounce back.“Once we hit that point where he felt like he was recovering well and it wasn’t taking as much to get loose, then we were ready to push it with some bullpens and stuff,” Hottovy said. “And once he got to the bullpens, we can get pitch data or you can get more information to kind of get a clearer picture of where he is.“We were holding out hope that there was a chance he’d be back a little bit sooner but, in the end, I think we made the right decisions with getting him ready.”[ [Don’t miss] 3 thoughts on the Chicago Cubs, including being ‘patient’ with Seiya Suzuki’s slow recovery and the Jason Heyward roster conundrum ]Getting Hendricks back is a boost after the loss of three veteran starters to the IL. Wade Miley’s left shoulder was examined Monday and he’s been prescribed rest. He will then be reevaluated and given a throwing program. The Cubs felt confident he had fully healed from the shoulder strain when he came off the IL Friday and he felt good until one pitch to Josh Donaldson.Hottovy said the Cubs should have a better timetable for Miley’s return next week. He anticipates Miley will need a deliberate ramp up to hit all the checkpoints. Hottovy called it a “blurred line” as to whether Miley reaggravated his previous shoulder injury or suffered a new injury elsewhere in his shoulder.“It’s in a similar area, but he feels it at different points,” Hottovy said. “One he felt it in his extension and then one might be when he’s going into layback external rotation. So, we’ve got to let that area calm down and figure out what we’re actually dealing with.”

Baseball

Life in plastic with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling? It's fantastic. It’s a Barbie world, and we’re all just living in it. What seems like a Mattel doll lifetime ago, Margot Robbie confirmed the “Barbie” live-action film adaptation in July 2019, with Greta Gerwig and partner Noah Baumbach co-writing the script. Gerwig was later announced to be directing the film. The news marked the famed blonde-haired doll’s 60th anniversary. “Barbie” will premiere in theaters on July 21, 2023. Robbie, who will star as Barbie opposite Ryan Gosling’s Ken, is slated to produce the film through her production company LuckyChap Entertainment. Mattel Films and HeyDay Films will co-produce. The “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” star admitted that the film “comes with a lot of baggage and a lot of nostalgic connections” to honor the doll’s legacy. “But with that come a lot of exciting ways to attack it,” Robbie said to British Vogue. “People generally hear ‘Barbie’ and think, ‘I know what that movie is going to be,’ and then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and they’re like, ’Oh, well, maybe I don’t…’” The Barbie franchise originally was going to make its debut on the big screen courtesy of Diablo Cody, who re-wrote former “Sex and the City” writer Jenny Bicks’ 2014 Sony script, as reported by W Magazine. Amy Schumer boarded the project in 2016, with a new script by Hillary Winston about a woman who is kicked out of “Barbie-ville” due to not meeting its standards of physical perfection. Schumer exited due to “scheduling conflicts” for her film “I Feel Pretty,” but later clarified that there were creative differences behind-the-scenes for the vision of Barbie. “They definitely didn’t want to do it the way I wanted to do it, the only way I was interested in doing it,” Schumer told The Hollywood Reporter. Schumer wanted Barbie to be an “ambitious inventor,” but Mattel and the studio allegedly pushed back that her invention be high heels made of Jell-O. “I felt like I was disappointing my team by not being Barbie,” Schumer recalled, adding that she was sent a pair of Manolo Blahniks to celebrate the film deal at the time. “The idea that that’s just what every woman must want, right there, I should have gone, ‘You’ve got the wrong gal.'” By 2019, Robbie took over the new Warner Bros. production, with Gerwig and Baumbach tapped as screenwriters. While the plot is still kept under wraps, we do know the star-studded cast. Robbie also teased to The Hollywood Reporter that “Barbie” will be “the thing you didn’t know you wanted.” And “Barbie” is already setting a new precedent for adaptations: Mattel and MGM confirmed in June 2021 that Lena Dunham was writing and directing a Polly Pocket movie with Lily Collins in the lead role and serving as a producer. “Polly Pocket was responsible for countless hours of childhood escapism for me — Polly gave me a tiny world of magic and autonomy to narrate, so it’s pretty poetic to be tackling these same ideas now as a director collaborating with the brilliant Lily Collins, Robbie Brenner, Mattel and MGM,” Dunham said, via Deadline. “I’m so thrilled to bring to bear both my love of this historic property and also my deep-seated belief that young women need smart playful films that speak to them without condescension.” Other Mattel Films projects in development include “American Girl,” “Barney,” “Hot Wheels,” “UNO,” and “Masters of the Universe.” In the meantime, find out all there is to know about the “Barbie” film below. Meet Barbie and Ken All hail the casting gods for this live-action “Barbie” world. Producer Margot Robbie will play the titular Barbie, with Ryan Gosling co-starring as Barbie’s iconic love interest Ken. If Robbie’s “Wolf of Wall Street” wardrobe is any indication of the Barbie-verse, we already know Robbie can rock an all-pink ensemble in the rumored plotline of Barbie escaping her doll fantasy world only to find herself overwhelmed with reality. Robbie made her producing debut with “I, Tonya,” later serving as executive producer for Hulu’s “Dollface” and Netflix’s “Maid.” Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment production company was also behind Harley Quinn film “Birds of Prey” and critically acclaimed #MeToo revenge comedy-drama “Promising Young Woman.” “Barbie” is currently in pre-production as of February 2021. Simu Liu Follows up “Shang-Chi” with Doll Dramedy Simu LiuElizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection Simu Liu was officially announced to be joining the “Barbie” cast in February 2021. Liu told Vanity Fair that he didn’t want to be typecast following the success of Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings.” “I was like, ‘If I don’t have something ready to go, it’s going to be “Simu is Shang-Chi,” and that’s it,'” Liu said. “I still feel very much like I’m an outsider in Hollywood…but I’m starting to realize I don’t have to prove to anyone or myself that I deserve to be here. Taking up this space and being unapologetic — these things came a lot easier to me back in the day, when I didn’t have a seat at the table. I was playing a very different game, but I think I’m slowly finding that courage again.” Next move? “Barbie” on the big screen. Kate McKinnon Reunites with “Bombshell” Co-Star Kate McKinnonJason Smith/Everett Collection After playing friends with benefits in “Bombshell,” Kate McKinnon reunites alongside Margot Robbie for “Barbie.” Robbie previously gushed to PRIDE.com about her love for the “Saturday Night Live” breakout star, saying that they just “clicked immediately” after meeting. “We had chemistry so readily there,” Robbie said. “It was so fun to play with Kate. She improvs a lot, and she’s funny and hilarious. She’s so talented, and she’s the nicest person ever. I could talk for an hour about how much I love Kate.” McKinnon is currently portraying “Tiger King” alum Carole Baskin in Peacock limited series “Joe vs. Carole.” America Ferrera Is Ready to Make the Film “Super” America FerreraElizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection “Superstore” alum America Ferrera joined the “Barbie” ensemble cast in January 2022. Ferrera is currently starring as Elishia Kennedy in Apple TV+’s “WeCrashed,” based on the Wondery podcast “WeCrashed: The Rise and Fall of WeWork,” about startup founder Adam Neumann. Ferrera made her film debut in 2002 film “Real Women Have Curves,” going on to star in “Ugly Betty,” “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” and “The Good Wife.” Ariana Greenblatt Continues Her Winning Streak Ariana GreenblattFaye Sadou/MediaPunch/IPx Fresh face Ariana Greenblatt may seem like a newcomer, but the 15-year-old has already landed an impressive resume in just six years of acting. Greenblatt portrayed a young Gamora in “Avengers: Infinity War” before going on to appear in “In the Heights” and “Awake.” Greenblatt is set to star opposite Cate Blanchett in Eli Roth’s “Borderlands,” as well as partnering with Adam Driver for Beck/Woods’ mysterious “65.” Now, she’s entering the “Barbie” world. Alexandra Shipp Joins the Cast Alexandra ShippSipa USA via AP “Tick, Tick…BOOM” star Alexandra Shipp accompanies her “65” co-star Greenblatt to “Barbie.” While Shipp’s “Barbie” role has yet to be revealed, we do know that she can sing thanks to a duet opposite Vanessa Hudgens in “Tick, Tick…BOOM.” Shipp also has filmed “Kung Fury 2” with Michael Fassbender and will appear in Kyra Sedgwick’s directorial debut “Space Oddity.” Will Ferrell Is on Board Will FerrellAP Legendary comic star Will Ferrell announced he was joining “Barbie” in April 2022. The “Shrink Next Door” alum is confirmed to be playing the CEO of a toy company that is rumored to be modeled after Mattel. Seems like Ferrell is back in the toy market after “Elf”! Issa Rae Makes Her Mark Issa RaeSipa USA via AP Following the final season of award-winning HBO series “Insecure,” multi-hyphenate creator Issa Rae joins “Barbie” in an unspecified role, as reported on April 14. The Emmy nominee is currently starring in AppleTV+ anthology series “Roar,” and will also appear in writer-director B.J. Novak’s film “Vengeance.” Rae additionally is set to lead “Empress of Serenity” opposite Bill Hader about a grieving man who embarks on a cruise with his estranged father. Michael Cera Brings His Comedy Style Michael CeraSipa USA via AP “Life After Beth” star Michael Cera continues his 2022 takeover with a new role in “Barbie.” The “Superbad” alum also is in pre-production on comedies “Jonty” and “Sacramento.” “And Just Like That” Hari Nef Is Part of “Barbie” Hari NefAP After stealing scenes as Rabbi Jen on “Sex and the City” revival series “And Just Like That…” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” Hari Nef will star in “Barbie.” While Nef’s role is being kept under wraps, the trans actress has previously starred in “Transparent” and “You.” Nef is currently in pre-production on “L.A. Law” and leads upcoming film “1UP.” Kingsley Ben-Adir Enters Barbie World Kingsley Ben-AdirAP “High Fidelity” and “One Night in Miami…” star Kingsley Ben-Adir officially joins the “Barbie” cast. The news came just weeks after Ben-Adir was confirmed to be playing Bob Marley in a yet untitled biopic, adding to his resumé of playing real-life titans like Barack Obama and Malcolm X. Ben-Adir is also currently filming Marvel Studios’ “Secret Invasion” with Samuel L. Jackson, Olivia Colman, Martin Freeman, Ben Mendelsohn, Cobie Smulders, and Emilia Clarke. Emerald Fennell Is a “Promising” Casting Choice Emerald FennellAP Oscar winner Emerald Fennell was announced as part of the “Barbie” cast. Fennell most recently played Camilla Parker Bowles on “The Crown” and is currently behind-the-camera writing, producing, and directing two upcoming feature films, including DC Comics superhero movie “Zahanna.” Fennell previously won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for 2020’s “Promising Young Woman,” which she also directed. Rhea Perlman and More Round Out the Cast Rhea PerlmanPhillip Faraone/FilmMagic “Cheers” alum Rhea Perlman joined “Barbie,” along with Ncuti Gatwa, Sharon Rooney, Scott Evans, Ana Cruz Kayne, Connor Swindells, Ritu Arya, and Jamie Demetriou. “Bridgerton” Breakout Nicola Coughlan Is Said to Be Joining Nicola CoughlanAP Nicola Coughlan, who is set to lead Season 3 of hit Netflix series “Bridgerton,” is reportedly linked to “Barbie.” Dua Lipa Is Rumored to Be Cast Dua LipaAP British pop star Dua Lipa might have already found her sophomore film feature with “Barbie.” The Grammy winner is already set to make her film debut in Matthew Vaughan’s “Argylle” opposite a star-studded cast including Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Henry Cavill, Samuel L. Jackson, Bryan Cranston, John Cena, Catherine O’Hara, and Ariana DeBose. Yes, the cast list almost rivals that of “Barbie.” Based on the novel by Elly Conway, “Argylle” follows the world’s greatest spy over the course of a globe-trotting adventure. Seems like Lipa’s career is about to be “Levitating” on the big screen… Saoirse Ronan May Be a “Barbie” Saoirse RonanPA Wire/Press Association Images From “Lady Bird” to “Little Women,” Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan is rumored to now be a “Barbie”…literally. Buzz from the 2022 Cannes Film Festival hints that the “Barbie” film will feature various iterations of the famed Barbie and Ken dolls, played by different actors. But we also don’t know how Ronan will find the time to reunite with writer-director Gerwig: She’s already is in the middle of filming the adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s novel “The Outrun” opposite Paapa Essiedu, plus Ronan recently completed whodunnit comedy “See How They Run” with Sam Rockwell and Adrien Brody. And don’t forget “Foe,” which has Ronan paired alongside Paul Mescal as post-apocalyptic farmers. See Ryan Gosling as Ken “Barbie”Warner Bros. Forget Calvin Klein: Ken has his own brand of briefs in a new sneak peek at Ryan Gosling in the iconic role. Gosling returns to his “Place Beyond the Pines” bleach blonde ‘do and dons an acid wash denim suit that shows off his toned chest. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.

Movies

Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty ImagesTwenty-five years after calling off their engagement, Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt are reuniting to talk about...cashmere of all things. The exes sat down recently to discuss Pitt’s latest business venture, and proved the two are on good terms all these years after their very public breakup. Paltrow and Pitt met up in the name of Goop to discuss his brand, God’s True Cashmere, which he started with holistic healer Sat Hari Khalsa. During the conversation, Pitt revealed it was Paltrow’s father, the late television director Bruce Paltrow, who originally introduced him to the wonderful world of soft wool. “I didn’t even know what cashmere was till you and Bruce,” he told Paltrow. “I knew wool to be wool. And that shit’s itchy. But the way you and Bruce spoke about cashmere, I knew it was something.” Pitt continued, saying Bruce also taught him about other luxury items during their time together, including fine wine. “Hanging out with both of you sanded off some of my rough country edges,” he said of the Paltrows. “It tickled my luxury gene that I always had somewhere in there but didn’t have access to.”Pitt and Paltrow in 1996. Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty ImagesBut Pitt’s relationship with Bruce went beyond cashmere and wine. Paltrow revealed during the conversation that Bruce was very excited for the pair to marry. “I’ll never forget when we were engaged and he came to me one day, his eyes full of tears, and he said, ‘You know, I never really realized what they mean when they say you’re gaining a son. Like, I’m gaining a son.’” Pitt and Paltrow started dating around 1994 after meeting on the set of Se7en. They later got engaged, but never made it down the aisle, breaking up in 1997. Because of that, Bruce didn’t end up gaining Pitt as a son, but Pitt surmised that everything seemed to work out in the end. “I finally found the Brad I was supposed to marry. It just took me 20 years,” Paltrow said, referring to her husband Brad Falchuk, whom the actress married in 2018. Pitt then added, “It’s lovely to have you as a friend now...and I do love you,” to which Paltrow responded, “I love you so much.”

Celebrity

Image: Gareth Cattermole (Getty Images)While Kathleen Kennedy did confirm that the Star Wars film by Taika Waititi (Thor: Love and Thunder, Jojo Rabbit) would be going ahead, she didn’t mention any of the storylines, characters, or even the timeline it would be set in. Now, Waititi himself has said in an interview with Total Film, that he “would like to take something new and create some new characters and just expand the world, otherwise it feels like it’s a very small story.”Kennedy had previously stated (again, to Total Film) in an exclusive interview during Star Wars Celebration that there was a need “to create a whole new saga.” After the latest trilogy and the extended interconnections between the Palpatine and Skywalker family (which has dominated the universe of Star Wars as we now it for the best part of a century), I tend to agree. While deep lore is an incredibly well for inspiration and will no doubt provide endless fodder for Disney to produce three to four television series per year for the next two decades, I’m ready to move on. Waititi has been known to take franchises and revitalize them. As much as I love Thor, even I will admit that the first two films were… fine. But Thor: Ragnarok was genuinely a blast, bringing in new characters, featuring some of Waititi’s Aotearoa faves (Hi, Rachel House, I love you), and finally introducing more than three colors into a Marvel film. I, personally, would like to propose that Vico Ortiz, who appeared alongside Waititi in the queer romantic comedy, Our Flag Means Death, be given an audition for some kind of Jedi role. They are a huge Star Wars nerd, would make it very gay, and they’ve got 8+ years of fencing experience. Just, you know, if you’re reading this Waititi… think about it. The world is ready for queer Star Wars characters, and not ones that can be edited out for international censors. Now that would be something new.Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Movies

A composite image shows the star-forming region called 30 Doradus, also known as the Tarantula Nebula in this undated handout picture. The background image, taken in the infrared, was captured by the HAWK-I instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) and shows bright stars and light, pinkish clouds of hot gas. The bright red-yellow streaks superimposed on the image come from radio observations taken by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), revealing regions of cold, dense gas that have the potential to collapse and form stars. ESO, ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/Wong et al., ESO/M.-R. Cioni/VISTA Magellanic Cloud survey, with acknowledgment to Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit/Handout via REUTERSRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - Astronomers have peered into a teeming stellar nursery in the Tarantula Nebula - a colossal cloud of gas and dust next door to our galaxy - gaining new understanding of the dynamics of star formation while obtaining a dazzling image of the cosmos.Researchers on Wednesday said their observations offered insight into the interplay between the irresistible force of gravity that drives star formation and the huge amounts of energy that massive young stars inject into their nearby environments that could inhibit stellar birth.The Tarantula Nebula, residing in a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way called the Large Magellanic Cloud, is a web of stars, gas and dust with a diameter around 600 light-years. A light year is the distance light travels in a year - 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comLocated about 170,000 light years from Earth, the Tarantula Nebula is formally named 30 Doradus, referring to a catalog number for objects in the direction of the constellation Dorado.It is called the Tarantula Nebula because some of its architecture appears as glowing filaments of gas, dust and stars reminiscent of spider legs. The nebula's gas composition is similar to the universe's earlier in its history, mostly just hydrogen and helium.The European Southern Observatory released a Tarantula Nebula image showing wispy gas clouds that may be remnants of larger ones ripped apart by energy unleashed by massive young stars."We see stars forming where there is a lot of gas and dust available, and there is definitely a lot of it in the Tarantula Nebula," said astrophysicist Guido De Marchi of the European Space Agency's European Space Research and Technology Centre in the Netherlands, co-author of the research published in the Astrophysical Journal and presented at an American Astronomical Society meeting.The findings were aided by observations using the Chile-based ALMA telescope."Stars form when gas clouds collapse under their own gravity and the gas gets denser and denser. These clouds contract and warm up until the core is hot enough to start the stellar engine, an immense nuclear reactor," De Marchi said."But we always thought that when massive stars - over 100 times more massive than the sun - begin to form they release so much energy that it prevents the infall of more gas, shutting off the fuel for more stars to form. The beautiful observations of the Tarantula Nebula obtained with ALMA now show that where the gas is dense enough it continues to fall unabated and new stars can keep forming. This is interesting and new," he said.De Marchi was referring to a phenomenon called feedback, with massive young stars emitting large amounts of energy into their local environments in the form of photons and high-speed particles. The nebula's primordial composition has fostered the formation of particularly large stars, some 200 times as massive as our sun."The Tarantula Nebula is the most extreme feedback environment that we can observe in detail because it hosts the nearest example of a massive young star cluster," University of Illinois astrophysicist and study lead author Tony Wong said."One of the big mysteries in astronomy is why we are still able to witness stars forming today. Why didn't all of the available gas collapse in a huge burst of star formation that came and went long ago? Observations with ALMA can shine a light on what is happening deep within clouds and help us understand how gravity and feedback compete for influence to keep the rate of star formation under control," Wong added.The nebula's sheer beauty was not lost on the researchers."I personally love the Tarantula Nebula, both scientifically and aesthetically," De Marchi said. "It is just an iconic scene in the sky. I have often wondered what the night would look like if we were on a planet around one of its stars, with colorful bright clouds and strings of gas crisscrossing the sky."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Will Dunham, Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Space Exploration

Tampa Bay: apparently still very good!Well, here we are, back where we started – and closer to having the answer to a question we asked prior to this postseason. With a 2-1 win in Tampa Bay on Saturday night, the Lightning secured their spot in the Stanley Cup final for the third straight year, with captain Steven Stamkos scoring both goals, and are now flirting with all-time greatness.Whatever you make of that winning goal, New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin is to blame for neither the game nor the series result. Shesterkin played a great series. Tampa just does this to teams: they’ve done it 11 straight times in the postseason over the last three years. Whether or not the Rangers were tired from the previous two series, both of which went seven games, Tampa made them look tired. After Games 1 and 2, Tampa out-chanced, out-shot, out-passed and ultimately out-scored, the Rangers. New York were also out-coached – this has also happened a lot to teams facing the Lightning recently. Jon Cooper has a lot to work with, but he’s also an effective communicator: more of a corporate manager than classic hockey coach.Anyway, here’s how it played out on the ice: After being the first team to get back-to-back wins against Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy in three years, the Rangers stopped scoring. New York notched nine goals in the first two games, but managed only five more through the last four – only one of which they scored at even strength. This is just not going to cut it. Tampa Bay is simply too disciplined a team, too willing to play hardcore defense when it counts, and have too good a goalie to rely on your power play to beat them.You have to be capable of out-scoring them in all situations. You have to be a team like the Colorado Avalanche.Avalanche are an offensive machineThere were perhaps only two points during the regular season where the Colorado Avalanche looked like a normal hockey team: at the very beginning, when they struggled out of the gate, and at the very end of it, when they went 1-6 in their last seven games. But that final stretch was either a fluke or an elaborate fake-out. Either way, we should not have been deceived. The reality is that the Avalanche are a marauding hockey machine.Just look what they did to Edmonton. My God. And yet, here’s the thing: even though the Oilers got swept, their offensive performance was pretty good! In most other situations, it would have likely meant winning the series. Take a look at this comparison from JFreshHockey of five-on-five through 60 minute situations.Series 5v5 Microstat Recap: #GoAvsGo defeat #LetsGoOilersIf you like offence, especially off the rush, this was the series for you. The Avs created quantity of... pretty much everything, and while the Oilers produced enough offensively to win most series, they didn't keep up. pic.twitter.com/J6O0Cxq25X— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) June 7, 2022 In fact, Colorado are already an historical powerhouse. As Neil Paine wrote this week at FiveThirtyEight, this Avalanche squad ranks 10th in per-game scoring differential among all Stanley Cup finalists up to the final round and are tied only with, ironically, the 1982-83 Edmonton Oilers for the second-best win percentage. The 2022 Oilers, for their part, are a pretty good hockey team. But the Oilers are not a good enough hockey team to beat the Colorado Avalanche. The team that’s good enough to beat the Avalanche will have to play very disciplined defensive hockey, have a clutch goaltender, and the ability to shut down a powerful offense.Oh, and one other thing: they’ll need to be able to get past Cale Makar. Not an easy thing, because if we learned anything from the Avalanche-Oilers series, it’s that …Makar can see the matrixThe debate regarding the best player in the NHL usually centres on two players: Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid. Understandably so, given their respective goalscoring ability and overall wizardry. Colorado forward Nathan MacKinnon enters this chat from time to time, as well. Yet all along, maybe the best player is actually his teammate, defenseman Cale Makar.Reminder that Cale Makar treats the NHL like Tuesday night beer league, casually sandbagging divisions, eating cookies on the bench. 🍪 pic.twitter.com/USEvehgrhE— Bring Hockey Back (@BringHockeyBack) May 4, 2022 In his 14 playoff games leading up to the final round, Makar has notched 22 points. That includes 10 points during the first-round sweep of the Nashville Predators, the most registered by a defenseman through four playoff games ever. It also includes the five he got in Colorado’s final game against the Oilers, a single-game tally no defenseman has managed in the playoffs since Al MacInnis in 1994. Makar’s closest defensive points competitor this postsseason, Rangers defenceman Adam Fox, had 23 points … but through 20 games. Taking nothing away from Fox, he also wasn’t tasked with covering McDavid. Makar was. And did it without even breaking a sweat.Makar sees the matrix and bends it to his will. Makar is the One.A touch of historyThere’s a superstition surrounding the NHL’s conference championship trophies: that touching either the Clarence Campbell Bowl (West) or the Prince of Wales trophy (East) will curse your team to Stanley Cup doom. It’s also customary that if the team poses with either trophy, they do so with solemn faces. The logic, if you want to call it that, is that it’s not the real thing. The theory is hogwash, of course: plenty of teams who’ve touched either trophy have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. But the tradition is reflective of the fact that nobody really cares about conference championships in hockey. Only the Stanley Cup matters. But it’s still fun to watch a team debate in real-time whether to collectively choose superstitious belief or not – or which version of it.Joe Sakic clearly doesn’t care about the superstition. But can other coincidences carry meaning? As mentioned, this Avalanche team has the best playoff win record since the 1982-83 Oilers going into the Final. As it happens, those Oilers faced the New York Islanders – and got swept. It was the Islanders’ third straight Stanley Cup win, the last time a three-peat happened.Before the series against the Islanders in the spring of 1983, Oilers general manager Glen Sather told the New York Times: “I don’t see that we’re much different than the Islanders. Except that they’ve gone a lot farther than we have. And we’d certainly like to replace them.” Reflecting years later on their loss, the Oilers saw what the differences actually were. “They were a little more disciplined than we were and probably had a better work ethic,” Grant Fuhr said in 2019. “As we walked by the Islander room that year, we got a sense of realization of how hard it is to win,” Wayne Gretzky said. “They weren’t even celebrating, I was thinking ‘They’re exhausted, I guess there’s more to give.’” Paul Coffey said.The Lightning have proven this postseason why they’re the first team since those Islanders to play for a third Cup in a row. Now, here come the Avalanche: a high-scoring, fast, dynamic team from the West. The 80s vibes are strong right now.Will we get a three-peat?I’m lousy at predictions most of the time, but this matchup that’s felt right since the start of the postseason – maybe because it feels like the guard’s about to change. But is now the time? Colorado will give Tampa Bay their toughest challenge yet. They’ll be rested and they’ll be hungry. They’re arguably the toughest opponent the Lightning have faced in the final: they’re a way better team than Dallas or Montreal. The Avalanche can do everything that’s necessary to beat the Lightning, no question. But I don’t think they will. Tampa feel like the deeper team, mentally. And with Brayden Point likely to return, they’ll be deeper offensively, too. Tampa will figure out Colorado – or at least Vasilevskiy will, and that might be all that matters.A couple months ago, my money was on Colorado. Now, I think Tampa Bay will three-peat. But we’ll get six games of great hockey before that.

Hockey

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! George Washington University’s sports teams will no longer be known as the Colonials.The school said in an announcement Wednesday the school’s board of trustees and a special committee determined the name Colonials "can no longer serve its purpose as a name that unifies." The George Washington Colonials' logo on the floor before a first-round Atlantic 10 women's basketball tournament game against the Richmond Spiders at the Smith Center March 3, 2020, in Washington, D.C. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)The school said the process to change the name began in 2019, adding the special committee "found that the Colonials moniker does not adequately match the values of GW and can no longer serve its purpose as a name that unifies the community." Additionally, the committee said when the nickname was adopted in 1926, those who chose it lacked "thoughtful university-wide consideration."CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMThe committee outlined why those who favored the nickname supported it, saying it was a term for those who lived in the American colonies before the U.S. became independent and for those who fought for independence. The committee said that for those who opposed it, "Colonials means colonizers who stole land and resources from Indigenous groups, killed or exiled Native peoples and introduced slavery into the colonies."The committee said George Washington "firmly rejected" the term colonial, and the term itself "was not used during the 1607-1776 Colonial era, and it did not become popular until the Colonial Revival period of the late 19th and 20th centuries." George Washington University is changing their moniker. (George Washington University)FLASHBACK: QUIDDITCH LEAGUES SEEK NAME CHANGE TO BREAK FROM JK ROWLING'S 'ANTI-TRANS' VIEWS, AVOID MARKETING OBSTACLES"The board recognizes the significance of changing the university’s moniker, and we made this decision only after a thoughtful and deliberate process that followed the renaming framework and special committee recommendation that considered the varying perspectives of our students, faculty, staff, alumni and athletics community," board Chair Grace Speights said in a statement. "A moniker must unify our community, draw people together and serve as a source of pride. We look forward to the next steps in an inclusive process to identify a moniker that fulfills this aspiration."President Mark S. Wrighton said the school must "continue to lead with our values, strengths and the diversity" of the community."I was impressed by the principled and collaborative approach of the special committee, and it was clear this process was driven by research and robust engagement with the community. While some may disagree with the outcome, this process has determined that changing the moniker is the right decision for our university."The moniker came under fire in 2019 after a student-led petition surfaced calling for the nickname to be changed. The nickname Colonials is "extremely offensive by not only students of the university, but the nation and world at large," the petition said.A new nickname will be unveiled before the start of the 2023-24 academic school year.Over the last few years, pro sports teams and colleges have been under pressure to change their nicknames over objections. The George Washington Colonials logo on a uniform during the second round of the 2022 Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament at Capital One Arena March 10, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (G Fiume/Getty Images)The Washington Redskins changed to the Washington Football Team and then to the Washington Commanders. The Cleveland Indians changed to the Cleveland Guardians. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe Nebraska Cornhuskers altered Herbie Husker to separate itself from an alleged White supremacy link. PETA called on baseball to change the name of the bullpen to "arm barn." Quidditch leagues sought to change the name of their sport to break from "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling. And even the Texas Rangers were called on to change their name. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to Ryan.Gaydos@fox.com.

Other Sports

Blueface I'm Dropping Swaggy P in the 3rd Round!!! Predicts KO of Nick Young 6/15/2022 6:29 AM PT The upcoming celebrity boxing match between Blueface and former NBA star Nick Young isn't too chummy, and won't be very long -- the "Thotiana" rapper is vowing to put Nick to sleep early! Make no mistake about it, Blueface has already won the July 30 bout in his mind, because he tells TMZ Hip Hop ... "The Famous Cryp is about to be even more famous ... Nick's going down in the 3rd!" Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Earlier this week, TMZ Sports hashed out the details: the proud L.A. natives will both have home ring advantage inside Crypto.com Arena where they will be on the undercard for the Social Gloves event where YouTubers Austin McBroom and AnEsonGib are the main event. Speaking of YouTubers, Blueface has a history of sizing up social media stars for a fight. Remember, he bashed TikToker Kane Trujillo's face in (as well as a random ring-crasher) during a July 2021 bare-knuckle fight. Ex-NFL star, and part-time rapper, Le'Veon Bell is also on the card for July 30, but he's still waiting for a challenger. As for the fight for L.A.'s unofficial celeb belt (which isn't a thing, yet) ... the physical stats are in Swaggy's favor, but Blueface has him beat in-ring experience. If nothing else fails, Drake should have a field day placing wagers!

Celebrity

Actor Chris Evans has criticised people who react negatively to films reflecting traditionally under-represented groups, calling them "idiots" who will "die off like dinosaurs".The Hollywood star voices the young Buzz Lightyear in the animated Toy Story spin-off Lightyear, which has been banned in the United Arab Emirates because it depicts a kiss between two female characters. Speaking about those who are against the move to reflect different groups on screen, Evans told Reuters TV: "The real truth is those people are idiots." Image: Evans voices the young Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story spin-off. Pic: Pixar/Disney "Every time there's been social advancement as we wake up, the American story, the human story, is one of constant social awakening and growth and that's what makes us good," Evans added.Lightyear, the character's origin story, is due to be released in cinemas on Thursday. As well as being banned in the UAE, which includes Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Disney has also been unable to secure permission to show the Pixar film in 13 other Middle Eastern and Asian countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia and Lebanon. The UAE's Ministry of Youth and Culture's Media Regulatory Office has said the film is "not licenced for public screening" due to its "violation of the country's media content standards". More from Ents & Arts Amber Heard says she still has love for Johnny Depp and 'no bad feelings' - and realises she is not a 'perfect' victim Author James Patterson apologises for saying older white male writers face racism Lil Wayne no longer appearing at Strawberries and Creem festival after being denied entry to UK Buzz's close friend in the film is a female space ranger who marries another woman and a scene showing pivotal moments throughout the couple's relationship includes a brief kiss."There's always going to be people who are afraid and unaware and trying to hold on to what was before. But those people die off like dinosaurs," Evans said. "I think the goal is to pay them no mind, march forward and embrace the growth that makes us human."Producer Galyn Susman questioned why viewers "don't get more upset showing failed relationships".She said Lightyear shows a relationship that "lasts an entire lifetime" and is "loving" and "supportive" - showing Buzz "exactly what he doesn't have and that's the whole point"."We should all be so lucky to have that kind of relationship in our life."On Monday, Evans surprised young patients at a pre-release screening for the film, greeting families at London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital at the hospital's CW+ MediCinema - one of six in-hospital cinemas the charity runs in the UK.The Captain America star spent time chatting to patients and signing posters before attending the London premiere later in the evening.

Movies

Hailey Bieber is a busy woman these days, and she sat down with "Good Morning America" to discuss everything from Justin Bieber's recently revealed health condition to her new skin care brand.Last week, her popstar husband took to Instagram to explain that he'd been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a rare neurological disorder which can temporarily paralyze parts of a person's face.While the news was sudden and shocking, Hailey told "GMA" that her husband was "doing really well, and he's getting better every single day. He's feeling a lot better."She continued, "he's going to be totally OK, and I'm just grateful that he's fine."After canceling shows due to his diagnosis, and facing a disease that Dr. Priya Jaisinghani told "GMA" can be "painful and stressful," Hailey said that there had been a lot of fan support and added that the couple is grateful for that."Every single person has sent well wishes, advice, recommendations, and its actually been really amazing," she said.Justin's diagnosis comes on the heels of Hailey's own health struggles: The model experienced a mini-stroke in March."I feel a lot better after that situation. I feel good," she said this week. "I had a procedure done to close this hole in my heart, and I'm just giving my body the time to heal and recover. It was a little hard for me to recover from the procedure -- just giving myself the time to workout again and feel like normal."She also mentioned the challenges of going through both of their health struggles with hopes that people understand what you are going through. "I think it actually opened up a lot of important and amazing conversation."Through it all, Hailey added that the silver lining has been that the struggles have brought her and Justin together and made them a lot closer.Despite the recent hurdles, Hailey has been hard at work, launching her own skin care line called Rhode, the middle name she shares with her mother.The line includes everything from a Peptide Glazing Fluid for radiant glowing skin to a Peptide lip treatment created to nourish lips and leave them soft.Rhode Skincare has been formulated for sensitive skin, and it's vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free and fragrance-free with all products under $30.Speaking about the new line, Hailey said it was something she'd always been extremely passionate about."I went with skin care because I've always had a dream of doing a beauty brand, and for me, skin care felt like it made the most sense because I've always been so passionate about it -- and passionate about a skin care routine," she said. "I would say I'm slightly obsessive over it, and I'm just very routine when it comes to skin care."Hailey, who has been in the modeling industry since she was 17, said she's also developed her own beauty philosophy over the years."As I've gotten older, I feel that I've gravitated a lot more towards less is more -- less makeup, less hair, less everything and I think that's something that I've embraced, and it has made me feel more beautiful than I ever have," she said. Copyright © 2022 ABC, Inc.

Celebrity

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Harry Styles seemingly hinted that he didn't feel cool enough for current girlfriend Olivia Wilde when the two first started dating.While the "Harry's House" singer didn't mention Wilde by name, he opened up about the beginning stages of a relationship on the "Spout" podcast. The host asked Styles about the lyrics to his new song "Cinema."The lyrics read: "I just think you're cool / I dig your cinema / Do you think I'm cool, too? / Or am I too into you?"The podcast host asked Styles if he actually felt that way or if the words were "just lyrics." Harry Styles seems to confirm that he once thought girlfriend Olivia Wilde was too cool for him. (Photo by Neil Mockford/GC Images)HARRY STYLES SAYS TAYLOR SWIFT WASN'T INSPIRATION BEHIND SONG ‘DAYLIGHT’"We are all human," the former One Direction member responded."I think it’s, like, when you like someone, that initial phase. Am I doing things right? Before you get comfortable with each other, and it’s kinda, like, all of that stuff happens at the start of something," Styles elaborated.Wilde and Styles met while working on the film "Don't Worry Darling" in the fall of 2020. The two weren't romantically linked until January 2021 after Styles and Wilde were spotted holding hands at a wedding. Although private about their relationship, Wilde and Styles have both spoken about the relationship without mentioning each other's name. (Photo by Neil Mockford/GC Images)CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERWilde spoke candidly about the scrutiny celebrities can face regarding their relationships in a January cover issue for Vogue."It’s obviously really tempting to correct a false narrative," Wilde said."But I think what you realize is that when you’re really happy, it doesn’t matter what strangers think about you. All that matters to you is what’s real, and what you love, and who you love."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Styles and Wilde have been photographed holding hands and kissing throughout their relationship. (Charles Sykes/Invision)The "Lazarus Effect" actress went on to reveal that she is "happier than [she's] ever been.""In the past 10 years, as a society, we have placed so much more value on the opinion of strangers rather than the people closest to us. I’m happier than I’ve ever been. And I’m healthier than I’ve ever been, and it’s just wonderful to feel that." Lauryn Overhultz is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital.

Celebrity

TOKYO (AP) — For Quinn, a midfielder for the Canadian women's soccer team, the opening match of the Tokyo Games carried more emotional weight than their previous Olympic appearances. Quinn became the first openly transgender athlete to participate in the Olympics when they started on Wednesday night in Canada's 1-1 draw with Japan in Sapporo.

Soccer

Amber Heard I Still Love Johnny ... Even After Court Loss 6/15/2022 6:47 AM PT NBC Amber Heard says she has a lot of mixed feelings about Johnny Depp post-trial, but one of those feelings is apparently love ... even after all of the nasty back and forth. The final clip from actress' sit-down with "Today" aired Wednesday, and a range of topics was covered ... including where her ex lies in heart. According to Amber, JD is still near and dear, to some degree -- despite the fact he took her to court and won $8.35M. 6/14/22 NBC Savannah Guthrie references Amber's own words about Johnny -- a statement in which she said she still has love for him -- and asks if it's true today. AH says it is. Amber was also asked if she feels like Johnny has succeeded in ruining her globally -- as he alluded to over text once -- and she says yes, going on to say she feels like he could sue her again if she isn't careful. 6/14/22 NBC Savannah asks about Amber's young daughter and how she plans on explaining this to her one day ... Amber says she'll tell her the truth, and be okay with it knowing she did the right thing, as she believes she's on the right side of history. At one point in the full interview, Amber is asked about credibility -- including her $7 million pledge to the ACLU, which she hasn't completed -- and while she notes she shouldn't have had to make that to be believed, AH acknowledges that might've played a factor in the jury ruling against her. As Savannah notes, the trial was all about character and trustworthiness. The entire interview will air on "Dateline NBC" this week in what the network says is extra, unaired footage touching on evidence Amber believes should've made it in the case.

Celebrity

Darth Vader pursues his old teacher in 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' on Disney Plus. Credit: Disney I am worried about the future of Star Wars under Disney and the current Lucasfilm leadership. There have been three live-action TV shows on Disney+ since that streaming service launched and only one of them has been any good. Granted, The Mandalorian was very good—and the bits and pieces in The Book Of Boba Fett that focused on Mando were also quite good. But the rest? Boba Fett was a storytelling disaster. The show kept introducing cool stuff and then promptly sweeping it away. Hey look, twin Hutts have arrived to take Jabba the Hutt’s massive galaxy-spanning crime organization as their own! Oh wait, nevermind they’re leaving because, uh, this crime syndicate of fish people want Jabba’s empire which, by the way, is just Mos Espa now or something. Oh cool, we’re getting some interesting Dances With Wolves stuff with the Sand People and Boba Fett—nope, nevermind, they’re all dead now so that he can have some revenge motivation. Against the fish people. And on and on like that. Boba Fett introduced neat ideas and dropped them just as quickly. Worse, it made the main character dull and uninspiring. Gone was the mysterious bounty hunter whose face you never saw. Boba Fett barely wore a helmet the entire series (like a certain Space Marine I can think of). Now, in Disney’s third live-action Star Wars TV show, they’re making Obi-Wan as dull and useless as Boba Fett. Granted, he’s done a bit more over the past two episodes—he remembers how to swing a lightsaber, at least—but it’s not much. In Episode 5 we have the Third Sister telling Darth Vader that the tracker she put on Leia’s droid has located the planet where Obi-Wan has fled to—presumably also where the fledgling rebel base is located. He tells her to kneel and refers to her as the Grand Inquisitor. I was immediately annoyed by this, but I’ll get to why my feelings about it changed (though remained in the ballpark of annoyance). At first, it just seemed way too easy for Reva to climb the ranks. She hasn’t captured Obi-Wan yet, she’s just tracked him somewhere. I was right—it was too easy. More on that in a minute. Obi-Wan, Leia and Tala and the rest of the rebels show up at the base and Leia’s droid immediately goes and sabotages the hangar opening, trapping everyone inside. I guess the tracker is more than just a tracker. The reason they go here instead of Alderaan to return Leia is vague, but it’s mostly so they can recreate the final sequence of The Last Jedi, only worse. Darth Vader Credit: Lucasfilm Last week I pointed out that the show essentially copied both A New Hope (and the rescue of Leia from the Death Star) and the video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (and the final mission where Cal Kestis goes to the Fortress Inquisitorius)—only it made both sequences less fun and unique. One might argue that these were merely homages to previous Star Wars stories, but I think it went further than that, actually cribbing ideas from other movies/games rather than coming up with a more unique story. Well, at the end of The Last Jedi we have Rey and Finn and Leia and the rest of the heroes trapped on a planet in a similar bunker with the forces of the First Order arrayed outside trying to get in. In Obi-Wan we get the exact same scene minus Kylo Renn’s formidable forces and the Force projection trick Luke plays on his nephew. It’s just a very watered down version. Later in the episode, as the rebels escape, we learn that their transport ship’s hyperdrive is busted, and the bad guys are following them. It’s only a matter of time, I suspect, before they run out fuel! What heady drama! Star Wars copies itself all the time—see, Death Star #1, #2 and Starkiller Base—but it’s just bizarre how much of it goes on in Obi-Wan. There are six short episodes to get through and so far almost none of it feels original in the slightest. Even Leia is just a second-hand Baby Yoda—but unlike Grogu, who mostly gets into trouble, Leia often saves the day despite being a tiny child. In any case, the bad guys show up led by Reva and they start trying to get through the base door. It’s basically Reva, about 64 stormtroopers standing in ragged lines, and a couple heavy gunners with one heavy gun. Inside, in order to fix the hangar controls Leia has to climb up into the vent to save the day. Apparently none of the children or smaller aliens on this planet have ever been in the vents! Why are the breakers in the vents anyways? Obi-Wan talks to Reva through the door and she reveals a shocking twist (that nobody could have predicted!) She was, in fact, one of the padawans that Anakin killed at the outset of Order 66 but she survived and somehow worked her way into their ranks in order to get revenge on Vader. This might all work if I found Reva at all convincing, but she’s not and she plays her cards way too soon. Obi-Wan ends up turning himself over to Reva and basically tells her he’s bringing Vader to her, not having her bring him to Vader. She’ll have him right where she wants him or some such. Then, Obi-Wan gets away before Vader arrives and races back to the rebel transport. Vader shows up and gets there just as the transport is taking it off, and like Rey in Rise of Skywalker, yanks it back down to the ground. He tears the sides of the ship off to find that it’s empty. Another ship takes off a second later—the one with everyone on it. Vader is too spent at this point to yank down a second ship, or something. I guess he also didn’t take time to reach out with the Force to see if Obi-Wan was actually on that ship or not. It’s cool to see Vader’s power on full display but much less cool to have it all be a trick. Reva, at this point, walks up behind him and her red lightsaber springs into action. She swings but he easily stops her, with little more than the flick of his wrist. I’m not sure why she didn’t at least try to just pop the lightsaber up pressed against the back of his neck or skull, where it would have flashed right through him in a killing blow rather than alert him with the sound. He probably would have stopped that, too. He’s Darth Vader! The following fight scene was good. Vader toys with Reva menacingly. She’s no much for him, not even close. He stabs her through the chest. The actual Grand Inquisitor shows up and mocks her, sneering that her thirst for revenge was useful before it became tiresome. I’m not sure how it was every particularly useful given they still haven’t found Obi-Wan but okay. I’m also not sure why Reva would play such a long game and then throw it away. She could have struck while Vader was distracted yanking down the transport but she waited for no reason. She tossed a plan a decade in the making away. Also, why did they leave her alive? Surely the Inquisition would have taken her to be tortured and executed—not left to possibly recover and heal up. Earlier I noted that making her Grand Inquisitor so quickly felt too easy. Well, this was all an elaborate trick they played on Reva so nevermind. It was too easy. But how could Reva herself not ever sense this or worry that she was being played like a fiddle? Surely by now she’d have some red flags popping up at just how fast she was elevated—only mere hours after she was almost killed. Darth Helmet Credit: Disney At one point during all of this, Obi-Wan hands his blaster, lightsaber and the little holo-messenger thing to Haja—a character who feels written into this show just because at this point; there’s literally no reason for him to still be here cracking jokes though I wish they’d written it in a way that made sense—and later Haja drops the holo-messenger. Obi-Wan had gotten a message earlier from a concerned Bail Organa who mentions that he’s worried about “the children” in case “he finds out” and will go to Tatooine if he doesn’t hear back to check on the boy. Well, Haja drops this and it’s damaged but not damaged enough to totally ruin the transmission, which a wounded Reva—left alive and kicking—is able ot play back. Obi-Wan senses this, but shakes it off as no big deal. Reva, however, seems to have other plans. We get a long, slow shot of Luke’s farm on Tatooine and the boy laying in bed that’s all very ominous. But why? Reva is done. Her quest for revenge is over. She won’t be able to lure Darth Vader into a trap ever again, whether or not she has Luke. Why does she even think there’s more to this in the first place? How did she even find out that Obi-Wan had ties to Leia and hatch her little plan? This show is so all over the place, so aimless. It feels like much of it was cobbled together at the last minute. The entire premise is a mess. It’s copied a bunch of other stuff that’s better, and the few moments of good Star Wars TV we’ve gotten—Vader toying with Reva, for example—are constantly overshadowed by the myriad irritating moments, like the ridiculous stormtrooper assault on the rebel base. Do they even have a fight choreographer? I did enjoy one other thing: The flashbacks between Obi-Wan and Anakin of the two dueling back before Anakin went all psycho-killer. But even here, Hayden Christensen just looks way too old. The de-aging powers that Disney has showed off in Star Wars and the MCU are absent here. That would be a minor quibble in a good show. It becomes another stone on the cairn. I have held out hope for this new era of Star Wars. I have enjoyed going to the movies with my kids even if, after that initial experience, almost all have them have soured as time passes (though I still genuinely like Rogue One and Solo). I think we are seeing too much Star Wars content too fast. Instead of really digging into what works for this franchise, what stories would really fit the format, it feels like the powers that be, led by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, are simply trying to cash in. Obi-Wan Kenobi should have been a game-changer—a spare-no-expense tour de Force that gave us a really top-tier story, special effects and an exciting return of a fan favorite character played by Ewan McGregor. Instead, we have a show that feels cheaper and more unnecessary even than Book of Boba Fett. I pin my hopes on Rogue One prequel, Andor, because rebellions are built on hope. And I have higher hopes still for whatever Taika Waititi comes up with for the next Star Wars film. But other than that, I find myself mourning what could have been, and remembering hopes dashed when, as a teenager, I showed up to the movie theaters to watch The Phantom Menace and could barely contain my excitement, only to discover, well, Jar Jar Binks. We have one more episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi left. I have set my expectations accordingly. Previous Obi-Wan Kenobi reviews and commentary from yours truly: I Have Mixed Feelings About The Two-Part Obi-Wan Premiere (ep 1&2) Somehow Obi-Wan Kenobi Makes Darth Vader Boring (ep3) Obi-Wan Tries And Fails To Copy A New Hope And Jedi Fallen Order (ep4) A Third Sister/Reva Spinoff On Disney+ Is A Huge Mistake P.S. that last link is about rumors that Reva could get her own live-action series on Disney Plus. This seems more likely not that instead of killing her, Vader has left her alive. The man who had no compunction whatsoever about slaughtering children left a woman who just tried to kill him alive. I don’t get it.

Movies

There’s finally been some movement on the live-action Barbie movie that director power couple Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach first signed onto back in 2019. That’s given fans plenty of times to wonder what, exactly, the two indie darlings behind Frances Ha, have in mind for whatever it is that goes on in Mattel’s Barbieland. And while there’s been a new wave of developments casting-wise, everything we know about the plot so far consists of a single sentence on IMDb: “A doll living in ‘Barbieland’ is expelled for not being perfect enough and sets off on an adventure in the real world.”Is Gerwig about to mirror the career trajectory of Chloé Zhao, who went from having a $5 million budget for Nomadland to a $200 million one for Marvel’s Eternals? Or is Barbie about to wade into the quirky waters of mumblecore? Before you place your bets, read up on everything we know about the film, which is expected to release in 2023, below.Who will play Barbie and Ken? There’s at least one aspect of the film that won’t be quirky: Gerwig, who is directing the film solo but writing it alongside Baumbach, did what most mainstream directors would do and cast two stars who don’t look too far off from Barbie and Ken in day-to-day life. With Ryan Gosling as her sidekick, Margot Robbie will bring the plastic doll to life both as actor and producer through her production company LuckyChap entertainment. “It comes with a lot of baggage!,” Robbie told British Vogue of adapting the franchise last year. And a lot of nostalgic connections. But with that come a lot of exciting ways to attack it. People generally hear ‘Barbie’ and think, ‘I know what that movie is going to be,’ and then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and they’re like, ‘Oh, well, maybe I don’t...’” The plot may be unconventional, but Robbie and Gosling sure look like the traditional Barbie and Ken in the sneak peeks that Warner Bros. has shared so far. (Minus the fact that Ken has “Ken” Calvin Klein-style underwear.) And while Robbie could be mistaken for a character in, say, a ‘60s film like Mother’s Instinct, Gosling most definitely looks like a real-life plastic (though maybe not so fantastic) doll. Who knows how much time he’s spending in the hair and makeup trailer between all that self-tanner and bleach. Courtesy of @wbpicturesWho else was considered for Barbie? It’s been a long, long journey to finding the film’s director and titular star. Sony first hired former Sex and the City writer Jenny Bicks in 2014, only to hire Jennifer’s Body and Tully director Diablo Cody to rewrite the script the next year. Hillary Winston (of Happy Ending and Community) was among three writers to next take over, and by 2016, Winston made it clear this wasn’t going to be your typical Barbie narrative by casting Amy Schumer. Scheduling conflicts led Anne Hathaway to replace her, only to drop out herself. It took until 2019 for the film to settle on its current iteration, with Sony instead of Warner Bros. as the studio, Gerwig and Baumbach as the writers, and Robbie as the star. Who else is in the cast? Production is clearly ramping up, because there’s been a wave of casting developments in recent weeks. Issa Rae and Michael Cera have come on board, marking their first films with Gerwig, and Will Ferrell has been confirmed to play the CEO of a company that “may or may not be Mattel.” Kate McKinnon, who also costarred with Robbie in Bombshell, will presumably take over from Amy Schumer in providing the comic relief, while America Ferrera will stay in the spotlight after joining Anne Hathaway and Jared Leto in the cast of AppleTV+’s WeCrashed. At just 14, Ariana Greenblatt will no doubt be one of the youngest on set, while Marvel star Simu Liu will be what’s starting to look like only a few men. If you aren’t already familiar with Alexandra Shipp, it’s time to get acquainted with the 30-year-old actor. She’s fresh off her biggest role yet, as the girlfriend of Andrew Garfield’s Jonathan in Lin Manuel-Miranda’s directorial debut, Tick, Tick… Boom! Shipp was confirmed to have joined the Barbie cast on March 18, though details of her role also remain unknown.When does the Barbie movie come out? Variety reports that production will begin in London at some point “early this year,” putting the film on track for a 2023 release.Will it be an indie film? More likely a blockbuster. Sony doesn’t come to play with its live-action feature films based on toys, meaning that budget-wise, Gerwig is all set. If the film is anything like The Lego Movie and Transformers franchise, the crew won’t hold back when it comes to creating a real-life Barbieland.Is there really such a thing as an auteur take on Barbie?Long before directing I’m Not There and Carol, a then 26-year-old Todd Haynes established himself as one to watch with his short film Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story. The biopic documents the last 17 years of the titular singer’s life until her untimely death of anorexia nervosa—a premise that’s straightforward enough, except that the stars are Barbies instead of human beings. Carpenter’s family successfully banned it in 1990, though it still went on to become a cult classic, which still racks up views on YouTube. Suffice it to say, unlike Gerwig, Haynes did not have Mattel’s approval.This article was originally published on 03.18.22

Movies

A Tesla logo is seen in Los Angeles, California U.S. January 12, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy NicholsonRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) reported 273 vehicle crashes since July involving advanced driving assistance systems, more than any other automaker, according to data U.S. auto safety regulators released on Wednesday.Automakers and tech companies reported more than 500 crashes since June 2021, when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued an order requiring the information. But a U.S. safety board said the data was not standardized so it was hard to evaluate performance of each carmaker's system.Car companies are rushing to add driver assistance systems, saying these improve safety by handling some maneuvers. U.S. regulators are trying to understand the practical effect of the changes. But automakers collect and report data in different ways, making it difficult to evaluate systems performance.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comThe current report contains "a ‘fruit bowl’ of data with a lot of caveats, making it difficult for the public and experts alike to understand what is being reported," National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy said in a statement. "Tesla collects a huge amount of high-quality data, which may mean they’re overrepresented in NHTSA’s release."Tesla's advanced driver assistant software dubbed "Full Self Driving" has also created confusion about vehicle capabilities.NHTSA ordered companies to quickly report all crashes involving advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and vehicles equipped with automated driving systems being tested on public roads.Of the 392 such crashes reported by a dozen automakers since July, six deaths were reported and five serious injuries. Honda Motor (7267.T) identified 90 crashes.Companies also reported 130 crashes involving prototype automated driving systems, while 108 involved no injuries and one was a serious injury crash.NHTSA said Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) self-driving car unit Waymo reported 62 crashes involving automated driving systems, while General Motors' (GM.N) Cruise had 23.Waymo said its crashes were not high severity and one-third were in manual mode. Airbags deployed in only two crashes.Cruise said it "has logged millions of miles in one of the most complex urban driving environments because saving lives is our chief aim."The NTSB reiterated a five-year-old recommendation that NHTSA require automakers to provide standardized crash and usage data. It initially made the recommendation after the a 2016 fatal crash killed a Tesla driver using Autopilot.NHTSA said in releasing the first batch of data that it has already been used to trigger investigations and recalls and helped inform existing defect probes."By providing NHTSA with critical and timely safety data this will help our investigators quickly identify potential defect trends," NHTSA Administrator Steven Cliff said, cautioning the raw number of incidents reported per manufacturer "is by itself inadequate to draw conclusions."The agency emphasized crashes are tracked by individual automakers in different ways and discouraged comparisons of performance among automakers in part because there are not comprehensive metrics on how widely each system is used.Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.Honda told Reuters it had found no defects in the systems and its crash reports were based on unverified customer statements "to comply with NHTSA’s 24-hour reporting deadline."No other automaker reported more than 10 ADAS crashes during the period.Despite the limitations, NHTSA said the data was essential in order to quickly spot potential defects or safety trends. Incidents that occur when an advanced system was engaged within 30 seconds of a crash must be reported within 24 hours to NHTSA.The agency plans to release new data monthly.NHTSA has been scrutinizing Autopilot and said last week it was upgrading its probe into 830,000 Tesla vehicles with the system, a required step before it could seek a recall. The regulator had opened a preliminary evaluation to assess the performance of Autopilot after about a dozen crashes in which Tesla vehicles struck stopped emergency vehicles. read more Separately, NHTSA has opened 35 special crash investigations involving Tesla vehicles in which ADAS was suspected of being used. A total of 14 crash deaths have been reported in those Tesla investigations, including a May California crash that killed three people.Tesla says Autopilot allows the vehicles to brake and steer automatically within their lanes but does not make them capable of driving themselves.(This story corrects headline to show crashes are not involving self-driving vehicles)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Automotive and Transportation

BTS Band's Not Going on Hiatus ... Lost In Translation!!! 6/15/2022 1:42 PM PT BTS is NOT going on a hiatus, despite the way band members made it seem ... the group's management team says the "hiatus" description was a simple mistranslation. While the K-Pop singers are still going to pursue some solo projects, the band's Korean representation says the super popular group is not breaking up. BTS caused an uproar Tuesday when band members put out a video in Korean talking about the group's future, with the English subtitle translation stating they were taking a "hiatus." HYBE, the music company that reps BTS, reportedly lost $1.7 BILLION in market value during stock trading early Wednesday morning ... and now they are in a full-on backpedal over the "hiatus" comment. The band's reps put out a statement, saying ... "To be clear, they are not on hiatus but will take time to explore some solo projects at this time and remain active in various different formats." BTS singer Jungkook also promised the band would continue shooting their 'Run BTS' web series and would get back together to make music in the future after working on their solo careers. And exhale.

Music

What's happening New radio telescope observations have brought a new lens on one of our universe's most beautiful stellar nurseries. Why it matters Having a clearer sense of what star-forming regions look like could help us understand how stars have formed since the dawn of time. And why they're still forming as you read this. About 170,000 light-years from where you're sitting -- which sounds terribly far but is actually relatively close on a cosmic scale -- lies an astronomical marvel. It's a glorious stellar nursery decorated with breathtaking swirls and iridescent streaks, illuminating space's void by violently birthing newborn stars.Since its genesis, in fact, experts believe this bundle of interstellar dust and gas has witnessed the dawn of more than 800,000 stars and protostars in our universe, half a million of which are hot, young and absolutely massive. Some are even thought to carry a mass of about 150 times that of our sun. You know, the stellar body that makes up something like 99.8% the mass of our entire solar system.And, thanks to new research published Wednesday in The Astrophysical Journal, we Earthlings have the privilege of admiring this spectacle with a level of detail never experienced before. Better yet, upon peering through this new lens on the nebula, you might also catch a glimpse of the reasoning behind its very metal name. It's known as the Tarantula Nebula, and it looks just like a cosmic web.This zoomed-in view of the southern region of the Tarantula Nebula reveals some of the clumpy areas that help to make up the gas cloud. ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), T. Wong (U. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign); S. Dagnello (NRAO/AUI/NSF) Painting stellar artworkBy harnessing a world-class radio telescope called the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, scientists managed to reveal ultra-high-resolution depictions of the magnificent Tarantula Nebula. Here's how.Basically, in the team's newly released images, you'll see lava-like wisps and feathery lines come to life as a result of ALMA's super precise light emission measurements. The structure of this nebula -- also called 30 Doradus in reference to its catalog number in the list of objects of the constellation Dorado -- can be traced by detecting carbon monoxide gas content in the area scientists believe it's located. ALMA's emission measurements can do just that.And scientists are after these carbon monoxide remnants simply because they signify the location of cold clouds which are known to collapse and form baby stars. And baby stars form in stellar nurseries, like 30 Doradus. If scientists can figure out where those gas clouds are, they can get a pretty clear visualization of what the outline of 30 Doradus looks like. Think of it like working backwards. Shown here in composite, the red/orange millimeter-wavelength data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array stands out like stringlike filaments against optical data from the Hubble Space Telescope. ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), T. Wong (U. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign); S. Dagnello (NRAO/AUI/NSF) Then the research team overlaid the gas cloud outline with a previous infrared image of the same area that shows hot cosmic gas, indicated by pinkish puffs, and bright speckles of stars adorning an indigo background of space -- the rest of the scene.Slap it all together, and we get the awesome composite image.But besides the artistic element of the team's star nursery cartography efforts, there's a practical reason for understanding what the Tarantula Nebula looks like. Beyond beauty lies discovery"What makes 30 Doradus unique is that it is close enough for us to study in detail how stars are forming, and yet its properties are similar to those found in very distant galaxies, when the universe was young," Guido de Marchi, a scientist at the European Space Agency and co-author of the paper, said in a statement."Thanks to 30 Doradus," de Marchi said, "we can study how stars used to form 10 billion years ago, when most stars were born."To begin working toward that end-goal, the team harnessed its new dataset to decode the way gravity affects stellar generation in 30 Doradus and how energy released from newly birthed stars slows the overall assembly line of star formation. Both of these bits are considered integral to dissecting star formation processes, and the latter one in particular is represented in the new image by some of the lit-up pieces we see.This zoomed-in view of the northern region of 30 Doradus reveals more filamentary structures that make up the gas cloud. ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), T. Wong (U. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign); S. Dagnello (NRAO/AUI/NSF) "These fragments may be the remains of once-larger clouds that have been shredded by the enormous energy being released by young and massive stars, a process dubbed feedback," Tony Wong, a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and lead author of the new research, said in a statement.The results were striking."We were expecting to find that the parts of the cloud closest to the young, massive stars would show the clearest signs of gravity being overwhelmed by feedback, and as a result, a lower rate of star formation," Wong said.A map of where 30 Doradus is located within the Dorado constellation. IAU/Sky & Telescope But Wong was surprised to see a different story when gazing at ALMA's new observations. "These observations confirmed that even in a region with extremely active feedback," he said, "gravity's presence is still strongly felt and star formation is likely to continue."In other words, nascent stars spitting up energy don't appear to mess up gravity around the stellar nursery or slow star formation. Star babies prevail. OK, unless you're an astronomer, this discovery might sound kind of nitty gritty. But zooming out, the team hopes that understanding the ins and outs of the Tarantula Nebula's workings could inform what might be considered one of the biggest mysteries of astronomy."Why didn't all of the available gas collapse in a huge fireworks show long ago?" Wong said. "What we're learning now can help us to shine a light on what is happening deep within molecular clouds so that we can better understand how galaxies sustain star formation over time."Plus, in the vein of curiosity and science, Wong said, "there is still much more to do with this fantastic dataset, and we are releasing it publicly to encourage other researchers to conduct new investigations."

Space Exploration

Joseph O’Brien was still in the winner’s enclosure talking to reporters after winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes with State Of Rest on Wednesday as the jockeys came out for the next race. “Thanks, Mickaël,” he said as Mickaël Barzalona offered his congratulations, a reminder that O’Brien himself was in the weighing room and competing against many of this week’s riders as recently as June 2015.O’Brien rode six winners at Royal Ascot during his brief few years as stable jockey to his father, Aidan, including So You Think in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes a decade ago and Leading Light in the Gold Cup, the meeting’s most historic event, in 2014. But his achievements since hanging up his boots to take out a trainer’s licence have been astonishing. Two Melbourne Cup winners in four years between 2017 to 2020, an Irish Derby and a St Leger have been among the major highlights – and O’Brien is still 11 months shy of his 30th birthday.State Of Rest’s 5-1 victory here on Wednesday was another landmark, as O’Brien is the first person to ride and to train a Group One winner at Royal Ascot since the Pattern system was introduced in 1971. This was also his first winner at the meeting, after a run of 43 losers stretching back to 2016, and it arrived thanks to a pre-race plan to “uncomplicate things” according to Shane Crosse, the winner’s 20-year-old jockey, who executed to perfection.Shahryar, attempting to become Japan’s first Royal winner, has made the running in the past but Cristian Demuro was happy to take a lead from State Of Rest as Crosse set a steady pace through the first three-quarters of a mile. Demuro seemed poised to pick off the leader in the straight but, when Crosse asked State Of Rest to lengthen, he soon opened up an advantage that Shahryar was clearly struggling to close. Bay Bridge, the 10-11 favourite, was next to have a crack but he, too, could not find the acceleration to drag State Of Rest into a battle and Crosse still had a one-length advantage at the line.“We thought that, if we could lead the race, we had a really good chance to win,” O’Brien said. “After a furlong we were very comfortable with how the race was setting up and the horse was very tough and genuine, as he always is. “Shane gave the horse the most wonderful ride. He’s a very cool customer and he proved that today. We really wanted to lead, he’s tough and he loves a fight.Joseph O’Brien after wining the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes. Photograph: Ian Headington/racingfotos.com/Shutterstock“I feel it [pressure] a bit more as a trainer but maybe that’s because I’m getting older. We’ve had a few horses placed [at Royal Ascot] over the years and we knew that a winner would come eventually, but it’s very special in a race like the Prince of Wales. You lose every day of the week. This game is all about losing and you have to learn from it and regroup and go again.”Aidan O’Brien got off the mark for the meeting when Little Big Bear, the 6-5 favourite, edged out Rocket Rodney in the Windsor Castle Stakes while Karl Burke’s Dramatised took the card’s other speed test for juveniles, the Queen Mary Stakes, in impressive fashion under Danny Tudhope. Tudhope was always travelling ominously well behind a strong pace and fired Dramatised into a decisive lead more than a furlong out. The jockey dropped his whip soon afterwards but it made no difference as the winner got home by nearly two lengths.Quick GuideGreg Wood's Thursday tipsShowChelmsford 1.30 True Statesman 2.05 Expert Opinion 2.40 Atlantis Blue 3.15 Tarhib 3.50 Fox Champion 4.30 Autonomy 5.05 Mark Of RespectRipon 1.45 Calcutta Dream 2.15 Dare To Hope 2.50 Cobra Kai 3.25 Urban War 4.00 Tinto 4.40 Gullane One 5.10 AppierAscot 2.30 Pillow Talk 3.05 Israr 3.40 Magical Lagoon 4.20 Kyprios5.00 Jimi Hendrix (nap) 5.35 Claymore 6.10 Ouzo (nb)Lingfield Park 4.50 Bungledupinblue 5.20 Tarlo 5.50 Bowling Russian6.25 Bernard Spierpoint 7.00 Mcqueen 7.30 The Covex Kid 8.00 AmzaanFfos Las 5.25 Fat Sam 6.00 Court Royale 6.35 Maliboo 7.10 Ballinsker7.40 Watergrange Jack 8.10 Galileo Silver 8.40 ZucayanThere was much less for Irad Ortiz Jr to celebrate afterwards, as the American jockey’s difficult week continued with a five-day ban from the stewards for careless riding aboard Wesley Ward’s Love Reigns. The officials found Ortiz had allowed Love Reigns to drift left-handed in the early stages, setting off a chain reaction of interference to four of his rivals.Ortiz, who replaced Frankie Dettori as Ward’s rider at this year’s meeting, was looking backwards aboard Golden Pal in the stalls before Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes and missed the break, leaving his horse with an all-but impossible task to recover. He has two more rides for Ward at the meeting, aboard Ruthin in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap and Campanelle in Saturday’s feature, the Platinum Jubilee Stakes.

Other Sports

State-backed Science and Technology Daily in China reported that scientists found possible signals from aliens but deleted the reporting of the discovery soon after. According to Chinese scientists, the country's "Sky Eye" telescope detected what could be evidence of an alien civilization. The large telescope is in China's southwestern Guizhou province and has a diameter of 1,640 feet. The now-deleted report said that the scientists found "several cases of possible technological traces and extraterrestrial civilizations from outside the Earth." WATCH: ANDREW KERR TALKS BOMBSHELL TAPES OF HUNTER BIDEN TOUTING INFLUENCE ON FATHER The report cited Zhang Tonjie, 52, who is the chief scientist of an extraterrestrial civilization search team co-founded by Beijing Normal University, the National Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the University of California, Berkeley. "Several narrow-band electromagnetic signals different from the past" were found in 2020 while processing data from 2019, according to Zhang, and another suspicious signal was detected in 2022. However, he did note that the signals could have resulted from radio interference. "The possibility that the suspicious signal is some kind of radio interference is also very high, and it needs to be further confirmed and ruled out. This may be a long process," Zhang reportedly explained. Zhang has previously been referred to as "China's Top Alien Hunter." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER It is unclear why the report was removed. Despite the deletion, the supposed discovery has been widely discussed on social media.

Space Exploration

BOSTON — Before the NBA Finals began, much was made of how the Warriors would overcome the Celtics’ top-ranked defense. But now it’s the Celtics who must come up with an answer for the Warriors’ impressive defensive scheme. Golden State’s strategy is simple, even if the execution is complex: Force Boston to turn the ball over. A lot. That’s a common thread through all three of the Warriors’ wins so far — and could be a focus in a potential clincher in Game 6 at TD Garden on Thursday. When the Warriors win, Boston commits an eye-opening number of turnovers. The Celtics had 18 in Game 2, 15 in Game 4 and 18 in Game 5. Golden State held Boston under 100 points in all three of those games. Boston managed to keep its turnovers under control in its two wins, recording 12 each in Game 1 and Game 3. But the Warriors would say the low turnover count was a sign they failed at their job defensively. After their Game 3 loss, in which Draymond Green said he played “like s—,” Green said they’d need to match Boston’s physicality on defense at the point of attack. “They can’t just break us down and get to the paint and that obviously starts with me,” Green said on his podcast following the Game 3 loss in Boston. The Warriors answered the call for physicality and switched gears defensively in Game 4 and 5 with Andrew Wiggins hounding Jayson Tatum and Klay Thompson disrupting dribble drives from the perimeter. Gary Payton II is arguably the Warriors’ best point-of-attack defender for his ability to stay in front of any Celtic, cutting off driving and passing lanes with his quick feet and hands. And then there’s Steph Curry, who has handled Boston’s relentless offensive attack on him with a strong defensive stand on his own. Individually the Warriors have played a more physical defense deeper into the series, allowing them to collectively close the driving lanes for Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart. Boston hasn’t played well in the crowd — often rushing into their shot attempts or throwing bad passes. “I think when your defense is good at the point of attack, it allows your help defense to be there,” Green said. “There is no one person that can stop Jayson Tatum, there is no one person that can stop Jaylen Brown. At times in this series, there has been no one person that can stop Marcus Smart, but if you put up force at the point of attack, you allow your help to respond wherever they need to be.” The Celtics are particularly susceptible because they don’t have a true point guard. Smart plays the part, but he’s exploitable as a playmaker. After not turning the ball over once in Game 1, the Warriors have forced Smart into 16 turnovers over the last four games. Tatum is averaging nearly four turnovers per game and shooting 37.3% from the field — a far cry from his 45.3% during the regular season — because Golden State is forcing his hand. Strong 3-point shooting on kick-outs has fueled most of Boston’s big offensive runs. The Warriors are betting that those runs won’t always come. In these playoffs, the Celtics are averaging 16.3 turnovers per loss and are 1-7 when they commit 16 or more turnovers in a playoff game and 13-2 when they come out under that figure. The Warriors, who’ve had turnover issues of their own throughout the years, have committed just 64 turnovers in these Finals, compared to Boston’s 75. That includes just seven Golden State turnovers in Game 5. If the Warriors win the turnover battle by double digits again Thursday night, odds are good that they won’t need a seventh game to lock down another title.

Basketball