News

Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry.

This week, a legendary animated series is ending its hiatus, an annual collegiate phenomenon is sweeping across TikTok, and Jake Paul is acting indignant (what else is new?)

Creator commotion

Don’t you dare accuse Jake Paul of fight fixing. High-powered lawyer Alex Spiro, who once represented MrBeast, is now helping Jake Paul go after haters who accuse him of fixing his boxing matches. Unfortunately for Jake, it’s not illegal to accuse a boxer of padding their record against cupcake and past-their-prime fighters.

Duke Dennis was arrested for an after-hours game of hide-and-seek. In Dennis’ defense, playing hide-and-seek in a large, empty mall sounds like tons of fun, but the cops might not agree. Apparently, to become a member of the creator group Amp,...

Game on – Netflix has acquired the exclusive rights to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031 in Canada.

The streaming deal is the first of its kind in Canada, and comes after Netflix secured U.S. rights to the tournaments. That deal marked the first time Netflix had bought up a sports competition in full.

The tournament in two years will be held in Brazil, and will see Champions Spain looking to defend their trophy. Runners-up from the Australia and New Zealand 2023 tournament, England, got a modicum of revenge for narrowly losing that final by defeating Spain in the climax of this year’s UEFA European Women’s Championship over the summer. Four-time winners USA were knocked out of World Cup 2023 by Sweden in the round of 16.

“We are thrilled that Netflix will be FIFA’s exclusive partner in Canada for the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031,” said Gabe Spitzer,...

Exclusive: “There is a golden age of sport,” says Img President Adam Kelly. “Look to the evidence and look to the data, we’ve seen records set time and time again for sport across multiple platforms.” He reels off several records including Sky in the UK registering its highest-ever daily viewing figures for sport earlier this year and Amazon its highest-ever ratings for the Champions League.

Kelly’s 25 years at global sports marketing agency Img have seen him rise from intern to President, taking in roles across rights, acquisitions, distribution, and consultancy along the way. In those two and half decades, he has worked with Img clients including Euroleague Basketball, the Ioc, Rugby League, UFC, Wimbledon, The R&a, Conmebol, Arabian Gulf Cup, Major League Soccer, and now the Saudi Pro League, where Ronaldo and a host of global soccer stars ply their trade.

The TV biz, meanwhile, is used to golden eras.

Remember Lil Tay? The pint-sized internet sensation who took social media by storm with her outrageous antics and designer flexing? Well, she’s back in the headlines, and this time it’s for crossing into adult content territory. The controversial personality, now 18, has reportedly made a splash on OnlyFans, claiming to have raked in over $1 million in just hours after launching her account.

It’s been quite the journey for Claire Tian (her real name), who’s gone from viral child star to mysterious disappearance, fake death drama, and now this bold new venture. Love her or hate her, Lil Tay certainly knows how to keep people talking.

Lil Tay’s OnlyFans Million-Dollar Debut Lil Tay | Credits: @liltay/Instagram

Now at 18, Lil Tay is making headlines again, but this time for her jump into adult content. She wasted absolutely no time, reportedly creating her OnlyFans account at the stroke...

Imagine if your fall-back was an NBA Championship three-peat.

14 Kim Kardashian’s Head Fell Off

In 2011, she added to her tragically diverse portfolio with a horrible song called “Jam (Turn It Up)” that flopped with 14,000 downloads in its first week. Don’t worry, she blamed it on a good cause: She retroactively and flippantly announced that she “gave the proceeds to a cancer organization.” Ew, here, you take this 14 cents.

13 Kevin Spacey Stayed in Character

After allegations of sexual assault surfaced, he was summarily written out of Netflix’s flagship franchise, House of Cards, and has struggled to get work since. In response, he used his yearly Christmas video to make a seven-minute interview with Tucker Carlson while in character as brutal sociopath Frank Underwood.

12 Tell Spooky Stories!

There are at least two TV shows that make no bones about the premise of letting waning stars tell ghost stories: Celebrity...

(Graphic by The Desk)

The streaming video market will continue to experience financial growth over the next few years, despite signs that subscriber counts have largely peaked among the biggest players like Netflix, according to a new report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) this week.

The accounting firm says the compound annual growth rate, or Cagr, among streaming platforms in the United States is expected to increase by as much as 6 percent over the next five years, fueled by ongoing consumer shifts away from traditional pay TV platforms in favor of streaming and the transfer of entertainment, news and sports rights between the two sectors.

In its 2025 Global Entertainment & Media Outlook report, PwC projects the U.S. over-the-top (Ott) video segment will reach $112.7 billion in revenue by 2029, up from $84.7 billion in 2024. That growth is driven by subscriber increases, new service launches and higher prices.

PwC said the United States continues to...

Brooke Shields, J.D. Vance, Piers Morgan and Donald Trump Jr. are among the Hollywood stars and public figures mourning Hulk Hogan after he died on Thursday at the age of 71.

Hogan’s Real American Freestyle amateur wrestling league partner Eric Bischoff confirmed his death to The Hollywood Reporter after TMZ reported that medical personnel were sent to Hogan’s home in Clearwater, Florida. The operators stated that they were called to the home after the wrestler suffered a “cardiac arrest.”

Real American Freestyle CEO and co-founder Chad Bronstein said of Hogan’s death, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, “We lost our commissioner. We lost a friend. And the sport of wrestling lost one of its greatest champions, not just in the ring, but in spirit. Hulk Hogan believed wrestling was more than just entertainment. He saw it as a brotherhood, a proving ground and a platform for greatness.

Hulk Hogan, the legendary WWE Hall of Fame wrestler, has died at the age of 71. Known to millions as the ultimate good guy in the WWE, Hogan’s influence stretched far beyond the ring.

Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, successfully transitioned his charisma to Hollywood, making his film debut in Rocky III alongside Sylvester Stallone. His acting credits also include lead roles in Suburban Commando and Mr. Nanny, and guest appearances on TV series such as Baywatch; Suddenly Susan; The Love Boat; The A-Team; Thunder in Paradise; Walker, Texas Ranger, and even American Dad!

Related: Hulk Hogan Recalled By Ric Flair, Sgt. Slaughter, Jake Paul, Jake The Snake And More

Scroll down for photos from Hogan’s on-screen career.

The icons of professional wrestling are paying tribute to the Hulk Hogan, who died Thursday at age 71, reportedly from cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida.

“Hulk Has Been By My Side Since We Started In The Wrestling Business,” tweeted wrestler Ric Flair. “An Incredible Athlete, Talent, Friend, And Father! Our Friendship Has Meant The World To Me. He Was Always There For Me Even When I Didn’t Ask For Him To Be. He Was One Of The First To Visit Me When I Was In The Hospital With A 2% Chance Of Living, And He Prayed By My Bedside. Hulk Also Lent Me Money When Reid Was Sick. Hulkster, No One Will Ever Compare To You! Rest In Peace My Friend!”

Sylvester Stallone wrote, “I had the pleasure of meeting this brilliant personality and showman when he was 26 years old. He was absolutely wonderful and his amazing skill made Rocky three incredibly special.

The streaming video revolution is still in full flower — with the sector poised for healthy growth over the next five years, according to the latest projections from PwC.

The U.S. total over-the-top (Ott) market is projected to increase at a 5.9% compound annual growth rate over the next five years — reaching $112.7 billion by 2029, according to this year’s PwC Global Entertainment & Media Outlook report. That would be up 33% from the segment’s $84.7 billion haul last year. The primary drivers of that are a growing subscriber base, new service launches and price increases, according to PwC’s analysis.

Overall, the U.S. remains the “largest and most influential” streaming video market globally, generating $61.9 billion in transactional and subscription VOD revenue in 2024, PwC’s 2025 Global E&m Outlook report said. That dwarfs the next-largest market, China, which generated revenue of $10.8 billion in 2024, making it less than one-fifth of the size of the U.

In February 2025, YouTube turned 20. The video site has gone through a lot over the past two decades, including an acquisition, an earnings glow-up, and multiple generations of star creators. In our 20 Years of YouTube series, we’ll examine the uploads, trends, and influencers that have defined the world’s favorite video site — one year at a time. Click here for a full archive of the series.

Last week, we told the story of an Elder Millennial who paved the way for a new class of Gen Z vloggers. The next year, that generational swing took hold, and a compendium of silly videos exemplified it better than anything else.

Compared to the other creators we’ve featured in this series, Eddie Jolton is a relative unknown. At the end of 2015, Jolton used his eljolto YouTube channel to host a playlist of short, funny clips. In his words, these were “important...

Netflix’s live stream of Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano’s third boxing match drew a good-sized audience.

According to figures from VideoAmp and internal Netflix data, the Friday night bout — a majority decision win for Taylor — drew a worldwide audience of 6 million viewers from opening to closing bell. About 70 percent of that audience, or 4.2 million viewers, came from the United States.

The Taylor-Serrano fight was part of an all-women card at New York’s Madison Square Garden Friday. Most Valuable Promotions, headed by boxer and social media star Jake Paul, says the event made $2.63 million at the gate, a record for a card featuring only women fighters. (Audience figures for the full card weren’t available.)

Contextualizing the audience for Taylor-Serrano isn’t easy, largely because there have been very few nationally televised, non pay-per-view fights involving women boxers. It’s likely the fight will rank ahead of...

Katie Taylor retained her super lightweight title after besting Amanda Serrano in yet another rematch Friday night, generating a solid audience on Netflix.

The main event, which was promoted and produced by Most Valuable Promotions, scored an estimated average minute audience of nearly 6M global viewers from opening to closing bell, per live + 1 data from VideoAmp. In the U.S. alone, about 4.2M tuned in, making it the most-watched professional women’s sports event of 2025.

Netflix also says the event was No. 1 on the streamer in the U.S., Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, and made the Top 10 in 43 countries. In person, the fight sold out Madison Square Garden with 19,721 people in attendance.

This audience seems to be down quite heftily from the last time that Taylor and Serrano met in the ring, when the women participated in Mvp and Netflix’s co-main event fight alongside Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson in November.

Following two powerhouse fights, Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano will face off Friday at Madison Square Garden for the most decorated night in boxing history.

The historic all-women’s boxing card, presented by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, features 21 world titles on the line across five championship fights. Taylor and Serrano have already broken records in the boxing world, bringing high viewership and attendance to major venues across the globe.

For Friday’s fight, Irish fighter Taylor, 39, will defend her undisputed junior welterweight titles. Puerto Rican fighter Serrano, 36, will attempt to even the playing field and win her first match over Taylor.

The pair faced off for the first time in April 2022 at Msg, with Taylor winning on a split decision. Their most recent fight was ahead of the Paul-Tyson Netflix live event, in which Taylor won on a unanimous decision.

Keep reading for more details on how to...

Netflix doesn’t just want to be part of the conversation when it comes to live sports — it wants to own it. With Christmas Day NFL games, blockbuster boxing events, and a wildly successful launch of WWE Raw, the streamer’s bold (and very deliberate) sports play has made one thing clear to customers and to clients: This isn’t a casual experiment. This is Netflix looking to rewrite the playbook on live sports.

For years, live sports coverage has belonged to legacy giants like ESPN, Fox, CBS, and NBC — but as of this year, Netflix’s quarterly earnings calls are now required viewing for sports media analysts. The streamer is suddenly being tracked the same way Disney or Comcast is. That alone signals how far they’ve come.

But what's the endgame here? How far are they really going? That’s still unclear. Is this about cherry-picking prestige events...

Target is becoming quite the destination for creator products. It’s been the flagship destination for Ryan Trahan‘s Joyride, and now it’s picking up Amp‘s personal care brand Tone.

Amp–aka Kai Cenat, Duke Dennis, Fanum, Agent 00, ChrisNxtDoor, and ImDavisss–launched Tone in February with a collection of body lotions, deodorants, and lip balms. Within three days, the brand (created in partnership with Dallas-based management company Night) had netted seven-figure sales.

To mark Tone’s nationwide Target debut, Amp is rolling out two new products: body wash and body mist, both in “Fresh, Citrus, Woodland and Coconut” scents.

Like most creator products, Tone started out Dtc, for digital purchase only; this is its first time in an Irl retail environment. That move, the brand says, is strategic.

“Part of the Tone concept was a focus on accessibility, so being in brick-and-mortar where we can tell the...

Just one week after a reported 60 million households watched him fight Trump supporter Jake Paul in Anaheim, former Wbc middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. was arrested and detained by Ice officials and will be deported to his native Mexico.

Beyond being a champion in his own right, Chávez Jr. is the son of one of Mexico’s most revered athletes: Julio César Chávez Sr., who ruled over the (non-heavyweight) boxing world from 1984-1992, winning and defending titles in three weight classes over that period.

Chávez Jr. was arrested outside his Studio City home this morning, his attorney Michael Goldstein told the Associated Press.

The Department of Homeland Security said Ice officers detained Chávez for overstaying his visa, which expired in February 2024. Apparently, the fighter applied for a green card in April 2024, based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen. Why Dhs decided only now to arrest a highly-visible public figure was not explained.

Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. has been arrested for entering the United States illegally and will be deported to Mexico, according to a new report.

The 39-year-old former middleweight champion boxer, who just recently faced off against Jake Paul, will face organized crime charges, U.S. federal officials said, via AP.

He was picked up by a large number of federal agents while riding a scooter in front of his house in Studio City, per his attorney Michael Goldstein.

“The current allegations are outrageous and simply another headline to terrorize the community,” the lawyer said.

Keep reading to find out more…

The lawyer added he did not know where the boxer was being detained as of Thursday morning (July 3), but said they were due in court Monday (July 7) related to gun possession charges from 2024, and were to provide an update on his progress in a substance abuse program.

The...

Just days after boxing Jake Paul in the main event of a match held at Anaheim’s Honda Center, former world champion Julio César Chávez Jr. has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

According to a news release from the Department of Homeland Security, Chávez was arrested in Studio City, California Wednesday, where authorities allege that he is “believed to be an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel.”

“Under President Trump, no one is above the law—including world-famous athletes,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Our message to any cartel affiliates in the U.S. is clear: We will find you and you will face consequences. The days of unchecked cartel violence are over.”

Ice says that it will deport Chávez to Mexico, where it says there is an active warrant out for his arrest. The agency says that “following multiple fraudulent statements on his application to become a Lawful Permanent Resident,...

Following an explosive interview last week, YouTuber Jake Paul has threatened to sue Piers Morgan for allegations that his fights are staged.

Following his controversial victory over boxing legend Mike Tyson, Paul has continued to extend his professional boxing record, presently resting at 12-1.

During the interview, Morgan questioned Paul’s fighting ability, emphasizing that he hadn’t taken on “real competition” yet and inquiring about Paul’s boxing experience and credentials. The questions led to Paul storming off the set.

On Saturday night, Paul was victorious in his fight against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., prompting Morgan to go on X and declare, “I had a better fight with Jake Paul on Thursday than the unwatchable farce that took place tonight.”

Morgan continued, “The guy’s lining his pockets with buckets of $$$$ – but he’s killing boxing with this boring staged bulls— against older fighters way past their prime.”

Paul quickly fired back,...

Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr fought against each other at Honda Center on Saturday night (June 28) in Anaheim, Calif.

The 28-year-old and the 39-year-old faced off in the cruiserweight division with a ten round match as the co-headliners on the card, which featured six other fights before them.

Keep reading to find out more…

Streaming on Dazn, the fight saw Jake continuing his winning streak by unanimous decision in his first matchup in seven months. He is now 11-1, with his only loss being against Tommy Fury in February 2023.

After his defeat, Jake told doubters to “shut the f–k up.”

Jake last fought and defeated Mike Tyson back in November in eight rounds.

Related: Who Is Jake Paul’s Fiancée? Full Rumored & Confirmed Dating History Revealed, Including His Current Love!

Browse through the gallery to see more photos from the Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr fight…...

Jake Paul’s anticipated return to the ring ended with a win against Julio César Chávez Jr. after going 10 rounds.

After the fight, Paul delivered a fiery interview while the crowed booed, saying, “I love that shit. You want to know why? All the boos are words, and actions speak louder than words, so y’all can shut the fuck up. I’m him. I’m really him. I just beat your boy’s ass. Easy work.”

The fight took place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. on Saturday night. With a record of 11 wins and one loss, including seven knockout victories, this boxing match marks Paul’s latest win following a seven-month hiatus from the sport. His most publicized fight was against Mike Tyson in November 2024, which ended with Paul handily defeating the 58-year-old boxing great. The event became one of the most-watched sporting events on Netflix, peaking...

Jake Paul returns to the boxing ring to take on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a 10-round cruiserweight bout on Saturday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California (Dazn PPV).

Paul is riding a five-fight winning streak since losing a split decision to Tommy Fury in February 2023. Paul defeated former heavyweight king Mike Tyson by unanimous decision in November.

Chavez is a former Wbc middleweight world champion. He won the title with a majority decision win against Sebastian Zbik in June 2011, and made three successful defenses. Chavez will be fighting at cruiserweight for the third consecutive fight.

Editor's Picks

Chavez? Tyson? Canelo? Inside the process to pick a Jake Paul opponent

3dAndreas Hale

Bradley's take: Will Jake Paul's hook land better than Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.'s?

2dTimothy Bradley Jr.

There's a lot at stake for Paul in this fight. With a victory over Chavez, Paul could enter the Wbc rankings at 200 pounds,...

Jake Paul has had quite the storied past in the public eye!

The 28-year-old boxer is set to take part in his next match Tonight (June 28) against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, who is a former Wbc middleweight titleholder.

Tonight’s fight night will begin at 8pm Et on Dazn, with six matches taking place before Jake and Julio face off.

Ahead of the fight, we’re taking a look back at Jake Paul‘s dating history, from his earlier rumored and confirmed girlfriends, to his current fiancée, who he has been with for over two years.

Click through the slideshow to see all of the women Jake Paul has been linked to over the years…...

Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry. This week, a TikToker is turning her meme into a dream, a gamer is bringing sour candies to retail shelves, and The Problem Child has a new home.

Creator commotion

Jools Lebron is going “beyond demure” with Viral Nation docuseries. TikTok’s most mindful creator is telling her story in a big way. Jools Lebron’s partnership with Viral Nation and FORTÉ Entertainment will examine the “proud transgender trailblazer” behind last summer’s breakout meme. Beyond Demure, indeed.

Are you ready for some pickleball? Karat is. The creator finance company got in on the sports world’s hottest craze with an influencer pickleball invitational featuring the likes of Sykkuno, LaurDIY, Steven He, and Alex Botez. The event was the culmination of Karat’s multi-year effort...

This boxing match will be exclusively available via Dazn pay-per-view.

Jake Paul is stepping back into the ring. After a seven-month break, Paul will face Julio César Chávez Jr. in a fight for the ages on Saturday, June 28 at 8 p.m. Et, exclusively on Dazn pay-per-view. The card is packed with other bouts, and viewers won’t want to miss a single second of the pugilistic action. You can watch the night’s festivities by purchasing the pay-per-view for $60 from Dazn.

How to watch Jake Paul vs. Julio Chavez Jr. When: Saturday, June 28 at 8 p.m. Et TV: Dazn Stream: Watch by purchasing PPV from Dazn From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a Vpn. Everything you need to know about Jake Paul vs. Julio Chavez Jr.

How to watch Jake Paul vs. Julio Chavez Jr.

What is the fight card for Jake Paul vs. Julio Chavez Jr.

Jake Paul, ahead of his next boxing match this Saturday, got into a verbal sparring match with host Piers Morgan on Thursday and stormed out of his virtual interview.

Paul, who last boxed Mike Tyson live on Netflix last year, has his first match of 2025 this Saturday against Julio César Chávez Jr.

“He’s a dumbass, and so it’s going to be apparent on Saturday when he’s the one that gets knocked out. I’m being so honest, man, this guy is easy work,” Paul told Morgan in an interview. “He’s a 5’8 little peon. If we were in the streets, I would grab that little ginger and smack him upside the head and make him forget who the fuck he was. People don’t realize, I’m a real killer. I really fucking do this shit. ‘YouTube, this YouTube, Disney that.’ This shit is not a joke.

Jake Paul and Piers Morgan starred in a moment that will help promote his upcoming boxing match, where the social media influencer stormed off an interview during a heated exchange with the former CNN host.

Paul made an appearance on Morgan’s YouTube show, Piers Morgan Uncensored, to promote his boxing match against Julio César Chávez Jr.

“He’s a dumb ass, and so it’s going to be apparent on Saturday when he’s the one that gets knocked out… I’m being so honest, man, this guy is easy work,” Paul said of his opponent.

Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez was recently interviewed by Morgan, where he said he could take on Paul. The social media influencer wasted no time in throwing insults at the Mexican boxer saying, “He’s a 5’8 little peon. If we were in the streets, I would grab that little ginger and smack him upside the...

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In the toughest fight of his boxing career, Jake “The Problem Child” Paul (11-1-0) goes head-to-head against former world champion Julio “La Leyenda Continua” Cesar Chavez Jr. (54-6-1) in the match of the summer on Saturday, June 28.

With all eyes in the boxing world on the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, the match is expected to be an extra spicy one — especially since Paul defeated another...

The on-air team is set for the highly-anticipated rematch between boxing greats Katie Taylor and Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano.

Variety has learned exclusively that Most Valuable Promotions (Mvp) and Netflix have assembled an all-star team for the fight, which will stream live July 11 beginning at 5 pm Et on Most Valuable Promotions’ YouTube channel and Netflix’s Tudum.com from Madison Square Garden, with the main card streaming live on Netflix beginning at 8 pm Et.

On fight night, broadcaster and host Kate Scott will anchor the broadcast desk along with former world champion Andre Ward as co-host and analyst, and boxing legend Laila Ali as analyst. Veteran commentator Sean Grande will call the blow-by-blow ringside, joined by former undisputed world champion Seniesa Estrada and Ali for in-fight analysis. Ariel Helwani and Sibley Scoles will provide ringside interviews and reporting. Kody “Big Mo” Mommaerts will serve as the in-ring announcer, while...

Former World’s Strongest Man Eddie ‘The Beast’ Hall is taking his strength to the studio as he launches debut podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Beast, produced by Folding Pocket, (a Platform Media label). The podcast promises to reveal the mindset of champions through deep dive interviews with extraordinary 'beasts', uncovering what drives those who achieve the impossible.

In a climate where macho podcasts dominate the global charts, Eddie Hall offers a new side to the story. On The Good, The Bad & The Beast, Eddie sits down with real-life 'beasts' - from elite athletes and record breakers to fearless adventurers and A-list stars - to find out what’s the common thread between those who achieve amazing feats. Each episode delivers raw, unfiltered conversations that go beyond the headlines, and digs deep into defining moments, setbacks, and sacrifices that shape some of the world’s most celebrated figures.

Bringing...

Former World’s Strongest Man Eddie ‘The Beast’ Hall is taking his strength to the studio as he launches debut podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Beast, produced by Folding Pocket, (a Platform Media label). The podcast promises to reveal the mindset of champions through deep dive interviews with extraordinary 'beasts', uncovering what drives those who achieve the impossible.

In a climate where macho podcasts dominate the global charts, Eddie Hall offers a new side to the story. On The Good, The Bad & The Beast, Eddie sits down with real-life 'beasts' - from elite athletes and record breakers to fearless adventurers and A-list stars - to find out what’s the common thread between those who achieve amazing feats. Each episode delivers raw, unfiltered conversations that go beyond the headlines, and digs deep into defining moments, setbacks, and sacrifices that shape some of the world’s most celebrated figures.

Bringing...

“I just wanna watch Nathan Fielder”– that’s the rallying cry of HBO Max users frustrated with Bill Maher’s growing presence on the platform. While Maher’s Real Time has long been a staple of HBO’s late-night slate, his critics are speaking louder than ever, calling out what they see as out-of-touch takes and outdated political comedy. The backlash, folks, isn’t only about content. It’s about tone, platform priorities, and the kind of voices audiences want elevated in 2025.

With creators like Nathan Fielder offering experimental, emotionally layered comedy, many viewers feel HBO Max is stuck pushing the wrong brand of relevance. And that disconnect has sparked real talk about boycotts, programming direction, and shifting audience loyalty.

Fans Want Bill Maher Off Their Max Screens But HBO Just Gave Him Two More Years Bill Maher in Real Time With Bill Maher | Credits: YouTube (@Real Time with Bill...

The Hollywood Reporter won 10 first-place awards at the 67th SoCal Journalism Awards, including two wins for best magazine feature, one for best entertainment commentary and a first-ever nod in the best headline category.

The Los Angeles Press Club handed out the awards at a ceremony held Sunday night inside the Crystal Ballroom at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

The news comes on the heels of The Hollywood Reporter’s award presented by the 2025 American Society of Magazine Editors in its best cover contest. THR was awarded the best local magazine cover for its 2024 “Work Issue,” which hit newsstands on Oct. 30, 2024.

Special honorees at the ceremony were Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times and ESPN, who was presented with the Joseph M. Quinn Award for Lifetime Achievement; CNN’s Clarissa Ward, who received the Daniel Pearl Award for Courage and Integrity in Journalism; and actress Kim Fields,...

Netflix is new to the arena of live sports, but it already has a partnership with the biggest league of them all in the United States.

Netflix is the worldwide leader in streaming, but there is still one area of content in which it lags behind competitors: live sports. For many years, Netflix executives stayed away from the world of live sports, convinced that pursuits of big-name sports rights would not deliver a return on the huge investment required.

Disagreeing with the methods of the most profitable streaming service in the world would seem to be a wasted effort, but it’s hard to argue that Netflix doesn’t have the sports inventory of other streamers. But that’s changing; the streamer is adding more and more live sporting events, and we’ll run through which ones you’ll find on the streamer in 2025, and what you can expect to be added in the future.

Netflix will have exclusive rights to the blockbuster fight between Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez and American Terence Crawford. This long-anticipated match will stream live on September 13, 2025, from a yet-to-be-determined location in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This is the first major match for the newly established Tko Boxing venture launched in March by UFC's Dana White and Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and President of the Saudi Boxing Federation.

There will be no pay-per-view fee to stream the fight for Netflix subscribers, which means that potentially 300 million subscribers could tune into Netflix on September 13 to watch this fight live.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford coming to Netflix

The Alvarez vs. Crawford fight has been rumored to be in the works since 2023. Canelo Alvarez, 34, is 63-2-2, and he will attempt to hand the 41-0 Terence Crawford, 37, his first defeat.

Mexican boxing traditionally takes center stage in mid-September on...

The boxing match is set for Sept. 13 in Las Vegas and will undoubtedly be one of the major events of the fall.

Netflix is getting back into the boxing ring. The streaming service announced on Tuesday that it would be the host of a bout between Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez and Terence “Bud” Crawford, two of the most skilled boxers in North America. The fight should bring a huge audience to Netflix — provided that it can solve certain technical issues that plagued it in its last boxing stream.

Key Details: Fall fun: The Canelo vs. Crawford bout will take place Sept. 13. Anticipated bout: Both Canelo and Crawford have over 40 career wins. Sign of things to come?: The fight could be an indication of a deepening relationship between Netflix and Dana White. Sign Up $7.99+ / month netflix.com

The fight between Canelo and Crawford will take place on Saturday, Sept. 13, live from Las Vegas.

“Saturday Night Live” concluded another successful season on May 17, 2025, that included dozens of memorable sketches and opening monologues by various hosts. On Sunday the show’s social media team put together the top 10 most-watched monologues from this season — and there are some truly great moments in the list.

Bill Burr: November 9, 2024

Burr had the task of hosting the sketch series after the 2024 election, which saw Donald Trump assume the helm of the United States for the second time. He nearly immediately addressed the topic, telling the audience, “All right ladies, you’re 0 and 2 on this guy. But you learn more from your losses than your wins. Let’s get into the game tape.”

In reference to ensembles frequently worn by Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris, who lost their election races to Trump, Burr added, “Ladies, enough with the pantsuit. Ok? It’s not working! Stop trying to have respect for yourselves.

On Thursday evening, the world’s largest streaming service experienced massive issues around the globe.

It’s rare that any streamer suffers a widespread outage, much less the largest streamer of them all. But that’s exactly what happened to Netflix on Thursday night. Customers around the world reported not being able to watch the titles that they wanted to on Netflix, and although the service seems to be back on its feet now, the errors left thousands of customers temporarily confused and annoyed.

Key Details: Reports indicate…: More than 60,000 people reported issues with Netflix on Downdetector. Error!: Customers were greeted with error codes and messages that their chosen title could not be watched. Not the first time: Netflix suffered widespread issues with a live stream of a boxing match in November. Sign Up $7.99+ / month netflix.com

Customers took to social media to express their frustration with their...

Logan Paul recently dissed his peers at WWE for criticizing his meteoric rise in the promotion despite only starting out a few years ago. The YouTube star has courted many controversies over the years and is no stranger to messing around with legends. However, his most frustrating antic has to be his association with the Valley Girl remake.

Nicolas Cage’s original Valley Girl developed a cult following and was a breakout role for the eccentric star. An adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, the Martha Coolidge-directorial film brought in the ‘80s aesthetic to the immortal tragedy and turned it into a teen comedy. However, its 2020 remake had to face several hurdles, mostly due to Paul.

Logan Paul’s controversies led to the Valley Girl remake being delayed by two years Logan Paul in Valley Girl | Credits: United Artists Releasing

Logan Paul is a digital star like no other. Until...

We finally know exactly who would win in a fight between John Mulaney and three 14-year-old boys. Now it’s time for 100 men and one gorilla to step into the ring.

At the beginning of the first season of Everybody's Live with John Mulaney, the stand-up superstar and anarchist late-night host issued a challenge to the families among his viewership based on a viral Twitter thread: Send out your finest three 14-year-old boys, and Mulaney would fight them live on stream in the season finale. Leading up to tonight’s closing episode of Everybody's Live, fans were convinced that Mulaney had some kind of cheeky rug-pull planned, and that he wouldn’t actually try to physically best a few minors and possibly end his illustrious career in disgrace.

Up until the very moment when the fighters met in the ring, it seemed like Mulaney was going to find a way to avoid violence,...

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They started in the pods, and now she’s gonna be a mom!

Yes, five years after they met and married on the first season of Love Is Blind, Lauren and Cameron Hamilton are expecting their first child.

The couple announced over the weekend that they’re officially expecting after four years of trying.

Cameron Hamilton and Lauren Speed-Hamilton attend the Uber and Delta SkyMiles partnership celebration at The Eastern on April 24, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for Uber and Delta) Lauren and Cameron open up about successful IVF experience

“We were counting down the days till we could test because we did IVF [in vitro fertilization]. We knew, okay, this is the day that we’re going to do the test. Of course, we’re going in for a blood test later that day, but we couldn’t wait any longer,” Cameron told People magazine this week.

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We probably don’t need to tell you that 2024 was a banner year for Jake Paul.

After months of hype, Jake stepped into the ring with Mike Tyson for what might’ve been the biggest event in Netflix history.

The fight itself wasn’t much to write home about — the combatants mostly just danced around each other, and technical issues interrupted the stream for millions of viewers — but both Paul and Tyson were handsomely rewarded for their efforts.

US boxer, actor and YouTuber Jake Paul gestures during his weigh-in ahead of his heavyweight boxing match against Former US heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson in Irving, Texas, on November 14, 2024. (Photo by Timothy A. Clary / Afp)

Jake was paid a reported $40 million for the fight, while Iron Mike received a comparatively paltry $20 million.

Seems a bit backward to us, but we don’t make the rules!

Never one to...

One of the hottest trends in television has nothing to do with doctor shows or true crime, and everything to do with technology. The industry has spoken: Streaming live events is in.

Live events have long been part of the digital age dating back to 1993 when Severe Tire Damage became the first band to stream on the internet. But streaming live events has been an especially buzzy talking point lately, largely because of the increased demand for sports. Netflix’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight resulted in 65 million concurrent streams globally. The Fox-owned Tubi broke a streaming record for the Super Bowl, averaging a 13.6 million per minute average audience. And later this year, YouTube will live stream the NFL’s Week 1 game in Brazil for free — a first for the company.

All three companies prominently highlighted their sports offerings during their 2025 advertiser upfronts presentations this month, with Netflix even...

Colin Jost landed a barrage of comedy haymakers this season on Saturday Night Live’s most consistently funny segment: Weekend Update. Here are 20 of Season 50’s best punchlines, courtesy of SNL’s charmingly smug anchorman.

1

“Melania Trump gave a rare TV interview this week in which she blamed Democrats for creating conditions that led to Trump’s assassination attempts, which is ridiculous. When Democrats want to take out a presidential candidate, they get the job done.”

2

“Well, guys, the election is exactly 30 days away. Just think, in only 30 days, this whole nightmare will be nowhere close to over.”

3

“Donald Trump held a rally today at the site of the Coachella Music Festival, because just like Trump, Coachella brings out the worst in white people.”

4

“At a rally in a Pennsylvania high school, Elon Musk promoted the debunked theory that Dominion Voting Systems rigged the 2020 election, saying, quote, ‘The last thing...

Untold pulls back the curtain on epic, enthralling sports stories, from Jake Paul’s journey as a YouTube star turned professional boxer to Manti Te’o’s remarkable college football career that was overshadowed by the tale of a girlfriend who didn’t exist.

The next batch of stories in the acclaimed series includes Untold: The Fall of Favre. The tell-all documentary unpacks the life of Brett Favre, best known as the Green Bay Packers superstar quarterback who nabbed three NFL MVPs and led his team to a Super Bowl championship. But Favre also had a pattern of inappropriate behavior off the field that at last came to light.

Accusations against Favre came from former New York Jets employee Jenn Sterger, who denied the player’s request for her phone number but alleges she still received explicit text messages from him that derailed her blossoming career. Additionally, Favre was caught up...

Logan Paul may be a phenomenal wrestler and one of WWE’s rising stars, but he is no match for Conor McGregor, one of the greatest fighters of all time. The two nearly faced off in real life, as McGregor was set to fight Paul earlier this year, though the bout never materialized.

However, they did come face to face at one point, and despite having his brother by his side, Paul chose not to provoke one of UFC’s most legendary fighters. Later, on his own podcast, Paul revealed that he and McGregor were on the verge of exchanging blows but ultimately decided to handle the situation with caution.

Logan Paul and Conor McGregor almost fought each other on their way to Donald Trump’s inauguration Conor McGregor during a UFC fight | Credits- UFC/YouTube

Logan Paul has repeatedly challenged Conor McGregor, and they were close to setting up...

Netflix is still a relative newcomer to the upfronts. The streamer has only participated in the springtime pitchfest since it obtained ad inventory to sell, and it didn’t get that inventory until it launched its ad-supported tier in November 2022.

Early on, Netflix’s ad tier encountered speed bumps on its way to viability. But two years after the streamer’s first upfront presentation, its commercial space is looking a lot more grown-up. Its 2025 upfronts pitch included details about new ad types, measurement updates for brands and agencies, and previews of upcoming shows, movies, and live events.

The epicenter of Netflix’s advertising operation is a newly-launched destination that has been dubbed the Netflix Ad Suite. That platform, currently available in the U.S. and Canada, offers a variety of analytical options. Advertisers can import first-party data while also working with approved third-party data partners like Experian and Acxiom. Netflix also announced new measurement tools,...

On Christmas Day in 2024, Netflix did something it had never done. The streamer broadcast live NFL games. Your favorite place to watch things had inked a deal with the NFL to show games for at least three years. The contract might have been a prove-it one for Netflix.

The streamer was just beginning to break into major live events, and few things are bigger than NFL games. Netflix struggled with glitches in November when showing the Jake Paul and Mike Tyson scuffle. Thankfully, the NFL games had no issues.

Plus, the halftime shows were so good that the streaming giant made Beyoncé's halftime show during the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans game a standalone. We should expect a lot of great musical acts this year, too.

2025 NFL games on Christmas Day on Netflix are being announced

But what will the games be?

According to Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports,...

Celebrities stepping into the world of wrestling is far from a new phenomenon. Over the years, major wrestling promotions like WWE, Aew, and Tna have welcomed numerous high-profile personalities into the ring. Notable influencers such as Logan Paul, iShowSpeed, and Jake Paul have successfully made the transition from digital fame to professional wrestling.

As the industry increasingly prioritizes popularity and mainstream appeal, the involvement of social media influencers and celebrities in wrestling continues to grow. This trend is clearly reflected in Logan Paul’s rapid rise within WWE. With his success paving the way, several other prominent figures are poised to make their mark in the squared circle shortly.

Kenny Omega and Adi Shankar talk about the culture of subversion in wrestling Kenny Omega as the Aew Champion. (Image Credit: Aew)

During a conversation with Adi Shankar on his YouTube channel, Aew star Kenny Omega shared some interesting thoughts on...