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The 2025 Espy Awards will likely be remembered for Shane Gillis’ monologue, even if the comedy was largely forgettable.

Gillis, a standup comedian and the co-creator and star of Netflix’s Tires, is probably best known for lasting like four hours at Saturday Night Live — Lorne Michaels felt compelled to fire Gillis after some non-pc clips of a 2018 episode of Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast were resurfaced — though he has gone on to host the show, twice.

By now, you’ve probably read both praise and criticism on Gillis’ monologue — he’s that kind of comic. Gillis is wildly popular among his base, and controversial among non-fans. This was always gonna go some sort of way, and ESPN executives knew that when they gave Gillis the gig. Gillis has appeared on the network’s College GameDay show, where he (internet-)famously got into it with Nick Saban, an all-time great...

Growing up in a multiracial family in New York City, Rosario Dawson had a unique first-hand perspective on how cannabis is used as a tool for racism.

As an executive producer and the narrator of Kiss My Grass, a documentary short that premiered last week at Tribeca Film Festival, exploring the underlying roots of racial injustice and inequity in the cannabis space, the actress opened up to Deadline about how seeing the war on drugs “devastate entire communities” made her want to participate in the project.

“I grew up around a lot of potheads, including my parents. It was always a thing,” she explained. “My dad’s a white guy and he could grow his weed out on the fire escape. My mom was like, ‘Ok, that’s crazy, you can’t do that with the kids.'”

Dawson continued, “But he just grew up in Texas, and kind of just did whatever he wanted,...

Vin Diesel and Laverne Cox are among those speaking at the 2025 CAA Amplify Summit, the agency announced Monday.

The summit, an annual event, brings together influential leaders from media, entertainment, social justice, sports, technology, nonprofits and other industry sectors.

The lineup of speakers and attendees for Tuesday’s Laguna Beach summit also includes former prime minister of New Zealand Dame Jacinda Ardern, CEO of Microsoft AI Mustafa Suleyman, CNN anchor and senior national correspondent Sara Sidner, ACLU executive director Anthony D. Romero, Ford Foundation president Darren Walker, Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (Glsen) executive director Melanie Willingham-Jaggers and entrepreneur and philanthropist Byron Allen.

“CAA Amplify is more than a convening,” CAA Foundation executive director Natalie Tran said in a release, adding the summit “is a catalyst for building a fortified network of culture influencing leaders who are shaping the future across industries.”

“This year’s gathering reflects our unwavering commitment...

Less than three months after Edward and Akua Enninful announced the launch of a global media and entertainment company called EE72, the siblings have revealed specific details about the venture including a quarterly print publication and a digital platform.

Set for a September debut, the platform will be known as EE72 while the publication is titled 72 Magazine. Both “aim to drive culture forward with news-making images and stories that transcend traditional media boundaries” with a focus on the intersection of fashion, beauty, luxury and culture, per the Enninfuls. The goal, it seems per the launch announcement, is to blend “the timeless depth of print with the dynamism of digital” with coverage of top creative forces, no doubt leaning into Edward Enninful’s enviable Rolodex of A-list stars, designers and creators gathered through years spent in the fashion and media space with tenures at British Vogue and as European editorial director of Vogue.

The 2025 Tribeca Festival has set its selection of shorts across narrative, documentary, animated works and music videos.

Expanded eligibility to projects previously screened in New York or online for out-of-competition consideration led to record submissions and 93 short films this year, a high among major fests.

The music video lineup curated by Sharon Badal, spans the world premiere of Kid Cudi’s new short film Neverland, directed by Ti West and produced by Monkeypaw Productions; Rock the Bells from LL Cool J; Jack White’s That’s How I’m Feeling; and Madame President by Grace Bowers.

Tribeca, which runs June 4–15 in NYC, is also deepening its investment in shorts by introducing the inaugural Shorts Cinema screening room at its Spring Studios festival hub to allow more filmmakers and fans to discover the next generation of independent film, where shorts are often a first stop.

“This year we received a staggering number of short submissions,...

The 2025 Tribeca Festival, presented by Okx, has unveiled its short films lineup — including a reunion between “X” actor Kid Cudi and director Ti West. This year’s music-centric Tribeca Festival includes features from Miley Cyrus, Billy Joel, and more. On the shorts side, Cudi and West collaborated on the music video “Neverland,” with Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions producing.

The 2025 Tribeca Festival will take place June 4-15 in New York City. In total, the festival will premiere 93 short films. The 2025 Tribeca Shorts program also broke its own records for submissions due to an expanded eligibility to include projects previously screened in New York or online for out-of-competition consideration.

The festival is additionally introducing an inaugural Shorts Cinema at Spring Studios dedicated to screening only the programmed shorts. The Shorts Cinema and Storytelling Summit will take place on the same floor at Spring Studios.

The programming ranges from narrative shorts to documentary shorts,...

Exclusive: Kai Parham (Colin in Black and White) and Michael Ealy have joined the cast of Prime Video’s The Greatest, a limited series about the life of Muhammad Ali (Jaalen Best), from executive producer Michael B. Jordan and executive producer/showrunner Ben Watkins.

The series will feature the defining moments in Ali’s life and career — both in and out of the ring — that have been well documented and moments that took place outside the spotlight. The world remembers an icon, but The Greatest is about a man, a husband, a father, a brother, and a son.

In a series regular role, Parham will play Rudy Clay, Ali’s younger brother. In a recurring role, Ealy will (finally) play Malcolm X.

Throughout his career, Ealy’s name has been mentioned repeatedly as the actor fans would most like to see portray Malcolm X.

Kid Rock had plenty to say about Kendrick Lamar’s performance at Super Bowl 2025, calling it a bold and unapologetic display while also critiquing the NFL’s motives behind the booking.

“To put it nicely, it wasn’t my cup of tea, but I gotta respect it,” Rock said during an interview on Real Time With Bill Maher. “Here’s why: You know, I grew up loving, emulating hip-hop. All things hip-hop. Breakdancing, DJing, graffiti, rapping. And so I understand the culture a little bit more than most… And when I say ‘most,’ I mean white people.”

“Man, this kid pretty much came out, figuratively, with both middle fingers in the air, doing what he does for the people who love what he does, unapologetically,” he continued. “I don’t think he gives a frog’s fat ass what anyone thinks about it. That’s pretty much how I built my career.

Although Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance left many viewers stunned, it still wasn’t quite as stunning as Kid Rock’s mental gymnastics of a reaction.

On Friday’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, the 3x Grammy nominee shared his two cents as someone who “understands the culture,” before going on to rant that Lamar’s set was the “epitome of Dei blowing up.”

“To put it nicely, it wasn’t my cup of tea, but I got to respect it,” he told Maher. “And here’s why: I grew up loving, emulating all things hip-hop, break dancing, deejaying, graffiti, rapping, and so I understand the culture a little bit more than most. And when I say most, of course, I mean white people.

“So when you’re watching it, after, it’s a lot of things going through your head, you know, everyone’s like,...

Bill Maher isn’t left speechless often, but he was after hearing Kid Rock’s thoughts on Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show.

During the latest episode of HBO’s Real Time, the host asked the singer-rapper (a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump who has previously spoken out against Dei initiatives) what he thought of this year’s halftime show, as some anti-dei folks criticized the performance for only including people of color.

“To put it nicely, it wasn’t my cup of tea, but I got to respect it,” Kid Rock responded. “And here’s why: I grew up loving, emulating all things hip-hop, break dancing, deejaying, graffiti, rapping, and so I understand the culture a little bit more than most. And when I say most, of course, I mean white people.”

He continued, “So watching it… after it’s a lot of things going through your head,...

When Samuel L. Jackson walked onto the field to introduce Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Lix halftime show, he assumed the voice of a familiar icon: “Salutations, it’s your Uncle Sam,” the actor said, donning a blue top hat embellished with white stars, “and this is the great American game.”

Fans of Lamar will remember this character from To Pimp a Butterfly, where the wily figure encouraged the Compton rapper to feed a rapacious appetite for material goods. “What you want, you? / A house or a car? / Forty acres and a mule, a piano, a guitar?/ Anythin’, see, my name is Uncle Sam, I’m your dog,” intones Lamar in “Wesley’s Theory,” imbuing the character with a haunting voice, like the snake in the Garden of Eden. The rapper uses the specter to stage a battle between the American artist and capitalism, articulating the seductive and parasitic elements of that relationship.

Kendrick Lamar struck a chord at the Super Bowl, and it was definitely a major. The hip-hop legend triumphed in his halftime show at the big game in the New Orleans’ Caesar Superdome, in the middle of a lopsided Super Bowl where the Philadelphia Eagles ethered the Kansas City Chiefs. “The revolution about to be televised,” Lamar warned at the start of his halftime blowout. “You picked the right time but the wrong guy.” This halftime show had everything — Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam, Sza singing, Serena Williams doing...

If you want more proof that America is more divided than ever, look no further than Michael Strahan.

Despite reports of friction at Good Morning America, Michael Strahan’s career as a TV journalist continues going strong.

However, on Veteran’s Day, he found himself pooled together with the likes of Colin Kaepernick and others who have been slammed over their “etiquette” during the National Anthem

There are even those who are going so saw as demanding he be Fired!

Michael Strahan attends the “Bs High” premiere during the 2023 Tribeca Festival at Village East Cinema on June 14, 2023. (Photo Credit: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival) Michael Strahan & National Anthem “Etiquette”

On Sunday, November 10, Fox Sports showed the NFL on Fox talking heads at Naval Base San Diego.

The unholy union of sports and the US military has a long history – But, in this case, it was a special Veterans...

Charlamagne Tha God and Anderson Cooper used expletives at points as they engaged in a spirited debate over how CNN and other networks have covered Donald Trump versus Kamala Harris.

On AC 360 on Thursday, Cooper made the point that when it comes to Trump, “if you like him, if you hate him, he …has shown us who he is every single day.”

“Which is a fascist, and it is crazy because you still don’t have news networks having that conversation,” Charlamagne, host of the popular iHeartRadio radio show The Breakfast Club, responded.

He added that “When somebody questions Kamala Harris’ blackness, or is she a Dei hire, you all will have roundtable discussions about that, asking that question. How come you are not having roundtable discussions asking, ‘Is Donald Trump a fascist?’ Actually not even asking it, stating it.”

Cooper, though, noted that Charlamagne was “raising this with Kamala Harris,...

Charlamagne tha God took no prisoners during an appearance on CNN’s AC360 on Thursday night, damning the network’s coverage of Donald Trump and what he called fascist statements and tendencies and the double standards that seem apply to Kamala Harris in an impassioned series of remarks.

In a clip that has gone viral on social media, Charlamagne, a popular podcaster and co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Breakfast Club, is asked by host Anderson Cooper about Trump’s plan to appear on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast and whether Harris planned to do the same.

“I think that she should keep calling Donald Trump a fascist,” Charlamagne replied tersely.

He continued, “And I think that Americans need to keep looking at the rhetoric of Donald Trump because I don’t know why we’re even thinking about electing somebody who’s talking about putting people in camps.

On Wednesday, October 2, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon features country music star Luke Bryan, who will discuss his latest projects and perform live. The episode also welcomes former professional football player Colin Kaepernick, who will engage in a conversation about his career and current initiatives, providing viewers with insights into his life beyond […]

The Tonight Show: Luke Bryan, Colin Kaepernick...

On Wednesday morning, CBS Mornings will feature Colin Kaepernick and Nessa Diab, co-authors of We Are Free, You and Me. The two will discuss their new book and share insights on its creation. Also, television cook and author Ina Garten will join the program to talk about her memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens: […]

CBS Mornings Wednesday October 2: Colin Kaepernick and Nessa Diab, Ina Garten...

Kendrick Lamar doesn’t want to be a savior, but he’s certainly a spokesman on his latest track, released guerilla style just days after his Super Bowl Lix announcement. The song, where Kendrick raps that it’s time to “let the party die,” doesn’t find him expressing much joy at being the first rap soloist to grace the Super Bowl stage. Instead, it sounds like there are more pressing things on his mind — he’s so fed up with the rap ecosystem that he uploaded the five-minute song without a title.

The people close to Lil Wayne are making it clear they’re not happy with him not being named the Super Bowl Lix halftime show headliner. Nicki Minaj and Birdman both took to X today to air their gripes with the NFL’s (and presumably Jay-Z’s) decision to have Kendrick Lamar headline the February showcase. While they didn’t explicitly name Jay-Z, who has had a hand in producing Super Bowl halftime shows since 2019, it seems pretty apparent what they’re talking about.

Nicki Minaj took to her account...

On the first full day of the NFL season, the league announced that Kendrick Lamar would be headlining the Super Bowl Lix halftime show in New Orleans. Despite New Orleans native Lil Wayne being right there for a hometown set of hits, NFL brass (with consultation from Jay-Z’s Roc Nation) decided to go with Lamar. The moment feels like the league attempting to get in on Lamar’s momentum as he cements one of the greatest runs in rap history that didn’t include an actual project. Lamar’s...

CBS News’ third hour of “CBS Mornings” is set to debut on September 30, with Tony Dokoupil and Adriana Diaz cohosting the additional programming hour, the network announced Wednesday.

The program will extend the network’s flagship morning show into the 9 a.m. hour. “CBS Mornings Plus” will air weekdays on CBS-owned stations in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit and Miami. The show will also be simulcast to CBS News 24/7, the broadcast network’s free streaming platform.

The third hour will be produced by the “CBS Mornings” team and will include relevant headlines of the day, as well as pop culture, entertainment, health, wellness and financial news.

Both of the program’s competitors in the broadcast morning show market, ABC’s “Good Morning America” and NBC’s “Today” show, have already expanded beyond the initial two-hour timeslot.

“CBS Mornings Plus is a great example of how our broadcast and...

AI in comic creation worries industry veterans like Robert Kirkman due to its potential to steal creative platforms from human expressionism. New AI platforms like Lumi claim to level the playing field for creators, but concerns arise about ownership rights and originality of content. Collaborating with AI in content creation raises complex copyright issues, as AI can only copy and reconstruct based on human-made samples.

The increased use of artificial intelligence in comics has industry veterans like The Walking Dead co-creator Robert Kirkman very worried. In the previous half-decade alone, artificial intelligence in media has rapidly evolved from a short-term novelty to a concerning form of technology that threatens to overtake the careers of human content creators. Due to this expedited development, creators, businesses, and lawmakers must decide what is or isnt an appropriate use of AI in the entertainment industry. Understandably, many creators fear the negative impacts AI may...

Devin Strader's problematic behavior on The Bachelorette raises concerns about his compatibility with lead Jenn Tran. Devin's controversial social media activity suggests his beliefs may clash with Jenn's values and goals for the future. Despite causing drama and interrupting other contestants, Devin's motives for appearing on the show remain unclear.

The Bachelorette season 21s lead Jenn Tran has some contestants vying for her affection ready to take the next steps in their relationship, but Bachelorette villain Devin Strader being one of her front-runners proves the show doesnt care about her at all. Throughout The Bachelorette season 21, Jenn has been investing in the guys who are piquing her interest, but the leads group of front-runners arent all the type of guys viewers hope to see win her heart. Jenn, who was introduced on The Bachelor season 28 where she won the hearts of Bachelor Nation, has a few concerning contestants.

While...

Comic-Con and the Party Report return to San Diego where celebrities also embraced the con’s thriving party scene, after last year’s Hollywood labor strikes shut most of the parties down. EW’s annual bash made a triumphant return to the Hard Rock’s Float rooftop, along with Fandom and a few notable others.

This year, there was plenty to do offsite around the convention, so here are TheWrap’s photos from some of Sdcc 2024‘s best parties and activations.

Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe kicked things off on Preview Day with a cool store takeover activation in the Gaslamp, where con-goers noshed on hot dogs, crispy chicken sandwiches and frozen slushies.

In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Fandom once again threw one of the classiest parties of the year in San Diego at the Hard Rock Hotel, presented by EA, Z2 and Pinfinity.

Former NFL starter Colin Kaepernick...

Exclusive: Good Morning Football is getting ready to return to NFL Network after a hiatus that saw the daytime show move from New York to LA.

Kyle Brandt, who has been with the sports show since its premiere in 2016, took some time between rehearsals ahead of the relaunch to talk to Deadline about the show’s changes and how he would handle being bicoastal.

Brandt will continue to co-host the show alongside Jamie Erdahl, Peter Schrager, and newcomers Akbar Gbajabiamila and Sherree Burruss. However, the morning show host is splitting his time between LA and NY, which he says will not be difficult.

“What’s difficult to do is to wake up at five in the morning and have about six minutes to come up with something original to say about Dak Prescott,” he told us. “I had a six-hour flight to get here, I have 50 things to say about Dak Prescott.

CAA on Thursday announced the speakers and attendees set for its seventh annual CAA Amplify Summit, the invitation-only convening of artists, thought-leaders, and executives of color from leading organizations in entertainment, sports, media, brands, and technology, and beyond.

Confirmed speakers and attendees include: former First Lady of the United States and Co-Founder, Higher Ground Productions, Michelle Obama; Oscar and Emmy-winning Actress, Producer, and Director, Regina King (Shirley); NBA Hall of Famer, Activist, and Entrepreneur, Dwyane Wade; Grammy-winning Singer, Songwriter, Actor, and Activist, Ricky Martin; Emmy, Golden Globe, Grammy, and Academy Award-winning Singer and Songwriter, Jon Batiste; Emmy-nominated Television Host, Producer, Bestselling Author, and Activist, Padma Lakshmi; Actress and Comedian, Ego Nwodim (SNL); Academy Award-winning Writer and Director, Cord Jefferson (American Fiction); Chief Legal Analyst and News Anchor, Laura Coates (Laura Coates Live); Actress Ashley Park (Emily in Paris); Misty Copeland, Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theatre; Emmy-nominated Producer and Comedian, Roy Wood, Jr....

CAA’s seventh annual Amplify summit, a day dedicated to convening artists, brands and leaders of color, has set its lineup of speakers and attendees, led by none other than the former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama.

Obama, also co-founder of Higher Ground productions, will be joined on the bill by top talents like Oscar and Emmy-winning actor, producer, and director, Regina King; NBA Hall of Famer, activist and entrepreneur Dwyane Wade (who returns after sitting for a keynote conversation with his fellow NBA legend Chris Paul in 2023); and Grammy-winning artist actor and activist Ricky Martin.

The invitation-only event kicks off on June 10th, in Ojai, Calif. and is organized by a diverse cross-section of CAA agents and executives to discuss ways to “accelerate transformational change in rooms of leadership and popular culture” via business opportunities, social justice initiatives and other various forms of collaboration.

“Our super...

Michelle Obama will attend the 2024 CAA Amplify Summit, the agency’s annual convening of thought leaders of color across entertainment, media, sports, branding, technology, nonprofits and other sectors.

Regina King, Dwyane Wade, Ricky Martin, Jon Batiste, Padma Lakshmi, Ego Nwodim, Cord Jefferson, Ashley Park, Misty Copeland, Roy Wood Jr., Lee Sung Jin, Demián Bichir, Colin Kaepernick and Mo Amer will join the former first lady, whose banner Higher Ground is represented by CAA, in Ojai on June 10-12. The roster of Amplify speakers and attendees also includes CNN chief legal analyst Laura Coates, MSNBC analyst Errin Haynes, ACLU executive director Anthony D. Romero, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund president and CEO Fatima Goss Graves, Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson and Center for Countering Digital Hate CEO Imran Ahmed.

“Our superpower is connecting luminaries across business, philanthropy, entertainment, technology, politics and beyond to inform, strategize and take action...

Picture two protests involving the American flag.

In one of them, a star NFL quarterback kneels during the singing of the national anthem. The reason? To call attention to the true, real plight of Black Americans whose lives seem not to matter as much as white ones — part of the unfinished business of American democracy. For this, he is booed, vilified, and effectively banned from the NFL. He never works as a quarterback again.

Now picture a second protest. A sitting Supreme Court justice (or perhaps his wife, but with...

Bill Maher admitted he was confused on the latest episode of Real Time about the controversy surrounding Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker‘s commencement speech at Benedictine College.

This week, the NFL player was criticized across social media over his graduation speech at the private Catholic school, which included comments condemning abortion, euthanasia, IVF, surrogacy and the LGBTQ community. He also made some remarks directed towards women in the crowd, suggesting they should embrace being a “homemaker.”

Maher initially emphasized “how much this guy is not like me,” noting Butker’s “religious, he loves marriage, he loves kids,” — all things the comedian has publicly expressed not having an interest in.

“Here’s a quote of his, ‘I’ve seen it firsthand how much happier someone can be when they disregard the outside noise and move closer and closer to God’s will,'” Maher said. “Yeah, not me. I...

Whoopi Goldberg and other View panelists are weighing in on Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s recent controversial commencement speech at Benedictine College.

The NFL player was slammed on social media this week for his speech to graduating students at the private Catholic school, where he condemned abortion, euthanasia, IVF, surrogacy and the LGBTQ community, as well as suggested that women should embrace being a “homemaker.”

After bringing up the controversy on Thursday’s episode of The View, Goldberg went on to defend Butker’s right to free speech, even if she doesn’t share the same beliefs and perspective.

“I like when people say what they need to say,” the Egot winner said. “He’s at a Catholic college, he’s a staunch Catholic. These are his beliefs and he’s welcome to them. I don’t have to believe them, I don’t have to accept them,...

Kerry Kennedy, president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, has announced the winners of the 2024 Ripple of Hope Awards: Lin-Manuel Miranda, songwriter, actor, director, and producer; Antonio Neri, president and CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise; John W. Rogers, Jr., chairman and co-ceo of Ariel Investments; and Tom Wilson, chair, president, and CEO of The Allstate Corporation.

The laureates will be honored on Wednesday, December 11, at a ceremony in New York City.

The Rfk Ripple of Hope Award annually honors exemplary leaders across government, business, advocacy, and entertainment who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to social change and worked to protect and advance equity, justice, and human rights. This year’s laureates have made a widespread impact, including Wilson’s work to empower youth and improve communities through the Allstate Foundation. Neri and Rogers have significantly improved their respective workplaces through enhanced employee benefits and experiences as well as thoughtful Esg...

Netflix stuck the landing on a star-studded exhibition match between tennis superstars Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz this weekend. Stakes were high on the court, but the Las Vegas showdown was most effective as a lush advertisement for the streamer as a fledgling live sports destination.

Taking over the Mandalay Bay’s Michelob Ultra Arena, the inaugural Netflix Slam pit legend Nadal against 20-year-old Alcaraz. Rafa, as Nadal is affectionately known to millions of global fans, had not played since a hip injury flared up in 2023. Nadal has only faced Alcaraz a handful of times in his career and wound up losing to the prodigy in a nail-biting tie break.

No one really lost, though. Least of all Netflix. Branding was so pervasive in the hotel and casino that pedestrians lined up 100 deep to take photos in front of a “Netflix Slam” sign, installed on a massive wall of tennis balls.

“Ok, I can die now.”

So said a woman seated behind The Hollywood Reporter inside Mandalay Bay’s Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, host of the inaugural The Netflix Slam. She had just snapped a selfie that captured superstars Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz warming up on center court over her shoulder. Sure, it was a dramatic statement but it wasn’t obscene for such an occasion. There’s no shortage of gasp-worthy moments in Sin City, and there’s no doubt many of the 9,489 seated guests could relate to the sentiment.

The Sunday afternoon showdown, the latest in Netflix’s push for live streaming events, pitted two superstar Spaniards in an exhibition match that could be one of the final few times they meet across a net. The fact that it happened was a bit of a coup, too, as it was rescheduled last year due to Nadal...

Well, that’s gotta hurt.

The National Football League isn’t officially saying anything yet, but the league just suffered a major loss – and we’re not talking about the woeful end of Bill Belichick’s reign at the New England Patriots.

Failing to get the nearly decade long antitrust lawsuit over the lucrative Sunday Ticket package thrown out of court, the Roger Goodell-run NFL is going to trial for potentially $6.1 billion just over a week after this year’s Super Bowl.

Rejecting the NFL’s request to dump the case, U.S. District Court Judge Philip Gutierrez on January 11 ordered the trial over non-competitive practices by the NFL to begin on February 22, to be specific.

Literally and figuratively, the only game in town for the NFL, the trial is expected to last about six weeks. If the NFL loses the case, big part of the blast radius of...

When infamous conspiracy theorist Alex Jones recorded a video last week saying he hoped Elon Musk would watch an interview he gave to Tucker Carlson, it was clear what he wanted most of all: a comeback.

“Elon Musk says he’s a free-speech absolutist, but still hasn’t let me back on Twitter with my own channel,” Jones said, putting the owner of the site now branded as X in something a bind. Either reinstate the account of a man whose name is practically synonymous with extremist misinformation, or accept...

Disney wants to get into the Brittney Griner business.

The inspirational WNBA All-Star, who was arrested and held in Russia in 2022 and sentenced to nine years in prison, will give Disney the exclusive rights to share her story via a documentary feature from ESPN Films, the development of a scripted series through ABC Signature and an exclusive interview with ABC News anchor Robin Roberts. Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, will also serve as an executive producer on the projects.

“Brittney is an exceptional athlete whose hardship and resilience are nothing short of extraordinary,” said Burke Magnus, president, content, ESPN, in a statement. “We are thrilled to be working with her to tell the nuances of her story and feel confident that this documentary will captivate audiences everywhere.”

Disney has tried to spotlight athletes with stirring stories in the past. In 2020, the company struck a first-look deal with former NFL quarterback...

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights today announced that Fran Drescher, SAG-AFTRA president, actor, writer, and activist, will receive the 2023 Ripple of Hope Award in recognition of her leadership advocating for workers’ rights.

Drescher will join fellow 2023 honorees, including The Edwin Barbey Charitable Trust, a donor-advised fund of the Arizona Community Foundation, and the previously announced January 6th Select Committee, at the annual Ripple of Hope Gala in New York City on December 6.

The Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award honors exemplary leaders across government, business, advocacy, and entertainment who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to social change and worked to protect and advance equity, justice, and human rights. Since being elected SAG-AFTRA president in 2021 during an unprecedented time in the union’s history, Drescher has sought to safeguard workers and performers amid new industry challenges, has encouraged a culture of respect and empathy, and has advocated for a living wage.

Roger Goodell has signed a contract extension with the NFL.

The NFL commissioner has signed a new deal that will keep him at the helm of the league through March 2027. The announcement was made as the NFL owners meet in New York this week.

“The Compensation Committee updated the full ownership today that an agreement has been reached to extend Commissioner Roger Goodell’s contract for three years, through March 2027,” the league said in a statement Wednesday.

Goodell has made the league’s media partnerships a top priority, as he detailed in a Sept. 6 cover story for The Hollywood Reporter.

The NFL inked rich media deals with NBCUniversal, Paramount, Fox, ESPN and Amazon in 2021 worth more than $110 billion, an extraordinary number that reset the standard for sports rights. But it also shifted more games to streaming, a strategic move to make them more accessible to cord-cutters.

“The technology is changing.

Spike Lee is among those upset about Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner’s recent controversial choice to leave women and Black musicians out of his new book The Masters.

During a wide-ranging interview with Lee at the 2023 New Yorker Festival on Saturday, New Yorker editor David Remnick recalled how a few weeks ago the pair were talking and Lee was “exercised” about the Wenner controversy.

“It is just emblematic of how often Black people, brown people, colored people are overlooked for their genius, for their skill, hard work,” Lee said during the New Yorker Festival talk.

When reminded that Wenner had explained these omissions, in an interview with The New York Times that seemed to kickstart the backlash against the Rolling Stone co-founder, by saying that no female or Black artists were “articulate” enough to be included, Lee suggested that may have been particularly what he was irritated about.

“Whoa!

Colin Kaepernick has formally requested that he join the New York Jets practice squad after their loss of quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a torn Achilles in the 2023 season. The veteran player has not been on an NFL roster since 2017 following his protest of protest police brutality and racism in the United States.

In a letter posted Tuesday on Instagram by J. Cole, the rapper said that he had asked Kaepernick for permission to share it with the world. “He was reluctant,” wrote J. Cole. “My argument was that I believe...

Perhaps it was inevitable that Miss Americana herself would end up in an almost-confirmed relationship with a star of that most American sport — and a reigning champion, no less.

The appearance of Taylor Swift in the box suite of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on Sunday, wearing unreleased team merch, marked a major cultural crossover. The pop icon — who fills stadiums so easily she reportedly turned down an invitation to headline the next Super Bowl halftime show — created a different sort of media spectacle at a regular-season NFL game,...

Over the weekend, Usher was announced as the headlining performer of the Super Bowl Lviii Halftime Show in Las Vegas. With a catalog going back 30 years that includes 18 Top 10 hits (nine of which reached Number One), Usher is in many ways a no-brainer for the showcase. The halftime show is a rite of passage for American music’s top-tier stars, and Usher deserves to be in that pantheon.

Since the announcement, music fans have celebrated the R&b icon getting his figurative flowers, joking about what Y2K-era outfit they...

Fall Out Boy hit the stage during the MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday night to perform their updated version of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”

The rock group released the song earlier this summer, writing new lyrics for Joel’s iconic hit song, which included references to significant events that happened from the years 1949 to 1989, including everything from the Cold War to the cola wars and Joseph Stalin to John F. Kennedy.

Fall Out Boy’s version covers the years from 1989 to 2023 and references Iron Man, MIchael Phelps, Taylor Swift, Colin Kaepernick, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, MySpace and the deaths of George Floyd, Prince and Queen Elizabeth, among other topics.

Bebe Rexha introduced the band at the VMAs, which are airing live from New Jersey’s Prudential Center. During the show, Fall Out Boy — decked out in suits — performed outside the arena on a stage filled with flames.

Turning any popular book into a movie is a minefield. Being too faithful can result in an overstuffed mess. Too unfaithful, you risk alienating a built-in fandom. But even greater consideration has to be given when adapting a nonfiction book into a narrative film. In cases like “Nomadland,” “Capote,” and the upcoming “Killers of the Flower Moon,” filmmakers toed that line by showing us their books’ factual cores through the eyes of dramatic protagonists.

On the flip side of the equation is “Origin,” Ava DuVernay’s awkward and ungainly new adaptation of the 2020 bestseller “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson. The misguided film comes across as a twisted sibling of “Eat Pray Love,” in which the book’s author becomes the film’s protagonist leading us on a world tour of historical atrocities.

The best thing that can be said about “Origin” — beyond the undeniable fact that...

The origins of the NFL’s streaming business can be traced, in part, to a party at Bill Gates’ house outside of Seattle several years ago. The event was timed to a summit that Microsoft was hosting, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recalls chatting with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos there. “I was just talking about our content and what it could do for their technology,” Goodell says, noting that he felt the NFL could help Amazon build its advertising business and Prime Video subscription service. “I distinctly remember, he was wearing sunglasses and he put them down on the end of his nose,” Goodell adds. “And he said, ‘Now you’ve got my attention.’ ”

Amazon would go on to cut a deal to simulcast Thursday Night Football games beginning in 2017 and, last season, took over the package exclusively. It marked the most significant bet by a major sports league on...

Harlan Coben's Shelter cast brings together a talented ensemble to bring the thrilling book to life in a compelling way. Jaden Michael shines as Mickey Bolitar, the young hero of the story, as he investigates the dark secrets lurking beneath the town's surface. The cast features a mix of newcomers and TV veterans, including Abby Corrigan and Constance Zimmer, who deliver standout performances.

Harlan Coben's Shelter cast brings together an exciting ensemble to bring this thrilling book to life. First published in 2011, Shelter was the first novel in Harlan Coben's young adult novels featuring his popular teen protagonist, Mikey Boiltar. The success of the novel and its sequels has pushed forward the television adaptation with Prime Video airing the new teen-led mystery series that follows the intrigue and dark adventures of the book. One of the most interesting aspects of the show is the Harlan Coben's Shelter cast which features newcomers and television veterans.

Shelter is the newest addition to the on-screen Harlan Coben Universe. A Young Adult-skewing eight-part thriller, it’s the story of high schooler Mickey Bolitar, who’s recently moved from overseas to his dad’s hometown of Kasselton, New Jersey, where he and his new friends investigate the disappearance of a fellow student. Like any Harlan Coben series, it takes place in a heightened world peopled by memorable villains, shock twists, cliff-hangers, and mysteries that change shape multiple times before they’re solved.

Mickey Bolitar is the star of three novels by Coben – a spin-off trilogy from his hit 11-part book series about Mickey’s uncle Myron Bolitar. Netflix has the rights to that character, so don’t expect to find an actor playing him in the cast rundown below. Here’s more on the actors telling this story.

Jaden Michael as Mickey Bolitar

Mickey Bolitar is a talented high...

Bethenny Frankel has enlisted two of the most high-profile attorneys in Hollywood to help in her self-proclaimed fight to help protect reality stars from what she says is exploitation by networks and studios.

Power players Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos are now working alongside Frankel to investigate the treatment of reality stars.

Freedman tells me that he has heard from roughly 50 reality show cast members from various docuseries and competition shows who believe that they were “used and unfairly” treated by television networks and streamers.

“Something has to change because the current system is broken,” Geragos says.

Frankel’s quest comes amid the writers and actors strike that has effectively shut down Hollywood. Reality TV can still be produced during the double strike, and most networks will be heavily relying on unscripted programming this fall. But Frankel — one of the most prominent personalities to come from Bravo’s “Real Housewives...

Sports fans tuning into ESPN on Sunday were in for a shock when soccer analyst Shaka Hislop unexpectedly collapsed during a live broadcast.

The 54-year-old retired soccer player, who represented Trinidad and Tobago on the men’s national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, startled the production crew and his co-host when he stumbled to the ground during pre-game coverage with Dan Thomas at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, right before AC Milan’s game opposing Real Madrid.

Read More: Spike Lee To Direct Colin Kaepernick Docuseries For ESPN

Omg Shaka… hope he’s fine. @Espnfc @DanThomasESPN @ShakaHislop pic.twitter.com/CfkviwSTJe

— Naman (@iamN7) July 24, 2023

Viewers who caught sight of the moment can now sigh relief as Thomas has shared a positive update, revealing Hislop is “conscious” amid care treatment from medics.

“As it stands, it’s good news. He’s conscious, he’s talking. I think he’s...