New this week: Bruce Springsteen, 'The Big Brunch' and Sonic
This week’s new entertainment releases include albums by Bruce Springsteen and Louis Tomlinson, Olivia Wilde's “Don't Worry Darling” hits HBO Max, and Dan Levy of Emmy-winning “Schitt’s Creek” fame has “The Big Brunch,” a cooking competition he created and hosts.
Golden Globes vows reform amid scrutiny on diversity
In this video grab issued Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, by NBC, hosts Tina Fey, left, from New York, and Amy Poehler, from Beverly Hills, Calif., speak at the Golden Globe Awards. (NBC via AP)Facing heightened scrutiny arounds its membership and practices, the group behind the Golden Globe Awards says that it is committed to immediate “transformational change” and reforms. Hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler called for change on the broadcast, as did award winners of the night like Jane Fonda and Dan Levy. Three HFPA members took the stage during the low-rated show to acknowledge the controversy. Time’s Up president and CEO Tina Tchen said that “the clock is ticking.”
Even more chaotic than usual, Globes still had their moments
(NBC via AP)In the opening moments of a Golden Globes night even more chaotic and confounding than usual, co-host Tina Fey raised a theoretical question: “Could this whole night have been an email?” Only the next three hours would tell. Or Chloé Zhao, making history as the first woman of Asian descent to win best director (and the first woman since 1984.) AdOf course, there were the usual confounding results and baffling snubs, compounded here by some epic Zoom fails. ZHAO MAKES HISTORYWhen Zhao won best director for her haunting and elegant “Nomadland,” she was the first woman of Asian descent to win that award. It was updated on March 3, 2021, to correct the nationality of director of “Nomadland.” Chloe Zhao is Chinese, not Asian American.
Amazon, Cadillac score with Super Bowl ads
NEW YORK – During this year's Super Bowl, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reigned supreme on the field. Overall, this year's crop of Super Bowl ads focused on light humor that strove to entertain and connect. Bud Light Seltzer LemonadeBud Light used lemons as a metaphor for everything that went wrong in 2020 to introduce its new Seltzer Lemonade. Michelob was likely hoping to drive people to repeat views online with the celebrity lookalikes, but during the fast-moving Super Bowl the conceit was confusing. With its first-ever Super Bowl ad, Scott's was looking to keep that momentum going, but the overstuffed ad ended up being distracting.
Super Bowl ads went for light humor. Not all succeeded
This photo provided by Cadillac shows a scene from Cadillac's 2021 Super Bowl NFL football spot. They aimed to connect to the estimated 100 million viewers who tune in to the Super Bowl broadcast each year. Perhaps the most striking effect: Virtually none of the ads featured people in masks, a public-health priority but also a grim reminder of the ongoing pandemic. AIMING TO ENTERTAINIn an effort to be light, advertisers stuffed -- and sometimes overstuffed — their ads with celebrities. “I like Springsteen and heartwarming ads like this generally, but this one feels too forced given the current political climate,” he said.
Andrews, Evans, Mirren pay tribute to Christopher Plummer
FILE - Canadian-born actor Christopher Plummer, shown June 15, 1973, poses for a photo before making his musical debut on Broadway in "Cyrano." "RIP to Christopher Plummer, a living legend who loved his craft, and was an absolute gentleman. RIP Christopher Plummer. "Pixar remembers Christopher Plummer, who as Charles Muntz in ‘Up,’ taught us that 'adventure is out there.' “If I live to be 91 maybe I’ll have time to fully appreciate all the great work of Christopher Plummer.” — actor Dave Foley on Twitter.
A sexy Alexa, Dan Levy's M&M habit: Super Bowl ads to watch
It might not have seemed likely early in the pandemic, but the 55th Super Bowl Sunday is upon us yet again. Amazon shows off a sexy new body for its Alexa assistant, Dan Levy apologizes for eating M&M's and Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade makes a downpour of lemons a metaphor for 2020's troubles. AdInspiration4 “ Join Us "In what is surely a first in Super Bowl history, an ad for Inspiration4, a SpaceX supported all-civilian space mission touts a chance for viewers to join the mission. Dan Levy of “Schitt’s Creek” apologizes to the M&M anthropomorphic characters that are Super Bowl mainstays and says he promises not to “eat any more of their friends." And E-Trade, famous for the talking baby ads it ran in the Super Bowl from 2008 until they “retired" in 2014, is back in the big game with an undisclosed ad.
Netflix once again dominates Golden Globe TV nominations
(Liam Daniel/Netflix via AP)NEW YORK – Netflix rode the voracious hunger for TV content during a year of pandemic viewership to a dominant showing at the Golden Globe nominations. The streaming giant scooped up 20 small-screen nods — nearly three times as many as its closest competitor, HBO, and beating the 17 TV nominations it got last year. Streaming newcomer HBO Max scored two nominations with “The Flight Attendant,” a best comedy TV berth and also earned “The Big Bang Theory” veteran Kaley Cuoco her first Globe nod. Little-known Pop TV earned five nominations — all for the Canadian comedy “Schitt’s Creek,” which swept the comedy Emmy Awards last year. Ad“The Great” now faces “The Flight Attendant,” “Schitt’s Creek,” “Emily in Paris” and “Ted Lasso” for bragging rights to best comedy TV series.
Investors finally reward General Motors' shift to EVs even as it cuts emerging mobility plans
Where other automakers have struggled, GM has profitably navigated through the coronavirus pandemic so far, and its investors have been rewarded. Stock reboundsGM's stock hit an all-time low on March 18 after confirming plans to temporarily close all U.S. factories due to the coronavirus. The ARĪV Meld compact eBike from General Motors GMA less-known endeavor by GM to produce compact and foldable electrified bicycles called Ariv also was eliminated during the coronavirus pandemic in April. Prior to the pandemic, the automaker announced it would cease operations of its Book by Cadillac vehicle subscription program. A new version of Book by Cadillac was expected to launch earlier this year, but GM says that was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
cnbc.comElon Musk cuts Tesla Model S price twice in one week
The Tesla Model S, which the company has been delivering to customers since 2012, boasts an EPA-rated range of 402 miles per charge. Tesla CEO Elon Musk cut the price of the company's flagship sedan, the Model S, for the second time within one week on Wednesday. Model S price changes to $69,420 tonight!" The Model S purchase price dropped earlier in the week in the U.S. from $74,990 to $71,990. The latest Model S price cut represents another 3.5% off for prospective U.S. customers.
cnbc.comThe 'Pandemmys' were weird and sometimes wonderful
(The Television Academy and ABC Entertainment via AP)It was Regina King, winning her fourth career Emmy on Sunday, who perhaps summed up the proceedings the most succinctly — and accurately: “This is freaking weird." Nobody was more thrilled than Daniel Levy, son of best actor winner Eugene Levy; the younger Levy won the award for comedy writing, shared a directing award and captured the supporting actor trophy. A CALL TO THE BOOTHLevy used some of his considerable mic time to urge viewers to vote in November. “I know this seems like a really weird time to be celebrating,” Zendaya said. Sterling K. Brown gave out the show’s final award, best drama, in a Black Lives Matter shirt.
HBO's 'Coastal Elites' cast tackles social satire, anxiety
LOS ANGELES For Bette Midler and Sarah Paulson, making HBO's Coastal Elites in pandemic-forced isolation proved an unsettling challenge. I mean, what else could happen to me? Midler said during an online news conference Wednesday about the social satire. Midler said she welcomed the chance to take part in the project but couldnt ignore the oddity of making it. The connection actors share on a set is what Im usually the most interested in and inspired by, Paulson said. So its a little frightening.Midler said she did gain some emotional release from making the series.
Stars react to nominations for the 72nd Emmy Awards
Washington was nominated for an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a limited series or movie on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. (Erin Simkin/Hulu via AP)LOS ANGELES Stars such as Kerry Washington, Christina Applegate and Rachel Brosnahan have expressed excitement after being nominated for the upcoming 72nd Emmy Awards. He was nominated for outstanding lead actor in a limited series or movie for his role in the HBO film Bad Education." He is nominated for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for Black Monday.___Im grateful for the continued love for all corners of our Maisel family. She is nominated for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for Dead To Me.___This one strikes differently.
Facts and Figures about the 72nd Emmy Awards nominations
Irons was nominated for an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actor in a limited series or movie on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. (Colin Hutton/HBO via AP)LOS ANGELES Notable facts and figures from Tuesdays nominations for the 72nd Emmy Awards:___WATCHMEN SOARS BUT ROOTS RUNS DEEPHBO's Watchmen led all shows with a whopping 26 nominations, but that doesn't come close to the record for a limited series. Another HBO limited series, 2008's John Adams, holds the record for limited series Emmy wins with 13, from 23 nominations. The work earned Aldrin and Collins 2020 Emmy nominations for best cinematography for a nonfiction program. The nominees for best supporting actress in a limited series also include 69-year-old Margo Martindale and 60-year-old Tracey Ullman for Mrs.
Stock market live Tuesday: Nasdaq jumps 4%, Amazon record, J&J vaccine hope
The S&P 500 climbed 3% while the Nasdaq advanced 4%. The S&P 500 gained 2.2% while the Nasdaq climbed 2.9%. More than 490 stocks in the S&P 500 were higher shortly after the open. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite climbed 2.6%, slightly outperforming the S&P 500. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq gained 1.7% and 1.9%, respectively.
cnbc.comWall Street bear concedes Tesla is way ahead of others in one key area of electric vehicles
"While we hold an Underperform rating on Tesla, we nevertheless believe it's important to give Tesla its credit where due," Credit Suisse analyst Dan Levy wrote in a note to investors Monday. "We believe Tesla is leading in the areas that will likely define the future of carmaking software and electrification." The firm has a notably pessimistic view of Musk's company, with a $200 price target that represents the expectation that Tesla's stock will drop 44% from its current price of nearly $360 a share. While Credit Suisse did not budge on its rating or price target, Levy said he and his team visited Tesla's Gigafactory 1 in Nevada and came away impressed by the company's battery strategy. "Tesla is likely ahead of others on batteries the core of the electric powertrain," Levy said.
cnbc.com'Schitt's Creek' Finally Gets the Emmy Nominations It Deserves
Schitt's Creek, a sitcom created by the father-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy, finally broke through with the Television Academy on Tuesday, when it was revealed that the show racked up their first-ever Emmy nominations. pic.twitter.com/n4Ho0OyWQB youre such a fucking liar camile (@desivirgil) July 16, 2019Schitts Creek finally getting some Emmy attention!!! BLESS pic.twitter.com/hyD6q3NuGb MJ (@bumblingmj) July 16, 2019Since premiering in January 2015, Schitt's Creek found itself under the radar for quite some time. "To our dear fans, we are very excited to announce that Schitt's Creek is coming back for a sixth season on CBC and Pop in 2020! RELATED CONTENT:Emmy Awards 2019: The Biggest Snubs and Surprises'Schitt's Creek' to End After Sixth SeasonCatherine O'Hara Talks Success of 'Schitt's Creek' and Presenting at Critics' Choice Awards (Exclusive)
Credit Suisse initiates Tesla coverage, sees 15% downside amid competition
Analysts at Credit Suisse initiated coverage of Tesla Wednesday with a relatively bearish outlook on the electric vehicle maker, thanks in part to ambitious, old-school competitors like Volkswagen. For Model 3 manufacturing, Levy pointed to a 2018 tweet in which outspoken Tesla CEO Elon Musk called it "production hell." As a framework to value the stock, Credit Suisse took the approach of comparing it to another "niche" auto industry incumbent: Volkswagen. "Both automakers are treating the long-term industry shift to vehicle electrification as an existential matter. "Despite the myriad challenges facing Tesla, we believe Tesla deserves due credit," he said.
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