In a society that loves to “blur the line” between man and woman, the result can be a strenuous casting process that might almost postpone production.
Take FX’s &#8220;Love Story.&#8221;
In the new show, viewers embark on the romantic yet tragic story of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, America&#8217;s most beloved couple in the 1990s. Ever known for their iconic fashion and good looks, choosing the right actors was indeed going to be a high task at hand.
Executive producers Brad Simpson and Nina Jacobson shared with <a href="https://people.com/how-love-story-cast-newcomer-paul-anthony-kelly-exclusive-11906585#:~:text=NEED%20TO%20KNOW,agreed%20there%20was%20something%20special.">People</a> that selecting Sarah Pidgeon to play Bessette was a swift and easy choice: she “jumped out and stole the role” and immediately “won our hearts.”
But the same could not be said for Kennedy.
“We were three weeks away from shooting and we still [had] not cast him,&#8221; Simpson said. &#8220;We&#8217;d seen every male actor between the age of 25 and 38.”
“We were about to shut down production and pause because we couldn&#8217;t find him,” he added.
The show’s creator, Connor Hines, admitted he even sought out people on the street and at the gym to come read for the role. 
But the problem wasn’t that they didn’t like their interviewees, Simpson said. There was something else missing.
“Part of it was just that sort of &#8217;80s, old school masculinity — a man with hair on his chest, sort of Richard Gere, Tom Selleck — the classic chiseled looks,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;We&#8217;re not making those guys anymore, for some reason, and he really needed to have that.&#8221;
In a GQ <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/how-love-storys-paul-anthony-kelly-became-jfk-jr">article</a>, Simpson elaborated further: &#8220;It’s these men with broad shoulders and they are in shape, but they’re in shape because they’ve been throwing a football around, not because they’ve been working on every muscle in their body for a Marvel movie.&#8221;
&#8220;We live in a world of electrolysis men, and it was a real challenge to find that sort of guy — a guy that women and gay men are attracted to, but also guys want to hang out and have a beer with.&#8221;
Something needs to be said if even Hollywood starts admitting there&#8217;s a masculinity problem.
The producers retraced their steps and considered the self-tapes they had already received, pulling out 13 new guys to come in and read. To their luck, Paul Anthony Kelly was among that group.
&#8220;You&#8217;re crazy if you don&#8217;t cast him,&#8221; Simpson recalled a makeup artist saying as she walked past.
Beyond his similar look to JFK Jr. — tall height, handsome, and yes, even chest hair — Simpson said Kelly had an &#8220;ease and charm&#8221; about him that was immediate. After a chemistry read with Pidgeon, there was no doubt the producers had found their Kennedy.
Now, Kelly is marking his first major debut and <a href="https://www.insidehook.com/style/actor-paul-anthony-kelly-oscars-best-dressed">becoming</a> his own American heartthrob.

FX’s “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette” Red Carpet Premiere

The Difficult Task Of Casting JFK Jr. For ‘Love Story’ In The 21st Century

Entertainment

Hulu

John F. Kennedy Jr.

Masculinity

U.S.

Unknown Man Watching Streaming Service on Smartphone at Home

I Looked Into Why Streaming Became Slop. This is How to Fix it.

Amazon Prime

Film

Hollywood

Matt Walsh

Movie Theaters

Movies

Netflix

Oscars

Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar was candid about why the highly anticipated sequel to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” isn’t moving forward, claiming it all came down to one Hulu executive who never liked the original series.
Gellar, 48, made the revelation during an <a href="https://people.com/sarah-michelle-gellar-opens-up-about-marriage-motherhood-what-really-happened-to-buffy-reboot-exclusive-11926726">interview</a> with People published this week, where she reflected on the abrupt end of &#8220;Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale,&#8221; a project that had already shot a pilot. The actress rose to fame for starring in the original supernatural drama series, which began in 1997. She went on to appear in several films and then took a prolonged hiatus from Hollywood to raise her children. 
“I&#8217;ve been asked since the day I left to return to Sunnydale,&#8221; Gellar told the outlet. &#8220;It never occurred to me that it was something I was going to do.&#8221;
That changed, she explained, after meeting Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao, whose passion for the character convinced her to sign on.
&#8220;In one meeting, she makes me say yes to something I never saw on my radar,&#8221; Gellar said.
However, Gellar said the project did not move forward because one executive involved openly distanced themselves from the original series.
 “We had an executive on our show who was not only not a fan of the original, was proud to constantly remind us that they had never seen the entirety of the series and how it wasn&#8217;t for them,&#8221; she said.
People reported that Gellar was at the South by Southwest festival (SXSW) in Austin on March 11 when she learned the project was off the table. “No one saw this coming,&#8221; she added.
Despite the setback, Gellar emphasized that her decision to return was rooted in the show&#8217;s enduring fanbase.
“The fans are why I wanted to do it in the first place,” she said. &#8220;Buffy was about chosen family, and that you may feel like you don&#8217;t belong in the world, but there&#8217;s someone out there that sees you. And for me, it&#8217;s always been about me seeing those fans.” 
The sequel was first announced in February 2025 as a pilot order at Hulu, according to <a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/news/chloe-zhao-reacts-buffy-reboot-killed-hulu-1236689223/">Variety</a>. Zhao, speaking on the red carpet over the weekend, suggested the series could still get picked up by a different distributor.
“Our priority for Sarah and for us has always been to be truthful to the show, to be truthful to our fans,&#8221; Zhao said. &#8220;Things happen for a reason, and we keep our hearts open and we welcome the mystery.&#8221;
Whether &#8220;New Sunnydale&#8221; finds a new home remains to be seen. For now, Gellar says she&#8217;s moving forward with the same resilience as her iconic character.
&#8220;I’m going to hold my head high and keep going,&#8221; she concluded. &#8220;That’s what Buffy Summers would do.&#8221;

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar Says ‘Buffy’ Sequel Fell Apart Because Of One Hulu Exec

Television

Disney is preparing to fundamentally reshape the streaming landscape. After taking full ownership of Hulu in 2023, the company is now moving to shut the platform down and fold its entire library into Disney+ as part of a “one app experience.” That migration could occur imminently, and the scale of change is staggering.
When Disney launched Disney+ in 2019, the streaming marketplace was already crowded. Amazon Prime Video debuted in 2006, Netflix in 2007, and Hulu in 2008. With few external restrictions on content — no oversight from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and no advertisers, at that time, to hold content in check. As a result, these platforms broke boundaries that even premium cable channels like HBO and Cinemax would not have dared. offering more vulgarity, more graphic violence, more sex and nudity.
Disney+ promised to be different. 
From the beginning, Disney positioned its platform as a safe haven for families; a platform parents could trust implicitly. That promise worked. More than 10 million subscribers signed up within the first 24 hours, many of them parents desperate to escape the exhausting and never-ending task of shielding young eyes from suggestive poster art and racy titles like “Zac and Miri Make a Porno” or “Nymphomaniac” while they searched menus for the handful of child-appropriate titles that might be available. 
Market research confirmed this distinction. One industry analysis <a href="https://morningconsult.com/articles/disney-plus-streaming-market-brand-data">called</a> Disney+ “the category’s most intentionally chosen service.” Morning Consult found Disney+ scored +45 for “entertaining the kids,” while competitors posted negative scores across the board. “Disney+ is not interchangeable here,” the analysis concluded. “In household decision-making, this is Disney+’s moat.”
Disney executives publicly reinforced this family-first positioning. Months before launch, entertainment reporter Eric Vespe recalled asking a Disney representative whether R-rated content would appear on Disney+. The answer: Disney+ would remain PG-13 or softer, while more mature material would live on Hulu. Disney invested heavily in Hulu so adult-oriented material could remain off the Disney+ platform.
That intentional separation is now being completely dismantled. 
In the summer of 2025, executives signaled plans to shut down Hulu and migrate its entire library into Disney+.
Concerned Women for America (CWA) <a href="https://concernedwomen.org/2026-cwa-netflix-research/">looked at</a> the numbers and discovered that while Disney+ currently hosts fewer than 20 R-rated films, after the merger, that number will exceed 400 — a more than 2,200% increase. Mature-rated television series will escalate from 45 to nearly 400 — a more than 800% increase. Families who subscribed specifically for child-friendly programming will suddenly find their child’s favorite streaming platform flooded with volumes of adult material.
Parents have already seen glimpses of what this future looks like. Last year, families reported surprise and frustration when mature-themed series promotions appeared on Disney+ home screens, prompting uncomfortable questions from young children. Many parents believed Disney+ was designed to prevent exactly this scenario.
This shift represents more than a technical update. It represents a fundamental brand reversal.
Disney was once synonymous with wholesome family entertainment. Parents built household media habits around that identity. Children were given access to Disney+ because families trusted the brand.
That trust is now being put at risk.
Even more concerning is the creative direction Disney leadership appears eager to embrace. One of the most striking examples is the company’s reported interest in hiring producer Ryan Murphy as soon as his development deal with Netflix ends; Murphy’s career has largely focused on dark, adult-themed dramas. 
Murphy’s previous projects have centered on crime, horror, and provocative themes that were never intended for children. Yet Disney executives appear willing to fold this creative approach into a corporate ecosystem historically built around family audiences.
Walt Disney famously said, “Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children.” That philosophy guided decades of storytelling built around imagination, optimism, and moral clarity.
Today’s leadership seems increasingly disconnected from that legacy.
And while Disney may point to parental controls as a solution, technology cannot solve a branding problem. The issue is not whether filters exist. The issue is whether adult content belongs on the same platform that parents deliberately chose for preschoolers and elementary-age children.
Mixing Mickey Mouse with mature television may make business sense on a spreadsheet. But it erodes the trust that made Disney+ successful in the first place.
The question now is simple: Will Disney honor the promise that built its streaming success — or abandon the families who made it possible?
The future of Disney+ may depend on how loudly parents answer that question.
* * *
Melissa Henson is the Senior Policy Advisor for Media and Culture for <a href="http://www.concernedwomen.org/">Concerned Women for America</a>, the nation’s public policy women’s organization, dedicated to promoting biblical values and constitutional principles in public policy. On X: @CWforA
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Rear View Of Two Boys Watching Movie Together, Lena, United States

Disney+ Is About To Be Flooded With Adult Content, And Parents Are Right To Be Alarmed

Children

Disney

Family Values

kids

Parenting

sexual content

Violence

Explicit sexual content on television shows is so common it’s not even shocking anymore. Instead, the more surprising move is to make a popular series with attractive young actors and then choose not to show them all hooking up with each other.
This isn’t necessarily what the creator of the Emmy-winning series “The Bear” set out to do. But in crafting a narrative that’s free from blatant sexual promiscuity, the showrunner proved that even if sex sells, a series doesn’t need sex to sell. It just needs to tell a good story.
“The Bear” is a comedy-drama television series created by Christopher Storer. The Hulu series debuted on June 23, 2022, with actor Jeremy Allen White starring as an award-winning chef who returns to his hometown of Chicago to manage his family restaurant after his older brother committed suicide. The restaurant is filled with colorful characters and family members, each with their own idiosyncrasies and unique personalities. 
<div id="attachment_696261" style="width: 872px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-696261" class="size-large wp-image-696261" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/The-Bear-3-IMDB-Picture1-862x576.jpg" alt="The Bear (2022). Liza Colón-Zayas, Jeremy Allen White in The Bear, Braciole. Photo by: Matt Dinerstein - © 2022, FX Networks. Hulu. IMDB. All rights reserved." width="862" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/The-Bear-3-IMDB-Picture1-862x576.jpg 862w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/The-Bear-3-IMDB-Picture1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/The-Bear-3-IMDB-Picture1-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/The-Bear-3-IMDB-Picture1-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/The-Bear-3-IMDB-Picture1-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/The-Bear-3-IMDB-Picture1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/The-Bear-3-IMDB-Picture1.jpg 1994w" sizes=" (max-width: 862px) 100vw, 862px" />Matt Dinerstein &#8211; © 2022, FX Networks. Hulu. IMDB. All rights reserved.</div>
A lot of drama went down in two seasons, but except for a very brief, extremely tame (comparatively speaking) moment in the second season, “The Bear” has no sexual content whatsoever.
Every episode is rated TV-MA for explicit language, of which there is plenty. This fits in well with the storyline, though, as it accurately represents what goes on in real restaurant kitchens across the nation. Many members of the restaurant industry complained that the show is so true to life that it’s impossible to watch.
But there’s no sex. That absence was enough to make mainstream media writers notice, with many outlets noting of the first season that “The Bear” was even sexier because it didn’t have any sex in it.
“The Hottest Show of the Summer Has No Sex,” one <a href="https://www.thecut.com/2022/07/the-bear-television-no-sex-yes-chef.html">headline</a> from 2022 declared.
“‘The Bear’ is largely devoid of romance in any sense of the word, and the only moments of real pleasure come from food: making it, eating it, selling it, having enough money to make more of it,” the writer from The Cut” explains. “The show’s most poignant and vulnerable scenes happen between family or friends, not romantic partners.”
The article goes on to mention how there’s obvious sexual tension between the show’s two main characters, Carmy (White) and Syd (Ayo Edebiri), but the two chefs never act on it or even seem to acknowledge it. The writer observes how this complete lack of follow-through is precisely what makes the show alluring.
Though no mainstream writer would admit it, what they’ve stumbled upon is the idea that subtlety is more attractive than explicit sexual imagery. A woman wearing a turtleneck sweater can – and does – look sexier than that same woman in a skimpy bikini top.
This isn’t to say that the restaurant employees aren’t having sex on the show. Maybe they are doing it, somewhere off-camera. But the point of “The Bear” is to tell the story of a close-knit group of friends and family who, despite their dysfunction, are coming together to build something exceptional. This storyline doesn’t need nudity and gratuitous sex to be told well. And because it doesn’t have those things, “The Bear” stands out from other shows in the same sphere.
Because it is 2024, there is one single intimate scene in the show’s second season. But once again, considering the show is rated TV-MA, the brief interlude is incredibly tame when compared to so many others. Carmy and his girlfriend are seen in bed but there’s no nudity or other indicators of sexual activity.
<div id="attachment_696265" style="width: 873px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-696265" class="size-large wp-image-696265" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/BEAR-imdb1-863x576.jpg" alt="The Bear (2022). Ayo Edebiri in The Bear, Braciole. Photo by: Matt Dinerstein - © 2022, FX Networks. Hulu. IMDB. All rights reserved." width="863" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/BEAR-imdb1-863x576.jpg 863w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/BEAR-imdb1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/BEAR-imdb1-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/BEAR-imdb1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/BEAR-imdb1-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/BEAR-imdb1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/BEAR-imdb1.jpg 1996w" sizes=" (max-width: 863px) 100vw, 863px" />Matt Dinerstein &#8211; © 2022, FX Networks. Hulu. IMDB. All rights reserved.</div>
This method of storytelling once again proves that explicit sex is far less sexy than subtlety and innuendo.
One reviewer called the absence of pornographic content “ingenious.” The Mamamia writer compared “The Bear” to HBO’s drama series “The Idol” starring The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, the latter of which made headlines for having such graphic sex scenes.
“In an age where watching sex — or rather, porn — is available at the tap of a finger, it almost feels like a daring choice to exclude intimacy scenes from ‘The Bear,’” Shannen Findlay <a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/the-bear-sex-scenes/">wrote</a>.
“‘The Idol’ was intent on telling us something through lewd and violent intimacy. Unlike ‘The Bear,’ it uses raunchy, debaucherous sex instead of a good plot to tell the story,” she added. “But in a world where sex is so visible and easy to access, why do we have to keep enduring simulated intercourse between actors? Why is the inclusion of sex beginning to feel like a drawback when choosing or watching a show?”
It’s worth mentioning that “The Bear” was renewed for a third season after receiving widespread critical acclaim for its writing, directing, acting, and production values.
The first season received ten Emmy Awards including Outstanding Comedy Series and individual wins for White, Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. It also won four Golden Globe Awards including the top prize for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2024.
<div id="attachment_696235" style="width: 896px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-696235" class="size-large wp-image-696235" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1908169576-886x576.jpg" alt="US actor Jeremy Allen White, US actress Ayo Edebiri and US actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach pose in the press room with the award fore Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy &quot;The Bear&quot; during the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on January 7, 2024. (Photo by Robyn BECK / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)" width="886" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1908169576-886x576.jpg 886w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1908169576-300x195.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1908169576-768x500.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1908169576.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 886px) 100vw, 886px" />ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images</div>
“The Idol” was panned by critics, mocked by viewers, and canceled after just one season.
It’s because “The Bear” is telling a more vital story than one about empty sex. Season 2 episodes “Fishes” and “Forks” were two of the most moving, emotionally fraught episodes of television to come out in recent years. Neither one contains sex. But both have incredible depth.
There’s a very good chance that Hollywood show creators will learn nothing from this phenomenon. Despite “The Bear” proving definitively that entertainment doesn’t need sex, nudity, promiscuity, and other sexual content to win awards and attract fans, there’s a good chance that showrunners will continue jamming sex scenes into content even when it’s not needed.
There’s also a chance that “The Bear” will add more sex into their third season, following the trend of so many shows that came before.
Hopefully this refreshingly different drama series will hold out and continue being the sexiest sex-free show on television.

BEAR imdb Picture1

Sexier With Clothes On? ‘The Bear’ Wins Emmys, Attracts Fans Without Sex And Nudity

Sexier With Clothes On? 'The Bear' Wins Emmys, Attracts Fans Without Sex And Nudity

actors

Emmys

Golden Globes

Readers Pass

The new Netflix series “Painkiller” has a lot in common with Hulu’s “Dopesick” in that they both seek to expose the origin and spread of the opioid epidemic. Both lay blame at the feet of the drug’s manufacturer, Purdue Pharma, and more specifically the Sackler family who owned the company. 
But for all the similarities, these two shows have a few significant differences. Ultimately, “Dopesick” gets to the heart of the story by investing more deeply in telling the stories of those affected by addiction while “Painkiller” spends a little too much time focusing on the wealth and excess of the Sacklers and Purdue drug reps who benefited from OxyContin’s popularity.
“Painkiller” starts off each episode by reminding viewers that the events depicted in the limited series are based on a true story but are ultimately fictionalized and may differ from the true story. This opening is especially impactful because the statement is read by mothers who all lost their children to opioid addiction. These participants clarify that “Painkiller” may not be 100% factual, but their pain certainly is.
“Painkiller” stars Matthew Broderick as Dr. Richard Sackler, the man running the company and the one responsible for bankrolling the creation of OxyContin and aggressively marketing the drug. Uzo Aduba plays Edie Flowers, a no-nonsense lawyer working for the U.S. attorney&#8217;s office in Roanoke. Flowers tries to bring a case against Purdue Pharma despite all odds being against her winning.
Taylor Kitsch plays Glen Kryger, a man whose addiction rips apart his family, which is another storyline that works well in the Netflix series. Watching Glen accept the prescription from his doctor after getting injured at work, and even participating in a promotional video for OxyContin, drives home the point that opioid addiction affects all kinds of people from all walks of life.
Hulu’s “Dopesick” premiered in 2021 and was based on the non-fiction book “Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America.” It was nominated for 14 Emmy Awards, with lead actor Michael Keaton winning the award for Outstanding Lead Actor. Keaton also won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Dr. Samuel Finnix. 
“Dopesick” opens in a Virginia mining town and follows several residents there who each experience the opioid crisis in a unique way. Series creators go in-depth with the characters, especially Dr. Finnix, who begins by prescribing OxyContin to residents before eventually succumbing to addiction himself. 
Critics appreciated the drama as well, with Ed Cumming of The Independent giving the miniseries 5 out of 5 stars. He <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/dopesick-opioid-crisis-kaitlyn-dever-b1955983.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> of the series, &#8220;It aims to explore the scandal from the Sacklers down, opening with the development of the drug in the 1980s, to show how greedy bosses and avaricious sales reps were able to hijack the good intentions of doctors all over the country.&#8221;
The characters in “Dopesick” are well developed, which leaves the audience more invested in the often tragic outcomes. Meanwhile, “Painkiller” takes a more surface level approach and spends an inordinate amount of time focused on the ruthless ambition and wild parties the sales reps were having. “Painkiller” could have packed a bigger punch if it spent more time with Glen or additional characters who had their lives ripped apart by OxyContin addiction.
Kitsch said joining the cast was a “no-brainer” and that even though Glen’s story was fictional, he could see a similar version playing out in real life. “Man, it’s pretty close to me, this thing,” he told Netflix of the project. “Unfortunately, I think we’re all one degree away from someone who’s an addict.”
Both “Dopesick” and “Painkiller” attempt to paint Dr. Sackler as a portrait of pure evil. Actor Michael Stuhlbarg gave the Hulu series an eccentric, creepily detached version of the man behind the drug while Broderick’s version goes a little off the rails. In “Painkiller,” Dr. Sackler is often seen conferring visions of his deceased uncle and getting uncomfortably close to his dog, whose huge testicles are often on prominent display. He’s also portrayed as over-the-top evil to the point of absurdity.
The two shows both depict drug reps tasked with getting doctors to prescribe the new wonder drug and once again, “Dopesick” takes the edge with their approach. Will Poulter plays Purdue Pharma rep Billy Cutler. Watching him slowly realize his complicity in helping spread the issue packs a real emotional punch. The naive sales rep in “Painkiller” is played by West Duchovny, who does an acceptable job with the role but pales in comparison to the depth of Poulter’s character development. 
Overall, “Dopesick” has a more serious approach to a weighty topic. The storytelling takes viewers on a journey through a regular small town and avoids delving into cliches, which “Painkiller” tends to do. The Netflix series, which premiered on August 10 of this year, currently has a 48% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 61% audience score. 
Peter Travers of ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/review-painkiller-works-best-cautionary-tale-users-abusers/story?id=102170097" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> of “Painkiller,” “Fictionalized takes on true stories are usually a problem for me. And ‘Painkiller,’ the six-part series streaming on Netflix, isn&#8217;t immune from condensing, compositing and exaggerating for so-called dramatic purposes. What feels real is the rage over the ongoing opioid crisis.”
“Painkiller’s mistake is to add a note of dark comedy to a story where no embellishment is required,” the Daily Telegraph <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2023/08/10/painkiller-netflix-review-matthew-broderick-sackler-drama/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">review</a> says. 
User reviews were not much better. 
“Awful, overly long TV drama based on truly tragic and harrowing events,” one person said, noting “not very many” details are true. “There&#8217;s a gripping and important story to be told here, of course, but 4.5 hours of fictionalized TV drama is a rubbish way to do it,” they continued.
“If you want to watch something that&#8217;s on the opioid epidemic, watch ‘Dopesick’ on Hulu&#8230;it&#8217;s a MILLION times better than this,” another person agreed.
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Special Screening And Q&A Event For Hulu’s “DOPESICK” – Arrivals

‘Painkiller’ Vs. ‘Dopesick’: Which TV Series Is Worth The Time?

'Painkiller' Vs. 'Dopesick': Which TV Series Is Worth The Time?

Big Pharma

Purdue Pharma

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/disney">Disney</a> is planning to remove a significant amount of content from its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">streaming platforms</a> Disney+ and Hulu beginning May 26, per a report from <a href="https://deadline.com/2023/05/disney-remove-series-streaming-disney-plus-hulu-big-shot-willow-y-dollface-turner-hooch-pistol-1235372512/">Deadline</a>.
Projects being removed fell under the genres of short-lived <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/television">series</a>, specials, and direct-to-streaming movies, the outlet noted.
Some of the Disney+ titles slated for removal include “Willow,” “Big Shot,” “Turner &amp; Hooch,” “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers,” “Just Beyond,” “Diary of a Future President,” “The Mysterious Benedict Society,&#8221; and &#8220;The World According to Jeff Goldblum.”
As for the Hulu removals, the publication said “Y: The Last Man,” “Dollface,” “The Hot Zone,” “Maggie,” “Pistol,” and “Little Demon” were all on the chopping block.
“We are in the process of reviewing the content on our DTC (direct to customer) services to align with the strategic changes in our approach to content curation,” CFO Christine McCarthy said of the news. 
Disney is not the only streaming platform removing titles as a potential cost-cutting measure. Warner Bros. Discover, Showtime, and AMC all did something similar recently. 
The complete list of axed titles includes: 
Big Shot [Disney+]
Turner &amp; Hooch [Disney+]
The Mysterious Benedict Society [Disney+]
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers [Disney+]
Willow [Disney+]
The Making Of Willow [Disney+]
Diary of a Future President [Disney+]
Just Beyond [Disney+]
The World According to Jeff Goldblum [Disney+]
Marvel’s Project Hero [Disney+]
The Right Stuff [Disney+]
The Real Right Stuff [Disney+]
Cheaper by the Dozen remake [Disney+]
The One and Only Ivan [Disney+]
Stargirl [Disney+]
Hollywood Stargirl [Disney+]
Flora &amp; Ulysses [Disney+]
Artemis Fowl [Disney+]
The Princess [Disney+]
Encore! [Disney+]
Black Beauty [Disney+]
Clouds [Disney+]
America the Beautiful [Disney+]
Better Nate Than Ever [Disney+]
Weird But True! [Disney+]
Timmy Failure [Disney+]
Be Our Chef [Disney+]
Magic Camp [Disney+]
Earth to Ned [Disney+]
Foodtastic [Disney+]
Stuntman [Disney+]
Disney Fairy Tale Weddings [Disney+]
Wolfgang [Disney+]
It’s a Dog’s Life with Bill Farmer [Disney+]
The Big Fib [Disney+]
Rogue Trip [Disney+]
More Than Robots [Disney+]
Shop Class [Disney+]
Pick the Litter [Disney+]
Own the Room [Disney+]
Among the Stars [Disney+]
Family Reboot [Disney+]
Gina Yei [Disney+]
Club Mickey Mouse (Malaysia) [Disney+]
Harmonious Live! [Disney+]
Pentatonix: Around the World for the Holidays [Disney+]
Y: The Last Man [FX/Hulu]
Pistol [FX/Hulu]
Little Demon [FX/Hulu]
Maggie [Hulu]
Dollface [Hulu]
The Hot Zone [Nat Geo/Hulu]
The Premise [Hulu]
Love in the Time of Corona [Hulu]
Everything’s Trash [Hulu]
Best in Snow [Hulu]
Best in Dough [Hulu]
Darby and the Dead [Hulu]
The Quest [Hulu]
Rosaline [Hulu]
Chefs vs. Wild [Hulu]
Fearless: The Inside Story of the AFLW [Hulu]
Life Below Zero: Next Generation [Nat Geo/Hulu]
National Geographic Investigates: LSD and Psychedelics [Nat Geo/Hulu]
9/11: One Day in America [Nat Geo/Hulu]
The Armstrong Tapes [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Buried Secrets of WWII [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Bin Laden’s Hard Drive [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Croc That Ate Jaws [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Drug Lords: The Next Generation [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Extreme Rescues [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Most Wanted Sharks [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Locked Up Abroad [Nat Geo/Hulu]
North Korea: Inside the Mind of a Dictator [Nat Geo/Hulu]
To Catch A Smuggler Rome [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Ultimate Survival WWII [Nat Geo/Hulu]
(Disclosure: The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/introducing-dw-kids">announced plans</a> for kids entertainment content.)

disney plus

Disney To Purge Content From Disney+ And Hulu Including ‘Big Shot’, ‘Willow’, ‘Little Demon,’ And More

Disney To Purge Content From Disney+ And Hulu Including ‘Big Shot’, ‘Willow’, 'Little Demon,' And More

Media

Actresses Brooke Shields and Drew Barrymore shared their personal experiences with their own ever-present and &#8220;needy and weird&#8221; stage moms during a recent interview.
Shields, who has been in headlines recently because of her Hulu documentary &#8220;Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,&#8221; joined her friend and fellow grown-up child star for Tuesday&#8217;s episode of &#8220;The Drew Barrymore Show&#8221; – and Barrymore got right down to brass tacks.
WATCH:
https://twitter.com/DrewBarrymoreTV/status/1645797150696312835
The &#8220;E.T.&#8221; actress asked Shields whether her mother, Teri Shields, had ever crossed the line — a line that Jaid Barrymore had crossed – and dated the same men that her daughter had.
&#8220;No, because she was in love with me &#8230; I was her main focus. Both of us were cut off from our sexuality,&#8221; Shields replied, adding that her mother at the time had been so focused on helping her with her career that she had not really seemed interested in men at all.
Barrymore responded by joking that perhaps her own mother had been a little bit in love with her as well, but that she had showed it in a different way: &#8220;My mom was so enamored with me that she wanted to be with the people I was with.&#8221;
&#8220;I get it. It’s so needy and weird,&#8221; Shields replied.
Shields went on to explain that, for a number of years, her mother had been present and a part of every interview that she gave.
&#8220;&#8216;No one’s going to get you. I’m going to be there. I’m there first. You’re mine. I’m not going to give you to somebody,'&#8221; Shields explained her mother&#8217;s rationale, adding that it was presented &#8220;under the guise of protection, but it was more ownership and fear, I think.&#8221;
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1681313451267000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3nO3EKGAEUHbjXmJbALLTd">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
&#8220;But to emerge from it not angry or jaded … it’s something in your character. It’s in my character,&#8221; Shields said to Barrymore of their shared experience.
Shields also spoke in the interview about her take on the #MeToo movement — especially after being sexualized in Hollywood as a young teenager.
WATCH:
https://twitter.com/DrewBarrymoreTV/status/1645792818101915653

Drew Berrymore and Brooke Shields

‘Needy And Weird’: Brooke Shields And Drew Barrymore Dish On Their Experience With Stage Moms

Brooke Shields And Drew Barrymore Dish On Their Experience With Stage Moms

Celebrities

Drew Barrymore

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/netflix" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Netflix</a> could face another massive loss by the end of the year after recently facing its largest drop in subscribers in the company&#8217;s history.
Reviews.org <a href="https://www.reviews.org/tv-service/streaming-in-2022-is-netflix-in-for-a-big-subscriber-surprise/">surveyed</a> 1,000 American subscribers of the streaming giant last month and found that one out of four Netflix subscribers said they plan on canceling their membership by the end of the year due to the company&#8217;s increasing monthly cost — which currently stands at $15.15 per month without ads.
The staggering statistic estimates approximately 18 million users would discontinue their plan, resulting in about $272 million in revenue loss.
According to the survey, Netflix&#8217;s basic one-screen plan went up by 11% in January 2022 for the first time in three years, while standard and premium plans increased by 20% and 25% in the same period — making the subscription cost the highest average plan among the top eight streaming service providers in the United States.
Another one out three said they would remove the platform because of the lack of engaging content, while 30% said they prefer other streaming services.
In recent years, Netflix lost some of its licensing of television and movies to other platforms such as Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max, Walt Disney Company&#8217;s Disney+, and NBCUniversal&#8217;s Peacock.
Earlier this year, Netflix <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/netflix-loses-nearly-1-million-subscriptions-largest-drop-in-company-history">released</a> &#8220;better-than-expected&#8221; results in its second quarterly report, which showed the streaming service only lost about half of the two million subscribers projected initially earlier this year. However, the report showed approximately 970,000 subscribers canceled their membership during the spring and summer months. The number comes after the service took a massive hit in the first quarter when it lost 200,000 subscribers between January and March.
The company partially blamed the loss of subscribers last quarter on competing with other streaming services and massive account sharing, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the global recession. At the time, Netflix officials warned shareholders that as the U.S. dollar strengthens and global currencies weaken, the historic pace could disrupt its international market, which makes up about 60% of its revenue.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve been through hard times before,&#8221; the company said in its shareholder letter after releasing the results. &#8220;We&#8217;ve built this company to be flexible and adaptable, and this will be a great test for us and our high-performance culture.&#8221;
Netflix officials added that the service would likely start an ad-tier in a handful of markets where advertising spending is significant.
&#8220;Like most of our new initiatives, our intention is to roll it out, listen and learn, and iterate quickly to improve the offering,&#8221; the company said.
The New York Times <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/10/business/media/netflix-commercials.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> a leaked memo from Netflix showed the company could unveil a &#8220;cheaper&#8221; tier that would be available as early as next month, as low as $7.99 a month.
With Netflix set to release its Q3 financial results next month, the report will show whether or not the company gained or lost more subscribers over the summer.

US-ENTERTAINMENT-STREAMING-NETFLIX

Netflix Faces Another Massive Subscription Loss: Report

HBO Max

Mainstream Media

The cast of Hulu&#8217;s hit show &#8220;Only Murders in the Building&#8221; brought the house down on Monday as they gleefully roasted each other from the stage at the <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1345040/emmys-2022-winners-the-complete-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emmy Awards</a>.
The show&#8217;s stars — <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/perpetually-offended-feminists-shame-steve-martin-amanda-prestigiacomo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Martin</a>, <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/happiest-ive-ever-been-selena-gomez-explains-why-ditching-social-media-for-4-5-years-made-her-feel-normal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Selena Gomez</a>, and <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/cara-delevingne-dishes-on-getting-to-kiss-selena-gomez-in-second-season-of-disney-stars-show/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Martin Short</a> — stepped up to present the award for Outstanding Variety Talk Series, but before they got down to the business of reading the nominees, they reached cracked a few jokes at the others&#8217; expense.
WATCH:
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Kinda wishing Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez were hosting the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Emmys?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Emmys</a> <a href="https://t.co/bwaGVvKOUn">pic.twitter.com/bwaGVvKOUn</a>
&mdash; Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) <a href="https://twitter.com/JarettSays/status/1569491863832502272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;No really, what an audience you are,&#8221; Short began, gesturing to the crowd before taking a quick potshot at former President Donald Trump. &#8220;I wish I could box you up and take you home &#8230; like classified White House documents.
As the audience laughed and applauded, Martin turned toward Gomez and asked pointedly, &#8220;Selena, how much time do we have left?&#8221;
Gomez pondered for a moment before answering, &#8220;I don&#8217;t know, with a good diet and exercise, maybe 10, 12 years.&#8221;
That prompted a loud laugh from Short — and laughter from the audience as well — but Martin tried to keep a straight face as he delivered the next crack.
&#8220;Earlier tonight, as I was walking the red carpet I have at home —&#8221; he paused as the audience chuckled. &#8220;I thought, what&#8217;s the difference between movies versus television? And I realized, well, Marty can get work in television.&#8221;
&#8220;Aww, thanks, Steve,&#8221; Short replied as the crowd laughed again. &#8220;I&#8217;ve always been curious. Does it bother you when people come up to you and say, &#8216;[gasp] Big fan, Angela Lansbury&#8217;?&#8221;
The crowd roared, but Gomez chimed in once more: &#8220;You know what I love about working with these guys?&#8221;
There was a smattering of laughter as Gomez paused dramatically before answering, &#8220;No paparazzi. Ever.&#8221;
The trio&#8217;s hit show, Hulu&#8217;s &#8220;Only Murders in the Building,&#8221; is described on IMDb (Internet Movie Database) as follows: &#8220;Three strangers who share an obsession with true crime suddenly find themselves caught up in one.&#8221; The show was <a href="https://www.emmys.com/shows/only-murders-building" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nominated</a> for 17 Emmys in total and won three.
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The Arconia has much to celebrate tonight! The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OMITB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OMITB</a> team has taken home three <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Emmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Emmy</a> Awards. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Emmys2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Emmys2022</a> <a href="https://t.co/tJWznaA3O5">pic.twitter.com/tJWznaA3O5</a>
&mdash; Only Murders in the Building 🕵️‍♀️🕵️‍♂️🕵️‍♂️ (@OnlyMurdersHulu) <a href="https://twitter.com/OnlyMurdersHulu/status/1566618850677882881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I just have to say that being here tonight with Steve Martin and Martin Short is the frosting on the giant, glorious cake of working with them on &#8216;Only Murders in the Building,'&#8221; Gomez <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1345876/selena-gomezs-message-about-the-paparazzi-may-just-be-the-must-see-joke-of-the-2022-emmys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, making it clear that the onstage ribbing was all in good fun.

74th Primetime Emmys – Show

‘Only Murders’ Cast Members Roast Each Other On Emmys Stage

'Only Murders' Cast Members Roast Each Other On Emmys Stage

Selena Gomez

Kim Kardashian looked completely unrecognizable Tuesday in several photos she posted on Instagram showing her wearing a jock strap for her latest cover shoot for the September issue of Interview magazine.
The 41-year-old reality star really does bare all in the NSFW <a href="https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/kim-kardashian-bares-all?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-interviewmag&amp;utm_content=later-29428896&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=linkin.bio">cover shot</a> showing her with her back turned to the camera, wearing a jock strap with her pants down below her waist. At the time of this publication, the racy shot is still on Instagram on both &#8220;The Kardashians&#8221; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CiKoodzvQS-/">star&#8217;s post</a> and the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CiKoyQcuDYI/">magazine&#8217;s</a>.
In several other photos and clips, the Kardashian sports a white jockstrap and several different pants. In one snap, the reality star wore a black leather jacket and red, white, and blue bikini bottoms. On top of the revealing images, the &#8220;Keeping Up With The Kardashians&#8221; star doesn&#8217;t even look like the same person fans are used to seeing, as her hair and eyebrows are bleached blonde, and her makeup is done differently.
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She also shares her thoughts on climate change, the reversal of Roe v. Wade and desire to be in a Marvel movie (via <a href="https://twitter.com/TooFab?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@toofab</a>)<a href="https://t.co/ZYRo6mK9xh">https://t.co/ZYRo6mK9xh</a>
&mdash; TMZ (@TMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/1567221106972426241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In the magazine&#8217;s <a href="https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/kim-kardashian-bares-all?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-interviewmag&amp;utm_content=later-29428896&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=linkin.bio">September publication</a> titled the &#8220;American Dream Issue,&#8221; Kardashian took on a series of questions. One included her thoughts on the overturning of Roe V. Wade, claiming that it now puts having children through surrogacy and same-sex marriage rights at risk. It comes months after the U.S. Supreme Court decision that led to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The ruling recognizes that there is no constitutional right to an abortion and returns the issue to the states, as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/victory-pro-life-leaders-react-to-overturn-of-roe-v-wade">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported.
&#8220;Just seeing how far our country has progressed, to then see it regress—it&#8217;s really scary to think that gay marriage is in jeopardy,&#8221; Kardashian explained. &#8220;If a court can decide what a woman does with her body, then it also puts having children through surrogacy, and things that I have been through, in jeopardy.&#8221;
&#8220;I always believed people should live their lives exactly how they want to, so it&#8217;s really scary to see all of this happening,&#8221; she added.
Kardashian also admitted later in the interview that she believes climate change is real, but she thinks a person has to pick and choose what works in their life to combat it.
&nbsp;

Celebrity Sightings In New York City – February 05, 2020

Kim Kardashian Looks Completely Unrecognizable On Latest Cover Wearing A Jockstrap

Kim Kardashian

Boxing legend <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-tyson">Mike Tyson</a> is lashing out against the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hulu">Hulu</a> biopic “Mike” once again, saying the streaming giant stole the story of his life without permission.
“Don’t let Hulu fool you. I don’t support their story about my life,” the 56-year-old former world heavyweight champion posted to his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg7JRAeLY9B/">Instagram</a> account. “It’s not 1822. It’s 2022. They stole my life story and didn’t pay me. To Hulu executives I’m just a n****r they can sell on the auction block.”
In the caption, Tyson wrote, “Hulu is the streaming version of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/racism">slave master</a>. They stole my story and didn’t pay me.”
The day before, Tyson praised UFC president Dana White for refusing to promote the documentary. 
“Hulu tried to desperately pay my brother @danawhite millions without offering me a dollar to promote their slave master take over story about my life,” Tyson <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg5xQwPrx4V/">said</a>. “He turned it down because he honors friendship and treating people with dignity. I’ll never forget what he did for me just like I’ll never forget what Hulu stole from me.”
“Mike” stars Trevante Rhodes as Tyson and promises to “explore the wild, tragic and controversial life and career of heavyweight champion Mike Tyson &#8211; one of the most polarizing figures in sports culture,” per the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14181914/">IMDb</a> description. The miniseries is scheduled to debut on August 25.
Tyson has been railing against “Mike” for months. In a now-deleted Instagram post from February, he wrote, “Hulu’s announcement to do an unauthorized mini-series of the Tyson story without compensation, although unfortunate, isn’t surprising,” the celeb wrote at the time, per <a href="https://deadline.com/2022/08/mike-tyson-takes-jab-hulu-mike-series-premiere-they-stole-my-life-story-1235086753/">Deadline</a>.
“This announcement on the heels of social disparities in our country is a prime example of how Hulu’s corporate greed led to this tone-deaf cultural misappropriation of the Tyson life story. To make this announcement during Black History Month only confirms Hulu’s concern for dollars over respect for black story rights. Hollywood needs to be more sensitive to black experiences especially after all that has transpired in 2020.”
Showrunner Karen Gist defended the existence of “Mike.” 
“We just wanted to tell an unbiased story and have the audience decide what they think or feel,” Gist said at Hulu’s Television Critics Tour panel last week. 
“Challenging what people think they know about Mike and hoping that they come away from the series with something else to think about. Whether you like him or hate him, does the story make you question how complicit society has been? That was the intention, that was the North Star for the writers’ room as we were crafting stories.”

2013 Summer TCA Tour – Day 2

‘Streaming Version Of The Slave Master’: Mike Tyson Furious Over Unauthorized Hulu Biopic ‘Mike’

Mike Tyson Furious Over Unauthorized Hulu Biopic 'Mike'

Boxing

Mike Tyson

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