The studio behind Oscar-winning movies like “Green Book,” “Spotlight” and “An Inconvenient Truth” has gone the way of the fax machine and pager.
Netflix is also getting out of the auteur business. 
 
Harper’s Magazine declared it’s not a matter of if, <a href="https://harpers.org/archive/2024/05/the-life-and-death-of-hollywood-daniel-bessner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">but when Hollywood ceases to exist</a>, at least in its current form.
Yes, Tinsel Town is in panic mode, and understandably so. And that doesn’t include the fallout from last year’s dueling strikes, the rise of AI and audiences rejecting some of the industry’s once-bulletproof franchises (“Indiana Jones,” “The Matrix,” “The Marvels”)
Let’s start with Participant, formed in 2004 by progressive eBay co-founder Jeff Skoll to create socially aware films. That mandate seemed like a recipe for failure, but the studio walked the line between message and merriment.
It earned plenty of critical love, too, but when a scare documentary on climate change grosses a gaudy $24 million stateside you’re doing something right.
Until now, apparently.
<div id="attachment_725697" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-725697" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-725697" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-823728704-864x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 27: (L-R) Former Vice President Al Gore, Moderator Maria Shriver and Producers Richard Berge and Jeff Skoll attend a special screening Q&amp;A of 'An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power' at The Cinerama Dome on July 27, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-823728704-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-823728704-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-823728704-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-823728704.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures</div>
Previous Participant projects like “Truth,” “RGB,” and “When They See Us” certainly had a liberal-leaning approach, and some genuinely impacted the culture. That Skoll opted to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/business/media/participant-jeff-skoll.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shutter the company</a> now says something.
Progressive stories will still be made, of course, but they lost a powerful ally in Participant.
Prestige filmmakers have struggled to get their visions made in the 21st century. Even a highly regarded filmmaker like John Sayles (“Matewan,” “Eight Men Out”) <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/global/lone-star-john-sayles-trump-wall-urination-matthew-mcconaughey-1235923660/">can no longer be guaranteed studio space</a> for future projects.
That allowed Netflix to gain a toehold in the cinematic space. The streaming giant gifted gargantuan budgets to filmmakers like Martin Scorsese (“The Irishman”) to make their movies, their way while Hollywood studios flinched.
The studio previously produced movies with the Coen brothers, Scorsese, Jane Campion, and more.
Not anymore.
<div id="attachment_725757" style="width: 876px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-725757" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-725757" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1194804770-866x576.jpg" alt="(From L) US actor Ray Romano, Canadian-New Zealand actress Anna Pacquin and US actor Harvey Keitel present a clip of &quot;The Irishman&quot; during the 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards show at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on January 19, 2020. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)" width="866" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1194804770-866x576.jpg 866w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1194804770-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1194804770-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1194804770.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" />ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images</div>
Netflix announced it will focus more on populist original films and skip the auteur-driven projects of yore. Moving forward, the platform will focus on films that <a href="https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2024/4/15/aurora">gain more eyeballs</a>, like the “Knives Out” franchise.
That means celebrated filmmakers like David Lynch and Katherine Bigelow can’t crack the Netflix code.
Apple paid handsomely to fund Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” epic. Will they follow suit? &#8220;Napoleon&#8221; earned just $217 million worldwide compared to its reported $200 million budget. (Studios split revenue with movie theaters and must fork over additional costs for marketing, etc.)
The aforementioned Harper’s Magazine piece is littered with doom and gloom, along with the receipts to back it up:
<blockquote>The industry as a whole is now facing a broad contraction. Between August 2022 and the end of last year, employment fell by 26 percent—more than one job gone in every four. Layoffs hit Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix, Paramount Global, Roku, and others in 2022. In 2023, firings swept through the representation giants United Talent Agency and Creative Artists Agency; Netflix, Paramount Global, and Roku again; plus Hulu, NBCUniversal, and Lionsgate. In early 2024, it was announced that Amazon was cutting hundreds of jobs from its Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios divisions. In February, Paramount Global laid off roughly eight hundred people. It’s unclear which streamers will survive. </blockquote>
Hollywood is still deathly afraid of how AI technology will impact its workforce. We’ve already seen stars lose out on voiceover work thanks to AI.
That could be the tip of a digital iceberg the likes of which Hollywood has never seen before.
Panic. And it’s understandable.
That explains reviving stone-cold dead franchises like “<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/blair-witch-project-original-team-reacts-reboot-movie-1235874500/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Blair Witch Project</a>” and the <a href="https://people.com/new-scary-movie-sequel-in-the-works-cinemacon-2024-8630189" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Scary Movie” series</a>. We’ll also see another live-action “<a href="https://screenrant.com/popeye-the-sailor-man-movie-live-action-development/#:~:text=A%20new%20live%2Daction%20Popeye,Robin%20Williams%20version%20in%201980." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Popeye</a>” film as well as a movie based on the board game “Monopoly.”
Can Hollywood be saved? Perhaps, but it won’t be by any of the above film projects.
It begins with innovation, acknowledging audience expectations, and producing less ideological content.
The assembled stars should be less dismissive of their dwindling fan bases, too. Liberal actor Nick Offerman of “Parks and Recreation” fame set that tone by telling the press his new movie “Civil War” would <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/civil-war-president-not-donald-trump/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lose audiences members if it chose a political side</a>.
That’s smart. What’s less than smart?
Actor Alan Ritchson teeing off on <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2024/04/15/reacher-star-alan-ritchson-faces-backlash-after-trump-comments/?sh=49e04e1c50c3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">President Donald Trump</a>, the <a href="https://bleedingcool.com/tv/reacher-alan-ritchson-calls-out-police-union-pushes-back-on-insults/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">police</a>, and Christians while “promoting” his latest project, “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.”
It might take real risk-taking, which is anathema to an industry known for playing it safe. Consider what Kevin Costner has in store for us later this year as the ultimate risk.
<div id="attachment_725721" style="width: 787px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-725721" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-725721" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-2148073812-777x576.jpg" alt="LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 09: Kevin Costner speaks onstage during Warner Bros. Pictures' &quot;The Big Picture,&quot; a special presentation of its upcoming slate during CinemaCon, the official convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners, at Caesars Palace on April 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)" width="777" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-2148073812-777x576.jpg 777w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-2148073812-300x222.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-2148073812-768x569.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-2148073812.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 777px) 100vw, 777px" />Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon</div>
His “Horizon” film saga is an old-fashioned western, at least on paper, that could span as many as four feature films. The first two installments will be released on June 28 and August 16, respectively.
The film legend broke the old Hollywood saw about <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/entertainment/yellowstone-star-kevin-costner-gambles-next-monster-hit-with-his-own-money" target="_blank" rel="noopener">using your own money</a> to invest in the series.
Will it pay off?
Costner <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/entertainment/kevin-costners-12-hour-horizon-binge-plan-pt-barnum-like-showmanship-big-winner-expert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">summed up</a> the all-American saga during his appearance at this month’s CinemaCon gathering:
<blockquote>When I think about the promise of America, there was a promise out here, if you could go. If you were tough enough, if you were mean enough, if you were resourceful enough, if you were lucky enough, you could take what you wanted in America.</blockquote>
 The same could be true of Hollywood moving forward. Or else.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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Post-Strike Hollywood Goes Into Panic Mode (And Rightly So)

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Saying the name “JoJo Siwa” in 2017 conjured images of a smiling girl with a high blonde ponytail and brightly colored, oversized hair bows. Saying the same name in 2024 brings to mind a slightly more feminine version of KISS frontman Gene Simmons.
It’s true that all kids have to grow up. Siwa, like so many child stars who came before her, was destined to shed her sweet and innocent pre-teen idol image for something edgier as she matured. But Siwa’s transformation is so extreme, and so abrupt, that it demands explanation.
Siwa, who was born in 2003, shot to fame as a young performer on the Lifetime reality series “Dance Moms.” The Omaha, Nebraska, native appeared on two seasons of the show in 2015 and 2016. However, Siwa was not destined for mere reality star fame.
<div id="attachment_725271" style="width: 885px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-725271" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-725271" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-468840234-875x576.jpg" alt="Rachel Murray/KCA2015/WireImage" width="875" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-468840234-875x576.jpg 875w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-468840234-300x197.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-468840234-768x506.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-468840234.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 875px) 100vw, 875px" />Rachel Murray/KCA2015/WireImage</div>
The aspiring singer released two singles, &#8220;Boomerang&#8221; and &#8220;I Can Make U Dance,&#8221; in 2016 and watched the music video views rack up. Siwa was named the Breakout Artist of the Year by Vivid Seats in 2018. This prompted her to announce she was embarking on “D.R.E.A.M. The Tour” in 2019.
Besides just singing, the young celeb became a national sensation thanks to clever branding and marketing. One school in the U.K. tried to ban the massively popular, oversized hair bows sold under Siwa’s brand name because they were so popular that educators deemed them “distracting.”
&#8220;I&#8217;ve always just worn bows&#8221; the singer <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39140210" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CBBC&#8217;s Newsround in 2017 of the international trend. &#8220;They just got bigger and better and sparklier &#8211; and then I became &#8216;JoJo with the bow bow&#8217; and it became a thing,&#8221; she added.
Later, Siwa said the bows were &#8220;more than just a hair accessory.” She said they were also “a symbol of power, confidence, believing-ness.&#8221;
The brand is still sold at major retailers such as Claire’s, Justice, Walmart, and Target.
<div id="attachment_725273" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-725273" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-725273" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-685531814-864x576.jpg" alt="ROGERS, AR - May 19: Nickelodeon's JoJo Siwa Celebrates Her Birthday at Walmart and unveils her New Line of Consumer Products on May19, 2017 in Rogers, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for Nickelodeon)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-685531814-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-685531814-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-685531814-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-685531814.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for Nickelodeon</div>
It wasn’t just bows, either. Siwa’s merch started popping up everywhere as young kids emulated her look and sang along to the bubblegum pop lyrics of Siwa’s upbeat song catalog. With titles like, “Every Girl’s a Supergirl,” “Kid in a Candy Store,” “High Top Shoes,” and “Bop!,” it’s easy to see exactly who the YouTube star was marketing to. There were leagues of JoJo Siwa devotees, fan club members, and YouTube subscribers. Most were in the highly impressionable pre-teen demographic.
The change in Siwa was both gradual and all at once. One of the most pivotal moments in her image change happened in January 2021 when she came out as LGBTQ. Siwa alerted fans by posting a photo of herself wearing a shirt that said, “Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever.” She later clarified that her sexual attraction didn’t align with any strict labels and if anything, she was “pansexual.”
“I always believed that my person was just going to be my person,” she said at the time, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jojo-siwa-comes-out-as-lgbtq-identifies-as-neither-gay-nor-straight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. “And if that person happened to be a boy, great, and if that person happened to be a girl, great!”
“I think humans are awesome, I think humans are really incredible people. Right now, I’m super duper happy and I want to share everything with the world but I also want to keep things in my life private until they are ready to be public. Right now what matters is that you guys know that no matter who you love, that it’s OK. It’s awesome and the world is there for you,” Siwa continued.
<div id="attachment_725275" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-725275" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-725275" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1401454243-864x576.jpg" alt="WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 05: WeHo Pride's Next Gen Icon JoJo Siwa rides in the city of West Hollywood's Pride Parade on June 05, 2022 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Sarah Morris/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1401454243-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1401454243-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1401454243-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1401454243.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Sarah Morris/Getty Images</div>
The former child star went public with two romantic relationships with women shortly after.
While many followers were critical of Siwa for becoming a vocal LGBTQ advocate, others championed the move. But the pop singer’s most shocking and controversial transformation was still to come.
On April 2, the YouTube star debuted a drastically different look at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards, explaining that she was evolving to cater to an older audience. Siwa dressed in all black with a revealing cut-out mesh bodysuit, combat boots, dramatic black eye makeup, and a faux mohawk.
The singer said it was the same outfit she wore while recording her new music video for the single “Karma.”
<div id="attachment_725281" style="width: 442px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-725281" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-725281" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-2124607423-432x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 01: JoJo Siwa is seen arriving at the iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre on April 01, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JOCE/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)" width="432" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-2124607423-432x576.jpg 432w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-2124607423-225x300.jpg 225w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-2124607423.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px" />JOCE/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images</div>
The former &#8220;Dance Moms&#8221; star had already showed off her brand overhaul on March 5 by uploading a series of behind-the-scenes photos from dance rehearsals for her upcoming single release, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jojo-siwa-defends-her-black-beast-look-says-respected-stars-like-lil-nas-x-called-it-so-right" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The captions from the nine posts formed a message that read, “See you in one month. Remember Karma’s a b****.”
“This is my ‘KARMA,’ black beast look,” Siwa <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1398587/jojo-siwa-pushes-back-on-criticism-of-her-adult-era-while-debuting-dramatic-all-black-look" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during a red carpet interview with E! News at the iHeartMusic Awards. “It’s got some rips in it, but you’d never know.”
When asked how she’s responding to backlash for her new, more provocative look, Siwa said, “People are afraid of things they don’t know. Things can be scary for people. New things can be very, very scary.”
She added, “The way that I’m able to keep going and keep being like, ‘Wait, actually what I’m doing is right,’ is because some of the most respected people in the world have come up to me and been like, ‘What you’re doing right now is so right. It is what the world needs, and I’m learning from what you are doing right now.&#8217;”
She mentioned rapper Lil Nas X and Meghan Trainor as two individuals who had vocalized their support for her new image. “Support from people like that means the world to me,” Siwa boasted.
The singer made it very clear that her new content was not for a younger audience. She teased the release of her latest single in March with a series of Instagram posts, writing:
<blockquote>Warning. The following content is not made for children and may be disturbing or offensive to some viewers. May contain sexual themes, violence, strong language, traumatic scenarios, and flashing lights. Viewer discretion is advised.</blockquote>
The “Karma” music video now has more than <a href="https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=VZIm_2MgdeA&amp;list=PL4fGSI1pDJn5kI81J1fYWK5eZRl1zJ5kM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">24 million views</a> on YouTube.
Gone are the days of songs about high top shoes. “I was a bad girl / I did some bad things,” the single opens. 
The chorus continues with more of the same message. “Karma’s a b****, I should’ve known better / If I had a wish, I would’ve never effed around / When I saw the pics of you and her, I fеlt the knife twist /  Karma’s a b****, and she’s with you right now.”
&#8220;I wanted it to be as bold and as ballsy as possible. There is nothing more ballsy than this song,” the 20-year-old said during a Billboard <a href="https://www.billboard.com/video/jojo-siwa-billboard-news-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> about the song. 
“The genre is — I said it back in the day when I first signed with Columbia. I said, ‘I want to start a new genre of music.’ And they said, ‘What do you mean?’ And I said well, ‘It’s called gay pop.’”
<div id="attachment_725277" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-725277" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-725277" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-2085137154-384x576.jpg" alt="BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 14: JoJo Siwa attends the 35th annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 14, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)" width="384" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-2085137154-384x576.jpg 384w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-2085137154-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-2085137154.jpg 683w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" />Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images</div>
Siwa names fellow former child star Miley Cyrus as her biggest inspiration.
“It’s no secret that my transition is heavily inspired by Miley Cyrus, of course,” she said. Siwa mentioned when Cyrus made headlines for her provocative Video Music Awards performance with Robin Thicke in 2013.
“Like it or not, everyone knows that moment and I think that that made such an impact,” Siwa said. “I think every child star has made their impact in some which way becoming an adult star. But Miley’s flip, Miley’s switch, Miley’s turn was the greatest thing I’ve witnessed with my own two eyes.”
Like it or not, parents of young fans need to realize that Siwa has traded in big hair bows for sexual innuendo. And it doesn’t look like she’s going back.

2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards – Arrivals

From Big Bows To ‘Black Beast’: The JoJo Siwa Transformation Story

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Emmy Russell, the granddaughter of the late Country Music Hall of Famer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/country-singer">Loretta Lynn</a>, got emotional while performing on the reality singing competition show “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/american-idol">American Idol</a>” on Monday night.
The 25-year-old singer took the stage barefoot to <a href="https://youtu.be/FR8goWJ4TMo">perform</a> an original song called “Skinny.” 
“I just feel like I’m who God made me to be when I sing that song,” she told host Ryan Seacrest.
Russell was named as one of the current season&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">top 20</a> during Sunday night’s episode, when she impressed the panel of judges by singing the original song, “Want You.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Emmy Russell: Stunning Original Song &quot;Want You&quot; - American Idol 2024" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EoP3VfeZLlM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Miss Emmy, that was one of my favorite original songs that you’ve sang,” Katy Perry <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2024/04/15/american-idol-loretta-lynn-granddaughter-emmy-russell-wows-judges/73326348007/">said</a> of the performance. “I know that you were just a little nervous. I just want more breath, more long notes. Girl, like go swimming, learn how to hold your breath more. We need longer notes from Emmy, and I know that you have them. We need power. C’mon, let’s go. The time is now!”
“That was so you,” country artist Luke Bryan told Russell. “I loved it because it was so real, and I think you could really feel the emotion in that. That is what your artistry is about and don’t lose that. But listen, that thing that you did with that song really is your signature. It was very emotional and probably my favorite performance you’ve done.”
Lionel Richie echoed the other judges, telling her the song was a &#8220;hit&#8221; in the making.
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“First of all, before we go any further, that’s a hit record,” Richie said. “I don’t care. We can talk about the future, but that is a hit record, and my dear you are an incredible songwriter. Incredible performance.”
Russell is also the great-niece of country star Crystal Gayle. The singer began her career in Nashville with the release of music in 2023 and a debut at the Grand Ole Opry the same year. She was nominated for Performance of the Year at the 2023 CMT Music Awards after taking the stage at her grandmother&#8217;s CMT broadcast memorial.
During a recent appearance on the &#8220;Biscuits &amp; Jam&#8221; podcast, she said, &#8220;Memaw [Lynn] passed down her guitar to me when I was 15 at the Ryman Auditorium. She said, ‘You’re the one that can do it.&#8217; She always thought I had this spark about me, ever since I was a little kid. She felt she needed to give me the guitar as the torch in a way.&#8221;
Russell added, &#8220;Lord knows it if I can&#8217;t hold that. That&#8217;s too much.&#8221;

EMMY RUSSELL

Loretta Lynn’s Granddaughter Performs Barefoot, Gets Emotional On ‘American Idol’

Loretta Lynn's Granddaughter Performs Barefoot, Gets Emotional On 'American Idol'

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Loretta Lynn

U.S.

CNN axed the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charles-barkley-rips-san-francisco-during-live-nba-all-star-broadcast-you-cant-even-walk-around-down-there" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles Barkley</a> and Gayle King primetime talk show after only six months on the air after it failed to generate ratings.
The “King Charles” show — co-hosted by sports commentator Barkley and &#8220;CBS Mornings&#8221; host King — aired on Wednesday nights and generated worse ratings than reruns of shows like “South Park” and “Friends,” the <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/04/15/media/cnn-axes-charles-barkley-and-gayle-kings-weekly-show-king-charles/?utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social">New York Post</a> reported.
The show launched in November and became the lowest-rated primetime week night show CNN has debuted in at least a decade, according to Nielsen ratings. 
Viewership fell 20% from the debut episode of “King Charles” in November, which was watched by 500,000 viewers, with 139,000 of those in the coveted age demographic of ages 25-54, according to Nielsen. By the end of January, those numbers didn&#8217;t even crack 100,000 mark among that same demographic, Nielsen showed.  Over the show’s 14 episodes, it had an average of 459,000 total viewers, with an average of 106,000 in the advertising demographic of ages 25-54.
It came in third behind Fox News’ “Gutfeld” and MSNBC’s “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell.” The Greg Gutfeld-lead show averages 2.2 million total viewers with more than 300,000 viewers in the 25-54 age demo, the highest of all three cable news outlets, according to Nielsen. While over on MSNBC, O’Donnell scores an average of 1.5 million total viewers and 142,000 in the highly desired age demographic.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
CNN axes Charles Barkley and Gayle King’s weekly show ‘King Charles’ after 6 months <a href="https://t.co/yD1j7EW7mf">https://t.co/yD1j7EW7mf</a> <a href="https://t.co/U7ua9oUGEa">pic.twitter.com/U7ua9oUGEa</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1779864351488245946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
An industry insider attributed part of the problem to the NBA Hall of Famer’s rigorous schedule, as he was still a co-host on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” and was only available on Wednesdays.
However, a CNN spokesperson touted the show, stating that it was “a great addition to CNN’s lineup,” noting the shows diversity pull with 44% non-white — the most diverse viewership among the network’s prime time shows, according to Nielsen figures.
CNN also noted that the show was announced as a &#8220;limited run&#8221; series, with an end date of spring 2024, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/cnn-king-charles-ends-limited-series-1235874249/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hollywood Reporter</a> reported.
&#8220;King Charles has come to the end of its limited run as we announced when it launched last fall and was a great addition to CNN&#8217;s lineup, with the youngest, most affluent, and most diverse P2+ audience in its cable news time period,” the spokesperson said.
“King Charles” was created by fired former CNN boss <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ceo-chris-licht-out-at-cnn-after-tumultuous-year-controversial-trump-town-hall">Chris Licht</a>, whose tenure at the network ended after The Atlantic published a 15,000-word profile titled “Inside the Meltdown at CNN,” a piece that reportedly enraged executives at Warner Bros. Discovery, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ceo-chris-licht-out-at-cnn-after-tumultuous-year-controversial-trump-town-hall">reported</a>.
Last June, Licht announced he was <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/07/cnn-ceo-chris-licht-out-after-trump-town-hall-atlantic-article.html">leaving</a> the media company — just 16 months after being picked for the position.
His tenure at CNN was rough from the start. Weeks after the former CEO took over the reins, the cable news giant’s attempt at launching a streaming service <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/warner-bros-discovery-is-shutting-down-cnn-after-new-streaming-service-struggled-to-attract-viewers-report">failed</a> after just a month in operation, attracting fewer than 10,000 daily users. The CNN executive also faced criticism from his employees and poor ratings performances in the news channel’s primetime slots.
Zach Jewell contributed to this piece.
This story has been updated with CNN&#8217;s spokesperson&#8217;s comments.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ceo-chris-licht-out-at-cnn-after-tumultuous-year-controversial-trump-town-hall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN Boss Out After Damning Atlantic Profile, Trump Town Hall Disaster</a>

Gayle King, Charles Barkley

CNN Axes Charles Barkley, Gayle King Show

Celebrities

Charles Barkley

Gayle King

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities">Valerie Bertinelli</a> made some negative remarks about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tv">The Food Network</a> several months after she was let go from the channel&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/reality-tv">reality</a> cooking competition series, &#8220;Kids Baking Championship.&#8221;
&#8220;I fell in love with Food Network two decades ago because of all the amazing ITK [in the kitchen] shows,&#8221; the 63-year-old star <a href="https://www.threads.net/@wolfiesmom/post/C5jRn9pP4Uv">wrote</a> on the social media app Threads, calling out Rachael Ray&#8217;s show &#8220;30-Minute Meals,&#8221; Ina Garten of &#8220;Barefoot Contessa&#8221; fame, and &#8220;Giada at Home&#8221; star Giada De Laurentiis specifically.
&#8220;I learned so much. It’s sad it’s not about cooking and learning any longer. Oh well, that’s just business, folks.&#8221;
Her comments came in response to a Thread by cookbook author Marlynn Schotland. She wrote, &#8220;I miss actual cooking shows on @foodnetwork. Remember those? Do you know what this world does NOT need? Yet another cooking competition show.&#8221;
Bertinelli previously hosted a Food Network cooking show, “Valerie’s Home Kitchen,” from 2015 until 2023. She also hosted &#8220;Kids Baking Championship&#8221; for 12 seasons before unexpectedly not being invited back in January, which at the time she said, “really hurt my feelings.&#8221;
“It really sucks,” she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/valerie-bertinelli-reacts-to-being-dropped-from-kids-baking-championship-really-hurt-my-feelings">said</a> in a lengthy video post at the time.
 She went on to describe how she was on the show during her “apex year of hell” as she was going through a divorce from Tom Vitale.
“Like I was going through it and pretending everything was just fine, because that’s what you do,” she said of filming season 12.
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“And, without sounding like a drama queen, the show saved my life. Working with all those really wonderful people and feeling productive and knowing I could spread some kindness and not just wallow in my hell and just try to keep my head above water, it helped me, it was like a flotation device,” Bertinelli continued. “So it really hurts that I won’t be able to go back and see everybody and say ‘Hey, I made it through, hi!’”
“And to all the bakers that are coming in for the new season, even though I won’t be there, I’ll be there with you in spirit and I just want you to remember this: You are there for a reason. You’re some of the best bakers in America right now. And if you don’t make it to the next round, please always remember this, it’s not because you’re not a good baker, you just had a bad day,” she concluded.

Valerie Bertinelli

Valerie Bertinelli Trashes Food Network, Says ‘It’s Not About Cooking And Learning’ Anymore

Valerie Bertinelli Trashes Food Network, Says 'It's Not About Cooking And Learning' Anymore

Reality TV

&#8220;Black-ish&#8221; star Jennifer Lewis said former President Donald Trump will put black people and other minority groups &#8220;back in camps&#8221; if he&#8217;s reelected in the 2024 election.
During the 67-year-old actress&#8217; recent appearance on the <a href="https://twitter.com/ZerlinaMornings/status/1776260785108373852" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SiriusXM</a> radio show &#8220;Mornings With Zerlina,&#8221; the ABC star went on a profanity-laced rant warning that if Trump beats President Joe Biden he will be the next Hitler.
&#8220;You f**king idiot,&#8221; Lewis said, calling out people who said they don&#8217;t believe in voting. &#8220;If that man [Trump] gets in, as soon as he takes the oath, he will have generals walk down the steps of the Capitol.&#8221;
&#8220;He will take a hammer and break the glass where the Constitution is, and he will tear it up in our faces and say, &#8216;Now I&#8217;m the king of the f**king world. You will bow down, b*tches,’&#8221; she added. &#8220;He will punish everybody that didn&#8217;t vote for him.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;Black-ish&#8221; actress Jennifer Lewis claims Trump &#8220;is Hitler,&#8221; says white people &#8220;will not win&#8221;<a href="https://t.co/O4vBKlciTC">https://t.co/O4vBKlciTC</a><a href="https://t.co/O4vBKlciTC">https://t.co/O4vBKlciTC</a>
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) <a href="https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/1777356634597085487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
The actress, who notes that she was previously diagnosed with bipolar disorder, said she knows this because she knows what &#8220;mental illness looks like&#8221; as she yelled that into the mic. 
&#8220;That mania is unstoppable,&#8221; Lewis said. &#8220;See, this motherf**ker is Hitler. He didn&#8217;t come to play.&#8221;
&#8220;That motherf**ker will have us in camps … because we sat our fat a***es on the couch. Because we were complacent and spoiled and rotten. And mad,&#8221; she added, mentioning that if &#8220;black people were coming for white people we would&#8217;ve been there b*tch.&#8221;
&#8220;Black people don&#8217;t want to fight you,&#8221; the actress continued. &#8220;All we want to do is feed our children and be equal. Honey, white people are scared. They&#8217;re becoming a minority. The world is brown. And they&#8217;re going to do everything they can to stay in those gated communities, not pay taxes, and put those n***ers in their places and get those wetbacks out of this country. We own this, b*tch,&#8221; <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/abc-sitcom-star-warns-white-backlash-against-minorities-following-2024-election-have-camps">Fox News</a> reported.
Lewis continued attacking white people and throwing out additional claims replete with descriptive, violent imagery.
&#8220;We built this country for free while you raped us in your barns,&#8221; the &#8220;Black-ish&#8221; star told the host. &#8220;While you whipped us. While you lynched us and cut babies out of our stomachs while we hung from f**king trees.  And you got something to say?&#8221;
She claimed to have seen some rich ladies sitting at the Ritz and said she knew they were Trumpers. She then screamed once again in the mic, &#8220;Be a Trumper, but stop being so f**king nasty and so violent.&#8221;
&#8220;You be what you want to be,&#8221; Lewis exclaimed. &#8220;We all God&#8217;s babies. But you all f**king up now. People fought for freedom. They fought for this country and now we turn into f**king roaches …&#8221;
She then claimed that&#8217;s &#8220;how twisted that whole group [Trump supporters] is,&#8221; adding &#8220;hate them n***ers, hate them things coming across the river down south.&#8221; Lewis labeled those involved in the &#8220;January 5th&#8221; Capitol riot as &#8220;dumb bastards filled with hate&#8221; — all while claiming that she herself was anything but.

Jennifer Lewis

‘Black-ish’ Star Claims Trump Will Put Black People, Other Minority Groups ‘Back In Camps’

Donald Trump

Joe Biden

A key part of the recently wrapped actor’s strike dealt with something on every person’s mind in 2024.
Artificial Intelligence, or AI for short.
The new Screen Actors Guild deal, which allowed stars to get back on stage again after a 118-day pause, offered protections against the rise of AI. <a href="https://ew.com/tv/actors-strike-over-whats-in-new-sag-aftra-contract/#:~:text=The%20strike%20officially%20ended%20early,in%20the%20next%20few%20weeks." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Studios can’t use the likeness</a> of an SAG actor without their consent. That holds for stars like Brad Pitt down to background performers.
That mattered. And that might not be enough to stop its use in stories large and small.
The “small” part might be the most nettlesome to Hollywood, Inc.
We’re already seeing examples of smaller projects dipping their toes in AI. Yes, they’re drawing fire for their actions, but it likely won’t stop others from doing the same.
The new horror film “Late Night with the Devil” offers a wry spin on the classic talk-show format. David Dastmalchian (“Ant-Man”) stars as a ‘70s-era host so eager for ratings that he invites a woman allegedly possessed by the devil on his show.
The low-budget film leaned on AI to create images seen in the final product. The backlash proved immediate, especially after <a href="https://screenrant.com/late-night-with-the-devil-movie-box-office-666-explained/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Late Night” overperformed at the box office.</a>
Directors Cameron and Colin Cairnes, who reportedly finished the film <a href="https://theweek.com/late-night-with-the-devil-ai-art-debate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">before the strike’s settlement</a>, shared a statement on their creative decision to Variety in response.
“In conjunction with our amazing graphics and production design team, all of whom worked tirelessly to give this film the 70s aesthetic we had always imagined, we experimented with AI for three still images which we edited further and ultimately appear as very brief interstitials in the film.”
<div id="attachment_716605" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-716605" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-716605" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1472646090-864x576.jpg" alt="AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 10: (L-R) Cameron Cairnes, David Dastmalchian, and Colin Cairnes of 'Late Night With The Devil' pose for a portrait at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival Portrait Studio on March 10, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Robby Klein/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1472646090-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1472646090-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1472646090-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1472646090.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />AUSTIN, TEXAS &#8211; MARCH 10: (L-R) Cameron Cairnes, David Dastmalchian, and Colin Cairnes of &#8216;Late Night With The Devil&#8217; pose for a portrait at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival Portrait Studio on March 10, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Robby Klein/Getty Images)</div>
Veteran performer Sara Poyzer of “Mamma Mia!” musical fame, shared a sour note on social media saying she was recently replaced by AI for a vocal performance. The note featured part of an email announcing who she lost a gig to:
“We have had the approval from the BBC to use the AI generated voice so we won’t need Sara anymore.”
The head of the BBC said the broadcasting giant will use AI <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/bbc-reform-truth-british-storytelling-ai-partnerships-tim-davie-1235856342/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“on our terms”</a> moving forward.
The fear is real in more ways than one.
Creators worry about professional blowback from any attempt to use AI on their projects. The industry understands just how helpful AI can be in certain areas, especially now given Hollywood is eager to cut costs thanks to a wobbly economy and streaming platform fiscal woes.
Indie filmmakers are eager to embrace any cost-cutting measures to get their stories made. When found-footage horror exploded following the release of 1999’s “The Blair Witch Project,” studios leaned aggressively on the gimmick to dramatically lower production costs.
That will likely happen, sooner or later, with AI.
That’s precisely what an artist working with Loor TV has in mind. The new streaming channel, which promises Christian storytelling with an edge, is behind a new show called “Fleur De Lis” by Ethan Hill. The show <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7176243991917522946/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">employs AI tech</a> to render both the animated show’s backgrounds and character voices.
“AI is an aid to this show, not the creator of the show. Five episodes in and the rough around the edges production and janky AI has become part of its charm. Much like construction paper and South Park &#8230;. Ethan is very cautious that AI carefully balanced as a tool, not the show runner,” Loor TV CEO Marcus Pittman shared on his LinkedIn account.
The cost? Pittman said about $200 per episode. He added the show’s creator hopes to move away from AI once the project gains financial flexibility.
YouTube creators also have less reason to avoid AI technology to make viral-friendly videos. Consider the many “deep fake” celebrity clips where computers seamlessly switch out a performer’s face for a more recognizable star.
This video of “Arnold Schwarzenegger” singing a tune from “The Sound of Music” dressed as a nun is a perfect example. It sounds remarkably like the ‘80s action superstar, and it looks as if the clip’s creator snatched him straight from the Reagan era and threw a nun’s habit on him. Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="&#039;The Arnolds&quot; - New Music with The Arnold Schwarzenegger Nuns" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XyAgsiAgtNM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The clip generated more than 16K views in just two days.
Many influencers and creators aren’t bound by SAG rules. They just want content and the clicks those videos bring. Technological barriers have been dropping long before the rise of AI, allowing indie creators to compete with established brands. Consider Sam the Cooking Guy’s YouTube flock (3.68M subscribers) trumps The Food Network’s audience (2.5M subscribers).
Adding AI tools to the mix will further dissolve the barriers between the two sides.
AI may be the greatest tool indie filmmakers, who squeeze every penny possible to complete their visions, ever imagined. That’s especially true for creators locked out of the mainstream.
We’ve seen a flood of Right-leaning documentaries in recent years, sharing stories that veteran directors wouldn’t touch. They lack the publicity engines afforded to studio artists, from marketing teams to news outlets happy to spread the word about them.
Budgets are understandably low, too.
Throw some AI magic into the mix, and suddenly a lo-fi documentary can compete with anything Michael Moore has to offer.
That might be the scariest thing of all for progressive Hollywood.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

TOPSHOT-US-ENTERTAINMENT-CINEMA-TELEVISION-STRIKE

Sorry, Hollywood, AI Is Coming For You

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Artificial Intelligence

Former “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jeopardy">Jeopardy!</a>” producer Mike Richards, who reportedly hosted the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/television">show</a> for one day before being fired, is speaking publicly about the experience for the first time.
The 48-year-old game show producer was chosen as the replacement for longtime host <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alex-trebek">Alex Trebek </a>following his death from cancer in 2020. Richards was named the new host in August 2021, but his tenure was short-lived following a media firestorm related to his controversial comments that resurfaced online. 
“Jeopardy!” execs didn’t replace Trebek right away, opting instead to try out guest hosts for several months before landing on a replacement. &#8220;I actually thought we should just name a new host,&#8221; Richards told <a href="https://people.com/jeopardy-producer-mike-richards-opens-up-being-fired-after-1-day-exclusive-8611125">People</a> of that decision. &#8220;But when Alex passed away, it was hard on everyone.”
The producer reflected on some of those guest hosts, including Katie Couric, Mayim Bialik, Robin Roberts, and Aaron Rodgers.
He recalls being surprised to land the job. &#8220;No one was more surprised than me,&#8221; he told the outlet. &#8220;They told me, &#8216;We&#8217;d like you to be the host of the syndicated version of Jeopardy!&#8217; I paused, and said, &#8216;Oh wow. Thank you. What&#8217;s the media plan?&#8217; Because I was very concerned that this was going to be scrutinized as closely as a Presidential election. There was widespread belief that whoever got the job first wouldn&#8217;t make it.&#8221;
Richards said those assumptions were correct, and fans weren’t pleased with the choice. &#8220;Everyone was so angry because it looked like I had gone into a room and picked myself,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And that&#8217;s not what happens in television, but I understood that that&#8217;s what the outward appearances were.&#8221;
The game show producer recalled hosting for just one day. An article published on Ringer.com highlighted some controversial comments in 2013 and 2014 while hosting the podcast “Randumb,” as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-jeopardy-host-mike-richards-apologizes-for-sexist-racist-comments">reported</a>. During that time, he referred to his female co-host as a “booth ho,” “boothstitute,” and “booth slut” and said women in one-piece bathing suits look “really frumpy and overweight.”
He also made remarks about another woman’s appearance, saying of her facial features, “Ixnay on the ose-nay. She’s not an ew-Jay.”
Richards made a public apology for the statements after the article was published. &#8220;It is humbling to confront a terribly embarrassing moment of misjudgment, thoughtlessness, and insensitivity from nearly a decade ago. Looking back now, there is no excuse, of course, for the comments I made on this podcast and I am deeply sorry,” he said at the time.
Besides the statements, outlets began reporting that Richards was involved in a wrongful termination and discrimination lawsuit while working at “The Price is Right.” 
&#8220;I told them, I&#8217;ll answer anything. I&#8217;m an open book, proud of what I&#8217;ve done. I&#8217;m proud of my track record as a boss,&#8221; he told People of all the negative press. &#8220;It was insinuated that I had been personally sued for sexual harassment. I never had, but that didn&#8217;t matter.&#8221; Richards’ name was later dropped from the lawsuit, but after so much drama and coupled with the division over pandemic-related issues, he started getting a lot of hate online.
&#8220;By then everyone was like, &#8216;Oh he&#8217;s just a horrible person,’” Richards said. “It was the price you pay for getting thrust into the zeitgeist in a very inopportune moment.&#8221;
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It led to Richards publicly resigning after his very short hosting stint (some outlets still say he was fired). Eventually, popular contestant Ken Jennings became the permanent host, which Richards said was a good move.
&#8220;Why I am talking now is that I feel like I can be a force for good as far as having open, honest conversations,&#8221; he told People. &#8220;We can all disagree about a lot of things. We can disagree about politics, we can disagree about who hosts Jeopardy!. We can disagree about liking a final Jeopardy! clue. And we should. But I felt like there was a this rush to judgment, and a lot of people got joy in saying, &#8216;I got you.'&#8221;
&#8220;I always thought Ken [Jennings] was the guy,” he added.

Mike Richards

Former ‘Jeopardy!’ Host Reflects On His 1-Day Gig: ‘Everyone Was So Angry’

Former 'Jeopardy!' Host Reflects On His 1-Day Gig: 'Everyone Was So Angry'

Alex Trebek

Jeopardy

Television

You can tell someone has real power when they do something that&#8217;s obviously wrong, maybe even illegal, for a very long time — and yet they make no effort to hide it whatsoever. In the entertainment industry, Harvey Weinstein is of course one of the most prominent examples. His behavior was an open secret in Hollywood for three decades, to the point they were <a href="https://globalnews.ca/video/3796515/seth-macfarlane-jokes-about-weinstein-alleged-sexual-abuses-during-2013-oscar-nominations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making jokes</a> about it during the Oscars. But nothing was done about it until just a few years ago.
Unfortunately, the process of taking down Harvey Weinstein involved a much larger, extraordinarily destructive movement called &#8220;Me Too,&#8221; which did far more harm than good. I won&#8217;t recount all of the problems of that particular movement; I&#8217;ve discussed all of that before.
But one major issue with &#8220;Me Too&#8221; is coming to light very plainly now, which is that the movement conspicuously left pedophiles pretty much unscathed. And you know that because, to this day, you still aren&#8217;t allowed to talk about the pedophilia that&#8217;s rampant in elite circles. You can complain about so-called “toxic masculinity” and misogyny all you want. But if you bring up the topic of pedophilia, the Left treats you as a &#8220;Q-Anon&#8221; conspiracy theorist. Using words like &#8220;groomer&#8221; is prohibited on many social media platforms. How dare you suggest that pedophiles have infested Hollywood, the education system, and the media? You must be crazy. That&#8217;s hate speech.
They&#8217;ll make that claim despite the fact that the sexualization and mistreatment of children has been on display, for decades, in mainstream children&#8217;s entertainment. And now it&#8217;s getting a lot of new exposure. 
The first episodes of a new documentary series exposing the inner workings of Nickelodeon — the children’s network that most people my age grew up watching in the 90s and early 2000s — called &#8220;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31193442/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV</a>,&#8221; just premiered. It&#8217;s worth watching because it&#8217;s one of the few well-researched, effectively produced looks into how the entertainment industry abuses children. 
But the incredible thing is that Nickelodeon wasn&#8217;t really hiding what they were doing. Some of the most perverse parts of this documentary are scenes that Nickelodeon aired publicly, or <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-11113297/Disturbing-video-shows-Ariana-Grande-sexualized-teen-Nickelodeons-Victorious.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uploaded</a> to the internet, many years ago. For example, take a look at these sequences from a show called &#8220;Victorious,&#8221; featuring a young Ariana Grande. It&#8217;s a teen sitcom created by former Nickelodeon bigwig Dan Schneider that premiered more than a decade ago on Nickelodeon. 
The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl0OuXw_mTM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">videos</a> received a lot of <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2022-08-16/ariana-grande-nickelodeon-the-slap-sexualized-jennette-mccurdy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attention</a> when they resurfaced in 2019, but it&#8217;s important to see them again to understand the new accusations against Schneider — who also created many other hit shows like &#8220;iCarly.&#8221; Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="001 Ariana Grande Victorious" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/38M0uc-Ed-k?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
To be clear, these videos were posted online by Nickelodeon, which has a core audience of young children. They created this content to promote their show on the internet. And these videos are unambiguously, deliberately intended to be as suggestive as possible. They&#8217;re well past any pretense of plausible deniability. That&#8217;s how brazen this operation was.
But even after the uproar a few years ago, there still wasn&#8217;t a whole lot of in-depth reporting about what exactly Dan Schneider was doing at Nickelodeon. One of Grande&#8217;s co-stars, Jennette McCurdy, wrote a memoir titled &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Im-Glad-My-Mom-Died/dp/1982185821" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I&#8217;m Glad My Mom Died</a>,&#8221; describing her abuse at Nickelodeon, but generally speaking, Schneider himself escaped in-depth scrutiny.
That was a big oversight because anyone who&#8217;s willing to produce this kind of content for young children is obviously someone who needs to be investigated very thoroughly. Firing him should not have been the end of it. But for a while, it was. Now, though, we have a better idea of what was going on. 
One of the sequences that &#8220;Quiet on Set&#8221; has highlighted is this behind-the-scenes footage from 2002, in which Schneider sits in a jacuzzi with Amanda Bynes, who was 16-years-old at the time. In the footage, Schneider is fully clothed, while Bynes is in a bathing suit. Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="002 Dan Schneider In Jacuzzi" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pqEPQJS6AR0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
As they talk about in the documentary at some length, this is a very twisted kind of power play. There&#8217;s no legitimate reason for the executive producer of this show to be in a jacuzzi with an underage actress, having her explain to the camera that he controls everything she says. There&#8217;s certainly no reason for him to eat spaghetti with her, even if he does happen to be obese. 
But as you watch the documentary, it becomes clear that this kind of behavior was open and notorious on Nickelodeon&#8217;s sets. There are extensive interviews with cast members and staff of shows like &#8220;All That&#8221; and &#8220;The Amanda Show,&#8221; which go into extensive detail about how pervasive this problem was. At one point in the film, former Nickelodeon employees describe how Schneider thought it would be funny to have a young actress use the name &#8220;Taynt&#8221; on-air. Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="003 Taiont Joke" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-x6Q0-FIT-w?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
This is Schneider&#8217;s M.O. If you watch just the first episode of this documentary series, that will become very clear. For example, employees also discuss how he instructed his subordinates to describe themselves in demeaning terms — including as &#8220;sluts&#8221; — for his personal amusement. Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="004 SLUT Cards" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RIZ_9v4Aj74?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
As that segment goes on, the employees claim that Schneider would often offer money to induce his subordinates to do degrading tasks — like gorging themselves on gallons of ice cream — only to refuse payment when they tried to collect.
For his part, not surprisingly, Schneider denies all of these accusations. He hasn&#8217;t been charged or convicted of any crime. But even so, there is clear evidence that serious child abuse did occur at the company. And the documentary covers that abuse, too. 
For example, in later episodes of the documentary, former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-nickelodeon-star-drake-bell-details-alleged-sexual-abuse-by-dialogue-coach-it-was-extensive-and-brutal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comes forward</a> on-camera to say that he was sexually assaulted when he was 15-years-old by Brian Peck, a.k.a. &#8220;Pickle Boy,&#8221; who worked on the &#8220;Amanda Show&#8221; (the same show as the jacuzzi scene). Peck was arrested back in 2003 on 11 charges relating to this abuse, including sodomy and committing a lewd act upon a child aged 14 or 15 by a person 10 years older. There was also a charge for &#8220;oral copulation by anesthesia or controlled substance.&#8221; Peck pleaded no contest to the charges and was sentenced to only 16 months in prison at the time. I&#8217;ll say that again. He spent less than two years in prison. Bell&#8217;s name was concealed during the trial, but now, many years later, he&#8217;s come forward to identify himself.
In the second episode of the documentary, Brian Peck is described as doing something similar to what Schneider did — trying to get profane jokes on-air, at the expense of children:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="005 Pickle Boy" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hLYkxtZ-O2Q?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The final episodes of the documentary aren&#8217;t available yet, so we don&#8217;t have the full details of what Peck did. We don&#8217;t have the interview with his alleged victim yet. But it is suggested in that episode that, after Peck was arrested, Nickelodeon higher-ups (not including Schneider apparently) called a meeting with the child actors. They didn&#8217;t let their parents participate. They got the children alone, and told them that Peck wasn&#8217;t going to be around anymore. They asked if anyone had anything to say — almost as if they wanted to get the jump on any misconduct allegations.
There was reason for those executives to be worried, because Peck wasn&#8217;t the wasn&#8217;t the only sexual abuser at Nickelodeon during this period. 
The documentary also goes into some detail about the disturbing case of Jason Handy, who worked as a production assistant on both &#8220;The Amanda Show&#8221; and &#8220;All That.&#8221; Handy allegedly sent a picture of himself masturbating to an 11-year-old girl he was working with, who was working on &#8220;The Amanda Show&#8221; at the time. Handy, like Peck, was arrested in 2003. Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="006 Police Investigate Jason Handy" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vTtLcu2fg4Y?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
These are accusations that are far more serious than what Dan Schneider is accused of. But they&#8217;re part of the same general pattern of behavior that involves demeaning and sexualizing children. This is what was going on internally at the most popular children&#8217;s channel on the planet.
It&#8217;s still an extremely popular network, of course. And that leaves reasonable people to wonder whether sexual perverts are still trying to pollute the minds of children. Previously, I&#8217;ve <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/paw-patrol-indoctrinates-pre-schoolers-with-radical-lgbt-propaganda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">covered</a> Nickelodeon&#8217;s &#8220;Paw Patrol&#8221; spin-off, which recently hired a radical leftist writer who likes to teach children about abortions, among other things. Maybe in 20 years, we&#8217;ll learn the inside story as to why exactly that woman was hired.
But really, we don&#8217;t need to wait that long. Simply put, there&#8217;s no way a man like Dan Schneider could operate so openly, for so long, if he wasn&#8217;t part of a much larger systemic problem. This is a problem that can&#8217;t be solved by arresting a couple of production assistants and firing Dan Schneider, although that’s a good place to start. The only way to solve it is to do what the parents of these child actors should have done a long time ago, which is to keep your children as far away from corporate children’s programming as possible.

Nickelodeon’s 28th Annual Kids’ Choice Awards – Show

New Documentary Uncovers Child Abuse At Nickelodeon

Child Sex Abuse

Children

Matt Walsh

Nickelodeon

Sexual Abuse

HBO announced that &#8220;Real Time with Bill Maher&#8221; has been renewed through its 24th season in 2026.
&#8220;Two more years in the dream job of a lifetime, on the network so many dream of being on — I think that&#8217;s what we call a no-brainer,&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-maher-destroys-preachy-man-hating-barbie-film">Maher</a> said in a statement.
The show, which was previously set to conclude at the end of this year, debuted on HBO in 2003 and became one of the premium channel&#8217;s longest-running series, coming in only second to &#8220;Real Sports with Bryant Gumble,&#8221; The <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/real-time-with-bill-maher-renewed-through-2026-hbo-1235851545/">Hollywood Reporter</a> noted.
&#8220;For 22 seasons and counting, Bill Maher remains a uniquely powerful voice in politics and culture,&#8221; said Nina Rosenstein, executive vice president of HBO programming, late night, and specials. 
&#8220;&#8216;Real Time&#8217; is the rare place where people can both disagree and find common ground, which is more vital than ever,&#8221; she added. &#8220;We&#8217;re thrilled to continue working with Bill and his incredibly talented team for two more seasons.&#8221;
Maher faced some <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-mahers-show-will-return-despite-ongoing-strike">controversy</a> in September after announcing that his late-night talk show would return amid the ongoing Hollywood writers strike.
&#8220;&#8216;Real Time&#8217; is coming back, unfortunately, sans writers or writing,&#8221; Maher said at the time. &#8220;It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work. The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people with issues, problems, and concerns.&#8221;
&#8220;Despite some assistance from me, much of the staff is struggling mightily,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We all were hopeful this would come to an end after Labor Day, but that day has come and gone, and there still seems to be nothing happening. I love my writers, I am one of them, but I&#8217;m not prepared to lose an entire year and see so many below-the-line people suffer so much.&#8221;
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&#8220;I will honor the spirit of the strike by not doing a monologue, desk piece, New Rules or editorial, the written pieces that I am so proud of on &#8216;Real Time,'&#8221; Maher continued. &#8220;And I’ll say it upfront to the audience: the show I will be doing without my writers will not be as good as our normal show, full stop. But the heart of the show is an off-the-cuff panel discussion that aims to cut through the bulls*** and predictable partisanship, and that will continue. The show will not disappoint.&#8221;
A short time later, he reversed course, and then his show resumed two days after the Writers Guild of America strike ended in September.

Larry King’s Toast to 50 Years in Broadcasting

‘No Brainer’: HBO Renews Bill Maher’s ‘Real Time’ For 2 More Years

Bill Maher

British singer Lily Allen just made headlines for claiming that her two children “ruined” her career. “I love them and they complete me, but in terms of pop stardom, totally ruined it,” she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/singer-lily-allen-my-children-ruined-my-career-says-people-cant-have-it-all" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during a podcast interview. “It really annoys me when people say you can have it all because, quite frankly, you can’t.”
It may be true that not everyone can be everything, and that mothers who also pursue careers face unique challenges. But that doesn’t mean that moms can’t achieve success in Hollywood, sports, or any other industry. That success may just look a little different or be on an extended timeline compared to their peers.
Candace Cameron Bure is the perfect example of a Hollywood mom who managed to do it all with absolute grace and class.
The former child star, who rose to fame portraying D.J. Tanner on the popular 90s sitcom “Full House,” has had a long-lasting and successful Hollywood career. Now at the age of 47, she’s the chief content officer of Great American Media.
<div id="attachment_709241" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-709241" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-709241" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1248942050-864x576.jpg" alt="HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - MARCH 18: (L-R) Dave Coulier, Candace Cameron Bure, Andrea Barber and Jodie Sweetin attend 90s Con held at Connecticut Convention Center on March 18, 2023 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photos by Emily Assiran/Getty Images for 90's Con)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1248942050-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1248942050-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1248942050-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1248942050.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Emily Assiran/Getty Images for 90&#8217;s Con</div>
Bure has competed on the reality competition show “Dancing With the Stars,” written four books, reprised her sitcom role in the spinoff “Fuller House” (2016-2020), and achieved much success starring in several fan-loved movies on the Hallmark Channel before making the move to Great American Media.
Perhaps the most shocking part of Bure’s success is that she’s openly conservative and Christian. The actress has caught heat in the industry for standing up for her values but hasn’t backed down or apologized for saying what she said.
“When I had a lot of these ‘bullets’ kind of hit me in the last year or so, they’ve been a really big challenge to me personally, to my heart, to my character, to my relationships, to my jobs,” Bure <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/candace-cameron-bure-dismisses-attempts-to-cancel-her-as-a-test-of-faith" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during a December episode of her podcast. “I remember being so upset over it, because it’s like how do you recover?”
“I’ll just say it, cancel culture is very real,” she added. “And they were trying to cancel me.”
A lot of the backlash came when Bure switched from Hallmark to GAC and said they planned to “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/candace-cameron-bure-confirms-network-will-keep-traditional-marriage-at-the-core-while-hallmark-leans-into-lgbtq-stories" target="_blank" rel="noopener">keep traditional marriage</a> at the core” of the content made there. But so far, besides clarifying her comments and lack of hate for any group, the actress has not backed down from those statements.
Despite how Lily Allen feels about motherhood and careers coexisting, Bure managed to achieve it all while successfully raising her kids. The celeb married Russian NHL hockey player Valeri Bure on June 22, 1996 and went on to have three children with him.
Natasha Valerievna was born in August 1998. Next came two boys, Lev in February 2000 and Maksim “Maks” in January 2002.
<div id="attachment_709243" style="width: 883px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-709243" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-709243" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1402531953-873x576.jpg" alt="SONOMA, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 12: Actress Candace Cameron Bure and husband, and former NHL player Valeri Bure wave to NASCAR fans onstage during driver intros prior to during pre-race ceremonies prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 12, 2022 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)" width="873" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1402531953-873x576.jpg 873w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1402531953-300x198.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1402531953-768x507.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1402531953.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 873px) 100vw, 873px" />Chris Graythen/Getty Images</div>
In case any critics are tempted to accuse Bure of outsourcing her parenting duties with full-time nannies, it doesn’t sound like that’s the case. The “Full House” star told People in 2011 that her family is very close-knit.
&#8220;We are a very close family and no matter what&#8217;s on the schedule, we all stick together,&#8221; Bure <a href="https://people.com/parents/candace-cameron-bure-chats-truth-be-told/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the outlet at the time. &#8220;We have dinner together just about every night and our weekends are all about having fun together. My time is so short with them and I know that when they start driving, it will start to change. But for now, I keep them close.&#8221;
Bure has been keeping fans up to date on what’s going on in her kids’ lives lately.
&#8220;What a day! My boy. My son. My baby. So proud of you,&#8221; the actress <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPMlvtjBaNP/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Instagram when Maksim graduated high school in 2021. &#8220;You have grown so much in character and your love for God. Your joy is infectious! You are and have always been such a blessing to us; to be your mama and papa. We are so grateful God gave us to you to be your parents. As well as everyone who has contributed in your journey.&#8221;
Maksim followed in his father’s footsteps and went on to play hockey at Liberty University.
<div id="attachment_709245" style="width: 507px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-709245" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-709245 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-510770628-497x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 16: Valeri Bure, Lev Valerievich Bure, actress Candace Cameron-Bure, Maksim Valerievich Bure, and Natasha Valerievna Bure attend the premiere of Netflix's 'Fuller House' on February 16, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JB Lacroix/WireImage)" width="497" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-510770628-497x576.jpg 497w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-510770628-259x300.jpg 259w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-510770628-768x891.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-510770628.jpg 883w" sizes="(max-width: 497px) 100vw, 497px" />Los Angeles, February 16, 2016. JB Lacroix/WireImage</div>
Bure got to try out a new role in January 2024 when her middle child tied the knot: mother of the groom.
&#8220;Words cannot express the joy we have felt this weekend celebrating the marriage of our son and his bride Elliott. We gained a beautiful daughter and a wonderful family to do life with,&#8221; the celeb wrote in a photo <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C2ukdvyruEQ/?img_index=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on Instagram. &#8220;I have an overwhelming sense of love, joy, peace and contentment thanks to God’s blessing of family and friendship. My heart is so full.&#8221;
The actress’s oldest daughter, meanwhile, dabbled in acting and modeling just like her movie star mom. But unlike so many other young and beautiful Hollywood celebrities, Natasha hasn’t fallen victim to the cult of woke nor has she tried to get attention by dressing in skimpy outfits.
Natasha spoke about embracing the conservative values her parents instilled, including in the way she dressed. “Modesty &amp; I have come a long way truthfully,” she shared to Instagram stories in 2023. “A year or two ago I dressed COMPLETELY different and showed WAY more of my body than I ever needed to.”
&#8220;I still want to dress stylishly and keep up with the trends but I don&#8217;t ever want to compromise my values,&#8221; Natasha wrote.
Bure’s eldest daughter also publicly defended her mom when she got into a public back-and-forth with JoJo Siwa in 2022. Siwa had originally called Bure the “rudest celebrity” she ever met, a sentiment which the actress responded to immediately.
“Honestly, I was shocked when I saw the TikTok on Sunday, and I had no idea where it came from,” Bure said in a video to her followers just after the incident happened, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-called-her-candace-cameron-bures-all-class-response-after-jojo-siwa-trashes-her-as-rudest-celebrity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. “I immediately tried to reach out to her through a mutual friend … because I didn’t know what happened — I didn’t know.”
The “Fuller House” star said she personally reached out to Siwa to reconcile. “I called her,” Bure said. “We had a great conversation.” She related that the criticism stemmed from an interaction the two had when Siwa was 11 and felt ignored when asking Bure for a photo on the red carpet at an event.
&#8220;Respectfully, someone saying no to taking a photo with you is not a &#8216;rough experience,'&#8221; Natasha shared in stories at the time. &#8220;This generation is so sensitive and has zero backbone. Grow up. There are bigger issues in the world than this.&#8221;
Not everyone is able to have a successful career and be an attentive mother. But for anyone looking for examples of it working out in real life, Bure is a role model in the Hollywood sphere.

31st Annual MovieGuide Awards Gala

Candace Cameron Bure Proves Celebrities Can Be Great Moms, Too

Candace Cameron Bure

Christian

Mothers

The 96th <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/oscars">Academy Awards</a> attracted 19.5 million viewers on Sunday, the largest audience since pre-pandemic highs in 2020.
According to <a href="https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/2024-oscar-ratings-academy-awards-1235933476/">Variety</a>, this number slightly increased from last year’s 18.8 million <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/television">viewers</a>. The outlet also noted that the broadcast received a 3.8 rating among the key demographic of adults aged 18-49.  
The Oscars aired one hour earlier than normal, beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET and lasting until 10:30 p.m.
These numbers represent a continued rebound after the 2021 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">awards show</a> drew a record-low viewership of just 10.4 million viewers due to the ongoing COVID pandemic. The event in 2021 was held in person but was delayed to April after initially being scheduled for February. There was no host, and invites were limited to nominees, presenters, and their guests.
Numbers started climbing again in 2022 when 16.6 million viewers tuned in, and the ratings have been incrementally increasing ever since. 
This year’s Oscars <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">ceremony</a> was dominated by the historical drama “Oppenheimer,” which <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oppenheimer-sweeps-96th-academy-awards">won seven categories</a> of the 13 it was nominated for, including the highly coveted Best Picture. The film also won Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.), Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing.
“We made a film about the man who created the atomic bomb, and for better or for worse, we’re all living in Oppenheimer’s world,” Murphy said during his acceptance speech.
The second most winning film was “Poor Things,” which won in four out of the 11 nominated categories, including Best Actress for Emma Stone. 
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Meanwhile, the Martin Scorsese drama “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro” had no wins. The summer blockbuster “Barbie” only won for Best Original Song (“What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell).
The event was hosted again by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who got mixed reviews on some of his jokes. Viewers were especially <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jimmy-kimmel-jokes-about-robert-downey-jr-s-past-drug-addiction-during-oscars">taken aback</a> when Kimmel made fun of Best Supporting Actor winner Robert Downey Jr. for struggling with substance abuse more than twenty years ago.

Oscars

2024 Oscars Viewership Increased From Last Year, Was Most Watched Since Pandemic

Academy Awards

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