Just yesterday, before Barbara Bush had passed away, a relative posted on Facebook a fake story from “CNN” claiming she had died that night. Someone alerted my relative that it was fake news, someone else then complained that they “hate CNN,” and my relative agreed with them. The thing is, CNN didn’t post the story. It was a site called breaking-cnn.com. But it looked enough like CNN that it tricked not only the person who originally posted it, but also other people who thought CNN posted the story falsely.
As the video below illustrates we are living in very dangerous and manipulative times when it comes to fake news, especially for older generations who might be a less cynical and incredulous than those of us who grew up with the internet. What we need entering into the 2018 and 2020 elections is for people to be able to trust the media. But that will be a difficult lift when legitimate media like CNN is undermined by nefarious actors by pulling stunts like the one that confused my relative. Though I tried to point out to her (and everyone else on the thread) that CNN hadn’t made the mistake, it seemed to fall on deaf ears, and I’m worried that it will be one more thing that makes my relative and her friends distrust CNN going forward.
So be careful out there, kids. Even when you think you can trust a source — or your very eyes and ears — be sure to verify before you believe, and certainly before you pass it along.
Speaking of trusting your own eyes …
On The View yesterday, Stormy Daniels released a sketch of the man she said threatened her. People have lots of suggestions for who it might be, including Tom Brady, Mark Consuelos, Michael C. Hall, Jon Bon Jovi, Matt Damon, Willem Defoe … Matt Calamari Jr. (look it up).
President Not Nervous At All and Certainly Doesn’t Have Any Idea Who It Could Be tweeted about it:
This is notable mostly because for months, the only two people Trump hadn’t tweeted about were Vladimir Putin and Stormy Daniels (although, it’s interesting that he still doesn’t use her name here). In the past couple of weeks, he’s tweeted negatively about both. So either the Tweeter-in-Chief is feeling more confident about things or A WHOLE LOT WORSE.
But he’s not feeling insecure about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, not at all.
It should be noted, however, behind the scenes at Fox News, some staffers found the Cohen-Hannity connection to be “embarrassing” and “bad journalism.” YA THINK? This gossipy story also speculates on what Hannity hired Cohen for and notes that Murdoch might be cooling on Trump. It’s worth a read.
But wait! the story gets weirder: Hannity reportedly also employs three more Drumpf-related attorneys: Jay Sekulow, Victoria Toensing, and Joseph E. diGenova. Sekulow is President Colluder’s only known personal attorney working on the Russia case, and Joseph E. diGenova was the guy they were going to bring on to the team, only to have to bow out because of conflicts of interests related to diGenova’s wife Toensing. It will not surprise you in the least to learn that the three have frequently appeared on Hannity, even as recently as Monday.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post has a disturbing piece about how Sean Hannity is the “unofficial chief of staff” at this point. Yep! It’s totally normal for the President of the United States to take his most important counsel from a partisan television hack. This is fine.
Alex Jones is FINALLY getting what’s coming to him: the Sandy Hook parents are suing him, and I hope they take every supplement penny from his pocket.
FiveThirtyEight is joining ABC News for the midterms. Not that it matters much to me: I haven’t been able to look at FiveThirtyEight without getting PTSD since November 8, 2016.
Congratulations, David Muir. Tough break, Megyn Kelly.
This is a helpful primer on Westworld for those of you who don’t spend all your time theorizing and being driven crazy.
Here’s what we know about The Walking Dead season 9, besides the fact in light of this week’s season finale they will ABSOLUTELY be bringing Lauren Cohen back. Girlfriend read that script and was like, “Call my agent.”
Ugh, now they’re threatening us with a Walking Dead movie?
So far, this has been one of the most inclusive seasons of American Idol. Of course, America hasn’t started voting yet, so we’ll see how long it lasts.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Don’t try to live like Olivia Pope, it’s bad for your liver.
Apparently, we haven’t seen the last of SPOILER on Game of Thrones.
Don’t try it, dummies, you’ll never get away with it.
Here’s a look back on The Bob Newhart Show, 40 years later.
Here are photos from Outlander season four.
We have our first look at Maniac, the Emma Stone, Jonah Hill Netflix series. I have no idea what is happening here.
#MeToo
Evan Rachel Wood won’t make the same as her male costars until season three of Westworld. Cool. And I know it’s not showrunners Lisa Joy and Johnathan Nolan’s fault the star of the series isn’t being paid the same, but knowing that she’s not left me with a slightly sour feeling about this interview with them about the #MeToo movement. Still, their show does as good a job as any in exploring sexual violence without making it gratuitous or exploitative.
McKayala Maroney wonders if it was all worth it. Just imagine being a gold medalist, and having that tainted.
Y’all, I am not ready for Louis C.K.’s comeback. Stop.
The jury will be allowed to hear Bill Cosby’s admissions that he gave women quaaludes. Good.
Vince Staples called out known rapist R. Kelly and R. Kelly had the audacity to be upset about it. Shut the fuck up, R. Kelly, and be grateful you’re not in prison. Yet.
Morgan Spurlock is trying to say that his #MeToo admissions didn’t violate his contract with TNT. Good luck with that!
Russell Simmons is claiming that the lawsuit against him is extortion. Sure thing, buddy.
Ellen Burstyn gets it. Richard Cohen, not so much.
Renewals
- Nat Geo Wild has renewed The Incredible Dr. Pol.
- Netflix has renewed the Spanish-language series Money Heist.
Cancellations
- Has Taken been taken off the schedule?
In Development
- The Order, a monster drama, has been ordered by Netflix.
- The Peripheral, a novel by William Gibson, is being turned into a series for Amazon by the married team behind Westworld, so that’s cool.
- Turn Up Charlie, a comedy produced by and starring Idris Elba has been ordered by Netflix.
- Alternatino with Arturo Castro and This Week at the Comedy Cellar have been greenlit by Comedy Central. (Arturo Castros is Jaime on Broad City, by the way.) They also gave pilot orders to Mall Town USA, Awkwafina, Robbie, Kevin vs. Josh, and Verified with David Spade.
- Oh, God, they are making a show about the “Cash Me Outside” girl. WHY? HER 15 MINUTES EXPIRED AGES AGO. AREN’T WE DONE HERE?
- “Remembering the Murder You Didn’t Commit” is being turned into a drama series.
- BET announced a slate of new programming, including five scripted series (American Soul, The Archer Connection, Boomerang, Games Divas Play, and Peachtree Place) and six non-scripted series (The Hustle: Brooklyn, The Grand Hustle, Ladies Night, The Next Big Thing, Dream Team, Finding Justice) and several events.
- Netflix announced a slate of international series, including The English Game, a series about soccer from Julian Fellowes.
- BBC is working on Thatcher, a documentary about Margaret Thatcher.
- Ambitions and Ready to Love, both from Will Packer, are coming to OWN.
Casting News
- Cary Elwes is joining Stranger Things for season three. So is Jake Busey.
- Kelly Clarkson is going to host the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.
- Domenick Lombardozzi and Lola Glaudini are joining Ray Donovan.
Mark Your Calendars
- GLOW returns on June 29 on Netflix because they knew exactly what I wanted for my birthday:
- The Innocents debuts on Netflix on August 24.
- The VMAs will air on MTV on August 20.
- BattleBots returns on Discovery on May 11 and on Science Channel on May 16.
- A Dangerous Son premieres on HBO on May 7.
R.I.P.
Carl Kasell, NPR Newsman
Barbara Bush, Former First Lady, mother of a President. Here’s the time she appeared on Late Show with David Letterman and handled herself.
Bruno Sammartino, Wrestler
WATCH THIS
The Real Housewives of New York City: Bethenny and Carole have decided to “fight” this season apparently. 8 p.m., Bravo
The Looming Tower: This series is such a powerful account of the events that led to 9/11. If you haven’t been watching this, you should give it a chance — I expect to see it in the Emmy nods this summer. Hulu
The Originals: The vamps are back for one last season. Season premiere. 7 p.m., The CW
Criminal Minds: Two-hour season finale. 9 p.m., CBS
Late Night: Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Claire Danes, Letitia Wright, Kevin Delaney The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Cynthia Nixon, Alan Cumming, Franz Ferdinand The Late Late Show with James Corden: Christina Hendricks, Luke Hemsworth, Abigail Spencer, Aparna Nancherla Jimmy Kimmel Live: Gwen Stefani, Josh Holloway, Dierks Bentley Conan: Joe Manganiello, Natasha Leggero The Daily Show: Chelsea Clinton The Opposition with Jordan Klepper: Alicia Menendez
| WEDS. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | The Goldbergs (new) |
Alex, Inc. (new) |
Modern Family (new) |
American Housewife (new) |
Designated Survivor (new) |
| CBS | Survivor (new) |
Criminal Minds (new) |
| CW | Riverdale (new) |
The Originals (new) |
Local |
| FOX | Empire (new) |
Star (new) |
News/Local |
| NBC | The Voice (new) |
Law & Order: SVU (new) |
Chicago P.D. (new) |
My 22 year old family member got tricked by that fake CNN page. That is somehow worse. Like you should know better!