It’s Wednesday.
Should I take insulin pic.twitter.com/ALEYQqzJir
— Sarah Cooper (@sarahcpr) May 27, 2020
I tested very positively (alt take) pic.twitter.com/krywW3vDjl
— Sarah Cooper (@sarahcpr) May 21, 2020
The hilarious Sarah Cooper has hit the big time: The New York Times interviewed her about her amazing Trump satires.
CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin had it OFFICIALLY with co-anchor Joe Kernan this morning, calling him out for downplaying 100,000 dead to protect his “friend, the president.” YELL AT HIM SOME MORE, ANDREW.
"100,000 people died Joe and all you did was try to help your friend the president. That's what you did. Every single morning on this show. … You used and abused your position." (ht @Reign_Maker) pic.twitter.com/PwdwQ0hKad
— John Whitehouse (@existentialfish) May 27, 2020
Martin Scorsese has made a short film about his experience with the lockdown. It will premiere on BBC Two on May 28.
Here’s a reminder that most local news stations are not newsrooms, and will read pretty much anything you put in front of them:
In the Australian version, additional hand sanitizing stations were put in across the set, while the cooking benches were spaced out further to keep contestants further away from each other and gloves were provided for team challenges where equipment was shared as well as when contestants went to get food from the store cupboards. Extra sinks were also added as well as dedicated hand washing stations.
In terms of the judges – this season featuring Andy Allen, Melissa Leong, and Jock Zonfrillo – they stepped up to taste the individually portioned meals and didn’t share cutlery or plates.
Contestants were kept separated, and there were obviously no high-fives and hugs when things went well or badly. The first episode back helped as it was a relay challenge, where the contestants work one after each other, waiting for one cook to finish before stepping in.
However, an example of how seriously producers took the health concerns was the absence of Leong from the episode. She revealed that she had sinusitis and went to the doctors, before being cleared and returning to the set for future episodes.
The ATX Festival … From the Couch has added three HBO shows to the lineup, including A Black Lady Sketch Show, whose running gag in the first season featured four friends quarantined together at the end of the world. It’s true.
Succession‘s cast is going to have a virtual reunion on June 3.
The French have released a set of safety guidelines for productions once they begin again. Meanwhile, California says it’s working on it, get off their backs.
Andrea Bocelli reports that he has recovered from COVID-19.
Chrissy Teigen giggles her way through a COVID-19 test:
Honestly loved it pic.twitter.com/UNRwG3HNcD
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) May 26, 2020
Chris Cuomo, like many people who have had COVID-19, claims he still has “funky stuff” in his blood.
J.J. Watt says he’s training like the NFL season is going to happen (but that he’s not sure it will). We’ll see!
IPIC Theaters here in Texas are reopening on June 4. But don’t be counting on those blankets and pillows.
Apple is opening up more stores with an emphasis on curbside delivery.
Game developer Blizzard Entertainment has canceled its annual conference.
And then there’s the Norwegian who won the Iditarod, only to be stranded in Alaska, leaving his wife on the other side of the world with their three children under 10 and their THIRTY-FIVEm dogs. Nope. I’d rather be in the haunted castle, thanks.
President Brain Worm is VERY worked up at the thought that we might be allowed to vote by mail in November because of the pandemic (well, I won’t be allowed to because I live in fucking Texas) and is busy screaming on Twitter that voting by mail is the same thing as voter fraud (except when he does it, obvs). Twitter, already stinging from criticism that it won’t do anything to stop him from spreading harmful and painful conspiracy theories about Joe Scarborough and his former aide, implemented a new tool: a fact check on the tweets. Better late than never, Twitter.
Twitter confirms to me that today is the first time any Trump tweets have been labeled as misleading by the platform.
In these (two) cases, Twitter says, Trump’s tweets were flagged for "potentially misleading information about voting processes” and are labeled for context. pic.twitter.com/w0pd4qTjN7
— Brian Fung (@b_fung) May 26, 2020
However, they haven’t put a fact check on the Scarborough tweets, so.
As you might imagine, President Infant was NOT HAPPY about this development and is throwing another tantrum, threatening to shut Twitter down.
….happen again. Just like we can’t let large scale Mail-In Ballots take root in our Country. It would be a free for all on cheating, forgery and the theft of Ballots. Whoever cheated the most would win. Likewise, Social Media. Clean up your act, NOW!!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2020
LOL, OK, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT, CHUCK.
Speaking of Joe Scarborough and the bullshit President Tin Foil is spreading about him, it’s become too much for even conservative papers, The Washington Examiner and the Wall Street Journal: “We don’t write this with any expectation that Mr. Trump will stop. Perhaps he even thinks this helps him politically, though we can’t imagine how. But Mr. Trump is debasing his office, and he’s hurting the country in doing so.”
And one Republican senator (the only one with any fucking integrity) has had enough:
I know Joe Scarborough. Joe is a friend of mine. I don't know T.J. Klausutis. Joe can weather vile, baseless accusations but T.J.? His heart is breaking. Enough already.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) May 27, 2020
As for Scarborough, on Morning Joe this morning, he memorialized Lori Klausutis, his aide who died 19 years ago. May her family be left alone and find some peace.
And then there is the whole mask thing that this asshole is trying to politicize. During a press conference yesterday, a reporter refused to take off his mask and President Dipshit accused him of trying to be “politically correct.” JESUS HOWARD CHRIST. NO, HE’S JUST TRYING TO ABIDE BY HEALTH AND SCIENTIFIC GUIDELINES.
I mean, when Sean Hannity is even talking sense about mask-wearing …
Hannity on Lake of The Ozarks Video: There’s no mask wearing here that I see… I see no social distancing. But if they get the virus and they’re in contact with older more vulnerable Americans, that could be a disaster… Please wear the mask for your mom, dad, grandma, grandpa pic.twitter.com/C8UGhTd7aH
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) May 27, 2020
Good News:
You can now get a Star Trek or a SpongeBob face mask and give some money to charity in the process.
Or you can buy a face mask from Jill Zarin’s daughter and help raise money to feed hospital staff.
All Other TV
HBO Max launches today, and surprise! All 8 Harry Potter movies are available on the streamer right now. And don’t forget, this is also the new home of Friends, the DC properties, and Doctor Who. Gauntlet officially thrown, Disney+.
The question is: will HBO Max devour HBO? AT&T putting all of this content on HBO Max suggests that the streamer is now their primary focus, and some are worried that HBO will wither away. The truth is, I suspect that it eventually will. These media companies see the Netflix writing on the wall and know we are rapidly moving towards a future where no one subscribes to expensive cable packages and stream everything. They really have no other choice.
The Golden Globes have changed their rules to include anthology series in the Limited Series and Movies Made for Television category. Additionally, thanks to Pedro Pascal in The Mandalorian, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association had to clarify that “voice-only performances are not eligible in any acting category.” (He would have qualified, as he took off the mask in the season finale, but for most of the show, he was masked.)
Quibi has finally made it possible to cast their shows to TVs, at least from iPhones. This is still such a half-baked plan for a streaming service, I swear to God.
NBC and the producers of America’s Got Talent have ended their investigations into Gabrielle Union’s claims of abuse and harassment and have concluded, “Nah.” This is my shocked face.
Here’s Gabrielle Union’s take on the whole thing.
Jimmy Fallon is sorry:
In 2000, while on SNL, I made a terrible decision to do an impersonation of Chris Rock while in blackface. There is no excuse for this.
I am very sorry for making this unquestionably offensive decision and thank all of you for holding me accountable.
— jimmy fallon (@jimmyfallon) May 26, 2020
Mads Mikkelsen is teasing us again.
American Horror Story season 10 won’t happen until 2021, but that’s not stopping Ryan Murphy from posting incomprehensible clues on Instagram:
Shinji Aoba, the suspect in the Kyoto Animation fire, has been arrested.
Renewals
- Summertime has been renewed at Netflix.
- Mr. Inbetween and Cake have been renewed at FX and FXX respectively.
Cancellations
- Terrace House: Tokyo has been canceled after the death of pro wrestler and star Hana Kimura.
In Development
- Fraggle Rock will be rebooted at Apple TV+.
- Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is being turned into a series at Amazon.
- International versions of The Bachelor will be available on HBO Max.
- Run Sweetheart Run has been bought by Amazon.
- Josh and Benny Safdie, the directors/writers of Uncut Gems, has signed a deal with HBO.
- DNA has been bought by BBC.
- Coroner has been bought Channel 4.
Casting News
Mark Your Calendars
- Love, Victor will premiere on Hulu on June 19.
- NOS4A2 will return on AMC on June 21.
- Spelling the Dream will premiere on Netflix on June 3.
- A Film by Errol Morris will premiere on Showtime soon.
- My Cat from Hell: Cat Sh#t Crazy! will return on Animal Planet on June 11.
- 60 Minutes Sports: Timeless Stories will premiere on CBS on May 30.
- The Kissing Booth 2 will debut on Netflix on July 24.
R.I.P.
Larry Kramer, Author and activist
Richard Herd, Character actor
WATCH THIS
HBO Max launches today with 10 new shows:
- Craftopia
- Ghosts
- On the Record
- Home
- Legendary
- Looney Tunes Cartoons
- Love Life
- The Not Too Late Show with Elmo
- Stath Lets Flats
- Trigonometry
Space Launch Live: America Returns to Space: SpaceX will launch a rocket with two NASA astronauts, sending them to the International Space Station. It will be the first launch with Americans since 2011. 1 p.m., Discovery & Science
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich: In this documentary, Epstein’s victims are able to share their stories, and the filmmakers explore how the wealthy financier was able to get away with his sex crimes for so long. Premiere Netflix
Game On!: It’s some new celebrity competition show, where celebrities do things like try to kick field goals and do soccer drills. I mean, I guess people are starved for sports right now, so … Series premiere. 7 p.m., CBS
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: The agents are sent back to 1931 in the season premiere. 9 p.m., ABC
Late Night:
- Jimmy Kimmel Live: Howie Mandel
| WEDS. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | Thor: The Dark World | Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (new) |
| CBS | Game On! (new) |
SEAL Team (repeat) |
S.W.A.T. (repeat) |
| CW | The 100 (new) |
Bulletproof (repeat) |
Local |
| FOX | MasterChef (repeat) |
Ultimate Tag (new) |
News/Local |
| NBC | Chicago Med (repeat) |
Chicago Fire (repeat) |
Chicago P.D. (repeat) |
Sarah is delightful and damn good with her “trumpody”. I discovered her on YouTube.