It’s Tuesday, May 4th — Star Wars Day!
All Other TV News
Also, Disney has revealed its new, “real” lightsaber which will be available next year at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, their new immersive, two-night-stay hotel. It’s going to cost a bundle, but HOLY WAMPA, LOOK HOW COOL.
The Peabody nominations are out, and honestly, they are the only awards that get it right.
The Real Housewives of New York returns tonight, and in its honor, a wonderful tribute to the entire franchise by the hilarious Casey Wilson, Bitch Sesh podcaster, actor, and superfan.
Amazon Prime is pushing up streaming Thursday Night Football exclusively to 2022, a year ahead of previously announced.
Pennyworth might be moving from Epix (where it was a weird fit) to HBO Max. Stay tuned.
New Girl will have a 10th-anniversary reunion this year and I am so old.
#MeToo
Noel Clarke, the British actor, writer, and producer best-known in the States for his roles in Doctor Who and Bulletproof, has been accused by more than 20 women of bullying, verbal abuse, and sexual harassment. He had just been awarded BAFTA’s Outstanding British Contribution To Cinema about three weeks ago, and BAFTA acknowledged that they knew about the allegations before they gave him the award (though they walked that back in a later statement).
I had a audition for a job a few years ago. It said ‘she just needs to come in. Take her clothes off and that’s all’. I was terrified. Luckily I have an agent who swiftly said there was no way that was going to happen. This was a big movie. A big director. A big ‘opportunity’ https://t.co/Daz9xMBnzb
— Kaya Scodelario (@kScodders) April 30, 2021
Different casting, between me and another actress.Both worked very hard to impress this notoriously difficult director. auditioned multiple times. He emailed our agents ‘whoever agrees to go nude 1st gets the job’ The movie had no nudity in it. He just wanted 2 see who’d say yes
— Kaya Scodelario (@kScodders) April 30, 2021
Clarke denies the allegations, but the consequences are piling up: BAFTA retracted his award and rescinded his membership; his production company is investigating and have suspended him; he was dropped by his agency and managers; The CW pulled Bulletproof from their streaming sites; ITV pulled the finale of Viewpoint which was scheduled to air on Friday; and his co-stars spoke out against him:
— Michaela Coel (@MichaelaCoel) April 30, 2021
— Ashley Walters | Asher D (@AshleyWalters82) April 30, 2021
Josh Duggar, former reality star on 19 Kids and Counting, was charged with receiving and possessing child porn in Arkansas. The series was canceled in 2015 after it came to light that Josh had molested five teen girls, including two of his sisters. Those cases were swept under the rug by an Arkansas State Trooper and family friend who himself is now serving a 56-year sentence for child pornography. A reminder: the Duggars were conservative darlings for a conservative movement for their anti-choice, misogynistic Christian cultish lifestyle.
The whole thing is sad and infuriating because it is just so predictable:
You are not allowed to be honest about your sexuality within purity culture. you certainly aren’t allowed to act on any of it. if you do explore your sexuality as a teen – something that is completely biologically appropriate – you are encouraged (shamed) to “repent and confess”
— Tori Williams Douglass (@ToriGlass) April 30, 2021
Once you reach adulthood or marriage, you go from a prison-like setting with absolutely zero agency to having no guards, consequences, or accountability. But you have no idea how to operate in a free setting because you’ve literally never experienced it before!
— Tori Williams Douglass (@ToriGlass) April 30, 2021
You’ve never been taught about consent. You’ve never been taught how to control yourself when you have a sexual urge that you should not act on. You don’t even have the language to express your sexual desires. And now you’re completely unchecked.
— Tori Williams Douglass (@ToriGlass) April 30, 2021
This phenomenon is SO common. In purity culture, female-bodied people are always held responsible for boys’/men’s sexual misdeeds. we are told men cannot control their sexual urges, so it is our job. I was punished for being molested because i “caused a boy to stumble” https://t.co/mf5LBDs5Wc
— Tori Williams Douglass (@ToriGlass) May 1, 2021
Human sexuality is like a garden hose. The harder you try and squish your thumb over the end, the more it shoots out in weird directions.
— Katia Yaga🗽 (@kadska) April 30, 2021
Rapper Kodak Black has pled guilty to first-degree assault and battery in a sexual assault case and has been sentenced to probation. He attacked a teenage girl, biting her and assaulting her and he won’t spend a day in prison for it.
Another man has exposed himself on a Zoom call and had to resign. Guys. Come on.
In a bombshell report at The Daily Beast, it was revealed that Joel Greenberg, the guy who is bringing down Matt Gaetz allegedly wrote everything down — including all of Gaetz’s part — in a confession that he gave to Roger Stone in an attempt to solicit a pardon from Former President Sexual Predator. Greenberg also allegedly offered to pay Stone $250,000 for the pardon that he never received. In the most infuriating part of the confession, Greenberg says that he found out about the 17-year-old girl he and Gaetz had sex with was underage and he made HER apologize TO THEM.
Greenberg said he learned she was underage on Sept. 4, 2017, from “an anonymous tip” and quickly contacted Gaetz.
“Immediately I called the congressman and warned him to stay clear of this person and informed him she was underage,” Greenberg wrote. “He was equally shocked and disturbed by this revelation.”
Greenberg continued in the handwritten draft that he “confronted” the then-17-year-old and explained to her “how serious of a situation this was, how many people she put in danger.”
“She apologized and recognized that by lying about her age, she endangered many people,” he continued.
BUT HERE’S THE KICKER:
“There was no further contact with this individual until after her 18th birthday.”
These are gross men who need to go to prison for a very long time.
I’m not a lawyer, but next time someone says “Just go ahead and write down all your crimes and give it to me.” you should probably not do that. https://t.co/FNT9PWrpXn
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 30, 2021
Speaking of pop stars and their complicated relationships with the media …
SAG-AFTRA has launched SAG-AFTRA Safe Place, a website where members can report incidents of sexual harassment anonymously and safely.
Michelle Rodriguez forced the all-male writers of Fast and the Furious to rewrite her character so as to not be so one-dimensional. And in another bit of positive writing news: Doctor Strange was originally going to be in WandaVision, but they chose not to include him because it would have made him the hero of Wanda’s story.
The Simpsons is recasting a gay Cuban character with a gay Cuban actor. What a concept.
Going Viral
The good news: our cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to trend downwards. Better news: Los Angeles County has reported zero COVID deaths over the past two days. Because vaccines work. Even better news: The Biden Administration is going to direct tens of thousands of pharmacies to offer walk-in vaccinations, they are shipping the vaccine to more rural areas, and will be redirecting the vaccine from states who don’t want them to states who do. The plan is to try to vaccinate 70% of the population with at least one dose by July 4th. We are currently at 55%. Best news: Pfizer’s vaccine could be approved for kids between 12-15 as soon as next week.
So of course Tucker Carlson is out there lying about the vaccine again.
Tucker Carlson reacts to Obama doing a PSA calling on more Americans to get vaccinated after teenagers over 16 were approved to get the shot:
"Some creepy old guy telling your children, your little kids to take medicine whose effects we do not fully understand." pic.twitter.com/eQ5HX0TAv6
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) May 4, 2021
What’s that? People who watch conservative media are more likely to believe COVID conspiracy theories? HUH. I WONDER WHY.
Drag him, Joy.
Some anti-maskers showed up to protest outside of a school in California (thanks again, Tucker!) but the kids, they’re alright:
A student asks one of the protesters if he is a doctor and tries to give him a mask. He asks, “Where’s your data? On Google?”, and then walks away. pic.twitter.com/WFt4lf5839
— Samuel Braslow (@SamBraslow) May 3, 2021
“Krusty Krab Unfair” and “Valet Parking” among the counter protesters’ signs pic.twitter.com/TgL8TRNRYx
— Samuel Braslow (@SamBraslow) May 3, 2021
One of the anti-maskers tries engaging with the high schoolers, asking where the Krusty Krab is.
The responses:
– “At the bottom of the ocean.”
– “Valet parking.”
– “Sus.”
– “The Krusty Krab is a metaphor for society.” pic.twitter.com/10l2A1kfoV— Samuel Braslow (@SamBraslow) May 3, 2021
Renewals
- Big Sky has been renewed for a second season at ABC.
- Mayans MC has been renewed for a fourth season on FX.
Cancellations
- Liza on Demand will end after three seasons on YouTube.
In Development
- Love and Death, a limited series based on an 80s true crime and starring Elizabeth Olsen, has been greenlit at HBO Max.
- Tig Notaro has a new animated stand-up special coming to HBO.
- Billy the Kid, a drama series, is coming to Epix.
- We’re All Going To The World’s Fair, a coming-of-age horror film, has been picked up at HBO Max.
- Confessions of a Crime Queen, a true crime anthology series produced by 50 Cent, has been ordered at Discovery+.
- Girls with Bright Futures is being adapted at Discovery+.
- Scarface and the Untouchable is being turned into a series at Showtime.
- A Special Place for Women is being adapted for television at Paramount+.
- IMDb TV has greenlit a ton of new shows: High School from Recording Artists Tegan and Sara; On Call a cop show from Dick Wolf; Luke Bryan: My Dirt Road Diary, a five-part miniseries; Bug Out, a docuseries about bug smugglers; and an untitled series about Jeff Lewis.
- Crackle Plus has announced their unscripted slate.
Casting News
- Luke Evans will star in Echo 3 on Apple TV+.
- Harold Perrineau will star in the horror series From on Epix.
- Jessica Williams and Chris “Comedian CP” Powell are joining the cast of Love Life on HBO Max.
- Jamie McShane and Paul Guilfoyle are joining CSI: Vegas on CBS.
- Charlayne Woodard is joining the cast of Animal Kingdom on TNT.
- Zack Calderon, Aidan Laprete, Nicholas Coombe, Charles Alexander, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Reed Shannon, Tanner Ray Rook, and Alex Fitzalan are joining The Wilds on Amazon.
- Yamiche Alcindor is going to be the host of PBS’s Washington Week.
Mark Your Calendars
- Conan‘s finale will air on TBS on June 24. A new iteration of his talk show will begin on HBO Max at some point in the future, and he will continue hosting Conan Without Borders travel specials on TBS.
- Mr. Corman will premiere on Apple TV+ on August 6.
- Rugrats will return on Paramount+ on May 27.
- Mike Tyson: The Knockout will air on ABC on May 25 and June 1.
- Loki will premiere on Disney+ on June 22.
- The Last Letter from Your Lover will debut on Netflix on July 23.
- Leverage: Redemption will debut on IMDb TV on July 9.
- The Republic of Sarah will premiere on The CW on June 14.
R.I.P.
Billie Hayes, Witchiepoo on H.R. Pufnstuf
Jacques d’Amboise, Choreographer and dancer who appeared in Carousel and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Robert William “Bobby” Unser, Three-time Indy 500 winner
WATCH THIS
The Real Housewives of New York City: Dorinda is out and Eboni is in as we kick off season 13. Season premiere. 8 p.m., Bravo
Young Rock: The Rock prepares for Election Day in what might be a premonition of our future, so please pay attention. Season finale. 7 p.m., NBC
Twelve Monkeys: In the event you wanted to freak yourself out a little. 9 p.m., Thriller Max
Star Wars: The Bad Batch: A new animated series that follows a “bad” batch of clones, immediately following the Clone Wars. Premiere. Disney+
Star Wars marathon: It’s May 4th, so, you know. 1 p.m., TBS
Astros at Yankees: As y’all know, I don’t usually include specific games in these posts, but ESPN is doing a whole Star Wars Day thing for this game as part of the whole Disney/Lucasfilm/ESPN synergy. Heads up. 6 p.m., ESPN
Late Night:
- Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Andrew Garfield, Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Paula Pell, Busy Philipps, Thomas Rhett
- Late Night with Seth Meyers: Pete Davidson, Jodie Turner-Smith, George Saunders, Mario Duplantier
- The Late Late Show with James Corden: Ellen DeGeneres, Wolf Alice
- Jimmy Kimmel Live: Rosario Dawson, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Anitta
- The Daily Show: The Daily Social Distancing Show
- Conan: Gal Gadot
- Watch What Happens Live: “The Real Housewives of New York City”, featuring Eboni K. Williams, Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Leah McSweeney, Sonja Morgan
- A Little Late with Lily Singh: Kal Penn
| TUES. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | Pooch Perfect (new) |
black-ish (repeat) |
mixed-ish (repeat) |
Big Sky (new) |
| CBS | NCIS (new) |
FBI (new) |
FBI: Most Wanted (new) |
| CW | The Flash (new) |
Supergirl (new) |
Local |
| FOX | The Resident (new) |
Prodigal Son (new) |
News/Local |
| NBC | Young Rock (new) |
Young Rock (repeat) |
This Is Us (repeat) |
New Amsterdam (new) |