Let’s begin with this delightful video of a dog and deer who are racing buddies. ZOOM!
Going Viral
Last week we were at a 7-day average of 24,034 new cases. Today that number is 17,119, the fewest in a year. 168.5 million Americans have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 135.9 million people are fully vaccinated — including, I am pleased to say, my older son as of yesterday. We are at 63% of all adults and 51% of everyone in this country vaccinated with at least one dose. Deaths have dropped to 356 as of yesterday. But that’s still 356 too many, 356 unnecessary deaths. Go get that shot.
President Biden is trying to make getting those shots easier by providing free childcare for adults who are receiving or recovering from a vaccination (which, I’m not going to lie, can be rough for a day or so). Additionally, he is launching an initiative to turn 1,000 Black-owned barbershops and beauty salons into vaccination hubs.
And if we hit that 70% vaccination goal, Anheuser-Busch is going to buy us all a beer.
I’m dead. Watch until the end 😂 pic.twitter.com/xsQocch5v6
— Matt Gaetz (barely) legal team (@mnnnet) June 1, 2021
No, it is not against HIPAA to ask about your vaccination status, sorry.
Tucker Carlson is out here comparing asking people for proof of vaccination to Jim Crow policies. But pay attention to the first five seconds of this segment and what he almost says.
.@TuckerCarlson: “Everybody agreed that segregation was the b— “ pic.twitter.com/1NYAWoIr8c
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) June 2, 2021
AMC, Regal, and Cinemark theaters say that vaccinated patrons no longer have to wear masks in their theaters. (But they’re not going to require proof so this is really a matter of the theaters trusting people and we know how terrible people are.)
Alamo Drafthouse is coming out of bankruptcy and will open new theaters next year. And AMC is looking to buy ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres (is there hope for Houston’s historic River Oaks theater? fingers crossed). So it sounds like the movie industry is bouncing back.
Coachella and Stagecoach will take place in 2022.
The Oscars have moved to late March in 2022 and will return to the Dolby Theater.
Meanwhile, Bob Costas thinks the Tokyo Olympics should be postponed. Gee, why? Just because Japan is experiencing a doctor shortage?
The Cannes Film Festival will be held next month, but France isn’t giving the U.K. a pass on quarantining to be able to attend. What is interesting is that the U.K. is actually getting this thing under control: they reported no COVID deaths on May 31, and somewhere around 3,000 new cases. Meanwhile, France had nearly 10,000 new cases … so, you know.
Kim Kardashian and her kids all got COVID, and they had to shut down production on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, but she insists it wasn’t because of that gross trip to Tahiti she took a bunch of people on for her 40th birthday.
Again, Kate Middleton ONLY GOT VACCINATED FOUR DAYS AGO?
This is an interesting piece about the global shortages that emerged during the pandemic and how the shutdown may change how companies operate from here on out.
Last night, I watched comedian Bo Burnham’s new Netflix special, Inside, and I’m here to say it is a pandemic jewel. Over the course of a year, Burnham recorded a musical comedy special in what appears to be his garage apartment, produced entirely by himself, and as the time wears on, Burnham’s hair, his sense of isolation, and his madness seemingly grow. I found the special to be hilarious, relatable, and weirdly moving. Also, the songs? They’re legitimately catchy. He’s a crazy-talented kid, and I just want to give him a big vaccinated hug:
All Other TV News
Neil Gaiman literally gives zero fucks about your feelings about the casting of The Sandman.
Sean Bean didn’t watch any Game of Thrones past his own death episode, and had no idea how it ended until recently. (He approves, by the way.)
Variety asks an interesting question: why are there so few shows about working-class people on TV? Besides The Conners, Superstore, and Bob’s Builders, there really … aren’t any?
The company that will be created by the big WarnerMedia and Discovery merger will be called … wait for it … Warner Bros. Discovery. Wow. How … unexpected.
It’s Pride Month and TV is ALL OVER IT.
Mare of Easttown‘s finale was the most-watched episode on HBO Max. And now that HBO Max with ads has launched, you can watch it for cheaper.
The Critics Choice Real Awards announced their nominees, and RuPaul’s Drag Race appears to be the show to beat.
Zak Bagans just added another cursed item to his collection.
This is the way to do it, Brianna Keilar. Check these assholes in real time:
Texas Republican Bryan Hughes, lead sponsor of the proposed restrictive voting bill, tries to claim there are "hundreds of open cases" of voter fraud in the state.@brikeilarcnn shuts that down: "There's not, there's not, there's not … there are 43." pic.twitter.com/R6F75wBYMj
— The Recount (@therecount) June 2, 2021
According to a new book, Sean Hannity wrote an ad for Trump that the Trump campaign thought was so bad, they only ran it during Hannity. Which, leaving aside all of the VERY BIG ETHICAL ISSUES AT PLAY HERE, is kinda hilarious.
Former President Blogger shut down his blog one month after launching it. Listen, I know I make it look easy, but blogging is harder than it looks, y’all.
Jimmy Kimmel has some thoughts on Former DingDong’s assertion that he’s going to be President again by August, and Michael Flynn suggesting that we should have a military coup, a la Myanmar. I swear, the right has lost its damn mind.
Renewals
- The Mosquito Coast has been renewed at Apple TV+.
- I Am Jazz has been renewed for a seventh season at TLC.
Cancellations
- Holby City has been canceled at BBC after 23 years.
In Development
- Leftover Daughters, a Chinese-American comedy, is being developed at NBC.
- #FollowMe, a social media influencer reality series is being developed at ABC.
- The Resort, a series from the writer of Palm Springs and produced by Sam Esmail, has been set at Peacock.
- Money Hungry, a competition series hosted by Kal Penn; Ben and Jerry’s: The Cold Wars, an ice cream competition; No Recipe Road Trip with the Try Guys; Dishing with Pepper Teigen; Tiny Food Fight; Chocolate Meltdown: Hershey’s After Dark; Spice of Life; Preview Dinner Project; and Guy: Hawaiian Style have been ordered at Food Network
- The Maidens is being turned into a TV series.
- Gripped is being adapted into a TV series.
- Stacey Sher has signed an overall deal with FX.
- Ridley has been ordered at ITV.
Casting News
- Sophie Turner is also joining The Staircase on HBO Max. (Holy cow, this cast is crazy good!)
- Melissa Barrera will star in Breathe on Netflix.
- Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is going to star in The Netherfield Girls on Netflix.
- Jaclyn Smith will guest star on All American on The CW.
- Sam Keeley will play John Finlay in Joe Exotic on Peacock.
- Rachel Bay Jones is joining United States of Al on CBS.
- Jake Lacy, Krysta Rodriguez, Ally Maki, Caleb Hearon, and Rachel Pegram have been cast in Space on TBS.
- Tomiwa Edun and Lisa Hammond are joining Young Wallander on Netflix.
- Greg Vaughan is returning to Days of Our Lives.
Mark Your Calendars
- The L Word: Generation Q will return on Showtime on August 8.
- iCarly premieres on Paramount+ on June 17.
- Mary J. Blige’s My Life will premiere on Amazon on June 25.
- The Greatest Race will premiere on Peacock on June 10.
R.I.P.
Robert Hogan, Actor with a six-decade career that spanned from Peyton Place to Law & Order, and The Wire
Arlene Golonka, Actress on The Andy Griffith Show and the spinoff Mayberry R.F.D.
Henry “Nacho” Laun, One of the stars of Wahlburgers
WATCH THIS
MasterChef: Season premiere. 7 p.m., Fox
Nancy Drew: The Drew Crew work together to save Nancy in the season finale. 8 p.m., The CW
Family Karma: Vishal reveals a shocking secret in the season premiere. 8 p.m., Bravo
Late Night:
- Jimmy Kimmel Live: Rachel Weisz, Rob Riggle, Willie Jones
- A Little Late with Lily Singh: Tan France
WEDS. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
ABC | Press Your Luck (new) |
The $100,000 Pyramid (new) |
A Million Little Things (new) |
CBS | Kids Say the Darndest Things (new) |
S.W.A.T. (repeat) |
S.W.A.T. (repeat) |
CW | Kung Fu (new) |
Nancy Drew (new) |
Local |
FOX | MasterChef (new) |
Crime Scene Kitchen (new) |
News/Local |
NBC | Chicago Med (repeat) |
Chicago Fire (repeat) |
Chicago P.D. (repeat) |