I love the World Cup.
@meninblazers THE TARTAN ARMY HAS A NEW RECRUIT 🫡 The Providence infantry division has a new soldier in its ranks. But the funny thing is, this isn’t even the first duck to be a supporter of a national team in this World Cup. Last week, a duck was seen donning a Mexico jersey and walking the streets after their opening win against South Africa 🦆 📹: IG/@dawnducky08 #fifaworldcup #tartanarmy #scotland
Here’s A BUNCH OF TV News
The Barack Obama Presidential Center had its grand opening in Chicago yesterday, and I can not begin to tell you how much joy it gives me that so many A-list celebrities were not just in attendance, but also performed at it, weeks after President Rotting Hand’s Freedom 250 Festival devolved into a complete debacle.
Performing at the Obama Presidential Center opening: John Legend, Common, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, U2 and the Edge, Tems, The Roots, Eddie Vedder, Marc Antony, Bruce Springsteen, and Stevie Wonder.
In attendance were George and Laura Bush, Joe and Jill Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Tom Hanks, Tyler Perry, David Letterman, Stephen Colbert (in a tan suit, no less), Conan O’Brien, LL Cool J, Billie Jean King, Quinta Brunson, Gabrielle Union, and Mark Hamill.
And just leaving aside all the celebrities, the event itself was lovely and joy-filled, and both Barack and Michelle delivered inspiring, soaring speeches, which were both a repudiation of the current regime as well as a reminder of what makes America not just great, but good.
AND I HOPE HE WAS WATCHING THE WHOLE THING.
Captain Benson got to ride in yesterday’s Knicks ticker tape parade! Perfect.
Geena Davis is baffled by Netflix’s decision to cancel The Boroughs, a series created by former Netflix darlings, The Duffer Brothers, before they defected to Paramount, who happened to buy Warner Bros. out from under Netflix, and yeah, it’s very confusing as to why the series was axed.
I mean, I understand why Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Adam Schiff, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, calling on him to pause the Paramount/Warner Bros. merger until his agency can do a comprehensive review of the foreign ownership involved; that’s their job. But we all know Carr is just going to rubber-stamp this as fast as he can.
The English major in me is delighted by this:
Comedian Carlos Mencia, famous for stealing other comedians’ jokes, and at least locally in Houston famous for the TERRIBLE restaurant chain and WORSE pun, Maggie Rita’s, was arrested on 12 felony counts of tax evasion. So I guess it’s not just jokes he steals.
This is an interesting piece about the growing tensions between Fox News and President Toddler, and it was before this whole Iran kerfuffle.
Renewals
- Nightsleeper has been renewed for a second season on BBC.
Cancellations
- Ashley Cain: Into The Danger Zone has been canceled after one season on BBC.
In Development
- The Naturalist is being adapted into a series at ABC.
- A live-action adaptation of the video game Dungeon Crawler Carl from Seth MacFarlane, has been given a straight-to-series order at Peacock.
- The game Simon Says is being turned into a game show on Netflix.
- Warrior Cats is being adapted into an animated series at Disney+ and Disney Channel.
- Ricky Gervais: Legend, a stand-up special, has been ordered at Netflix.
- Little Santa is being adapted into an animated movie at Apple.
- Ryan Coogler has signed a multi-year deal with Netflix to develop TV series for the streamer.
- Artificial, a movie about Sam Altman and OpenAI, has been dropped at Amazon MGM Studios. I’m sure it is just a coincidence that Amazon recently announced they were investing $50 billion in OpenAI.
Casting News
- Manny Jacinto, Emily Mortimer, and Thomasin McKenzie have joined the cast of Fallout on Prime Video.
- Saweetie has joined the cast of Bet on Netflix.
- Adeline Rudolph will co-star in 13 Going on 30 on Netflix.
- Tracy Letts, John Gallagher, Lola Kirke, Colton Ryan, Camila Canó-Flaviá, Tristan Leander Green, Cliff Chamberlain, Lynden Miles Ley, Dannie McCallum, Andrew Polk, Chris Henry Coffey, David Furr, Joseph Adams, and Brooklyn Shuck have joined the cast of The God of the Woods on Netflix.
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! has announced its guest hosts for the summer: Rosie O’Donnell, Ike Barinholtz, Anthony Anderson, Tiffany Haddish, and Jelly Roll.
- Tyra Banks will be a recurring judge on Project Runway on Freeform, Hulu, and Disney+.
- Rupert Penry-Jones, Trudie Styler, Amber Valletta, Bella Maclean, Eliot Sumner, and Thaddea Graham have joined Hello & Paris at Amazon MGM.
- Jo Koy will host comedy showcase Martin Lawrence Presents: Pass Tha’ Mic.
Mark Your Calendar
- The Traitors: New Blood will debut on NBC on September 17.
- Paris Is Always a Good Idea will premiere on Hallmark+ on July 30.
- Gone will premiere on BritBox on July 23.
R.I.P.
Paul Avery, Actor who appeared on All My Children, Three’s Company, and Superman
David Sheiner, Character actor who appeared in The Odd Couple
Tay Keith, Music producer for Beyoncé, Drake, Travis Scott, and Eminem, among others
WATCH THIS
FRIDAY
World Cup: America is back on the pitch against our fellow former colonists, Australia. 2 p.m., Fox
Sugar: Season two premiere. Apple TV
Voicemails for Isabelle: A woman leaves messages on her dead sister’s voicemail; a stranger receives them; rom-com happens. Also, Nick Offerman? Somehow? Premiere. Netflix
American Experience: George H.W. Bush: Look, as a Houstonian, I have a soft spot for the guy. But, you have to admit, in retrospect, not so bad, right? 8 p.m., PBS
SATURDAY
How to Make a Killing: Glen Powell stars in this dark comedy as a man who will stop at nothing to get his hands on his inheritance. Premiere. HBO Max
House of the Dragon marathon: Brush up on your Westeros history before the premiere of the third season. 8:35 a.m., HBO
Superman marathon: Honestly, I’m just here for the second one with Terrance Stamp as Zod. 6 p.m., IFC
SUNDAY
House of the Dragon: RELEASE THE DRAGONS! Season three premiere. HBO
The Agency: Season two premiere. Paramount+
Celebrity Crime Scene: Marilyn Monroe: Investigator Paul Holes (Murderinos know) and some other people reconstruct the crime scene of Marilyn Monroe’s death and conclude that SOMETHING FISHY HAPPENED. Premiere. 8 p.m., Fox
| FRI. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (repeat) |
20/20 |
| CBS | Sheriff Country (repeat) |
Fire Country (repeat) |
Boston Blue (repeat) |
| CW | AVP Pro Beach Volleyball (repeat) |
News/Local |
| FOX | FIFA World Cup (live) |
Local |
| NBC | America’s Got Talent (repeat) |
Dateline |
—
| SAT. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 | 10:00 | 10:30 | 11:00 | 11:30 |
| ABC | High Potential (repeat) |
High Potential (repeat) |
High Potential (repeat) |
News/Local |
| CBS | WBNA Basketball (live) |
48 Hours | News/Local |
| FOX | MLB Baseball (live) |
News/Local |
| NBC | American Ninja Warrior (repeat) |
Dateline (repeat) |
News/ Local |
Saturday Night Live (repeat) |
—
| SUN. | 6:00 | 6:30 | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | America’s Funniest Home Videos (repeat) |
Sister Act |
| CBS | 60 Minutes | Marshals (repeat) |
Tracker (repeat) |
Marshals (repeat) |
| The CW | The Karate Kid | Local/News |
| FOX | The Quiz with Balls (repeat) |
Celebrity Crime Scene (new) |
American Dad! (repeat) |
Local/News |
| NBC | MLB Baseball (live) |