Each week, Benzinga compiles the latest entertainment news into a cohesive column for your consideration. Read on for the latest updates — both useful and irreverent.
- Trophy Life. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences didn’t offer an explanation as to why it rejected a WME request to feature a virtual appearance by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at this Sunday’s event. Wouldn’t want a legitimate actor-turned-leader taking any airtime away from those long-winded and faux Nobel-Peace Prize acceptance speeches that celebrities like to make. Oscar winners, heed Ricky Gervais‘ advice: “Accept your little award, thank your agent and your god, and f*** off.”
- What Else Is On? HBO has an Oscars alternative. Ratings hit “The Last of Us” has a behind-the-scenes special airing Sunday night.
- Stupid Money. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. WWE wants regulators to legalize gambling on the outcome of its scripted storylines. That’s like betting on the outcome of a car chase scene in “Fast & Furious” or whether a Hallmark movie will have a happy ending. What are the betting odds on more sexual assault allegations surfacing against WWE chairman Vince McMahon?
- Speaking Of Smackdown. At last year’s Oscars, Will Smith decked Chris Rock in the face after the latter made a joke that Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith didn’t appreciate. Smith made a public apology, and Rock responded with a Netflix NFLX comedy special. No word yet on whether Smith is able to move after getting hit with what can best be described as a verbal bullet train.
- Word Vomit. Former U.S. President and two-time popular vote loser Donald Trump saved a bunch of letters he received from famous people. He is now publishing them in a new book, aptly titled “Letters To Trump.” One of the notes he received was from Oprah Winfrey, who in 2000 wrote, “Too bad we’re not running for office. What a team!” Trump has since said Oprah no longer speaks to him. I wonder why.
- Storm Watch: Manhattan prosecutors are expected to indict Trump for his role in the $130,000 payment of hush money to adult film star, Stormy Daniels. It remains to be seen whether that 90 seconds will lead to even one second of jail time.
- Siri-ously Underpaid. In 2011, actor Susan Bennett discovered that she was actually the voice of iPhone’s “Siri.” Turns out, Apple Inc AAPL purchased a startup that once recorded Bennett’s voice for a project. And while the startup paid Bennett a fee for her services, Apple — which has a market cap of over $2.3 trillion — continues to use her voice and pay her nothing.
- Westworld. Shunned product endorser Kanye West has been in talks with the world’s richest Twitter employee Elon Musk about building a “utopian town” in Texas. It’d be wonderful if they both lived there. That way everyone else knows where not to go.
- Musk-See TV. Filmmaker Alex Gibney is shooting a documentary starring Musk. So rather than just perusing Musk’s Twitter feed to learn what the Tesla CEO is thinking, audiences will hear it right from the horse’s a–.
- Blunt Criticism. Jay-Z‘s company, TPCO Holding Corp. (TPCO) GRAMF GRAM, is accused of illegally shipping cannabis products from California to New York. The lawsuit also makes claims of inaccurate financial reports and gender discrimination.
- Hot Messi. The highest-paid athlete on the planet, Leo Messi, scored his own animated series from Sony Group Corp SONY. The cartoon will depict the Argentinean soccer captain and World Cup winner’s childhood adventures as he navigates the obstacles of a virtual world, as opposed to the real world where the only obstacles Messi faces are the mountains of cash throughout his house (he reportedly makes $738,000 a week, or $8,790 per hour).
- Reverse Midas. Earlier this year, “Mad Money” star Jim Cramer praised SVB Financial SIVB, the parent company of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), and advised his viewers to “Buy.” And…. yesterday SVB became the second-largest bank to collapse in history.
- The Beauty Of MrBeast. YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson is like a Gen Z Bob Hope. In addition to paying for a thousand people to get cataract surgeries, and buying 20,000 kids in South Africa their first pair of shoes, the viral star (who goes by the moniker MrBeast) pledged to donate $100,000 to charity. All because his fans helped organize Walmart display cases containing MrBeast-branded chocolate bars. “To show how grateful I am to everyone that helped tiddy [sic] things up,” MrBeast said to his 19 million Twitter followers. “What charity should I donate to?“
For last week’s column, click here.
Images courtesy of Shutterstock and Pixabay
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