Jeopardy! champion Jake DeArruda ended his time on the show after winning three games. Though he walked away with nearly $70,000 to his name, he also left the game with a slightly embarrassing statistic. The champ never correctly guessed any of the Final Jeopardy clues, which ultimately proved to be his undoing.

DeArruda, a delivery dispatcher originally from Ludlow, Vermont, won $22,797 on his first day even though he answered the Final Jeopardy clue incorrectly. The category was “World Cinema,” and the clue read, “The 2007 biopic called La Môme in France, meaning ‘The Kid’, was released in the U.S. under this other French title.” Although La Vie en rose was the correct answer, DeArruda and the other two players responded incorrectly.

The next day, DeArruda won again without answering the final clue correctly. The category was “Word Origins” and again, the returning champ and two other contestants were wrong. The final clue said, “Originally relating to a story of suffering, this word now more commonly refers to strong emotion of any kind.” The correct response was passion, as opposed to DeArruda’s mortal, but he still added another $25,197 to his winnings.

Deja vu continued for DeArruda on the third day. Again, all three contestants answered the final clue incorrectly. Only this time, the champ couldn’t be caught. The final clue read, “5 U.S. states have 6-letter names; only these 2 west of the Mississippi River border each other.” Of course, the correct response was Oregon and Nevada—DeArruda only guessed Kansas and bet $333.

DeArruda finally ended his unique three-day streak after winning $68,661. Although the champ entered the final round with the lead, he lost because one of the players finally knew the answer to the final clue! The contestants were told, “Published in 2011, P.D. James’ final novel, Death Comes to Pemberley, was a sequel to this novel from 200 years earlier.” Again, DeArruda answered incorrectly, but Patti Palmer, a bookseller and retired teacher, obviously knew that the book was Pride and Prejudice.

Lucky for us, DeArruda has already blogged about his time on Jeopardy! Although he doesn’t mention answering the final clue as a strategy, he does share that going into the final round was his best chance, especially since he was up against 6-day champion, Troy Meyer. “I know that it’s difficult to out-know Troy,” the dispatcher admitted, “so beating him would come down to being aggressive, catching a break or two and probably leading entering [Final Jeopardy].” 

DeArruda’s strategy worked until one other contestant finally answered the final clue correctly. Then again, maybe DeArruda was on to something because winning $68,661 is a great three-day total!

Jeopardy! contestants are always ready to give fans of the game show a look at what goes on behind the scenes, and player David Maes was no exception! In a Reddit post, Maes gave viewers some details about what goes on when the cameras aren’t rolling, including what it’s like to watch the show from the green room— aka the Wheel of Fortune set!

Maes was not on Jeopardy! for very long, losing his one and only game to multi-day champion Troy Meyer. Losing didn’t ruin the fun for Maes, though, as he showed in a lengthy post about his time on the game show. 

He called Meyer “even more likable in person than he already appears on screen” and commended the show’s entire crew for being “among the best in the business.” Maes also provided aspiring contestants with some tips about how to spend their time once they’re lost a game. 

“I highly recommend staying in the green room (aka the Wheel of Fortune stage) after your game; watching, commenting, and cheering on live games with fellow contestants was a blast,” Maes wrote. 

He went on to explain that the Jeopardy! contestants go to the studio where Wheel of Fortune is shot and watch from the audience seats. “The stage (where the WoF board and the Wheel is) is pretty much dark and off-limits,” Maes shared. “There’s a conspicuous sign to DO NOT TOUCH THE WHEEL.”

“There’s a livestream to the Jeopardy stage on multiple monitors, and because they can’t hear us, we were shouting ‘DO IT!’ to the screens to egg on fellow contestants to go for true daily doubles,” he laughed. 

Maes also elaborated on how sitting on the Wheel of Fortune soundstage is much more fun than sitting in the Jeopardy! studio audience, writing, “After our game, we had the option of going to the audience (where you sit politely) or going back to the green room (where you get to shout out answers to triple stumpers and Final Jeopardy with new friends).”

While sitting in the Jeopardy! audience as contestants play might sound cool, Maes’ Reddit post revealed that there’s much more fun going on behind the scenes on a very different game show set.

The Crown is one of Netflix’s most popular shows to date, thrilling viewers with its accounts of what went on behind the scenes of some of the royal family’s most dramatic moments. However, Helena Bonham Carter, a former star of the show, recently shared that she thinks it’s time for The Crown to call it quits. 

Carter played Princess Margaret in Seasons 3 and 4 of The Crown, which covered the years 1964 to 1990. Even though she told The Guardian she “loved [her] episodes,” Carter quickly added, “I don’t think they should carry on, actually. 

“It’s very different now,” she continued. “When The Crown started it was a historic drama, and it’s crashed into the present.”

The last season of the show ended with Princess Diana meeting Dodi Fayed, and it’s assumed Season 6 will show her tragic death and the effects it had on the royal family. 

Carter is among the many Crown viewers who have expressed discomfort with the fact that the show is getting closer and closer to the present. Adding to that discomfort are the comments Prince Harry has made about how the public scrutiny following his mother’s death affected him and his brother Prince William.

This also isn’t the first time Carter has spoken about the need to bring The Crown to a close. In a podcast interview with The Guardian, the actress joined the many who were calling for a disclaimer to be put in front of episodes, letting viewers know the show is largely fictional. 

“It is dramatized,” she stressed. “I do feel very strongly, because I think we have a moral responsibility to say, ‘Hang on guys, this is not … it’s not a drama-doc, we’re making a drama.’ So they are two different entities.”

Netflix eventually agreed to add the disclaimer, but Carter’s request to have the show end now is already a moot point. Season 6 of The Crown started filming last September and is expected to premiere sometime this year. It will, however, be the last season of the popular show, as was announced in 2020. 

Carter’s concerns about the events of The Crown coming too close to the present are understandable, and many fans of the show are pleased that the showrunners are choosing to end it.

In 1920, the Osage Nation of Oklahoma became the richest nation of people per capita in the world when valuable oil deposits were discovered on their land. And for the six years afterward, Osage County was terrorized by a string of more than 60 mysterious or unsolved murders of Osage people who stood to benefit from these mineral lease royalties. 

The serial killings became known as the “Reign of Terror,” prompting the involvement of the precursor to the FBI, the U.S. Bureau of Investigation. Author and journalist David Grann immortalized this tragic period of unjustified crimes in his 2017 book Killers of the Flower Moon. Martin Scorsese’s film adaptation, which was filmed on location in Oklahoma, is set to release in May 2023. 

But this isn’t just a third-party depiction of the Osage Nation. It’s a collaboration between the production company and the Osage citizens, unlike many Hollywood depictions of Native American peoples that have come before it.

The Need For A Sensitive Approach

Since Scorsese and leading actor Leonardo DiCaprio first announced plans for the film in 2017, the potential for backlash has been immense. Not only does this film depict a particularly heinous moment in American history, but it also centers on a community this country has violently marginalized since its founding. 

Consequently, many were initially skeptical of a major Hollywood film production barging into Osage County, Oklahoma, to tell a sensationalized version of the story. However, reports from Osage citizens and indigenous actors involved in the film reveal that Scorsese took great care to approach the film with reverence and humility. 

The film industry has a sordid history of dehumanizing, belittling, or otherwise exploiting Native American people and their cultures, which explains why there were plenty of preconceptions stacked against Scorsese and DiCaprio’s intentions. And while we obviously can’t speak to the unreleased film’s content, its production practices paint a picture of genuine collaboration with and respect for the Osage community.

Letting The World Inform The Work

Lily Gladstone, who is of Blackfeet and Nez Perce descent, plays Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman whose family fell victim to the Reign of Terror. In a recent interview with Variety, Gladstone said Scorsese “worked closely with the real-life Osage Nation to ensure his movie would properly represent the community.” 

“The work is better when you let the world inform the work,” she said. “It’s a different movie than the one [Scorsese] walked in to make almost entirely because of what the community had to say.”

Osage News reported that this synchronicity had existed since the film’s conception. In 2019, Scorsese and his production team met with the Osage Nation’s Principal Chief, Geoffrey Standing Bear. Standing Bear served as the film’s cultural consultant, ensuring proper, historically accurate depictions of the Osage Nation. 

The film utilized Osage and other indigenous citizens in its cast, local artisans in its costume department, Osage citizens to cook food for the film’s scenes, and consultants from the Osage Language Department and Wahzhazhe Cultural Center. On the first day of filming, members of the Osage Nation and more than 100 cast and crew members gathered for a blessing led by Grayhorse Head Committeeman Archie Mason.

Leading A More Inclusive Path

The Killers production team’s decision to film on location forced the Osage Nation to once again confront an incredibly difficult time. The Reign of Terror resulted in the deaths of at least 5% of the Osage Nation, and 50% lost all their wealth. Thus, it’s unsurprising that the local community’s opinions on the film are divisive.

Still, the overwhelming response seems to be positive. “[Scorsese] struck me and most of the [Osage] people as a very sincere person who wants to get this right and do right by us,” Danette Daniels, the Osage owner of Pawhuska’s Water Bird Gallery, told The Oklahoman. “There are other Osages that are very skeptical … but at least we’ve had input into the process.”

Indeed, Killers of the Flower Moon appears to be taking a much-needed turn away from Hollywood’s traditional treatment of Native American communities. While they deserve to have their story told, indigenous people also deserve to be the ones to tell it. And hopefully, Scorsese’s example will lead Hollywood down a more inclusive path where we celebrate and uplift marginalized communities, not exploit them further for ratings.

The Final Jeopardy round is the climax of America’s favorite game show. It’s arguably the most suspenseful and exciting moment of the show, and that’s because the stakes are so high. Monday’s Final Jeopardy question was a rare triple stumper, meaning no contestants correctly answered in time. However, one contestant arguably suffered a worse fate than her competitors, writing the correct answer just seconds too late.

On Monday, Vermont native Jake DeArruda returned for his second game, playing against attorney Sam Meehan and Ph.D. candidate Sara Howard. DeArruda had a generous lead against the others, however, everything was momentarily in doubt once Ken Jennings announced the Final Jeopardy clue.

“Originally relating to a story of suffering, this word now more commonly refers to strong emotion of any kind,” Jennings read.

Sometimes, Final Jeopardy clues refer to something so specific that if you don’t know it, you know that you don’t know it. However, this was one of those clues that was so vague that it seemed nearly applicable to multiple different answers.

For example, Meehan seemed confident in his guess, betting all of his winnings. However, while “drama” seems like it almost fits, it wasn’t the correct answer. DeArruda seemed less confident in his answer, betting only $800 on the word “mortal.” That also wasn’t the correct answer.

Similarly, Howard initially guessed “intense,” another word that seems semi-appropriate. However, that wasn’t Howard’s final answer. Just seconds before the clock ran out, Howard scratched through “intense” and wrote “pass.” She told Jennings that she was trying to write “passion,” but only managed to jot down the first four letters. She wagered $1,999, bringing her score down to just $1.

As Jennings revealed, if Howard had just a little more time, she would have guessed correctly. The answer was indeed “passion,” referring to that of Jesus Christ. Of course, today “passion” doesn’t necessarily mean suffering, but rather references any strong emotion.

It must be devastating to know you had the correct answer but were just seconds away from being able to share it. If it’s any consolation, she wouldn’t have been able to beat DeArruda anyways since his final score was $25,197 and she only had $2,000 to wager. The delivery dispatcher won three games and seemed to be barreling towards the Tournament of Champions roster before a surprise loss to Patti Palmer.

It wasn’t a complete loss for Howard, though. When all was said and done, she was still left with $1 while Meehan had $0, meaning she still took home second place and its $2,000 prize. Thankfully, the fluke didn’t affect her ranking, but we are certain it still stings. Here’s hoping she gets invited back for the 2023 Jeopardy! Second Chance Tournament!

A recent Jeopardy! episode had some viewers feeling their age after all three contestants drew a blank when it came time to identify a photograph of this iconic ‘80s horror movie location. 

The contestants were asked to answer clues about “Scary Movies,” which included popular horror movies like Get Out, Wicker Man, and Nosferatu. The players breezed through most of the clues, but a photo of a very familiar house tripped them all up. 

“In 1984, a house in Hollywood got the cinematic address ‘1428 This’ for the first time,” host Ken Jennings read while a picture of the house was shown on screen. None of the contestants attempted to answer the clue. 

“That’s ‘1428 Elm Street’ of Nightmare fame,” Jennings revealed, referring to the iconic Nightmare on Elm Street movies. The players might not have gotten the answer, but plenty of Gen Xers recognized the house immediately. The house is a significant part of the first movie. It’s where main character Nancy Thompson lives and is stalked by Freddy Kreuger in her dreams. 

Is 1428 Elm Street A Real House?

As it turns out, 1428 Elm Street is a real house in Hollywood, located at 1428 N. Genesee Ave. Strangely enough, the house is actually right across the street from the location used for Johnny Depp’s character Glen’s home, just as it’s supposed to be in the movie. The house has become so recognizable among horror fans that Universal Studios even built a replica of 1428 Elm Street for their famous studio tour. 

Freddy Krueger isn’t the only famous face to hang out at the house. Comedian Bo Burnham actually used 1428 N Genesee Ave as the location for his hit Netflix special Inside. The house is essentially unchanged from its days as an ‘80s horror movie landmark, but the interior has been renovated. The house was recently sold for $2.98 million. 
The Nightmare on Elm Street movies were part of one of the biggest horror franchises of the 80s and are still popular today. Even though none of the Jeopardy! contestants recognized the house, plenty of viewers around the world knew exactly who lived at 1428 Elm Street.

The cast of the FX series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia doesn’t just keep the jokes going on screen. Some of the best moments happened off the set for the actors. In fact, in the early years of the series, DeVito played the perfect cruel prank on his co-stars that still has them in stitches.

On The Always Sunny Podcast, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, and Rob McElhenney relive some of the best moments from the show. In a recent episode, the three shared that one of the most memorable moments happened off-set between them and DeVito.

Day explained that they were staying at a hotel in Washington D.C. before a screening of the show. “I think FX pays for the flight and the hotel. And we get to the hotel and they say, ‘Oh, we’re so sorry.’” Apparently, the staff said only one room had been booked for them.

Sadly, the stars quickly believed that FX had only paid for a single room for all of them. “It didn’t surprise us,” Day recounted. “It was so early in the show, and we were such a low budget thing. We were like, ‘Oh man. They’re sticking us all in one room together?’”

The hotel staff even took it a step further and apologetically told the cast that every other room was booked; they were going to have to sleep in the only room available. Looking at McElhenney, Day remarked, “I remember you were very unhappy.” McElhenney concurred and said, “I do not handle those situations well.” 

Not only had they all just gotten off a long flight, McElhenney also felt disrespected. Still, the three actors gave in to the hotel staff’s request to at least take a look at the room. Once they entered the room, things got real when the hotel staff explained, “We have a cot set up in the corner.” To their horror, there actually was a cot waiting for one of them!

“It was a level of disrespect we had become accustomed to,” Howerton acknowledged. Finally, just before the exhausted actors barged out of the room, DeVito popped out of the closet. The three actors realized they had been pranked by the best.

The thing is, the prank never could have happened without the great acting by the hotel staff. Plus, even though they were four seasons into the series by this time, McElhenney recalled, “Everywhere we went, nobody knew the show … The suggestion that all four of us would stay in the same room was not that crazy.”

Even so, getting pranked by DeVito is worth it!

Although the quiz show is more challenging than most other game shows, Jeopardy! writers chose to go with a ridiculously easy category recently. It was so simple that my young kids could have answered the clues correctly. In fact, it almost felt like we were watching an SNL skit with Will Ferrell as Alex Trebek.

In the episode that aired on January 24, 2023, the Jeopardy! round included a category with the title “What Season Is It?” Although fans of the show may have assumed that the category would include fun and challenging clues, the audience was disappointed to find that the category was simply about the four seasons. That’s right. Every correct response was either winter, spring, summer, or fall.

Although the answers could have included a unique take on baseball season or even tax season, the writers apparently kept it as simple as possible. In fact, since there are only four seasons but five clues in the category, one season was repeated. Fall (or autumn) was the correct response for both the $400 clue, “Olympic Peninsula Apple & Cider Festival,” and the $1000 clue, “Duck hunting season (not wabbit season) starts in Louisiana & Minnesota.”

Even if the clues in the category were uber difficult, contestants still had a one in four chance of responding with the correct season. Honestly, even preschool-age kids can name the four seasons, which means that it’s a no-brainer category for Jeopardy! players.

Since the quiz show provided such an effortless category to contestants, we’re wondering if SNL writers actually wrote the clues. After all, it seemed more like the hilarious skits where the celebrities were so dumb they couldn’t even name numbers. With the actual Jeopardy! approaching its 40th season—nearly 9,000 episodes of the quiz show and its spinoffs have aired so far—we’ll give the team a pass for the occasional boring category.

Does Downy Unstoppables really keep clothes fresh for 12 weeks? Well, the company has recruited a mystery celebrity to put the product to the test.

Back in December, Downy Unstoppables began premiering a series of commercials featuring an unidentified celebrity. Throughout each 30-second ad, the anonymous celebrity wears a blue sweatshirt over his face, constantly sniffing the material to put the laundry product to the test. The commercials will build up to a 30-second Super Bowl commercial where the celebrity will reveal his face.

Downy Unstoppables’ First Official Super Bowl Ad

According to Marketing Dive, Downy Unstoppables has indeed purchased a 30-second ad spot for the Super Bowl LVII on Fox. This is a huge move for Downy’s parent company, Procter & Gamble, which hasn’t advertised during the Super Bowl in more than a decade.

Back in 2012, Downy Unstoppables premiered its commercial with Amy Sedaris and “Mean” Joe Greene of the Pittsburgh Stealers during the Super Bowl pregame. However, this is the first time the brand will advertise during the game itself.

The first commercial premiered on December 12 and was titled, “I’m Not Doing It Yet.” The short ad is just the first of many in the two-month long ad campaign titled “Believe.” They each follow a similar format in which the anonymous celebrity professes his skepticism over the product’s effectiveness.

“Downy Unstoppables wants to use my face for their Super Bowl ad, but I haven’t agreed yet, because I don’t believe it keeps your clothes fresh for over 12 weeks,” the masked celebrity begins the first advertisement. “So, I’m going to sniff this thing until the Super Bowl to see if it’s true. But until then, I’m totally hiding my identity.”

The Ads Apparently Contain Easter Eggs

There have been five commercials so far, and, according to a spokesperson for the company, they each contain hints and easter eggs regarding the celebrity’s identity. That could refer to the script, the various guest characters, or the many props around the laundry room set.

Sitting on the shelf behind the masked celebrity are some books, trophies, figurines, a photo, and two drumsticks sticking out of a jar. We’ve parsed through the videos and haven’t been able to decode all the cryptic items—that’s if they’re easter eggs at all!

Meanwhile, viewers have shared their guesses in the YouTube comment sections. Some heard the celebrity’s deep voice and immediately guessed comedian Rob Riggle. Others are certain it’s Righteous Gemstones actor Danny McBride underneath the blue sweatshirt.

We aren’t confident enough to cast our votes just yet, but we’ll certainly be tuning into the big reveal on February 12! In the meantime, we’ll be re-watching these commercials on the regular to see what hints we’re missing. At this point, your guess is as good as ours!

Most Jeopardy! contestants appear cool, calm, and collected while competing on air. However, one player’s blog has revealed the behind-the-scenes moment that had him wondering if he should’ve just stayed home. 

Jake DeArruda, a delivery dispatcher from Vermont, recently competed on the game show against Dee Williams and then-reigning champion Troy Meyer. DeArruda’s detailed blog gave fans an inside look at how he felt playing against Meyer. 

“In most cases, contestants will never know who the reigning champion is, as the shows air months after they are taped,” DeArruda admitted. However, he knew exactly who Meyer was when they met because of his many deep dives on various quiz show statistics websites. 

DeArruda shared that Meyer was “the top ranked United States quizzer in the 2021 standings in the World Quizzing Championship,” so it’s understandable that he was a little intimidated at the thought of going up against him.

DeArruda also shared that he was also relieved that he didn’t have to face Cris Pannullo, a champ with a 21-day streak. 

“Should I have stayed home or waited five more years?” DeArruda joked in his post about his nerves. “Is this worse than playing Cris? Probably not.” He noted that Meyer had only won two games at that point and didn’t have the “buzzer experience” that Pannullo did. 

In another post, DeArruda broke down the games he played against Meyer, who he calls “the real deal.” He also shared the advice other contestants gave him about playing against Meyer, including buzzing in “aggressively” to answer before him. 

DeArruda might have been nervous to take on a trivia champion like Meyer, but it looks like all that worrying wasn’t necessary—he won the game, ending Meyer’s six-day winning streak and kick-starting his own current winning streak. 

Even though his time on Jeopardy! has come to an end, Meyer is already looking ahead to future games in the upcoming Tournament of Champions.

“Cris [Pannullo] is obviously an incredible player and somebody that I’ll certainly be looking for in the ToC,” Meyer said. “[I plan] to bring my game and play as well as I can.”

DeArruda’s episodes are still airing, so it’s unknown how long his own winning streak will continue, but fans of the game show are loving his detailed blog posts about his games and his relatable nerves when it comes to facing a champion. 

Have you ever wondered just how much copyrighted music costs TV and film productions? It’s a huge expense to be sure. However, it turns out that the price for the 1984 hit song “Ghostbusters” blows even some of the most recognizable tracks out of the water.

On a recent episode of The Always Sunny Podcast, Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Glenn Howerton looked back on one of the most iconic episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: “The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis.” As the actors tell it, that particular episode included the major expense of licensing the “Ghostbusters” theme song for the final joke. The song first quietly plays on the radio of a van full of gasoline that the gang is driving then blares over the credits after said van explodes.

“This is the episode where we spent the most amount of money ever on a song,” McElhenney remembered. The actors, who also serve as writers and executive producers on the show, recall the “Ghostbusters” theme costing them around $70,000 to $80,000.

“We hadn’t paid more than $20,000 for a song, including with Michael Jackson songs,” McElhenney said of the expense. “We got The Doors, The Doors didn’t even cost that much,” Howerton noted.

According to McElhenney, around 2008 when the episode premiered, producers were considering reviving the Ghostbusters franchise and wanted to protect the intellectual property, hence the ridiculous price. He said that the movie didn’t even end up happening, but at least Ghostbusters: The Video Game came out the following year.

However, in the greater scheme of copyrighted music, this kind of deal isn’t unheard of. Artists set their own prices, and some simply don’t want movies and TV shows to infringe on their artistic vision. For example, Neil Young is notoriously picky about how productions use his music.

Artists usually delegate these matters to artistic rights management organizations like ASCAP, but the rights holders ultimately have the final say. You’d be surprised how many music-centered projects have been stalled or scrapped altogether because of music copyright issues.

Regardless of the price, McElhenney and Howerton insist they’re happy they included “Ghostbusters” in the episode. Howerton admitted he had his doubts at the time: “Yeah it’s funny, but it’s not $80,000 funny,” he said on the podcast. “Looking back now, I’m certainly glad we did it.”

McElhenney even says that his young son actually took an interest in the episode once he heard the “Ghostbusters” theme. “It’s transcended generations because of that choice,” McElhenney said of the episode. “It’s a hell of a song.”

You might think that tying the knot with someone extremely wealthy would solve a lot of your problems. Well, as shown in the Lifetime reality show Marrying Millions, which debuted in 2019, it can eliminate some issues while creating others. 

Some of the couples depicted on the first season of the show had to deal with concerned relatives, onlookers’ harsh comments, and the tricky task of making their dissimilar backgrounds mesh. 

It’s not always easy to navigate that path, as proven by a few of the lovebirds who encountered rough patches along the way. Viewers want to know what has happened to the romantic duos from Marrying Millions. Were their lives together a fairy tale or a fizzle? We looked into where they are now and the state of their marital unions. 

Married: Sean Lourdes And Megan Thomas Lourdes

The way these two met could have come straight out of a romcom. Megan Thomas, a stunning model, medical student, and yoga instructor with a knockout resume, sought a position at The Lourdes Foundation, where Lourdes is the director. He wasn’t on time for her interview, so she took a hike. 

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End of story? Not quite. The beautiful working-class gal and the handsome mega-millionaire, who reportedly has $30 million in his bank account, were seemingly destined to be together.

After Lourdes diligently pursued Thomas, she agreed to a date. They shared a definite spark, according to Lourdes. “We had an immediate, intense, and real connection from the moment we met, and we’ve been inseparable ever since. The rest is history.”

His family wondered about Thomas’ sincerity, according to The Knot, but true love triumphed. She and Lourdes skipped the prenup and got married in Malibu at a venue with spectacular views. They now share wedded bliss and a son, Sean Jr. 

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Married: Drew Gemma And Rosie Marin

Gemma is a wealthy—as in multi-millionaire—landscaping and construction company owner. Marin lived with her folks at that time and had graduated from college. He introduced her to the high life, showering her with pricey gifts and dinners. Her family frowned on their relationship.

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Add a couple more interesting plot twists to this story—Gemma, who is divorced, and Marin met on a sugar daddy website. There was a 17-year age gap between them. 

Despite those snags, the couple became engaged on the show and love won out. Soon, they ran off to Costa Rica to get hitched.

There have been a few storm clouds in paradise for Gemma related to his finances. Starcasm reported in 2019 that he had “numerous tax liens over the past decade.” In addition, there were “multiple Uniform Commercial Code filings in which Drew used his contractor equipment as collateral.”

Marin’s Instagram seems to indicate that they are still going strong.

Likely Broken Up: Bill Hutchinson And Brianna Ramirez

Hutchinson and Ramirez had an age difference of almost four decades. Their May-December romance got started when the twice-divorced Hutchinson, head of Dunhill Partners Inc., a multi-billion-dollar commercial real estate company, and owner of Virgin Hotels Dallas, met Ramirez at a Dallas restaurant where she waitressed. The two continued dating after the show. 

Hutchinson was arrested in 2021 for allegedly sexually assaulting several underage girls, KDFW Fox4 News reported. He denied the charges.

It appears from their Instagram accounts as if Hutchinson and Ramirez are no longer together. They have not posted any photos with each other for a couple of years.

Broken Up: Gentille Chhun And Brian Blu

Chhun, a successful Las Vegas real estate investor, led a lavish lifestyle. Blu, on the other hand, was a construction worker and actor with blue-collar roots. His personality attracted her, so they started seeing each other. Chhun’s friends had misgivings about their budding relationship and whether Blu’s intentions could be self-serving.

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Their romance progressed to the altar—almost. Chhun and Blu decided to split on the day they were set to get married. There was reportedly no evidence that they had a marriage license, so the seriousness of their intent to wed is unclear.

Chhun’s Instagram account shows her having a blast, so she evidently recovered from her fling with Blu.

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Broken Up: Katie Hamilton And Kolton Pierce

Katie Hamilton is the ex-wife of former pro baseball player Josh Hamilton. According to the show, she and the much younger Pierce met when he turned up at her home with a gaggle of her teenage daughter’s pals.

Hamilton’s chums and family were not too thrilled about her choice of a beau. There was a 14-year age difference between them. Furthermore, Hamilton was a millionaire as a result of her divorce while Pierce was a wannabe hip-hop performer.

Hamilton and Pierce took issue with the way Marrying Millions portrayed their initial encounter. Hamilton shared with Showbiz CheatSheet that she, her daughter, Julia, and Pierce were all at a Dallas dinner when Hamilton and Pierce chatted and clicked.

They seemed to have a future together. He reportedly thought she was a caring and empathetic listener. Hamilton appeared to shrug off their differences. “If the relationship is right and that’s who God has for you,” she said, “ultimately those differences and the different things that you bring to the table will make the relationship stronger.”

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Finally, however, Hamilton decided to end things with Pierce. “She has blocked all communication from me,” he said. Their economic and age differences were the reasons she gave.

Broken Up: Shawn Isaac And Kate London

For a while, this couple made beautiful music together. Isaac, a rapper and entrepreneur, had struck gold in the tech space. London encountered him at a professional event where he was keynote speaker. She asked him to be her mentor and they hit it off. 

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She expected wedding bells for them in the near future, but he hesitated, possibly prioritizing his career. All was not ideal with Isaac and London. He reportedly gave her a bracelet that looked like it had diamonds, but the sparkly “gems” turned out to be cubic zirconia. 

They eventually split, but still make music, mainly separately. London became a Christian artist who also does R&B and pop. Isaac kept on with his own musical ambitions, recording under the name Shawn Don. They collaborated on tunes like “Busdown,” “Cosign,” and “I Need A Savior.”

On The Sh*t Show podcast in 2020, London confirmed that she and Isaac had broken up, although she said they stayed friends. She is believed to be dating a Coast Guard member named Cameron in Florida. 

These couples were a lot of fun to watch on Marrying Millions. Their relationships did not always stand the test of time, however. It seems as if the men and women who broke up moved on from each other successfully when age, money, and other factors became impossible to ignore.

Just like the ship itself, the movie Titanic appeared to be doomed while filming on location in Nova Scotia. During a meal break, the cast enjoyed seafood chowder that was reportedly so good, people went back for seconds and even thirds. 

Soon after devouring the meal, 80 members of the cast and crew became ill and had to be hospitalized. Almost immediately, the shellfish was suspected as the culprit since it can contain “red tide,” a naturally occurring toxin that’s dangerous for people to consume. However, food poisoning wasn’t to blame as a health department investigation proved otherwise.

The Nova Scotia Department of Health confirmed the following day that the lobster chowder contained the hallucinogen PCP (per Vulture). At that point, health official Meredith Blake sent a letter to producer Jon Landau that said, “I have handed this investigation over to the Halifax Regional Police Service, who I’m sure will be in touch with you.”

Although the police investigated the incident, they were unable to find the culprit. Since there was no official word on who spiked the chowder or why, many theories began to surface.

Perhaps a disgruntled crew member spiked the chowder after being fired by the director. Maybe it was simply a prank that had more severe consequences than expected.

Then again, the CEO of the catering group suggested an interesting theory that someone may have just tried to start a “party thing” on the final night of filming in Nova Scotia (per Entertainment Weekly).

Although the case remains unsolved, there were some cast members who stayed away from the spiked chowder. Turns out, Kate Winslet and Leo Dicaprio were not on set during filming and didn’t touch the lobster chowder. Director James Cameron and actor Bill Paxton weren’t so lucky. They were just two of the many cast and crew who ate the spiked lunch.

Though Paxton often ordered takeout for his on-set meals, he made the mistake that night of eating the chowder because he was having “a good conversation with [director James] Cameron on the set.”

Shortly after, the actor regretted his decision when he started feeling the effects of the spike chowder and was taken to the hospital.

As he told Larry King, “Here’s 150 crew members stumbling into the emergency room at one o’clock in the morning at a very small hospital. Some people are freaking out; some people are conga dancing; some people are euphoric,” the actor recalled.

Since he was feeling fine enough amongst the chaos, Paxton returned to his trailer without treatment and soon felt better.

Thankfully, no one died or was even poisoned by the spiked chowder. However, the mystery will go on and on since the culprit has never been found.

Jeopardy! contestants are usually concentrated on the game itself—that is, learning trivia and practicing their buzzer technique. However, one former player has shared his tips for a good time on the game show, including what contestants should do after they lose a game. 

Former Contestant Calls Green Room ‘A Blast’

David Maes, a Chicago attorney, competed on Jeopardy! earlier this month. He came in second to Troy Meyer, who is currently on a six-day winning streak. In a Reddit thread recapping the episode he was on, Maes discussed his experience on the game show and provided an interesting tip for other Jeopardy! players: staying in the show’s green room. 

“I highly recommend staying in the green room (aka the Wheel of Fortune stage) after your game,” Maes wrote. “Watching, commenting, and cheering on live games with fellow contestants was a blast.”

Maes and his fellow players might have gotten to hang out on the Wheel of Fortune stage, but another Jeopardy! contestant shared that she was put somewhere else. Jennifer Quail appeared in episodes in 2019 and 2021 and has previously talked about her time on Jeopardy! on Reddit. 

“They let you hang out in the green room after playing instead of the audience side now? Fun!” Quail replied to Maes’ comment. “I stayed, and sat in the audience the rest of the day. It helped with the letdown for sure, plus it was kind of fun to just watch with no pressure.”

Maes wrote back, saying that the players were given a choice between “going to the audience (where you sit politely) or going back to the green room (where you get to shout out answers to triple stumpers and Final Jeopardy with new friends).”

He also wrote about how much he loved his time on the show in his initial post. “It was a lot of fun to finally be a part of the Jeopardy community!” he told fans.

Maes discussed his competitors, saying Kristina Zimmerman “was one of the first people [he] got to meet” on the show and that reigning champion Troy Meyer “is even more likable in person than he already appears on screen.”

It sounds like Maes’ time on Jeopardy! was full of new friendships and cool experiences. Maes’ Reddit post shows just how much fun players have on the game show, whether they win or lose.

It’s that time of year again when we’re smack dab in the middle of nowhere. Christmas and New Year’s are behind us, and spring isn’t even on the horizon. While we’re all waiting for winter to end, we can’t help but think of this hilarious clip of a St. Louis journalist reminding us why February is the worst month of the year.

Journalist Laments: ‘Even The Land Is Tired In February’

Although February is the shortest month of the year, it often feels like the longest. St. Louis journalist Kevin Killeen reminded us why this is in a hysterical viral clip. “[February is] an honest month,” he said. “It’s a month that doesn’t hold up life any better than it really is.”

Overlooking downtown St. Louis, Missouri, Killeen remarked about the haze of winter. “These buildings look like they don’t even have any lights in them during a workday.”

As he continued, Killeen shared that the area “looked like something great happened here but it’s over with, and that’s the way February is.”

It’s true. As we enter the stark winter month, we’ve all had enough of the cold, snow, and ice. But we know that February isn’t done with us yet. In fact, Killeen found proof of this after he left his downtown perch to “go check out February” in a parking garage. 

“This says it all,” the journalist commented as he pulled a green umbrella with a floral design out of the trash. “Somebody on this February day has abandoned it with its broken shaft like a desperate flinging off of something that’s not true anymore. The expedition is getting desperate. People are throwing things aside.”

Killeen found even more desperation as he searched the streets for signs of life. As the journalist watched people cross, he noted how tired they looked. But it wasn’t just the citizens of downtown St. Louis who looked exhausted.

“Even the land is tired in February. Most of the birds who can afford it have gone to Florida,” Killeen accurately pointed out.

“And the trees that once cheered us are hard to look at this month,” he continued. “It’s as if there is some awful truth out there in the trees. It’s hiding in the branches.”

St. Louis Reporter Kevin Killeen Is Known For His Wit

This hysterical and on point account of February was given by Kevin Killeen, author of three humorous novels and a reporter for St. Louis radio station KMOX since 1995.

According to Killeen, he “was always getting in trouble for injecting humor into the news” so he picked up side projects that allowed him to showcase his dry wit.

Thanks to one of these side projects, “Whole ’nother Story,” Killeen gave the perfect description of the bleakest month of the year.

Lifelong Jeopardy! fans have fully embraced Ken Jennings as Alex Trebek’s worthy successor, but that doesn’t mean the trivia champ doesn’t have his own unique hosting style. As a past competitor recently pointed out, there are subtle differences in how Jennings and Trebek command the Jeopardy! stage, especially when it comes to handling contestants’ anecdotes.

As regular Jeopardy! viewers will know, when the regular broadcast returns from its first commercial break, the host quickly interviews each contestant. It’s an opportunity for the players to share a short anecdote about themselves, giving audiences a better sense of who is actually competing.

These brief 30-second interviews are often a little bit awkward for the sheer fact that regular people aren’t used to talking about themselves in front of a national audience between intense trivia rounds. However, the show works to prepare contestants for the incredibly nerve-wracking experience.

In 2011, NPR peeled back the curtain on the Jeopardy! contestant interview process. According to the article, contestants are given a questionnaire to fill out. It usually involves various fun, personal, and thought-provoking prompts meant to facilitate a few of these familiar anecdotes.

Once the questionnaire has done its duty, the host is given cards for each contestant containing three different anecdotes. From there, it’s up to the host to choose which anecdote to ask about.

Since Ken Jennings took the helm, the interview portion has been pretty light-hearted if not a little bit stiff. This is because it seems like Jennings prefers to stick to the script and let contestants riff on the anecdotes they’ve already prepared—something we’re sure the players appreciate.

However, Alex Trebek was a little less predictable. During his more than 30 years on the show, Trebek interviewed thousands of contestants. As time went on, he got quite comfortable with going off-script. So comfortable, in fact, that he would sometimes choose to ignore the provided anecdotes entirely.

According to Jennifer Quail, who went on a 9-game win streak in 2019, she and the other contestants were warned that Trebek could go completely off-script and simply ask about whatever he found interesting in the moment. This undoubtedly contributed to the players’ anxieties, but show crew member Robert James told NPR in 2011 that Trebek would never leave the players hanging.

“People tell me that this is the scariest part—this chat thing!” James noted. “But the thing is, Alex is so good at his job, he will bail you out no matter what.”

There’s no doubt that Alex Trebek’s style elevated Jeopardy! from a simple trivia contest to prime-time entertainment, and few people in the game show world got to know that style better than Ken Jennings did. However, it’s clear that Jennings doesn’t need to be an exact copy of his predecessor to win over legions of Jeopardy! fans.

You’re in the middle of a movie. The climax of the film is happening and just as the lead character delivers a mind-blowing speech, the dialogue suddenly becomes garbled. You’re now on the edge of your seat (literally) because you’re trying to hear what’s being said. Even when you turn the volume up to max, you still can’t understand a single word.

So what do you do? Turn on the subtitles, of course. It’s something that’s become more and more common. Were our parents right when they told us that we’d lose our hearing by listening to music too loudly? Turns out, technology may be to blame.

Uptick In Subtitle Use ‘Doesn’t Have A Straightforward Answer’

For the past few years, subtitles have become a staple in my home. From TV comedy classics shows such as The Office to new Netflix releases like Stranger Things, subtitles have helped me finally pick up on dialogue I’ve missed for years. 

Plus, as a mom of three, subtitles are a great and easy way to encourage my kids to read and pay attention to the show they’re watching.

Turns out, I’m not the only one who uses subtitles. In a recent survey from Vox, over 105,000 people responded and 57% said they use subtitles while watching TV shows and movies. It’s so commonplace that Austin Olivia Kendrick, a dialogue editor who uses subtitles herself, is often asked why we all use subtitles now.

“It doesn’t have a straightforward answer,” Kendrick said. “It’s very layered and very complex.” While that’s true, the dialogue editor shared that the main reason is due to technology (and not necessarily because we’re all getting old).

Over the past several decades, technology changes have improved microphones and moved sound recordings from analog to digital. Plus, sound engineers typically record a film’s sound for movie theaters, not for our smartphones.

In fact, some theaters carry Dolby Atmos which has 3D sound and up to 128 channels. If you’re not in the theater, you’re hearing a version that’s been downmixed from 128 channels to one or two channels. No wonder it’s hard to hear!

With all these technological “advances,” it’s no surprise that movies and TV shows sound different today. While our best options are to either connect to better speakers or simply continue using subtitles, at least we know that we’re all in this together.

Ellen DeGeneres recently celebrated her birthday and spent some time looking back on past celebrations at The Ellen DeGeneres Show. From famous friends stopping by to wish her well to big birthday cakes and bouncy castles, DeGeneres’ recent Instagram post has us majorly missing the talk show celebrations. 

DeGeneres posted a video compilation of clips from all the birthdays she celebrated while hosting her popular daytime talk show. The show host has marked the occasion in many different ways over the years, including having major stars dropping by to chat and getting huge birthday cakes for the crew. 

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Some of the celebrities who were featured in the video include surprise guest Julia Roberts, Allison Janney, and Ryan Seacrest, who brought hilarious gag gifts, as well as Colin Farrell, who wheeled out a birthday cake for DeGeneres. 

There were even musical performances from Billy Ray Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Dax Shepard, and DeGeneres’ wife, actress Portia de Rossi. The talk show host’s birthday episodes also included party staples, like bouncy castles, balloons, and dance parties. 

Some particularly hilarious moments from the video show DeGeneres opening gifts from fans. A creepy sculpture of her head had the talk show host joking, “I don’t know if it’s a gift or a threat.” She also unwrapped a life-size papier mache statue of herself, cracking her audience up. 

Employees Accused Producers Of Toxic Behavior

DeGeneres’ video makes the show seem like a whole lot of fun, but it’s worth remembering the talk show ended amid accusations of workplace toxicity and rude behavior from DeGeneres towards her employees. 

In 2020, BuzzFeed News reported on claims from former employees that they were fired for taking time off for family emergencies. Others said the show handled the coronavirus shutdown poorly and did not communicate information about shooting or payment to employees. A few months later, three male executive producers were accused of sexual misconduct, as well as other allegations about workplace conduct. 

DeGeneres stated that she had been thinking about ending her talk show for months before all the scandals rocked The Ellen DeGeneres Show, but many assumed the accusations of inappropriate workplace activity were the real reason. 

The Ellen DeGeneres Show might have ended controversially, but DeGeneres’ recent video reminded her followers just how fun the talk show could be.

On January 24, Ken Jennings showed his personality to fans in the final round of Jeopardy! After revealing the correct response to the final clue, the host made a hilarious high-brow joke with his trademark dry wit.

In an episode that featured contestants Linda Napikoski, Joe Incollingo, and Troy Meyer, the category for the final clue was “Foreign-Born Authors.” Meyer had previously won three runaway games and was set to be a four-day champion. Spoiler alert: Meyer did win the game with a four-day total of $137,600.

After the players had 30 seconds to respond to the clue—“In the 1950s the New York Times said this author ‘is writing about all lust’ and his lecherous narrator ‘is all of us,’”—Jennings first asked Incollingo for his response. The contestant along with the other two players gave the correct response, “Who is Nabokov?” The answer referred to novelist Vladimir Nabokov. 

But it was after revealing the answer to Incollingo that Jennings made the high-brow joke. “That’s right,” Jennings remarked. “A reference to Humbert Humbert, the creep who narrates Lolita.”

A creep indeed! If you know the book by Nabokov, Humbert is more than just a creep. He’s an older man who kidnaps and sexually abuses “Lolita,” a nickname he gives to a 12-year-old girl. In fact, the novel was so controversial in 1955 when it was released in France that America didn’t publish it until 1958.

Although the Jeopardy! audience didn’t respond to Jennings’ reference, plenty of YouTube fans commented on the video. As one viewer said, “Kudos to Ken for calling Humbert Humbert a creep. And ew to the NYTimes reviewer.” 

Responding to the review in the clue, another fan said, “I’m sure it’s taken out of context, probably referencing the way ‘all of us’, especially in the U.S., obsess and lust over this or that, because yeah, wow, I’ve never heard anyone side with Humbert Humbert.” Other fans also called out the somewhat off-putting clue because “it’s not that hard not to relate with Humbert Humbert” is more than a little creepy considering the character’s central obsession with a pre-teen.

Obviously, Jennings was correct in referring to the narrator as a creep and poking fun at the Times commentary. Whether referring to a creep in a novel or dropping one of his other dry jokes, it’s always a treat to see the host’s personality shine through on the show.

Today just reminded us that there was indeed a time before the internet, as bizarre as that may seem. On Thursday, the show’s official Instagram page posted a clip from a 1994 taping in which anchors Katie Couric, Bryant Gumbel, and Elizabeth Vargas discover the World Wide Web.

‘Can You Explain What Internet Is?’

The video starts with Gumbel asking about “that little mark with the ‘a’ and then the ring around it,” which Vargas tells him means “at.” Couric believed the symbol meant “about” or “around,” thinking “at” sounded ridiculous.After a spirited debate about what “@” really represents, Gumbel exasperatedly asks, “What is internet anyway?”

“Internet is that massive computer network, the one that’s becoming really big now,” an off-screen producer informs the anchors. “What do you mean? What, do you write to it like mail?” Gumbel asks, disbelieving.

No matter how it works, Couric insisted she had no interest. “I’m afraid that if I subscribe to something like Internet…I would get hooked and I would never spend time with my family,” Couric says in another clip from around that time.

“I feel like I’m so inundated with information all the time that I don’t want more,” she elaborates in another clip. “Don’t you ever feel like it’s just constant bombardment of information?”

However, Gumbel notes that the information aspect wouldn’t bother him as much as the idea of people having a line of constant communication with him. “I the thing that I resent most is… at least when you’re home if the phone rings you have the option of not answering it. On the internet, people can send you messages all the time people you don’t even want to hear from.”

1994 Wasn’t That Long Ago

While it’s easy to look back on the clip and laugh about how little the anchors knew of what was to come, their observations were shockingly poignant, even prophetic. All of their concerns turned out to be real problems for the digital age. Too often now, we’re lamenting how we spend too much time on screens. Mental health experts now warn us about the dangers of digital dependency.

It’s also shocking to think that, as recently as 1994, these weren’t concerns for us. We didn’t have to make a conscious effort to be present because we weren’t always dividing our attention between real and on-line life.

Finally, it just makes you wonder where we’ll be another 19 years from now. Will they be sharing videos taken in 2023 of our blissful ignorance to some other life-changing technology? Only time will tell. If this is any indicator, though, Today will continue to serve as the ultimate cultural time capsule.

Demand for content from Michael Jackson is just as high as ever, and a recent theft proves it. A laptop and hard drive containing unreleased music, demos, and videos from the King of Pop was taken from one of Jackson’s studio engineers, and the content has already shown up online. 

Brad Sundberg worked as a studio engineer for 18 years alongside Jackson. Their working partnership began in 1985, when they collaborated on Captain EO, a short 3D film Jackson made for Disney’s theme parks. 

Sundberg’s Relationship With Jackson

Sundberg helped create iconic albums like Bad, Dangerous, HIStory, and Blood on the Dance Floor. He also worked on remixes and edits for various singles, videos, and touring content. He even designed and installed the music and video systems that were scattered throughout Jackson’s Neverland Ranch.

At Sundberg’s “In the Studio with MJ” seminars, he takes fans behind the scenes of some of the singer’s biggest hits, sharing unreleased songs and outtakes from videos and recording sessions. 

How The Laptop Was Taken

At a recent seminar in Brussels, Belgium, Sundberg left the laptop and hard drive containing this content unattended. One of the seminar’s attendees entered the room and made off with the equipment, allegedly escaping through a window and over the roof. 

According to Sundberg, they already know the identity of the thief, and he is working with local police to recover the laptop and hard drive. “We’re doing all we can to bring this to a solution,” he said in an Instagram video. “It’s just frustrating when … something like this happens. We turned our backs for a few seconds and the computer and hard drive were gone.”

The studio engineer shared that, in addition to the content he shares with seminar attendees, there are more unreleased videos and songs on the computer, as well as his personal photos, documents, and other materials. Sundberg did share that all the content from the laptop and hard drive was backed up, so his seminars will continue taking place. 

In the video, Sundberg admitted he was unsure what the thief might do with the laptop and hard drive, hypothesizing that it might be sold off. However, it looks like their main goal was releasing the content from the hard drive. 

Content From The Laptop Has Already Been Leaked

Tracks and videos allegedly from Sundberg’s computer have been posted to YouTube and TikTok and have already racked up thousands of views. It’s unknown if the thief posted all the unreleased Jackson material or if there’s any songs and videos they held back. 

Sundberg called the theft and release of Jackson’s content “a complete violation of my personal data” and asked fans to report any posts of the stolen material on social media, as it was illegally obtained and uploaded. 

“I, along with my family and friends, greatly appreciate your prayers, love, friendship, and support as we deal with this challenging situation head-on,” Sundberg told his Instagram followers. 

Jackson was one of the biggest stars of the ‘80s, and his death in 2009 shortly before a series of comeback concerts was tragic. This theft shows just how far some Jackson fans will go for a few more new songs from the pop star.

Things can get pretty heated on Jeopardy!, but the contestants usually keep things civil. However, a recent player revealed that he had a “nemesis” on the stage with him—the show’s host, Ken Jennings!

Duncan Bowling is an ICU nurse manager from Washington, D.C. Even though he was a first-time competitor on the game show, Bowling revealed that he was entering the game with a rival in mind. 

“I understand I am your nemesis, Duncan,” Jennings started. “And I was not notified!” Bowling quickly explained that the animosity he felt for the game show host all started back when he was still a teenager. 

“I was a high school quiz bowl contestant and whenever we would slack off in practice, my coach Ms. Waller would always say, ‘How do you think Ken Jennings got so far? It was not by slacking off,’” Bowling shared. 

At the time, Jennings was on his record-breaking winning streak, impressing viewers with his trivia knowledge and buzzer speed. He has gone on to be the highest-earning American game show contestant of all time. 

He continued, “Your name elicited a lot of eye-rolls from me back in the day. But I’m glad we can put the past in the past today.” Jennings laughingly responded, “If your quiz bowl coach is watching, I slacked off a ton in high school.”

Fans found the interaction hilarious, and the official Jeopardy! Twitter account even got in on the fun, posting a mock-motivational poster with the game show host’s face on it. “Success starts by wanting to prove your former principal wrong…..” someone commented on the post. Another person wrote, “The things quiz bowl teachers will say!”

All that quiz bowl training clearly came in handy for Bowling! He ended the episode in second place with $16,100. Troy Meyer, a Florida music executive, was the champion, continuing his three-day winning streak and taking home $35,000. 

There’s clearly no real animosity between Bowling and Jennings, but his one-sided beef with the game show host was a hilarious start to the game and a hilarious callback to all of our high school days!

A hallmark of every Jeopardy! game is when contestants share a fun fact about themselves. Following the first commercial break, fans of the quiz show get an inside look at the players’ personal lives.

If you’re a fan of the show, you probably know that each contestant has about 30 seconds to share an interesting anecdote about themselves. But do you know how they end up choosing which story they end up sharing?

When asked how the producers choose which story a player will tell, the show’s contestant producer Corina Nusu told Mental Floss, “We send [the contestants] a huge package of documentation via email. Included is an info sheet that asks them to list five interesting facts about themselves.”

The questions are surprisingly open and serve as ways to make both big and small happenings interesting enough for the show. They include: What’s your most treasured possession? What’s your secret ambition? Any brushes with greatness?

With a total of 32 questions to choose from, the players’ answers help producers choose which stories will best connect with the audience. After the contestants respond, Nusu then writes a list of up to five stories for the fun fact portion of the show. Before his passing, Alex Trebek chose which story each player would share during taping.

Then on show day, Nusu preps the players to ensure that they are ready to share more about their fun facts with the host. “I sit and try to pretend I’m [the host] and ask them a question. ‘So, you’ve been skydiving?’ You can’t just say, ‘Yes.’ Tell me you’ve been to the Galapagos Islands…Were you in Poland? Don’t tell me yes, and you had a nice time. Remember to tell me your train got hijacked.”

Although topics vary, only grossly inappropriate or morbid subjects are off limits. Even so, Nusu shared that she tells players, “You probably shouldn’t talk about breaking the law.”

While it may be easy to come up with a handful of interesting facts, it can be difficult for players to come up with several stories especially when they win multiple games. After winning 20 games, Julia Collins admitted on Reddit that figuring out her fun fact each episode was far from fun for her. According to the Jeopardy! champion, “Coming up with ideas for that portion of the show is probably the hardest thing about being on the show.”

Although coming up with several personal fun facts may be challenging for players, we’re glad they make the effort. After all, it’s one of the best segments of the show.

The Last of Us is the hottest new show on HBOMax, boasting stars like Pedro Pascal and Nick Offerman and giving zombie fans their post-apocalyptic-media fix. The dangerous fungus that sets the show’s story in motion seems outlandish, but it turns out it’s all too real. 

The show, originally based on a hugely popular video game, tells the story of Joel and Ellie, a man and young girl who are traveling across post-apocalyptic America. Twenty years before the events of the show, a mass fungal infection caused by a mutation in the Cordyceps fungus created a global pandemic. People who were infected turned into cannibalistic creatures who attack the uninfected. 

How Does The Fungus Zombify Its Host?

Most people assume the fictional fungal infection is completely made up, but unfortunately, the Cordyceps fungus is all too real. The fungus species are endoparasitoids, which means they serve as parasites for insects and other arthropods.

When a Cordyceps fungus attacks its host, it invades and replaces the host’s tissue. The fungal spores start by attaching themselves to the insect’s exoskeleton, then squeezes inside the host. Eventually, it makes its way to the host’s brain, where it secretes a compound that allows the fungus to take over the host’s nervous system—making it, for all intents and purposes, a zombie. 

Can It Affect Humans? 

The Last of Us’ zombifying fungus is definitely real, but is there any real danger to humans? Could it spread from insects to humans? Fortunately for us, the answer is no. The Cordyceps fungus is too specific to its host. For example, a fungus that affects a species of ant in one part of the world will not affect the same type of ant in a completely different part of the world. 

Additionally, the fungus wouldn’t be able to survive in a human body. Humans have a higher body temperature than insects, meaning the Cordyceps fungus wouldn’t be able to last anywhere near long enough to do anything. The human immune system would also flush the fungus out of the body before it had the chance to fully attach itself to the host. 
If that wasn’t enough, the Cordyceps fungus also wouldn’t be able to control the human brain and central nervous system. According to Popular Mechanics, it would take millions of years for the fungus to figure out how to properly invade the human brain and control it. The Last of Us’ freaky fungus might be all too real, but it looks like we humans don’t have to worry about Cordyceps turning us into zombies any time soon!

Even though Jeopardy! can be a pretty serious quiz show, there are still plenty of lighthearted moments for both the players and host Ken Jennings. A recent episode showed off Jennings’ sillier side as he let a contestant know they’d given a wrong answer. 

Mark Fabros, Eric Kerr-Heraly, and Troy Meyer faced off against each other, with Meyer continuing a winning streak that had begun in the previous episode. When it came time for Final Jeopardy, some viewers thought the clue was pretty easy.

“Mike Post combined the sound of a slamming jail door, an anvil, and 100 men stomping on a floor for this series that debuted in 1990,” Jennings read. When it came time to answer, the host asked Kerr-Heraly for his guess. 

He had guessed “What is Home Improvement?” Kerr-Heraly’s answer was incorrect, which led Jennings to make a hilarious, questioning noise that sounded like if Tim Allen got his feelings hurt before saying, “Well, that’s not correct.” Kerr-Heraly ended up losing $2,000, knocking his total down to $5,600.

“That was a good attempt by Ken at the ‘hammmuph?’ vocalization,” one fan jokingly commented on a YouTube clip of the moment. We’re not sure exactly how to best spell out the iconic Tim Allen noise either.

The correct answer? Law & Order, which is famous for its “chung-chung” sound effect that comes at the end of the iconic theme song. Jennings, seemingly already in a goofy mood, also tried his hand at making the effect.

“I don’t know how you phoneticize that,” the host laughed. People in the comment section of the video gave their best guesses at how to spell the sound, with some insisting it’s “dun dun,” while others called it “bang bang” and “doink doink.”

Fabros and Meyer both answered the clue correctly, ending the episode with $15,201 and $35,000, respectively. Meyer’s win is a continuation of his winning streak, which is now six days long.

Jeopardy! fans loved getting to see a more lighthearted moment from Jennings. While the game show host does like to joke around with the contestants, he typically keeps things on track, especially when it comes to revealing answers to clues. This recent moment from Jennings shows how much more comfortable he is in his role as Jeopardy! host this season.

HBO’s The Last of Us premiered to an astounding 4.7 million U.S. viewers, a number that leapt to 5.7 million for its second episode. Fans are clearly invested in the post-apocalyptic tale of Joel and Ellie, a story that began with the 2013 release of the video game by the same name.

If you’re a non-gamer, you may be quick to dismiss what might appear to be just another gun and violence-filled video game adaptation, and we can’t really blame you for that. Video game-based shows and movies haven’t had the greatest track record—but we urge you to give this one a chance.

Warning: Very mild spoilers for the first episode ahead!

There’s certainly no shortage of bloodshed in The Last of Us, but there’s a lot more to it than that. The story takes place in a dystopian America where civilization has crumbled following a fungus-based pandemic. The main protagonist, Joel (Pedro Pascal) is just trying to survive in a largely lawless wasteland.

The plot follows Joel as he’s coerced into safely transporting a feisty teenage girl named Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the country, defending her from murderous infected victims and other rogue attackers along the way.

While there are currently two video games in The Last of Us series, the first season of the show is based on the first game. However, the show follows the game so closely that there’s no need to have any familiarity with the games to know what’s going on. In fact, the show provides additional details that weren’t in the games, like the exact origins of the pandemic.

Fans of the game are also sure to be fans of the show, but anyone who comes in as a total stranger will find a lot to love here. Joel and Ellie are vibrantly brought to life in the show by Pascal and Ramsey. Other recognizable names in the cast include Nick Offerman and Melanie Lynskey.

The show’s themes that are sure to appeal to anyone, newcomer or not. Although Joel is childless and Ellie is parentless, they form a type of father-daughter bond and find a family in one another. The evolution of their relationship is reason enough to tune in each week.

We may not be living in a bleak post-apocalyptic world (yet), but learning to be vulnerable and open yourself up to love despite past trauma and difficult circumstances is something many can relate to.

Despite Ellie having lived her entire life with the pandemic as a backdrop, she still finds wonder and awe in things we often take for granted, like music. Watching her find beauty in an ugly world is a reminder of the beauty in our own everyday lives.

Millions of people have been inspired by The Last of Us, despite the desolate world in which it takes place. Its depiction of humanity in the face of brutality is something anyone will recognize.

Who knew politeness was so unpopular in the Jeopardy! fandom? Contestant Troy Meyer has officially become eligible for the next Tournament of Champions, and most fans are ecstatic. Both his impressive gameplay and uncanny resemblance to comedian Bill Hader have made him a fan favorite from the start. However, it looks like some viewers aren’t a fan of the newest champ for one bizarre reason: He apparently says “please” too much.

Meyer has dominated the Jeopardy! stage for a week now, so fans are now well acquainted with his playstyle. One of his habits is that every time he selects a clue, he always ends with “please.” For example, “2-Words Science Terms, $800, please,” Meyer asked Ken Jennings during his second game.

It’s safe to say that he’s selected more than a few categories now, and fans have caught on to the quirk. However, instead of celebrating the Florida-based music executive for his good Southern manners, some fans find it extremely annoying.

On January 20, Meyer’s second day on the show, one fan took to Twitter, commenting on an official Jeopardy! post, “The dude says please way too much.”

However, this user wasn’t the only one irked by it. “I wish the contestants would quit saying please,” another fan tweeted. “It is so annoying to hear please 100 times.”

Another couldn’t express their irritation fast enough, posting a tweet riddled with typos in an infuriated frenzy. “Please stop saying please contestants for the next group PLEASE,” the disgruntled fan wrote.

This backlash is bizarre to say the least. Never have we seen such a minor (and polite!) player quirk turn into such a point of contention. Since joining the show, Meyer has been a delight with his easy smiles and genuine humility every time he’s won.

Not to mention, Meyer is far from the only contestant with his own personal style of selecting categories. Some contestants take their time requesting clues while others keep it short and sweet; it’s always been this way and it’s never really been an issue until now.
It just goes to show that people will always find something to complain about as long as they’re looking for it. We have to say, we certainly don’t mind Meyer saying “please.” Who knows? Maybe that’s the secret ingredient to his stellar gameplay. A little bit of politeness goes a long way, after all. So, until these naysayers can match his Jeopardy! stats, it’s probably best for everyone to keep their bitter and unhelpful criticisms to themselves—please.

A new T-Mobile commercial has been getting people’s attention, and it’s not because of the service provider’s low prices. Many are curious about the “charming British actor” who’s been appearing in the ads. So, who is Ben Barnes?

The latest T-Mobile ad features Barnes as the aforementioned charming British actor that’s letting the public know about T-Mobile’s affordable phone plans. The actor stars in three different commercials, and people are loving his ads—but they can’t help but wonder where they’ve seen him before. 

Where Have You Seen Ben Barnes Before?

Barnes has been in plenty of blockbuster movies and hit shows. He started acting while still in school, graduating from Kingston University with a BA in Drama. Barnes started acting professionally in 2006, showing up on screen and onstage. 

His first big role was as Prince Caspian in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The movie made Barnes a recognizable star, and he’s been in popular movies like Stardust, Dorian Gray, The Big Wedding, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. 

While Barnes has definitely made his mark on the big screen, he’s also starred in some popular TV shows. One of his biggest roles was in HBO’s Westworld, where he played main character Logan Delos. Barnes has also starred in Netflix’s The Punisher, Shadow and Bone, and Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. 

However, acting isn’t all Barnes does. The actor has also launched a musical career. Barnes has sung on tracks for movies he’s starred in—Easy Virtue, Killing Bono, and Jackie & Ryan—and also has his own solo career. Barnes released Songs For You in 2021, and lead single “11:11” has earned over 5 million streams on Spotify. 

Other Major Actors Who Have Starred In Commercials

Some might be surprised to see Barnes, a pretty successful actor, showing up as a spokesman for a cell phone company. However, he is far from the only big star who has appeared in commercials. 

Some actors, like Kevin Miles (Jake from State Farm) and Milana Vayntrub (AT&T’s Lily), have made their careers as spokespeople. Others use their fame to promote major companies when they’re not working on projects. For example, George Clooney stars in ads for coffee company Nespresso, while Ryan Reynolds shows up to promote Mint Mobile, the phone company he owns.

Most people think that once an actor finds success in the movie and TV industry, they stop appearing in small projects like phone commercials. However, it’s clear that stars of all sorts will still say yes to being a spokesman when the price is right.

A new champion has entered the Jeopardy! ring. However, instead of celebrating the contestant’s impressive stats, it’s fair to say that fans have been a bit distracted by his appearance. As it turns out, the trivia wiz bears a striking resemblance to actor and comedian Bill Hader.

The contestant’s name is Troy Meyer, and he’s a music executive from Tampa, Florida. He stepped onto the Jeopardy! stage on January 19, taking home over $60,000 in his first two games and dominating in his third win. However, despite his stellar accuracy and lightning-fast gameplay, fans couldn’t stop talking about his resemblance to the Saturday Night Live alum.

One Jeopardy! fan tweeted that Meyer was giving them “taller, skinnier Bill Hader vibes.”

Another joked that the Barry creator “has been killing it” on the show this week.

One fan even joked that he couldn’t be certain that Meyer “isn’t a Bill Hader character.”

It isn’t all in looks, though. Fans have noticed that Meyer also shares some mannerisms with the award-winning actor and screenwriter. “Not only looks like him, but at times sounds like him,” one fan tweeted. Both men also seem to be incredibly polite to their peers.

That isn’t to say that fans aren’t also enjoying Meyer for his Jeopardy! skills. Given his impressive gameplay, fans are already speculating that he could be this season’s next Tournament of Champions contender. Time will only tell, but it’s clear that Meyer has already made an impression on fans.

While on the show, Meyer also shared an anecdote about a memorable interaction he had with Lady Gaga in his work as a music executive. According to Meyer, while backstage at a concert, Gaga stopped him in his tracks saying, “You! You have great style!”

As Meyer tells it, he was just wearing “a cardigan and shorts,” but something about the ensemble caught the popstar’s eye. “She noticed it, and I’ve been coasting on it ever since!” Meyer joked.

Hopefully, the contestant’s resemblance to Hader is a good omen. Of course, we’re instantly reminded of another Jeopardy! champion who bore a striking resemblance to a famous comedian. Fans also noticed that Professors’ Tournament winner Sam Buttrey looked quite a bit like legendary comedian Steve Martin.

Buttrey even earned a Twitter shout-out from the comedian after his big win. The fan-favorite contestant ended up becoming a finalist in the Tournament of Champions and is even slated to return for the upcoming Jeopardy Masters tournament. Hopefully, Troy Meyer has just as long a Jeopardy! career ahead of him!

It looks like ABC is losing one of its star reporters to rival network CBS. Apparently, award-winning journalist Cecilia Vega will be saying goodbye to ABC after more than ten years and joining CBS’s 60 Minutes.

On Thursday, 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens broke the news. “Cecilia Vega is a sensational reporter and storyteller. I have admired her work for a long, long time and couldn’t be more excited to welcome her to 60 Minutes. Her new colleagues couldn’t agree more,” he said, per CBS News.

Vega issued a statement reading, “This is a dream come true. I am beyond honored to join the ranks of this legendary show and to work alongside the best reporters in journalism.”

On Thursday, Vega celebrated the big news on Instagram. “I am thinking of my grandparents today and everything they worked for. There’s no way they could have even dared to dream about what would come. And here we are. I am so proud to share the news that I am joining @60minutes as a correspondent,” Vega wrote. “I am forever grateful to @abcnews for giving me a front row seat to history. And thank YOU for all the love today. I am moved beyond words.”

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Vega is an extremely seasoned reporter. In 2010, Vega won a Northern California Emmy Award for her work on local ABC news affiliate KGO-TV in San Francisco. The following year, she joined ABC as a Los Angeles-based correspondent. In her nearly 12 years with the network, Vega wore many hats.

Over the last decade, Vega has had a hand in reporting hundreds of landmark stories. She’s anchored several broadcasts from Good Morning America to World News Tonight. Since 2021, she’s served as ABC’s chief White House correspondent.

Notably, she covered Barack Obama’s second inauguration as well as the two succeeding presidential election cycles. Vega earned recognition for her global coverage, reporting on the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster and Pope Francis’ appointment by the papal conclave in 2013. She was also an essential journalist during the COVID-19 pandemic and played an integral role in covering the U.S.-Mexico border crisis on-the-ground in real-time.

According to CBS News, Vega has conducted “hundreds of high-profile interviews,” forever leaving her mark on the journalistic landscape. It’s clear that this development marks the end of an era for ABC and the beginning of one for 60 Minutes.
It seems that Vega is the latest in a slew of seasoned reporters to join CBS. In just the last year, the network has welcomed Robert Costa from The Washington Post and Natalie Morales from NBC News into its ranks. According to CBS News, Vega will officially make the move to 60 Minutes in the spring.

It’s not surprising that there are moments in history people might not want to remember. However, a recent Jeopardy! triple-stumper had some viewers feeling uncomfortable about the origin of the name of Six Flags Theme Park. 

A recent episode saw real estate analyst Alec Wang, high school teacher Erin Portman, and risk manager Vince Bacani face off against each other. All performed admirably, but there was one question that had all three contestants clueless. 

The $800 clue for the category “Six Pack” read, “The ‘Six Flags’ over Texas refer to the entities that have controlled it; sixth is the USA, this was fifth.” All three players were stumped, so host Ken Jennings was the one to reveal the answer: the Confederacy. 

Many viewers were shocked to learn why the theme park was named Six Flags and that the Confederate flag was one of the six eponymous flags. The theme park originated in Texas and was named after the six different nations that have governed the state: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States of America, and the Confederate States of America. 

Six Flags Parks Were Still Flying The Flag In 2017

Shockingly, three of the company’s parks were still flying the Confederate flag as late as 2017. Two of the parks were in Texas, and the other was in Georgia. Initially, park officials at Six Flags Over Texas stated there were no plans to remove the flag, though they changed course shortly afterwards. 

Six Flags didn’t apologize for flying the flag but did release a statement saying, “We’re just choosing to display symbols that everyone can support, that being the American flag. We’re flying all American flags.”

Six Flags Prepares To Open First Overseas Park

Today, the Six Flags Entertainment Corporation owns 20 amusement parks in North America alone and owns the most theme parks and water parks combined of any amusement park company.  

The company also boasts the seventh highest attendance rate in the world, with parks in California, Massachusetts, Illinois, Mexico, and Canada. Six Flags is also currently working on Six Flags Qiddiya, which will be located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and is set to open this year. 

This recent Jeopardy! triple-stumper has clued fans in on the problematic history behind Six Flags’ name, as well as the fact that the Confederate flag was only removed from all of the company’s parks a few years ago. Hopefully, the next round of competitors will brush up on their American/roller coaster history before the game.

On Monday, January 16, Yogesh Raut’s 3-day win streak came to an end. The Illinois native competed admirably but ultimately lost to Katie Palumbo, a museum interpreter from New York. However, instead of sending the Raut off with well-wishes, some fans declared that they weren’t fond of the podcaster. Online, certain fans criticized Raut for appearing to be unsportsmanlike during his recent loss.

However, Raut isn’t taking the criticisms lying down. In a Facebook post that a fan re-posted to the Jeopardy! subreddit, Raut expresses his disappointment with how fans interpreted his behavior. First, he notes that some viewers thought he was too serious and asserts that he made multiple “deliberate attempts to have fun” and often earned big laughs from the audience doing so.

He also takes on people’s criticisms of his “not dressing formally enough.” As Raut explains,the Jeopardy! wardrobe department was responsible for choosing his clothes, and it was unfair to critique him personally for what he was wearing—which you can see below.

Then, Raut gets to the meat of his statement. “Let’s talk here about the criticisms of my ‘sportsmanship,'” Raut begins. “At the end of my first episode, I can very audibly be heard saying ‘Good game’ to the player at the podium next to me. I would have said the same thing to the other player, except the J! set makes it impossible to communicate with the person two podiums (podia?) over from you.”

Raut notes that he did the same thing at the end of his second game, but his audio was muted. He adds that still-existing COVID measures make it even harder for him to communicate with his competitors. Before COVID, Raut points out,  it was common for contestants to shake hands at the end of the game. Now, physical contact is heavily discouraged.

Finally, Raut addresses his final Jeopardy! game. According to Raut, just because he didn’t congratulate Palumbo on camera, people shouldn’t assume he didn’t give her his well-wishes off-camera. “[Jeopardy!] is shot in an assembly-line fashion, and contestants get separated and whisked away fairly quickly,” Raut notes before explaining that, before he was escorted out, he went up to Palumbo to congratulate her personally.

All of this is to say that Raut is urging fans not to judge contestants so quickly. The truth is, as audience members, we only witness a small portion of the contestants’ interactions. While we grow to care about so many of these people and root for them to win, we certainly don’t know them well enough to criticize them as people.

Titanic is still one of the most beloved movies of all time, so it’s no surprise that the filmmakers are going all out for the 25th anniversary of its release. The movie will return to theaters in honor of the milestone, but a poster intended to drum up excitement for the event has fans more focused on Kate Winslet’s hairstyle. 

James Cameron’s Titanic was released in 1997 and quickly became one of the highest-grossing films of all time. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Winslet, Titanic scooped up dozens of awards, including Golden Globes, Grammys, and an Oscar. 

Titanic was rereleased in 2012 in 3D and in 2017 to mark the 20th anniversary, so it’s no surprise that Paramount is putting it back in theaters to celebrate 25 years of the beloved movie. 

A poster was released to announce the film’s return to theaters, letting fans know Titanic will be back on the big screen February 10. While this was exciting news, many people were distracted by the photo of Winslet used on the movie poster. 

Fans Can’t Help But Notice Winslet’s Confusing Hairstyle

The poster features a shot of DiCaprio and Winslet embracing, with the actress’ face turned to the side. People immediately pointed out that she has two extremely different hairstyles on either side of her head. On one side, her red hair is loose and natural; on the other, it’s pinned into a curly updo. 

The comments quickly filled with people pointing out how strange Winslet’s hair looked and questioning why the poster’s designer decided to photoshop two different styles on the actress. 

“why is her hair in two different hairstyles” one user replied. “Who was in charge of the poster? I could do better with Picart” another confused fan commented.

One person tried to give an explanation, writing, “it’s bc she was wearing a fancy up-do that fell down as the movie progressed.” They went on to explain that the hair is still halfway pulled up, with all the hair that’s come undone pushed over to one side. The writer also pointed out that Winslet has the same hairstyle on the original movie poster. 

The stark white background of the 25th anniversary poster has made Winslet’s confusing hairstyle way more noticeable, which explains why it’s gone viral. The slightly silly poster definitely won’t have an impact on the rerelease’s box office totals, though.

Original fans can’t wait to relive their first time seeing the movie, while new fans are excited for the chance to see Titanic on the big screen!

As Fox News continues to embrace its comedic side with late-night talk show Gutfeld!, CNN is reportedly looking to hire a comedian to helm a new late-night political comedy show on the network. This news comes as Chris Licht, a former executive producer at The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, approaches the one-year mark since taking over Jeff Zucker’s post as CNN’s chairman and CEO. According to The Hill, these are the names topping the network’s list of potential hosts to deal with the absence of Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon.

Jon Stewart

To any fan of political satire, Jon Stewart seems like an obvious choice to helm a politically-tinged comedy news show. That is for the sheer fact that Stewart hosted The Daily Show, Comedy Central’s premiere late-night satirical news show, for 16 years. During those years, Stewart helped shape the world of late-night political satire and earned multiple Peabody Awards.

His show also served as a launching pad for the careers of Stephen Colbert, Steve Carrell, and John Oliver, all of whom served as satirical correspondents. However, we doubt Stewart would find a deal with CNN attractive. Back in 2020, Stewart embraced the safety net of the streaming world by signing a multi-year deal with Apple TV+. He currently hosts the show The Problem with Jon Stewart.

Bill Maher

At the same time that Jon Stewart’s Daily Show was gaining momentum, Bill Maher was making headlines with his show Politically Incorrect. The award-winning program was far more divisive than the Daily Show, and was eventually canceled in 2002. However, Maher landed on his feet. In 2003, Maher was picked up by HBO and began his show Real Time with Bill Maher. Maher’s comedic style is characterized by his blunt, unforgiving social commentary.

Still, Maher doesn’t seem like a likely candidate for CNN’s new show. Real Time is very much still active, and the show will celebrate 20 years on-air next month.

Trevor Noah

Finally, The Hill notes that CNN could reach out to Trevor Noah, another former Daily Show host. This is an interesting suggestion seeing that Noah just left his position at Comedy Central back in December. At the time, Noah cited his desire for a better work-life balance, as well as the possibility of pursuing another stand-up tour.

For this reason, we don’t see the comedian rushing to CNN. With that being said, anything is possible. Considering that Noah is the only free agent among the suggested names, it seems like he could still be the most likely option.

Overall, we know very little about CNN’s new prospect. We’re sure that Stewart, Maher, and Noah are not the only names that the network is willing to consider. However, we’ll certainly be keeping our eyes peeled for any updates on CNN’s venture into comedy.

Jeopardy! contestants are memorable for many reasons—from aggressive gameplay styles to an impressive recall of trivia, many players make their mark on viewers. One recent competitor is earning attention for an entirely different reason, though: his hair!

Jimmy Davoren is a California teacher who competed on a recent episode of Jeopardy! Davoren didn’t end up winning (a risky bet during Final Jeopardy left him with $0), but he did make an impression on viewers. 

Many Jeopardy! fans were struck by Davoren’s long, voluminous blond hair. Some wondered what his haircare routine was, and the Californian took to Reddit to answer fans’ questions about his hairstyle. 

“My hair is naturally super thick,” he wrote. “I use Prose shampoo and conditioner every day now, but at the time of taping—that is pure Head & Shoulders Clinical Strength, baby.” Prose is a vegan custom shampoo that is tailored to each customer’s hair needs and type with a simple quiz. Fans loved his answer, with many commenting on his thread. 

“Thank you for your locks. They livened up the stage,” one person wrote. “Call me shallow but I saw your hair in the preview at the end of Friday’s episode and said ‘I’m rooting for that guy already,’” someone else laughed. 

Another fan wrote, “Dude! I was crushing on your hair so hard! It made it hard to focus on the game!!” Someone else even asked follow-up questions about his use of Prose, then laughed, “I can’t believe I’m asking haircare questions in a Jeopardy sub[reddit].”

Another praised him for his “amazing hair,” adding, “And as far as hair of contestants go, you will be the Ken Jennings of Jeopardy hair. Legendary.” Davoren replied, “I only started growing it out last school year due to the hectic schedule of work with a young child. It was shaggy for a bit and then suddenly… suddenly, my wife wouldn’t let me cut it, haha.”

Davoren didn’t end up winning big during his time on Jeopardy! but he put up a good fight against his competitors. He played against Katie Palumbo, a museum interpreter from New York, and Yogesh Raut, a writer and podcast who was on a three-day winning streak. 

Even though Raut was a returning champ, Palumbo took home the title in a close race to the finish. She ended the episode with $23,100, while Raut came in a close second with $22,801. Davoren might not be on a winning streak, but Jeopardy! fans will always remember that impressive head of hair!

Madonna fans, rejoice! The legendary pop star is touring for the first time since 2019, and people around the world can’t wait to see her perform. However, some have wondered if her 2023 tour will suffer from the same issues that plagued her 2019 Madame X tour. 

The “Material Girl” singer announced her upcoming Celebration tour by removing all posts from her Instagram account. She then uploaded a black-and-white video of herself sitting around a dinner table with stars like Amy Schumer, Jack Black, Lil Wayne, and Judd Apatow. 

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In the video, the group is playing Truth or Dare, and Schumer ends up daring Madonna to go on a world tour. Madonna accepts, and the dinner party devolves into a dance party. The singer then addresses the camera, telling fans she’ll be playing hits from the last four decades. 

Why The ‘Madame X’ Tour Was Problematic

This is the first tour Madonna has been on since 2019, when she performed in support of her fourteenth studio album, Madame X. Madonna always puts on an amazing show, but this tour was plagued by issues that led some fans to file a class action lawsuit against the pop star. 

One of the biggest problems was her tardiness—at a Las Vegas show with a 10:30 p.m. start time, Madonna didn’t go onstage until 12:30 a.m. After a Miami concert was also pushed back two hours, one man filed a lawsuit against Madonna and unsuccessfully tried to get a refund for his tickets. 

In addition to tardiness, Madonna was also forced to cancel many shows due to a recurring knee injury. “I have to listen to my body And accept that my pain is a warning I want to say how deeply sorry I am to all my fans,” she wrote in an Instagram post announcing the cancellations. 

There were also complaints about the setlist for the tour. The shows primarily featured songs from Madame X and were light on her greatest hits. Many concert-goers were disappointed that they didn’t get to hear singles like “Material Girl” or “Like A Virgin.”

Even though Madonna’s last tour had its issues, it seems unlikely that fans will have to worry too much about these problems this time around. The Celebration tour is a greatest hits tour, so Madonna will definitely sing all the big songs people want to hear. She also won’t be dealing with a knee injury anymore.

Madonna is one of the greatest performers of the last few decades, so the pop star is sure to put on some amazing shows on this tour!

Earlier this month, ABC announced the exciting news that it had yet another new Jeopardy! spin-off show in the works. Up until now, we only knew who would be competing, but we didn’t know the mechanics of this brand new tournament. On January 16, Jeopardy! executive producer Michael Davies gave us the inside scoop on Jeopardy Masters.

On Monday’s episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, Davies revealed that the new primetime Jeopardy! show will consist of 10 one-hour episodes hosted by the one and only Ken Jennings. According to Davies, his goal with Masters is to create Jeopardy!‘s very own annual Super Bowl-style event.

As producer Sarah Foss explained, each hour-long show will consist of “two half-hour games,” meaning we’ll see two different 3-player matchups each episode. “We’ve experimented with a few different formats since I’ve joined Jeopardy!… but we felt that the true test of our ‘Jeopardy Masters’ would be to repeatedly face each other.”

Davies continued: “ABC wanted 10 episodes, and they wanted 10 hours, and we figured out that over 10 hours, if we did two half-hour games back-to-back, which would give us 20 games, 20 games would be the perfect combination to have all six of our top players play each other in every combination.”

However, this won’t be two typical Jeopardy! games back-to-back. According to Davies, the game will follow a “league-based system,” meaning that with every win a player achieves, they’ll go up in the rankings. As Davies notes, wins are important here. The show will reportedly follow a “points-based system” rather than the traditional money count. The executive producer thinks this method “will truly unearth who is the Jeopardy master.”

That’s not the only news that Davies came to share, though. While appearing on the podcast, Davies also announced yet another new Jeopardy! tournament in the works. “Qualifying for Jeopardy Masters will be a combination of the TOC winner from next year and a new tournament, which we have not scheduled yet, but we are committing to verbally today, which is the JIT, the ‘Jeopardy Invitational Tournament,’ where we will be inviting back past champions, past great players, players from previous seasons.”

It seems like this new competition will, in future seasons, precede the Masters championship. “The winner of [the ‘Invitational Tournament’], and perhaps the second place finisher, will themselves qualify for Masters.” However, since this year’s Masters will likely kick off before the first Invitational, lower-ranking Masters competitors will get a second chance in the upcoming Invitational.

According to Davies, their goal is to expand the Jeopardy! post-season universe, building up the ultimate “Jeopardy! pyramid.” While all of these new shows are a bit hard to imagine right now, it’s clear that producers are working to completely transform Jeopardy! into the world’s premiere trivia competition.

Viewers of Jeopardy! are always learning something from the clues and questions that contestants have to answer, from historical facts to pop culture gossip. One episode of the game show gave some fans another bit of information: a potential vacation spot! 

Contestants on the December 7, 2022, Jeopardy! episode had to answer questions from a category titled “Peaks and Valleys.” Host Ken Jennings read off one clue, accompanied by a photo, that intrigued some viewers.

“An underground wonderland, Virginia’s Luray Caverns are located in this scenic valley,” he told players, while showing a beautiful picture of the natural wonder. Tammy Groner correctly answered, “What’s the Shenandoah?” 

Groner might have gotten this clue before the other players, but contestant Ron Cheung was the night’s big winner. The economics professor took home $19,599 and got to move on to the next round. 

The players moved on to other categories and questions, but we were still thinking about the caverns. The Virginia landmark is a tourist destination and, as pointed out during its moment on Jeopardy!, it’s a must-see vacation spot in the States. So, what makes the Luray Caverns so special?

The cavern system, discovered in 1878, is full of geological marvels like stalagmites, stalactites, and large natural columns, as well as beautiful mirrored pools of water. One of the most famous attractions is the Great Stalacpipe Organ, which taps the cave’s rock formations to make musical sounds. The caverns cover 1.5 miles and attract thousands of visitors every year. 

Why The Shenandoah Valley Is The Perfect Vacation Spot

The Luray Caverns aren’t the only natural landmark people can see in the Shenandoah Valley. The region of Northern Virginia spans 140 miles, with the Blue Ridge Mountains on one side and the Alleghenies on the other. 

The area’s greatest asset is the Shenandoah National Park, where visitors can hike and go for scenic drives. The experience is all the more peaceful due to the fact that commercial trucks are not allowed on roads like Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway. You can even stay in some of the most picturesque cabins we’ve ever seen that are yards away from the park.

The Appalachian Trail also runs through Shenandoah Valley, attracting both day-hikers and people determined to travel the entire trail. For those who don’t like to hike, you can canoe, kayak, or float in an innertube down one of the valley’s many rivers. 
Most people don’t watch Jeopardy! for travel tips, but the recent clue about Luray Caverns has viewers considering a trip to the Shenandoah Valley to see the famous caves and enjoy the beautiful views.

It looks like T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach are gearing up for a legal battle with Good Morning America. The anchors, who started a workplace romance last year, have hired two powerhouse attornies to potentially sue the morning show for taking them off the air. 

T.J. Holmes And Amy Robach Lawyer Up

The anchors were taken off the air a few weeks after news of their affair broke, and it looks like the pair fears a permanent firing. TMZ reported that they have both employed lawyers who specialize in civil and celebrity cases. 

Robach hired Andrew Brettler, who is considered one of the best civil lawyers in Hollywood, while Holmes partnered with Eric George, who has worked on many celebrity cases.

Since the anchors have not officially been fired, no lawsuits have been filed, but the outlet reported that Brettler and George are doing preliminary work to figure out what GMA might be planning. 

TMZ reported that both lawyers have asked the network one big question: “Has ABC ever used the morals or conduct clause to fire or discipline 2 consenting adults at equal levels when both were white?” 

According to their sources, this would be the first time GMA invoked this clause. Under the circumstances—a mixed-race couple—this element would add a new dimension to any wrongful termination lawsuits Robach and Holmes might file. 

A Timeline Of Their Relationship

Holmes and Robach began co-hosting the third hour of GMA in 2020 and became fast friends, bantering on air and posting photos of each other on social media. They traveled together for the show and trained for a marathon, and fans loved how close the pair seemed to be. 

In November of 2022, photos surfaced of Holmes and Robach on trips and at restaurants. The reason the pictures made headlines? In the photos, the two were holding hands—in one, Holmes was touching Robach’s backside. 

The pictures and story went viral, with many hypothesizing that both anchors ended their respective marriages for the other; both Holmes and Robach separated from their spouses around the same time, but were still legally married when they struck up their relationship. 

Robach and Holmes have not been let go from GMA, but their lengthy hiatus from the show makes many think the pair will be permanently fired by the network for the workplace romance. Their decision to hire lawyers seems like a pretty big clue that a legal battle might be coming. 

If you didn’t get a chance to see the January 12 episode of Jeopardy!, then you seriously missed out! As hardcore Jeopardy! fans later pointed out, Thursday’s competitors managed to correctly answer each of the show’s 61 clues.

Usually, there will be a few clues that manage to go over all three contestants’ heads. In the Jeopardy! world, we call these “triple-stumpers,” and they occur in nearly every game.

However, on Thursday, there wasn’t a single triple-stumper to be seen. On Thursday’s episode, contestants Yogesh Raut, Kyle Daly, and Kristina Mosley faced off in a game for the Jeopardy! record books.

The game show is split into three rounds. The first two, Jeopardy and Double Jeopardy, feature boards each consisting of 30 clues. Then, in Final Jeopardy, the contestants each attempt to answer one final clue. So, altogether, players are faced with a cumulative 61 clues.

According to J! Archive, the average number of correct responses in season 38 was about 50. So, it’s no small feat for contestants to knock each and every clue off of the board.

That’s not to say that there weren’t some incorrect answers. In fact, Yogesh Raut was the only one to answer the Final Jeopardy clue correctly. However, in Thursday’s game, every time a contestant gave a wrong answer, another was able to buzz in with the correct one.

It’s An Extremely Rare Occurrence

In response to a recap of the January 12 game, one fan pointed out how amazing the contestants’ performances truly were. “Correct me if I’m wrong but I do believe this is the first time in Jeopardy! History that all 61 clues have been answered correctly and that there were 0 triple stumpers,” one fan wrote.

While the fan was right to recognize how astounding the gameplay was, it certainly wasn’t the first. In response, another fan pointed out two other times contestants answered all 61 clues correctly.

The first one was a 1992 game won by Jerome Vered. The other was a 1993 game won by Mike Boyd. In that game, all three contestants even managed to correctly answer the Final Jeopardy round.

Of course, many more fans chimed in with other perfect 61-correct-answer games. However, one pointed out that this most recent one seems to be the first since this 1998 won by Chris Ward. It just goes to show that when a fan base is made up of die-hard trivia lovers, almost every day is record-setting!

Jeopardy! fans enjoy being able to connect with contestants who appear on the quiz show. Although each episode begins with a quick introduction of each player, their individual personalities shine through during the break when the host shares a fun fact about each contestant. While most people share what they will do if they win the show, a player recently revealed a fun fact about themselves that terrified their opponents!

On January 12, Kristina Mosley, Kyle Daly, and returning champion Yogesh Raut competed on the quiz show. As Jennings talked to each contestant during the break, both Mosley and Daly shared a fun fact about their pets.

Mosley was up first and remarked that she would have the DNA tested of all three of her cats. When asked by Jennings what she’ll do with this information, the contestant admitted, “I don’t know.”

Jennings then moved on to Daly who talked about his pet rabbits. Turns out, his rabbits are moderately famous as they have posed for National Geographic (well, featured online).

Jennings then spoke with the returning champion, who had won $41,601 the previous day. When asked to share a fun fact about himself, Raut made a startling revelation that surprised everyone, including the other players!

Back in 2014, Yogesh competed in what he referred to as the “Smartypants Competition.” Apparently, the contestant competed in the final round with Jennings and Brad Rutter, who is the second highest-earning game show contestant of all time just behind the Jeopardy! host.

As the player shared, “When the competition was over, I was the winner, which makes me the second entity to beat the two of you in a live buzzer quizzing competition. And the first that’s a carbon-based life form.”

The Only Person To Beat Both Two Legends

Of course, Yogesh was referring to the Jeopardy! competition between Jennings, Rutter, and Watson, a supercomputer. Although Jennings was certain that a computer couldn’t hold a candle to a human playing the game, Watson beat both human contestants. In fact, the super computer ended up with a score of $77,147, more than triple of Jennings who came in second place with $24,000.

Learning that Raut had beat both Jennings and Rutter was certainly intimidating news for both Mosley and Daly. But was it concerning enough for them to tap out of the game? Not quite, although neither of them answered the final clue correctly. Of course, Raut knew that, “What is the Bayeux Tapestry?” is the correct response to, “The artwork once known in France as ‘La Tapisserie De La Reine Mathilde’ is better known as this.” 

Despite his status as the only person to beat both Jennings and Rutter, Raut didn’t end up topping Jennings’ winnings. Fortunately, he played four great games and established himself as a gracious and persistent competitor during his time on the show.

For casual viewers, a game-winning Jeopardy! strategy seems pretty straightforward—solve the clues. However, fans of the game show know there’s a lot more to it, which is why one contestant’s game strategy has been making waves. 

The Player That’s Breaking Buzz-In Records

Yogesh Raut, a blogger, podcaster, and freelance writer, went on a three-game winning streak. Recent episodes have shown Raut deftly solving the clues, but there’s something else that set him apart from his fellow contestants: his buzzer technique. 

Raut averaged 55.5 buzzer attempts per game until he lost his fourth game, which brought his average to 53. For comparison, the average Jeopardy! player buzzes in somewhere between 30 to 40 times. One of the only other contestants that has come close to Raut’s numbers is Ray Lalonde, who once buzzed in 52 times. No other average comes close.

During the January 12 game, Raut attempted to buzz in 55 times and succeeded 33 of those times. The performance contributed to something the Jeopardy! record books took note of—the game saw all 61 clues solved correctly, with Raut knocking out more than half of them.

A handful of other players have reached buzz-in numbers in the 50s, but it’s an outlier and not an average. Raut blew the other contestants’ average buzz-in attempts out of the water, and some think it’s why he also outperformed his competitors. 

By confidently buzzing in for almost every single clue, Raut racked up prize money at a very high rate. He ultimately finished with an impressive $96,403 in winnings. Of course, his buzz-in rate isn’t the only thing helping him win. 

In addition to being consistent with his buzzer, Raut also clearly has a wide and diverse knowledge of trivia that allows him to try to answer every single clue. His correct answers, plus his non-stop buzzer technique, has allowed Raut to dominate the game. However, as some fans pointed out, the high number could also be a sign that Raut’s actual buzzing technique and speed were lacking, something he’s been criticized for since his start.

Some Were More Than Impressed With Raut’s Run

Fans definitely took notice of Raut’s strategy. “56 is absolutely absurd—I can’t find anyone else who had that many attempts,” one Reddit user wrote of the contestant’s buzz-in attempts. 

Another Redditor pointed out that the high number of buzz-ins also indicates how much a contestant knows, calling it “the best proxy we have for how many clues a contestant knows.” They continued, “His 56 attempts (which appears to be a Jeopardata-era record) with only one incorrect response makes it clear that Yogesh knew nearly all the material on this board, which is hugely refreshing.”

When playing Jeopardy!, it’s obvious that a contestant has to have a masterful command of trivia and facts. There are other things to consider, though, and Raut’s record-breaking performance has shown the importance of buzzing in quickly and often. After his narrow loss in his fourth game, however, it’s clear that Jeopardy! is still anyone’s game.

Devotees of American Pickers love this folksy History Channel reality show. They liked seeing Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz trekking across the nation, scouring outbuildings, homes, sheds and other nooks and crannies for interesting items of value that they could resell or add to their own collections of offbeat Americana.

The program, which debuted on January 18, 2010, quickly became a big hit and has also done well in Australia. The fun is in seeing what the hosts will unearth next and who they will meet on their travels.

On July 21, 2021, the History Channel announced that Fritz was departing American Pickers. He was reportedly fired from the show. People are curious about how he has been faring since then and if he has a wife or girlfriend. Here is Fritz’s romance run-down as we know it.

Frank Fritz Had A Serious Relationship With Diann Bankson

Fritz, who was born on October 11, 1965 in Davenport, Iowa, was seeing a woman named Diann Bankson. The two had a contentious, on-again, off-again relationship for years when he was 25, 35, and 55.

There was buzz going around in 2016 from fans who thought the duo might have tied the knot already, according to Distractify.

What gave rise to the rumors was a Facebook post from December 2016 that has since been taken down. The post had a snap of Bankson, her daughter, and the daughter’s young child. Fritz called the baby “his granddaughter.”

He explained the remark to clear up any confusion about his marital status, stating, “Diann’s family is my family. It is great being Grandpa Frank! I love my girls.”

The Sun reported that the two got engaged in 2017 and that they shared his farmhouse in Iowa.

Their Relationship Seems To Have Come To A Tumultuous End

Bankson claimed that she caught Fritz cheating on her in November 2018, The Sun stated. They supposedly later reconciled.

In 2021, The Sun noted that Bankson said, “I don’t care to have drama or chaos in my life, I’m just trying to heal right now. It’s been two years, I’m ready to move on.” That statement suggests that the couple split in 2019.

She sued Fritz for $50,000 for negligence on January 27, 2020, according to The Sun after an incident involving fireworks allegedly left her with third-degree burns. Bankson asserted that Fritz and a pal were igniting fireworks at Fritz’s farmhouse. The Sun reported that she claimed that they “had been drinking.”

Bankson said she went inside the farmhouse. According to her, the men placed a firework that they were unable to activate inside “a closed cylinder vintage ashtray” and attempted to ignite it again. The troublesome firework was supposedly left in that ashtray.

When Bankson used the ashtray with the firework in it to smoke a cigarette, she claimed it exploded, resulting in third-degree burns on her arm and hand, plus damage to her eyebrows and eyelashes.

She claimed Fritz would not bring her to the hospital for medical treatment, supposedly telling her to “toughen up.” Bankson reportedly dismissed the lawsuit on March 19, 2020.

In 2021, as The Sun reported, Fritz accused her of cheating on him. He claimed he had been ready to march down the aisle with Bankson. Fritz said, “I was going to get married, I bought a house and a big expensive ring, and then I find out my fiancée had been dating somebody else for two and a half years. “

He added, “She’s the cheater, that’s why I got a tattoo saying ‘Once a cheater always a cheater.’ I got the tattoo two years ago just to remind myself not to make the same mistake again. She cost me six figures.”

Fritz went on to state, “I do not need to spend one minute of my day thinking about anything to do with her. I’m no angel, but neither is she.”

Fritz reportedly told The Sun that he had been in alcohol rehab at the Abbey Center in Bettendorf, Iowa. He spent 77 days there.

He seemingly placed some of the blame for his drinking problem on Bankson and their breakup. “The main problem was this girlfriend I had, I thought I was getting married and I bought a brand new house. Then I found out that all the time while I was on the road, she had a boyfriend back here.”

Fritz continued, “It hurt my feelings, my self-esteem and my whole world. I gave it a good shot, I tried to drink her away. I never drank that much before.”

Fritz Currently Seems To Be Single

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A post shared by Frank Fritz (@frankfritz_)

Fritz doesn’t have much of a footprint on social media at this time, so it’s challenging to know about his romantic life. He hasn’t posted on Instagram since 2018, but there is no evidence to indicate that he has a new ladylove.

Frank Fritz became a fan favorite on American Pickers, then his professional and personal life seemed to go haywire. Health and relationship difficulties beset him. This popular TV personality is hopefully back on track now and ready to find lasting, loving companionship with the right gal.

Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? Jeopardy! recently announced its upcoming “Jeopardy Masters” tournament. Now, some fans are worried that the show is sacrificing quality in a desperate bid to recapture that “Tournament of Champions” magic.

On January 11, Deadline broke the news that ABC has ordered yet another new primetime Jeopardy! spin-off show. The show, which has yet to receive a release date, has been christened the Jeopardy Masters event and will bring back six very familiar faces.

It’s being widely reported that the show will feature the “six highest-ranked, current Jeopardy! contestants,” although its unclear what “ranking” this is referring to—it certainly isn’t the show’s Leaderboard of Legends. What we do know is that fan-favorite contestants Amy Schneider, Matt Amodio, Mattea Roach, Andrew He, Sam Buttrey, and James Holzhauer will all be returning to the Jeopardy! stage.

Save for Holzhauer, these contestants just competed in the 2022 Tournament of Champions. Given the champions’ swift return to the show, fans are skeptical of this Jeopardy Masters lineup.

Fans Question ‘Jeopardy Masters’ Lineup

No one is disputing that each of these players deserves a spot in a show like this; however, fans have questioned the timing of their return. To many, it looks like the show is playing it safe by bringing back the most recent fan favorites.

“This is not AT ALL saying that the 6 contestants picked don’t deserve it or we won’t immensely enjoy watching them play. But we JUST saw 5 of them play (and 3 of them play each other 6x!),” one fan tweeted.

“The 2022 ToC was incredible and it seems like they are trying to recapture that magic with a remix. There’s a reason why reboots and sequels are so popular! We love the original and want more! But it’s a delicate balance and hope they will go back past S38 for future tourneys.”

The announcement is even more jarring when you realize how many great players the show passed up for the new tournament. Sam Kavanaugh, who won the 2021 Tournament of Champions, even expressed his disappointment at not receiving an invite.

“Well, seeing the news today that I am not invited to the Jeopardy Masters was a bit of a gut punch. Nothing is ever guaranteed so I wasn’t planning on it, but because every other ToC winner in history was invited to a subsequent tourney, I was planning *for* it,” the champion tweeted.

Kavanaugh went on to say that he will definitely be tuning in for the show, but the omission still stings.

The bright side is that, since Jeopardy Masters likely won’t be a one-time deal, we will certainly see a broader group of champions in future iterations. Here’s hoping we see great players like Kavanaugh return to the Jeopardy! stage soon!

CNN is gearing up for some major changes this year. The network’s chairman and CEO has announced that viewers can expect new things from CNN, from where anchors report from to adding more content to late-afternoon programming. 

CNN CEO Says Goal Is To ‘Reflect [Their] Energy On Air’

It looks like CNN wants to shake things up at the outlet and get reporters out of their comfort zones. This would mean taking anchors out from behind the desk in the studio and instead show them reporting in real time. 

“The goal we have is to take an incredible newsgathering operation that has so much information coming in at all hours from all over the world, and, in an authentic way, reflect that energy on air,” Chris Licht, the chairman and CEO of CNN, explained. 

Network Will Experiment With Visuals, Field Reporting

The reason for this change? During this month’s coverage of the election of the U.S. Speaker of the House, CNN experimented with new formats. One of them was increasing interactions between anchors in the studio and reporters in the field, which viewers really responded to—according to Variety, CNN drew larger audiences of viewers ages 25–54 than their rivals. 

“Our anchors are journalists, and some of the excitement and energy you saw was from people sitting on the set and reporting as they were anchoring,” Licht said of the format change. He didn’t divulge much about what CNN is planning for the coming year, but there are some theories. 

Sources have reported that CNN is thinking about implementing a “newsroom headquarters” concept, where viewers would see multiple on-air personalities on the screen at once. Some of those people would be behind the traditional desk, while others would be out in the field reporting live. 

Other Changes Licht Has Implemented

This plan would affect the timing of some of CNN’s programming. This new format would most likely not show up in morning content; instead, viewers would see it in late-afternoon programs. 

It makes sense that Licht would want to shake things up at the network. He recently joined CNN and has already made some changes to revamp the channel, including cutting back on documentary programming to telling anchors they couldn’t drink on the air during the New Year’s Eve broadcast. CNN has made no announcements about any concrete plans for their 2023 programming, but it seems like viewers can expect a lot of changes at the network.

One of Judy Blume’s most famous books, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, is finally coming to the big screen! Although Blume has rejected several offers to adapt her book for nearly 50 years, the beloved author finally sold the film rights to the delight of fans around the world. While we wait on the movie to be released later this spring, the first images of the film have just been released.

There are few books that captivate and accurately detail tween life. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret best epitomizes the painful lows of childhood while celebrating the blissful highs and everything in between. Although readers have waited on pins and needles to see a film adaptation of the book since the novel was released in 1970, fans only have a few more months to wait.

The movie adaptation of the childhood classic is set to be released in theaters on April 28. The film is sure to be a hit with an ensemble cast that features Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Benny Safdie, and rising star Abby Ryder Fortson. Plus, with Blume’s seal of approval, the movie is destined to be a fan favorite.

Since casting began in 2021, Blume has shared her excitement for the movie adaptation. As she tweeted, “It’s really happening! Exciting to see the cast come together. Off to a great start with Abby and Rachel.”

Over 50 Years Later, It’s Still A Quintessential Book

Forston plays the title role in the movie, Margaret Simon. In the book, Margaret finds herself estranged from her New York life when she moves with her family to the suburbs of New Jersey. At the same time, Margaret is also experiencing all the changes in life that puberty has to offer for tweens—having your first crush, a changing body, and clashing with your parents.

On top of typical tween encounters, the 11-year-old girl is also on a quest to discover her religious identity. Since her mother Barbara (played by Adams) is Christian and her father Herb (portrayed by Safdie) is Jewish, the tween wants to find God for herself. Of course, Margaret constantly consults with God about her struggles in the most honest way.

Margaret’s grandmother, Sylvia, also plays on important role in Margaret’s faith quest. As a Jewish woman, Sylvia (played by Bates in the movie) hopes that Margaret will choose Judaism for herself. However, as the 11 year old searches for the religion that’s right for her, Sylvia respects the tween’s wishes.

The book was a classic for Generation X and has continued to be a favorite for subsequent generations. With a star-studded cast and two thumbs up from Blume, we’re looking forward to film’s release!

There’s no doubt that Colin Farrell has had a remarkable career. The actor has come a long way from his humble start on Irish TV and is expected to receive his first Oscar nomination this year for his film The Banshees of Inisherin. However, his 20-some-odd years in Hollywood haven’t been without missteps. During a recent edition of The Hollywood Reporter‘s “Actors Roundtable,” Farrell looked back at one of his biggest career disappointments.

Colin Farrell Warns ‘Expectation Is A Dangerous Thing’

Every awards season, The Hollywood Reporter wrangles some of the most buzzed-about people in the film industry for its “Roundtable” discussions. In its most recent “Actors Roundtable,” an interviewer picked the actors’ brains for their unique perspectives on their professions.

After noting that two of the present actors—Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan—recently returned to acting after taking fairly long hiatuses, the interviewer turned to Colin Farrell.

He asked the actor if there was ever a time that he considered taking a step back from acting, specifically referring to the 2004 box-office disaster Alexander. “Expectation is a dangerous thing,” Farrell begins. “When I say expectations, we all had our tuxedos ready. I’m not even joking…we were all like ‘Right lads, we’re off to the Oscars! This is a sure thing.'”

Farrell Recalls Feeling ‘So Much Shame’

Despite the film’s clear ambitions and Farrell’s expectations, Alexander managed to barely make back its $155 million budget. There certainly wasn’t any awards buzz. In fact, critics questioned why Farrell was cast in the role at all. “I felt so much shame,” Farrell remembers. “I found myself in a place where, with everyone I met, I wanted to say ‘Have you seen Alexander? If you have, I am really sorry.'”

According to the actor, he started experiencing a serious case of imposter syndrome. “After that, I did question. I went ‘I’m just sh*te at it…I’m just a crap actor, I’ve been found out.'” He notes having to reconnect with the curiosity he used to have with his profession before he could move forward.

Thankfully, Farrell managed to find his footing again. His next role was in the Academy Award-nominated film The New World, and he went on to win a Golden Globe for the film In Bruges. Now, as the actor rakes in the accolades for his critically-acclaimed film Banshees of Inisherin, the 2004 historical drama seems like a distant memory.

The reviews are in: a toddler is a definitive expert in critiquing scented candles! Sunday Kramer has a nose for candles and is melting hearts on TikTok with her honest critiques. If you’re in the market for scented candles, be sure to watch this toddler’s amazing reviews before purchasing your next aromatic piece.

Sunday has been “melting hearts all over the world” since making her TikTok debut. The Dallas-based TikTok star first showed up on the platform back in December 2021. At first, her mother Bri Kramer posted videos of Sunday doing typical toddler activities.

All that changed a few months ago when Bri first posted a video of her daughter smelling candles. The candle critique video went viral and currently has 5.8 million views.

Immediately, the young toddler’s scented preferences became a hit. As one TikToker said, “Her opinion is the only thing that matters… I’d be buying the one she approved of.” Another person commented, “Pls if I were a candle maker and she didn’t like my candle I would quit tbh.”

A Toddler That Has A Nose For The Job

Sunday obviously has a nose for the job. She even sniffs the candles like a pro! Think you need to put the entire candle jar in your face to get the best scent? Apparently, there’s a better way.

The young toddler is teaching people the proper sniffing technique. Instead of smelling the entire jar, simply use the cloche, the glass surrounding the candle, when available.

RELATED: You’re Probably Burning Your Candles Wrong: 5 Tips To Prolong Your Favorite Scents

“Wait is that how you’re supposed to smell the candles??” one TikToker asked in response to one of Sunday’s videos. “I’ve just been lifting them and shoving my face down to the candle level.”

The toddler’s professional technique is also apparent in how she mindfully smells the candle and then takes a moment before responding. Plus, Sunday isn’t afraid to give an honest review. Sometimes she provides a simple, “Yes.” Other times she responds with, “No more [of] that.”

So what types of scents does Sunday typically appreciate? Her videos reveal that cinnamon, vanilla, and woodsy smells are some of her favorites. On the other hand, the toddler isn’t a fan of fruity or floral scents.

The toddler also has very expensive tastes! Some of her favorites include candles that are upwards of $100, including a $135 Jo Malone candle, “Glowing Embers.” But don’t worry, most of the other candles she reviews are much more reasonably priced.

Next time you’re in the market for a candle, be sure to check out Sunday’s reviews!

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Before there was YouTube, before there was MTV, there were variety shows. In the 1970s, variety shows were quintessential viewing for music lovers and often featured performances from the top artists of the time. At the time, Cher and her then-husband Sonny Bono were the clear king and queen of variety programs. However, when the couple separated in 1975, Cher began starring in her own variety show, aptly titled Cher.

The program only ran for two seasons, but it wasn’t for lack of popularity. During its run, Cher was the most-watched variety show and ranked 22nd among all other programs on TV at the time. It featured countless performances from now-legendary musicians with Cher usually participating. Here are some of the most bizarre, dazzling, and quintessentially ’70s performances from the iconic syndication.

David Bowie

If you want to see two legends at work, look no further than David Bowie’s iconic performance with Cher. The two powerhouses performed Bowie’s song “Young Americans.” During the six-minute performance, Cher and Bowie danced around the stage in nearly matching ensembles. Cher wore a massive red wig, nearly the same color as Bowie’s own hair. It’s a joy to look back at two legendary artists so in their element. If you can handle the level of star power, you’ll want to revisit this iconic performance.

The Osmonds

In possibly the most ’70s performance in existence, Cher performed a Stevie Wonder medley with family pop group The Osmonds. For the performance, The Osmonds donned matching purple, red, and white jumpsuits. Cher coordinated in her own ab-baring ensemble as well. This was truly peak ’70s fashion, right down to their matching hairstyles and eerily white-toothed smiles. For a performance that’s sure to take you back in time, you’ll want to give this one a re-watch!

The Jackson Five

Before Michael Jackson became the King of Pop, he performed with his family in the band The Jackson Five. In 1975, the group appeared on Cher for an energetic and pitch-perfect performance. Even back then, it was clear that Michael Jackson would go far. With his stellar voice and silk-smooth dance moves, it’s a delight to see Cher perform with the young star.

Elton John

It truly never gets old watching Elton John absolutely shred a piano solo. On the variety show, Cher and John performed an iconic rendition of “Bennie and the Jets.” The effortless duet was one for the ages. John gave a flawless performance while Cher comfortably riffed off of the icon. Aside from flawless vocals, you’re sure to become entranced by Cher’s glittery eye makeup.

Elton John And Bette Midler

Of course, John and Cher were bound to perform together again. However, this time they were joined by actress and singer Bette Midler. The trio performed a medley of familiar tunes on a dream-like set covered in balloons. John wore an absolutely massive top hat covered in miniature disco balls while Midler wore a chest-baring dress to match Cher’s sleek, barely-there gown. While it would be impossible to truly capture the ethereal look of this 1975 set, we’re officially advocating for the trio to recreate this forgotten performance.

We all know that Celebrity Jeopardy! is much easier than regular play on the quiz show. After all, the celebrity contestants are playing for charity and want to be able to answer at least a few questions. Even Alex Trebek admitted that it can be difficult to entice celebrities to play because “they don’t want to embarrass themselves.”

But in a recent episode of Celebrity Jeopardy!, the stars weren’t the ones who were embarrassed. Instead, the show had egg on its face after ruining a classic Jeopardy! category with bizarre clues.

On January 25, the quiz show had a lukewarm take on one of its well-known categories as Zoe Chao, Michael Cera, and Brianne Howey faced off. When the Triple Jeopardy round started, fans and contestants alike took note of the “Boozy Phrases” category. A pale imitation of the classic “Potent Potables” category, the spinoff delivered difficult clues that even had some fans cringing.

In fact, of the five clues in the boozy category, only one received the correct response. Turns out the only clue that anyone knew was the $1,500 answer! The clue read, “These ‘sparkling’ tastes mean a desire for high-end living; unfortunately, some have them on a tight budget.” You’re correct if, like Brianne Howey, you answered, “What is champagne?”

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You probably knew that one, but what about the other four clues? Let’s take a look at the answers to see if you have heard of all five phrases. Since we started with the final clue in the category, we’ll go from last to first.

What The Heck Does It Mean To ‘Gin Up’?

The fourth clue in the category read, “Servers brought 1950s businesspeople a trio of drinks over the course of this type of ‘lunch’, which was of course deductible.” Although your mind may have gone to a business lunch, the correct response was, “What is a three martini lunch?”

So far so good, right? Let’s look at the third clue in the category. The $900 clue said, “Chardonnay, adult females & ‘Home On The Range’ (for example) make up this phrase for good times.” Turns out, “What are wine, women, and song?” was the accurate response.

For the $600 clue, the full phrase was needed to be deemed correct. The clue read, “This phrase became a meme as the words spoken just before doing a reckless stunt.” While many people have heard the phrase, “hold my beer,” that wasn’t what the writers were looking for. Instead, the correct answer was, “Hold my beer and watch this.”

Are you groaning yet? If not, you will be after hearing the doozy of a phrase for the $300 clue. The first and supposed easiest clue of the category read, “This booze comes before ‘up’ in a phrase meaning to create interest or enthusiasm.”

If you don’t know the answer, you aren’t the only one. It’s a phrase that many people have never heard. The correct response was, “What is gin up?” Wait…what? That’s a phrase? Yes, turns out “gin up” is indeed a saying. While it’s not a very common phrase, Barack Obama is fond of the phrase and uses it quite often in speeches.

Even so, we hope that Jeopardy! has learned their lesson and will leave “Boozy Phrases” on the shelf next round!

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