10:42 PM PT -- A rep for the WWE tells TMZ .., "Jerry 'The King' Lawler suffered a heart attack while commentating during Monday night's broadcast of 'Monday Night Raw' in Montreal." The rep adds, "We are hopeful Jerry makes a full recovery and returns to WWE in the near future. Our thoughts are with Jerry and his family." Wrestling legend Jerry "The King" Lawler was rushed to the ER tonight after collapsing at a WWE event in Montreal, Quebec ... but is now breathing on his own. 62-year-old Lawler -- who famously battled Andy Kaufman back in the '80s -- was sitting ringside to commentate on a match when he suddenly collapsed. An emergency response crew rushed to his side and performed CPR on Lawler. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The WWE says Lawler is now breathing on his own. Lawler had wrestled inside the ring roughly 30 minutes before he collapsed. Story developing ... … [Read more...] about Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler Collapses — Hospitalized After Heart Attack at WWE Event [Update]
Trend attack model agency
Former Twitter Executives Push Back On GOP Claims Of Collusion With FBI In Handling Of Hunter Biden Laptop Story
The first full blown House Oversight Committee hearing of the new GOP majority was focused on Hunter Biden , and the role that Twitter played in suppressing a bombshell New York Post story about the contents of a laptop purportedly owned by the president’s son. Weeks before the presidential election, Twitter restricted the Post account in an effort to curb the spread of the article, declaring it potentially “harmful material” and in violation of a hacked materials policy. After an outcry, particularly on the right, the accounts were restored, and Twitter executives later admitted that the company’s actions were wrong . The premise of Wednesday’s hearing was that Twitter colluded with the FBI to suppress the story and tip the scales for Joe Biden in the presidential election. The hearing included testimony from four former Twitter executives, who said that they were not engaged in a conspiracy to sideline the story. “I am aware of no unlawful collusion with or … [Read more...] about Former Twitter Executives Push Back On GOP Claims Of Collusion With FBI In Handling Of Hunter Biden Laptop Story
Former YMU Business Exec Joins Rebranded Digital Content Indie Cowshed Collective
EXCLUSIVE: Digital content indie Cowshed Social has rebranded to Cowshed Collective , signed a former YMU Chief Business Officer and split into four divisions. Cowshed, which creates content for Gen-Zs, will now operate with a Studios, Social, Creators and Ventures division. Studios will focus on producing content for broadcasters, Social on building brands, Creators on talent development and Ventures will be business-to-business. Hamizadeh is a signature hire who joins as Chief Business Officer. She is a former YMU Chief Business Officer and has also worked at UK publisher Haymarket. She joins soon after former Channel 4 and BBC Studios exec Matt Ford, while Cowshed Collective also recently hired former LADbible Group Head Of Production Joana Gutscher. “Cowshed is an impressive business that understands content, production, and how to deliver for clients to a high standard all within one agency,” said Hamizadeh. “I’m delighted to be involved in the next stage of … [Read more...] about Former YMU Business Exec Joins Rebranded Digital Content Indie Cowshed Collective
Lance Bass To Host Space History Podcast Series ‘The Last Soviet’ For iHeartPodcasts & Kaleidoscope
EXCLUSIVE : Lance Bass , a member of pop group NSYNC and a trained Russian cosmonaut, is hosting a new podcast series about space. Bass will host The Last Soviet , which tells the story of Russian astronaut Sergei Krikalev’s 313 days in space during the collapse of the USSR. The eight-part series, which comes from iHeartPodcasts and Kaleidoscope, will launch on February 15. In 2002, Bass underwent training in Star City, Russia and became a certified cosmonaut. He was certified both by the Russian Space Program and by NASA for a mission on the Soyuz TMA-1 spacecraft to the International Space Station but after his financial sponsors backed out, Bass was denied a seat on the mission. Krikalev was stranded on board Mir during the dissolution of the Soviet Union and his return was delayed for twice as long as the mission was planned originally. “I fell in love with space when my grandfather took me to see my first rocket launch as a kid. I even came close to … [Read more...] about Lance Bass To Host Space History Podcast Series ‘The Last Soviet’ For iHeartPodcasts & Kaleidoscope
‘East New York’ Adds Kelly Hu In Recurring Role
EXCLUSIVE: Kelly Hu ( BMF , The Orville) has joined the cast of the CBS series East New York in a recurring role. She will make her debut in episode 112 titled “Up in Smoke,” airing February 19. She will play Allison Cha, a tenacious and straightforward political policy advisor brought into shadow Suarez (Jimmy Smits) to understand the day-to-day duties of the NYPD. From William Finkelstein and Mike Flynn, East New York follows Regina Haywood (Amanda Warren), the newly promoted deputy inspector of East New York, an impoverished, working-class neighborhood at the eastern edge of Brooklyn. She leads a diverse group of officers and detectives, some of whom are reluctant to deploy her creative methods of serving and protecting during the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification. The series also stars Jimmy Smits, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Richard Kind, Olivia Luccardi, and Lavel Schley. William Finkelstein, Mike … [Read more...] about ‘East New York’ Adds Kelly Hu In Recurring Role
Andrew Scott & Others Join Netflix’s ‘Back In Action’ With Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz
EXCLUSIVE : Netflix has added four to its action-comedy Back in Action , with Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz. The newest actors to sign on are BAFTA winners Andrew Scott (C atherine Called Birdy ) and Jamie Demetriou ( Cruella ), McKenna Roberts ( Euphoria ) and Rylan Jackson ( Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves ). Details as to the storyline and characters of Diaz’s first feature since 2014’s Annie are under wraps. But Kyle Chandler and Glenn Close are also aboard for roles, as previously announced. Seth Gordon ( Horrible Bosses ) is directing from his script written with Neighbors ‘ Brendan O’Brien. Producers are Jenno Topping, Peter Chernin and Sharla Sumpter Bridgett ( Ford v Ferrari , Hidden Figures ) for Chernin Entertainment, Beau Bauman ( Central Intelligence ) for Good One Productions, and Gordon for Exhibit A. Foxx, Datari Turner, O’Brien and Tim Lewis are serving as exec producers. Scott won his BAFTA for his work as the … [Read more...] about Andrew Scott & Others Join Netflix’s ‘Back In Action’ With Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz
Jennette McCurdy Signs With CAA
EXCLUSIVE : Jennette McCurdy , fresh from promoting her memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died , has signed with CAA . It comes as I’m Glad My Mom Died , which was published by Simon & Schuster last year, has spent the last 25 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list. McCurdy, who was one of the stars of Nickelodeon’s iCarly and Sam and Cat ostensibly retired from acting in 2017, having starred in Netflix series Between . She has focused on writing and directing including short films Kenny, The Grave, The McCurdys and Strong Independent Women. While she was promoting her book, she admitted that she would consider returning to acting if she wrote something for herself, her focus is on writing and directing. I’m Glad My Mom Died told the story of her career as a child actress and her difficult relationship with her abusive mother. It has sold nearly 2M copies. McCurdy is also repped by Mainstay Entertainment, Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, … [Read more...] about Jennette McCurdy Signs With CAA
Warner Bros Discovery Abandons Plan To Shut Down Discovery+ As Stand-Alone Service As It Moves Ahead With HBO Max Merger
Warner Bros Discovery has ditched plans for a 100% merger of streaming services HBO Max and Discovery+ and will continue offering the latter as a stand-alone product. Insiders confirmed the strategic shift with Deadline after it was initially reported by The Wall Street Journal . The WSJ cited unidentified people familiar with the decision, saying they felt Discovery+ subscribers could balk at paying a higher price for a combined service. HBO Max costs $16 a month, or $10 with ads, compared with $7 and $5 for the respective equivalents of Discovery+. Over the past several months, WBD execs have talked of combining the two into a single offering. HBO Max has already been featuring Discovery titles more prominently of late, even though the ultimate fit between prestige HBO fare and Discovery mainstays like 90-Day Fiancé has been questioned both inside and outside of the company. The plan now is to continue to have Discovery+ in the market even as a newly … [Read more...] about Warner Bros Discovery Abandons Plan To Shut Down Discovery+ As Stand-Alone Service As It Moves Ahead With HBO Max Merger
Jim Ross Says He Spoke With Jerry Lawler After Stroke, ‘Prognosis Is Positive’
TMZ/Getty Jim Ross says he spoke with Jerry "The King" Lawler after he suffered a stroke on Monday ... and the WWE legend is doing okay, but still needs support as he recovers. Ross shared the update on Lawler's health status late Tuesday night, reassuring fans the 73-year-old, who has a history of heart issues, is trending in the right direction. "I spoke very briefly with @JerryLawler tonight," Ross tweeted. "He’s obviously weak but I could understand his affected speech. Jerry’s prognosis is positive but he needs all our thoughts and prayers. #LoveYaKing" As we previously reported, Lawler suffered a medical emergency , believed to be a stroke, at his Florida home and was rushed to the hospital where he underwent surgery. I spoke very briefly with @JerryLawler tonight. #LoveYaKing pic.twitter.com/5pkunLriHm — Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) February 8, 2023 @JRsBBQ Ross and Lawler go way back ... the two formed one of the most iconic … [Read more...] about Jim Ross Says He Spoke With Jerry Lawler After Stroke, ‘Prognosis Is Positive’
‘Rafiki’ Helmer Wanuri Kahiu To Direct Gotham Group’s YA Adaptation ‘The Black Kids’
EXCLUSIVE: The Gotham Group , which most recently produced Disney+’s Stargirl based on the bestselling novel, has made its latest book deal. It has optioned Christina Hammonds Reed’s upcoming debut YA novel The Black Kids , setting Rafiki helmer Wanuri Kahiu to direct and Allison Davis to adapt it. The novel, to be published September 1 via Simon & Schuster, is a coming-of-age story of a wealthy African-American teenager whose family gets caught in the vortex of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Kahiu’s previous film Rafiki was banned in her native Kenya for a time ahead of its world premiere at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, where it made history as the first Kenyan film selected. It explored LGBTQ issues in a country that criminalizes homosexual acts between consenting adults. The film’s success helped Kahiu land gigs in the U.S. Now managed by Gotham Group, she is also set to direct Millie Bobby Brown in The Thing About Jellyfish for Made Up Stories, … [Read more...] about ‘Rafiki’ Helmer Wanuri Kahiu To Direct Gotham Group’s YA Adaptation ‘The Black Kids’