The New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square is one of the holiday's most cherished traditions, and this year might be its best one yet. Fiskars Living's Tom Brennan joins Cheddar to reveal what makes this year's Waterford New Year's Eve Ball so special. The master artisan explains the painstaking process of creating the iconic scene as the clock strikes midnight.
Brennan reveals why Waterford chose "Gift of Serenity" as this year's theme. He says it represents the spirit of balance and composure heading into the new year. The ball features 288 new crystals that make up the pattern representing the theme.
Finally, Brennan shows off some of the other ways that Waterford is celebrating the holidays. The crystal company is using the New Year's ball as inspiration for some new products including champagne flutes. He says it's a creative way to bring the spirit of the Times Square celebration into your own home.
Season six of Netflix's hit comedy premieres on July 27. Beth Dover, who plays prison administrator Linda Ferguson, tells Cheddar how the show addresses the harsh realities of the criminal justice system.
The coffee shots, which are being sold in 3,700 Walmarts across the country, claim to be a healthier energy alternative because they use organic beans from family-run farms in Columbia. “Consumers here are thirsty for the healthier wave of energy,” says CEO Neel Prekumar. “In the case of FORTO, it’s really about wholesome energy from organic coffee.”
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Market research firm SuperData estimates the uber-popular game has brought in $1 billion in revenue from in-app purchases, with gamers buying add-ons purely for cosmetics. "It does not make you have a better gun, it does not give you any advantage in terms of where you land on the map, it doesn't give you any special powers," says Eli Blumenthal, digital editor at USA Today.
The superhero franchise will launch its first virtual reality video game on July 26. The game, says Bill Rosemann, executive creative director at Marvel Games, will be a fully-immersive experience. "It unleashes that fantasy, that ultimate fantasy of being the Marvel character," he tells Cheddar. "You don't just look like Captain Marvel or Captain America. You have their powers."
Tim Baysinger, TV Reporter at The Wrap, claims fans will be the winners in the Disney-Fox deal. The reason? Marvel's cinematic powerhouse. He says the brand's unprecedented character development will allow Disney greater creative freedom: "Just look at what they did with Peter Parker."
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The gaming industry is known to be skewed towards boys and men. Laila Shabir, CEO and founder of Girls Make Games, is trying to change that through three-week summer camps for young girls. "Being represented in a medium like games...is extremely important," says Shabir.
Anna Blue and Corinne Foxx of 'Girl Up' think everyone should care about gender issues. The UN Foundation, Blue and Fox told Cheddar, wants to mobilize, train, and empower teens to solve gender bias.
Kate Mara, who played Zoe Barnes in Netflix's "House of Cards," explains how her character's underground demise changed her view on transportation.
