Tennis star Naomi Osaka is set to take a break from the game as she starts her family. Osaka and rapper Cordae, who have dated since 2019, are expecting a baby. The announcement comes as the Australian Open is underway. In a Twitter post, Osaka told fans she can't wait to be on the court and has plans to return to competition next year for the tournament Down Under.
Pamela Anderson's Doc
Netflix is gearing up to release a new documentary focused on model Pamela Anderson. Pamela, A Love Story, which is slated to be released later this month, is Anderson's counter to last year's Hulu limited drama series titled Pam and Tommy. Anderson reportedly didn't watch the project because of how she was portrayed and instead decided to tell her own story.
Harry Styles' MCU Future
After his debut in Eternals in 2021, Harry Styles is set to become a fixture in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. According to Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore, Styles' future in the MCU will go beyond his debut performance. "Styles, he is as charming as you want him to be. And I think there's no limit to how good that character's going to be once we get to bring him back," Moore told Deadline.
Abbott Keeps on Winning
After winning the best musical or comedy series award and individual wins by Quinta Brunson and Tyler James Williams, ABC's Abbott Elementary was renewed for a third season. The show is currently in the midst of its second season, which gained a 100 percent rating from Rotten Tomatoes, according to Variety. "Abbott Elementary is the gift that keeps on giving, and I look forward to many more magnificent episodes of this brilliant, authentic and just plain funny series," Channing Dungey, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros Television Group, told Variety.
Some of Tiktok's biggest stars have a message for the platform: It is time to pay up! As the platform has skyrocketed in popularity, many content creators have been given the opportunity to garner millions of fans and even sometimes billions of views. In 2020, the company launched a creator fund in order to incentivize the platform's users. However, while the group of creators has grown larger, the pool of money has remained the same, and creators are fed up, they claim as Tiktok becomes more successful. Senior Editor at Engadget, Karissa Bell, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
In 2021, QAnon, the community which traffics in conspiracy theories saw a rapid growth in its numbers. As a result of vaccine rollouts, a number of conspiracies surrounding them also began to circulate which then led to the rise of "Anti-Vaxxers". As a result, the QAnon and anti-vax communities have become increasingly intertwined and the results could be costing lives. Senior Researcher at Media Matters Alex Kaplan, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Neil Young gave the streaming service Spotify an ultimatum demanding that his music be removed if the Joe Rogan experience remained on the platform. Joe Rogan's platform has been questioned a number of times as a result of some of his takes on covid treatment strategies and at times downright misinformation. Ultimately, Spotify decided to stick with Joe Rogan's podcast. The Director for the Business and Entertainment Program at American University, John Simson, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Nutritional supplement beverage company Athletic Greens has achieved unicorn status. The company announced a new $115 million funding round, bringing its valuation to $1.2 billion. The company's flagship product AG1 combines 75 different vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients into one daily serving. Athletic Greens says it is poised to reach the millions of consumers who are currently driving the health and wellness market's exponential growth. Athletic Greens founder and CEO Chris Ashenden joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Michael Mitchell, senior director of brand at Mailchimp, joins Cheddar News to discuss the launch of Bloom Season and what every BIPOC entrepreneur needs to know to succeed.
Janet Jackson shared that she had a conversation with Justin Timberlake who had asked her if he should make a statement during the scandal over her Super Bowl XXXVIII wardrobe malfunction, in her new self-titled Lifetime documentary. The musical icon said that she viewed the incident as an accident and remains "good friends" with Justin Timberlake.
The gaming industry has seen multiple large scales deals this month alone, including Microsoft's megadeal for Activision Blizzard. And, seemingly in response, rival Sony, picked up Bungie for $3.6 billion, a studio once owned by both Microsoft and Activision. The sector is reportedly on track to spend $150 billion on mergers and acquisitions just this year alone, a record-breaking total, according to investment firm Drake Star Partners. Michael Metzger, a partner at the firm specializing in technology, media, and communications, joined Cheddar to discuss the flurry of deals in the gaming space and what might be behind the hot M&A activity.
Ari Redbord, head of legal and government affairs and TRM Labs, joins Cheddar News to discuss why Facebook is ditching its crypto project and what that means for the space.
