From a Grammy Award upgrade to the long wait for new Disney flicks, here's what's happening in entertainment.
McCartney Embraces AI
Paul McCartney, who is a 12-time Grammy award winner, raised a bunch of eyebrows by announcing he'll embrace artificial intelligence and plans to use the tech to create a new music for what he called "the final Beatles record."
He told the BBC that the late John Lennon would be part of the new song after AI was able to extract and recreate his voice from an old demo tape.
"We were able to take John's voice and get it pure through this AI so then we could mix the record as you would. It gives you some sort of leeway," McCartney said.
This isn't the singer's first project with AI. Last year at the Glastonbury Festival in England, McCartney performed a duet with an AI-rendered voice of Lennon titled I've Got A Feeling.
Grammy Changes
The Grammy Awards are expanding and are set to dole out even more trophies at future ceremonies.
The Recording Academy approved the addition of three new categories, including Best African Music Performance, Best Pop Dance Recording and Best Alternative Jazz Album.
"These changes reflect our commitment to actively listen and respond to the feedback from our music community, accurately represent a diverse range of relevant musical genres, and stay aligned with the ever-evolving musical landscape," Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement.
Other changes could have implications on your favorite songwriters and producers. The Producer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year awards have been shifted to the general field, which allows all Grammy voters to decide on a winner rather than just members who practice the same crafts. The implications come in when those not familiar with specific genres cast votes contrary to what has already been deemed "best" by the general public: i.e. Macklemore's 2014 win for 'Best Rap Album.'
Pat Sajak's Exit
After 41 seasons as the host of Wheel of Fortune, 76-year-old Pat Sajak is calling it quits.
The iconic game-show host took to Twitter to break the news and said that the upcoming season would be his last.
"It's been a wonderful ride, and I'll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it'll keep the clickbait sites busy!)," he wrote. The announcement comes just a few years after Sajak snatched the record of longest stand game-show host from the late Bob Barker, who hosted the iconic Price is Right for a staggering 35 years.
The rumor mill has already begun swirling as fans talk about who will replace Sajak. Ryan Seacrest, who has hosted American Idol since 2002, quickly emerged as a contender. Bloomberg reporter Lucas Shaw, who broke the news about Sajak's exit, reported that Seacrest "has been talking to the producers of Wheel of Fortune," and shared speculation that he could be the frontrunner replacement option.
Seacrest does have some time on his hands as he recently departed LIVE with Kelly and Ryan.
Disney Delays
We're beginning to see some of the first major implications of the ongoing Hollywood writers strike.
Disney has reworked the release dates for a slew of highly-anticipated projects as writers take to the picket lines, according to Deadline.
Perhaps the biggest shakeup are the changed release dates for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Captain America: Brave New World, starring Anthony Mackie as Cap't, has been pushed back two months to July 2024, Fantastic Four is scheduled for release in May 2025, Avengers: Kang Dynasty is being held off for an additional year and will hit theaters in May 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars will be released in May 2027.
Other Disney properties impacted by the strikes and delays include Star Wars, Moana, three Avatar films, and Alien.
Charles Platkin, executive director at Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center, joins Cheddar News to discuss how food insecurity affects our mental health.
Actor Sydney Sweeney, who plays Cassie Howard on HBO's "Euphoria, recently addressed how she feels about the stigma attached to nudity in acting for women versus men. Sweeney noted she also made a request to avoid doing unnecessary nude scenes, which was supported by series creator Sam Levinson.
Actor and singer Chrissy Metz, who stars as Kate Pearson in "This Is Us," is partnering with Capital One Auto Navigator to share her story of purchasing her first car to help make car buying easier for others. "For me, I know a car was so important because of course it took me to the auditions to get me to the place I have today," she said. "But it also means empowerment and freedom and accessibility, and I think everybody is deserving and in need of that." Metz also discussed the final season of her hit show, noting that expectations for the finale "will probably be exceeded."
Tire manufacturer Michelin is partnering with the popular video game "The Sims FreePlay" in order to meet teens where they are to promote driving safety. Michelin North America Chairman and President Alexis Garcin joined Cheddar News to discuss how the #GoldenGauge program integrates with the game. "If you're a gamer yourself or your kids, then while you're driving and moving on the application, you will find a Michelin billboard, and if you engage with that billboard, then you will get some advice about how tires are critical for your safety on the road," Garcin explained. *Updated with the full title of 'The Sims FreePlay' and a typo fix in the name of Alexis Garcin.*
The video game industry has come a long way from the first commercialized 3D video game in 1980, but it still has a long way to go. Video game creators have recently been called out for not having realistic Black hairstyles in their games and graphic artists are now taking matters into their own hands by creating The Open Source Afro Hair Library. Jovan Wilson, 3D artist and resident for The Open Source Afro Hair Library, joined All Hands to discuss.
Neil Young has come up with an ultimatum for Spotify: his music or Joe Rogan’s podcast. This comes over concerns that the podcast is spreading COVID-19 vaccine misinformation to its listeners. "The Joe Rogan Experience," which is exclusive to Spotify, is currently the number one streamed podcast on the platform.
The American Federation Teachers Union has announced its latest partnership with NewsGuard in efforts to help educators play a greater role in deciphering facts from fiction that students see online. They say the goal is to help students build critical-thinking skills while also teaching them the importance of media literacy. Executive Vice President of Partnerships at NewsGuard, Sarah Bandt, joined Cheddar to talk more.
Doctor Caroline Leaf has created a 21-day program, consisting of five simple, but mindful, steps designed to rid our minds of toxic thoughts, anxiety, and depression. This brain detox is scientifically proven to impact one's happiness and success. Doctor Caroling Leaf, neuroscientist, author, and speaker at Switch Your Brain, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
The memoir, "COMPROMISED: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump", tells a familiar story from a bit of a different source: Peter Strzok himself, former FBI Counterintelligence Agents and Agency Veteran who spent most of his very long career investigating some of the most controversial inquiries, most notably in recent American history. Those inquiries were Hillary Clinton's email to even Trump Russia investigations. Former FBI Agent and Author of "Compromised" Peter Strzok, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Foodable Labs data shows restaurants that started offering vegan options saw a 13% increase in traffic. According to this 2018 study, 51% of U.S. restaurants now offer vegan options, and we can expect that number to keep rising. This week, one plant-based, fast-casual restaurant celebrates the grand opening of their first brick-and-mortar store in New York City: PLNT Burger. Ben Kaplan, CEO of PLNT Burger, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
