Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates a touchdown during Super Bowl LVII on February 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Wondering what to watch this weekend? Get ready for football season, enjoy a cartoon binge, or remember a singer who was wise beyond his years.
Quarterback - Netflix
Picked by Growth Associate Keara O’Driscoll
To be honest, I have zero interest in football. However, I love a good docuseries. Quarterback takes a glimpse into the lives of three of the NFL’s top quarterbacks: Kirk Cousins (Minnesota Vikings), Marcus Mariota (Atlanta Falcons), and Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs). Even if you, like me, are not scheduling your fall Sundays around the NFL lineup, you still might recognize Mahomes in particular, who has become a household name as he's a two-time Super Bowl winner and MVP. The series takes viewers into their lives on and off the field.
[youtube]https://youtu.be/7xlXTW5CuPY[youtube]
Loud House - Paramount+
Picked by Senior Editor Dina Ross
Here's a fun family-friendly pick if you (or your kids, nieces, nephews, grandkids, etc.) want to binge-watch some cartoons that everyone can enjoy. The Loud family, composed of mom, dad, and 11 kids (just one boy), is funny and full of love, with all of the children causing and solving mischief in each episode. The writing is quick and smart and hits at a level that parents and kids alike can appreciate. The show premiered in 2014, became a movie in 2021, and is still going strong, with season seven scheduled to begin September 11.
Sixto Rodriguez, the singer-songwriter who died on Tuesday at the age of 81, would not have been so widely remembered by U.S. news outlets had it not been for this film, which won the Oscar for best documentary in 2013. His 1970s protest songs didn't take off in the U.S., but unbeknownst to him for many years, they made Rodriguez a star in South Africa, where the socially-conscious music inspired anti-Apartheid activists. The film's popularity finally brought him fans in the U.S., including me, but I'd never got around to watching the movie. I wish it had been a few more years for this news to remind me of it.
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.
