After taking two years away from gymnastics, Olympic gold- and silver-medalist Laurie Hernandez says she’s now preparing for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
“It was time I needed, mentally and physically, away from gymnastics to figure out who I was outside of gymnastics. But I loved it so much I ended up coming back,” Hernandez told Cheddar.
In her years off, she won season 23 of Dancing with the Stars, and published two books.
“Training for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is something I very much still have my eyes set on. And it’s something that I’m really looking forward to. And then hopefully — and willingly — acting.”
While competing in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Hernandez attracted a loyal fan base, both as an individual and as part of the American women’s gymnastics team, nicknamed the ‘Final Five.’
In Brazil, the U.S. won gold for the team gymnastics event. Hernandez also won silver on the balance beam.
“Mentally, now I have this expectation and this set bar,” she says.
Hernandez is currently promoting a campaign with the eye care company Alcon.
Jurors on Wednesday convicted the three white men charged in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, the Black man who was chased and fatally shot while running through their Georgia neighborhood in an attack that became part of the larger national reckoning on racial injustice during the summer of 2020. Trial attorney and former prosecutor Leslie Ricard Chambers joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the verdict, possible sentencing, and more.
Apple is now the latest company taking a stand against NSO Group. The company filed a lawsuit today against the Pegasus spyware maker for allegedly infecting users' devices. Apple is also seeking a permanent injunction to ban NSO Group from using any apple software, services, or devices. Filipe Espósito, a reporter at 9to5Mac joins Cheddar News to discuss.
The Bayou State has been through some tough times with massive storms on top of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the state is looking to rebuild by leaning into its reputation as a tourist destination. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser joined Cheddar to talk about Louisiana's work to reacquaint travelers with its renowned food, music, culture, Mardi Gras — and its Celebration Gator float at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "Well they won't let us throw throws so we'll be going along the route handing out beads, stuffed alligators, telling people to book a trip to Louisiana," he said of the event.
Actor Ally Maki joined Cheddar's "Between Bells" to talk about her role as Detective Haruka on the recently premiered Hulu animated series "Hit-Monkey." Maki's character is one of the few women police detectives on the Tokyo force in the show based on an assassin snow monkey originally created for Marvel Comics. "I just love playing this character who is strong, and she's trying to find her voice within this field," she said.
Simon Mainwaring, CEO of We First and author of "LEAD WITH WE: The Business Revolution That Will Save Our Future," joins Cheddar Wellness to discuss what realizations job seekers are coming to, how expectations surrounding work have evolved over the course of the pandemic, and what employers can do to retain and attract employees during this time.
Adam Kaat, a former grocery store cashier, discusses his experience as an essential worker during the pandemic in his new book, "Life on the Grocery Line: A Frontline Experience in a Global Pandemic."
If you're planning on traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday, you may need to prepare yourself for traffic and issues you could encounter. Travel expert Francesca Page joined Cheddar to discuss more.
