From Queen Bey's tribute to the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll to the banning of a historic poem, here are your top entertainment headlines.
Note: A major 'Succession' spoiler appears as the last item in today's article. Stop reading after the third story if you're not up to date on Season 4.
BEYONCÉ HONORS TINA TURNER
With the passing of Tina Turner at 83, tributes for the pop legend are pouring in. Among those paying tribute to Turner are other musical legends such as Beyoncé, Cher, and Pete Townshend of The Who. Beyoncé, in particular, stressed that Turner paved the way for her career and so many other musicians. “My beloved queen, I love you endlessly,” Beyoncé wrote on her website. “I’m so grateful for your inspiration, and all the ways you have paved the way."
INAUGURATION POEM BANNED
A South Florida elementary school has restricted the poem read at President Joe Biden's inauguration. Poet Amanda Gorman, who wrote the prose for the event, has vowed to fight back against the ban. “I'm gutted,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “Robbing children of the chance to find their voices in literature is a violation of their right to free thought and free speech."
REGAL OWNER EXITS BANKRUPTCY
Regal owner Cineworld has announced plans to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July after restructuring its debt over the last nine months. The British-owned movie theater chain was considering selling all or part of its business, but opted for a restructuring that will wipe out its shareholders and ultimately lead to the firm being delisted. The news marks another milestone in the movie industry's ongoing recovery from the early days of the pandemic.
MAJOR 'SUCCESSION' SPOILER ALERT BELOW: DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU ARE NOT UP TO DATE
BRIAN COX ON 'SUCCESSION' TWIST
The final season of HBO's Succession has gotten plenty of nitpicking from long-time fans, and now star Brian Cox is joining the peanut gallery. Cox said the death of his character Logan Roy early in the fourth season came too soon. “I was fine with it ultimately, but I did feel a little bit rejected," he told the BBC. "You know, I felt a little bit, oh, all the work I’ve done and finally I’m going to, you know, end up as an ear on a carpet of a plane." Series creator Jesse Armstrong separately said he wanted Roy to die early on, so the show could explore the aftermath.
'Top Gun: Maverick' making an estimated $156 million domestically for its four-day opening weekend. Daniel Loria, SVP of Content Strategy and Editorial Director at Boxoffice Pro, joins Cheddar News to weigh in on the long-awaited sequel and the summer box office.
The holiday weekend saw Disney+ and Netflix competing head-to-head for streaming views as the Disney behemoth kicked off the unofficial start to summer with its release of "Obi-Wan Kenobi" and Netflix responded with the first part of "Stranger Things" Season 4. The streaming giants caught the eye of Wall Street, and Seth Schachner, the managing director at consultancy Strat Americas, joined Cheddar News to break down the heavy hitters. "This is a very tough, competitive game, and I don't see it getting any easier," he said. "I think you'll probably see more consolidation."
The founder and president of Cyborg Mobile Kobie Hatcher has been on a strong trajectory to disrupt his industry with a program called The New Technologists. It's not only meant to address the diversity gap within large tech companies but also help pave the way to transform the lives of young BIPOC students. He joined Cheddar News to talk about how he's working to make a difference with the lack of diversity in tech. “There's truly no lack of talent out there. It's just identifying them and letting them know that, hey, I've been in the tech sector for over 20 years. I see you. I know what you can bring, bring it, we need it," Hatcher said.
Catching you up on the entertainment headlines of the day with "Top Gun: Maverick" soaring up to a record opening at $160.5M, Harry Styles also hitting number one on Billboard with "Harry's House," Netflix released images of Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein in "Maestro," and more.
Constituent service platform Indigov recently raised $25 million in a Series B funding round. Indigov bills itself as a constituent relationship management tool that helps elected officials improve the way they organize, respond to, and engage those they serve. The startup's services are being used by federal, state, and local governments across the country, including the U.S. House of Representatives. Alex Kouts, founder & CEO of Indigov, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
The 2022 NBA playoffs are intensifying as four teams vie for an NBA finals berth. Tonight, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors can book their finals ticket with a win over the Dallas Mavericks, while Miami will be feeling the 'heat' tomorrow night, facing elimination against the Boston Celtics.
And with the growing popularity of sports betting, the NBA playoffs offers a potential money-making opportunity for fans. Trysta Krick, host of BetMGM Tonight, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
As the holiday weekend arrives, travelers are bracing themselves for higher gas prices amid the inflation surge, but Robert Sinclair, AAA spokesperson, joined Cheddar News to discuss how the higher costs likely won't hold people back this Memorial Day Weekend. “We're near pre-pandemic levels. Nearly 40 million people are traveling. And of that total, about 35 million will be driving to their destinations," he said.
