"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" Box Office Forecasts Are In
The first box office forecasts for "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" are in and it's looking like the sequel is the hit Hollywood has been waiting for this year. Bauer Xcel Media's Kate Spies and FHM's Nick Dimengo join Cheddar to discuss the early reviews and more top entertainment headlines. They say that while it might not match the success of 2015's "The Force Awakens," it is sure to be the biggest movie of the year.
Next, we discuss the sexual harassment scandal facing NFL Network. The league's broadcasting arm suspended three of its former players now working as on-air analysts. Dimengo and Spies put the news in the context of the NFL's controversy-riddled year.
We also get the latest on the #MeToo movement's influence in the food industry. Ten women came forward to The New York Times, accusing restaurateur Ken Friedman of sexual harassment.
Finally, we get a preview of the newest season of "The Bachelor," and the ladies vying for leading man Arie's heart.
The record-breaking success of "Squid Game" on Netflix has many media companies competing to produce, stream, and invest in new content from South Korea. Netflix has spent half a billion dollars on developing Korean content this year, and other streaming services are taking note. Seth Schachner, managing director at StratAmericas and digital business executive, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
The two tech- billionaires Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey are the latest voices to discuss the new hypothetical internet called Web 3.0. According to the billionaires, the new concept is just a "marketing buzzword" and cannot exist without venture capitalists or large backing. However, advocates of the Web 3.0 believe this decentralized space is the next big thing to help put ownership back into the hands of the people. Senior News Editor at The Verge, Richard Lawler, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
This year, the games market will generate total revenues of $180.3 billion dollars, a significant increase from 2020. While the industry continues to grow and expand into new spaces, such as the metaverse, there is still plenty of room for growth and reform in this male-dominated market. Katie Robinson, content creator, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Jacob Channel, Senior Economic Analyst at LendingTree, joins Cheddar to discuss some of the most family-friendly metros in the U.S., and tips for house hunting for a family in the new year.
The hit series "Cobra Kai" on Netflix is about to drop the fourth season on December 31. Jacob Bertrand, who plays Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz, joined Cheddar to talk about what viewers can expect from his character in the upcoming season and why it translates so well with new audiences as well as fans of the original "Karate Kid" film. Bertrand also discussed his podcast with series co-star Xolo Maridueña called "Lone Lobos."
The theme for this year's Waterford Crystal Times Square New Year's Eve Ball is the 'Gift of Wisdom.' Waterford Crystal's Master Artisan Tom Brennan joins Cheddar News to discuss the story behind this year's theme, how Covid is impacting New Year's celebrations and some surprising facts about the Waterford Times Square ball.
Ron Gutman, Co-CEO of Intrivo, joins Cheddar News to discuss how the company is creating a test and tech solution for Covid testing called 2Gather, and how it's using data-driven digital diagnostics to make these tests widely available and affordable.
Despite challenges like inflation, labor and product shortages, and the Omicron variant, holiday sales saw record levels of growth this year, according to a new report from Mastercard SpendingPulse. The group reports on national retail sales across all payment types, finding that holiday sales rose at the fastest pace in 17 years this year. Mastercard senior advisor and former chariman and CEO of Saks Incorporated Steve Sadove joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Dr. Saralyn Mark, COVID-19 leader at the American Medical Women's Association and former senior medical advisor at the White House, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where she says people should reconsider their plans for New Year's Eve due to the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant and adds that we should be using the resources at our disposal to make the best decisions.
