Democrats Blast Hulu For Rejecting Political Issue Ads On Abortion And Guns; Streaming Service Cites Ban On Spots With Controversial Topics

EXCLUSIVE: Neal McDonough (The Flash) and Casey Cott (Riverdale) will headline the sports drama Black Spartans, written and to be directed by Ben Cory Jones (Insecure), which is heading into production in Atlanta this fall.

The National appear to be on the precipice of a new single release, as posters for a song titled ‘Weird Goodbyes’ (featuring Bon Iver) have begun to circulate.The band have been performing ‘Weird Goodbyes’ live, sans the guest spot from Bon Iver – which, presumably, will comprise some of its lyrics being sung by Justin Vernon – since late May. They played it for the first time in Pamplona, Spain on May 28 – the first National show to go down in three years – where it was billed on the setlist as ‘Bathwater (Mount Auburn)’. It’s been performed at seven show since, including this week’s headliner in Dillon, Colorado and at the Outlandia festival on Friday (August 12).

HBO Max and Discovery+ will merge to become one streaming service next year.In a second quarter earnings call on Thursday (August 4), Warner Bros. Discovery’s CEO David Zaslav announced that the merged streamer will launch in the summer of 2023 in the US, with Latin America, Europe and other territories to follow soon after. The combined streaming service will be released with ad-free, ad-light and ad-only options.As reported by Entertainment Weekly, Zaslav addressed concerns that the merger would result in less emphasis on original programmes.

Leading Italian theatrical distribution and production house Eagle Pictures has acquired a 100% stake in emerging independent film and TV production start-up 302 Original Content.

Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett have been added as last-minute Emmy nominees for their work on the 2021 CBS concert special One Last Time.The pair were initially left off the list for the Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) category, but have now joined the producers of the project, which includes Bennett’s son, Danny, and Gaga’s long-time manager, Bobby Campbell.READ MORE: Lady Gaga live in London: a thrilling, high-concept return from pop’s finestOne Last Time was filmed at Manhattan’s Radio City Music Hall in the summer of 2021, in celebration of Bennett’s 95th birthday. The performance capped off an 11-year partnership between Gaga and Bennett, having first worked together on the latter’s Duets II album in September 2011.Their performance also prompted the release of their latest jazz album, ‘Love For Sale’, which was billed as Bennett’s final release as he battles Alzheimer’s disease.Bennett has previously won two Emmys for similar TV specials: one for 1996’s Tony Bennett Live by Request: A Valentine’s Special, and another for the 2006 show Tony Bennett: An American Classic.Gaga, meanwhile, previously picked up Emmy nominations for her 2011 concert film Lady Gaga Presents: The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden and 2014’s Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live.

Gameplay getting personal. Big Brother alums and fans alike have called out the season 24 houseguests for their behavior toward contestant Taylor Hale.

Family first. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner reunited for the first time since Jennifer Lopez’s wedding. Ben and Jen, who were married from 2005 to 2018, were photographed together at a pool in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles with their 10-year-old son, Samuel, on July 31, 2022. The photos came just days after Ben returned to the United States after his week-long honeymoon in Paris with J-Lo.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorHulu will now start accepting ads for political issues, according to Disney — a move that comes after Democrats lambasted Hulu for rejecting ads calling out the GOP on abortion and gun issues.“After a thorough review of ad policies across its linear networks and streaming platforms over the last few months, Disney is now aligning Hulu’s political advertising policies to be consistent with the company’s general entertainment and sports cable networks and ESPN+,” Disney said in a statement released Wednesday.The company’s statement continued, “Hulu will now accept candidate and issue advertisements covering a wide spectrum of policy positions, but reserves the right to request edits or alternative creative, in alignment with industry standards.” The hashtag “#BoycottHulu” became a top-trending topic on Twitter after national Democratic organizations complained to the Washington Post that Hulu had rejected their joint ads on abortion and guns on July 15. Disney’s ESPN and WPVI-TV, the ABC-owned station in Philadelphia, had accepted and run the same ads.The controversy over the ads on Hulu comes after the conservative-leaning Supreme Court issued rulings this term that overturned Roe v.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorHulu and its corporate parent Disney are facing a backlash kicked off by Democratic leaders who expressed fury over Hulu’s rejection of ads attacking the GOP’s track record on guns and abortion.On Tuesday morning, the hashtag “#BoycottHulu” was one of the top-trending topics on Twitter in the U.S.That came after three Democratic organizations — the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Democratic Governors Association — complained to the Washington Post, which reported Monday that Hulu had rejected their joint ads on abortion and guns on July 15. (Disney’s ESPN and the ABC-owned TV station in Philadelphia did run the ads, according to the Post.) “Hulu’s censorship of the truth is outrageous and offensive,” the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee tweeted Monday, linking to the Post story.

Earlier this week Paramore announced details of a live tour taking them across North America this coming October. It's the first time the band have played live since they finished touring 2017 album After Laughter with the run of shows taking them to a number of smaller venues across North America.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck flew to Paris, France! The newlyweds traveled to the city of love days after tying the knot in Las Vegas. As reported by People, diners at Le Matignon Restaurant witnessed how the couple arrived for a romantic dinner on Thursday night.Ben and JLo landed at Le Bourget airport in a private plane to continue celebrating their love and union.

#January6thCommitteeHearings #January6thHearings pic.twitter.com/jMaiy4I2ieIt also provoked an instant social media roasting and meme-ification for Hawley.“Josh Hawley ran faster than Forrest Gump,” one Twitter user joked.Josh Hawley ran faster than Forrest Gump.“‘Hawling ass’ is now an American term…and gotta tell you…can’t wait for the 2024 Senate campaign. We are never forgetting any of it @HawleyMO and neither will you,” said another.'Hawling ass' is now an American term…and gotta tell you…can't wait for the 2024 Senate campaign.

Carson Burton Taurean Blacque, beloved for his role of Detective Neal Washington on “Hill Street Blues,” has died. He was 82 years old.Blacque died Thursday according to his son Rodney’s Facebook post. He died in Atlanta following a brief illness, according to reports.For all seven seasons of the popular NBC cop show, Blacque starred alongside Michael Warren, Daniel J.