Reactions to settlement reached in the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger case

I told my readers "Stay tuned" because "I have a bigger breaking entertainment story for tomorrow, the settlement in the anti-trust suit against the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger." I begin with PBS NewsHour reporting What the Paramount -Warner Bros. merger settlement means for Hollywood.

A day after Paramount Skydance and a group of state attorneys general announced a settlement clearing the way for its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, questions remain about whether the deal does enough to protect consumers and competition. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Oliver Darcy of Status.

I've written many times that the surest way to get Americans to act is to mess with our entertainment. This will mess with our entertainment, just like the Paramount-Skydance merger before, which resulted in Late Night with Stephen Colbert being canceled. Also, there is no new Star Trek being produced for the first time since Star Trek: Discovery debuted in 2017. However, I don't think consumers have yet seen how this merger will mess with their entertainment. It might take a while, like HBO not renewing Last Week Tonight with John Oliver next year, although The Daily Show is still going.

On the other hand, the Hollywood creatives, particularly the writers, actors, and production crews, are very upset, as NBCLA showed in Newsom, Bonta face backlash over Paramount settlement.

Critics said they feel betrayed and duped by the California leaders.

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass may have urged a settlement to save their political careers. Instead, they created new enemies. As for the protest doing anything useful, I'm recycling what I wrote in 'DTF St. Louis' wins Outstanding Limited Series while 'Beef' is shut out at the Primetime Emmy Awards: "What the shareholders want and what the Hollywood creatives desire are not the same and the shareholders are in charge unless the courts rule otherwise." The most visible actors may be well-paid and influential, but at the end of the day, they're just employees.

The Hill opened Paramount CLEARS HURDLE for Warner Bros. MERGER: MONOPOLY IMMINENT? Lindsey Granger | RISING with the effects on personnel before going on to the effects on consumers.

OPINION: Lindsey Granger gives her lens on the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, which cleared a major hurdle after reaching a settlement with a dozen states that had sued to stop the merger.

People are freaked out over the Ellisons and their relationship with Donald "Pervert Hoover" Trump and the possible effect on CNN, but this is the first I've heard of people being concerned about foreign ownership. I hadn't considered that as being bad for America.

I'm sure I'll write more about the fallout from this deal. In the meantime, stay tuned for more Emmy Awards coverage.

World Lion Day, Lazy Day, and a late Veep Day

I'm taking a break from awards show coverage to celebrate three holidays, World Lion Day, Lazy Day, and a late Veep Day. First, World Lion Day by National Day Calendar.

Time to salute the kings, um, queens, of the savanna! On this episode of National Day Spotlight (https://nationaldaycalendar.com/), Marlo Anderson (https://marloanderson.com/) and co-host Alice Anderson are looking toward global conservation for World Lion Day (https://nationaldaycalendar.com/celebrations/world-lion-day-august-10). They’ll highlight the majesty, family dynamics, and urgent habitat protections needed to keep this apex pride thriving in the wild. Tune in for a powerful look at nature's nobility!

It was both about time National Day Calendar made a video for World Lion Day and that I used one.

Next, TODAY celebrates National Lazy Day.

In celebration of National Lazy Day, the TODAY anchors, as well as some fans plucked from the crowd, kick back and relax on the plaza on some cozy La-Z-Boy recliners! (Sponsored by La-Z-Boy)

Yes, this is a glorified commercial and publicity stunt, but it's still funny. It also justifies my lazy treatment of today's post.

I close with NATIONAL DAY CALENDAR: National Veep Day from KX News.

It's about time I used a National Day Calendar video for Veep Day, too.

I'm not done with holidays, as tomorrow is National Presidential Joke Day. Stay tuned.

Kennedy Center will remain open and have Trump's name removed

I'm returning to Silly and serious closer looks at Trump taking over the Kennedy Center for today's Sunday entertainment feature. NBC News reports Federal judge blocks Trump from officially renaming Kennedy Center.

A federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump from officially renaming the Kennedy Center. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper found the board did not have the authority to rename the facility on its own.

No surprise, Donald "Pervert Hoover" Trump did something illegal and without proper authority. Well, elect a criminal, expect crimes. At least he got stopped this time, more than a year later.

NBC News didn't have reactions from Pervert Hoover or the general public, but WUSA9 caught them in Congresswoman behind the push to remove Trump's name from Kennedy Center speaks after court ruling.

Rep. Joyce Beatty told WUSA9 that she believes monuments are for the people.

I agree with the first woman interviewed; Pervert Hoover wants to leave his mark on Washington, D.C. like he has on New York City, any way he can. I've never written it here before, but I've been saying for decades that he has an edifice complex. That the term was originally invented to describe Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos makes it even more authoritarian.

Mallory Miller appears again in NBC4 Washington reporting Trump giving Kennedy Center back to Congress after judge's ruling | NBC4 Washington.

A weekly Kennedy Center protest turned into a celebration after a judge ruled the president can’t name the institution after himself and close it for two years. News4’s Jackie Bensen reports.

The ruling was issued on JFK's birthday? Happy birthday, Mister President, and I don't mean Pervert Hoover!


By the way, tomorrow would have been Marilyn Monroe's 100th birthday.  Happy birthday to her, too.

Seeing Tara Hoot, who has been protesting the takeover the whole time, reminds me of what I wrote back then, "the surest way to get Americans to act is to mess with their entertainm­ent. As I first wrote in 2011, 'America is quite clear about its screwed up priorities­.'" I'm glad the protestors got their wish. It was mine, too.

That's a wrap for May's blogging. Stay tuned for another topical post tomorrow to begin June.

The return of cursive for Throwback Thursday

Happy Throwback Thursday! TODAY introduces today's topic as NBC’s Emilie Ikeda explains Why States Are Pushing to Save Cursive Handwriting in Schools.

In the age of typing, scrolling and voice-to-text, putting a pen to paper is increasingly rare but states including New Jersey, Georgia, Kentucky and California have recently enacted requirements to incorporate instruction on cursive handwriting. Language experts says the move is backed by science with cursive shown to improve reading, memory and fine motor skills in children. NBC’s Emilie Ikeda reports for TODAY.

Cursive? That's definitely a throwback. I first wrote about it in The collapse of cursive from July 31, 2013. It was one of the top posts of last year, which is why I'm revisiting the topic.

NBC New York focused on one particular state's effort to revive and maintain the script in Bringing back cursive: New law requires teaching in New Jersey schools.

A new law passed in New Jersey by departing Gov. Phil Murphy is reintegrating a cursive program back into schools. Jen Maxfield has the latest.

I described how politicians, mostly Republicans, reacted to the absence of cursive in the Common Core standards in Vox on the decline of cursive by mandating teaching it. Former New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy shows that at least some Democrats are doing this, too.

Another state Ikeda mentioned in her TODAY report was Georgia. WCNC examined the Peach State's efforts when it asked Is cursive making a comeback?

The skill of writing in cursive nearly disappeared during the pandemic, but students at an elementary school in Georgia are proving it's far from forgotten.

I think Lisa Washington won the handwriting contest.

Follow over the jump for how a 13-year-old entry about cursive returned to the top posts during the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News.

Moon safe from 2024 YR4 and fireballs for Apophis Day

It's Apophis Day, when I report on the perils of space. Today, I have good news to follow up on 'NASA Expert Answers Your Questions About Asteroid 2024 YR4' for Apophis Day, when there was a significant chance 2024 YR4 would hit the Moon. Space.com reports No Impact! Famous Asteroid Will Not Smash Into Moon (or Earth).

New James Webb Space Telescope imagery of asteroid 2024 YR4 confirmed that it “will safely pass the Moon at a distance of more than 20,000 km. (~12,427 mlles),” according to the European Space Agency.

It also poses no danger to Earth[.]

As I wrote, good news!

That written, smaller objects have been plowing into Earth, or at least its atmosphere. Follow over the jump for those.

NASA announces plan for Moon base

Happy Throwback Thursday! Today's trip isn't to the past, but to the future as NBC News reports NASA announces $20 billion plan for a moon base.

NASA announced plans to construct a $20 billion base on the moon’s surface over the next seven years, according to its new chief Jared Isaacman. NBC News' Brian Cheung talks to Director of Government Relations for the Planetary Society Jack Kiraly about what this plan could mean for the space industry.

ABC News has more in What to know about NASA's 3 phase plan for a moon base.

The Planetary Society's Casey Dreier unpacks NASA's ambitious plans to build a permanent base on the moon and what that means for the future of space exploration.

I'm a space enthusiast, so I'm thrilled at this news. I'm also not terribly surprised. I thought space would be one of the few, if not the only, areas where Donald "Hoover Harding Cleveland" Trump would do something I agreed with and was good for the country nine years ago. He delivered, sort of, in his first administration. Just the same, I'm glad NBC and ABC had The Planetary Society comment, not NASA. I trust the civil servants there, but I'm not sure I'd trust its spokespeople, not in this administration.

All this hinges on a successful Artemis II mission, which is scheduled to happen next week. I'll be covering that. In the meantime, stay tuned for stats!

NASA, NBC News, and WESH look back at 2025 and ahead to 2026 in space

I closed Science fiction movie nominees at the Critics Choice Awards for Science Fiction Day by telling my readers, "Stay tuned for NASA's look back at 2025 and ahead to 2026." Watch NASA: 2025 Review and 2026 Preview.

In 2025, we stacked the Artemis II rocket, certified next-generation lunar spacesuits, celebrated 25 years on the International Space Station, and snapped the closest pictures ever taken of the Sun.

We’re not just going back to the Moon in 2026 – we’re paving the way to Mars, exploring the stars, and dominating the skies, setting the stage for a historic year ahead.

That makes up for not having a video ready in time for 2025 in space from ESA, KING 5, Business Casual, and the Marsh Family. As I wrote in 2025 in review from NBC News, Vox, GMA, Time, and Google for New Year's Eve, "I can at least continue one of my New Year's traditions!"*

NBC News updated the story last night in The New Space Race.

It’s going to be a busy year for space exploration with American Astronauts scheduled to make a return visit around the moon, traveling further than any human ever. NBC News’ Tom Costello spoke to the crew.

I wrote "I expected a space race between the U.S. and China over the U.S. returning to the Moon before the Chinese get there" five years ago, and that's exactly what's happening. This time, I'm glad I'm right, because it will get humans back on the Moon and working to get to Mars.

WESH 2 News in Orlando added more detail in Historic launches set for the new year.


Starship is running behind schedule and holding up a lunar landing, so I'm rooting for Blue Origin to either win the contract or inspire SpaceX to get its act together in time.

None of the above sources mentioned a major NASA story taking place on the ground. WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore covered that in Future of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center appears to be in jeopardy.

The future of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center appears to be in jeopardy, according to a letter penned by a United States representative on Monday. In the letter, U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-California, a ranking member on the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, brought forth concerns about "disturbing reports" of a potential imminent closure at the Greenbelt campus. The letter, written to Sean Duffy, the U.S. Transportation secretary and acting administrator of NASA, said the possible closure of labs and facilities at the campus "put essential hardware and capabilities at great risk."

This is not good news for space science, including research that would help with exploring the Moon and Mars. Add this to the examples of one of 2025's science breakdowns, "Trump roils U.S. science." Ugh.

*I almost didn't because of what's happening in Venezuela. I decided to go ahead and let the late-night talk show hosts do the work for me tomorrow. Stay tuned.

2025 in review from NBC News, Vox, GMA, Time, and Google for New Year's Eve

Happy New Year's Eve! For the final year-end retrospective of 2025, I'm going through the best year-in-review videos, beginning with NBC News' 2025 Year in Review: Trump tariffs, Charlie Kirk, Zohran Mamdani, Rob Reiner and more.

NBC News recaps 2025's biggest news stories, from tariffs imposed by President Trump, the murder of political activist Charlie Kirk, Zohran Mamdani's victory in the New York City mayoral election and more.

It's been quite the year, as headlines from weather, space, and entertainment joined economics, politics, and general news as the highlights of 2025.*

Vox had their own take on the year about to end in 2025, in 8 minutes.

2025 was dominated by the second iteration of the Trump administration, the release of the Epstein files, and government shakeups that ranged from the longest federal shutdown in history to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announcing her resignation. It was also a year of historic political moments — from a ceasefire in Gaza to Gen Z-led government protests abroad, and the rise of young politicians like Zohran Mamdani.

Along the way, the world got its first American pope, Labubu became a household name, and China upended the AI conversation with the introduction of DeepSeek. Amid seemingly endless government transitions, the year closed with a growing sense of unrest as the US launched new strikes in multiple countries. Let’s take a look back at the jam-packed events that defined 2025.

I don't recall NBC News mentioning Labubu, while Vox made the collectables their featured image of 2025. So did Good Morning America's 'The Year' looks at our obsessions in 2025.

Deborah Roberts takes us through a preview of the movies, TV shows, trends and more that we just couldn't get enough of this year ahead of "The Year's" premiere on Dec. 29.

That's a good summary of entertainment and pop culture beyond movies, which I already covered, as well as being a promotional announcement disguised as a news segment. As I last mentioned in Local news covers the marching bands in the 2025 Macy's Parade, "It's not just news value that's driving it."

For a more somber look at the year in entertainment and culture, I'm sharing TIME's In Memoriam: Notable People We Lost in 2025.

A moment to look back and reflect on some of the noteworthy people who died this year.

R.I.P.

I close with Google's 2025 — Year in Search.

This year, we searched for ways to rediscover, reinvent, and rethink what’s possible. See how people reimagined their worlds in 2025.

This is driven by the users, not filtered through professional expert news judgment, but it covered most of the same material. Also, it was inspiring, which is more than I can say about the rest of the videos. That makes it a fit way to end the year.

Stay tuned for some of my favorite bands at the Rose Parade for New Year's Day.

*Speaking of space, I whined about NASA not uploading a 2025 in review video on Monday. The U.S. space agency finally did yesterday, combining it with a look ahead to 2026. I plan on posting that on Saturday, January 3rd. I can at least continue one of my New Year's traditions!

2025 in weather and climate — L.A. fires, Hurricane Melissa, and one of three warmest years

Today's year-end retrospective is this year's version of '2024 becomes the world's hottest year on record, fueling extreme weather events,' the year in climate and weather. I open with The Weather Network's Year in Review: How Extreme Weather and Natural Disasters Transformed 2025.

Saphia Khambalia delivers this roundup of world weather events in 2025. From California's deadly wildfires to Jamaica's Hurricane Melissa and the massive earthquakes that shook Myanmar and Russia, 2025 was a year defined by extremes.

That's an impressive list of extreme weather and related natural disasters covering the globe.

The Weather Network has more in Year in Review: 2025’s Most Intense Caught-On-Camera Weather.

This compilation showcases some of the most dramatic and terrifying moments of 2025, capturing the raw power of nature. From massive floods and destructive landslides to powerful tornadoes and shocking avalanches, witness these unbelievable events as they were caught on camera around the world.

Yikes! Also, I couldn't resist.

Closer to home, NBC News reported Extreme weather slams parts of the U.S. throughout 2025.

From the fires in Los Angeles to tornado outbreaks in the South and Midwest, the U.S. experienced extreme and sometimes deadly weather in 2025. NBC News’ Angie Lassman details the historic events.

The U.S. may have escaped hurricane landfalls this year, but the country made up for it with the L.A. fires, floods, and tornado outbreaks. Those remind me of what I wrote last year.

Seeing this reminds me of the first two questions I ask my students while watching Chasing Ice.

1. Chasing Ice opens with a montage of natural disasters. Name three of them.

The three that come to mind are floods, fires, and droughts. All of those, along with dangerous heatwaves and stronger hurricanes and tropical cyclones, appear in this report. For what it's worth, those are also among the possible answers to a question I ask about Treasures of the Earth: Power: "What are the expected effects of global warming? List three examples."

Speaking of global warming/ climate change, WION reported 2025 Among Hottest Years Ever Recorded | WION Climate Tracker.

2025 was one of three hottest years on record, scientists say. Headlines from ABC News Live[.] Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. Climate change worsened by human behavior made 2025 one of the three hottest years on record, scientists said.

I'm closing by repeating something else I wrote last year.

First, welcome to the 400 ppm world. Second, are you scared enough by climate change? My readers should be.

Stay tuned for one more year-end retrospective of 2025 for New Year's Eve.

TODAY reveals TIME's people of the year for 2025

After skipping last year, I'm featuring Time's Person of the Year. Watch TODAY announce Architects of AI Named Time’s 2025 Person of the Year.

Time’s editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs joins TODAY with the exclusive announcement that the architects of AI have been selected as the 2025 Time Person of the Year. "Never before has so much power been concentrated in so few individuals," Jacobs says.

I'm repeating what I wrote about the Economics Nobel Prize in Science, peace, economics, and literature winners for Nobel Prize Day 2025.

This award is as much about technology as it is about economics. May it mean that AI be a net benefit for the economy. Right now, it looks like it's doing more destruction than creation.

If the projections are correct, it will be doing both, with 20% of people losing their current jobs while quintupling GDP. Yikes! That's an outcome the residents of Richistan would approve of. As for the rest of us, I'll repeat what I wrote a dozen years ago in Robots are coming for our jobs, "the loss of jobs to robots will be the major effect of the Singularity, not everyone becoming cyborgs or the machines enslaving or killing off humanity." It's not like we weren't warned.

TODAY revealed the rest of TIME's picks earlier in the week, beginning with Leonardo DiCaprio is Named Time 2025 Entertainer of the Year.

TODAY exclusively reveals Time’s picks for 2025 entertainer of the year and CEO of the year.

I'll be writing more about DiCaprio when I blog about his nominations at the Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globe Awards. As for Neal Mohan, I'd heard of him before, but didn't pay much attention to him. Now he has my attention.

I close with A’ja Wilson Named Time’s 2025 Athlete of the Year.

TODAY exclusively reveals Time’s picks for 2025 Athlete of the Year and Breakthrough of the Year: A’ja Wilson and K-Pop Demon Hunters!

I'm recycling what I wrote in Earthquake, eclipse, and other news on 'SNL' last year.

I started following women's basketball when I was attending UCLA, as it was easier to play in the band for women's games than men's games when I was a sophomore. I thought they were more fun even then. I guess that make me an early adopter. I'm pleased to see everyone catch up to me, four plus decades later.

Everyone now includes TIME.

TIME made a good save by naming KPop Demon Hunters Breakthrough of the Year. They could just as easily have been Entertainers of the Year. I'll write about their nominations, too. That could be as early as tomorrow for the Sunday entertainment feature. Stay tuned.

Science, peace, economics, and literature winners for Nobel Prize Day 2025

Happy Nobel Prize Day! I begin today's celebration with BBC News reporting Physics Nobel Prize awarded to three scientists for work on quantum computing.

The Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis for their work on quantum mechanics that is paving the way for a new generation of very powerful computers.

"There is no advanced technology used today that does not rely on quantum mechanics, including mobile phones, cameras... and fibre optic cables," said the Nobel committee.

The announcement was made by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences at a news conference in Stockholm, Sweden.

The three winners will share prize money of 11 million Swedish kronor (£872,000).

Yay, three physicists from the University of California, even if they aren't from my undergraduate alma mater, UCLA!

Next, DW News reporting Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded "for the development of metal–organic frameworks".

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2025 Nobel Prize in chemistry to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi "for the development of metal–organic frameworks." The new type of molecular architecture developed by the group allows for "large cavities in which molecules can flow in and out. Researchers have used them to harvest water from desert air, extract pollutants from water, capture carbon dioxide and store hydrogen," according to the award-giving body. Their research could provide solutions for combatting climate change.

"A small amount of such material can be almost like Hermione's handbag in Harry Potter. It can store huge amounts of gas in a tiny volume," Heiner Linke, chairman of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, said during a press conference.

This looks like a very useful discovery. So does the next prize, Nobel Prize for medicine awarded to immune system researchers, as Al Jazeera English reported.

The Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine has been awarded to Mary E Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi for their work on the functioning of the human immune system.
The award, announced by Sweden’s Karolinska Institute on Monday, will be presented to the trio in December for “their groundbreaking discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance that prevents the immune system from harming the body”.
The research “relates to how we keep our immune system under control so we can fight all imaginable microbes and still avoid autoimmune disease”, said Marie Wahren-Herlenius, a rheumatology professor at the Karolinska Institute.
The prize of 11 million Swedish kronor ($1.17m) is to be shared equally between Brunkow and Ramsdell, both 64, of the United States and Japan’s Sakaguchi, 74.
The king of Sweden will also present them with gold medals.

Al Jazeera’s Paul Rhys reports from Stockholm.

This advancement could help me personally, as I am a cancer survivor and Type I diabetic, an autoimmune disease. May I live long enough for the science to advance enough to improve my condition.

Follow over the jump for the non-science prizes.

Small Business Saturday 2025 from National Day Calendar and NBC News

Happy Small Business Saturday! I begin today's celebration with Marlo Anderson of National Day Calendar hosting SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY - Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Small businesses feed our communities. They keep our main streets thriving and employ nearly half of the American workforce. Supporting small businesses means you're supporting your local economy, local business, tax base, schools, and infrastructure. Your holiday shopping will put food on the tables of people you know.

You will be doing your community some good, and you will also be finding quality gifts. Small businesses take pride in their work. They've worked hard for their dream, and it shows in their craftsmanship.

Anderson did a good job of reviewing the history of the holiday and its rationale. I would know; I've been observing Small Business Saturday since 2011, the first year of this blog and the second year of the special day.

For more detail, I turn to NBC News/NBC Select explaining How To Support Small Businesses this Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday a great day to shop small — business owners say 20% of their annual revenue will come from this year's event. However, it's important to shop small businesses all year long. NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin stopped by @NBCNews Now to talk all things supporting small.

Big businesses like At Home, Kohl's, Joann, Claire's, and Target aren't the only ones affected by tariffs; small businesses might be even more affected by them. This makes tariffs a sustainability issue, since I count shopping small and local as a sustainable action.

NBC News had more to say about today on TODAY. Watch this morning's Small Business Saturday 2025: Try These Tips for Shopping Local.

Small Business Saturday is an annual shopping day that encourages consumers to support local businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. NBC’s Brian Cheung joins Saturday TODAY to share tips for shopping local, how to find small businesses and more.

In addition to reinforcing the points about the importance of Small Business Saturday to small businesses, Brian Cheung and the TODAY panel previewed Cyber Monday. I'm glad they did, because I'm not observing it this year. That's because it falls on December 1st, World AIDS Day. Since the Trump Administration canceled funding for World AIDS Day commemorations after 37 years, effectively meaning it won't celebrate the day officially, I'm going to celebrate it here all the more. Priorities.

That's a wrap for both today and the string of holiday posts. Stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment feature to close out September.

Local news covers the marching bands in the 2025 Macy's Parade

As I wrote yesterday, I'm breaking this year's edition of Local news coverage of marching bands in the 2024 Macy's Parade for Thanksgiving into two parts. Part one was WMUR covers the Spartans in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Part two consists of the marching bands, beginning with Fox 5 New York reporting Alcorn State University’s Sounds of Dynomite: Marching band in Thanksgiving Day Parade.

FOX 5 NY's Kendall Green speaks with some members of Alcorn State University’s marching band "Sounds of Dynomite."

Yes, I'm sharing the bands in alphabetical order as listed on Macy's website with the last two swapped for a narrative. I'm glad it resulted in an HBCU band first. Also, I'm glad I got a non-NBC affiliate because of what I wrote last year.

By the way, notice how many of these segments are from local NBC affiliates. As I first wrote in CNN defends Big Bird after Ted Cruz calls one of the character's tweets 'Propaganda,' a pandemic update, "my readers should keep that relationship in mind when watching the clip above. It's not just news value that's driving it."

In this case, it is news value.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the bands in tomorrow's parade.

NBC and CNBC report on likely Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger

I'm taking a break from Emmy Awards coverage for this week's Sunday entertainment feature to examine a business of entertainment story, a reported offer for Paramount to buy Warner Bros. Discovery. I begin with NBC News explaining What a Paramount merger with Warner Bros. Discovery could mean for television.

Paramount Skydance is preparing to make a bid for Warner Brothers Discovery. NBC News' Tom Llamas talks to media and sports reporter Alex Sherman about what this potential merger could mean for film and television.

This could have major effects on entertainment production and consumption, although the resulting company would still not be as big as Amazon and Apple, which are primarily technology companies, or Disney, which definitely is still a media company. CNBC Television was thinking of a different media company when it uploaded Combining Paramount and Warner Bros. could create real competition to Netflix: Puck's Matt Belloni.

Matt Belloni, Puck founding partner, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss reports of Paramount Skydance preparing an all-cash takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, impact on the media industry, and more.

I was wondering if/when Joe Kernan would say something that would annoy me and he lived down to my expectations by speculating on what this merger would do to CNN's personnel. CBS News and CNN merging would likely result in a more conservative news outlet, which would make Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump get out of the deal's way. It's a legitimate topic that I'm concerned about, but Kernan's attitude rubbed me the wrong way. Good thing Andrew Ross Sorkin stepped in to change the tone.

Speaking of Sorkin, he kicked off the questioning in David Ellison is trying to do something no one's ever done, says LightShed's Rich Greenfield.

Rich Greenfield, LightShed Partners co-founder, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss reports of Paramount Skydance preparing an all-cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, impact on the rest of the media industry, prospect of Comcast making a competing bid, and more.

When I first heard about a potential buyer for Warner Bros., it was NBCUniversal, which would make sense for Universal Studios theme parks; Harry Potter's movie and theme park IP would under the same umbrella instead of being split. That was under the Biden Administration. As Greenfield pointed out, this won't happen with Hoover Cleveland in charge. Besides, the Ellisons can outbid NBCUniversal, so it won't happen from a business perspective, either.

There was a lot of talk about a potential purchase of TikTok, but I'm going to save that for a future post. Speaking of which, stay tuned for a post about tonight's Emmy winners tomorrow.

Listening to people worry about lower birthrates on World Population Day is enough to drive me to drink on National Mojito Day

Happy World Population Day and National Mojito Day! I begin the holiday observances with Newsweek's Singles Pandemic: Why Global Birthrates Are Falling—and What It Means for Our Future.

Birthrates are falling fast—and the impact could reshape the future of economies, families, and entire nations.

In this episode of Blind Spots, we explore the global fertility crisis, from Japan and South Korea to the United States. Why are fewer people having children? How do economic pressure, changing cultural norms, and government policy play a role? And what happens when aging populations outnumber the young?

Singles Pandemic breaks down one of the most urgent demographic trends of our time.

It was time to put the world back in World Population Day after concentrating on U.S. trends since 2020. Japan and especially South Korea have it worse than the U.S., while the French seem to have it better.

Speaking of focusing on the U.S., I'm looking at the other side of American population equation before examining birth rates with TODAY reporting U.S. life expectancy rose to 78.4 years in 2023 early this year.

U.S. life expectancy rose to 78.4 years in 2023, hitting its highest level since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Well, that's good news, although U.S. life expectancy still hasn't risen to its 2014 value of 78.9 years. It sank most of the years since, which I started blogging about in 2016, before collapsing during the pandemic and recovering afterwards. If U.S. life expectancy reaches 80 years, I might post Professor Farnsworth. That might be awhile.

Follow over the jump for videos about the situation in the U.S., including what, if anything, can be done about it, plus a video about National Mojito Day.

Bald Eagle finally legally the national bird for American Eagle Day plus National Seashell Day on the Summer Solstice

Happy American Eagle Day and National Seashell Day on the Summer Solstice! I have six-month-old news to report for the first of today's concurrent holidays, NBC News reporting Inside the ‘incredible journey’ to make the bald eagle the official U.S. national bird.

The House and Senate unanimously pass a bill to make the bald eagle the U.S. national bird. Preston Cook, co-Chair of the National Bird Initiative for the National Eagle Center, joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss his push to make it happen.

Behold the power of impassioned and determined scholarship!

Of course, no bill becomes law without either the President signing it or Congress overriding his (so far) veto. Joe Biden signed the bill, which Atlanta News First (Peachtree TV/WPCH) reported in American Bald Eagle finally named the official bird of United States.

Despite the American Bald Eagle’s association with the United States for over 200 years, the symbol was just that – a symbol – until this week.

I embedded a DNews (now Seeker) video describing the Bald Eagle as the national bird and linked to it in my first celebration of American Eagle Day in 2017. Until last night, when I found the NBC News video, I would have said the Bald Eagle was already the national bird. Now it is and I'm no longer wrong. That's a relief. Also, it's always a good day when I learn something new, which made yesterday a good day. I hope it makes today a good day for my readers.

Follow over the jump for videos celebrating National Seashell Day and the Summer Solstice.

WeightWatchers files for bankruptcy, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse (and Ozempic)

I telegraphed today's topic as an aside in 'SNL' celebrates Mother's Day 2025.

It didn't take long for weight loss drugs like Ozempic to drive Weight Watchers into bankruptcy. Since they operate brick-and-mortar locations, they're now another candidate for my Retail Apocalypse coverage. Add that to my to-do list.

I begin my crossing off by sharing TODAY reporting WeightWatchers files for bankruptcy to shed $1B+ in debt.

WeightWatchers, a major cultural force that went beyond the fitness space that’s been around for more than 60 years, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a bid to shed more than $1 billion in debt and reposition itself in the industry. “We are going through this transaction to strengthen our financial foundation for WeightWatchers moving forward so that we can innovate and compete and continue to invest in our business,” president and CEO Tara Comonte says. NBC’s Christine Romans reports for TODAY.

WeightWatchers decided that if they couldn't beat Ozempic and other weight loss drugs, they'd join them. Too bad things moved so quickly that they were late to that party.

Since I live in metro Detroit, I'm adding a local perspective with CBS Detroit also reporting WeightWatchers is filing for bankruptcy.

Weight Watchers, a weight loss program with a history of over 60 years, has entered the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. WW says services for members will continue.

"All good things come to an end." I don't think WeightWatchers filing for bankruptcy will be the end of the company, at least for now. There will still be a need for its services, as the panelists on The View pointed out in WeightWatchers Files For Bankruptcy.

#TheView co-hosts react to injectable weight loss drugs becoming so popular that WeightWatchers filled for bankruptcy.

The panelists did a good job of humanizing the issue and explaining how weight loss drugs are not the answer for everyone because of affordability and individual reactions to the medications. Behavioral modification, including diet, will still be on the menu, pun intended. At least Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump is trying to do something about drug affordability, which I'm adding to ending minting pennies and daylight saving time among his few good ideas. Even a stuck clock is right twice a day, and Hoover Cleveland is definitely a stuck clock.

Stay tuned for Wayback Wednesday tomorrow. I have three days of entertainment-themed retrospectives planned this week as I begin my coverage of the News and Documentary Emmy Awards nominees.

'Conclave' — fiction vs. reality

I'm looking back at the Oscars and ahead to the new Pope for today's Sunday entertainment feature. First, 'Conclave' Wins Best Adapted Screenplay | 97th Oscars Speech (2025).

Amy Poehler presents Peter Straughan with the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for 'Conclave' at the 97th Academy Awards.

This was no surprise.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Conclave won the Golden Globe as well as the Critics' Choice Awards and WGA Awards, so it's a prohibitive favorite here; again, all eleven editors voted for it to win.

Just the same, congratulations to Peter Straughan on winning Conclave's only Oscar out of eight nominations.

I'll examine the rest of Gold Derby's predictions over the jump. Right now, I'm sharing TODAY asking What is the conclave? Inside the process for electing a new pope.

Once the period of mourning for Pope Francis is done, the centuries-old tradition of selecting a new pope, known as the conclave, gets underway. NBC’s Keir Simmons reports for TODAY about the process that’s shrouded in secrecy.

NBC News via TODAY seemed to assess the movie Conclave as fairly realistic. Not so John Allen, editor of Crux, the interviewee in PBS NewHour's What to expect as the College of Cardinals prepares to elect a new pope.

Saturday’s funeral and burial of Pope Francis mark the beginning of nine days of official mourning at the Vatican, with cardinals leading masses each day. The words of their homilies will be closely examined and analyzed for clues about what’s on their minds as they prepare to elect a new pope. John Yang speaks with John Allen, editor of Crux, for more.

LOL, Spaceballs. That's not a flattering comparison, but it gives me the opportunity to mention the movie on this blog for only the second time.

I expect I'll return to the topic once the real conclave elects a new Pope. In the meanwhile, follow over the jump to see how Gold Derby's Oscar predictions fared.

Kamala Harris could run for California Governor on Throwback Thursday

Happy Throwback Thursday! I'm looking forwards and backwards today, beginning with Kornacki: Kamala Harris could face 'hiccups' if she enters California gubernatorial race from NBC News.

NBC News National Political Correspondent Steve Kornacki joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss the early state of play in California's gubernatorial race as former Vice President Kamala Harris weighs a run for governor.

Yes, that's a qualified field that could give Kamala Harris a run for her money — on paper. In reality, she's walking away with the contest, as KTLA reported in Kamala Harris enjoys wide lead in hypothetical governor's race.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris would have a wide lead over the rest of the field if she were to enter the 2026 race for California governor, according to an Inside California Politics/Emerson College poll released Thursday. April 17, 2025.

And she hasn't even declared!

NY Pulse, a channel that has only existed for a month, had more in Kamala Harris leads California governor’s race — but 50% say the former VP shouldn’t run: poll.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris is the runaway front-runner in the California governor’s race – but voters are split on whether the failed 2024 Democratic presidential candidate should even enter the fray.

Harris has the support of 31% of Californians who plan to vote in the Golden State’s June 2026 gubernatorial primary election, according to an Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics/The Hill survey released Thursday,

But half of likely voters, 50%, believe that the former vice president, California senator and state attorney general should not run for the governorship.

Harris’s closest competitors are former Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), who only mustered 8% support, and Republican Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco, who garnered a 4% backing.

Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, a recent entrant into the race, received 2% support.

That's a really good preview image, but I'm suspicious of the channel itself. I wonder who's behind it.

Follow over the jump for a retrospective of the relevant top post plus the most commented posts between March 21, 2024 and March 20, 2025 for today.

Can Elon Musk buy an election? Silly and serious takes on the Wisconsin Supreme Court contest

I'm closing out March's blogging by sharing silly and serious takes on tomorrow's election for Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice, beginning with The Daily Show's Elon Musk & Billionaires Flood the Zone in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race.

Ronny Chieng covers the upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court election, including Elon Musk’s $20 million intervention in Republican Brad Schimel’s campaign, attack ads against the wrong Susan Crawford, and alternating pro-pedophilia smear campaigns. Plus, Grace Kuhlenschmidt sees how billionaires are turning elections into games.

The preview image asked "Can Elon buy a Wisconsin election?" That was the silly take. I begin the serious takes with Democracy Now! asking the nearly identical question, Can Elon Musk Buy Wisconsin? Ari Berman on Billionaire-Funded Attempt to Flip State Supreme Court.

After spending over a quarter of a billion dollars on Donald Trump's presidential election campaign, Elon Musk is pouring money into a Supreme Court election in Wisconsin. Musk has spent more than $18 million to support Trump-backed candidate Brad Schimel over liberal Susan Crawford and has been paying Wisconsin voters $100 to help flip the state's top court. This election could impact abortion rights, unions and Republicans' ability to keep gerrymandered districts in place to control Congress. "The level of corruption at play here, the level of money at play here, really is a warning sign for what's happening to our democracy," says Ari Berman, voting rights correspondent for Mother Jones magazine.

Amy Goodman and Ari Berman are right; this is part of a larger project that includes Hoover Cleveland's power grab in the form of an executive order regarding elections. The voters can stop it, but only if they demonstrate that the answer to The Daily Show's and Democracy Now's question is "no." To that end, I'm embedding NBC News's Steve Kornacki: Wisconsin Supreme Court race will test Democrat’s off-year turnout 'advantage'.

NBC News National Political Correspondent Steve Kornacki digs into battleground Wisconsin ahead of the state’s Supreme Court election.

I'd like to think Democrats still have the turnout advantage in off-year elections they've had since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Hoover Cleveland won states like Wisconsin and Michigan through "bullet ballots" — people voting for him but no one else. They didn't vote for downballot contests and aren't likely to vote in an election where Trump is not on the ballot. That reminds me of an answer to the question I asked in I ask The Archdruid and his readers 'Can you show us on the doll exactly where the educated professionals hurt you?' The answer is turn against Republicans and deny them downballot victories. I hope that happens tomorrow in Wisconsin and other states where there are off-year and special elections.

That concludes March's blogging. Stay tuned for a retrospective about holidays on April Fools Day.