Jon Stewart’s return to ‘The Daily Show’ felt familiar to those who missed him while he was away

Jon Stewart’s return to ‘The Daily Show’ felt familiar to those who missed him while he was away

NEW YORK — No, Jon Stewart really wasn’t sitting at his desk at Comedy Central for the last nine years, waiting for someone to turn the lights back on. Yet it almost felt that way during Stewart’s return to “The Daily Show” Monday night. His signature moves — blunt satire, facial grimaces, incisive use of … Read more

Pain, sweat and sandworms: In ‘Dune 2’ Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and the cast rise to the challenge

Pain, sweat and sandworms: In ‘Dune 2’ Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and the cast rise to the challenge

LOS ANGELES — LOS ANGELES (AP) — Timothée Chalamet and Austin Butler were really looking forward to their fight. The actors had been training, separately, with a Kali instructor in Los Angeles to prepare for the climactic showdown between Paul Atreides and Feyd Rautha in Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two. ” When they finally met … Read more

The way AI will be sold to a skeptical public is becoming clear

The way AI will be sold to a skeptical public is becoming clear

Many AI companies struggle with customers understanding how the product won’t take away their ability to think for themselves. A few took the opportunity of the Super Bowl to change the narrative. There’s no greater opportunity to reach 123 million live viewers at once and get massive press buzz, even if it cost $7 million … Read more

Paramount Global lays off 800 employees after record Super Bowl ratings

Paramount Global lays off 800 employees after record Super Bowl ratings

Paramount executive Bob Bakish attends the 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) at the PSD Bank Dome in Duesseldorf, Germany, November 13, 2022.  Thilo Schmuelgen | Reuters Paramount Global is laying off hundreds of employees, just one day after the company announced CBS had record Super Bowl viewership, Chief Executive Officer Bob Bakish said Tuesday … Read more

They call her the muse of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival. She insists she’s a missionary

They call her the muse of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival. She insists she’s a missionary

RIO DE JANEIRO — Standing 9 feet tall, Raquel Potí regularly graces the front pages of Brazilian magazines and newspapers, and on Saturday the artist donned a lavish feathered costume and lacquered her body in gold glitter. At one point she charged the length of the street party, sweeping her rainbow wings like she was … Read more

Temu returns to Super Bowl 58 with new commercial

Temu returns to Super Bowl 58 with new commercial

Jakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty Images Temu, the controversial Chinese e-commerce giant looking to take on Amazon, is returning to the big game on Sunday with a Super Bowl ad that lawmakers are calling on Paramount Global and CBS not to run. The company, owned by PDD Holdings, skyrocketed to prominence last year after … Read more

YouTube stars help NFL bring in more viewers, league says

YouTube stars help NFL bring in more viewers, league says

YouTuber Deestroying and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell presenting at YouTube’s Brandcast in May 2023. Credit: YouTube YouTube bet big on the NFL to boost its subscriber base, and content creators have been key to that push. After YouTube committed $2 billion per year to secure the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket, YouTube TV grew from … Read more

Before Usher hits the Super Bowl halftime stage, Apple Music builds anticipation ahead of big show

Before Usher hits the Super Bowl halftime stage, Apple Music builds anticipation ahead of big show

LAS VEGAS — In a short film shown at the end of the Super Bowl halftime performer news conference, the show’s headliner Usher comes up missing. The singer’s sudden absence prompts instant panic from his friends including Ludacris, Lil Jon and Taraji P. Henson, sparking a search at various Las Vegas landmarks. Ultimately, Usher is … Read more

Streamers like Amazon, YouTube and Peacock are transforming the NFL

Streamers like Amazon, YouTube and Peacock are transforming the NFL

The NFL isn’t just the most popular sports league in the U.S., it’s also the most valuable with the highest-rated programming and the priciest ad time. In 2021 the league signed an estimated $110 billion worth of media deals covering 11 years, which reportedly was nearly double the value of its previous contracts. “If you’re … Read more

China’s Temu to run second ad, $10 million giveaway

China’s Temu to run second ad,  million giveaway

Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Temu, the e-commerce app run by Chinese company PDD Holdings, plans to run a Super Bowl ad on Sunday, a spokesperson told CNBC, as it looks to continue growing rapidly in the United States. It’s rare for a Chinese firm to buy a Super Bowl ad spot, which costs … Read more