Entertainment
Shaun White Documentary Spells Out The Tough Choices He Made For His Sport
Shaun White- Years after their sport was elevated to the Olympic stage, most elite snowboarders still felt filthy about competing for large money and gold medals. They were more concerned with having fun and making new friends than winning money and rewards.
For every death-defying calculation Shaun White made throughout his two decades of risk-taking on the halfpipe, his decision to encourage other riders to reconsider their role in the sport was a game changer.
The first episode of the documentary series “Shaun White: The Last Run,” which premieres Thursday on MAX, focuses on the exact moment White chose to try to make a career off snowboarding rather than making friends.
“We saw a future in this sport that others didn’t, and we wanted to prove them wrong,” says White, now 36, in the series, reminiscing on a watershed event when he was 15. “I could potentially make what (my parents) were making for a whole year in one day.”
White received more than his fair share of criticism for that choice, but the next two decades proved him correct.
By the end of the series, no one has second thoughts about risking their life for a gold medal. Ayumu Hirano, 23, who won one in the Beijing Olympics — where White placed fourth after his final pass — is one of many who freely confess they wouldn’t be on the halfpipe if White hadn’t set a precedent.
“What’s beautiful about the documentary is, in the end, it’s not all about the wins,” White told The Associated Press. “In the end, it’s about leaving a legacy in sports.” “How it changed my life, how it changed the lives of my family, and, hopefully, how it changed the sport.”
For every death-defying calculation Shaun White made throughout his two decades of risk-taking on the halfpipe, his decision to encourage other riders to reconsider their role in the sport was a game changer.
For those who have only followed the three-time Olympic champion every four years, his decisions and the risks he takes in this four-part series will feel revelatory and as terrifying as they were in real time.
For those who already know the narrative, there’s a new opportunity to experience the ups and downs — specifically, the difficult, often life-changing and life-risking decisions he made in starting gates, ice tubs, and hospital beds with his coaches, Bud Keene and, subsequently, J.J. Thomas.
Along with years of home- and handheld-camera film, there are new interviews with White’s mother and father, Cathy and Roger, and his brother and sister, Kari and Jesse. They were all on board with Shaun as the family business. Excursions to Mount Hood and Mammoth in the family’s converted white van quickly turned into international flights to see their son and sibling transform the sport.
In a 2021 phone call, Kari reminds her brother, “Winning is your only friend,” as Shaun lies on a massage table, remembering when that was true but also experiencing the changes that 20 years had exacted on his body and psyche.
If there is a main opponent throughout this series, it is the triple cork — the enormous and hazardous three-head-over-heels move Hirano used to win in China last year.
White had been practicing that move for eight years before it was finally landed in a competition. In dozens of dives into airbags and foam pits, we witness him do it brilliantly and not-so-great. We see him commit to it, abandon it, then return to it, all the while knowing that if he loses his bearings on that trick — or any trick — while flying half-blind above a rock-hard halfpipe, his career and life are in jeopardy.
“That’s what the current riders were doing, and that’s where we are today,” White explained when asked why the series focuses on the triple jump rather than the other breakthrough techniques he pioneered. “And I thought it was important that they reacted by saying, ‘Hey, look, I tried this ages ago.'” But the sport did not change that way” when he first tried it.
It did, however, happen in the end.
The series alternates between eras. Early in Episode 1, White notices Hirano and the other Japanese riders landing triples weeks before the Beijing Games, and there’s a sense that his position atop the podium is in peril.
And yet, as he approaches the starting gate for his final ride in Episode 4, it feels as if he could try the triple and pull it off. After all, he had previously taken comparable risks and walked away with gold.
There are no spoilers in this section. Everyone knows how this is going to end.
But there were three gold medals and another fourth-place finish before that, each catapulting White to a different level of fame, satisfaction, happiness, or unhappiness. The objective of this story is not his career-ending fourth-place finish.
Instead, White made it acceptable — even desirable — for elite snowboarders to face the harsh realities of their jobs: Pushing the boundaries is admirable in and of itself. But there’s nothing wrong with being wealthy and famous for doing something you enjoy, especially if you’re willing to sacrifice your life.
SOURCE – (AP)
(VOR News) – The “Merc with a Mouth” will return to the big screen in Deadpool & Wolverine this weekend, and his contribution to Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe extends beyond his R rating.
“Deadpool & Wolverine,” the third standalone feature film featuring Ryan Reynolds as the regenerative reprobate, is expected to gross between $160 million and $180 million in its opening weekend at the domestic box office.
The movie has already surpassed the greatest number of ticket pre-sales in 2024, according to data provided by Fandango. It is anticipated that it will break numerous records during its opening weekend.
Most noteworthy among these accomplishments is the most successful premiere for an R-rated film in history, as well as the largest domestic opening of 2024.
Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” has achieved the highest opening of the year with a total of $154.2 million, as per the data provided by Comscore.
Additionally, the first “Deadpool” film has achieved the highest début for any R-rated feature film with a total of $132.4 million.
Mike Bowers, the president and CEO of Harkins Theatres, a theatre corporation located in Arizona, stated, “I am confident that this will be the largest R-rated film to ever be released if it is released.” Furthermore, it is already one of the most successful presale films in the annals of our company.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” was initially rated R because of its trailer.
It is also the 34th Deadpool & Wolverine film to be released under the Marvel Cinematic Universe banner. The two Deadpool films that preceded it, both of which were rated R, were produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox.
The reintroduction of the X-Men and Fantastic Four into the broader Marvel catalogue was the consequence of Disney’s acquisition of the corporation in 2019.
Similar to other Marvel Cinematic Universe films, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is benefiting from the enthusiasm of its audience.
Audiences are anxious to view the film during its opening weekend in order to prevent spoilers. Disney has maintained the confidentiality of the majority of the film’s content, and only a limited number of press screenings have been conducted prior to the film’s release.
Bowers anticipates that individuals will continue to return for additional viewings in the weeks following the film’s premiere.
He made the observation that “this is a film that there is so much happening, so many jokes and funny sequences that no one is going to be able to eat just one, you know, they’re going to be back.”
Ellis Jacob, the president and chief executive officer of Cineplex, the largest cinema theatre operator in Canada, echoed Bower’s viewpoint. Jacob asserted that “Deadpool & Wolverine” is replete with Easter eggs and that viewers will revisit the film to attempt to locate them all.
Furthermore, he stated that a substantial number of moviegoers are purchasing tickets for premium screenings, such as IMAX, Dolby, and ScreenX, which are more expensive.
Additionally, Marvel has collaborated with movie theatres to grant licenses for items such as collector popcorn tubs and drink containers, which the theatre operators anticipate will be in high demand.
Historically, concessions have been the most profitable revenue source for movie theatres, and the presence of limited-edition products can result in even greater sales of food and beverages.
” Deadpool & Wolverine” is an essential Marvel release.
Shawn Robbins, Deadpool & Wolverine the inventor and owner of Box Office Theory, announced that Disney had “slowed down the pace” and had scheduled fewer films in the series that has dominated the global box office for over a decade. Box Office Theory is also associated with Robbins.
He stated that Disney is making an effort to correct the course after a series of theatrical errors and poor box office performance, as well as a flood of streaming content that overwhelmed even the most devoted fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Robbins pointed out that “in the end, despite the fact that this is a Marvel movie, it may be viewed equally as a midsummer action comedy that stars personalities and brands that are loved by both die-hard fans and casual viewers.”
The fact that Reynolds and Jackman have both made a name for themselves in Deadpool & Wolverine popular culture and have maintained a cordial relationship through interviews and social media makes them an ideal pairing.
Likewise, there is genuine curiosity regarding the first R-rated film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and whether it will retain the qualities that made the first two Deadpool films and [Jackman’s 2017 Wolverine film] Logan so successful.
SOURCE: CNBC
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Turner Sports hopes to continue its long-standing relationship with the NBA.
On Monday, Warner Bros. Discovery informed the league that it will match Amazon Prime Video’s $1.8 billion annual bid. Turner has had an NBA package since 1984, and games have been broadcast on TNT since the network started in 1988.
“We studied the offers and accepted one of them. This will allow fans to continue to experience our unequaled coverage, including the greatest live game productions in the business and our legendary studio shows and talent, as we build on our proven 40-year commitment for many more years,” WBD stated. “We submitted our matching paperwork to the league today.” We are looking forward to the NBA completing our new contract.”
Warner Bros. Discovery Informs NBA It Will Match Amazon Prime Video’s Offer To Carry Games
The NBA Board of Governors approved the league’s 11-year media rights deals with Disney, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video on Tuesday at its meeting in Las Vegas. WBD received all three contracts on Wednesday, beginning the five-day clock for deciding whether to match.
The new deals, for $76 billion, will begin with the 2025-26 season and entail a game being shown or streamed nationally every night during the second half of the season.
The Prime Video package would have offered games on Thursday night after it finished carrying NFL games. The other nights were Friday and Saturday.
TNT would air games on Thursday, with the other nights being streamed on Max.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav warned at an RBC Investor Conference in November 2022 that Turner and WBD “don’t have to have the NBA.”
Warner Bros. Discovery and the league could not negotiate an agreement during their exclusive bargaining period, which ended in April. Zaslav and TNT Sports Chairman/CEO Luis Silberwasser have recently announced that they intend to match one of the agreements.
“During our four-decade collaboration with the NBA, we have consistently provided exceptional coverage for basketball fans. WBD stated that they behaved in good faith to offer strong proposals that were fair to both parties throughout exclusive and non-exclusive negotiations to maintain their long-standing collaboration. “Regrettably, the league notified us of its intention to accept other offers for the games in our current rights package, leaving us to proceed under the matching rights provision, which is an integral part of our current agreement and the rights we have paid for under it.”
NBC and WBD would alternate broadcasting one of the conference finals series. ESPN and ABC will continue to broadcast the league’s top package and will host conference finals and the NBA Finals each year.
According to people familiar with the negotiations, Amazon’s offer contained a mechanism for paying many years in advance into an escrow account, which many thought would be difficult to match. However, WBD has informed the league that it has the financial resources to do so.
“The Ringer’s” Bill Simmons originally mentioned the Amazon provision on “The Town” podcast.
People talked to the AP anonymously because they were not at liberty to discuss such serious topics.
Warner Bros. Discovery Informs NBA It Will Match Amazon Prime Video’s Offer To Carry Games
WBD pays $1.4 billion per season under the existing nine-year contract, which expires after next season.
WBD is making a large financial investment, but it is necessary. Without the NBA, it would have struggled to charge its present subscriber fees to cable and satellite companies.
Retaining the NBA would also ensure that the popular “Inside the NBA” show will continue. Charles Barkley was dismissive of WBD’s negotiation position and did not believe it would match. Barkley revealed at the end of this season that he planned to retire following the next season.
SOURCE – (AP)
Celebrity
American Who Made Social Media Threats Against Taylor Swift Detained Ahead Of German Concert
BERLIN — An American man who made threats against Taylor Swift on social media was seized before her first concert in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, and will be held in custody until her gigs there end, authorities said Thursday.
swift | AP news Image
American Who Made Social Media Threats Against Taylor Swift Detained Ahead Of German Concert
According to police, the accused stalker, a 34-year-old whose name has not been disclosed, had a ticket to Taylor’s concert at Gelsenkirchen’s Veltins-Arena on Wednesday. They stated that he was detained at event admission checks because an early assessment could not completely rule out a risk.
According to police, the man threatened Taylor and her partner on social media. They say he was detained after receiving tips from the event’s organizers.
The American superstar will perform in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday as part of her Eras tour. According to authorities, a local court has ordered that the suspected stalker be detained until Saturday.
They went on to say that Swift and the audience were always safe. The event drew approximately 60,000 people on Wednesday evening and went off without incident.
American Who Made Social Media Threats Against Taylor Swift Detained Ahead Of German Concert
Before the concerts, Gelsenkirchen temporarily renamed the town “Swiftkirchen” and honored the singer on a “Walk of Fame” dedicated to local luminaries.
Taylor has plans to perform in two more German cities after Gelsenkirchen: Hamburg and Munich.
SOURCE | AP
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