Steve Pond's Blog
October 3, 2025
OpenAI’s Sam Altman Changes Copyright Controls, Offers Monetization for Sora After Hollywood Raises Concerns
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman issued a major update for the AI video app Sora in the aftermath of copyright concerns from Hollywood.
The tech power player released a new statement Friday evening, where he confirmed two new changes were coming to the app — one of which will give more copyright control to rightsholders.
“We have been learning quickly from how people are using Sora and taking feedback from users, rightsholders and other interested groups,” Altman wrote in a new blog post. “We of course spent a lot of time discussing this before launch, but now that we have a product out we can do more than just theorize.”
As he continued, Altman noted the new changes were just two of “many more to come.”
“First, we will give rightsholders more granular control over generation of characters, similar to the opt-in model for likeness but with additional controls,” he continued. “We are hearing from a lot of rightsholders who are very excited for this new kind of ‘interactive fan fiction’ and think this new kind of engagement will accrue a lot of value to them, but want the ability to specify how their characters can be used (including not at all).”
Sora’s initial opt out policy required companies to explicitly say they didn’t want their IP to appear on the app. If not, copyrighted content could find itself on to Sora. Disney has reportedly already opted out.
This sparked concern in Hollywood, prompting a response from Altman, who theorized users will “try very different approaches and will figure out what works for them.”
He added, “We want to apply the same standard towards everyone, and let rightsholders decide how to proceed (our aim of course is to make it so compelling that many people want to). There may be some edge cases of generations that get through that shouldn’t, and getting our stack to work well will take some iteration.”
Altman then noted Sora would be experimenting in ways to monetize the videos, too. In particular, the CEO explained they would be exploring revenue sharing with rightsholders when their characters are used.
“The exact model will take some trial and error to figure out, but we plan to start very soon,” Altman said. “Our hope is that the new kind of engagement is even more valuable than the revenue share, but of course we want both to be valuable.”
Before signing off his note, Altman warned that there would likely be both “good decisions and some missteps” as they implement the changes.
The post OpenAI’s Sam Altman Changes Copyright Controls, Offers Monetization for Sora After Hollywood Raises Concerns appeared first on TheWrap.
Matt Damon Surprises Jimmy Kimmel, Reignites Feud Bit: ‘Zero Ratings and No Talent’ | Video
Jimmy Kimmel had one last surprise guest as his “Brooklyn Week” came to a close, as Matt Damon made unexpected cameo during the comedian’s monologue.
The Oscar winner made his way onto the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” stage during Friday’s episode, where he dressed in a neon furry mascot costume — reminiscent of Frankie Focus, the new mascot introduced by Governor Kathy Hochul to help kids focus in school.
At first, it wasn’t clear that Damon was under the furry headpiece. However, when the mascot began insulting Kimmel, viewers were clued in that the comedian’s longtime nemesis (as part of a long-running “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” gag) was inside the costume.
“Stop cheering for him. This is breaking and entering,” Kimmel told the audience. “Again! You’ve done this before.”
Damon proceeded to explain the reason for his impromptu visit: “I wore this costume because it’s the last chance to get on the show. I know we’ve had our differences over the years. But, I wanted to be here tonight for your last show ever.”
Here’s where Kimmel had to break the news to his famous frenemy. “This isn’t my last show ever,” Kimmel said. “We have a show Monday.”
Damon responded, “No, but the president cancelled you — which I was a big fan of, by the way. I mean, when he said you had zero ratings and no talent, I was like, ‘I’ve been saying that for years.'”
Watch the full bit below.
The Damon-Kimmel feud dates back to 2005, when during a Season 3 episode the late night host jokingly apologized to the actor for bumping him as they “ran out of time.”
Damon was never actually scheduled to be on the show, but it became a running joke that Kimmel never allowed Damon to appear as a guest on his show. Over the years, Damon has had to “sneak” onto “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” with the help of his celebrity peers, including Ben Affleck and Sarah Silverman.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC.
The post Matt Damon Surprises Jimmy Kimmel, Reignites Feud Bit: ‘Zero Ratings and No Talent’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Oasis Guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs Announces ‘Break’ From Tour Amid Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs, the guitarist for English rock band Oasis, shared a major health update with fans on Friday and confirmed he’d be stepping away from the reunion tour.
Arthurs took to Instagram and shared that he was currently battling prostate cancer, which he revealed he was diagnosed with earlier in the year.
“The good news is I’m responding really well to treatment, which meant I could be part of this incredible tour,” Arthurs wrote to fans. “Now, I am having to take a planned break for the next phase of my care, so I’ll be missing the gigs in Seoul, Tokyo, Melbourne and Sydney.”
As he continued, Arthurs told his fans that he was “really sad to be missing these shows.”
Yet, he remained optimistic about his health, noting that he’s was “feeling good” and planned to “be back ready to go in time for South America.”
Arthurs — a founding member of Oasis — signed off his update: “Have an amazing time if you’re going this month and I’ll see you back onstage with the band in November.”
Arthurs’ Oasis bandmates showed their love for the guitarist by resharing his announcement on the band’s Instagram page. They also wrote, “Wishing you all the best with your treatment.”
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Paul Arthurs (@boneheadspage)
Arthurs has battled cancer before, having previously been diagnosed with tonsil cancer — a diagnosis he shared in 2022 while on tour with Liam Gallagher.
He took a break from playing at the time. Though, Arthurs shared he went into remission in September of that same year.
Oasis announced their reunion tour in August 2024 after brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher ended their near 15-year feud.
Oasis Live ’25 Tour kicked off in July and is expected to conclude next month when the band performs in São Paulo, Brazil.
The post Oasis Guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs Announces ‘Break’ From Tour Amid Prostate Cancer Diagnosis appeared first on TheWrap.
Bill Maher Lays Into Kamala Harris Over Playing Victim in Memoir: ‘Nothing’s Ever Kamala’s Fault’| Video
Bill Maher took aim at former Vice President Kamala Harris while discussing the role of gender in politics, and accused the once presidential hopeful of being a prime example of why the left keeps losing elections.
During Friday night’s episode of “Real Time With Bill Maher,” the comedian tackled the divide in American politics, noting “that divide is on steroids now and getting worse.”
As he continued, Maher called on the women of the Democratic party to “look tough” and stop “perpetuating victimhood, especially when it’s false.”
He added, “It’s not a great advertisement for leadership.”
Here’s where Maher laid into Harris, as he called out the title of her new memoir, “107 Days,” which details her 2024 presidential campaign. Maher made it clear he wasn’t a fan of the title, as he added, “It should’ve been called, ‘Everyone Sucks But Me.'”
He continued, “‘107 Days’ is a victim’s title cause, get it, she only had 107 days to win. Yeah, and a billion and a half dollars. And a built-in army of about 75 million people who’d vote for any human-adjacent life form that wasn’t Trump. But, in ‘107 Days,’ nothing is ever Kamala’s fault.”
Maher then blasted Harris for all the people she blamed for her failed presidential bid, including former President Joe Biden, California Governor Gavin Newsom and more.
Watch the full segment below.
Before concluding his message, Maher added, “Oh geez, it’s like a scene from ‘Bridget Jones Runs for President” for Christ’s sake.”
“Real Time With Bill Maher” airs Fridays on HBO.
The post Bill Maher Lays Into Kamala Harris Over Playing Victim in Memoir: ‘Nothing’s Ever Kamala’s Fault’| Video appeared first on TheWrap.
‘Gilmore Girls’ Star Lauren Graham Hints She’s Team Logan in Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony Speech | Video
“Gilmore Girls” may’ve debuted 25 years ago, but the show’s boyfriend debate is still going strong. So much so, the topic was addressed during Lauren Graham’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony speech on Friday.
The actress cheekily brought up the Team Dean vs. Team Jess vs. Team Logan conversation — which first sparked amid the show’s original run between 2000 and 2007 on The WB (later The CW) — while accepting her star for the iconic Walk of Fame.
“I want to thank my castmates. I’ve gotten to work with so many incredible people,” Graham, who played Lorelai Gilmore on the popular dramedy, noted. “And I never pick a team, but I do have to say, [Matt] Czuchry’s here.”
Czuchry famously played Logan Huntzberger on “Gilmore Girls” for the fifth, sixth and seventh seasons. Logan was one of three major men Alexis Bledel’s Rory Gilmore dated throughout the show.
He later revived his character for the Netflix revival, titled “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life,” which premiered in 2016.
All this time later, Graham has since hinted that she has a soft spot Logan. In fact, Graham tapped on the mic at one point and called out the other “Gilmore Girls” heartthrobs by name: “[Milo] Ventimiglia? No. [Jared] Padalecki? Points for Logan.”
Still, Graham made it clear she wasn’t definitively declaring her support for Czuchry’s character in the “team” battle. She added, “Just points! Just points! It’s an ongoing points system. It isn’t done yet.”
Before wrapping up her speech, Graham thanked the fans of “Gilmore Girls,” who she said “have been so dedicated and so loving.”
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Hollywood Walk Of Fame (@hwdwalkoffame)
Graham’s ceremony was attended by several other “Gilmore Girls” alums, including Kelly Bishop, Scott Patterson, Yanic Truesdale, creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and executive producer Daniel Palladino.
Last month, Graham reunited with onscreen daughter Bledel to present the Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series award at the 2025 Emmys.
The post ‘Gilmore Girls’ Star Lauren Graham Hints She’s Team Logan in Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony Speech | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Los Angeles City Hall Evacuates After Man Barricades Himself Inside Vehicle on Sidewalk
Los Angeles City Hall found itself evacuated on Friday after a car camped out on the sidewalk in front of the municipal building and the driver barricaded himself inside the vehicle.
Per the LAPD, officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle parked on the sidewalk in front of City Hall just after 4 p.m. on Friday.
“The driver, an adult male, refused to exit and comply with officers’ commands,” the statement continued. “SWAT was requested to establish comms. The driver was taken into custody without further incident. Streets in the area will remain closed until the vehicle is cleared.”
Mayor Karen Bass also issued a statement on X after the incident, where she confirmed the suspect was now in custody and that the LAPD Bomb squad was on the scene.
She added, “Thank you to all of the brave first responders who safely resolved this situation with compassion and urgency.”
Prior to this update, Bass informed her constituents that City Hall was being “evacuated out of an abundance of caution.”
According to reports, two handmade signs were presented on the dashboard of the vehicle and read: “Don’t want to hurt nobody” and “I need ur help D Trump US vet.”
The suspect, who has been described as an older man with long gray hair, also had a handicap placard on display. He had reportedly barricaded himself inside his car for two hours before peacefully surrendering himself to the police.
The LAPD have yet to reveal the identity of the suspect.
The post Los Angeles City Hall Evacuates After Man Barricades Himself Inside Vehicle on Sidewalk appeared first on TheWrap.
Eric Dane Explains Why He Missed the 2025 Emmys’ Slated ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Reunion
Eric Dane was bummed that instead of reuniting with his “Grey’s Anatomy” co-star onstage at the Emmy Awards he spent his night in the real-life hospital.
The 52-year-old actor revealed that he was diagnosed with ALS in April of this year. And, as he told the Washington Post, he missed the planned reunion because he was getting stitches in his head after losing his balance and falling in his kitchen — a symptom of his neurodegenerative disease.
The “Euphoria” actor was scheduled to honor America’s longest-running primetime medical drama, in which he played Dr. Mark ‘McSteamy’ Sloan, alongside Jesse Williams, who played Dr. Jackson Avery on the series.
“ALS is a nasty disease. I missed an opportunity I was really looking forward to,” Dane told the outlet. “It would have been great to see Jesse and get reunited with some of my peers, and to be able to present in front of my colleagues, I thought would have been a special moment. So I was really upset about it, but you know, there was nothing I could do about it.”
The Emmys producers announced that the planned reunion would be scrapped because Dane could no longer attend. Williams instead presented by himself.
When Dane initially announced his diagnosis, he said he was returning to set for the long-awaited “Euphoria” Season 3, which is expected to premiere in 2026.
“I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter,” he said in an April statement. “I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”
He has since revealed that his symptoms began almost a year and a half before he announced his diagnosis. The “Grey’s Anatomy” alum previously shared that he’s lost mobility in his right arm, and that his left arm is now going, too.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rare neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive paralysis of the muscles. There is no cure for the disease, and most patients live three to five years after diagnosis, according to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. However, some patients can live decades.
The disease affects the nerve cells in the brain and spine that control muscle movement, and patients slowly lose their ability to speak, eat, walk and breathe independently.
Dane said in an interview with Diane Sawyer in June that his diagnosis makes him angry — but was instead choosing to focus on spending time with his family and working, if he’s able.
“I don’t think this is the end of my story,” Dane said at the time. “I’m fighting as much as I can. There’s so much of it that’s out of my control.”
The post Eric Dane Explains Why He Missed the 2025 Emmys’ Slated ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Reunion appeared first on TheWrap.
Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ Breaks Day 1 Streaming Records on Spotify, Apple and Amazon Music
“The Life of a Showgirl,” the latest album from Taylor Swift, is already on a record-breaking run.
Swift’s 12th studio album broke multiple records after it released on Friday, hitting historic numbers on Amazon Music, Apple Music and Spotify. These single-day records were attributed not only to her album as a whole, but also to its lead single, “The Fate of Ophelia.”
At 8:46 a.m. PST, Spotify announced on X that “The Life of a Showgirl” had already become the most-streamed album in a single day so far in 2025. By 3 p.m., Spotify cited “Ophelia” as the most-streamed song in a single day in the history of the music platform.
The Life of a Record-Breaker
— Spotify (@Spotify) October 3, 2025On October 3rd, 2025, Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” became the most-streamed song in a single day in Spotify history. pic.twitter.com/WIPRVBaGVS
The song remained the same over at Apple Music. There, the album likewise broke the record for the most streams in its first day so far in 2025, the music streaming platform announced on Instagram. While “The Fate of Ophelia” has not yet broken the all-time record like it did at Spotify, Apple Music did say it had the most first-day listens of any song in 2025.
Even better news for Swift came from Amazon Music. On X, the streamer announced that “The Life of a Showgirl” was the most-streamed album of all time in its first day on the service.
These broken records are hardly a surprise, with Swift’s recent albums often coming with history-making numbers. In a different medium, Swift saw similar numbers earlier in 2025, with her appearance on now-fiancé Travis Kelce’s podcast “New Heights” breaking YouTube’s podcast record with 13 million views in a single day. It was there that Swift announced the Oct. 3 release of “The Life of a Showgirl.”
Heading into the weekend, TheWrap is also looking at the box office to gauge Swift’s continued “Showgirl” successes. AMC theaters across the country are screning a “The Life of a Showgirl” release party event film. Clocking in at 89 minutes, the listening party event premiered the first music video for the album (“The Fate of Ophelia”) alongside lyric videos and what Swift described as “never-before-seen personal reflections” about the new music. The film also played at a number of Regal and Cinemark locations across the country.
“I hereby invite you to a dazzling soirée, The Official Release Party of a Showgirl: Oct 3 – Oct 5 only in cinemas!” Swift said on X.
While expected to top the box office charts this weekend, tracking for “Release Party of a Showgirl” is hovering around $35 million. That’s little more than a third of the $93 million opening that “The Eras Tour” earned in 2023 en route to becoming by far the highest grossing concert film of all time with $261.6 million worldwide.
The post Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ Breaks Day 1 Streaming Records on Spotify, Apple and Amazon Music appeared first on TheWrap.
‘The Great North’ Canceled at Fox After 5 Seasons
“The Great North” is coming to an end.
Fox has canceled the adult animated comedy series after five seasons, the network announced Friday. The news comes less than a month after “The Great North” aired its Season 5 finale, titled “It’s a Beef-Derful Life,” on Sept. 14, which will now serve as its series finale.
“We’re so grateful for everything Wendy, Lizzie, Loren and the amazing cast and crew put into ‘The Great North,’” Fox TV Network president Michael Thorn said in a statement. “It’s difficult to say goodbye, but we’re thankful for the five hilarious seasons ‘The Great North’ brought to the iconic Animation Domination lineup.”
The news comes months after Fox granted major commitments to adult animated comedies “The Simpsons,” “Family Guy,” “Bob’s Burgers” and returning series “American Dad!,” with the network renewing all four series for four additional seasons.
First launching in 2021, “The Great North” follows the “Alaskan adventures of the Tobin family, as single dad Beef (Nick Offerman) does his best to keep his bunch of kids close – especially his only daughter, Judy (Jenny Slate), whose artistic dreams lead her away from the family fishing boat and into the glamorous world of the local mall,” per the official logline.
In addition to Offerman and Slate, “The Great North” also featured a guest cast including Will Forte as Judy’s older brother, Wolf, Dulcé Sloan as Wolf’s wife, Honeybee, Paul Rust as middle brother Ham, Aparna Nancherla as little brother Moon, Megan Mullally as Judy’s boss, Alyson, and Alanis Morissette, who voices herself as Judy’s imaginary friend.
“Bob’s Burgers” executive producers Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin and Minty Lewis (“Regular Show”) created and wrote the show, with the Molyneux sisters serving as executive producers and showrunners while “Bob’s Burgers” creator Loren Bouchard also executive produced. “The Great North” was a 20th Television Animation production, and animation was produced through Bento Box Entertainment.
The post ‘The Great North’ Canceled at Fox After 5 Seasons appeared first on TheWrap.
Caleb Hearon Is ‘Glad’ He Didn’t Land ‘Saturday Night Live’: ‘They’re Telling People to Lose Weight’ | Video
Caleb Hearon almost found himself cast on “Saturday Night Live,” but admitted he’s ultimately “glad” the gig didn’t work out.
The comedian — whose HBO comedy special, “Caleb Hearon: Model Comedian,” dropped on Sept. 19 — opened up on the “Good One” podcast about his audition process for the famed NBC sketch show, which he blasted as “archaic.”
Per Hearon, he nabbed the opportunity to audition for the “SNL” team, including creator Lorne Michaels, through a character showcase at iO Chicago. Hearon said he prepped for the showcase for a year, noting that he “killed” his performance and was invited to join Michaels and others for drinks at the Ritz afterwards.
Hearon recalled being among the few asked to fly out to New York to audition at Studio 8H, confessing he practiced his set to “complete silence” after hearing stories about the in-studio audition process.
“I went and I did it. I would have killed for that job the first time,” he said. “The first time, I had no career. No followers. No team.”
Yet, Hearon shared he’s now happy it didn’t work out, as he felt it wouldn’t have been a right fit. “Glad I didn’t get it,” he added. “Not a place for me to work. For many reasons, not the least of which I’m fat and they’re telling people to lose weight to work on that show. No one likes to talk about that, but that’s reality.”
Reps for “Saturday Night Live” did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
Hearon credited this rejection as a motivator for him to begin posting his content online. “I was pissed. I was like, ‘What are you talking about? I have this great set,'” he went on. “But I started making videos right away. And I want to say that was late summer, early fall 2019. I had maybe 3,000 followers on Twitter or something from like college. And I started posting videos and by the end of that year I had 120,000, a team, agents, a manager.”
Hearon noted he did audition for the show again at another time, but still did not get cast.
“Thank god that it went that way,” he concluded. “I genuinely mean it when I say the two best things that ever happened to me are that I didn’t get that job twice. Because, I am not meant for that place. I don’t like being told what to do. I don’t like routine. I don’t like crazy schedules. The way that it all worked out for me that I get to be in charge, that I get to hire the people I want to work with, way better.”
Season 51 of “Saturday Night Live” premieres Oct. 4 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
The post Caleb Hearon Is ‘Glad’ He Didn’t Land ‘Saturday Night Live’: ‘They’re Telling People to Lose Weight’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
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