Steve Pond's Blog, page 113
June 23, 2025
Paramount+ With Showtime Rebrands – as Paramount+ Premium
Say goodbye to Paramount+ With Showtime. Sort of. On Monday Paramount Global formally dropped Showtime from the name of the streaming package and renamed it Paramount + Premium.
Paramount+ With Showtime was originally just an upgrade to Paramount+, but in 2023 Showtime was fully integrated with Paramount+ as the platform’s premium subscription. That was the beginning of the end for Showtime’s own standalone streaming app, which was closed in January 2024.
The linear Showtime cable channel was given the same new name at that time, though Showtime remains a prominent branding name for original programming.

, Paramount said, “Since we recently introduced a sampling of SHOWTIME programming to the Essential plan, the Premium plan name reflects the broad and diverse offerings across both plan tiers. SHOWTIME programming remains an important part of Paramount+, and is still prominently represented on the service.”
The company said that the linear cable network will continue to be known s Paramount+ with Showtime. Another thing not changing is the price — Paramount+ Premium will cost $12.99 per month, or $119.00 a year. All Showtime programming will remain along with other benefits of what was until Monday called Paramount+ With Showtime. Got it?
Here’s what you get for that subscription:
Ad-free streaming (except live TV)40,000+ full episodes and hit movies on demandExclusive, subscriber-only originals CBS News 24/7, CBS Sports HQ and Mixible live streams, plus 20 live channels of curated favoritesYour local, live CBS station, which includes the NFL on CBS and UEFA Champions League live, plus SHOWTIME East and WestUp to 6 individual profiles for each member of your household, including kids Streaming on up to 3 devices concurrently ALL of SHOWTIMESelect programming in 4K UHD, Dolby Vision or HDR10Downloadable movies & showsIf it feels familiar, it’s because this is the second major streaming service to revert to an older name this year, though in this case the change isn’t as momentous. Warner Bros. Discovery announced in April that 2 years after dropping “HBO” from the HBO Max streaming service, which changed to the much-mocked Max, it is reverting back to HBO Max later this year.
The post Paramount+ With Showtime Rebrands – as Paramount+ Premium appeared first on TheWrap.
Rachel Zegler Says There Are Worse Things Than Losing Fame Over Call to Free Palestine: ‘Nothing Is Worth Innocent Lives’
“and always remember, free palestine.”
Rachel Zegler posted these five words to X in 2024 after expressing her gratitude to fans for viewing the “Snow White” trailer. The screen and stage actress faced a wave of support and criticism in response, with some saying such outward support of Palestine could threaten her burgeoning career. Zegler doesn’t seem to mind.
“There are worse things,” she said in an interview with i-D.
and always remember, free palestine.
— rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) August 12, 2024
Zegler’s career certainly doesn’t seem to be going downhill as critics would suggest. At the time of the Tweet, the star was in rehearsals for a Broadway production of “Romeo + Juliet” with co-star Kit Connor. The revival earned critical and commercial acclaim. Zegler currently leads a West End production of “Evita” to similar success.

Still, Zegler asserted that her morality takes precedence over her fame. She views her platform as a “responsibility.”
“There are obviously things that are at stake by being outspoken, but nothing is worth innocent lives,” Zegler said in the i-D interview.
The young actress won a Golden Globe at the age of 20 for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy following her turn as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” Since then, she’s joined a number of iconic franchises including the DCEU and the Hunger Games series.
Yet, early into career at age 24, Zegler meets frequently harsh criticism, often from the political right. “Snow White” quickly became a culture war landmine, with debates raging over her pro-Palestinian Tweet and Gal Gadot’s staunch support of Israel. Some, such as Jonah Platt, insisted Zegler — and only Zegler — hurt the film’s box office follow its underperformance.
Zegler, who is Colombian and Polish, faced racist attacks online when she was cast as Snow White. The film is one of many recent examples where the star of a Disney project — whether a woman, a person of color, or a member of the LGBTQ community — is met with an online firestorm over their identity.
Zegler has spoken at length about her handling of these reactions. She told i-D that her therapist reminded her, “What you’re going through isn’t normal.” Still, she continues to speak out with her platform.
“I think a victim mindset is a choice,” she said in the interview.
The post Rachel Zegler Says There Are Worse Things Than Losing Fame Over Call to Free Palestine: ‘Nothing Is Worth Innocent Lives’ appeared first on TheWrap.
Conan O’Brien Emotionally Advocates for LA’s Immigrant Community With Diego Luna: ‘They’re Doing All the Work’ | Video
Conan O’Brien got emotional on his weekly podcast talking about the vital importance of the immigrant community in Los Angeles.
On “Conan O’ Brien Needs a Friend,” the host was joined by “Andor” star Diego Luna and the two reminisced about a show the former late-nighter did in Mexico City during Trump’s first term and how special it was.
“We’re not the most political podcast, we’re not a political podcast at all, but we have to address the fact that you and I had this special time and this special moment during that first administration and many of us thought that we were moving past that to maybe a better future,” O’Brien said. “Here we are again.”

He then brought up the current state of L.A. in the wake of the ICE immigration raids that sparked massive protests through the city these last few weeks. O’Brien advocated loudly for the city’s vital immigrant community.
“In every way, every day I’m working with people who are from Mexico or Central America or South America. They’re such a vital … they are the community in Los Angeles,” O’Brien said. “They’re doing all the work, which is really powerful to see every day.”
Luna, who just wrapped the second and final season as the titular character in the Star Wars series “Andor,” added that it was hard “to fully understand what some part of this community, the Hispanic community, are going through.”
“I can’t imagine how it is,” he added. “You dedicate your life, work to build something and then suddenly they tell you they’re going to take that away from you instantly just because. It’s quite scary.”
The protests in L.A. began weeks ago when ICE began the raids but grew larger after President Trump sent 2,000 National Guard troops – and later an additional 700 Marines – to the city in an attempt to quell the gatherings. Governor Gavin Newsom later sued the Trump administration over the deployment and alleged that the president’s actions were designed specifically to cause unrest in order to justify federal escalation.
Three judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled unanimously that Trump could maintain control over the California National Guard.
You can watch the “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” interview in the video above. You can listen to the full podcast here.
The post Conan O’Brien Emotionally Advocates for LA’s Immigrant Community With Diego Luna: ‘They’re Doing All the Work’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
‘Cobra Kai’ Star Alicia Hannah-Kim Files Police Report Against Martin Kove for Biting Her at Fan Convention
“Cobra Kai” star Alicia Hannah-Kim accused 78-year-old franchise star Martin Kove of biting her Sunday at a fan convention, according to a police report obtained and reviewed by TheWrap.
The actress did not file charges for the alleged assault, which created a visible bite mark and bruising on her arm, but police asked the actor to leave the Washington State Summer Con after being called in to address the incident.
According to the report, Hannah-Kim approached Kove in a VIP area to say hi, and when she tapped him on the shoulder he “suddenly grabbed her arm and bit her upper arm so hard it nearly drew blood, and she yelled out in pain.” After Hannah-Kim cried out, Kove allegedly started kissing the bitten area.

The actress left to find her convention handler and husband Sebastian Roche who went and confronted Kove. “The Karate Kid” alum reportedly “exploded on them saying something to the effect of how dare they confront him, and he did not do anything wrong.” After being approached by the police, he admitted to biting Hannah-Kim and that he thought he was being funny and “they play fight all the time on the set of ‘Cobra Kai.'”
Hannah-Kim reportedly pulled the officer aside and let them know she did not wish to file charges against Kove but “wished to have a report filed in case this continues.” Kove was sent home afterward and would not return to the event “due to his behavior.”
Kove played John Kreese in “The Karate Kid” franchise and later reprised his role in “Cobra Kai” as Johnny Lawrence’s (William Zabka) mentor. Hannah-Kim joined the Netflix series in Season 5 as Kim Da-Eun – a South Korean sensei who works closely with Kreese in the final two seasons of the series. “Cobra Kai” aired its final episodes in February.
Representatives for Netflix did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
The post ‘Cobra Kai’ Star Alicia Hannah-Kim Files Police Report Against Martin Kove for Biting Her at Fan Convention appeared first on TheWrap.
Marc Maron Says Battle Over Anti-Woke Comedy Is Done: ‘You Won’
Marc Maron admitted defeat in comedy’s woke wars on Monday, conceding to his anti-woke industry peers who fight for their right to tell jokes about trans women and immigrants, “You won.”
The comedian kicked off his “WTF” podcast monologue Monday reflecting on President Donald Trump’s military action in Iran over the weekend, lambasting the current administration as “the new military dictatorship” that put a nail “in the coffin of democracy for good.” He then targeted comedians who for years have fought on the edge of the anti-woke movement, saying, “I hope that’s what you were hoping for.”
“All these anti-woke comics, I see them around still doing trans jokes. It’s like, you won! The trans people have no right to live the life they want,” Maron said. “In some states it’s legislated, in others it’s just based in fear. Same with women. Anti-woke policy has destroyed any sort of pathway to try to give the vulnerable and the marginalized a leg up in the world under this umbrella of anti-woke, which was the big to-do with all the comics. ‘I’m anti-woke.’ Well, now it’s policy, and thousands of people are living in pain and fear and unable to live a free life in America and get the care that they need. Hope those jokes were with it!”
Maron’s comments on trans and other marginalized people not having “the care they need” came just days after the Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law on Wednesday banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors — a 6-3 decision that Reuters reported at the time “could bolster efforts by states to defend other measures targeting transgender people.”

“I mean, when do you stop doing the jokes? You won. You broke it. You broke a lot of people. When do we stop doing the jokes?” Maron said. “All that DEI stuff, that threatening, horrible sort of idea of trying to make democracy work, it’s all gone! You did it! You did it, fellas. You helped out with those jokes. It’s good. It’s great. Here we are, on the cusp of a military dictatorship with a rabid, fascist culture war. Those jokes were worth it though — it’s going to be great, right, that you can say those things?”
He continued: “So many people are compromised and in pain, and yeah, all those jokes about immigrants, yeah it’s awesome, right you guys? Just people ripped apart, seeing all that pain feels good for you guys, right? This is what you wanted? Half the population in fear and in pain and unable to live a free life in America just so you guys aren’t uncomfortable with people that are different from you? Awesome.”
TheWrap reported earlier this year how the anti-woke movement in comedy is pushing forward under Trump. We found that if there was an effort to make stand-up comedy a bit more genteel a few years ago — with offensive words and phrases placed out of bounds — a second Trump administration has emboldened more transgressive voices who are willing to wind it back to the days when it was fine to have a laugh at the expense of women, trans people, people of color and the mentally disabled. Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais, in particular, have come under scrutiny for their jokes about trans people in their high-profile Netflix specials.
Listen to Monday’s full episode of “WTF With Marc Maron,” featuring an interview with “The Daily Show” correspondent Jordan Klepper, here.
The post Marc Maron Says Battle Over Anti-Woke Comedy Is Done: ‘You Won’ appeared first on TheWrap.
Megyn Kelly Responds to Ariana Grande’s Support for Trump Impeachment by Targeting Her ‘Dangerously Thin’ Appearance | Video
Megyn Kelly went after Ariana Grande’s body after the singer echoed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s calls to impeach Donald Trump.
On Monday’s episode of “The Megyn Kelly Show,” the host did not hold back while going after the “Wicked” star’s body after she reposted AOC on social media. Kelly started saying Grande “needs to put more thought into how to add one half an ounce of fat back onto her body than she does thinking about President Trump being impeached.”
“Obviously, she is in the middle of a crisis,” she said. “I’m sorry, but this woman looks ill. She is beyond skinny. She looks dangerously thin, and someone needs to do an intervention to help her. I’m not saying this to be snarky. I genuinely think someone needs to help this woman. She’s obviously troubled.”

Kelly continued: “Ariana Grande, who as far as I know has done nothing other than sing and dance—which is fine, she seems to be very good at that — would like us to listen to her political opinions now. In particular, her constitutional opinions on whether he’s gone too far.”
Grande’s shared AOC’s call for Trump’s impeachment on her Instagram Stories. The message pointed to the weekend’s bombing in Iran as the latest grounds for impeaching Trump.
“The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,” AOC’s post read. “He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”
Kelly went on to call out Grande’s time working on Nickelodeon and the sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior against the network and writer Dan Schneider despite Grande never alleging any behavior against her during her time.
“There’s a lot that went on, I think, on that Nickelodeon set that’s never been fully threshed out,” Kelly said. “And I think Ariana Grande should work on her own well-being and keep her constitutional thoughts to herself.”
The post Megyn Kelly Responds to Ariana Grande’s Support for Trump Impeachment by Targeting Her ‘Dangerously Thin’ Appearance | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Mick Ralphs, Bad Company Guitarist Behind ‘Feel Like Makin’ Love’ and ‘Movin’ On,’ Dies at 81
Mick Ralphs, founding guitarist for the rock supergroup Bad Company whose warm power chords and understated melodies punctuated global mega-hits like “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Ready for Love” and “Movin’ On,” has died, his family and bandmates announced Monday. He was 81.
“Our Mick has passed, my heart just hit the ground,” Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers wrote. “He has left us with exceptional songs and memories. He was my friend, my songwriting partner, an amazing and versatile guitarist who had the greatest sense of humor. Our last conversation a few days ago we shared a laugh but it won’t be our last.”
The statement said Ralphs passed away peacefully and surrounded by loved ones. No cause or place of death was given.
Before Bad Company, Ralphs was also the founding guitarist of Mott the Hoople, the pioneering British glam-rock band formed in 1969. The band had a hit in 1972 with “All the Young Dudes,” written and produced by David Bowie, but after years of lineup changes and internal strife, Mott the Hoople disbanded the year after Ralphs left to form Bad Company in 1973.

After a single spirited jam- and song-sharing session with former Free singer Rodgers, drummer Simon Kirke and bassist Boz Burrell, Bad Company was off and running. Their self-titled debut album, released in 1974, was an immediate success with classics like “Can’t Get Enough,” which Ralphs wrote, “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” and of course, “Bad Company.”
With the help of Led Zeppelin’s legendary manager Peter Grant, Bad Company became the first band signed to Zeppelin’s Swan Song label. The band sold millions of albums and filled arenas around the world, with Ralphs’ punchy-yet-melodic guitar front-and-center.

“He was a dear friend, a wonderful songwriter, and an exceptional guitarist. We will miss him deeply,” Kirke wrote.
Ralphs’ later years were marked by health challenges. He suffered a stroke in 2016 that forced him to retire from touring. He is survived by partner Susie Chavasse, two children, three step-children and his bandmates.
The post Mick Ralphs, Bad Company Guitarist Behind ‘Feel Like Makin’ Love’ and ‘Movin’ On,’ Dies at 81 appeared first on TheWrap.
June 22, 2025
‘The Gilded Age’ Bosses Say HBO Show’s ‘Getting to the Juicy Part’ With Season 3
Note: This story contains spoilers from “The Gilded Age” Season 3, Episode 1.
“The Gilded Age” returned for its third season in the midst of big changes, with a few big twists that are sure to leave New York society talking.
The Season 3 premiere, titled “Who Is in Charge Here?,” followed as the Russell and Van Rhijn households endured the last snowfall of the season before spring as both families grappled with shifting dynamics. Though preparations for the season ahead, and a contested meeting about the temperance movement orbited the episode’s happenings, it was the relationships between the HBO drama series’ beloved ensemble that took center stage.
“We’ve shown the balls and the operas and the blah, blah, blah, but now this is the men and women dealing with how they feel about each other,” series creator Julian Fellowes told TheWrap. “We are, in a way, using this season to emphasize to the audience these are three-dimensional characters that have their own inner life.”

“In a third season of a show, that’s when you get to dive deeper into the characters and the relationships. We’re no longer establishing it,” co-writer Sonja Warfield added. “I always think of Season 3 of a series as getting to the juicy part.”
An early shock in the premiere came courtesy of Aurora Fane (Kelli O’Hara), who was surprised by her husband Charles’ (Ward Horton) demand for a divorce — revealing he had met someone else and intended to marry her.
Aurora rejected the proposition, knowing that the law requires her to be the one to file and accuse her husband of infidelity to be granted a divorce. Knowing her wishes won’t amount to much, however, she shares the news with Agnes (Christine Baranski), Ada (Cynthia Nixon) and Marian (Louisa Jacobson). They sympathize with her plight, knowing divorce would ruin her standing in society — though Agnes did not necessarily deny she’d also blackball her niece-in-law and friend should her marriage end.

“Divorce was the great life changer from the end of the 19th century onwards, until, I suppose you can say that by the sort of 80s, 90s, it was no longer a social disadvantage,” Fellowes said. “Up to the period we’re dealing with it was ruinous. It was an incredible hurdle to get through.”
As Aurora begins this challenging journey, Ada and Agnes dealt with their own dynamic shift. After Oscar (Blake Ritson) lost the Van Rhijn fortune after benign swindled last season, Agnes found herself reluctantly ceding control of thehousehold to Ada — who returned home after the death of her short-lived husband Luke Forte (Robert Sean Leonard) with a new fortune.
But Agnes was not ready to give up her standing at the home, making for uncomfortable discussions with the house’s staff — unaware of which master’s orders to follow. That drama took a backseat, however, after Peggy (Denée Benton) became ill and requesting immediate attention. Agnes recruited her doctor to help, but he refused to treat a patient of color, so the family called upon Peggy’s parents to help.

Across the street, tensions rose at the Russell household as Bertha (Carrie Coon) and Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) sparred over her romantic entanglements. Bertha wants to save Gladys for a potential engagement with a Duke Hector, who viewers first met in Season 2. But Gladys resisted having been secretly seeing the son of a businessman behind her mother’s back. The fight should not bode well upon George’s (Morgan Spector) return to town from Arizona, having previously pledged Gladys would be allowed to marry for love when the time came.
The sparring reached a tense high when Gladys packed her bags and fled the house in the episode’s final moments.
“All of the characters are at a crossroads and dealing with where these relationships are going to take them, whether they’re going to end or begin and move into different phases of their lives,” Warfield said. “We set that forward momentum and hopefully we deliver.”
“That’s the key factor, but that’s for the audience to tell us,” Fellowes added.
“The Gilded Age” airs Sundays on HBO and Max.
The post ‘The Gilded Age’ Bosses Say HBO Show’s ‘Getting to the Juicy Part’ With Season 3 appeared first on TheWrap.
‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ Season 3 Sets September Premiere
Norman Reedus’ Daryl Dixon will return to AMC and AMC+ for the third installment of his “Walking Dead” spinoff on Sept. 7 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Season 3 of “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,” which was filmed in Spain, follows Daryl and Carol (Melissa McBride) as they continue their journey to somehow return home to the ones they love.
“As they struggle to find their way back, the path takes them farther astray, leading them through distant lands with ever-changing and unfamiliar conditions as they witness the various effects of the Walker apocalypse,” the logline states.




In addition to Reedus and McBride, Eduardo Noriega, Óscar Jaenada and Alexandra Masangkay join as series regulars this season. Rounding out the cast will be Candela Saitta, Hugo Arbués, Greta Fernández, Gonzalo Bouza, Hada Nieto, Yassmine Othman, Cuco Usín and Stephen Merchant, amongst others.



“The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” Season 3 is executive produced by Reedus, McBride, Scott M. Gimple, showrunner David Zabel, Greg Nicotero, Brian Bockrath, Angela Kang, Jason Richman, Dan Percival and Steve Squillante, along with Silvia Aráez and Jesús de la Vega from Ánima Stillking.
Check out the new teaser below:
“The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” Season 3 returns Sept. 7 on AMC and AMC+.
The post ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ Season 3 Sets September Premiere appeared first on TheWrap.
Johnny Depp Says He Was a ‘Crash Test Dummy for MeToo’: ‘There Are People Who Did Me Dirty’
Johnny Depp seems as if he’s on a redemption tour, though the actor himself told The Times in an interview published Sunday he isn’t launching a comeback because, “I didn’t go anywhere.”
Depp inevitably addressed his marriage and subsequent legal battle against ex-wife Amber Heard, at one point telling executive editor Jonathan Dean, “I was pre-MeToo. I was like a crash test dummy for MeToo. It was before Harvey Weinstein.”
Heard, who was married to Depp from February 2015 to January 2017, first levied accusations of abuse and assault against her ex-husband in 2016 after she filed for divorce. The New York Times published Ronan Farrow’s investigation into allegations against Weinstein in 2017.
Depp was asked about people in his life who testified against him, or offered commentary and evidence to support Heard’s claims. “I’ll tell you what hurts. There are people, and I’m thinking of three, who did me dirty. Those people were at my kids’ parties. Throwing them in the air. And, look, I understand people who could not stand up [for me], because the most frightening thing to them was making the right choice. I was pre-MeToo. I was like a crash test dummy for MeToo. It was before Harvey Weinstein.”
“And I sponged it, took it all in. And so I wanted from the hundreds of people I’ve met in that industry to see who was playing it safe,” he added.
Depp then sponged off a frequent politically conservative refrain: “Better go woke!”
In 2018 The Sun ran a piece about Heard’s allegations and the pair’s divorce and referred to Depp as a wife beater. The actor sued executive editor Dan Wooton and publisher News Group Newspapers for libel; he lost the case in 2020 and Justice Nicol concluded, “The great majority of alleged assaults of Ms. Heard by Mr. Depp have been proved.”
Depp sued Heard for libel in Fairfax County, Virginia, after she penned an article for the Washington Post titled “I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath.” Notably, this time around Depp did not sue the Post or its publisher, but only targeted his ex-wife (if he had sued the Post, he that he knew Heard’s claims were false when they were printed.)
In her article, Heard wrote about the abuse she grew up with and the warnings she received against speaking about the abuse she said she suffered as an adult. Heard did not mention Depp by name, or even that she was speaking of anyone in the entertainment industry.
When Heard filed for divorce she also requested a restraining order and $50,000 a month. The pair eventually reached a settlement and Depp agreed to pay Heard $7,000, which she said she would donate to charities.
Years later, the pair’s trial turned into a social media circus. One juror said “there wasn’t enough or any evidence that really supported what she was saying,” the Times pointed out, but contradicted themselves by adding, “they were both abusive to each other.” Heard became the butt of many jokes and horrific commentary.
“And what was abundantly clear during both trials was that Heard, a woman with far less money and significantly fewer fans than Depp, suffered more in both court and the court of public opinion than he did,” Dean noted. “I saw that at his London trial. The mainly female crowd outside the court stayed there for weeks to wave at Depp and scream death threats at Heard. She used to be his wife.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Depp also seemed to imply he married Heard because something about their dynamic reminded him of the relationship between his parents; the actor didn’t elaborate on his father’s treatment of his mother (he did say his dad and brother “would duke it out”), but noted his mother “was an awesome woman who revealed herself to be kind in the end, though she didn’t know how to treat anyone when I was growing up.”
Read the interview in full at The Times.
The post Johnny Depp Says He Was a ‘Crash Test Dummy for MeToo’: ‘There Are People Who Did Me Dirty’ appeared first on TheWrap.
Steve Pond's Blog
