Steve Pond's Blog, page 138

Chris Hayes Warns Trump Aims to ‘End White Collar Prosecution’ After ‘Sheer Corruption’ of Latest Pardons | Video

Chris Hayes ran down the string of astonishing pardons Donald Trump has doled out to supporters this week along with other examples of what the MSNBC host called “sheer corruption and moral obscenity.” And in the end, Hayes reached two unsettling conclusions.

The first is that, Hayes argues, Trump’s true goal here is to “effectively end white collar prosecution and white collar crime as a category.” And the second is that all of this poses the very serious risk of teeing the U.S. up for economic crisis at least as bad as the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis that caused the Great Recession.

After first running down some of those pardons, Hayes said, “in many cases, Donald Trump uses the power of the presidency to grant a kind of criminal immunity to those he deems to be, for lack of a better phrase, his kind of people.”

“Last year, you may remember, Trump’s hand picked Supreme Court ruled that basically anything the President does, or at least i president does — We’ll see if this lasts,” Hayes added, apparently suggesting this kind of ruling would not be extended to cover a Democratic president. “Anything this president does that could possibly be construed as an official act of Office cannot be subsequently criminally prosecuted.”

“It was a wild ruling based on wholly invented doctrine, and it was effectively a pardon from the court to a man facing multiple criminal trials, including over his inciting a violent insurrection,” Hayes continued. “So now Trump wants to reorient the entire federal justice system to extend that same immunity to anyone he deems similarly above the law. Namely, anyone who commits the kind of crimes that Donald Trump might commit, anyone who is a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, Trump or commits crimes in his name, and most importantly, perhaps, anyone who was a family member willing to show up $2 million fundraisers.”

Hayes ran through some examples of this — noting that it’s not clear for certain there was a direct 1:1 relationship between donations and pardons, but that the evidence certainly supports the conclusion.

“We are seeing this story play out over and over again, especially when it comes to what we used to call corruption and white collar crime. It’s the category of people who Donald Trump might have as say, Mar a Lago, members who, under his definition, and this is key to understand, cannot, by definition, be criminal,” Hayes argued.

He then ran down more examples of this, including his comments on Wednesday suggesting he’s willing to pardon the men convicted of plotting the kidnapping of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Then Hayes, continued, “Clemency is a really important one. It’s essential in the Constitution. It can be a very good thing. And I want to be super clear here, okay, in most all presidencies of my lifetime, that power has been woefully underused by presidents. People genuinely do get railroaded. They really do end up with insane sentences that don’t match their crimes.”

“But Donald Trump is not attempting to redress systematic social injustice here, right? This is not a good faith effort. He has decided that the purpose of the pardon is to protect people who are loyal to him,” Hayes continued, before quoting Óscar Benavides, fascist dictator of Peru in the 1930s, “for my friends, everything, for my enemies of law.”

“People that commit the kind of crimes he thinks are like, not a big deal. Who cares? Tax evasion, fraud,. What he wants to do, I think it’s pretty clear, is effectively end white collar prosecution and white collar crime as a category, whether through pardons for a dismantle Department of Justice. And I gotta say, aside from the just sheer corruption and moral obscenity of it all, having lived through and covered the subprime mortgage mortgage crisis, I’m going to go on a limb and say the combination of totally defanging white collar prosecution while deregulating and embracing the dodgiest parts of finance, like crypto, where there’s billions of dollars sloshing around. is not gonna end well,” Hayes added.

Watch the commentary below:

The post Chris Hayes Warns Trump Aims to ‘End White Collar Prosecution’ After ‘Sheer Corruption’ of Latest Pardons | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

Sarah Jessica Parker Reveals How She Really Feels About ‘And Just Like That…’ Killing Off Mr. Big

With Season 3 of “And Just Like That…” about to premiere on Thursday, Sarah Jessica Parker is finally revealing how she felt about the show killing off Mr. Big, her main love interest, in the show’s Season 1 premiere.

Parker has played Carrie Bradshaw since 1998 on “Sex on the City” and has reprised the role through two blockbuster movies and now the reboot “And Just Like That…” which premiered back in 2021. Over the course of the original show, Carrie’s central, and often most tumultuous love interest was always Mr. Big, played by Chris Noth. The pair finally got married in the 2008 movie “Sex and the City.” But audiences have been split about the formative relationship, with many fans saying she should have ended up with Aiden Shaw (John Corbett.)

Both sides of the fandom were left shocked when in the very first episode of “And Just Like That…” the show decided to kill off Mr. Big. He died of a heart attack in Carrie’s arms and much of the plot of the new reboot has been focused on her dealing with his loss. Sitting down Tuesday night with E! News’ Bruce Bozzi, Parker reflected on the decision and said “it just felt really untethered.” 

“It was really sad to say goodbye to that,” Parker continued. “Big dying was really, really hard to do both professionally and personally. That’s not just a thread. It’s one of the main arteries that you would struggle to do without.”

Parker clarified in the interview that “it’s not like I needed it for my own health or wellbeing” but that it was “a hugely wonderful story to tell for a lot of years.”

Shortly after the premiere aired two women accused Noth of sexually assaulting them, one in Los Angeles in 2005 and the other in New York in 2015. These allegations opened the door for more accusations of misconduct. Screenwriter Zoe Lister-Jones said Noth was “consistently sexually inappropriate” while working with her on “Law & Order,” and two more women came forward with similar stories. Noth has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Following the accusations, Parker, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon released a joint statement and said, “We support the women who have come forward and shared their painful experiences. We know it must be a very difficult thing to do and we comment them for it.” 

The show had originally planned to feature a flashback sequence featuring Mr. Big in the Season 1 finale but scrapped the dream-like scene after the allegations were made public. Noth has not returned to the show since.

Season 3 of “And Just Like That…” premieres Thursday, May 29 on HBO Max. 

The post Sarah Jessica Parker Reveals How She Really Feels About ‘And Just Like That…’ Killing Off Mr. Big appeared first on TheWrap.

How ‘Adults’ Creators Drew From ‘Broad City,’ ‘Friends’ and ‘Girls’ for FX’s Messy Comedy

When “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” writers Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw were growing up, they fell in love with shows like “Broad City,” “Friends,” “Girls” and “Living Single,” whose familial-like friendships became a blueprint to ease the strains of navigating your 20s.

“[I was like] I really hope, not only do I have these jobs, but that I have this friend group, these people to pick me up when I fall,” Shaw told TheWrap, noting the comfort in knowing even her favorite characters didn’t have it all figured out. “They’re still in the process of adolescence and figuring out what your life looks like at this time of life.'”

That ride-or-die loyalty is at the heart of FX’s new comedy series, “Adults” — but just without the dream jobs, as a group of friends — Samir (Malik Elassal), Issa (Amita Rao), Anton (Owen Thiele), Billie (Lucy Freyer) and Paul Baker (Jack Innanen) — jump between internships and jobs while living in Samir’s childhood home in Queens while his parents travel across the country in their RV.

“Even though they’re not in the cool place [and] they don’t have the cool job, you’re like, ‘I kind of want to be in that house with them. I want to be the sixth housemate,’ ” Kronengold said. “What they have is magical and even more special than the frills that you might associate with or hope for out of your New York years.”

Amita Rao as Issa, Lucy Freyer as Billie, Owen Thiele as Anton. CR: Rafy/FX

Samir, Issa, Anton and Billie make up the core four in “Adults,” who came to the group either from a childhood friendship or college living situation, or, in the case of Paul Baker — who becomes the fifth housemate — a hookup that warmed to the entire group.

“All of these characters are inspired by our friends — from the jump, we knew that it would feel truthful if we borrowed elements from the real people,” Shaw said. “We have a number of Issas in our lives, we have a number of Billies and Paul Baker’s, who our friends date, and we all become obsessed with as a group and are desperate that they’ll stick around.”

The group of actors — most of whom only have a handful of TV credits thus far — were narrowed down from a casting call of 30,000 submissions, according to Kronengold, who noted the casting team hoped to not only find actors that could play the roles, but who, on some level, identified with these roles. While Shaw noted the actors are more “evolved” and “sophisticated” than their characters, “it’s very easy for them to tap into it and to bring so much life experience, love of friends into these roles,” Kronengold said.

The “unexpected magic” of the show, however, happened when Kronengold and Shaw brought the five actors together to film the “Adults” pilot. “We put them together to shoot a pilot, and they became best friends with each other,” Shaw said. “You are watching a friend group play a friend group, and I think that chemistry that they have really makes you want to sit on the couch with them.”

The opening sequence of “Adults” sets the scene for the Gen Z messiness to come: the friends are on the subway when Issa spots a rider locking eyes with her, masturbating. While Samir, Anton and Billie try to defuse the situation, Issa tries to make what Shaw calls a “political statement” by masturbating back to him.

“She’s trying to show this man what it feels like to be objectified, but, as she’s screaming and masturbating and the guy’s masturbating, what you realize is that, at a certain point, it’s just two people touching themselves on the subway now,” Shaw said. The disturbing interaction then cuts to the friends walking outside, assuring Issa that she was brave and did the right thing.

“I think the No. 1 phrase we say with our friends is, ‘was that bad?'” Shaw said, adding that while the characters take “all of the big swings of adulthood,” they always have “the comfort of checking back in with your people.”

The premiere episode of “Adults” delves into a heavier topic when Samir, prompted by a former classmate who makes a stand against an abusive boss, calls up his past relationships to ensure he didn’t cross the line between consent and sexual assault. Despite one past hookup admitting there was one time she was probably too drunk to consent, his friends assure him he’s “on the spectrum of men, a little bitch boy.”

“There’s a lot of complicated issues in the world today and we would not pretend to prescribe answers or to tackle them from a top-level perspective, but what we know is these five characters and all of the idiotic ways that they go about these things,” Kronengold said, noting that in Samir’s quest to try to be a good person, he ends up dragging out a handful of women to Queens. “In practice, it’s really about how these characters deal with these sort of situations and watching their best intentions really spiral out into these ridiculous outcomes.”

“Adults” welcomes several high profile guests — from Julia Fox to Charlie Cox to Ray Nicholson — across its first season in roles that Kronengold and Shaw said throw the group for a loop. The creators hope to continue welcoming in guest stars in a potential Season 2, which they’re all in on.

“We’re going to watch them grow up a little bit over the course of the season, but also take a bunch of steps backwards,” Shaw said. “We want to see them all date. We want to see them all fall in love. We want to see them navigate all of the moments as you sort of start to get those real jobs and then lose those real jobs.”

“Adults” airs new episodes Tuesdays on FX. All episodes are available to stream starting May 29.

The post How ‘Adults’ Creators Drew From ‘Broad City,’ ‘Friends’ and ‘Girls’ for FX’s Messy Comedy appeared first on TheWrap.

Elon Musk Exits Trump Administration After Publicly Dissenting ‘Massive’ Spending Bill

Elon Musk shared Wednesday that he is exiting his leadership role in the Trump administration.

The Tesla CEO and X owner’s social media announcement came one day after he publicly dissented President Donald Trump’s “massive” spending bill in an interview with “CBS Sunday Morning.” However, as the head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the tech mogul had always intended to stay in the role for a maximum 130 days, and his announcement indicated that his exit was pre-planned.

“As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” Musk wrote. “The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”

As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending.

The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2025

The tech billionaire’s departure comes just one day after a segment from his “CBS Sunday Mornings” interview was teased Tuesday. Musk said he was “disappointed” by legislation Trump presented that included a mix of tax cuts and increased immigration enforcement.

Some Republican lawmakers shared Musk’s concerns about the bill, including Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and Speaker Mike Johnson. When asked by reporters about Musk’s criticisms of the bill, Trump did not respond directly but instead defended the bill, while acknowledging that he did not love every aspect of it.

Since Musk joined the Trump administration, Tesla’s sales have taken a hit. The stock has plunged more than 50% from its most recent high in December. The Tesla founder said the electronic vehicle company will take priority moving forward.

Musk was designated a “special government employee” by Trump to run DOGE, which allowed him to work his government job for a total of 130 days each year. Out of the 128 days that have passed since Trump’s inauguration, Musk admitted that he “probably did spend a bit too much time on politics” instead of his other ventures — SpaceX, Tesla and X — in an interview with Ars Technia.

The tech mogul and richest man in the world donated $288 million to the Trump campaign in the lead up to the 2024 election, according to The Washington Post. He has said that he will be spending less on political campaigns moving forward.

The post Elon Musk Exits Trump Administration After Publicly Dissenting ‘Massive’ Spending Bill appeared first on TheWrap.

Runway-Worthy Glamour Takes Center Stage at the 78th Festival de Cannes

Fashion takes center stage at Cannes opening night, MOCA to honor Theaster Gates, Frank Gehry and Wendy Schmidt at its 2025 Gala, Jacques Marie Mage unveils a new collaboration with artist Connor Tingley and Simon Miller opens its first flagship in the DTLA Arts District.

Source: Getty ImagesFashion takes center stage at Cannes opening night

The 78th Festival de Cannes opened earlier this month at the Grand Théâtre Lumière with a red carpet display of cinematic prestige meets runway-worthy glamour. The evening featured the world premiere of Amélie Bonnin’s “Leave One Day” and a headline-making moment as Robert De Niro received an honorary Palme d’Or from Leonardo DiCaprio.

Jury president Juliette Binoche led the fashion charge in a Dior haute couture gown, accented with white diamond jewelry from Chopard. Juror Halle Berry followed in a striped silk organza Jacquemus trapeze dress — “La Robe Berlingot” from the “La Croisière” collection — styled with Chopard earrings and a matching cocktail ring.

Fellow jury members also brought standout looks. Known for his bold sartorial choices, Jeremy Strong embraced his reputation as a fashion rebel, in a bespoke rose-hued tuxedo by Loro Piana, finished with a bow tie, cummerbund and Henry Walk velvet shoes. Alba Rohrwacher chose a custom black Chanel gown in faille and pleated tulle, inspired by the house’s Spring/Summer 1987 haute couture collection, completing her look with Chopard accessories. Leïla Slimani opted for a minimalist crepe gown by Dior, paired with Cartier’s iconic Panthère jewelry. Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia wore a structured suit by Rishta by Arjun Saluja, accessorized with statement jewelry from Tribe Amrapali.

The ceremony set the tone for the week ahead, where the jury evaluated the films in competition and award top honors including the Palme d’Or, Grand Prix and prizes for directing and performance. Winners were announced during the closing ceremony on May 24.

Source: MOCAMOCA announces details of its 2025 Gala

MOCA has announced the details of the MOCA Gala 2025, taking place Saturday at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in Little Tokyo.

This year marks the debut of MOCA Legends, a new format honoring transformative figures in contemporary art, architecture and philanthropy. The inaugural honorees are Theaster Gates, Frank Gehry and Wendy Schmidt.

Presented in partnership with Bvlgari, the event will spotlight each honoree’s long-standing relationship with the museum and broader cultural impact—from Gehry’s iconic 1983 renovation of the Geffen space to Gates’ landmark solo show in 2011 to Schmidt’s founding of the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Environment and Art Prize, whose first artist projects debut at MOCA in 2026.

“MOCA’s bold identity is shaped by visionaries like Theaster, Frank and Wendy,” MOCA director Johanna Burton said. “Their individual legacies are integral to how we present and preserve contemporary art, and how we imagine its future.”

The evening will begin with a cocktail reception in the Aileen Getty Plaza, featuring access to “Olafur Eliasson: OPEN,” followed by a seated dinner and live performance by Tierra Whack. The Grammy-nominated artist, whose 2024 debut “World Wide Whack” received wide acclaim, was recently named one of the best female rappers of all time by Billboard.

“Bvlgari is proud to celebrate MOCA’s legacy of cultural innovation,” Herve Perrot, president of Bvlgari North America, said. “This partnership honors the legends shaping the creative future.”

Funds raised from the gala support MOCA’s year-round programming, operations and staff.

To purchase a table, donate, or learn more, visit moca.org/gala2025 or contact gala@moca.org.

Source: David Sims Pierpaolo Piccioli is the new creative director of Balenciaga

After months of speculation, Balenciaga has found its new creative director. Kering announced earlier this month that Pierpaolo Piccioli — the celebrated Italian designer best known for his tenure at Valentino — will take the helm, effective July 10. His first collection for the house is slated to debut in October.

Piccioli’s appointment marks a new era for the storied maison, following Demna’s provocative, decade-long tenure. Under Demna, Balenciaga became synonymous with dystopian silhouettes, meme-making moments and a radical subversion of luxury fashion’s norms. Piccioli, however, signals a different kind of power — one rooted in grace, craft and reverence for the house’s heritage.

“I realized the first image I ever posted on Instagram was Cristóbal Balenciaga’s 1967 wedding ensemble,” Piccioli reflected in a personal note. “I don’t know if I should take it as a sign but I now see the bigger picture.” He also paid tribute to the house’s lineage, naming Cristóbal Balenciaga, Nicolas Ghesquière, Alexander Wang and Demna as predecessors who each shaped the brand’s identity in distinct and lasting ways.

Piccioli stepped down from Valentino in 2024 after nearly 25 years at the house, 15 of them as creative director. He was succeeded by Alessandro Michele, whose return to fashion after leaving Gucci marked another high-profile shift in the industry.

Piccioli’s approach at Valentino was defined by a modern take on couture: elegant, often romantic and rooted in craft rather than concept. The move to Balenciaga therefore suggests a tonal shift after Demna’s years of disruption and spectacle.

Kering deputy CEO Francesca Bellettini called Piccioli “one of the most talented and celebrated designers of today,” adding, “his mastery of Haute Couture, his creative voice and his passion for savoir-faire made him the ideal choice.”

Balenciaga CEO Gianfranco Gianangeli echoed the sentiment, noting: “His creative vision will thrive here. I look forward to what we will build together.”

Source: JMMJacques Marie Mage unveils a new collaboration with artist Connor Tingley

Jacques Marie Mage, the Los Angeles-based luxury eyewear brand founded by designer Jerome Mage, has unveiled a new collaboration with artist Connor Tingley. The limited-edition release reimagines the brand’s iconic Dealan frame through Tingley’s distinct artistic lens.

The Connor Tingley for JMM collection draws inspiration from “The NUN Series,” a body of work painted in reverse color codes using Renaissance-era Sfumato techniques. The series — created with over 22 layers of paint — becomes fully visible only through a mobile screen, revealing hidden colors and silhouettes that explore perception, duality and the sublime. “I’m very interested in absolute truths,” Tingley said. “Dark informs light and light informs dark.”

This inaugural eyewear release marks a new chapter in an ongoing creative partnership between the luxury eyewear brand and Tingley, who first collaborated with JMM in 2021 by creating a large-scale painting for the opening of their Venice gallery.

The design centers on a single, ’60s-inspired Dealan frame, now rendered in plant-based acetate in a blue steel color with vibrant orange lenses. Details include white metal arrowhead front-pins — a first for the brand — spur-shaped rivets, silver exposed wirecores and foil-embossed hallmarks from both JMM and Tingley on the inner temples.

Available in an edition of just 50 pieces, each pair comes in a Collector’s Box Set, complete with a leather magnetic-closure case, oversized microfiber cloth featuring artwork from “The NUN Series” and a one-of-a-kind letterpress authenticity card illustrated by the artist himself.

The Connor Tingley for Jacques Marie Mage Dealan is available exclusively at the JMM Gallery in Venice and online at JacquesMarieMage.com.

Source: BFAAnine Bing and friends toast her new summer collection at Chateau Marmont

On May 13, Anine Bing celebrated the launch of her brand’s Summer 2025 collection with an intimate cocktail event at the iconic Chateau Marmont penthouse. Hosted by founder and chief creative officer Bing and CEO Julie Bourgeois, the evening brought together a stylish crowd of celebrities, tastemakers, stylists and friends of the brand.

Guests including Awkwafina, Alison Brie, Minka Kelly, Yvonne Strahovski, Rachel Zoe, Abby Elliott, Brianne Howey, Nicole Brydon Bloom, Caylee Cowan, Akira Akbar and Aimee Song joined stylists like Mimi Cuttrell, Jeanne Yang and Jessica Paster to preview the new collection — styled in standout pieces themselves. Attendees sipped champagne and dirty martinis and snacked on mini burgers, fries and pigs in blankets as the sun set over the city.

The Summer 2025 collection pays tribute to the brand’s Los Angeles roots, drawing inspiration from a quintessential California summer. Photographed by Ezra Petronio and styled by Malina Joseph Gilchrist, the campaign stars model Luna Bijl in a lineup of sun-faded denim, classic stripes and raffia accessories—a modern uniform for warm-weather dressing.

Each guest left with curated summer essentials including striped bikinis, bucket hats and sunglasses, all available now on aninebing.com.

Founded in 2012, Anine Bing blends Scandinavian simplicity with American energy, delivering elevated wardrobe staples for women who favor timeless style with an edge.

Source: BurberryBurberry celebrates its new Highgrove collection at Flamingo Estate 

British luxury fashion house Burberry welcomed friends of the brand to Flamingo Estate in Los Angeles on May 16 to celebrate the launch of Highgrove x Burberry — a new collection inspired by Highgrove Gardens, the private estate of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Set among the hills of Eagle Rock, Flamingo Estate is the home and garden of founder and author Richard Christiansen, who cultivates a wide variety of plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables, and collaborates with more than 120 farms to produce high-end pantry, apothecary and bath products.

Christiansen hosted the daylong event, where guests including Aimee Song, Casey Fremont, Djuna Bel, Ethan Gaskill, Jack Innanen, Karolyn Pho, Marlon Garcia, Morgan Stewart McGraw, Robert Gigliotti and Salem Mitchell participated in a range of activities including honey tasting with the estate’s beekeeper, an ikebana class in Japanese flower arranging and a botanical soap- and shower-steamer–making workshop — all using the seasonal bounty of the estate. The afternoon ended with an alfresco cocktail party in the orchard.

Launched this month, Highgrove x Burberry includes 28 pieces across menswear, womenswear and accessories. Each piece is made from certified wool, organic cotton or organic silk, and features a custom print by British artist Helen Bullock, inspired by the Kitchen Garden at Highgrove.

Located in England’s Cotswolds, Highgrove Gardens span 15 acres and reflect King Charles III’s longtime commitment to organic gardening and environmental sustainability.

Source: BFASimon Miller opens its first flagship store in the DTLA Arts District

Los Angeles-based lifestyle brand Simon Miller has opened its first-ever flagship store — located in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles’ Arts District at Signal, a new cultural and retail destination.

The 1,000-square-foot space marks a major milestone for the brand and its founder and CEO Chelsea Hansford, who welcomed a crowd of friends, creatives and longtime supporters to fête the May 14 opening.

Nathalie and Laura Love, Ally Hilfiger, Djuna Bel, Rainey Qualley, Langley Fox, Mia Moretti, Courtney Trop, Neville Wakefield, Emily Labowe, and Amirah Kassem were among the stylish guests who gathered in a lush art deco-inspired courtyard outfitted with vintage striped cabanas, oversized palms and nods to Havana glamour. A live Cuban band provided the soundtrack while handcrafted mojitos by Zacapa and Don Julio margaritas made the rounds, alongside paella and Iberico ham carved tableside.

Inside the flagship, Hansford’s background in art and design is on full display. The space blends tropical modernism with graphic boldness — featuring custom fixtures, vintage lighting, sculptural pieces by Leonard Urso and ceramics by Peter Keil. It’s a gallery-meets-retail experience that reflects Simon Miller’s playful, art-forward DNA.

The opening also launched a new collaboration with Dorsia, the luxury reservation platform, with plans to bring Simon Miller experiences to more cities in 2025.

Through summer, the brand will activate the adjacent courtyard with signature green-striped seating and vintage-inspired umbrellas — inviting the public into the world of Simon Miller.

Founded in 2008 and reimagined by Chelsea Hansford in 2017, Simon Miller is a Los Angeles-based brand known for its elevated yet playful approach to fashion. From novelty knits to sculptural bags, the label offers luxury that does not take itself too seriously.

The Simon Miller flagship is open now at 821 Traction Ave, Los Angeles, 90013.

Have a news story for our readers? Please email Rachel.Marlowe@thewrap.com.

Interested in partnership opportunities? Please email Alex.vonBargen@thewrap.com.

The post Runway-Worthy Glamour Takes Center Stage at the 78th Festival de Cannes appeared first on TheWrap.

Ron Howard and Brian Grazer Say They’re ‘Excited’ by AI, but It Can’t Replace the ‘Soul or Life’ of Writers

Imagine Entertainment founders Ron Howard and Brian Grazer on Wednesday said they are “excited” by artificial intelligence and how it can be used in Hollywood. At the same time, Grazer said AI does not “produce soul or life” — which he said is a key ingredient necessary for creating great stories that captivate audiences.

Howard and Grazer shared their thoughts at Wall Street Journal’s “The Future of Everything” Conference in New York City.

Grazer cautioned he is not a “prognosticator” when it comes to how AI will affect Hollywood down the line, but he shared he uses the technology to help jumpstart ideas. The veteran producer said he is “excited” by the technology and that Imagine uses AI for post-production work already, including on its recent “Churchill at War” Netflix documentary.

Still, Grazer said AI does not have the chops to take ideas and turn them into better stories than professional writers. “Ultimately, someone has to have the artistic finesse to write it to actually ignite [a great script],” Grazer said.

Howard echoed his longtime collaborator, saying he uses AI as a “research tool” but that “it’s not like you’re replacing a room full of writers” anytime soon with bots.

The director added copyright concerns and “ethical use” of AI is still “front of mind” for him and many others in the industry.

Howard’s comments came just a few months after he was among hundreds of creators — including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Aubrey Plaza and Ben Stiller — who shared their concerns with AI models using copyrighted material in a letter to the Trump Administration. And in 2022, he said AI is “not going away” and that film and TV producers will need to “make it a tool.”

The pair co-founded Imagine Entertainment in 1985 and have since produced a number of blockbusters and critically acclaimed movies and TV shows, including “Apollo 13,” “A Beautiful Mind” and “Arrested Development.”

Grazer concluded his comments by saying that AI, no matter how advanced it gets, will always be missing a quality that connects humans with each other and a higher force.

“I’ve never seen him, but I definitely believe in God. I feel God. People feel things that they have not experienced. I think that AI can do almost everything, with the exclusion of things like that.”

The post Ron Howard and Brian Grazer Say They’re ‘Excited’ by AI, but It Can’t Replace the ‘Soul or Life’ of Writers appeared first on TheWrap.

Sarah Silverman Recalls Whirlwind 3-Hour Shoot for ‘F–king Matt Damon’ Music Video

Sarah Silverman remembers the brief few hours she had in Miami to shoot the now-iconic “F—ing Matt Damon’ video for then-boyfriend Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show.

While appearing on Ted Danson’s “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” podcast, Silverman recalled how quickly she had to work while touring in Miami to get the video put together to surprise Kimmel on his show. She put it together with some writers overnight and had a mere three hours to shoot it with Damon in a hotel the next day.

“We wrote the song like in a fury and recorded it, and one of the guy’s did Matt’s voice,” Silverman said. “Then we had three hours at this hotel the next morning and Matt had given us also three hours because he had a hard out at noon because his daughter had a Halloween pageant.”

She continued: “He came in and learned it in a closet in one of the hotel rooms, recorded his part, and then we just played the audio and lip-synced it, and we had like four different locations. It was run-and-gun and it came out so great.”

The entire shoot had to be done behind Kimmel’s back. Silverman remembered having to lie about what she was up to in Miami while she worked on the song and shot the video with Damon.

“I remember I had to lie to him about where I was on tour,” she said. “I’m not good at that at all. But it was just ‘ok commit to this.'”

The commitment, sneaking around, and run-and-gun nature of the quick shoot definitely paid off for both Silverman and “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” She won her first Emmy for “F—ing Matt Damon” for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics in 2008.

The post Sarah Silverman Recalls Whirlwind 3-Hour Shoot for ‘F–king Matt Damon’ Music Video appeared first on TheWrap.

‘Survivor 50’ Cast: 24 Castaways Return for Milestone Season | Video

Jeff Probst revealed the cast for “Survivor” Season 50 on Wednesday a year ahead of its premiere, setting the stage for a milestone battle between 24 returning contestants.

The cast includes:

Jenna Lewis Dougherty – Borneo, All-StarsColby Donaldson – Australian Outback, All-Stars, Heroes vs. VillainsStephenie LaGrossa Kendrick – Palau, Guatemala, Heroes vs. VillainsCirie Fields – Panama, Micronesia, Heroes vs. Villains, Game ChangersOzzy Lusth – Cook Islands, Micronesia, South Pacific, Game ChangersBenjamin “Coach” Wade – Tocantins, Heroes vs. Villains, South PacificAubry Bracco – Kaôh Rōng, Game Changers, Edge of ExtinctionChrissy Hofbeck – Heroes vs. Healers vs. HustlersMike White – David vs. GoliathAngelina Keeley – David vs. GoliathChristian Hubicki – David vs. GoliathRick Devens – Edge of ExtinctionJonathan Young – S42Dee Valladares – S45Emily Flippen – S45Charlie Davis – S46Q Burdette – S46Tiffany Ervin – S46Genevieve Mushaluk – S47 Kyle Fraser – S48Joe Hunter – S48Kamilla Karthigesu – S48??? – S49??? – S49

Statistics-wise, this means Season 50 will feature 17 castaways who’ve only played once versus seven who’ve played multiple times before, as well as a dozen each of both new era contestants and those pre-Season 40. Meanwhile, Heroes vs. Villains has the most returning players with four. Outside of returner seasons, 46, 48 and David vs. Goliath have the most representation with three castaways each.

Additionally, the cast includes two winners and eight runners-up, as well as Fields and Lusth notably setting a record with their fifth season each.

Season 50 also marks the fifth cast to consist entirely of returning players, after All-Stars, Heroes vs. Villains, Game Changers and Winners at War.

“Survivor” Season 49 premieres this fall on CBS, before Season 50 takes its place on Wednesday nights next spring.

The post ‘Survivor 50’ Cast: 24 Castaways Return for Milestone Season | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

Jimmy Kimmel Jokes Trump Might as Well Have Said ‘That’s Not the Putin I Married!’ in Latest Ukraine Freak-Out | Video

Donald Trump been freaking out about Vladimir Putin over the last few days, and Jimmy Kimmel had an amusing way of characterizing it, joking during his monologue on Tuesday that Trump basically screamed “that’s not the Putin I married!”

For those getting caught up, it started on Sunday when Trump raged on his Twitter clone Truth Social, “I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY! I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!”

Then speaking to TV reporters the same day, Trump said, “I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin. I’ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.”

About this, Kimmel said, “it was a turbulent weekend for Donald Trump. You know how he promised he would end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours? Well, turns out he hasn’t. And he’s starting to now realize that he may have misjudged his KGBFF.”

Showing the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” audience Trump’s televised comments, Kimmel said, “he doesn’t like it at all. I mean, what happened, he used to be such a sweet guy. Now he’s firing rockets?!”

“Trump has two modes, there’s the ‘I know more than everyone’ mode, and the ‘I’m just finding out what everyone already knew,'” Kimmel continued. “Something happened? I mean what happened…”

Kimmel then played a clip of Trump saying in part, “something happened to this guy, and I don’t like it.”

“This is not the Putin I married!” Kimmel quipped in response, then noted Trump’s follow up ranting on Tuesday.

“So, this morning, Trump issued a sternly worded, something. He wrote, ‘What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!'” Kimmel said. “Well, that should do it.”

“Vladimir Putin poisons people and throws them out windows. You think you’re gonna scare him with the title of a John Cena movie?” Kimmel added.

Watch the whole monologue below:

The post Jimmy Kimmel Jokes Trump Might as Well Have Said ‘That’s Not the Putin I Married!’ in Latest Ukraine Freak-Out | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

Chris Hayes Says the Silver Lining in Trump’s Attacks on American Institutions Is That They Have ‘No Choice but to Fight Back’ | Video

Chris Hayes opened Tuesday’s episode of his MSNBC show with a bleak look Donald Trump’s latest attacks on “our American birthright of a free and open society,” including against independent universities, real science and the free press.

But despite grim recent events, Hayes argued that there is a “real silver lining” — that these institutions are being forced to fight him.

Hayes began by talking about Trump’s escalating war on Harvard university, which as Hayes explained, is a campaign to “put Harvard University, nation’s oldest college, out of business.” This most recently includes Trump’s order to cancel all federal contracts with the university, an unprecedented move that was preceded by the equally unprecedented order to cease all foreign student admissions.

“They want to rewrite the school’s curriculum in a way that is favorable and deferential to Trump and his worldview. Donald Trump wants the most powerful, legendary institution higher education in this country, arguably in the world, to bend the knee to his whims and become a kind of controlled asset of MAGA. That is the goal here,” Hayes said.

Hayes noted Trump’s attacks on other universities, his administration’s increasingly clear opposition to vaccinations, and his attacks on media — which included a shout-out to the fiery speech “60 Minutes” reporter Scott Pelley gave last week to graduating seniors at Wake Forest University.

“Pelly, to his great credit, is not cowed, and it’s true that many aren’t. Not every outlet is capitulated to Trump,” Hayes said, adding a little later, “and we’re seeing this type of resistance everywhere, sometimes in sort of unexpected areas. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, I think he’s a pretty conservative guy, as far as I can know. He’s a guy who was initially elevated to the job of Federal Reserve Chair by a guy named Donald Trump in his first term, is fighting the President’s pressure campaign to remove him from his position, calling on the next generation to preserve our democratic institutions again in another weekend commencement speech at Princeton University.”

“Here’s the single most important thing for everyone to understand about this ongoing, existential battle to preserve our American birthright of a free and open society,” Hayes continued. “All these institutions and the people that power them, and the vast sources of independent knowledge, production and authority contained within them, that form what is the kind of civil society of America altogether are more powerful than this one petty, addled man, and Donald Trump knows it, and that’s why he wants to end them.”

“And the real silver lining here, and there is one, is that Trump’s attacks are so reckless and so baseless and transparent, they have left our independent institutions with no choice but to fight back. Good. We need them.”

Watch the whole commentary below:

The post Chris Hayes Says the Silver Lining in Trump’s Attacks on American Institutions Is That They Have ‘No Choice but to Fight Back’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.