Steve Pond's Blog, page 2009
January 17, 2020
‘Genius: Aretha’ Star Cynthia Erivo Sent a Note of Congratulations to ‘Respect’ Star Jennifer Hudson
2020 will see dueling Aretha Franklin biopics, with Cynthia Erivo set to portray the Queen of Soul in Nat Geo’s “Genius: Aretha” and Jennifer Hudson taking on the role in the feature film “Respect.” But all involved in the Nat Geo series say there’s room for everyone.
“I haven’t spoken to Jennifer personally,” Erivo said at the Television Critics Association press tour on Friday. “[But] I sent her a message saying congratulations. I’m really looking forward to seeing her version in the film.”
“I’m actually excited by the fact that we get to tell her story more than once,” she said. “I think the more the merrier. There are many heroes out there who have had their story told many different times, and to have someone like Aretha to have a moment to tell her story more than once, and tell it again and again, is kind of amazing.”
Also Read: 'Genius': Nat Geo Shares First Look at Cynthia Erivo as Aretha Franklin (Photo)
“Genius: Aretha” is the third installment of the Nat Geo anthology series, following two previous seasons starring Geoffrey Rush as Albert Einstein and Antonio Banderas as Pablo Picasso. Joining Erivo in the eight-episode series is an ensemble cast including Courtney B. Vance, David Cross, Malcolm Barrett, Patrice Covington, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Rebecca Naomi Jones and Sanai Victoria.
Suzan-Lori Parks is showrunner on the new season, with Anthony Hemingway executive producing and directing. The series is set to premiere on May 25.
“Respect,” the Aretha Franklin biopic starring Jennifer Hudson, is set to hit theaters later this year. The film is directed by Tony-nominee Liesl Tommy, and the film follows Aretha’s rise as a singer, first in her father’s church choir, to how she eventually attains international superstardom. Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Skye Dakota Turner, Tate Donovan and Mary J. Blige all co-star in the film.
Also Read: Chris Hemsworth, Darren Aronofsky Team for Nat Geo Fitness Docuseries 'Limitless'
“We are so excited,” Parks said. “We think the Queen of Soul deserves all the love and attention this world can shower on her. If there were a hundred projects that would be even better. That woman lived an incredible life, and every moment of that life has gifts to give all of us.”
Hemingway pointed to the title of the series as an indication of what to expect from their version that might distinguish it from the film.
“We’re highlighting Aretha’s genius,” he said. “That’s what our eight hours is.”
Related stories from TheWrap:
Jennifer Hudson Belts Out 'Respect' in First Teaser for Aretha Franklin Biopic (Video)
'Genius': Nat Geo Shares First Look at Cynthia Erivo as Aretha Franklin (Photo)
Courtney B Vance Joins Nat Geo's 'Genius' as Aretha Franklin's Father
Spotify in Talks to Acquire Bill Simmons’ Sports and Pop-Culture Outlet The Ringer
Spotify Technology is in early talks to purchase Bill Simmons’ sports and pop culture website and podcast network, The Ringer, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The deal would build on the audio-streaming platform’s already huge access of over 50 million tracks by adding The Ringer’s 30-plus podcasts, with include “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” ”Binge Mode” and “The Rewatchables.”
Spokespersons for neither Spotify nor The Ringer immediately responded to TheWrap’s request for confirmation or comment.
Also Read: Spotify to Suspend Political Advertisements in 2020
The two outlets have worked together since September 2019 with the launch of Simmons’ new podcast, “The Hottest Take,” which streams exclusively on Spotify.
In 2019, Spotify spent $400 million to buy three podcast companies — Gimlet Media, Parcast and Anchor — and made more than two dozen deals for exclusive or original content. The Ringer, which was founded in 2016 by former ESPN commentator Simmons, brings in more than a 100 million podcast downloads each month
The music streaming giant closed Q3 of 2019 with 248 million monthly active users, or about 7% more than the 232 million MAUs it started the quarter with. Most of its gains came internationally in Southeast Asia and South America. Spotify’s paying customer base added 5 million people during the quarter, wrapping up Q3 with 113 million users paying for Spotify’s ad-free service.
Also Read: Spotify Wants Your Dog (and Iguana) to Have a Playlist of Its Own
Spotify made news in December after it announced that it would suspend political advertising ahead of the 2020 presidential election, saying in a statement that it does not “have the necessary level of robustness in our processes, systems and tools to responsibly validate and review this content.”
On a lighter note, it also recently launched a playlist generated specifically for pets based on the critter’s characteristics. We’re talking the moods and personality of your dogs, cats, birds, cats, hamsters and — yup — iguanas.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Chris Hemsworth, Darren Aronofsky Team for Nat Geo Fitness Docuseries ‘Limitless’
Chris Hemsworth is donating his body to science — er, National Geographic, for new fitness docuseries “Limitless,” which explores whether aging is inevitable or curable, the “Thor” star revealed via a video announcement during the Television Critics Association press tour Friday.
The show is produced by Darren Aronofsky and Jane Root — the team behind Nat Geo’s “One Strange Rock” — who will use “their signature high-end cinematic style” to “capture Hemsworth’s epic mission to discover how we all can live healthier, smarter and longer lives,” per the cable channel. “No stranger to the pursuit of fitness and health (including the recent launch of his popular app Centr), Hemsworth aims to transform himself by training for six extraordinary challenges, showing how to fight aging at every stage of life.”
Here’s a more detailed description of what exactly Nat Geo will be putting Hemsworth through on “Limitless”:
Also Read: Nat Geo Spins Off 'Life Below Zero' - Again
Each episode will tackle a different way we can live better for longer: regenerating damage, maximizing strength, building resilience, shocking the body, supercharging memory and confronting mortality. Hemsworth will meet leading longevity scientists who believe that the key to staying young lies in rooting out and reversing the ravages of time before they take hold, and learn secrets from superhumans who demonstrate the mind-blowing extent of human potential. In “Limitless,” Hemsworth will come face-to-face with his own mortality, testing ways to extend his healthy life in challenges that will stretch his physical and mental abilities.
According to Nat Geo, the show will also “showcase extraordinary examples of longevity science from around the world — from the habits of centenarian martial artists to how Navy SEALs conquer stress. The series will reveal body hacks anyone can practice to keep the effects of aging at bay, and keep you fitter, smarter and stronger, regardless of age. Entertaining, immersive and life changing, ‘Limitless’ will rewrite the rulebook on living better for longer.”
“I’m thrilled to once again partner with Darren and Jane, along with their powerhouse creative teams at Protozoa and Nutopia, to reveal the science behind unlocking the body’s secret superpowers in order to maximize our full potential and to live better, longer,” said National Geographic Global Television Networks president Courteney Monroe. “We are so fortunate to have Chris Hemsworth at the center of this series and to tap into his genuine curiosity and real-life superhero powers to push his own personal limits.”
“Basically, I was somehow convinced to volunteer myself as a human guinea pig and endure a series of mental and physical challenges across the globe, all for the sake of science,” Hemsworth said. “We’re hoping to shed some light on new ideas and emerging science with the focus on extending a healthy life span. Production starts soon, so wish me luck.”
Aronofsky added: “‘Limitless’ has the potential to improve people’s lives in simple, impactful ways, and we love Chris’ enthusiasm to be our tour guide. I look forward to reteaming with Nat Geo, Jane and our friends from ‘One Strange Rock’ on this next adventure.”
“With ‘One Strange Rock’ we explored the incredible science of our natural world,” Root said. “‘Limitless’ is equally as grand in scope, but with a topic that’s much more personal and rife with emotion.”
Also Read: Nat Geo Wild Orders 3 New Vet Shows and 2 More Zoo Series; Renews 6 Others (Exclusive)
“Limitless” will be produced for National Geographic by Nutopia and Protozoa Pictures. For Nutopia, Root and Arif Nurmohamed are executive producers, with Ruth Shurman acting as showrunner on the series. For Protozoa Pictures, Aronofsky and Ari Handel are executive producers. Hemsworth and Ben Grayson are also executive producers.
Executive producing for Nat Geo are Matt Renner and Bengt Anderson. Alan Eyres is senior vice president of production and development at Nat Geo and Geoff Daniels is executive vice president of global unscripted entertainment.
Hemsworth is repped by CAA, Fourward and Greenberg Glusker.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Nat Geo Spins Off 'Life Below Zero' – Again
Nat Geo Wild Orders 3 New Vet Shows and 2 More Zoo Series; Renews 6 Others (Exclusive)
Movie Ticket Prices Rose by 3.7% in Fourth Quarter of 2019
The average movie ticket prices rose by 3.7% in the fourth quarter of 2019 from the previous year, the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) reported on Friday.
Specifically, ticket prices in 2018 averaged $9.03, while last quarter, they averaged $9.37. The yearly average also rose by .54%, from $9.11 to $9.16.
The total of 2019’s box office declined by 4.05% to 11.4 billion. The average ticket is reflected by all tickets sold, in big cities, small towns, by children, senior citizens, during matinees, full adult admissions, in 3D and large format.
Also Read: Movie Ticket Prices Drop 4% in Third Quarter as 'Lion King' Leads Admissions
The top five films of the year were “Avengers: Endgame” ($858.4 million), “The Lion King” ($543.6 million), “Toy Story 4” ($434 million), “Frozen 2” ($430.1 million) and “Captain Marvel” ($426.8 million) — all released by Disney.
The top five films of the fourth quarter were “Frozen 2” ($430.1 million), “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” ($390.6 million), “Joker” ($333.5 million), “Jumanji: The Next Level” ($192 million) and “Knives Out” ($115.7 million).
According to ComScore, younger moviegoers accounted for higher percentages of the box office in 2019 than in 2018.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Movie Ticket Prices Drop, But So Does 2019 Box Office Despite Disney Boom
Movie Theater Attendance Hits 24-Year Low, Ticket Prices Rise Nearly 4 Percent
Movie Ticket Prices Jump 5 Percent Year-Over-Year to $8.93 in Q3
Wives of ‘The Banker’ Subject Ask Apple To Shelve Film, Call Story ‘Distorted’ (Report)
Two wives of Bernard Garrett Sr., the central subject of Apple TV+’s “The Banker,” have come out and asked the company not to release the film.
Linda Garrett and Kathy Ussery Garrett, who were married to Bernard Garrett Sr. (portrayed by Anthony Mackie in the film), are not involved or depicted in “The Banker,” but claim the movie is inaccurate and should be shelved.
“The story was stolen and distorted and it has been hurtful to the family. They have manipulated the narrative,” Linda Garrett’s lawyer Todd Burns told The Hollywood Reporter, which first reported the news.
The call for Apple to cancel the release of “The Banker” is just the most recent knock against the film, which was initially set for a December release to give it a shot with Oscar voters. Before the film’s premiere, however, accusations of sexual misconduct were made against Garrett Sr.’s son Bernard Garrett Jr. by his half-sisters. Garrett Jr. also served as a co-producer on the film.
A representative for Apple did not respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
Also Read: 'The Banker' Cast and Crew Stand by Film and 'Its Positive Message of Empowerment'
“The Banker,” directed by George Nolfi, stars Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson as two black men who, in the 1950s and ’60s, hired a white man to front their real estate business. The film tells the story of one of the first African-American bankers in the U.S. “The Banker” is an important part of Apple’s push into original content, as the tech company looks to solidify itself as a major player in Hollywood.
So far, it’s not going well for the streamer’s film efforts. Apple recently had to say goodbye to Oprah Winfrey, who dropped her support for the documentary “On the Record” featuring accounts from women who have accused music mogul Russell Simmons of rape. Winfrey was supposed to executive produce the film.
Apple postponed the release in order to allow for time for a review of sexual misconduct.
Apple decided earlier this week to release the film in March, having conducted its review, saying that Garrett Jr. would have his credit on the film and would not profit from the film’s release.
“We created Apple TV Plus as a home for stories that matter and believe ‘The Banker,’ inspired by the brave actions of Bernard Garrett Sr. and Joe Morris, two African American businessmen who brought about positive social change, is one of those stories,” an Apple spokesman said at the time. “We wanted to take the time to understand the situation at hand — and after reviewing the information available to us, including documentation of the filmmakers’ research, we’ve decided to make this important and enlightening film available to viewers.”
Linda Garrett told THR she plans to publish an open letter she wrote to Apple and the filmmakers asking them to nix the film’s release. In her six-page letter, Linda Garrett provides a timeline of events, some of which are in the film, and claims to debunk their accuracy, according to THR.
Also Read: Apple to Release 'The Banker' in March After Conclusion of Misconduct Review
“I am alive,” Linda Garrett wrote in her letter, according to THR. “If a tiny bit of interest in the truth existed none of this would have happened. I could have spared the filmmakers millions of dollars — and my daughters years more intentionally inflicted pain — over this recent rape of our identity if anyone had ever tried to find me.”
Related stories from TheWrap:
'The Banker' Release Delayed by Apple After Sexual Misconduct Accusations Against Co-Producer
Apple Canceled 'The Banker' Premiere After Producer Accused of Sexual Assault by Sisters
Anthony Mackie and Samuel L Jackson Buy Up White America in 'The Banker' Trailer (Video)
No, the ‘Star Wars’ Disney+ Series About Obi-Wan Kenobi Has Not Been Canceled
We’ll cut right to the chase: The rumor that Ewan McGregor has walked away from the upcoming Disney+ “Star Wars” tv series about Obi-Wan Kenobi and that Disney has canceled the show is not true.
Sources with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap on Friday that the story circulating is “totally inaccurate,” and that the show is still moving forward as announced last summer.
The story is actually a hoax created by a clearly-labeled joke Twitter account called @DicsussingFilm. The clue that this story wasn’t on the level should probably have been the obviously misspelled “Dicsussing” in the handle, but in case that didn’t do the trick, the account’s bio says “PARODY ACCOUNT, NOT AFFILIATED WITH @DiscussingFilm.”
Also Read: 'Mandalorian' Director Deborah Chow to Direct Obi-Wan Kenobi Series for Disney+
What happened is that on Wednesday, “DicsussingFilm” tweeted “Ewan McGregor has exited the ‘OBI-WAN’ Disney+ series due to creative differences. (Source: @disneyplus).” The joke was immediately recognized by the account’s followers, but on Friday a couple of fansites including That Hashtag Show and We Got This Covered took the tweet at face value and ran with it, causing the matter to become a trending Twitter topic.
So, rest easy, people looking forward to the further adventures of Obi-Wan Kenobi: The show is still happening, at least for now.
Announced last summer during D23 2019, the Obi-Wan series will take place at some point during the 19-year gap between the end of “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” and “Star Wars: A New Hope.” McGregor will once again play the Jedi Master originally portrayed by Alec Guinness and executive produce, alongside series director Deborah Chow and writer Hossein Amini. Jason McGatlin, Lucasfilm’s executive vice president of production, will serve as co-producer.
Also Read: Taika Waititi Eyed to Develop 'Star Wars' Movie
The project will be the third live-action “Star Wars” series for Disney+, following “The Mandalorian” and the “Rogue One” prequel series centered on Diego Luna’s character, Cassian Andor.
Related stories from TheWrap:
The 23 Worst Parts of 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'
'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' Set to Cross $1 Billion at Global Box Office
'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' – How Is Emperor Palpatine Still Alive?
Netflix Acquires Documentary ‘Mucho Mucho Amor’ Ahead of Sundance
Netflix has acquired the worldwide rights to the feature-length documentary “Mucho Mucho Amor” ahead of its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, an individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap.
The feature, directed by Cristina Costantini and Kareem Tabsch, tells the story of gender non-conforming astrologer Walter Mercado. Mercado mesmerized millions of Latino viewers over four decades before he disappeared out of the public eye. He died on Nov. 2, 2019 at age 87. The film will premiere at Sundance on Jan. 24 and will debut on Netflix this summer.
Costantini, Tabsch and Alex Fumero are producers on the project, while Darren Foster, Lisa Leingang, Mona Panchal and Jeffrey Plunkett serve as executive producers. Muck Media, Key Rat, Inc., and Topic Studios produced.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Eugenio Derbez and Raul De Molina are featured in the documentary.
The festival will run from Jan. 23 to Feb. 2 in Park City, Utah. Multiple films have already sold. For example, Haifaa Al-Mansour’s “The Perfect Candidate” was acquired by Music Box Films, while Olivia Colman and Anthony Hopkins’ “The Father” was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Haifaa Al-Mansour's 'The Perfect Candidate' Acquired by Music Box Films Ahead of Sundance
Ethan Hawke, Dee Rees, Emily Mortimer Among Sundance 2020 Jury Members
Is a ‘Bad Boys 4’ Ever Going to Happen?
Back in the day, we thought the eight-year gap between the first two “Bad Boys” movies was long and painful, but little did we know it would be another 16-and-a-half years before we’d get a third one. But “Bad Boys for Life” has finally arrived, and despite the absence of Michael Bay in the director’s chair this time most critics seem to have enjoyed it. Given that reception, plus the reduced budget for this one, it feels like we could be in for a few more of these in the near future if this one does reasonably well.
“Bad Boys for Life” already broke the box office record for Thursday night previews in January, and is on track to rake in some $70 million this weekend.
The film’s directors, Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi, told TheWrap that they’ve talked about doing a fourth film: “At this point it’s more of if the audience wants it, we are more than ready to make a fourth one, and I think there is still a story to tell,” the duo said.
Also Read: 'Bad Boys for Life' Rides to Record $6.3 Million at Thursday Box Office
There were even reports on Friday, albeit premature according to people with knowledge, that Sony was ready to fly back down to Miami for another film, and had tapped “Bad Boys for Life” writer Chris Bremner to write the script for a fourth one.
Officially, however, we know nothing for sure about the future of this series, and the marketing certainly has pushed the idea that this could be the last one. The official synopsis, for example, says that Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are back for “one last ride.” So you wouldn’t be crazy to think that “Bad Boys for Life” is the last one. I mean they even used a title that would be perfect for a fourth movie — like “Bad Boys 4 Life” — which on some level feels like they chose that title because they figured this was it.
But there are a couple big clues that indicate that, at minimum, Sony, Smith and Lawrence are open to doing more. The first is, of course, the movie itself, which does not exactly have a “this is the end of the franchise” sort of conclusion. Quite to the contrary, in fact. “Bad Boys for Life” specifically seems to be setting up future adventures with Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence), along with their new team of tech-focused millennial crime fighters. And it’s not vague about it — the movie ends by teasing “Bad Boys 4.”
Also Read: Will Smith Says He Owes Michael Bay His Career for That Shirtless Scene in 'Bad Boys' (Video)
The other clue is that Sony previously had a fourth “Bad Boys” movie on its release calendar. Four years ago, the studio scheduled “Bad Boys 3,” which at the time was to be directed bu Joe Carnahan, for February 2017, and “Bad Boys 4” for July 2019. Obviously, that schedule changed as it took until now to get “Bad Boys for Life” done thanks to another change in directors and more scheduling conflicts for Will Smith after production was pushed back again.
So the takeaways from this are that, in the present day, a fourth “Bad Boys” movie is not officially on the way. But Sony had planned to do to one, and “Bad Boys for Life” is setting one up, so it stands to reason that if it does well enough then “Bad Boys 4” will almost certainly happen. Though if the fourth film gets stuck in development hell for a decade like this new one did, then that will probably be it — Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are in their 50s, so it’s not likely that they’d be up for it after another long hiatus.
So if you enjoy “Bad Boys for Life” and are hoping for a “Bad Boys 4,” you should root for box office success for this thing.
Related stories from TheWrap:
'Bad Boys for Life' and 35 Other Movie Sequels That Took Forever to Hit the Screen (Photos)
'Bad Boys for Life' Film Review: Will Smith and Martin Lawrence Go Over the Top, Again
'Bad Boys' Spinoff 'LA's Finest' Renewed for Season 2 at Spectrum Originals
Happy 98th Birthday, Betty White! Watch 9 of Her All-Time Best TV Moments (Videos)
Betty White is so beloved at this point that younger audiences who have never seen an episode of “The Golden Girls” or “The Mary Tyler Moore” show still adore her sweet charms and warm smile before surprising with a dirty joke or a clever jab. At 98, she’s still an American treasure doing some great work. Here’s a look at some of her best moments.
“I’ve been smiling for 11 years!” As Sue Ann Nivens on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” we were introduced to an actress who could never not be smiling, even as she poured her heart out.
“I wouldn’t say you were dreary unless you were really dreearrryyyy,” a flamboyant Paul Lynde says to a smitten White in this sketch from “The Donny & Marie Osmond Show.” White has such a sweet glow in this scene, even when her glasses go askew and she doesn’t fix them. “Oh, you’re just being kind, I know I’m exceptional.”
This “Golden Girls” rehearsal clip shows what a naturally gifted comic White was, thinking on her feet even during a rehearsal when the cameras weren’t supposed to be on.
White was the queen of game shows, appearing on “Match Game,” “Password” and as the host of the game show “Just Men!” starting in 1983. Here she is making a quick bundle during the final round of “The $25,000 Pyramid.”
If Johnny Carson was going to take his shirt off for a sketch, better call Betty White. She once played Jane to his Tarzan after years of a disgruntled marriage, and in this sketch, she uses her often smutty sense of humor to bat around some balls with a nude Carson in a baseball locker room.
White has been a talk show staple for so many decades and been such a present figure on our TVs that it isn’t crazy to think she reminds us of a mother or grandmother. But later in her life she found enough attitude that she could make even David Letterman blush.
White has been around so long that she got her lifetime achievement award from the Screen Actors Guild in 2009 and still had a lot ahead of her. She’s always given off that earnest, humble warmth even when she’s playing a bit naughty. “I actually know many of you and worked with you…maybe had a couple.”
No matter how old you live, there aren’t many actors who can boast three successful TV shows. In “Hot in Cleveland,” White got to feel sexy and wanted and better yet got to do whatever she wanted, even if that meant squeeze a football player’s pecs.
And just because it would be impossible not to, here’s White making out with Bradley Cooper, probably one of his finest moments even more so than hers.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Celebrate Betty White's Birthday With Her 'SNL' Death Metal Sketch (Video)
Betty White Is Down for a 'Golden Girls' Reboot as She Turns 95
Betty White GoFundMe Page Launched to Protect Actress From 2016
January 16, 2020
ESPN Reporter Edward Aschoff’s Death Was Due to Un-Diagnosed Stage 4 Cancer, Fiancee Says
ESPN Reporter Edward Aschoff’s tragic death on his 34th birthday last month was the result of an un-diagnosed case of stage 4, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, his fiancée, Katy Berteau, said on Wednesday.
“After his passing, the hospital received the final results from his lung biopsy,” Berteau said in a statement posted on Twitter. “Unbeknownst to us, Edward had stage 4, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in his lungs. This is an aggressive type of cancer that is usually undetectable until it is very advanced.”
As a result, Aschoff apparently suffered from hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a severe systemic inflammatory syndrome that can be fatal. “Both pneumonia and non-Hodgkins lymphoma can trigger HLH in the body and that is seemingly what happened with Edward, Berteau continued. “All of this combined is what led to his very rapid decline those last few days, and ultimately his passing.”
Also Read: Ed Aschoff, ESPN College Football Reporter, Dies on His 34th Birthday
Aschoff was diagnosed with pneumonia shortly after covering the Nov. 30 Big Ten game between Ohio State and the University of Michigan, as he wrote in a Dec. 2 Instagram post. He died on Dec. 24 at age 34.
After graduating from the University of Florida in 2008, Aschoff covered Gators football for The Gainesville Sun. He joined ESPN in 2011 as an Atlanta-based SEC reporter for ESPN.com.
He moved to Los Angeles in 2017 for a more expanded reporting position that included television coverage. Over the past three seasons, Aschoff reported for ESPN.com, SportsCenter, SEC Network and ESPN Radio in addition to working as a sideline reporter during college football games for both radio and TV.
See Berteau’s full statement below.
(1/9) Hi all, Katy again- this will be my last post on Edward’s social media. I wanted to provide an update about Edward’s passing that may help people in processing it and making a little more sense of what happened. pic.twitter.com/6x7HPsZqZn
— Edward Aschoff (@AschoffESPN) January 16, 2020
(3/9) Both pneumonia and non-Hodgkins lymphoma can trigger HLH in the body and that is seemingly what happened with Edward. All of this combined is what led to his very rapid decline those last few days, and ultimately his passing. pic.twitter.com/blXaF6UJC3
— Edward Aschoff (@AschoffESPN) January 16, 2020
(5/9) I hope this information helps people in dealing with this tragedy. It has helped me knowing that his passing was inevitable, and I’m at least grateful he didn’t have to go through the painful treatment and drawn out process of battling the disease pic.twitter.com/4nr4Gys1em
— Edward Aschoff (@AschoffESPN) January 16, 2020
(7/9) In lieu of flowers, we’re asking that donations be made to a scholarship fund being set up by the University of Florida’s School of Journalism and Communications (see end for details). He loved mentoring and sharing his advice for up-and-coming journalists and reporters. pic.twitter.com/9n9AlYo7B0
— Edward Aschoff (@AschoffESPN) January 16, 2020
(9/9) Donations to the Edward Aschoff Memorial Fund at UF’s College of Journalism and Communications can be made out to the “U.F. Foundation”, sent to P.O. Box 14425, Gainesville, FL 32604, Attn: Gift Processing. Please note "Edward Aschoff Memorial Fund" in the memo area. pic.twitter.com/7AC7xcKz3b
— Edward Aschoff (@AschoffESPN) January 16, 2020
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