Steve Pond's Blog, page 2018
January 8, 2020
‘Jeopardy! Greatest of All Time': Here’s Where the 3 Competitors Stand
James Holzhauer won Wednesday night’s second round of ABC’s “Jeopardy! Greatest of All Time,” the multi-night event that pits him against Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter to settle once and for all which “Jeopardy!” champion is truly the greatest.
If he wins the next two games in a row, Holzhauer will take the title. Jennings won the opening round on Tuesday.
As the competition goes on, TheWrap will update each night’s winners and how many games away they are from winning. The tournament is set to air Tuesday through Friday until one competitor wins three games, and could go on through Jan. 16.
Also Read: 'Jeopardy!': You Know James Holzhauer and Ken Jennings, but Who Is Brad Rutter?
Last season’s big winner and reigning “Tournament of Champions” champ James Holzhauer comes off of a 32-game winning streak, during which he set the all-time record for highest single-game earning in regular-season play with $131,127 set on April 17, 2019. He faces Ken Jennings, who continues to hold the all-time highest-earnings record for regular-season play with $2,520,700, and Brad Rutter, who has never lost a game of “Jeopardy!” — at least, not to a human opponent — and holds the all-time winnings record for season and tournament play combined, with $4,688,436. For more information on Rutter, click here.
Also Read: Alex Trebek Has Planned His 'Jeopardy!' Exit Speech: 'Leave Me 30 Seconds at the End' (Video)
The first to win three games gets $1 million and the title of “Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time.” The two runners up will each receive $250,000.
The next episode of “Jeopardy! Greatest of All Time” airs Wednesday at 8/7c on ABC.
Related stories from TheWrap:
James Holzhauer Will Finally Face Ken Jennings in ABC's 'Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time'
Dorian Awards: Bong Joon-Ho’s ‘Parasite’ Nabs 5 Awards
South Korean director Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” nabbed five wins, including Film of the Year, Director, Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Foreign-Language Film at the Dorian Awards, GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics announced on Wednesday.
Renée Zellweger won the Best Actress Award for “Judy,” with Antonio Banderas winning Best Actor for “Pain and Glory.” “Little Women’s” Florence Pugh won The Rising Star of the Year, Jennifer Lopez won Best Supporting Actress for “Hustlers,” “Booksmart” won Unsung Film of the Year, and “Cats” won Campy Film of the Year.
“GALECA members strive to determine the best cinematic experiences through the distinct LGBTQ lens, and this year was particularly rich in options,” said GALECA President Diane Anderson-Minshall in a statement. “Yet when director Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Parasite’ practically swept our awards roster with five wins, I was not surprised. The dynamic, darkly comic drama about a poor family conniving to live the good life speaks to the times we live in, with vivid commentary on class, inequity and even climate change. ‘Parasite’ is a perfect film for the Trump era.”
Also Read: LGBTQ Series-Regular Characters Hit Record High on Broadcast TV, GLAAD Report Says
With the Society’s recent move to spin off its television categories with a separate ceremony starting this August, the Dorians’ TV categories came with a somewhat truncated eligibility window of January 1 through November 1.
FX’s “Pose” again won TV Drama of the Year and LGBTQ TV Drama for the second year — and its star Billy Porter took another Dorian win as well. Comedy Central’s “The Other Two” was named best Unsung TV Show. Amazon’s “Fleabag” was anointed TV Comedy of the Year, with star-creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge reigning as TV Performance of the Year–Actress and Wilde Wit of the Year.
Comprised of more than 260 professional American and foreign entertainment journalists, GALECA’s Dorian Awards are named in honor of Oscar Wilde and his novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray.”
Lady Gaga wowed GALECA’s members in a special vote as Wilde Artist of the Decade. Gaga’s duet with Bradley Cooper on “Shallow” at last year’s Oscars also counted with the group as the TV Musical Performance of the Year.
As previously announced, Olivia Wilde, the first-time director of “Booksmart,” will be receiving a special honor at the group’s Dorian Awards Winners Toast, which will be held brunchtime Sunday, February 2, in Los Angeles. The invitation-only event will include a raise of the glass to Wilde, named GALECA’s Wilde Artist of the Year.
FULL LIST OF 11TH DORIAN AWARD WINNERS
Film of the Year
Hustlers
Little Women
Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood
Pain and Glory
*Parasite
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Director of the Year
Pedro Almodovar, Pain and Glory
Greta Gerwig, Little Women
*Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
Sam Mendes, 1917
Celine Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Film Performance of the Year — Actress
Awkwafina, The Farewell
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Lupita Nyong’o, Us
Alfre Woodard, Clemency
*Renée Zellweger, Judy
Film Performance of the Year — Actor
*Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Taron Egerton, Rocketman
Film Performance of the Year — Supporting Actress
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Florence Pugh, Little Women
*Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers
Margot Robbie, Bombshell
Zhao Shuzhen, The Farewell
Film Performance of the Year — Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood
*Song Kang-ho, Parasite
LGBTQ Film of the Year
Booksmart
End of the Century
Pain and Glory
*Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Rocketman
Foreign Language Film of the Year
The Atlantics
Pain and Glory
*Parasite
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
The Farewell
Screenplay of the Year
Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story
*Bong Joon-ho, Han Jin-won, Parasite
Greta Gerwig, Little Women
Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Rian Johnson, Knives Out
Documentary of the Year
American Factory
Apollo 11
For Sama
*Honeyland
One Child Nation
LGBTQ Documentary of the Year
Circus of Books
Gay Chorus Deep South
The Gospel of Eureka
5B
*Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street
Visually Striking Film of the Year ** TIE
Midsommar
*1917
The Lighthouse
Parasite
*Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Unsung Film of the Year
*Booksmart
Her Smell
Gloria Bell
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Waves
Campy Flick of the Year
*Cats
Greta
Knives Out
Ma
Serenity
TV Drama of the Year
Chernobyl
Euphoria
*Pose
Succession
Unbelievable
TV Comedy of the Year
*Fleabag
The Other Two
PEN15
Russian Doll
Schitt’s Creek
TV Performance of the Year — Actor
Bill Hader, Barry
Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us
*Billy Porter, Pose
Jeremy Strong, Succession
TV Performance of the Year — Actress
Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
Mj Rodriguez, Pose
*Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag
Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon
LGBTQ TV Show of the Year
Euphoria
The Other Two
*Pose
Schitt’s Creek
Tales of the City
Unsung TV Show of the Year
Gentleman Jack
On Becoming a God in Central Florida
*The Other Two
PEN15
Years and Years
TV Current Affairs Show of the Year
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
The Rachel Maddow Show
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
*Leaving Neverland
TV Musical Performance of the Year
*Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, “Shallow,” The 91st Academy Awards
Lizzo, “Truth Hurts,” VMAs 2019
Megan Mullally, “The Man That Got Way,” Will & Grace
Annie Murphy, “A Little Bit Alexis,” Schitt’s Creek
Michelle Williams, “Who’s Got the Pain?,” Fosse/Verdon
Campy TV Show of the Year
American Horror Story 1984
Big Little Lies
RuPaul’s Drag Race
*The Politician
Riverdale
The “We’re Wilde About You!” Rising Star Award
Roman Griffin Davis
Kaitlyn Dever
Beanie Feldstein
*Florence Pugh
Hunter Schafer
Wilde Wit of the Year
(Honoring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse)
Dan Levy
Billy Porter
Randy Rainbow
Taika Waititi
*Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Wilde Artist of the Decade (Special Accolade)
*Lady Gaga
Greta Gerwig
Ryan Murphy
Billy Porter
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Timeless Star (Career achievement award)
*Catherine O’Hara
Related stories from TheWrap:
Hallmark Reverses Stance on LGBTQ Zola Ads Under Pressure, Looks to Reinstate Them
HBO Max Orders Docuseries About Forgotten LGBTQ Heroes From Greg Berlanti, Jim Parsons
Here's the LGBTQ Supreme Court Case Laverne Cox Brought Up on the Emmys Red Carpet
Jillian Michaels Doubles Down on Lizzo Comments: ‘I Would Hope We Prioritize Our Health’
Jillian Michaels is doubling down on her comments about Lizzo’s weight, writing in a tweet that she “would hope we prioritize our health.”
The former “Biggest Loser” coach came under fire on social media Wednesday after appearing on Buzzfeed’s “AM to DM” show and suggested that Lizzo’s body positivity wasn’t a thing to be celebrated.
“Why are we celebrating her body? Why does it matter? Why aren’t we celebrating her music? ‘Cause it isn’t going to be awesome if she gets diabetes,” Michaels shared. “I’m just being honest. I love her music, my kid loves her music, but there’s never a moment when I’m like, ‘I’m so glad she’s overweight.’ Why do I even care? Why is it my job to care about her weight?”
Also Read: Bob Harper Set to Host USA Network's 'Biggest Loser' Reboot
Michaels’ critics accused her of body-shaming the pop star and weighing in on her health without facts to back up the assertion that Lizzo could be at risk for diabetes.
“As I’ve stated repeatedly, we are all beautiful, worthy, and equally deserving,” Michaels wrote in her tweet. “I also feels strongly that we love ourselves enough to acknowledge there are serious health consequences that come with obesity – heart disease, diabetes, cancer to name only a few. I would never wish these for ANYONE and I would hope we prioritize our health because we LOVE ourselves and our bodes.”
Michaels, along with Bob Harper, was one of the original trainers on the NBC weight-loss competition “The Biggest Loser,” appearing on multiple seasons throughout the show’s run. She also hosted a short-lived spinoff series “Losing It With Jillian” in 2010.
USA announced last spring that it had tapped Harper to host a reboot of “The Biggest Loser,” which is set to premiere later this year. Michaels is not involved.
— Jillian Michaels (@JillianMichaels) January 9, 2020
Related stories from TheWrap:
'SNL' Cut for Time: Lizzo Inspires Aidy Bryant to Work Her 'Earth-Shatteringly Gorgeous A–' (Video)
2020 Grammy Nominations: Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X Lead the Pack
Lizzo Joins Cast of Jennifer Lopez's Robin Hood Strippers Film 'Hustlers'
‘Three Christs’ Film Review: Richard Gere Treats a Trio of Would-Be Jesuses in Simplistic Drama
There’s a moment in Jon Avnet’s “Three Christs” when the movie’s central psychiatrist Dr. Stone (Richard Gere) suffers a Freudian slip so on-the-nose, you could tell it would happen before he says it: In defending his unorthodox treatment of three men who referred to themselves as Jesus Christ, Dr. Stone accidentally refers to four men, not three, to his supervisors.
This prompts some awkward discussion, but the purpose of the scene is clear: The good doctor also suffers from some godlike illusions of grandeur himself.
However great Gere or his co-stars are, none of them can soothe all that ails “Three Christs,” a milquetoast January release. The movie has that one terribly obvious moment of clarity, but the rest of it seems to stand by Dr. Stone’s crusade unquestionably. Only he recognizes the cruelty of mental institutions in 1959. Only he knows what he’s doing, and everyone else is just in his way. He’s in tune to a future where his favorite comic Lenny Bruce will be more revered and where electroshock therapy will be a thing of the past. It’s a simplified, reductive portrait of a complex story, and it feels as if there’s more to it that hasn’t made it to the screen.
Also Read: 'Cyrano' Theater Review: Peter Dinklage Drops the Big Schnoz to Sing
Adapted by Avnet and Eric Nazarian from Dr. Milton Rokeach’s book “The Three Christs of Ypsilanti,” the film skims what the doctor learned in the course of his two-year study of three paranoid schizophrenics who claim to be Jesus Christ. “Three Christs” looks back at the events in flashbacks with voiceover; it’s a clunky way into what’s happened, but eventually this device falls away to let the story unfurl on its own. Dr. Stone is convinced he can cure and rehabilitate his patients to lead normal social lives again if only protocol and bureaucracy were not in his way.
To his credit, Gere does an amicable job of balancing the calming presence of a psychiatrist who truly wants to reach his patients and the drive of a researcher hellbent on finding the right answer. With his patients, he’s comforting, tough but firm when need be, but when Dr. Stone is off to see his bosses, Gere plays it almost childishly petulant and pushy. It’s in these scenes when his savior complex is most insufferable although, for the most part, Gere’s performance is relatively dependable, at least until he tries to employ a warbling Brooklyn accent that none of the five boroughs would claim.
Also Read: Richard Gere Drama Series 'Bastards' Scrapped by Apple
As for Dr. Stone’s patients — Joseph (Peter Dinklage), Leon (Walton Goggins) and Clyde (Bradley Whitford) — they’re the stars of the story, although also with mixed results. The story attempts to empathize with their tortured backgrounds, stories of severe loss and rejection that possibly triggered their holy delusions. They are at their most interesting when exploring the awkward push-and-pull rapport between three men that claim to be the Son of God.
At first, they sit far apart and snipe at each other, but over time, those boundaries soften and they begin to bond in ways their former doctors never expected. However, there are moments, when the actors subtly give way to moments of full-out overacting, that it almost feels as if the movie is voyeuristically enjoying its characters’ pain.
Also Read: Walton Goggins to Star in 'The Unicorn' Comedy Pilot at CBS
“Three Christs” also falls short of doing justice to the two women in the film, Becky (Charlotte Hope) and Ruth (Julianna Margulies). Becky is Dr. Stone’s assistant, and aside from a potentially interesting backstory that’s referred to only once, she is there for one of the patients to leer at and make uncomfortable. The movie even seems to suggest she’s almost charmed by his unfiltered platitudes. But aside from enduring sexual remarks and marveling at the genius of Dr. Stone, there’s not much of a reason for her character.
Ruth, Dr. Stone’s wife, is similarly limited in that she fulfills only the part of a sexually-satisfied partner who loves her husband and senses there might be some competition in his fondness for Becky, especially since Ruth was his previous research assistant before they were married.
“Three Christs” follows a relatively well-tread formula, which is perhaps why it feels so inert. It’s a good, relative surface-level reading of events, but the man-on-a-crusade approach feels so much more dramatic than it needs to be. The cast can’t cure all the movie’s problems, from its abrupt ending to a random acid-test scene, but it’s not without its curious appeal as a star-studded failed “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” experiment.
Related stories from TheWrap:
'Handmaid's Tale': Bradley Whitford Explains Why Lawrence Created Gilead and How He's 'Testing' June
Julianna Margulies and Corey Stoll Join Season 5 of 'Billions'
AT&T Audience Network to Shut Down, Become Promo Channel for HBO Max
AT&T’s Audience Network will no longer be a home for original programming. Instead, AT&T is turning the premium network into a promo channel for HBO Max.
The transition will happen sometime in the spring, ahead of HBO Max’s May launch. The upcoming streaming service from WarnerMedia will cost $14.99, the same price as a monthly subscription for HBO.
“We will begin to transition Audience Network from its current approach to support AT&T’s broader original content and marketing focus on the upcoming HBO Max service,” said Daniel York, chief content officer of AT&T Consumer. “I am proud and grateful to the team at Audience for their many successes over the years, creating unique, fresh and provocative content along with our great studio partners. 20 years ago we were the first pay TV provider to differentiate our content offering with the best exclusive original content, and the team truly brought to life the network vision: Always Original, Never Ordinary.”
Also Read: Cary Joji Fukunaga's 'Last of the Mohicans' TV Series Set at HBO Max
Audience Network currently has four scripted originals, “Mr. Mercedes,” “Condor,” “Loudermilk” and “You Me Her.” A rep for AT&T told TheWrap that “any future use of Audience Network content will be assessed at a later date.”
The Audience Network first launched launched as “FreeView” in November 1999 and primarily focused on music and concerts. It grew its content portfolio and was rebranded to “The 101 Network” in early 2005, and to Audience Network in 2010 when it expanded into scripted original series. It was run by DirecTV, which was acquired by AT&T in 2014.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Uzo Aduba Joins HBO Max's Lupita Nyong'o-Led 'Americanah' Limited Series
'Harriet' Actor Zackary Momoh to Star Opposite Lupita Nyong'o on HBO Max's 'Americanah'
Johnny Galecki to Develop 'Vacation' Spinoff TV Show 'The Griswolds' for HBO Max
‘Like a Boss’ Film Review: Tiffany Haddish and Rose Byrne Play Besties in Predictable Comedy
It’s never good when you can figure out exactly what will happen in a movie — from the conflict to the pat resolution — within the first 15 minutes. But director Miguel Arteta’s new friendship comedy “Like a Boss” is just like that.
Aside from the charming chemistry between leads Tiffany Haddish and Rose Byrne, the film is a mostly forgettable romp that throws together recycled themes of female entrepreneurship, friendship, and rivalry without making any real impact. It’s a shame, too, because Byrne gets to revive some of her great comedic timing from “Bridesmaids” and goes toe-to-toe with Haddish’s larger-than-life personality; it’s no easy feat, but Byrne nails it. You can tell the two are having fun together, but the movie itself is way too basic to become truly enjoyable.
The plot kicks off with Mel (Byrne) and Mia (Haddish), two business partners being crushed by debt with their eponymous makeup company, which boasts simple applications to bring out women’s inner beauty. Needless to say, that motif is grossly overshadowed by the major lines that take pride in the transformative effect of makeup, including those marketed by the conglomerate run by beauty titan Claire Luna (Salma Hayek). More on her later.
Watch Video: Tiffany Haddish and Rose Byrne Square Off Against Salma Hayek in 'Like a Boss' Trailer
Arteta (“Beatriz at Dinner”), with screenwriters Sam Pitman and Adam Cole-Kelly (“Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television”), spends much of the film highlighting Mia and Mel’s relationship, though we just graze the surface of it. The filmmakers establish that the two are essentially opposites, like so many comedy duos on screen: Mia is the brash, sex-positive, fun-loving one, while Mel is more cautious and business-oriented. They met in middle school and have been living together for years, since Mia’s family took in Mel, whose mother was (and apparently still is) a meth addict. Later, they started their business together. They’ve been inseparable ever since.
But of course, since they’re both single with their own business, they are the outliers of all their pregnant, mommy friends and feel the need to prove that they too are properly adulting. Except that in order to get through one of their friend’s baby showers, they must sneak away to light a blunt that then falls into a baby’s crib.
Also Read: Viola Davis, Tiffany Haddish and More Join ABC's 'Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Good Times'
Though Haddish and Byrne are great at riffing off each other to escalate some of the ridiculous things that happen in the plot, it would have behooved the writers to delve more deeply into Mia and Mel’s friendship to ground what at least Mel hopes to be a power move — selling 51% of their company to Claire to increase profits and pay off their debt. You know, so they can still be the cool 30-somethings who are doing their own thing — like a boss (a phrase that is shockingly never uttered throughout the entire film).
The nuance of their friendship is key; it not only helps to build their characters, but it also provides further insight on the eventual division that will threaten both their friendship and their business. But we get significant revelations only when their conflict, manipulated by a conniving Claire, reaches a fever pitch. Mel claims she’s been feeling the burden of paying Mia back after she and her family welcomed her into their home, which also led to Mel enabling Mia to be careless about their finances while Mel always cleans up the mess.
It points to facts that undercut the very title of the movie: Mel is a pushover who can’t vocalize her concerns, while Mia doesn’t know a thing about money and has no interest in earning a profit (or, as she calls it, “selling out”). That doesn’t make either of them bosses. So, when Claire enters the picture — in the form of a dramatically self-involved Hayek as a fashion-forward, Cruella De Vil-type villain, who hates women who can get along with each other instead of Dalmatians — it takes little effort for her to sink their business and endanger their friendship.
Also Read: Salma Hayek Eyed to Join Marvel Studios' 'The Eternals' (Exclusive)
Though Claire’s characterization is silly and over-the-top, Hayek makes it work as best she can, even when Mel and Mia miraculously figure out how to turn the tables on Claire, and Hayek must feign crumbling under her own foibles. There’s a lot of physical comedy on deck here, some that even bears a striking resemblance to Haddish’s antics in “Girls Trip.” Only some of it lands quite nicely; other moments just seem cheesy and cartoonish.
Paper-thin plot aside, “Like a Boss” has pretty stellar production design by Theresa Guleserian (“Neighbors 2”), which is filled with warm and colorful tones and accent pieces to match the protagonists’ creative vision. That attention to detail carries over to the fun costumes by Sekinah Brown (“What Men Want”), which provide a distinction between the two leads (Mel’s funky, mismatched attire shows off her confidence, while Mia is hardly ever seen without a monochromatic sweater over a buttoned-down shirt).
“Like a Boss” is vibrant and sometimes funny, but rarely heartfelt and entirely stale. While it hits a few sentimental notes, the film’s failure to delve into the friendship it celebrates, or to say anything significant about women’s relationships in business, ultimately hampers it.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Tiffany Haddish Swears She Would've Been Good on 'Kids Say the Darndest Things' as a Child
Tiffany Haddish, Blair Underwood Join Octavia Spencer in Netflix's 'Madam CJ Walker'
Miguel Arteta to Direct YA Novel Adaptation 'All the Bright Places'
Salma Hayek and Owen Wilson to Star in Mind-Bending Love Story 'Bliss' at Amazon
How Great Was ‘Jeopardy: Greatest of All Time’ in TV Ratings?
“Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time” did better than great for ABC during Tuesday’s primetime: The multi-night event series premiered to a 2.4 rating in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and 14.367 million total viewers, according to Live + Same Day data from Nielsen.
And while the stats for the Alex Trebek-hosted special’s premiere are by no means the G.O.A.T. for ABC — which is dealing with the same continuous decline in TV ratings that every other network has seen in recent years — they are certainly great.
But just how great are we talking here? (By the way, we promise to stop staying great starting now.)
Also Read: Ratings: 'Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist' Debut Is Not Extraordinary
“The Conners” and “Bless This Mess” — both of which are on winter hiatus until Jan. 21 — are the shows ABC currently airs back-to-back in Tuesday’s 8 p.m. hour. Together, the sitcoms have averaged a 0.9 rating in the key demo and 4.682 million total viewers during that time slot this season, according to the “most current” data from Nielsen, which includes a week’s worth of delayed viewing where available.
Obviously those numbers don’t come anywhere near touching what “Jeopardy: GOAT” drew for ABC with its debut, which did nearly three times better than the time slot’s average in demo ratings and more than three times the hour’s average audience size.
The premiere “GOAT” episode, which saw Ken Jennings beat James Holzhauer and Brad Rutter in Night 1 of their competition for the titled of ultimate “Jeopardy” champion, did so well that it even boosted its 9 p.m. lead-out “Mixed-ish” to series highs in both the key demo (1.1 rating) and total viewers (4.8 million) and kept the momentum going for “Black-ish” at 9:30, which scored an audience season high with 3.1 million total viewers.
Also Read: 'Jeopardy! Greatest of All Time': Here's Where the 3 Competitors Stand
So that’s pretty great (OK, we lied about knocking it off with the “great”), but how did the ratings for “Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time” compare to ABC’s year-ago Tuesday lineup?
Well, “The Conners” aired its first season in that same 8 p.m. slot during ABC’s 2018-2019 season, and it was followed by the now-canceled comedy “The Kids Are Alright” at 8:30. Their combined average for the hour was a 1.0 rating in the 18-49 range and 4.891 million total viewers.
Clearly, “GOAT” crushed those ratings, too.
Also Read: Winter TV 2020: Premiere Dates for New and Returning Shows (Photos)
Setting aside how much the special’s premiere towered over ABC’s regularly scheduled Tuesday programming — both this year and last — the event series launched with numbers that place it among the highest-rated entertainment primetime programs of the season.
At the top of that list is the 2020 Golden Globes, which scored a 4.7 rating for NBC last Sunday. Coming in at No. 2 is ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” special, which earned a 3.2 from 10-11 p.m. on Dec. 31. And in third place is ABC’s “The Little Mermaid Live!” TV musical, an event that put up a 2.6 rating on Nov. 5. With its 2.4 rating, “Jeopardy: Greatest of All Time” comes in at No. 4.
Now, if you were to consider “Jeopardy: GOAT” a series rather than a special, which isn’t completely unfair, considering it is going to air until Jennings, Holzhauer or Rutter is the first to win three games in a row — then it comes in just behind the highest rating scored by a regularly airing show this season, which is the 2.5 rating “The Masked Singer” Season 2 premiere posted for Fox on Sept. 25.
Also Read: Ratings: Pilot Peter Weber's 'Bachelor' Premiere Soars 20% Above Last Year's Start
ABC — which stopped reporting Live+ Same Day numbers for its shows, with the exception of live events, in November — declined to participate in this story. So the broadcast network will be releasing the Live + 3 Day numbers for “Jeopardy: Greatest of All Time” on Sunday.
But an individual with knowledge tells TheWrap ABC wouldn’t be surprised if the premiere hits close to 16 million viewers when counting three days of playback.
“Jeopardy: The Greatest of All Time” will continue tonight, Wednesday, at 8/7c on ABC.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Ratings: 'Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist' Debut Is Not Extraordinary
HGTV's 'Love It or List It' Just Hit a Series High in Ratings – With Its 201st Episode
'Jeopardy! Greatest of All Time': Here's Where the 3 Competitors Stand
White House Press Association Rebukes Trump Administration for Secret Saudi Meeting in Oval Office
The White House Correspondents’ Association rebuked President Trump’s administration on Tuesday for an Oval Office meeting with Saudi Vice Minister of Defense Khalid bin Salman that was not publicly disclosed. The meeting was discovered Monday when Saudi Arabia released a statement and photos.
“President Trump met with Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Defense at the White House yesterday, but the public did not learn about the meeting until the Saudi government released a statement about it today,” the WHCA statement said.
“The Saudi government also released photographs of the President and his senior advisers meeting with the Vice Minister of Defense in the Oval Office. A meeting with a foreign leader in the Oval Office should, at the very least, be on the public schedule with a read-out of the meeting released after it is over.”
Also Read: Saudi Arabia Sentences 5 People to Death for Jamal Khashoggi Murder
The statement went on to say that was a “long-standing precedent for presidents of both political parties.”
“It is disturbing to see the government of Saudi Arabia have more transparency than the White House about a meeting with the President in the Oval Office,” concluded the message, which was signed by association president Jonathan Karl.
A representative for the White House did not immediately return TheWrap’s request for comment.
WHCA Statement on White House Meeting with Saudi Minister pic.twitter.com/OneVtd8Wcw
– WHCA (@whca) January 7, 2020
Related stories from TheWrap:
Saudi Arabia Sentences 5 People to Death for Jamal Khashoggi Murder
‘Avengers: Endgame,’ ‘Us’ Among 6 Nominated Films for Best Publicity Campaign
“Avengers: Endgame” and “Us” are among the nominees for the Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicist Campaign to be presented at the 5th annual ICG Publicists Awards, the International Cinematographers Guild (ICG) Publicists announced Wednesday.
The six films nominated are “Avengers: Endgame,” “The Irishman,” “Joker,” “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood,” “Rocketman” and “Us.”
The awards show will take place on Feb. 7 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The ICG represents approximately 9,000 members who work in film, TV and commercials. The award honors active members working on motion pictures whose achievements in promotions was exemplary.
Also Read: 'Avengers: Endgame,' 'Little Women' Among Film Nominees for Casting Society's Artios Awards
“This year’s nominated campaigns are diverse and creative, covering the spectrum from superhero, comedy, drama, horror and musical. Congratulations to the teams of publicists who orchestrated and implemented these exceptional and successful strategic campaigns bringing people into theaters around the world,” Tim Menke, ICG Publicists Awards Chair, said in a statement.
It was previously announced that Anthony and Joe Russo, who directed “Avengers: Endgame,” will receive the Motion Picture Showman of the Year Award. Ava DuVernay will be honored with the Television Showman of the Year Award, while Don Mischer will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.
Related stories from TheWrap:
How 'Avengers: Endgame' Capped a Decade of Change for Movie Theaters
10 Most-Watched Movie Trailers of 2019 – From 'Endgame' to 'It Chapter 2' (Videos)
'Avengers: Endgame' Lands on Oscars Visual Effects Shortlist, 'Bombshell' Leads Makeup & Hairstyling
‘Euphoria,’ ‘Rocketman’ Among 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards Nominees
HBO’s “Euphoria,” Taron Egerton’s “Rocketman” and TIME are among the nominees for the 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards, the organization announced Wednesday.
Among the TV shows nominated are “Pose,” “Schitt’s Creek,” “The Politician” and “Watchmen,” while films nominated include “Booksmart” and “Bombshell.” Outlets such as ESPN, Univision and The New York Times are nominated for their “fair, accurate and inclusive representation of the LGBTQ people and issues.”
GLAAD also this year expanded the category Outstanding Kids & Family Programming to ten nominees given the recent surge in LGBTQ inclusion in family television. This includes “Arthur” and “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.” The organization also reinstated Outstanding Broadway Production category to celebrate the increased LGBTQ inclusion on Broadway.
Also Read: Janet Mock and Taylor Swift to Be Honored for LGBTQ Advocacy at GLAAD Media Awards
“There are more nominees for the 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards than ever before not only because LGBTQ diversity and inclusion has progressed, but because GLAAD’s work to forward LGBTQ visibility has never been more important,” Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD President and CEO, said.
“Media stories and storylines that shed light on LGBTQ people of different backgrounds, genders, races, religions, and more, are needed to counter the current politically and culturally divisive moment. The GLAAD Awards this year not only celebrate new LGBTQ stories that educate, entertain, and affect positive cultural change, but remind LGBTQ people and allies that in an election year, our visibility and voices have never been more important,” she added.
Netflix scored the most nominations with 15 total, followed by HBO with eight nominations. ABC, CBS and NBC earned four, while Apple TV+ and Disney+ received their first nominations.
On Tuesday, the organization announced that Taylor Swift and Janet Mock will be recognized for their LGBTQ advocacy.
Also Read: LGBTQ Series-Regular Characters Hit Record High on Broadcast TV, GLAAD Report Says
GLAAD staff members Mark Hartnett and Rich Ferraro will return as executive producers, while GLAAD’s Anthony Ramos will serve as a supervising producer of the 31st annual GLAAD Media Awards. The ceremonies will take place in New York on March 19 and in Los Angeles on April 16.
See the nominees below:
Outstanding Film – Wide Release
Bombshell (Lionsgate)
Booksmart (United Artists Releasing)
Downton Abbey (Focus Features)
Judy (Roadside Attractions)
Rocketman (Paramount Pictures)
Outstanding Film – Limited Release
Adam (Wolfe Releasing)
Brittany Runs A Marathon (Amazon Studios)
End of the Century (The Cinema Guild)
The Heiresses (1844 Entertainment)
Kanarie (Breaking Glass Pictures)
Pain & Glory (Sony Pictures Classics)
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (NEON)
Rafiki (Film Movement)
Socrates (Breaking Glass Pictures)
This Is Not Berlin (Samuel Goldwyn Films)
Outstanding Documentary
5B (RYOT Films)
Gay Chorus Deep South (MTV)
Leitis in Waiting (PBS)
State of Pride (YouTube)
Wig (HBO)
Outstanding Drama Series
Batwoman (The CW)
Billions (Showtime)
Euphoria (HBO)
Killing Eve (AMC)
The L Word: Generation Q (Showtime)
The Politician (Netflix)
Pose (FX)
Shadowhunters (Freeform)
Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)
Supergirl (The CW)
Outstanding Comedy Series
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC)
Dear White People (Netflix)
Dickinson (Apple TV+)
One Day at a Time (Netflix)
The Other Two (Comedy Central)
Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
Sex Education (Netflix)
Superstore (NBC)
Vida (Starz)
Work in Progress (Showtime)
Outstanding Individual Episode (in a series w/o a regular LGBTQ character)
“Love” Drunk History (Comedy Central)
“Murdered at a Bad Address” Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
“Spontaneous Combustion” Easy (Netflix)
“This Extraordinary Being” Watchmen (HBO)
“Two Doors Down” Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings (Netflix)
Outstanding TV Movie
Deadwood: The Movie (HBO)
Let It Snow (Netflix)
Rent: Live (FOX)
Transparent: Musicale Finale (Amazon)
Trapped: The Alex Cooper Story (Lifetime)
Outstanding Limited Series
Mrs. Fletcher (HBO)
The Red Line (CBS)
Tales of the City (Netflix)
When They See Us (Netflix)
Years & Years (HBO)
Outstanding Kids & Family Programming
Andi Mack (The Disney Channel)
The Bravest Knight (Hulu)
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Disney+)
The Loud House (Nickelodeon)
“Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone” Arthur (PBS)
Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling (Netflix)
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Netflix)
Steven Universe: The Movie (Cartoon Network)
“A Tale of Two Nellas” Nella the Princess Knight (Nick Jr.)
Twelve Forever (Netflix)
Outstanding Reality Program
Are You the One? (MTV)
Bachelor in Paradise (ABC)
I Am Jazz (TLC)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
Outstanding Music Artist
Adam Lambert, Velvet: Side A (More is More/Empire)
Brittany Howard, Jaime (ATO)
Kevin Abstract, ARIZONA BABY (Question Everything/RCA)
Kim Petras, Clarity (Bunhead)
King Princess, Cheap Queen (Zelig/Columbia Records)
Lil Nas X, 7 (Columbia)
Melissa Etheridge, The Medicine Show (ME Records/Concord)
Mika, My Name Is Michael Holbrook (Casablanca/Republic Records)
Tegan and Sara, Hey, I’m Just Like You (Sire)
Young M.A, Herstory in the Making (M.A Music/3D)
Outstanding Comic Book
The Avant-Guards, written by Carly Usdin (BOOM! Studios)
Bloom, written by Kevin Panetta (First Second)
Crowded, written by Christopher Sebela (Image Comics)
Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass, written by Mariko Tamaki (DC Comics)
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, written by Mariko Tamaki (First Second)
Liebestrasse, written by Greg Lockard (ComiXology Originals)
Lumberjanes, written by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh (BOOM! Studios)
Runaways, written by Rainbow Rowell (Marvel Comics)
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, written by Simon Spurrier (Marvel Comics)
The Wicked + Divine, written by Kieron Gillen (Image Comics)
Outstanding Video Game
Apex Legends (Electronic Arts)
Borderlands 3 (2K Games)
The Outer Worlds (Private Division)
Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)
The Walking Dead: The Final Season (Skybound Entertainment)
Outstanding Broadway Production
Choir Boy, by Tarell Alvin McCraney
The Inheritance, by Matthew Lopez
Jagged Little Pill, book by Diablo Cody, lyrics by Alanis Morissette, music by Alanis Morissette, Glen Ballard
Slave Play, by Jeremy O. Harris
What the Constitution Means to Me, by Heidi Schreck
Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode
“Billy Porter Serves Cataract Realness, Fashion, and Tonys” The View (ABC)
“Ellen Meets Inspiring Mormon Valedictorian” The Ellen Show (Syndicated/Telepictures Productions)
“Jacob Tobia – Promoting a ‘Gender-Chill’ Exploration of Identity with ‘Sissy'” The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
“Jonathan Van Ness: Honey, She’s An Onion With All Sorts of Layers” The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
“Lilly Is Struggling to Date Women” A Little Late with Lilly Singh (NBC)
Outstanding TV Journalism – Newsmagazine
“ABC News Pride Day” (WABC-TV [New York])
“All Her Sons” CBS Sunday Morning (CBS)
“Am I Next? Gay and Targeted in Chechnya” Nightline (ABC)
“Am I Next? Trans and Targeted” Nightline (ABC)
“Rainbow Railroad” 60 Minutes (CBS)
Outstanding TV Journalism Segment
“Black and Trans in Texas” Vice News Tonight (HBO)
“Don Lemon to Kevin Hart: Walking away right now is your choice” CNN Tonight with Don Lemon (CNN)
“Laverne Cox: We exist, we deserve human rights” Up with David Gura (MSNBC)
“One-on-One with Mayor Pete Buttigieg” The Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC)
“Ryan Russell Reveals His Truth” ESPN (ESPN)
Outstanding Newspaper Article
“L.G.B.T.Q. Community Finds ‘Sense of Home’ in the Bronx” by Rick Rojas (The New York Times)
“Military Reports No Discharges Under Trans Ban — But Advocates Have Doubts” by Chris Johnson (Washington Blade)
“Nearly 4 Million LGBTQ People Live in Rural America, and ‘Everything is not bias and awful'” by Susan Miller (USA Today)
“Texas Leads the Nation in Transgender Murders. After the Latest Attack, the Dallas Trans Community Asks Why” by Lauren McGaughy (The Dallas Morning News)
“Trump Pledged to End the HIV Epidemic. San Francisco Could Get There First” by Maria L. La Ganga (Los Angeles Times)
Outstanding Magazine Article
“2019 Sportsperson of the Year: Megan Rapinoe” by Jenny Vrentas (Sports Illustrated)
“In Her Element: Geena Rocero” by Geena Rocero (Playboy)
“Indya Moore Just Wants to Be Free” by Jada Yuan (ELLE)
“Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s Unlikely, Untested, Unprecedented Presidential Campaign” by Charlotte Alter (TIME)
“The Trans Obituaries Project” by Raquel Willis (OUT)
Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage
Advocate
Billboard
Entertainment Weekly
OUT
Variety
Outstanding Digital Journalism Article
“Finding the Truth About Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports” [series] by Cyd Zeigler, Dawn Ennis (Outsports.com)
“How a New Class of Trans Male Actors Are Changing the Face of Television” by Trish Bendix (TIME.com)
“‘This time is real': Taiwan Counts Down to Asia’s First Same-Sex Weddings” by Beh Lih Yi (Openlynews.com)
“Trump Administration to LGBT Couples: Your ‘Out of Wedlock’ Kids Aren’t Citizens” by Scott Bixby (TheDailyBeast.com)
“When Transgender Travelers Walk Into Scanners, Invasive Searches Sometimes Wait on the Other Side” by Lucas Waldron, Brenda Medina (ProPublica.org)
Outstanding Digital Journalism – Video or Multimedia
“Between Two Homes: The LGBTQ+ Refugees America Left Behind” by Judah Robinson (NowThis)
“LGBTQ+ Community Debates the Meaning of ‘Queer,’ Military Bans, & More” by Arielle Duhaime-Ross (VICE)
“The Life Threatening Dangers Of Gay Conversion Therapy” by Grace Baldridge (Refinery29)
“Sound On: Community, Representation and Identity” by Terron Moore and Rakhee Jethwa (MTV News)
“Stonewall 50: The Revolution” produced by Sekiya Dorsett, Brooke Sopelsa, Elizabeth Kuhr, Shahrzad Elghanayan, Wesley Oliver, Tim Fitzsimmons (NBC OUT and Nightly Films)
Outstanding Blog
Gays with Kids
JoeMyGod
My Fabulous Disease
Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents
Transgriot
Special Recognition
Special (Netflix)
Karen Ocamb, news editor, Los Angeles Blade
Mark Segal, founder and publisher, Philadelphia Gay News
Related stories from TheWrap:
Steve Pond's Blog
