Steve Pond's Blog, page 55

Jimmy Fallon Humorously Falls Down the Conspiracy Rabbit Hole Over Taylor Swift’s New Album | Video

Like a ton of other people today, Jimmy Fallon had some feelings about Taylor Swift’s announcement of her upcoming new album, which you probably already know is called “The Life of a Showgirl.”

And taking a cue from Swift’s very devoted fans, Fallon during his monologue on Tuesday’s “The Tonight Show” tried to figure out everything he could about the record from “clues” Swift may have dropped — to the point he basically turned into a conspiracy freak. Amusingly, of course.

“Well, guys, this morning at 12:12am, on Jason and Travis Kelce’s podcast, Taylor Swift announced her 12th studio album, ‘The Life of a Showgirl.’ How? Americans are like, ‘Wait, there’s good news out there. I don’t know what to do with myself,'” Fallon joked.

“Seriously, we all need Taylor Swift right now, because without her music and her merchandise, we end up doing weird stuff, like starting a Labubu collection, stuff like that. You know, what are we doing? Yeah, following the announcement, Taylor’s website immediately crashed, and then out of habit, so did Ticketmaster’s,” Fallon continued.

“As of now, we don’t know the exact release date, but we do know that no one else is releasing music that day. That’s right. Taylor Swift announced her 12th album… and fans have already uncovered a lot of hidden clues,” Fallon said.

At this, The Roots member Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter weighed in, saying “all that stuff is just random conspiracy theories.”

“I don’t know Tariq. I mean, the clues are everywhere,” Fallon countered.

“Like, what?” Trotter asked.

Fallon replied, “Okay, so the release date, we know the number 12 will be involved, since it’s her 12th album, and the announcement was shared on Instagram at 12:12am, on Tuesday, August 12. You follow. So the question is, which 12th? Well, their website says pre orders will ship before October 13. So you’d have to assume?”

“October 12,” Trotter asked.

“Exactly. You’d be wrong… because yesterday, on August 11, the Instagram account of Taylor Nation posted a carousel of 12 pics of Taylor, and when they posted it, Taylor’s website crashed at exactly 9:12pm and that means, well, nothing by itself. But when you factor in that, Taylor Nation first teased the album with a different post, also made at exactly 9:12pm now there’s two nine twelves, which points to September 12, and we haven’t even, we haven’t even talked about the Lady Gaga connection,” Fallon rambled on.

“Lady Gaga” Trotter asked.

“Okay,” Fallon continued, “during the eras tour, the second to last song that played before Taylor came on stage was applause by Lady Gaga, which is followed by a countdown clock that started at two minutes and 24 seconds. Today is the 224th day of the year, August 12. And when did the song applause come out? That’s right, August 12, 2013. Exactly 12 years ago today.”

“And what does that mean,” Trotter asked.

“Think about it. Tariq, I explained this theory at exactly 11:39 and what’s Three plus nine?” Fallon said — obviously referring to the number 12.

You can watch the whole delightful bit below:

The post Jimmy Fallon Humorously Falls Down the Conspiracy Rabbit Hole Over Taylor Swift’s New Album | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

Danielle Spencer, Child Star on Groundbreaking ’70s Sitcom ‘What’s Happening,’ Dies at 60

Danielle Spencer, the former child actress best known for her role as sassy tween Dee Thomas on the groundbreaking sitcom “What’s Happening!!,” died Monday after battling cancer for several years. She was 60.

The news was made public by her friend and former co-star, actor Haywood Nelson, who wrote on Instagram, “Brilliance! It comes in a great many forms. We all have them and we all have this family’s – Dr. Danielle Spencer (June 24, 1965 – August 11, 2025). Dr. Dee, our brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior, without fail, has finally found her release from the clutches of this world and a body. We celebrate Danielle Spencer and her contributions as we regret to inform her departure and transition from a long battle with cancer.”

“We have lost a daughter, sister, family member, ‘What’s Happening’ cast member, veterinarian animal rights proponent and healer, and cancer heroine. Our Shero. Danielle is loved. She will be missed in this form and forever embraced,” Nelson concluded.

Born in Trenton, New Jersey in 1965 and raised in New York City, Spencer started acting in elementary school, taking lessons from age 8. At age 11, she landed her big break as Dee Thomas, younger sister of main character Roger (Ernest Thomas) on “What’s Happening.” Loosely based on the hit movie “Cooley High,” the series was a groundbreaking hit that among other things was possibly the first majority Black TV show to focus on teenage characters.

Though popular for most of its run, the show’s producers chose to cancel the show after Season 3 in 1979, due to a dispute with two of the lead actors over compensation. Spencer, 14 at the time, took time off from acting and eventually enrolled at the University of California, Davis, where she studied marine biology.

Meanwhile, “What’s Happening!!” performed exceptionally well in syndication during the early 1980s and in 1985 it was revived with “What’s Happening Now.” Spencer returned on a recurring bases as Dee Thomas while continuing to attend college. “What’s Happening Now” was canceled after 3 seasons, at which time Spencer retired from acting and focused on her education, earning a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Tuskegee University in 1996.

She later wrote a well-regarded memoir of her experiences as a child actor, “Through the Fire: Journal of a Child Star,” published in 2011.

Spencer was married twice, first to Garry Fields from 1999 to 2013. She married David L. David in 2014, though it’s unclear if they remained married at the time of her death.

In her last decade she fought a multi-front battle with cancer: she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, and had been fighting stomach cancer at the time of her death.

The post Danielle Spencer, Child Star on Groundbreaking ’70s Sitcom ‘What’s Happening,’ Dies at 60 appeared first on TheWrap.

‘Alien: Earth’ Creator Noah Hawley Shares the Chilling Reason Behind the FX Series’ New Creatures

When Noah Hawley started working on what would become “Alien: Earth,” he knew it was vital to capture the shock and horror audiences first felt when they saw Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic. That’s a tall order considering the “Alien” franchise has gutted all of the Xenomorph’s surprises over the course of seven films and two crossover movies.

“I’ve managed somehow to have this niche of reinventing classic movies as television shows. If I have a skill at it, it’s in understanding what the original movie made me feel and why,” Hawley told a group of reporters in May that included TheWrap. “Seven movies later, there’s no discovery or mystery in the life cycle of this creature, so that feeling the audience has is unavailable to me, which is why I felt I had to introduce new creatures.”

“Ridley, candidly, his biggest concern for Noah and this series was the ambition to build out these other creatures — the necessity of that but also just how steep that challenge is to pull off in a way that is impactful but also that really taps into your imagination,” said David W. Zucker, “Alien: Earth” executive producer and chief creative officer for Scott Free.

Like its predecessor, “Alien: Earth” doesn’t explain how these new creepy crawlies reproduce, what they eat or what their goals are. All that the show communicates is that they’re the last thing you want crash landing on Earth. Yet somehow that’s the least of the problems within this sci-fi thriller.

Set two years before the events of “Alien,” the FX series follows Wendy (Sydney Chandler), a young girl who has become the world’s first hybrid — people who have their consciousnesses transferred to a synthetic body. When a space vessel carrying several otherworldly specimen crash lands on Earth, Wendy and her ragtag group of hybrids sweep onto the scene to help save the day. But as they’re forced to contend with the greatest threat humanity has ever faced, they also have to deal with a swatch of conglomerates that may be as dangerous as anything that hatches from a mysterious egg.

“One of the reasons that ‘Alien’ was so exciting to me to adapt was that it’s not just a monster movie. It’s that moment [in the first movie] where Ash is revealed to be an Android,” Hawley said. “You realize that humanity is trapped between this parasitic primordial past and the AI future, and they’re both trying to kill us.”

Hawley, who first started working on what would become “Alien: Earth” in 2018, was inspired by the 19th century when it came to constructing his show’s mysterious ruling corporations. He pointed to the battle over electricity between Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse.

Sydney Chandler as Wendy in “Alien: Earth” (Photo Credit: Patrick Brown/FX)

“It certainly seems like we’re in a race for a global monopoly. There’s usually a last step, which is a few players left all competing,” Hawley explained. “I thought, ‘What if we make it that moment, technologically, of what’s next for humanity?'”

That idea combined with his desire to explore this universe through the eyes of children led to the creation of this show’s hybrids. Though Chandler’s Wendy looks like a woman in her late 20s or early 30s, mentally and emotionally, she’s about 12 years old. A huge part of the “Alien” franchise has always been the question of whether or not humanity is even worth saving.

“Let the children navigate the discovery both of what these creatures are and then, also, what it means to be a grownup on some level,” Hawley explained.

Moe Bar-El as Rashidi, Alex Lawther as Hermit in “Alien: Earth” (Photo Credit: Patrick Brown/FX)

Though Hawley has yet to meet the 87-year-old Scott in person, the iconic director gave the series his blessing. Both Hawley and Zucker said that Scott, who is an executive producer on the show, weighed in on dailies as well as cuts of different episodes. Zucker noted Scott was especially impressed by the show’s direction and its exact recreations of his original sets, such as the mess hall and comms room.

“I sent him some shots when he was shooting production in Hungary, and he was just, ‘Well, f–k me. I built that, and it’s still there all these years later,'” Zucker said. “One of the things among many I know he’s grateful to Noah about is, in the credits, there’s acknowledgment for some of those original designers who put that ship set together.”

“Alien: Earth” airs new episodes Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FX and Hulu.

The post ‘Alien: Earth’ Creator Noah Hawley Shares the Chilling Reason Behind the FX Series’ New Creatures appeared first on TheWrap.

Here’s How ‘Alien: Earth’ Fits in the ‘Alien’ Timeline

The “Alien” franchise gets an exciting new entry in its first TV series, “Alien: Earth,” which explores life on our planet in the context of the hunt for xenomorphs to study and weaponize.

The franchise’s timeline has become increasingly confusing since the initial film was released in the late 1970s. The new FX series slots comfortably into the growing tangle, a couple of years before “Alien” takes place. That smartly leaves very little homework needed for people wanting to jump right in.

Here’s where “Alien: Earth” falls in the sci-fi timeline and what you need to watch to be ready.

Where does “Alien: Earth” fall in the timeline?

The new FX series falls fairly early in the “Alien” franchise. The show serves as a standalone entry into the sci-fi series but raises many questions when it comes to the lore of the xenomorph and, unsurprisingly, why Earth was so enamored with getting an alien onto the planet. Here is where the show falls on the timeline.

“Prometheus” – 2089-2093“Alien: Covenant” – 2104“Alien: Earth” – 2120“Alien” – 2122“Alien: Romulus” – 2142“Aliens” – 2179“Alien 3” – 2179“Alien: Resurrection” – 2381Which movies do you need to watch before diving into “Alien: Earth?”

The shortest answer is none. “Alien: Earth” stands as a solid entry point into the iconic franchise, but your enjoyment of the show might be enhanced with a bit more knowledge of the world. Watching the original “Alien” should be mandatory at this point anyway, but with the film that started it all taking place two years after the new FX show, it serves as a great entry to what the xenomorphs are all about.

Similarly, “Prometheus” is a dense, lore-heavy entry into the franchise that establishes a lot of origin for the titular aliens. Some of that information might be beneficial, but it is far from necessary to enjoy the show, especially since series creator Noah Hawley said he’s not drawing inspiration from it.

The post Here’s How ‘Alien: Earth’ Fits in the ‘Alien’ Timeline appeared first on TheWrap.

‘Alien: Earth’ Cast and Character Guide: Who’s Who in the FX Series?

After years of waiting and build-up, “Fargo” creator Noah Hawley’s ambitious new entry in the “Alien” franchise, FX’s “Alien: Earth,” has finally arrived. The series, which is set in the same universe as the other “Alien” films, drops viewers right into a dystopian future where Earth is controlled by a handful of all-powerful corporations and the humans who find themselves at their mercy are repeatedly subjected to reckless biological experimentation and unnecessary danger.

At the center of the series are characters with opposing interests, perspectives and goals. There are a lot of them, and they are played by actors you may or may not have ever seen before. With that in mind, here is your guide to who’s who in the new, long-awaited FX series.

Sydney Chandler as Wendy in “Alien: Earth” (Kurt Iswarienko/FX)Sydney Chandler as Wendy

Sydney Chandler leads “Alien: Earth” as Wendy, a young, terminally ill girl who becomes the world’s first hybrid when she has her consciousness transferred into an adult, female synthetic body.

Chandler is the daughter of “Friday Night Lights” star Kyle Chandler. She previously portrayed The Pretenders lead singer Chrissie Hynde in FX’s Sex Pistols miniseries, “Pistol,” and Olivia Siegel, a young woman who goes missing, in the first season of Apple TV+’s “Sugar.” She earned her only film credit to date when she played Violet in Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling.”

Alex Lawther as Hermit in “Alien: Earth” (Kurt Iswarienko/FX)Alex Lawther as CJ

Alex Lawther plays CJ, a conscripted combat medic who believes his sister, Chandler’s Wendy, is dead. His entire life is changed when he and his team of soldiers are sent to investigate a crashed spaceship containing alien creatures, including at least one bloodthirsty Xenomorph.

Lawther is one of the most recognizable members of the “Alien: Earth” cast. He is best known for playing James, one of the two misfit leads of the acclaimed British black comedy series “The End of the F***ing World,” and Karis Nemik, an impassioned rebel, in Disney+’s “Andor.” His other TV and film credits include Kenny in the memorable “Black Mirror” Season 3 episode “Shut Up and Dance” and King Charles VI in 2021’s “The Last Duel.”

Timothy Olyphant as Kirsh in “Alien: Earth” (Kurt Iswarienko/FX)Timothy Olyphant as Kirsh

Timothy Olyphant, one of TV’s busiest and most recognizable actors, stars in “Alien: Earth” as Kirsh, a science-minded synthetic who takes Chandler’s Wendy and the show’s other, young hybrids under his wing. Over the course of his career, Olyphant has portrayed more than a few iconic TV roles, including trigger-happy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens in FX’s “Justified” and Seth Bullock in HBO’s “Deadwood.”

More recently, Olyphant portrayed Cobb Vanth, a self-styled marshal in “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett.” He also had a small, recurring role this year as Clark Ross, an unscrupulous professional golfer, in the first season of Apple TV+’s golf dramedy “Stick.”

Essie Davis as Dame Sylvia in “Alien: Earth” (Kurt Iswarienko/FX)Essie Davis as Dame Sylvia

“Alien: Earth” counts Australian actress Essie Davis among its cast. She plays Dame Sylvia, one of the head scientists responsible for both creating and overseeing the show’s state-of-the-art hybrid program. Like Olyphant, Davis is an accomplished, recognizable performer. 

She is likely best known for her wrenching performance as Amelia Vanek, a widowed mother who finds herself and her son haunted by a malevolent supernatural entity, in 2014’s “The Babadook.” On the smaller screen, she had a brief but memorable guest role in “Game of Thrones” as Lady Crane, a talented actress who takes care of Maisie Williams’ Arya Stark and pays a steep price for doing so.

Babou Ceesay as Morrow in “Alien: Earth” (Kurt Iswarienko/FX)Babou Ceesay as Morrow

British actor Babou Ceesay stars in “Alien: Earth” as Morrow, a cyborg who is unwaveringly loyal to his employer, the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, and consequently takes it upon himself to ensure that the company receives its alien and Xenomorph specimens. Viewers will likely remember Ceesay for either his turn as the villainous Pilgrim in AMC’s “Into the Badlands” or for his performance as Martin in the 2016 ensemble crime comedy “Free Fire.”

Samuel Blenkin as Boy Kavalier in “Alien: Earth” (Kurt Iswarienko/FX)Samuel Blenkin as Boy Kavalier

Samuel Blenkin appears in “Alien: Earth” as Boy Kavalier, the narcissistic, reckless trillionaire owner of Prodigy, one of the show’s all-powerful corporations. Blenkin does not have quite as many screen credits to his name as some of his “Alien: Earth” co-stars, but he has made appearances over the past few years in a number of high-profile shows.

In 2022, he made a one-episode appearance as Will Shakespeare in Netflix’s “The Sandman,” and he played Avallac’h in “The Witcher: Blood Origin” that same year. Since then, Blenkin played Davis McCardle in the “Black Mirror” Season 6 episode “Loch Henry” and Prince Charles opposite Nicholas Galitzine and Julianne Moore in the Starz limited series “Mary & George.”

Adarsh Gourav as Slightly in “Alien: Earth” (Kurt Iswarienko/FX)Adarsh Gourav as Slightly

Adarsh Gourav plays Slightly, another hybrid created by Blenkin’s Boy Kavalier, who joins the group of lost girls and boys led by Wendy in “Alien: Earth.” His role in the FX series is Gourav’s most notable to date. Previously, the Indian actor portrayed Gaurav in two episodes of Apple TV+’s “Extrapolations,” Jason in “Die Trying,” Jugnu Ganchi in Netflix’s “Guns & Gulaabs” and Ankit Pandey in Prime Video’s “Hostel Daze.”

Jonathan Ajayi as Smee in “Alien: Earth” (Kurt Iswarienko/FX)Jonathan Ajayi as Smee

Smee, a close friend of Gourav’s Slightly and a fellow synthetic hybrid, is portrayed in “Alien: Earth” by actor Jonathan Ajayi. Prior to his turn in the new FX sci-fi series, the 29-year-old English actor played Wes Harper in four episodes of the BBC original “Vigil” and Lucky in the Luke Evans-led 2024 crime thriller “5lbs of Pressure.”

Alien: Earth — Pictured: Erana James as Curly. CR: Kurt Iswarienko/FXErana James as Curly

New Zealand native Erana James first garnered mainstream attention for playing Toni Shalifoe, a plane crash survivor who finds herself stranded along with a number of other passengers on a deserted island, in the short-lived Prime Video original series “The Wilds.” Now, three years after that drama was canceled, James has a recurring role as Curly, another synthetic hybrid who reveals herself to be more ambitious than she initially lets on, in “Alien: Earth.”

If you find yourself watching “Alien: Earth” and wondering where you know James from, you probably watched “The Wilds.”

Lily Newmark as Nibs in “Alien: Earth” (Kurt Iswarienko/FX)Lily Newmark as Nibs

British TV veteran Lily Newmark has a role in “Alien: Earth” as Nibs, another female hybrid who was saved from her terminal illness by having her young, childlike consciousness transferred into an adult synthetic form. Outside of “Alien: Earth,” Newmark scored her first recurring screen role in 2017 when she appeared as Ryenne in four episodes of NBC’s “Emerald City.” 

In the intervening years, Newmark has appeared as Ruthie in multiple episodes of Netflix’s “Sex Education” and Eve Milton in the British medical crime drama “Temple.” She also portrayed Helena Rostova in Paramount+’s Ewan McGregor-starring historical drama series “A Gentleman in Moscow” last year.

Kit Young as Tootles in “Alien: Earth.” (Kurt Iswarienko/FX)Kit Young as Tootles

Kit Young stars in “Alien: Earth” as its final hybrid, Tootles, whose scientific interests make him an eager lab partner for Olyphant’s Kirsh. Prior to his turn in “Alien: Earth,” Young caught the attention of TV viewers for his performance as Jesper Fahey in Netflix’s “Shadow and Bone.” He also played the twins Rafal and Rhian in director Paul Feig’s 2022 Netflix fantasy film “The School for Good and Evil.”

Sandra Yi Sencindiver as Yutani in “Alien: Earth” (Kurt Iswarienko/FX)Sandra Yi Sencindiver as Yutani

Sandra Yi Sencindiver plays one of the most powerful figures in the entire “Alien” universe in “Alien: Earth.” The South Korean-born, Danish-American actress stars in the FX series as Yutani, the head of the infamous Weyland-Yutani Corporation, whose interest in the Xenomorphs has wreaked havoc since the events of the very first “Alien.”

Sencindiver has had a few noteworthy TV roles over the years. In 2024, she played Yuji Lee in the first season of Netflix’s “Geek Girl.” Her other screen credits include Enjoiner Rue in Apple TV+’s “Foundation” and Lady Amalisa in the first season of Prime Video’s “The Wheel of Time.”

Alien: Earth — Pictured: Adrian Edmondson as Atom Eins. CR: Kurt Iswarienko/FXAdrian Edmondson as Atom Eins

English actor, comedian and multi-hyphenate performer Adrian Edmondson plays Atom Eins, the steady right hand to Samuel Blenkin’s Boy Kavalier, in “Alien: Earth.” For his part, Edmondson has had a long, storied career.

In the 1980s, he played Vyv and Edward Didgeridoo Catflap in the British sitcoms “The Young Ones” and “Filthy Rich & Catflap.” Non-U.K. viewers, meanwhile, will likely remember him best for his roles as Denys Porlock in Netflix’s “3 Body Problem,” Lenny in HBO Max’s “Rain Dogs” and Sir Roger Hollis in MGM+’s “A Spy Among Friends.” “Star Wars” fans may also recognize him for his limited but memorable turn as Captain Peavey in “Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi.”

David Rysdahl as Arthur Sylvia in “Alien: Earth” (Kurt Iswarienko/FX)David Rysdahl as Arthur Sylvia

“Alien: Earth” does not mark actor David Rysdahl’s first collaboration with showrunner Noah Hawley. The two previously worked together when Rysdahl played Wayne Lyon in the fifth season of Hawley’s “Fargo.”

The actor also portrayed Nathan in the “Black Mirror” Season 6 episode “Mazey Day,” Mike in the 2020 supernatural drama “Nine Days” and Lars in the 2022 Hulu original thriller “No Exit.” In “Alien: Earth,” Rysdahl plays Arthur Sylvia, a human scientist overseeing Prodigy’s hybrid experiments who also happens to be the husband of Essie Davis’ Dame Sylvia.

The post ‘Alien: Earth’ Cast and Character Guide: Who’s Who in the FX Series? appeared first on TheWrap.

Amazon MGM Studios Taps AFI’s Juli Goodwin as Head of Awards Campaigns, Strategic Activations and Talent Management

Communications veteran Juli Goodwin has joined Amazon MGM Studios, Sue Kroll, Amazon MGM Studios’ Head of Global Marketing, Film and Series, announced on Tuesday.

Goodwin joins the streamer as Head of Awards Campaigns, Strategic Activations and Talent Management. She will report directly to Kroll. Goodwin was most recently at AFI.

Kroll sent out a note to staffers announcing the hire.

Hi Everyone,

I’m delighted to share that Juli Goodwin is joining Amazon MGM Studios’ Marketing Team as Head of Awards Campaigns, Strategic Activations, and Talent Management. Juli will report directly to me and oversee our Awards Team, working closely with Brooke Ford.

In her role, Juli will also partner closely with comms leaders Tammy Golihew, Adriene Bowles, and Christine Batista in shaping our awards strategy, in addition to leading our brand and talent presence at high-impact consumer and industry events as we deepen our engagement with audiences worldwide. She starts September 2 and will be based in Culver City.

Juli is a seasoned executive with more than 25 years of experience driving visibility and acclaim for some of the most celebrated films and organizations in our industry. She most recently served as Chief Communications Officer at the American Film Institute, where she led branding, publicity, and promotional efforts across all major initiatives, including AFI Awards, the AFI Conservatory, AFI FEST, and the iconic AFI Life Achievement Award. Her innovative leadership helped reinvigorate the AFI brand and drive significant digital growth.

Prior to AFI, Juli served as EVP of Domestic Publicity at Warner Bros., where she spent nearly two decades orchestrating high-profile campaigns that defined cinematic culture and brought home critical and commercial success. Her portfolio includes awards powerhouses such as Argo, Million Dollar Baby, The Departed, and Gravity, as well as global tentpoles like The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, and Wonder Woman.

She’s known throughout the industry for her strategic precision and ability to earn the trust of talent, filmmakers, and internal stakeholders alike. Juli’s experience, vision, and collaborative leadership will be instrumental as we continue to build ambitious campaigns and activations that reflect the caliber of our content.

Please join me in giving Juli a warm welcome to Amazon MGM Studios. I look forward to everything we’ll accomplish together.

Sue

The post Amazon MGM Studios Taps AFI’s Juli Goodwin as Head of Awards Campaigns, Strategic Activations and Talent Management appeared first on TheWrap.

Joe Jonas Leaks ‘Camp Rock 3’ Plans to Get Out of ‘Hot Ones’ Wing Challenge: ‘Sorry Disney!’

Joe Jonas revealed plans for “Camp Rock 3” in order to dodge eating another spicy wing in “Hot Ones Versus.”

Jonas was on the “Hot Ones” spinoff series alongside his brothers Nick and Kevin, and chose to break a potential NDA with Disney over having to deal with another spicy hot wing. To get out of the next bite, he was asked to read the most recent thing in his notes app which seemingly confirmed the sequel’s existence.

“Read ‘Camp Rock 3,’” he said, reading from his notes app. “It’s the truth. It’s literally right here.”

His brothers both appear shocked by the admission to get out of a bite from a “death wing.” Nick and Kevin both agreed that the reveal was “a pretty good one” as they laugh nervously.

“Sorry Disney!” Joe exclaimed afterward.

Jonas Brothers to be in Camp Rock 3 (accidentally) CONFIRMED!

Joe: “sorry Disney!” pic.twitter.com/iMaLMrAohC

— jonas brothers news (@jbrosnews) August 12, 2025

The Jonas Brothers appeared opposite star Demi Lovato in the 2008 original film and the 2010 sequel “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam.” The trio played a fictional band called Connect 3.

A person with knowledge of the project told TheWrap that nothing has been made official at Disney, despite Jonas’ assertion otherwise.

Although no official announcement has been made, it would make sense that gears are spinning. Over the weekend, Lovato appeared at the kickoff show for the Jonas Brothers’ 20th Anniversary tour Jonas20. They sang a couple of “Camp Rock” classics for fans including “This is Me” and “Wouldn’t Change a Thing.”

Aside from setting off on a new tour, The Jonas Brothers are also celebrating the launch of their latest album – “Greetings From Your Hometown” – which landed on Aug. 8.

The post Joe Jonas Leaks ‘Camp Rock 3’ Plans to Get Out of ‘Hot Ones’ Wing Challenge: ‘Sorry Disney!’ appeared first on TheWrap.

NBCUniversal, US Golf Association Extend Media Partnership Through 2032

NBCUniversal and the U.S. Golf Association have extended their media rights deal through 2032.

NBC will be the exclusive broadcast home of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open. The U.S. Open will continue to have the most broadcast hours of any major championship – a minimum of 25 – and will add an additional hour of primetime coverage on NBC each year on Thursdays and Fridays. Peacock will also simulstream all USGA programming airing on NBC and will provide exclusive streaming coverage of the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open.

Additionally, Comcast’s upcoming cable network spin-off Versant will acquire media rights to the USGA championships for USA Network and Golf Channel through 2032.

USA Network will provide coverage of the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open, while Golf Channel will carry coverage of the U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Senior Women’s Open, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Women’s Amateur, U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Adaptive Open, Walker Cup and Curtis Cup.

“We’re incredibly proud of the partnership we’ve built over the years with NBCU and Versant, and we’re equally excited to continue building on that legacy through our shared passion and dedication – alongside people we’re proud to call our friends,” USGA CEO Mike Whan said in a statement. “The value NBCU and Versant place on the USGA brand is evident, and this agreement enables the USGA to further advance our mission to positively impact the game, while providing the most expansive coverage and broadest reach to showcase USGA championships.”

Coverage highlights include:

48 hours of U.S. Open coverage, including 25 hours on NBC (33 when on the West Coast); an increase of four hours of NBC coverage on Thursday/Friday (for a total of five hours per day, including two in primetime, one each day); combining to deliver more broadcast network coverage than any other major championship27 hours of U.S. Women’s Open coverage, including seven weekend hours on NBC18 hours of U.S. Senior Open coverage, including six weekend hours on NBC15 hours of coverage for both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur and continuing coverage of the U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Adaptive Open and U.S. Senior Women’s Open12 hours of coverage for the Walker Cup (played over two days) and 16 hours of Curtis Cup coverage (contested over three days) when played in the U.S.

The new elements of the agreement will begin in 2027 following the conclusion of the current agreement in 2026.

NBCUniversal previously served as a broadcast partner for the USGA championships between 1995 and 2014 and in 2020.

“The USGA has been an important partner of ours for most of the last 30 years and we’re extraordinarily proud of our relationship with their leadership team,” NBC Sports president Rick Cordella said. “We have built something incredibly special with the U.S. Open on NBC. We look forward to further advancing and enhancing our coverage of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, and U.S. Senior Open across NBC and Peacock through 2032.”

USA Network began coverage of the USGA championships in 2022 with the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open, while Golf Channel first presented live coverage of the USGA championships in 1995 – the year it launched as the first single-sport cable network in television history – when it presented live three-day coverage of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links.

“We’re proud to partner with the USGA and present coverage of 11 USGA championships across USA Network and Golf Channel,” Versant sports president Matt Hong added. “The USGA championships represent some of the most prestigious events in all of golf. USA Network’s reach and Golf Channel’s reputation as the television home of the sport are ideal platforms to bring the USGA championships to golf fans across the country.”

The post NBCUniversal, US Golf Association Extend Media Partnership Through 2032 appeared first on TheWrap.

Jimmy Fallon’s Greg Gutfeld Interview Scores Biggest ‘Tonight Show’ Audience Since 2023 | Exclusive

“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” scored its biggest audience since 2023 as it hosted Fox News personality Greg Gutfeld and the Jonas Brothers last week, TheWrap can reveal exclusively.

The Aug. 7 telecast, which welcomed Gutfeld and the Jonas Brothers to the NBC late night show alongside musical guest Good Charlotte, brought in 1.7 million viewers, according to Nielsen live-plus-same day figures, the highest viewership “The Tonight Show” has seen since Dec. 19, 2023, when the show hosted Bradley Cooper, Martha Stewart and Rufus and Martha Wainwright. (The measurements exclude live sports lead-ins.)

Viewership for the Aug. 7 show boosted viewership for the week of Aug. 4, which also welcomed Chris Pratt, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Seth Rogen to the show, to average 1.2 million, ranking as the most-watched week of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” since the week of May 19.

During the week of Aug. 4, “The Tonight Show” also hosted Rose Byrne, Jordan Klepper and Heidi Klum, among others.

“The Tonight Show” now stands as the most viewed late night show across social media with 9.1 billion total views to date in the past 12 months across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X.

It’s no surprise that Gutfeld’s appearance on “The Tonight Show” boosted ratings, as the personality consistently brings in impressive numbers for Fox News, with “Gutfeld!” averaging 2.9 million total viewers in July.

“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group and Broadway Video, with Lorne Michaels serving as an executive producer. Chris Miller showruns and serves as a producer alongside Gerard Bradford. “The Tonight Show” tapes in front of a live studio audience from Studio 6B in 30 Rockefeller Center.

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Sinclair Broadcast Group Sells NewsOn to Zeam

Sinclair Broadcast Group announced Tuesday it has sold its local news service NewsOn to Zeam for an undisclosed amount.

NewsOn, which aggregates local news from over 275 TV stations nationwide, is available to download for free on Roku devices, Amazon Fire TV, iOS and Android mobile devices and offers a free, ad-supported app.

Zeam, which launched in 2009, supports live local broadcasts that air on Paramount+, the NFL, Amazon, Apple TV, Roku, Hulu, fuboTV and hundreds of other apps and websites. It also launched its own streaming service in 2024, which offers content from hundreds of local stations and has partnerships with local broadcast groups such as CBS, Gray Media, News Press & Gazette, Morgan Murphy, Tegna and others.

The deal will integrate NewsOn stations into Zeam’s core streaming service and will be renamed “NewsON. Powered by Zeam.” NewsOn will also continue as a standalone platform backed by Zeam’s technology and monetization expertise.

“With NewsON coming under the Zeam umbrella, we are not only shaping the future of local broadcast journalism, but also reinforcing its essential role in American communities,” Zeam CEO Jack Perry said in a statement. “Through our joint resources we are setting local broadcasters up for a future beyond linear.” 

“NewsON has been an important resource for connecting viewers with trusted local news from across the country,” Sinclair executive vice president and chief digital officer Kevin Cotlove added. “We’re confident that under Zeam’s leadership, the platform will continue to support stations and strengthen the value of local journalism.”

The sale comes a day after Sinclair revealed it was exploring strategic alternatives for its broadcast TV business.

Those include acquisitions, strategic partnerships and business combinations with potential partners in the broadcast and the broader media and technology ecosystem. It also said it would explore separating its Sinclair Ventures business through spin-off, split-off, or other transactions.

Other recent M&A activity in the broadcast TV space includes Grey Media’s acquisition of ABC-Fox-CBS-NBC affiliate stations in 10 markets from Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group for $171 million and Nexstar’s advanced talks to acquire Tegna, which owns and operates 64 television stations in 51 markets.

In addition to NewsOn, Sinclair owns the Tennis Channel and multicast networks Charge, Comet, Roar and the Nest.

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