Movies/TV category, Page 37
TV Talk: May sweeps ratings released; ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ endsVideo
Although sweeps periods are diminished by daily ratings measurement, ratings periods in February, May and November still offer a snapshot of a Pittsburgh market that remains competitive. KDKA-TV crept ahead of WPXI at 5 and 6 a.m. in households (WTAE remained No. 1). But in the key demo of viewers...
TV Talk: A recovering Jeremy Renner struts confidently through Pittsburgh-filmed ‘Mayor of Kingstown’Video
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. Following a horrific snowcat accident in January 2023, it was initially questionable if “Mayor of Kingstown” star Jeremy Renner would survive, let alone walk again. But 18 months later, watching him in the TV-MA-rated third...
Harvey Weinstein may face new charges as more accusers come forward, New York prosecutors say
NEW YORK — Manhattan prosecutors told a judge Wednesday they are evaluating more claims of sexual misconduct made against Harvey Weinstein and could potentially seek a new indictment against him before his scheduled retrial on rape and sexual assault charges. Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg said during a court hearing...
TV Q&A: Where has Jeff Verszyla been?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Why haven’t I seen Jeff Verszyla on WTAE-TV lately? How come? — John, via email Rob: I reported on May 16 that Verszyla would be off...
Richard Dreyfuss reportedly targets women, LGBTQ community at ‘Jaws’ event
Richard Dreyfuss caused a scene over Memorial Day weekend when the Oscar winner reportedly embarked on a sexist and homophobic rant during a screening of “Jaws.” The “American Graffiti” star, 76, made several controversial statements about women and the LGBTQ community the “An Evening With Richard Dreyfuss + Jaws Screening,”...
Hollywood movies rarely reflect climate change crisis. These researchers want to change that
PORTLAND, Maine — Aquaman might not mind if the oceans rise, but moviegoers might. That’s one of the takeaways from a new study conducted by researchers who set out to determine if today’s Hollywood blockbusters are reflective of the current climate crisis. The vast majority of movies failed the “climate...
‘General Hospital’ actor Johnny Wactor’s slaying during LA theft sparks shock, mourning
LOS ANGELES — “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor was fatally shot early Saturday when he came upon three men trying to steal the catalytic converter from his car, according to a law enforcement source with knowledge of the case. The killing occurred around 3:25 a.m. when the owner of a...
TV Talk: Disney+ profiles Muppets creator Jim HensonVideo
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. Before settling on the career goal of TV critic, I went through four distinct areas of job interest, all entertainment-related. As much as I was a fan of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” it was always the...
‘Furiosa,’ ‘Garfield’ lead slowest Memorial Day box office in decades
Movie theaters are looking more and more like a wasteland this summer. Neither ” Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga ” nor “The Garfield Movie ” could save Memorial Day weekend, which is cruising toward a two-decade low. ”Furiosa,” the Mad Max prequel starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, claimed the...
Richard M. Sherman, who fueled Disney charm in ‘Mary Poppins’ and ‘It’s a Small World,’ dies at 95
NEW YORK — Richard M. Sherman, one half of the prolific, award-winning pair of brothers who helped form millions of childhoods by penning the instantly memorable songs for “Mary Poppins,” “The Jungle Book” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” — as well as the most-played tune on Earth, “It’s a Small...
Movie Review: This is her, now, in space: J.Lo heads to a new galaxy for AI love story in ‘Atlas’
Let’s all be clear, if we weren’t already, that when it comes to Jennifer Lopez, it’s about the love story. Always the love story. J.Lo the pop star, singing about rekindled love on her latest album, “This is Me … Now.” J.Lo the rom-com regular, making movies about seeking love...
Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, who skewered fast food industry, dies at 53
NEW YORK — Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, an Oscar-nominee who made food and American diets his life’s work, famously eating only at McDonald’s for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet, has died. He was 53. Spurlock died Thursday in New York from complications of cancer, according...
TV Talk: NFL spreads telecasts among networks, streaming platformsVideo
Remember in January when the NFL’s AFC Wild Card game streamed nationally on Peacock and viewers were confused about how to watch it? Well, steel yourself for the 2024-25 NFL season with games on platforms as varied as Amazon’s Prime Video, home to Thursday night games for a couple of...
Movie review: The ‘Mad Max’ saga treads (hard-to-find) water with frustrating ‘Furiosa’Video
At the beginning of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” we are introduced to a kick-ass woman who rides a horse, then a motorbike, nails a few bad guys with sharpshooting finesse and fights off a mob. But it’s not Furiosa — it’s her mom. That’s one of the oddities of...
TV Talk: Point Breeze’s Victoria Groce wins ‘Jeopardy! Masters’Video
Point Breeze’s Victoria Groce won this year’s “Jeopardy! Masters” tournament on ABC on Wednesday night, vanquishing past “Jeopardy!” champs including Yogesh Raut, James Holzhauer, Amy Schneider, Mattea Roach and Matt Amodio. “Masters” began taping in mid-April with its final episode, where Groce won $500,000 and the Trebek Trophy, recorded May...
TV Q&A: Does retired KDKA anchor Stacy Smith star in an Ozempic TV ad?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: Does Stacy Smith do a commercial for Ozempic where he’s stepping off a small airplane with clipboard in hand? — Susan, via email Rob: I...
OpenAI is halting use of ChatGPT voice that Scarlett Johansson says is ‘eerily similar’ to hers
NEW YORK — OpenAI on Monday said it plans to halt the use of one of its ChatGPT voices that “Her” actor Scarlett Johansson says sounds “eerily similar” to her own. In a post on the social media platform X, OpenAI said it is “working to pause” Sky — the...
TV Talk: Except PBS, broadcasters rely on competition, game shows this summerVideo
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. Remember back in the ‘80s and ‘90s when broadcast networks used to put out a “Gone Fishin’” sign for the summer, airing mostly reruns? Then in the early 2000s to compete with cable, broadcasters upped...
TV Talk: Broadcast networks announce fall schedulesVideo
This week, “the upfronts” took place in New York as advertisers committed to buy ads ahead of the 2024-25 TV season that begins in September. With no pandemic or strikes, this fall the networks get back to normal — albeit a new normal with more, lower-cost unscripted programs than ever...
Former WPXI reporter Dee Thompson dies at 84
Retired WPXI reporter DeHaven “Dee” Thompson died May 9 at age 84. Thompson worked at Channel 11 from 1974 until his retirement in 2009. WPXI meteorologist Scott Harbaugh posted a tribute on Facebook, writing, “ ‘Dee’ was one of the kindest people you would ever want to meet. … Always...
TV Talk: ‘Young Sheldon’ signs off; new KDKA freelancer
PASADENA, Calif. – CBS’s “Young Sheldon” signs off tonight with its final two episodes at 8 and 8:30 p.m. on KDKA-TV, exploring the aftermath of the death of Sheldon’s father (Lance Barber) from a heart attack and then closing its run with a finale that brings back the adult Sheldon...
TV Q&A: Why do Channel 4 anchors stand to read the news?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: Why do they make Kelly Sasso and others on Channel 4 Action News stand while giving us the news when other news stations don’t? I...
Roku will stream weekly MLB game on Sundays. Viewers won’t need one of the service’s devices
Roku will carry Major League Baseball games on Sundays beginning this week, and viewers will be able to watch for free and not be required to use a Roku device, the streaming service announced Monday. Roku secured multiyear rights for MLB Sunday Leadoff games beginning with the Boston Red Sox...
TV Talk: ‘Bridgerton’s’ return kicks off summer scripted series on streaming, cableVideo
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. Netflix’s hit Shonda Rhimes-produced, Regency-period drama “Bridgerton” returns for the first half of its eight-episode third season May 16, capturing the events of Julia Quinn’s fourth book in the “Bridgerton” series, “Romancing Mister Bridgerton.” (Part...
Steelers’ Cameron Heyward appears on Seth Meyers’ show, jokes about his brother Connor
Steelers veteran Cameron Heyward got in some good-natured, national television-sized digs Thursday against his little brother and teammate Connor Heyward during an appearance on “Late Night With Seth Meyers.” While the elder Heyward and Meyers discussed their families getting dinner together, Meyers said about Connor Heyward: “He also seems, I...
