Archive for August, 2025

FIRST LOOK/ ON TV/ POWERBALL/ WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

August 4, 2025

FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news

ON TELEVISION (MONDAY 8/4/25)
HULU: King of the Hill (Premiere)
NICK: Tim Rex in Space (Premiere) at 9:30am

ESPN has struck a deal with the NFL for top NFL Media holdings including NFL RedZone and the NFL’s fantasy football business, with the league receiving equity in the network, reports The Athletic. Word of the agreement comes as ESPN prepares to roll out a$30/month direct-to-consumer service called ESPN.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting will shut down in January, having been defunded by Congress last month. “Public media has been one of the most trusted institutions in American life, providing educational opportunity, emergency alerts, civil discourse, and cultural connection to every corner of the country,” said President and CEO Patricia Harrison. “We are deeply grateful to our partners across the system for their resilience, leadership, and unwavering dedication to serving the American people.” While NPR and PBS will survive, Katherine Maher, the chief executive of NPR, said the corporation’s closure “represents the loss of a major institution and decades of knowledge and expertise.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

HBO Max’s “And Just Like That…” is coming to a close. “While I was writing the last episode of ‘And Just Like That…” season 3, it became clear to me that this might be a wonderful place to stop,” said showrunner Michael Patrick King in a statement posted on Instagram. “Along with Sarah Jessica Parker, [Chairmen and CEO, HBO and Max Content] Casey Bloys and [HBO Head of IP] Sarah Aubrey, we decided to end the popular series this year with a two-part finale and extended the original series order from 10 episodes to 12. SJP and I held off announcing the news until now because we didn’t want the word ‘final’ to overshadow the fun of watching the season.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

TV news profitability fell below 50% for the first time since 2010, according to the latest RTDNA/Newhouse School Survey. Smaller markets saw the biggest drop, while larger markets held steady or improved slightly; 38.3% of news stations reported cuts, with19.9% reporting increases.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Gray Media has reached an agreement with Block Communications to acquire its television stations for $80 million. “We expect the transaction to strengthen our presence in the Midwest by creating a new Big 4 duopoly in one market and by adding top-ranked local news stations in two more midwestern markets that can support and benefit from our strong local stations in adjacent markets,” said Gray. The transactions are expected to close in 4Q25 following receipt of regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Apple TV+ has a limited series adaptation of Nancy Meyers 2006 film “The Holiday” in the works. Krissie Ducker (“Sweetpea”) will write and produce through Left Bank Pictures, and Rob Delaney (“Catastrophe”) is consulting. What does Nancy Meyers say? “News to me,” she posted on Instagram. 
(Source: Cynopsis)

Cineverse has launched a campaign with Moviefone that has Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”) voicing his character from the upcoming film “The Toxic Avenger,” reading showtimes, re-enacting the film’s trailer, and offering ticket info. To promote the re-launched phone number and upcoming release, digital video will be seen on Moviefone’s website and social channels, as well as “The Toxic Avenger” socials, supported with a media buy that will include Cineverse’s ad network.
(Source: Cynopsis)

All eight episodes of song battle series “KPOPPED,” starring PSY and executive producer Megan Thee Stallion, drop Friday, August 29 on Apple TV+. 
(Source: Cynopsis)

“Hot in Cleveland” joins the Catchy Comedy lineup on Monday, September 1 at 9p. The sitcom had its first run on TV Land from 2010-2015.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Season two of “The Newsreader” will exclusively stream on AMC+ starting Thursday, August 7. The critically acclaimed Australian drama is set in a 1980s newsroom.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Boat Rocker Studios has closed its management buyout, and returning to operating as a privately held, independent studio. Led by co-founders David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg alongside John Young, Boat Rocker Studios will continue to operate under its existing leadership team and brand. “This exciting next chapter gives us the independence and flexibility to continue bringing compelling and entertaining stories to audiences around the world across all genres and platforms,” said Fortier, Schneeberg, and Young in a joint statement. “We’re energized by the opportunity ahead and grateful to our partners, creators, and teams for their continued belief in Boat Rocker.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

ABC’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” rose 5% in Total Viewers to 4.46 million, becoming the top program of the night for the second week in a row. The program also held 100% retention in A18-49 (0.38 rating) from its week-ago season premiere.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Season 27 of “Big Brother” has reached nearly 26 million unique viewersacross CBS and Paramount+, reports the network. Through its first two weeks (episodes airing July 10, 13, 16, 17, 20), season-to-date multiplatform viewership is averaging 4.8 million, up 9% from last summer’s first two weeks.
(Source: Cynopsis)

POWERBALL
Today’s Jackpot is $426 million.
(One ticket costs $2.00)
Powerball is played in 43 states.
NYLottery.NY.gov

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
The Fantastic Four: First Steps – $40 million
The Bad Guys 2 – $22.2 million
The Naked Gun – $17 million
Superman – $13.9 million
Jurassic World: Rebirth – $8.7 million
(Source: Box Office Mojo)

ERIC SCHMIDT (FORMER GOOGLE CEO) BUY AARON SPELLING’S (TV PRODUCER) MANSION FOR $110 MILLION

August 2, 2025

ERIC SCHMIDT (FORMER GOOGLE CEO) BUY AARON SPELLING’S (TV PRODUCER) MANSION FOR $110 MILLION
https://www.tmz.com/2025/08/01/spelling-manor-sold-former-google-ceo/

MEGHAN MARKLE & PRINCE HARRY HIT THE BEACH FOR ARCHIE’S SURF LESSON

August 2, 2025

MEGHAN MARKLE & PRINCE HARRY HIT THE BEACH FOR ARCHIE’S SURF LESSON
https://www.tmz.com/2025/08/01/meghan-markle-prince-harry-beach-archie-surf-lesson/

HULK HOGAN’S DEATH CERTIFICATE IS RELEASED

August 2, 2025

HULK HOGAN’S DEATH CERTIFICATE IS RELEASED
http://tmz.com/2025/08/01/hulk-hogan-death-certificate/

BUSTA RHYMES GETS A STAR ON THE ‘HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME’

August 2, 2025

BUSTA RHYMES GETS A STAR ON THE ‘HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME’
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/busta-rhymes-walk-of-fame-star-hollywood-chris-rock-ll-cool-j-chuck-d/3758300/

TOBEY MAGUIRE SEEKS JOINT CUSTODY OF THEIR SON, 9 YEARS SINCE SEPARATION FROM WIFE JENNIFER MEYER

August 2, 2025

TOBEY MAGUIRE SEEKS JOINT CUSTODY OF THEIR SON, 9 YEARS SINCE SEPARATION FROM WIFE JENNIFER MEYER
https://www.tmz.com/2025/08/01/tobey-maguire-asks-for-joint-custody-of-son-otis/

SARAH JESSICA PARKER SAYS GOODBYE AFTER SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT OF ‘AND JUST LIKE THAT’ END

August 2, 2025

SARAH JESSICA PARKER SAYS GOODBYE AFTER SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT OF ‘AND JUST LIKE THAT’ END
https://toofab.com/2025/08/01/sarah-jessica-parker-reacts-end-and-just-like-that/

MARCUS JORDAN (MICHAEL JORDAN’S SON) WAS SO HEARTBROKEN OVER OZZY OSBOURNE & HULK HOGAN’S DEATHS THAT HE DECIDED TO RECONNECT WITH HIS FATHER AND THE REST OF HIS FAMILY

August 2, 2025

MARCUS JORDAN (MICHAEL JORDAN’S SON) WAS SO HEARTBROKEN OVER OZZY OSBOURNE & HULK HOGAN’S DEATHS THAT HE DECIDED TO RECONNECT WITH HIS FATHER AND THE REST OF HIS FAMILY
https://www.tmz.com/2025/07/26/marcus-jordan-reconnects-with-michael-jordan-after-celebrity-deaths/

CELEBRITY NEWS: AUGUST 1, 2025

August 2, 2025

CELEBRITY NEWS: AUGUST 1, 2025
http://www.imdb.com/news/celebrity

Khamani Griffin (Daddy Day Care/ All of Us) – 27 years old
Cymphonique Miller (Master P’s daughter) – 29 years old
Leon Thomas III (Insecure/ Nickelodeon’s “Victorious”) – 32 years old
Jack O’Connell (“Lady Chatterley’s Lover”/ “Unbroken”) – 35 years old
Max Carver (Desperate Housewives) – 37 years old
Elijah Kelley (The Wiz Live!/ Hairspray) – 39 years old
Ashley Angel (O-Town) – 44 years old
Jason Momoa (“Aquaman”/ Game of Thrones) – 46 years old
Dhani Harrison (Geroge Harrison’s son) – 47 years old
Roger “Rampage” McNair (Rapper, FlipMode Squad) – 51 years old
Tempestt Bledsoe (The Cosby Show) – 52 years old
Roshumba Williams (Model) – 57 years old
Sam Mendes (Director) – 60 years old
Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) – 61 years old
Jesse Borrego (Fame) – 63 years old
Chuck D (Rapper) – 65 years old
Steve Schirripa (Blue Bloods/ The Sopranos) – 67 years old
Robert Cray (Blues Guitarist & Singer) – 72 years old

FIRST LOOK/ ON TV/ MOVIES/ NYC STREET FAIRS/ SUMMER STREETS IN NYC/ HARLEM WEEK/ MEGA MILLIONS/ POWERBALL

August 1, 2025

FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news

ON TELEVISION (FRIDAY 8/1/25)
APPLE TV+: Chief of War (Premiere)
APPLE TV+: Stillwater (Premiere)
DISCOVERY: Deadliest Catch (Premiere) at 8pm
DISNEY: Eyes of Wakanda (Premiere)
NETFLIX: Perfect Match (Premiere)
OWN: Ready to Love (Premiere)
PRIME VIDEO: Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues (Premiere)
WE TV: Life After Lockup (Premiere) at 8pm

(SATURDAY 8/2/25)
HALLMARK CHANNEL: Providence Falls (Premiere) at 8pm
NAT GEO: Naming the Dead (Premiere) at 10pm
NETFLIX: Beyond the Bar (Premiere)
OWN: Heart & Hustle: Houston (Premiere)

(SUNDAY 8/3/25)
A&E: 1000 Ways to Dine (Premiere) at 8am
ANIMAL PLANET: Wardens of the North (Premiere) at 9pm
FOOD NETWORK: The Great Food Truck Race (Premiere) at 9pm
HBO: The Yogurt Shop Murders (Premiere) at 10pm

Comedy Central’s “South Park” kicked off its 27th season with its highest-rated premiere since 1999, and a 68% increase over last season’s debut. Featuring a satirical take on President Trump, the episode drew 5.9 million viewers across Paramount+ and Comedy Central and ranked as the #1 telecast across all cable.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Disney has launched a back-to-school initiative, providing classroom supplies and books to schools in all 50 states, in collaboration with the education-focused nonprofits Donors Choose and First Book. Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Abbott Elementary”) is lending her voice to the campaign.
(Source: Cynopsis)

HBO Max is offering a “programming pop-up”from August 1-September 29, with 15 British series available on BritBox. “We’re continually looking for creative ways to bring more high-quality storytelling to our HBO Max audience,” said Joshua Walker, Chief Financial & Strategy Officer of Streaming, Warner Bros. Discovery. “This BritBox sampling gives our subscribers a chance to discover a variety of great British television series featuring rich, distinctive stories.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

Season three of Paramount+’s “Tulsa King” debuts Sunday, September 21. The drama starring Sylvester Stallone was the #1 Paramount+ original series in 2024, setting a new record for the streamer with 21.1 million global streaming viewers for the season two premiere.
(Source: Cynopsis)

“The Chrisleys: Back to Reality,” following the “Chrisley Knows Best” clan,premieres as a two-night event on September 1 and 2 and 8p on Lifetime. The remaining episodes will air back-to-back on Tuesdays at 8p starting September 9.
(Source: Cynopsis)

A new season of TLC’s “90 Day Fiance: The Other Way” kicks off Monday, September 8 at 8p, with four new couples and two fan favorites starting over with their partners abroad.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Politico White House bureau chief Dasha Burns is hosting C-SPAN’s upcoming political panel “Ceasefire.” Set to debut this fall, the show will feature “honest and civil discussions about how to tackle the nation’s most pressing problems,” according to the network.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Samsung TV Plus is debuting two new lifestyle channels this month: The Martha Stewart Channel and The Emeril Lagasse Channel.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Telemundo is expanding its broadcast news programming beginning Monday, August 4 with the simulcast of an hourlong early morning news program from the network’s 24/7 streaming news FAST channel. The “Noticias Telemundo AHORA” newcast will air weekday mornings at 7a.
(Source: Cynopsis)

August heats up on INSP with weekend stunts including Born Tough (today, August 1 through Sunday, August 3), celebrating Sam Elliott; Better Off Red (Saturday, August 9-Sunday, August 10), featuring movies with red-headed women; and Don’t Mess with Fess! (Sunday, August 17), a Fess Parker birthday celebration.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Submissions for the 78th Annual Writers Guild Awards open Monday, September 15, with preliminary voting beginning January 6. The ceremony takes place Sunday, March 8.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Documentary film “Big Dreams: Little League World Series,” focused on the town in rural Pennsylvania that is home to the LLWS, premieres Tuesday, August 12 at 9:30p on ESPN.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The sixth episode in season three of HBO’s “The Gilded Age” hit a new series high 4.5 million viewers with three days of viewing. The period drama is tracking 25% higher than last season, with week-to-week growth each episode.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Hallmark Channel’s “Christmas in July” programming stunt boosted the network to be the #1 most-watched entertainment cable net throughout the month in Weekend Prime among Households, Total Viewers, Women 18+, and Persons 18+, and #1 in Total Day among Households and Women 18+. The four original movie premieres ranked as the #1 most-watched entertainment cable programs on Saturdays, and limited docuseries “Christmas at Sea” was the #2 most-watched entertainment cable program in its time period on Mondays among Women 18+.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Netflix’s 2020 docuseries “Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich” counted 73.1 million minutes watched the week of July 18, up 430% from the week prior. The surge comes as President Trump faces backlash among supporters calling for the long-promised release of more files on Epstein’s criminal case.
(Source: Cynopsis)

MOVIES
The Bad Guys 2 – Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Zazie Beetz, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh, Alex Borstein, Monia Ayachi, Maria Bakalova, Danielle Brooks, Colin Jost, Natasha Lyonne
The Naked Gun – Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Danny Huston, CCH Pounder, Kevin Durand, Liza Koshy, Eddie Yu, Cody Rhodes, Busta Rhymes
She Rides Shotgun (Limited Release) – Ana Sophia Heger, Taron Egerton, Jamie Bernadette, Goldie Tom, Rob Yang, Odessa A’zion, David Lyons, Travis Hammer, Rebecca Hill Casey 

STREAMING MOVES
My Oxford Year (Netflix) – Sofia Carson, Corey Mylchreest, Dougray Scott, Catherine McCormack, Harry Trevaldwyn, Esmé Kingdom, Nikhil Parmar, Poppy Gilbert, Romina Cocca, Yadier Fernández, Nia Anisah, Hugh Coles
Trouble Man (Prime Video) – Michael Jai White, Method Man, La La Anthony, Noah Fleder, Gillian White, Theodore Park, Levy Tran, Mike Epps, Orlando Jones, Deja Dee, Keith Sweat

NYC STREET FAIRS
https://www.clearviewfestival.com/home

www.nycstreetfairs.com/event-schedule/

SUMMER STREETS IN NYC – AUGUST 2025
https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pedestrians/summerstreets.shtml

Here’s the map.
https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pedestrians/summerstreets.shtml

HARLEM WEEK – FRI. 8/1/25 – SUN. 8/17/25
https://harlemweek.com

MEGA MILLIONS
Today’s Jackpot is $140 million.
(One ticket costs $5.00 as of April 2025)
You can now play in 43 states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. NYLottery.NY.gov

POWERBALL
Saturday’s Jackpot is $410 million.
(One ticket costs $2.00)
Powerball is played in 43 states.
NYLottery.NY.gov