Keely's Korner

CELEBRITY NEWS: JULY 9, 2026
http://www.imdb.com/news/celebrity

Shanice Williams (Perfect Harmony/ NBC’s The Wiz Live!) – 30 years old
Kiely Williams (The Cheetah Girls) – 40 years old
Christina Haack (HGTV’s Flip or Flop) – 43 years old
Fred Savage (The Wonder Years) – 50 years old
Jack White (The White Stripes) – 51 years old
Enrique Murciano (Without A Trace) – 53 years old
Scott Grimes (ER) – 55 years old
Courtney Love (Rock Singer) – 62 years old
Jordan Belfort (Author of “The Wolf of Wall Street”) – 63 years old
Kevin Nash (Wrestler, “Magic Mike” movies) – 67 years old
Kelly McGillis (“Top Gun”) – 69 years old
Tom Hanks (“Toy Story” movies/ “Forrest Gump”) – 70 years old
Jimmy Smits (“In The Heights”/ NYPD Blue) – 71 years old
Kevin O’Leary (Shark Tank) – 72 years old
John Tesh (former host of Entertainment Tonight/ Musician) – 74 years old
Chris Cooper (“Adaptation”/ “American Beauty”) – 75 years old
Nigel Lythgoe (Creator & Producer of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance) – 77 years old

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

ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 7/9/26)
ABC: Celebrity Family Feud at 8 p.m
ABC: Press Your Luck at 9 p.m.
BRAVO: The Real Housewives of Orange County at 8 p.m.
CBS: Big Brother at 8 p.m. 
FREEFORM: Project Runway at 10 p.m.
HBO: The Man Will Burn at 9 p.m.
NETFLIX: Little House on the Prairie
PEACOCK: The Five Star Weekend

Live syndication may be ready for prime time.Fox Television Stations, XR (Extreme Reach) and LTN say a four-week test of “25 Words or Less LIVE”proved that syndicated programming can be delivered live at scale while creating new opportunities for real-time audience engagement.
· The weekday game show, hosted by Meredith Vieira, aired live May 4-29 from Parlay Studios in Jersey City, N.J., reaching 18 broadcast stations, including many Fox O&Os, through XR’s syndication services and LTN’s managed IP video transport and master control operations.
· More than 38 live broadcasts were delivered twice daily during the four-week run.
· The companies said the initiative demonstrated the reliability and flexibility of live syndicated workflows, enabling stations to boost engagement through social media, local promotions and interactive play-along experiences.
· The Takeaway: The pilot suggests live syndication is a viable model for modern broadcast distribution, giving stations new ways to drive real-time viewer engagement beyond the traditional linear telecast.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Prime Video has canceled “It’s Not Like That” after one season. The faith-based drama premiered in January on the Wonder Project’s add-on subscription for Prime Video, then had a wider release on Prime Video starting May 15.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Summer isn’t over yet… but FETV is already ringing the school bell. The network is kicking off its third annual back-to-school marathon of “Leave It to Beaver” on Sunday, August 2.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The New York Knicks’ championship run didn’t just rally longtime fans — it turned thousands of casual viewers into new basketball converts, according to data from Madhive. The playoff surge created a wave of first-time and occasional NBA viewers across the New York market:
· 38.2% of all active TVs in New York were tuned to the championship-clinching game, marking a massive local audience surge.
· 819,000 New York households watched the Knicks’ historic run, with 74% identified as casual or first-time NBA viewers who don’t typically watch regular-season games.
· 29% of new fans joined early, tuning in before the end of the first playoff round, with April 19 driving the biggest single-day spike.
· Nearly 160,000 New York households watched their first-ever NBA game during the Finals, with new viewers peaking during Game 3 at home and the championship-clinching game.
· New Jersey proved to be the Knicks’ “sixth borough,” accounting for 29% of total regional viewing.
· The Takeaway: Championships create more than memories — they create markets. The Knicks’ title run transformed casual viewers into basketball fans, proving that cultural moments around live sports can drive long-term audience growth far beyond the traditional fan base.
(Source: Cynopsis)

World Cup advertisers don’t need the biggest sponsorship check to win attention. New data from iSpot.tv shows brands are breaking through during the tournament by pairing smart partnerships with creative that connects. 
· While official FIFA World Cup and U.S. Soccer Federation sponsors have dominated by airings, other brands have scored meaningful visibility through strategic activations, including The Home Depot (91 airings), Nike (80) and Michelob ULTRA (75).
· The biggest winners aren’t just showing up — they’re creating ads that outperform category benchmarks. New Balance’s “We Got Now: Soccer Drills” ranked as the most-seen brand spot of the tournament, delivering 9% more attention and 15% more likeability than the apparel ad norm over the past 30 days. 
· Coca-Cola’s “Drink It In” campaign earned 5% more attention and 7% more likeability than the non-alcoholic beverage benchmark.
· Indeed’s “Feel Seen Again”” outperformed technology category norms with 18% higher effectiveness and 13% higher likeability.
· Why It Matters: In a crowded global sports moment, relevance can matter as much as reach. Brands that pair sponsorship strategy with memorable creative are finding ways to break through — even without the biggest media footprint.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Disney is bringing back the claws.“The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen” has been greenlit for Disney Channel and Disney+, with original franchise star Raven-Symoné returning alongside Adrienne Bailon. Executive produced by Debra Martin Chase and Raven-Symoné, the music-driven film will also feature returning cast members Lynn Whitfield and Lori Alter. Production kicks off this month in South Africa. The Roar Behind the Reboot:Disney is tapping nostalgia while introducing the Cheetah Girls brand to a new generation of young viewers — a familiar playbook as streamers and networks look to leverage established IP with built-in fan bases.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Netflix ordered docuseries “World War II: Behind Enemy Lines,” narrated by Josh Brolin, from 72 Lines (“World War II: From the Frontlines”). Set to premiere this winter, the series tells the story of the invasion of Europe.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Belgium-based distributor Primitives has licensed its original reality competition format, “The Expedition,” to France Télévisions. The series, following eight celebrities as they navigate extreme environments, is produced by Roses are Blue.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Woodcut Media’s new true-crime documentary “Hair Fetish Killer” is slated to premiere later this year on Prime Video in the UK and Ireland. Currently in production, the film follows a murder investigation that stretched out for eight years before the discovery of a second victim finally led police to the door of the killer.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The BBC has ordered a third season of “Ludwig.” Season two of the detective comedy launches later this year.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Wedotv struck its first distribution agreement with TiVo. TiVo Channels will initially include eight of wedotv’s FAST channels, as well as making the wedotv streaming app available across TiVo’s European connected TV and automotive platforms.
(Source: Cynopsis)