Jim McIsaac/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Jerry Seinfeld, whose eponymous sitcom dealt in large part with the minutia of life in his adoptive home of New York City, has written a New York Times op-ed in response to a comedy club owner who recently declared the city “dead forever.”
James Altucher, owner of the venue Stand Up New York, wrote a piece for The New York Post, published last week, in which he detailed the very real flight from the city amid skyrocketing crime rates, remote work opportunities, and the loss of the city’s cultural hubs like Broadway because of COVID-19. Altucher himself moved out of the city recently.
But Seinfeld wasn’t having it. “[T]his is one of the toughest times we’ve had in quite a while,” the Long Island, New York native admitted in his published response. “But one thing I know for sure: The last thing we need in the thick of so many challenges is some putz on LinkedIn wailing and whimpering, ‘Everyone’s gone! I want 2019 back!’
Jerry said of Altucher’s list of things about that city he claims are now gone, “Wipe your tears, wipe your butt and pull it together.”
Seinfeld continued, “You found a place in Florida? Fine. We know the sharp focus and restless, resilient creative spirit that Florida is all about. You think Rome is going away too? London? Tokyo? The East Village? They’re not. They change. They mutate. They re-form. Because greatness is rare. And the true greatness that is New York City is beyond rare.”
“This stupid virus will give up eventually. The same way you have,” Jerry declares. “We’re going to keep going with New York City if that’s all right with you. And it will sure as hell be back.”
Eli Joshua Ade/HBO(NEW YORK) — Courtney B. Vance’s new HBO series, Lovecraft Country, is taking viewers on a wild ride during the segregated 1950s.
While portraying an altruistic and noble uncle to Jonathan Majors’ Atticus was undoubtedly of interest to Vance, the actor tells ABC Audio that he was actually “drawn to the project” because of the creator Misha Green’s vision.
“I didn’t know a whole lot about it,” he says. “She sat me down and told me the story. And I just said, ‘I’m in. Let’s go.’ I know her vision is big. It always has been.”
Although fans may not get to see Courtney on every episode, the Emmy-Award winner says he can “only imagine what we’re all in store for” during the season. In fact, Vance says he already has high hopes on just how impactful the series will be.
“I’m excited about the possibility of this turning into what everyone had at HBO — and Misha had in their minds — which is this is going to be a seven, eight year journey,” he says. “That it becomes what Game of Thrones was, which is event TV.”
“That’s what these series do to people,” Vance continues. “They force you to talk about it and what’s coming up. ‘I can’t wait till Sunday!’ You know, it’s that, ‘The new season is here! It’s here!’ and everybody’s tweeting about [it.]”
If those aspirations aren’t enough, Vance says he’d even like to see the series have the cultural impact of a Black Panther.
“It’s what Black Panther was when people were saying, ‘I got the trailer…Can you believe it?,'” he says. “And everybody’s talking about it. That to me is what the ultimate goal and… ultimate satisfaction would be. And that will be revolutionary.”
Lovecraft Country airs Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
ABC/Image Group LAMorgan Wallen has created a mini-Hallmark movie in the video for his new single, “More Than My Hometown.”
Released today, the clip tells the classic tale of a small-town couple as one goes off to follow her dreams in the city while her lover remains in the only life he’s ever known.
The story begins at the woman’s going away party on the family’s countryside property, with the couple bidding each other farewell. Morgan stars in the role of the playful older brother of the young woman, and confidant to the broken-hearted man she left behind, who spends much of the video caught up in the memories they shared.
The lyrics help guide the story along as Morgan sings, “I love you more than the feeling when the bass hits a hook/When the guy gets the girl at the end of the book/But that ain’t you and me so I guess I’ll see you around/’Cause I can’t love you more than my hometown.”
The video ends as headlights flash on the door of the mechanic’s shop where the young man works, leaving viewers with a cliffhanger.
“More Than My Hometown” is the lead single off Morgan’s upcoming sophomore album. It’s currently in the top 25 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesBy LESLEY MESSER and CARSON BLACKWELDER, ABC News
(NEW YORK) — To his countless fans, Kobe Bryant was a larger-than-life basketball star with an Academy Award and burgeoning career in the entertainment industry.
But to his friends and family, the late L.A. Laker was also a doting father to four daughters, a romantic husband to his longtime love, Vanessa, and a devoted friend.
Days before what would have been Bryant’s 42nd birthday, WNBA stars Diana Taurasi and Sabrina Ionescu remembered Bryant — nicknamed “Black Mamba” for his drive and laser focus — as someone who pushed himself and everyone around him to be better.
“There was just this constant fire that was burning,” Taurasi told Good Morning America. “I think he was trying to give people that hope that if you have a passion and you have this burning desire to be really good at [something], whatever it is, you can get there. That’s what he gave me.”
“He saw greatness in you even if you didn’t see it yourself,” added Ionescu. “Kobe was special.”
Bryant was killed alongside his 13-year-old daughter, Gigi, and seven others when the helicopter in which they were traveling crashed on Jan. 26. At the time, the group was en route to Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy, now called Sports Academy, for a game. Gigi Bryant dreamed of playing professional basketball like her father, and he was teaching her everything he knew, Taurasi recalled. Women’s sports in general were something he always championed, she said.
“He was doing it before it really became popular to do it. I mean, he was doing in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics. He was at every single one of our games,” Taurasi recalled. “When he was coaching [Gigi’s team] … he was tuned in like it was just as important as coaching an NBA Finals.”
“He’s actually putting in effort and energy and time which, when you think about a guy like Kobe, you don’t have a lot of that,” she continued. “I think he looked at it as a challenge that, hopefully, Gigi can make it to that level one day.”
In honor of Bryant’s birthday on Aug. 23, and Kobe Bryant Day on Aug. 24 (Bryant’s numbers were 8 and 24), Taurasi, whom Bryant affectionately called “White Mamba,” spoke to GMA”about her friend and his legacy.
“He was a guy that had so much to give,” she said. “There was so much more he was going to do. He was going to open so many doors for so many people, different avenues to give people opportunity, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Ionescu compiled her thoughts in a personal essay for Good Morning America, below.
The impact Kobe had on basketball is far greater than anyone had thought to be possible. Kobe not only motivated and inspired people to be the best they could be, he showed them how to be the best. Through his work ethic, his desire to be the best in anything and everything and his “Mamba mentality,” he was the best role model those can be. He saw greatness in you even if you didn’t see it yourself, and if you were so lucky to be one of the individuals that he mentored and invested his time in, you know exactly how magical his mentorship was: something that is indescribable, and purely unlike any other. That was Kobe: magical.
He meant everything to women’s basketball, the way he invested his time and energy in the game was unlike any other. It’s because he knew Gigi would be the future one day and he knew he had to do his part and advocate for equality. He wanted to be the very best he could: the best husband, father, player and coach. If people, especially “girl dads,” want to live out his legacy, they’d better support women’s sports.
No matter what it was, Kobe was going to win. The way he’s impacted the world, and is now able to have more and more people supporting the W, is a testament to the impact that he still has today.
Kobe was special, and magical to say the least. His impact in this world will forever be felt, because his legacy still lives on through so many of us.
Jason Kempin/Getty Images for CMTWhile touring the world with Carrie Underwood on her Cry Pretty Tour 360 last year, opening act Maddie & Tae picked up some valuable lessons from their superstar mentor.
Maddie Marlow reveals that she’s gained confidence over the past few years that’s allowed her to challenge herself as vocalist, a tip she picked up from Carrie.
“I think we’re just always pushing ourselves. It’s just the whole thing of not getting complacent. That’s something we learned from Carrie,” Maddie explains to People. “She’s always learning something new, writing something new, trying something new, and she really inspired us to do that.”
The two also say that the “Before He Cheats” hitmaker taught them how to captivate audiences in a live show setting.
“We really learned how to entertain a crowd, how to put a full-blown show together,” Maddie continues. “We learned moments of connection between the two of us that got the crowd excited.”
The duo is still reeling from the success of their number-one single, “Die from a Broken Heart,” which, after its more than 50-week treck to the top of the Billboard Country Airplay chart, made them the first female duo to have multiple number ones on that tally.
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Jerry Seinfeld, whose eponymous sitcom dealt in large part with the minutia of life in his adoptive home of New York City, has written a New York Times op-ed in response to a comedy club owner who recently declared the city “dead forever.”
