Cadbury(FLORIDA) — Perhaps in a sign of the upside-down times, this year’s winner of the confectioner’s third-annual Cadbury Bunny Try-Outs is — a frog.
More specifically, Betty the Australian White Treefrog from Orlando, Florida has been chosen by voters to star in the annual Cadbury Clucking Bunny Commercial, which will air on TV later this spring.
It’s something of a shattering of the species glass ceiling, as Betty is the first amphibian — and the first female — to win the contest. The company also donated $15,000 to the ASPCA in Betty’s honor.
This year also featured the most diverse assembly of finalists, Cadbury notes, with a goat, a miniature horse, and a llama vying for the TV spot and a $5,000 prize.
“When Betty learned about the opportunity to be this year’s Cadbury Bunny, she knew she had to try out,” says her owner in their submission video, which adorably has the frog wearing tiny bunny ears and capering around with plastic Easter eggs. “Betty knows what it’s like to be different, and she’d like the chance to show everyone that our differences are what make us what we are, and they’re something to be proud of.”
Last year’s winner, the beagle Lieutenant Dan, was apparently among the judges.
Speaking of Cadbury, they just launched Cadbury Creme Egg Beer, just in time for Easter, in a partnership with Goose Island Brewery.
ABC/Randy Holmes(LOS ANGELES) — Nearly a year after Ellen DeGeneres faced allegations of contributing to a toxic work environment behind the scenes on her daytime talk show, Us Weekly reports her ratings continue to tumble.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show has lost more than one million viewers in the past six months, based on Nielsen data.
Despite the current 18th season premiere posting the show’s highest ratings in four years, viewership has since dropped from an average of 2.6 million to 1.5 million — a 43% overall decline, with a 38 percent drop in DeGeneres’ core audience of adult women under the age of 54.
Ellen’s show has also experienced a significant drop in ad revenue — from $131 million between September 2019 and January 2020, to just $105 million between September 2020 and January 2021, according to Nielsen.
DeGeneres, 63, came under fire during the summer of 2020 after growing number of former employees spoke out about experiencing misconduct, racism and intimidation in the workplace.
To be fair, The Kelly Clarkson Show and Dr. Phil have seen ratings drops of 22 and 26 percent, respectively, while Tamron Hall and Live With Kelly and Ryan have seen smaller drops of 9 and 3 percent, respectively, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
NBC/Andrew Lipovsky(NEW YORK) — A year after The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon bid farewell to its live studio audience because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the late night program is filling seats once again.
Fallon, who recently returned from filming his show remotely to sitting at his desk in Studio 6B, became the first late night host to resume filming before a live audience.
The Tonight Show‘s decision follows suit with other programs filmed at New York City’s 30 Rockefeller Center, as Hoda & Jenna also welcomed back the live studio audience in July, albeit for Thursdays and Fridays only. Saturday Night Live also returned over the fall before a live audience, which was comprised of masked front line workers.
Fallon welcomed back his audience Monday, telling the socially distancing crowd during his opening monologue, “I’ve never been so excited to do a show for 58 people in my entire life.”
“After last year, this is like performing at a sold-out Madison Square Garden,” the night show host cracked.
Filling the chairs for the first time in a year were fully vaccinated first responders — a trend that will last for the remainder of the week.
In addition, live in-studio guests are also making their return, however, the option to beam in on Zoom is still being offered. Guest Tracee Ellis Ross appeared virtually on Monday while Andy Cohen opted to do it live and in person.
Said Cohen, who hosts Watch What Happens Live on Bravo, told Fallon during their socially distanced interview, “This is certainly the most people I’ve seen in over a year. This is great.”
It is unknown when other late night talk shows will follow suit.
gazanfer/iStock(LOS ANGELES) — Anya Taylor-Joy took home a Golden Globe for her breakout role in Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit, but there’s another achievement she is more proud of — making chess “sexy” again.
Appearing on the April issue of Vanity Fair, the 24-year-old actress noted how her popular Netflix drama caused chess sales to soar by 125 percent in the weeks after its release.
“We used to joke on set that we were bringing sexy back to chess,” says Taylor-Joy. “We didn’t really think that that’s what people would actually think.”
“I love the fact that people are like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to go play this guy at chess, it’s going to be really hot,'” she laughed. “I’m living for it.”
Laughing, the Emma star added, “This is what I mean about how I think in five years I’ll understand… I have reinvigorated the game of chess!”
Taylor-Joy added she shared a connection with her character, Beth Harmon, revealing, “There were some scenes that were just so close to the bone. They were experiences that I had had, or that I had been witness to and it was so real.”
“She’s a voice that I’ve had in my head and in my life for a very long time,” the blonde beauty added, who admits she is still in the process of letting Beth go.
“Different characters have different grieving periods,” adds Taylor-Joy. “Some of them don’t ever really go away. I have a feeling Beth is going to be one of those.”
The Queen’s Gambit was based off the 1983 novel of the same name. The limited series has since been watched by over 62 million household and is now being developed for a stage adaption.
Raymond Liu/ABC via Getty Image(LOS ANGELES) — Oscar-nominated actor George Segal has died, his rep confirms to ABC News. He was 87.
Segal, known for playing Albert “Pops” Solomon on the ABC sitcom The Goldbergs, died Tuesday.
His wife of 25-years Sonia Segal said in a statement, “The family is devastated to announce that this morning George Segal passed away due to complications from bypass surgery.”
Segal’s manager and friend, Abe Hoch, also mourned the beloved actor and said, “I am saddened by the fact that my close friend and client of many years has passed away. I will miss his warmth, humor, camaraderie and friendship. He was a wonderful human.”
Tributes continued pouring in for the late actor early into Wednesday morning.
Goldbergs creator Adam Goldberg also honored the late actor by sharing a series of fun throwback photos of Segal, writing on Twitter after news broke of his passing, “Today we lost a legend. It was a true honor being a small part of George Segal’s amazing legacy. By pure fate, I ended up casting the perfect person to play Pops.”
In addition, the cast of the Goldbergs as well as Sony Entertainment released statements about the actor’s passing.
“George was the true epitome of class and he touched all of our lives so deeply,” said the “devastated” Goldbergs cast. “It was an honor and a privilege to have him as a colleague and friend all of these years. It is no surprise to any of us that knew him so well that he is a true national treasure. He will be missed by all.”
Sony Entertainment called Segal a “true icon and legend” and noted how he “brightened the screen whenever he was on camera and was a warm and genuine gentleman.”
Said ABC Entertainment in a statement, “For eight years, George Segal made us laugh as Pops on The Goldbergs, but his legacy in the entertainment world spans decades. His talent has left an indelible mark and we’re grateful for the laughter and joy he has given us all. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his wife, Sonia, and his family during this difficult time.”
Segal’s final appearance on The Goldbergs is slated to air on April 7.
Segal, who was nominated for an Academy Award in 1967 for his role in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? — of which he was the final surviving cast member — was a prominent movie actor in the 1960s and 1970s. Some of his more notable films during that time period include The Hot Rock and A Touch of Class.
He also starred in several 90s hits, such as Look Who’s Talking Now and The Cable Guy.
The two-time Golden Globe winner also appeared in recurring roles in Murphy’s Law, Retired at 35, Just Shoot Me! and Take Five.
He is survived by his spouse Sonia and daughters Polly Segal and Elizabeth Segal, of whom he shared with ex-wife and late film producer Marion Sorbel.
Cadbury(FLORIDA) — Perhaps in a sign of the upside-down times, this year’s winner of the confectioner’s third-annual Cadbury Bunny Try-Outs is — a frog. 
