Michelle Khare: TIME100 Creators 2025
That channel has since amassed more than 5 million subscribers, who tune in to see Khare attempt some of the most stressful jobs and stunts in the world—from training to master Harry Houdini's underwater box escape to attending the FBI academy to auditioning for the University of Kentucky's top-ranked cheer team. Khare has become so deft at accepting physical and mental challenges that she began issuing a few of her own—namely, successfully petitioning for her YouTube series, Challenge Accepted , to join the Primetime Emmy ballot for hosted nonfiction series this year.
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Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Quebec man who pulled off AI band hoax reveals his identity
The Quebec man who pranked journalists and music fans by saying he was behind a wildly successful AI band has revealed his identity as web platform safety and policy issues expert Tim Boucher. Speaking on video from his workspace in a rural area outside Quebec City, Boucher told CBC News Wednesday that the reality-blurring prank was partly motivated by revenge for the five years he worked as a content moderator. "When you're the one that has to deal with all the fighting and the fakery and just all of the garbage that humans can come up with, it changes how you look at the world," he said. Last month, Boucher claimed he created the Velvet Sundown, a '70s-inspired "band" that had about 300,000 monthly listeners at the time and was drawing attention for appearing to use AI. He set up an X account purporting to represent the band and fielded media requests. Using the pseudonym Andrew Frelon — frelon being the French word for hornet — he first said the band was made up of real humans, then "admitted" it was AI, then said he had nothing to do with it at all. The Velvet Sundown now has nearly 1.5 million monthly listeners and its creator remains a mystery. "I want to be able to show people a bit of what that's like — this feeling of having to determine what's real, and having to determine is this right or is this wrong, or having to make all these really weird decisions that for some reason are your problem, or your responsibility," Boucher told CBC News. Boucher has previously been in the news for publishing novels using AI and proposing an AI bill of rights. He also has a history of public pranks, having helped create a fake company and a fake art movement. He insisted on using a pseudonym when he spoke to CBC News three weeks ago, in part because he says he was bombarded with messages from people telling him to kill himself over the Velvet Sundown experiment. He says those messages have tapered off significantly. He says he also hopes to deepen the "convoluted" conversation that has come out of his experiment. "I realized that there's a limit of the depth that we can go to if I'm not willing to expose myself, too, and to be vulnerable," he said. The truth is out there The experiment has sparked conversations about the impact of AI and artificial streaming on music platforms, while spawning a miniature industry around the mysterious band. Countless AI artists with identical or similar names to the Velvet Sundown have popped up on Spotify. On YouTube, people have made videos using band's songs, dissecting the controversy, creating similar AI bands and, in one case, making an eerily realistic fake documentary. At times, it's difficult to parse who is involved with the original Velvet Sundown, who is trying to capitalize on its success and who is simply toying with the absurdity of it all. The Velvet Sundown's official social media accounts have remained quiet, and have not responded to CBC News's requests for comment. Two men behind one of whom says he's Canadian and lives part-time in Vancouver, told CBC News they are part of a network of people behind the Velvet Sundown, but declined to answer specific questions about the operation. The site is selling Velvet Sundown-branded merchandise but is not linked to the band's official Spotify or social media accounts. Meanwhile Vinyl Group, which owns Rolling Stone Australia and other music outlets, bought as a condemnation of AI trickery, with an expressed goal to "expose the fakes." Rolling Stone Australia editor in chief Neil Griffiths told CBC News he's found the Velvet Sundown experiment both "fascinating" and "terrifying" and says the new website will be a hub for conversations and investigations about AI and art. Spotify has not responded to CBC News's requests for comment. Boucher wants people to be vigilant Boucher's X account, which he initially claimed was run by the band, turned to absurd farewell messages mid week, including AI-generated images of the band members walking into Narnia, being abducted by a UFO and going to heaven. He also posted a collection of public domain Velvet Sundown T-shirt designs, playing on one of the biggest questions raised by the spectacle: who has the rights to a band that no one will claim ownership of? LISTEN | An expert speaks on AI and thinking: Many have suspected he's behind the band after all, a theory Boucher played into with a satirical blog post before going public with his real name in a lengthy blog post entitled The True Confessions of Andrew Frelon. He maintains he has nothing to do with the Velvet Sundown and has been working to crack the case himself. In the meantime, Boucher says he hopes the experiment encourages people to be more vigilant about verifying things they see — and people they encounter — online. "I want people to be encouraged and to learn on their own, to share and to have those conversations," he said. "In a way, it's too bad that sometimes the best way to make those conversations is to trick people in the wild. But I think if you can do that, and then you can expose the trick, there can be a lot of value in that."
Elle
an hour ago
- Elle
Every Selena Gomez Hair Era, From Teen Waves to the Sleek Platinum Bob
Few can say they skipped past the awkward teen phase of questionable makeup choices and embarrassing hair moments, but Selena Gomez is one of them. Journeying through a decades worth of TV episodes, music videos, red carpet appearances, and Instagram posts is far more inspiring than it is cringe-worthy. The big-bounce curly blow-dry I'm still trying to master? She perfected it back in 2010. Her lived-in caramel balayage and wispy bangs of 2016? I'm taking it to my hairdresser this month. 'Selena has this amazing ability to switch effortlessly from one genre to another,' says Neale Rodger, style director at STIL Salon in London. 'She's mastered retro waves, sleek, center-parted lobs, ashy blondes, retro-inspired updos, supermodel lengths, full-coverage bangs…practically everything.' Though the Rare Beauty founder has never strayed far from her chocolate tresses, she's served up heaps of hairstyle inspiration since she arrived on TV screens in 2007, and each look is as covetable and copy-worthy today as it was then. Whether it's her chest-length natural curls in 2014, her blonde experiments in 2017, or the chic tousled lob she recently debuted, where better to look than the Gomez archives when your brunette lengths are in need of a facelift? Ahead, we've curated a timeline of Gomez's most iconic hair looks from her Wizards of Waverly Place days to now. Congratulations, Sel! We all know how important a crisp, understated mani is when we hear wedding bells, but she also reminded us to remember our hairdo. Her baroque bob is fairly simple: it's a one-length, blunt cut, but it's the styling that sets it apart. Blown-out and flicked-in, its name derives from the elaborate charm of early 17th-century art and architecture. 'Health and wealth signaling are two key themes in hair trends at the moment, and this luxurious yet modern look ticks both boxes very well,' shares hair forecaster Tom Smith. She turned heads with her shoulder-grazing long bob at the world premiere of the new Disney spin-off show, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. With a singular loose wave, positioned skillfully beside her jaw to enhance and define her face shape, this lob screams elegance and sophistication. Her equestrian-style ponytail was a standout red carpet moment at the Emilia Pérez premiere, which took place at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival. Neatly slicked and elegantly perched at the crown of her head, this sleek updo is incredibly glamorous and complimented her off-the-shoulder gown perfectly. Looking to put a new-season twist on your monochrome tresses? Feather a honey blonde hue in and around the hair. It adds subtle dimension and feels different enough when you look in the mirror, without completely transforming your look. Gomez demonstrates that perfectly here. The French-girl bob has never looked so chic. It has enough Parisian charm and sultry, just-rolled-out-of-bed texture to last a lifetime. To recreate the look at home, lift the hair away from the face and mist a texturizing spray into the roots. Or, just roll out of bed! At this 2019 meet-and-greet in California, Gomez proved that brunette balayage really can be subtle. Not a blonde strand in sight; instead, her inky roots graduate into a mousy hazel-brown, adding depth without stark demarcation. Who remembers blond Selena? Spotted out and about in London in 2017, the megastar styled her newly buttered lengths into a boho-style wave and with wispy full fringe. Brunettes, take note: incorporating a root smudge is key to masking harsh regrowth if you're considering taking the platinum plunge. The bangs that made us all want bangs. We're still obsessed with her wispy fringe and syrupy caramel balayage era. At Louis Vuitton's cruise 2016 show in California, Gomez subbed her signature chestnut hue for this near-black shade. Loosely crimped to add natural texture? Very 2015. Some may say Gomez was ahead of her time with these copper-brown highlights. Playing to her hair's natural undertone, these ultra-warm strands instantly add depth and dimension without being overwhelming. For the 2011 American Music Awards, Gomez tried an Old Hollywood curl on for size, paired with a swept side part and a finish so glossy it's literally reflecting light. Perhaps my favorite look of all. The 22nd Annual MuchMusic Video Awards in 2011 saw Gomez sport a tighter ringlet-style curl than she'd worn previously. To replicate this look, resist brushing your curls out once cooled and apply hairspray to set them in place. The highly covetable blow-dry in question. Gomez was in her element at the 2010 Wizards of Waverly Place fashion show, where her natural chocolate strands were perfectly coiffed into a voluminous, bouncy curl. Her layers serve this style well, adding body and shape to give the appearance of thicker hair. In 2009, Gomez debuted a rounded bob with a thin side-fringe and fine, golden highlights. This shapely crop would go on to become her go-to hairstyle, experimenting with various fringes, lengths, and textures to boot. The 2008 NCLR Alma Awards saw Gomez gather her glossy espresso tresses into a loose bun, fit with a swooping side-fringe. Asymmetry was all the rage in 2008: think ponytails, fringes, plaits, and buns all worn off-center. Perhaps her most iconic and internet-famous hairstyle of all? This electric blue moment for the 2007 Teen Vogue Party, of course (cue the viral interview clip). A very Alex Russo move, if you ask us.
Geek Tyrant
an hour ago
- Geek Tyrant
While LILO & STITCH Hit $1 Billion, NE ZHA 2 Is the Real Box Office King of 2025 and Hollywood Should Pay Attention — GeekTyrant
As you may have heard, Disney's live-action Lilo & Stitch movie just joined the billion-dollar club, making it the first Motion Picture Association release of 2025 to hit that milestone. It's a major win for Disney, especially after a rough year of costly misfires. But, while Stitch is soaking up the spotlight, the truth is this film wasn't first across the line. That honor belongs to Ne Zha 2 , a Chinese animated sequel that didn't just cross $1 billion, it obliterated records and now sits at more than $2.2 billion, almost entirely from China alone. This didn't happen overnight. The first Ne Zha was a cultural phenomenon in 2019, earning over $726 million worldwide and becoming the second highest-grossing non-English language film ever, behind The Battle at Lake Changjin 's $902 million. Its domestic run was even more impressive: $719 million in China, breaking the record for the biggest animated hit in a single market, a record previously held by Incredibles 2 in North America with $608 million. That set the stage for a sequel with sky-high expectations, and Ne Zha 2 it crushed them. Released on January 29, 2025, during Chinese New Year, the film broke records instantly. It pulled in over 700 million yuan (about $96 million) on opening day, then became the fastest film in Chinese history to pass the 10 billion yuan ($1.38 billion) mark, doing so in just seven days. Today, Ne Zha 2 has earned an astonishing 15.44 billion yuan, or roughly $2.13 billion, making it the highest-grossing movie ever in a single country. For perspective, that's more than double what Star Wars: The Force Awakens made in North America. Globally, it's now the fifth highest-grossing movie of all time, topping Avengers: Infinity War and Star Wars: The Force Awakens and sitting behind only Titanic , Avatar: The Way of Water, Endgame , and Avatar . It's also the only non-American, non-English language film in that elite top ten. In the animation space, its dominance is even clearer. With $2.215 billion worldwide, Ne Zha 2 is now the highest-grossing animated film in history, far surpassing Disney's previous record holder, The Lion King (2019), at $1.66 billion. That's a $550 million gap, bigger than the total global gross of many Hollywood animated hits. What makes Ne Zha 2 's success even more striking is its profitability. Reportedly made for around $80 million, the movie pulled off an incredible 27-to-1 return on investment. Compare that to Avengers: Endgame , which made $2.79 billion on a $356 million budget, which is a ratio of less than 8-to-1. Meanwhile, Hollywood continues pumping out $200 million blockbusters like The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Superman that need $700 million just to break even. If Ne Zha 2 had stopped at $500 million, it still would have been a huge financial success. This is the real wake-up call: blockbuster filmmaking doesn't have to mean runaway budgets. Ne Zha 2 proves that audiences care more about story and cultural resonance than inflated VFX costs and endless reshoots. Ne Zha 2 had a budget of $80 million, which is far less than what Disney and Pixar spend on their animated films. Another lesson here is global market dynamics. China used to be Hollywood's safety net, the market that pushed tentpoles past the billion-dollar mark. Now, Chinese audiences are pouring money into homegrown stories that reflect their culture. Hollywood's old strategy of adding token representation and hoping for an easy box office boost is outdated. If studios want to win back international audiences, they need real cross-cultural storytelling and a smarter approach to budgets. For Disney, Lilo & Stitch 's billion-dollar run is a huge relief after a brutal year of failures. Marvel's Captain America: Brave New World ($415 million) and Thunderbolts ($381.9 million) underperformed, Snow White tanked at $205 million against a massive budget, and Pixar's Elio couldn't crack $150 million worldwide. Those losses make Stitch's success a rare bright spot in an otherwise bleak financial picture. Disney and the rest of Hollywood can't keep playing the same game. They need tighter budgets, stronger storytelling, and projects that can thrive beyond the U.S. market without relying on brand nostalgia. Lilo & Stitch is still in theaters, while the English-language dub of Ne Zha 2 hits U.S. theaters on August 22. Considering the global momentum, its reign is far from over.
