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Chicago Tribune
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Was horse's loss a metaphor for journalism's future?
Journalism took another hit on Saturday. The big bay horse, named for the profession of reporting and editing, came in a close second at the Belmont Stakes after being the favorite. Sort of like the career many of us have chosen over the years. Close, but no cigar in the winner's circle as the number of news operations and organizations continues to wane and lose their track records. I was so certain that Journalism, the thoroughbred, would take the eight-horse field at the Belmont, the third leg of horse racing's vaunted Triple Crown, that I wagered an amateur's $10 across the board, meaning to win, place or show. That Journalism would win its second Triple Crown outing would be a celebration of the business, a vindication of unwarranted attacks on a free press. A resurrection at the very least. It was in the cards. Turned out, it was a punter's Runyonesque dream. Journalism's rival, Sovereignty, came from behind into the final eighth of a mile of the race at the track at Saratoga Race Course in New York, drew even and surged past onto victory. The race was a mirror of the Kentucky Derby, where Sovereignty bested my three-year-old, who had smashingly won the Preakness Stakes, the second jewel in the Triple Crown. Even naming a horse Journalism is an odd choice among breeders, who usually anoint clever puns or cute monikers for their equine charges. Co-owner Aron Wellman, a one-time sports editor at his high school newspaper at Beverly Hills High, gave the horse its name. 'So journalism is something that I value very much, and I appreciate responsible and diligent journalists,' he told USA Today. Besides a few members of the administration of President Donald Trump, who doesn't? They might have placed their bets on Sovereignty. Yet, finding a place to lay down that $30 bet turned out to be harder than expected. Traveling to the Circa sportsbook at The Temporary casino in Waukegan's entertainment zone at Fountain Square was a wasted trip. Seems at the Circa you can wager various parlays on all sorts of sporting events, but not horse racing. That monopoly belongs to the Hawthorne Race Course, with the closest betting shop in Prospect Heights. I know where Mount Prospect is and Round Lake Heights, but Prospect Heights? Where's Arlington Park when you need it? Gone to perhaps becoming a football stadium. Next, a check of some of the online betting sites, like Twin Spires, owned and operated by Churchill Downs, Inc., where the Kentucky Derby is held. Too many questions to fill out and fees. Fortunately, Highrollin' Pete from Libertyville was on his annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas, staying at the iconic pyramid-shaped Luxor on The Strip. He placed the bet through the hotel's sportsbook. The one-time favorite, Journalism, paid $3.20 to place and $2.30 to show, on a $2 across-the-board wager. My meager math skills translate that into $27.50 in winnings on a $30 bet. A loss. Which is what is happening to newspapers and journalism in general. It's acknowledged that the U.S. has lost 3,200 newspapers, more than one-third, since 2005. That's when advertisers began turning to online marketplaces instead of print advertising, which at one time generated about 80% of a newspaper's revenue. Northwestern University's Medill Local News Initiative has reported that obituaries for 127 newspapers were written in 2024. You've heard of food deserts? Some communities are now considered news deserts, especially in rural areas, where local news outlets have gone the way of rotary-dial phones. A study from the Evanston university discovered that almost 55 million Americans have limited access to local news. That's a scary number to consider when these same folks are left to rely on information from biased cable news programming, online and social media privateers, and Artificial Intelligence-generated news and feature stories. Newsies at one regional newspaper — through no fault of their own — were embarrassed recently after a features syndicate provided a special section with AI-generated material, some of it downright false. That should be a wake-up call for the profession. Along with the loss of print newspapers, an estimated more than 7,000 journalism jobs, including some in broadcast media, disappeared between 2022 and 2023. Many editors and reporters have taken buyouts as companies seek to trim payrolls in the face of declining readership and advertising. Lester Holt, a former Chicago television news anchor, signed off on his last NBC Nightly News offering at the end of May after a decade anchoring the network's half-hour evening news segment. 'Around here, facts matter, words matter, journalism matters,' he said on his last broadcast. That's also true around here, too. Despite Journalism coming in a sad second-place finish, for journos, there's always the next race and the possibility of winning on the nose.
Tom's Guide
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
5 shows like 'Forever' to stream right now
When it comes to coming-of-age novels, perhaps no author has had as much of an impact as Judy Blume, who tried to be as honest as possible in capturing the trials and tribulations of life as a teenager. In 1975, Blume published "Forever," a frequently banned novel revolving around the burgeoning relationship of a pair of high school seniors. They fall in love quickly, as teenagers have a tendency to do, but at 18 years old, what does forever really mean? Last week, Netflix debuted a series adaptation of "Forever," starring Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. as two high school athletes who start dating and experiencing all the exhilarating highs and lows of a first love. The new show retains the heart of Blume's novel while updating the setting and characters for a modern audience, making it as relatable to today's teens as it was to readers nearly 50 years ago. But it isn't the only show that dares to explore the emotional intensity, sexual awakening and bittersweet realities of young love. Here are five shows like "Forever" that capture the spirit of what it means to grow up — and fall in love — for the first time. Many of Judy Blume's young adult novels, including "Forever," have drawn a lot of controversy over the years because of their frank approach to the depiction of budding teenage sexuality. "Heartbreak High," an Australian series on Netflix, features a similar tone, though it was overshadowed by "Sex Education. "Heartbreak High" revolves around a high school reeling from a recently graffitied chart of everyone's secret sexual encounters. All of the students involved end up enrolled in a special sexual education course, encouraging them to exercise caution when it comes to their romantic endeavors and behave responsibly. Watch on Netflix Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The characters in "Forever" have more than a few similarities with those in "All American." Both of "Forever's" protagonists, Keisha and Justin, are high school basketball players in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, "All American's" Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) is a promising football player whose life is changed when he is offered the opportunity to transfer from his struggling high school in South Central Los Angeles to Beverly Hills High. There, he can hone his skills with the best trainers and coaches money can buy, and potentially have a shot at the NFL. But the transition between these two worlds is not as easy as it might seem. The CW show became popular when it started streaming on Netflix; season 7 just dropped on the service. Watch on Netflix "On My Block" is less romance-centric than "Forever." The characters have their crushes and date each other, but it more closely focuses on the dynamics of the friend group. Still, the two shows share several similarities, with their depiction of life as a teenager in modern-day Los Angeles and their unwillingness to shy away from sensitive topics. "On My Block" follows four teenagers in the neighborhood of Freeridge as they prepare to enter high school, blissfully unaware of how much their lives and relationships with one another will change. Sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, it feels like one of the more authentic teen dramas on television. Watch on Netflix "Forever" is all about the melodrama of high school love and sports, and you could pretty much say the same thing about "Friday Night Lights." It takes place in a small Texas town where high school football is king, and the players on the team might as well be actual royalty. But despite their high status, their time in school isn't necessarily a cakewalk. They all have their own struggles that they work through, aided with tough love by Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler). The central — yet frequently complicated — romance of the show is between Taylor's daughter Julie (Aimee Teegarden) and the quiet, artistic quarterback Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford), reflecting the relationship we see in "Forever." Rent/buy on Amazon or Apple The biggest commonality between "Forever" and "Swagger" is their focus on young athletes. "Swagger" tells the story of teen basketball players and the complex ecosystem that develops around them, with family members and coaches who have the power to be supportive or destructive. The show is based on the experiences that NBA player Kevin Durant had as a teen athlete making his way through the pressure cooker of extremely competitive high school basketball. Although it only ran for two seasons, it received critical praise, especially for its performances; the cast features O'Shea Jackson Jr. (the son of Ice Cube), Isaiah Hill, and Quvenzhané Wallis. Watch on Apple TV Plus
CBS News
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Richard Chamberlain, star of "Shogun" and "The Thorn Birds," dies at 90
Legendary television actor Richard Chamberlain, known as the king of the miniseries for his roles in "Shogun" and "The Thorn Birds," has died at the age of 90, his publicist Harlan Boll confirmed to CBS News. The actor died Saturday, March 29, in Waimanalo, Hawai'i of complications following a stroke. He was two days shy of his 91st birthday. "Our beloved Richard is with the angles now," his longtime partner, Martin Rabbett, said in a statement. "He is free and soaring to those loved ones before us. How blessed were we to have known such an amazing and loving soul. Love never dies. And our love is under his wings lifting him to his next great adventure." Born George Richard Chamberlain on March 31, 1934 in Beverly Hills, California, he attended Beverly Hills High and later Pomona College, where he graduated with a degree in art. After a two-year stint in the U.S. Army, stationed in Korea, Chamberlain launched his career when he earned his first TV appearance as a guest spot on Alfred Hitchcock "Presents." The role that put him on the map was the lead in the TV show "Dr. Kildare," which earned Chamberlain the first of three Golden Globes in his career. He went on to star in notable films including "Petulia," The Three Musketeers," "The Music Lovers," and Peter Weir's "The Last Wave." His forte, however, remained in the small screen, where he portrayed the likes of King Edward VIII, Octavius Caesar, and Scott Fitzgerald. Chamberlain also had a brief, yet successful, period as a recording artist, mostly romantic ballads, and was nominated for a Grammy. On the stage, Chamberlain played the title role in "Hamlet" for the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in England. On Broadway, Chamberlain appeared in "My Fair Lady" and "The Sound of Music." In addition to successful tours with "My Fair Lady" and "The Sound of Music," Chamberlain also played King Arthur on the national tour of the musical "Spamalot." Other TV and movie appearances included "The Drew Carey Show," "Nip/Tuck," "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry," "Brothers & Sisters" and "We are the Hartmans." He earned the title of "King of the Miniseries" when he appeared in "Centennial," "Shogun," and "The Thorn Birds." In 2003, Chamberlain came out as gay in his memoir, "Shattered Love," saying "I can talk about it now because I'm not afraid anymore." "When I grew up, being gay, being a sissy or anything like that, was verboten," he told "Dateline." "I disliked myself intensely and feared this part of myself intensely and had to hide it." Apart from acting and singing, ecological matters were a subject close to Chamberlain's heart. He had lobbied long to save the Tuolomne River, which originates in Yosemite National Park in California. His efforts helped to put the river under the National Wild and Scenic System, a legislation that protects the river. Funeral services have not been announced at this time. Instead of flowers donations in his name are requested to either NPR or to Hawaii Humane Society.
The Guardian
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Clueless review – all back to the 90s for a musical of the movie? As if!
What do you get if you cross a high-school movie with Jane Austen's comedy of manners? Clueless, of course. The 1995 film was inspired by the plot of Emma, in which a frivolous young schemer falls for the serious-minded landed gent next door. This musical version again transposes the story of misguided friend-zoning to Beverly Hills High but where the film pulled off the outlandish melange of Austen and Americana, Rachel Kavanaugh's production is a more lumbering hybrid. Emma is reborn as Cher (Emma Flynn), a wealthy LA valley-girl with an ensemble of privileged high schoolers around her who may well be branded nepo babies today. She manipulates grungy new girl Tai (Romona Lewis-Malley), all for the greater good of transforming her into a paragon of high-school popularity. Josh (Keelan McAuley), meanwhile, is the serious-minded chap who is helping Cher's lawyer father with his cases and has a teasing relationship with her that builds into love. We are definitely in the 1990s because people are using Walkmans, talking lavishly about their pagers and brandishing brick-like mobile phones. Amy Heckerling adapts her own screenplay, sticking closely to the original, including the jibes about high-school cosmetic surgery, although mercifully Cher's obsessive calorie talk has been excised. The songs, composed by KT Tunstall, are disappointingly flat-footed except for two belters accompanied by comically energised choreography. Reasonable Doubts, sung by Josh and the ensemble, is a magnificent ode to teen jealousy, while I'm Keeping an Eye on You, performed when Josh turns up to a dance to watch over Cher, is as winning. If the score could fizz with more numbers like these then what a blast this show might be. But the lyrics by Glenn Slater too often serve as exposition rather than raising the emotional drama. The characters are peculiarly flat. Cher has flecks of Elle from Legally Blonde, Tai sounds like a cross between Bette Midler and Rizzo from Grease, Cher's love interest Christian (Isaac J Lewis) speaks like a 1950s cliche. Josh is obnoxiously judgmental of Cher with the song Human Barbies, in which he accuses her of treating others like dolls. Maybe if he had watched Greta Gerwig's Barbie, he might see things differently, although the script references nothing outside its 90s bubble – even when it is crying out for sly sideways glances, such as the moment in class when Cher debates the all too Trumpian question of whether immigrants should be admitted to the US. Still, the performances are strong, full of grinningly nasal high-school energy. Flynn nails the comedy in Cher's failed seduction of Christian, while Blake Jordan, as the stoner skateboarder Travis, is sweetly portrayed, too. There is also some consolation in Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams's clever set design, which sees sofas transforming into cars and a backdrop of the LA skyline changing colours to suit the mood. But this is a paler version of the film, laden with the retro 'naff' factor but having less creativity and soul. The theatrical deification of the 1990s evidently continues apace, for the worse. At Trafalgar theatre, London, until 27 September
