Latest news with #GoodGrief
UPI
18-07-2025
- Business
- UPI
Netflix reports 45% increase in profit for Q2
CEO of Netflix Ted Sarandos attends the premiere of "Good Grief" at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles in 2023. Netflix reported its Q2 profits are up beyond market expectations. File Photo by Allison Dinner/EPA July 17 (UPI) -- For its second quarter this year, Netflix reported total revenues of $11.08 billion, with an operating income of $3.8 billion and margin of 34.1%, which are way up from last year and beyond market estimates. Netflix isn't releasing subscriber figures, choosing instead to focus on revenue. It's trying out new revenue models, including advertising. New price increases with slow customer turnover are what likely caused the strong margins, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Earnings in the United States and Canada grew by 15%, a boost from 9% in Q1. Forecasted revenue for Q3 is $11.5 billion in revenue, $3.6 billion in operating income, and operating margins of 31.5%. Netflix said in May that its ad tier surpassed 94 million monthly subscribers. This tier has more than 50% of the company's new signups. It raised the price of the ad tier for the first time in January to $7.99 a month. The company expects to double its ad revenue in 2025. "We believe our ad tech platform is foundational to our long-term ads strategy and, over time, will enable us to offer better measurement, enhanced targeting, innovative ad formats and expanded programmatic capabilities," the company said in its quarterly shareholder letter. The company also shared its Engagement Report, which listed what members watched so far this year. It said people watched more than 95 billion hours of Netflix, watching a wide range of genres and languages. Netflix original shows such as Orange Is the New Black, Ozark and Money Heist all had more than 100 million hours viewed. Movies such as Red Notice, Leo and We Can Be Heroes each had more than 20 million views. "Watchtime -- or engagement -- is our best indicator of member happiness," the company said. "When people watch more, they stick around longer and recommend Netflix to others." Company CEO Ted Sarandos said on Netflix's quarterly earnings call: "Look, we want to be in business with the best creatives on the planet, regardless where they come from. Some of them are here in Hollywood. Others are in Korea, some are in India, and some are creators that distribute only on social media platforms, and most of them have not yet been discovered."
Irish Times
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
‘I told a story about a sex toy at my mother's funeral. The priest was mortified, but Mum would have loved it'
By the time Aoife Dunne and I finish a pot of tea in the Atrium of the College Green Hotel in Dublin, we've both cried twice, and laughed, and ranted about capitalism, and shared details of our relationships, and said the word 'dildo' repeatedly. Luckily for us, the staff in the hotel are so well trained that they pretend not to notice any of this, even if the tone of our conversation is more emotional and raucous than a typical meeting in this elegant, tasteful and respectable venue. But that's what comedian and storyteller Aoife Dunne inspires – a deep dive into earnest, open-hearted empathy, full-bodied laughs and emotional honesty. The 38-year-old, from Kinvara in Co Galway , first came to attention with her comedy videos on Instagram – hilarious dissections of Irish shame; our pathological inability to accept compliments; our refusal to communicate directly, even when it matters most. But her feed also offers sun-drenched montages of sea swims and friendships, poems about grief and healing, raw recordings of herself in tears, and reflections on the long, complex afterlife of loss. They feel like digital postcards from someone who has survived something devastating – not by hardening, but by softening, by staying present and porous. This unique blend of comedy, poetry and authenticity is the Venn diagram behind her show Good Grief, which returns to Dublin this autumn following a sell-out run in Whelan's. The performance fuses stand-up, storytelling, poetry and memoir to explore the disorienting force of grief, and the radical, joyful possibility of recovery. 'I just couldn't write a show that was all jokes,' she says. 'It would feel too hollow. Life isn't just funny, and it isn't just tragic. It's both. I wanted to make a show that lets all of that breathe.' READ MORE Dunne's mother, Maria, died suddenly of an aortic dissection in 2010 when Dunne was 23 and travelling in Argentina. 'Basically, her heart broke,' she says. 'That's the poetic version. But even doctors now, when I say 'aortic dissection', they pause. It's so rare.' Her mother's spirit lives on vividly in Dunne's stories; she is wild, generous, gleefully irreverent. 'We put this photo on her mass card where she's hanging off the back of a moving vehicle, doing this mad pose. The priest told us not to use it. We insisted. That was Mum.' Maria worked in a pharmacy. She was not a pharmacist, Dunne explains, but had a particular interest in health foods and supplements. 'Farmers would come in for blood pressure meds and leave with St John's Wort.' She was the sort of woman who would claim the wrapped present she was giving her son for his 18th birthday was a dildo (it wasn't, but his friends appreciated the slagging opportunity), but was also so respected and trusted in her community that she was once asked to prepare the body of a neighbour for his wake. At her funeral, the church was packed with hippies and farmers, and a priest who referred to her 'four children born out of wedlock', which prompted her partner – a towering man – to interrupt the eulogy to declare her his 'delicious, divine, sexy woman'. Dunne's own contribution was telling the dildo story. 'The priest was mortified. But Mum would have loved it.' After her mother's death, Dunne – the eldest of the four siblings – became the adult in a house of grieving teenagers. 'I have so much compassion now for my younger self. I thought I was doing everything wrong. I wasn't a good enough sister, partner, friend. But I was 23, trying to parent my brothers while grieving. Of course I couldn't do it all.' I was hurting myself in ways I didn't even realise – cheating on people, withdrawing, pushing people away – because I felt I didn't deserve love or joy — Aoife Dunne The support came not from within, but from around. 'I didn't raise myself. The village did. My mum's friends started a fund to help my brothers get through college. There were grants. There were no fees then. Ireland was more socialist.' She becomes animated as she talks about this form of community and State support, and rails against how increasingly isolated, individualistic and neo-liberal Irish society has become. The housing crisis and cost-of-living crisis has made merely surviving a struggle for so many people, which makes recovering from a major life event such as bereavement all the more difficult. 'That's why I'm so angry about the way things are going. We survived because of community and support. If we'd been expected to go it alone, we'd have fallen apart. Resilience isn't a personality trait – it's a measure of your resources.' Aoife Dunne: The support came not from within, but from around. 'I didn't raise myself. The village did." Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times These moments of community support and kindness are littered throughout her story. Not long after her mother's death, Dunne started a Master's in human rights law. 'I was completely disconnected. I wasn't crying, I wasn't feeling. I thought I was broken. I dropped out halfway through – I'd never quit anything before.' One day, she was sitting in her family home in Kinvara when there was a knock on the door. 'Some of the girls from my Master's, who I barely knew, just showed up. With tea and biscuits. They didn't ask if they could – they just acted like I still belonged to the world. That saved me.' She had, she says, internalised an idea of what a 'good' grieving person looked like – composed, functional, moving forward. 'I thought if I wasn't crying in the right way or being productive with my grief, then I was doing it wrong,' she says. In reality, she was self-destructing. 'I was hurting myself in ways I didn't even realise – cheating on people, withdrawing, pushing people away – because I felt I didn't deserve love or joy. I thought my sadness made me contagious.' The pandemic brought another turning point. Stripped of routine, work and relationships, she found herself collapsed on the wooden floor of her flat in Portobello in Dublin, sobbing. 'And I remember thinking, 'Is this it? Is this the thing I've been afraid of for 10 years? Just ... crying?' That was when I started therapy. And breathwork. And meditation. And little by little, I started putting myself back together.' Those things had once included acting. She'd loved drama since childhood, attending local pantomimes and community theatre, and begging her single mother to drive her 40 minutes every Saturday to attend a Galway drama school, where she met Bridgerton and Derry Girls actress Nicola Coughlan . 'It was three hours. Mum would grumble a bit, but she did it. It cost more than we could really afford, but she knew I needed it,' Dunne says. 'And that's where I met girls who really wanted it – girls who had confidence and drive. I didn't. I had the want, but I didn't believe I deserved it.' She remembers performing at the National Theatre in London with her Galway youth theatre group at 20 – an opportunity that should have felt exhilarating, but instead left her feeling unworthy and small. 'All these other girls were talking about drama schools and RADA, and I just said, 'I go to youth theatre,' and immediately felt stupid. I looked at their clothes, then looked at mine. That was the first time I realised – I don't belong in this room. Not because of talent, but because of class.' Aoife Dunne on her mother's death: 'I was completely disconnected. I wasn't crying, I wasn't feeling. I thought I was broken.' Photograph: Alan Betson This internalised shame – around money, ambition, worth – stuck. She abandoned her dreams of acting, feeling, as she says, 'like even wanting it was presumptuous. Too much of a notion'. She spent her days teaching English as a foreign language. Years later, during a deep meditative session – part of a healing process she describes as one of the most transformative of her life – she was guided to return to an early childhood memory. 'He said, 'Walk to one of your earliest memories of being a child doing something.' And I was five. And he said, 'Go to that child. She's so happy to see you. Imagine she sees you – this older version. And what do you tell her about who you've become?'' She pauses. 'Do I tell her that I hate myself? That I've spent 10, 12 years running away from the things that are good for me because I'm so scared?' [ Róisín Ingle: This new play was the best thing I've seen on an Irish stage in a very long time Opens in new window ] At this stage we're both crying, before Dunne nods with a sense of determination. 'And then I thought – no. I want to tell her that we became an actress. That we made it back to the stage. And in that moment, I just thought – oh my God, I'm going to change my life. I'm going to make her proud.' That path led to a profound psychedelic experience with ayahuasca in Brazil when she was 35. 'I saw my whole life – every tiny moment. Teaching. Helping my brothers. Laughing with friends. Every second I thought had been a failure. I saw it all. And I fell to the ground and said, 'I love my life.' That was the first time I truly meant it.' [ Six in Dublin review: Henry VIII's wives are recast as pop princesses. One above all deserves the crown Opens in new window ] After that, she started saying 'yes' more often. 'Yes' to a storytelling night, and then 'yes' to a six-month storytelling course in Amsterdam. 'Yes' to flying to New York to perform 20 minutes at a comedy club, even though she wasn't sure she was a comedian. 'Yes' to a slot in Whelan's, after MCD took a chance on her. 'I said, 'I don't know if anyone will come.' It sold out in six hours. Then we added another show, and that sold out even faster. And I just thought – oh no. I need to write a show now.' Early performances have received rave reviews, with audiences and critics praising how she fluidly combines heartbreak, wit, humour. The ayahuasca retreat is now complete with descriptions of losing her luggage, having Brazilian shopkeepers try to discern her butt size, and the attempt to reach transcendence while wearing an ill-fitting thong. (Guessing butt sizes is a rare skill, apparently.) She has more than 130,000 followers on Instagram who appreciate her honesty and authenticity, as well as her passion for social justice. Alongside her comedy videos and poetry, she campaigns for equal rights, supports Palestine, and once posted a lengthy poem criticising Conor McGregor and the far-right men who revere him. Dunne is sharply critical of gendered silence – both online and off. 'My female friends are doing the work. Therapy. Journaling. Talking to each other. And our boyfriends are ... not. They've never been taught how to speak their feelings.' Mum never judged anyone at face value. She'd always ask, 'What's underneath that?' That's why I try to ask, even when someone is cruel – what are they going through? — Aoife Dunne She's particularly incensed by the inaction of male influencers. 'There are men with huge platforms saying nothing. If you're not using your platform to lift others or say something meaningful, what are you doing?' Dunne's political views – and position as a woman online – mean she has faced her share of abuse. But she handles trolls with the same blend of empathy and clarity that her mother modelled. 'A woman once left horrible comments on three of my videos. I posted them publicly. Then she DMed me. She told me her mother had died, that she was a full-time carer, that she was having a bad day. I told her, 'If you post it publicly, I'll respond publicly. But thank you for saying sorry.' We ended up talking back and forth. And she's coming to the show now.' She credits her mother for that capacity to hold people tenderly even when they lash out. 'Mum never judged anyone at face value. She'd always ask, 'What's underneath that?' That's why I try to ask, even when someone is cruel – what are they going through?' Asked if her mother would be proud of her now, Dunne doesn't hesitate. 'Yes. She didn't believe in herself, but she believed in me. If she were here now, she'd be front row in the theatre, clapping the loudest.' She pauses, laughing. 'And then giving out that I swore onstage.' Aoife Dunne's Good Grief will be at the Ambassador on September 20th.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘She's got tunnel vision': Wendi McLendon-Covey reveals what she loves most about her character Joyce on ‘St. Denis Medical'
'It was, like, four hours after we were canceled, and that's no joke.' That's how long it took for Wendi McLendon-Covey to receive the first script for St. Denis Medical after the demise of her long-running comedy The Goldbergs. As the actress tells Gold Derby, she read the pilot with no expectation of making a series commitment, but she says she became hooked because her character, Joyce, is 'such an oddball and reminded me of so many women supervisors that I had working other jobs.' The transition from one show to another did prove challenging, though, as she shot the first episode of the NBC medical mockumentary while promoting the series finale of her family sitcom and felt like she was 'cheating' on her television family. (Watch our full interview above). McLendon-Covey's character is at the center of the St. Denis Medical cast as the top hospital administrator who tries to motivate the doctors, nurses, and staff of her regional medical center in her quest to make it a destination hospital. Although the character comes across as an 'oddball,' the actress stresses that 'she's not an idiot. She's an accomplished woman who is a doctor.' The television vet crafted a backstory to explain her character's offscreen journey, sharing, 'In my mind, she became an administrator because she got tired of being told how to practice medicine.' But now, instead of battling with insurance companies over patient care, all she does now is 'beg for money all day.' The actress describes this as the 'delicious line' she gets to walk. More from GoldDerby Michelle Williams on 'Dying for Sex,' finding the perfect role and embracing pleasure: 'Can you leave shame at the door?' Marlon Wayans on laughing through tragedy in 'Good Grief' and why social media has made comedy 'toxic' Tony Talk: Dissecting those shocking wins for 'Purpose,' Nicole Scherzinger, Darren Criss, and full show analysis SEE 'I know this dude!': David Alan Grier explains why he leapt at the chance to play a 'burned-out' doctor on 'St. Denis Medical' McLendon-Covey stars in the series alongside Emmy Award nominee Allison Tolman and Tony Award winner David Alan Grier. While those performers have 'proven track records,' the Emmy-nominated Reno 911! star has been equally impressed with the cast members who she didn't know prior to joining St. Denis. 'When I watch Mekki Leeper, dear God, just take me out, turn the cameras off me because I'm laughing my head off,' exclaims the actress, continuing, 'Same with Josh Lawson, same with Kaliko [Kauahi], who can level me with one line delivery per episode. She knows how to get in, say her thing, steal all the focus, and get out. Kahyun [Kim], I'm so impressed with her because she learned English from watching television in her twenties. She's fantastic.' Joyce's relationship with Grier's character, the burned out doctor Ron, has emerged as one of the most pivotal in the series, as the snark they show toward one another thinly masks deeply-held respect. 'We haven't talked about it that much. We had a meeting of the minds and started playing it the same way,' the actress says of the duo's dynamic. The series has revealed that the two doctors were residents together at St. Denis decades ago, so the performer hopes Season 2 will feature a flashback to those years, confessing, 'I do want to see what they (a) looked like in the '90s, and (b) how that worked out when they were working 18-hour shifts together.' WATCH our video interview with Allison Tolman, 'St. Denis Medical' One of McLendon-Covey's best episodes from the first season, 'Listen to Your Ladybugs,' follows the hospital's awareness campaign to encourage women to get their mammograms in a timely fashion. But when Joyce gets her screening for the cameras, it turns up an inconclusive spot that needs further testing, causing Joyce to panic. 'We're just playing the reality of working in a hospital, and things turn on a dime. Sometimes you're the ones getting the bad news,' stresses the actress about why the installment works so effectively. The Bridesmaids star also reveals that Joyce's situation, in which a mammogram led to a more invasive biopsy, happened to her. Just like her character, the McLendon-Covey says, 'Mammograms suck! It is like a panini press. This is the best we can do for women? It's humiliating. It hurts. I've got a whole sermon I could preach.' McLendon-Covey most enjoyed shooting the 'big episodes' of St. Denis Medical's first season, including 'Some Famous Internet Guy,' where the hospital hosts a concert for its pediatric patients, and 'Bruce-ic and the Mus-ic,' in which Joyce helps Ron emcee a fundraising gala. The actress says she delights in the installments in which 'there's just chaos going on behind the scenes, and Joyce has to pretend like there isn't any chaos.' She also mentions 'Ho-Ho-Hollo,' the Christmas episode, which finds Joyce suddenly passionate about the hospital going viral online. 'The absurdity of Joyce getting a goal in her mind and trying to reach it … she's got tunnel vision," McLendon-Covey says, "and I like that in a character.' SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby Brandon Scott Jones on CBS' 'Ghosts': 'I enjoy playing characters that are desperate' Marlon Wayans on laughing through tragedy in 'Good Grief' and why social media has made comedy 'toxic' Minha Kim 'confronted all new emotions that I had never anticipated' in Season 2 of 'Pachinko' Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Austin FC and Q2 Announce Good Grief as the 2025 Dream Starter Competition Winner
Austin-based support platform designed for those facing the challenges of illness and loss to receive $100,000 in funding to accelerate its business and mission AUSTIN, Texas, May 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Good Grief was announced as the winner of the 2025 Austin FC Dream Starter Competition presented by Q2 Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: QTWO). Good Grief will receive $100,000 in funding to accelerate its business and mission as part of the Austin FC Dream Starter business initiative, which supports Austin entrepreneurs. Good Grief makes a profoundly difficult time more manageable by supporting individuals and families facing the challenges of caregiving or loss of a loved one. The platform provides expert guidance and community connection, along with personalized support for an individual's loss journey, comprehensive resources for managing illness and loss, and practical tools to help navigate each day with confidence. "Alongside our partners at Q2, we're excited to announce Good Grief as this year's Dream Starter winner," said Austin FC President Andy Loughnane. "Their platform is unique and innovative and we're hopeful that with the Dream Starter funds they will be able to broaden their impact." "Our mission is to build strong and diverse communities by strengthening their financial institutions," said Q2 Chairman & CEO Matt Flake. "Good Grief's work providing essential resources for those experiencing grief and loss is both meaningful and deeply impactful. We're proud to support their mission alongside Austin FC through the Dream Starter program and excited to see how it will help expand their reach in Central Texas and beyond." "We are incredibly honored and grateful to be selected as the winner of the 2025 Dream Starter Competition! We understand how overwhelming and painful it is to navigate the caregiving process and the loss of a loved one. Good Grief is dedicated to easing these challenging times by providing essential resources, support, and guidance," said Good Grief Founder & CEO Veronica Pulido. "This incredible opportunity will be transformative, helping us launch our all-in-one platform to provide experts, tools, and support to millions facing life's toughest movements—so that no one has to go through it alone." The Austin FC Dream Starter Competition combines Q2's mission with Austin FC's inclusivity through equity community pillar. The aim is to connect entrepreneurs with the resources needed to build profitable, high-growth companies. The "Dream Starter" funds will aid Good Grief in overcoming financial barriers to achieve success. In addition to Good Grief, the 2025 Dream Starter finalists included Helados La Azteca, JUCO ai, Safely, and RichesArt Gallery. The five finalists participated in a pitch contest on May 22 at Q2 Stadium. A diverse group of representatives from Austin FC, Q2 Holdings, Inc., and the Austin entrepreneurial community evaluated each finalist's presentation and ultimately selected the winner. Good Grief will be honored with a check presentation during halftime at the Austin FC vs. Real Salt Lake match today, May 28. Previous Dream Starter winners include: 29Eleven the Salon, SocialNote, CDL Changing Lanes Driving School and At Ease Rentals Corporation. About Austin FC Austin FC joined Major League Soccer (MLS) as the League's 27th club in January 2019. Austin FC officially began competing in MLS in April 2021 and will play its fifth season in 2025. Austin FC plays its home matches at Q2 Stadium, a 100% privately financed, state-of-the-art stadium which earned certification as a zero-waste venue in 2024. Austin FC sold out all 70 MLS home matches it played at Q2 Stadium during its first four seasons in the league, including two home MLS Cup Playoff matches in 2022 as the team reached the Western Conference Final. Austin FC also operates Austin FC II, a professional-level development team competing in MLS NEXT Pro which won the league title during its inaugural season in 2023. In addition, Austin FC operates Austin FC Academy which is the fully funded developmental academy representing the highest level of competition for elite youth soccer players in Central Texas, while serving as the exclusive developmental pathway to MLS for the region's most talented young players. Combined, Austin FC II and Austin FC Academy teams complete the pro player pathway between elite youth soccer (MLS NEXT) all the way to MLS, and allow for players to develop, improve, and move up to Austin FC or Austin FC II. About Q2 Holdings, Inc. Q2 is a leading provider of digital transformation solutions for financial services, serving banks, credit unions, alternative finance companies, and fintechs in the U.S. and internationally. Q2 enables its financial institutions and fintech customers to provide comprehensive, data-driven digital engagement solutions for consumers, small businesses and corporate clients. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Q2 has offices worldwide and is publicly traded on the NYSE under the stock symbol QTWO. To learn more, please visit Follow us on LinkedIn and X to stay up to date. View source version on Contacts MEDIA CONTACTS: Cameron Koubek, Communications and Media Director, Austin FCC: 301.526.1542 / E: ckoubek@ Gwen Hernandez, Brand Communications Coordinator, Austin FCC: 646.717.3196 / E: ghernandez@ Carly Baker, Marketing Communications Specialist, Q2C: 210.391.1706 / E:
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Book "Good Grief" Offers a Roadmap from Devastation to Joy
LOS ANGELES, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Grief is universal, but healing is deeply personal. In Good Grief: The Journey from Grief to Joy (available May 28th wherever books are sold), transformational coach and intuitive healer Dr. Devin DeGreif shares the powerful story of how she found her way out of unimaginable tragedy—and invites readers to do the same. After the brutal murder of her mother, DeGreif faced unspeakable darkness. Rather than turning away from the pain, she walked straight into it—and in the process, discovered a path toward resilience, empowerment, and joy. Part memoir, part self-help guide, Good Grief blends raw, vulnerable storytelling with expert therapeutic tools, offering readers not only a witness to their pain but also a hand to hold as they move forward. With deep compassion and insight, DeGreif helps readers process the emotions that accompany loss and learn how to live again—with purpose, connection, and a renewed sense of self. "Healing isn't about forgetting what we've lost," says Dr. DeGreif. "It's about rediscovering our capacity for love, connection, and fulfillment." Powerful for readers of all ages and walks of life—Good Grief is a must-read for anyone navigating grief, supporting a loved one through loss, or seeking hope after hardship. "I wrote this book to show people that even after the deepest pain, joy is still possible," adds DeGreif. "Good Grief is my invitation to anyone ready to turn their grief into the foundation of a stronger, more empowered life." Good Grief: The Journey from Grief to Joy is available on Amazon and in bookstores nationwide. Learn more about Dr. Devin DeGreif and her work at Media Contact:Emily Florence395788@ 387-3311 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Devin DeGreif Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
