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Tag: Oscar

  • Bad Bunny didn’t miss the Billboard Latin Music Awards, he was the top winner

    MIAMI (AP) — His presence had remained a mystery, but Bad Bunny was there in person Thursday night to receive all the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards that were given to him, including the special Billboard Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century Award.

    Puerto Rican star Rita Moreno presented him with the accolade, and flirtatiously noted that the reggaeton singer is “good” and “whole.” Then, in a more serious tone, she told him that she identified with him.

    “Today I see an artist who takes the whole world,” Moreno said of Bad Bunny. “That same strength, that same passion, that helped me to never give up.”

    Taking the stage to his song “BAILE INoLVIDABLE,” Bad Bunny, 31, danced a bit of salsa with Moreno, 93.

    “Thank you very much, you are whole too,” he told the Oscar- and Tony-winning actress. “It is an honor for me to receive this award from her hands.”

    “Every time I hear other artists express themselves in that way of me, it gives me the security of being me and doing the things I do with my heart,” he added.

    Bad Bunny was announced as winner of the Billboard Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century Award but didn’t show up at the red carpet. He had previously skipped other major ceremonies so this presence remained a mystery that ended when he showed up at the beginning of the night to pick up the Top Latin Album of the Year.

    Bad Bunny had broken a record by being a finalist for 27 categories of the Latin Billboards 2025, and became the top winner of the night with 11 awards, including artist of the year; Global 200 Latin Artist of the Year, and “Hot Latin Songs” Male Artist of the Year.

    “I am grateful for these awards, but at the same time I recognize that, just as I deserve it, Rauw, Fuerza Regida, Peso, Karol could win it. I think we are all doing something incredible in music; our music is reaching more and more places,” he said upon receiving the artist of the year award from Olga Tañón. “I think it’s a job that we’re all doing, and that we’re continuing what other artists have been doing for years.”

    Bad Bunny’s hit “DtMF” won three awards, including streaming song of the year. His album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” was recognized as Top Latin Album of the year.

    Laura Pausini and Karol G shine

    Karol G was the biggest female winner of the awards broadcast live on Telemundo from the James L. Knight Center in Miami, receiving six awards, including Hot Latin Songs female artist of the year. Her song “Si antes te hubiera conocido” swept for four awards: Global 200 Latin Song of the Year; Latin Airplay Song of the Year; Sales Song of the Year and Tropical Song of the Year.

    “We had an incredible time when we made this song in the studio; That day there was magic, energy. God was in that place,” said Karol G upon receiving the Global 200 Latin Song of the Year award.

    Fuerza Regida won five awards, including Regional Mexican Artist of the Year, Duo or Group. Their hit “Tu boda” with Óscar Maydon was recognized as Regional Mexican Song of the Year, and Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event. Netón Vega was awarded as the debut artist of the year.

    Laura Pausini received the Billboard Icon Award for her outstanding international career and performed a moving version of “Mi historia entre tus dedos”, originally released in 1995 by Gianluca Grignani.

    “It’s amazing for me to be a part of the history of Latin music,” Pausini said. “I’m going to do something I’ve never done, I’m going to thank this Laura, the hard-working one, the one who is rude, who hasn’t given up when they’ve said no — which have been many times, by the way — who has followed my path honestly,” added pointing towards herself.

    Daddy Yankee returns

    In his long-awaited return to the stage, Daddy Yankee premiered “Sonríele” worldwide. At the end of his presentation, he said that he had a new mission.

    “To tell the world that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life,” he said.

    Peso Pluma was surprised to see that his girlfriend, Kenia Os, would present him with the Billboard Vanguard Award for his innovation and contribution to the growth of Mexican music globally. As soon as she went on stage, the couple gave each other a passionate kiss.

    “This is a crossroads; I didn’t know she was going to give it to me,” he said. “I’m so glad you gave it to me love… this beautiful woman who has made me a better human being, a better boyfriend, a better boss; a better everything.”

    Later, Peso Pluma performed “Apaga la Luz” live.

    Elvis Crespo dedicated his Billboard Hall of Fame Award to his “first female manager.”

    “It was my mother, Irene, who gave me 5 dollars to take my singing lessons every Friday in Río Piedras,” he said. “Irene, this is for you.”

    The Puerto Rican star also thanked his father and his children and ended with an emotional message about music: “I heard somewhere that in the music industry you don’t make friends. That’s a lie, you make friends for life.”

    Shakira won three awards: Tour of the Year; Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Solo, and Latin Pop Song of the Year “Soltera.”

    Óscar Maydon, Netón Vega, Aventura, Baby Rasta & Gringo, Benny Blanco, Elvis Crespo, Kapo, Maná, Romeo Santos, Rubby Pérez and Tito Double P were other winners of the night.

    Olga Tañón kicked off the ceremony with an energetic interpretation of “El Jolgorio”. There were also memorable performances by Beéle, Danny Ocean, Grupo Frontera, Juan Duque, La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho, NXNNI and Ozuna.

    Carlos Vives, Emilia, Wisin and Xavi performed “Somos más”, Telemundo’s official anthem for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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  • L.A. soccer coach killed teen after slipping past city’s background check, family claims

    The family of a 13-year-old boy found dead in a roadside ditch earlier this year is suing the city of Los Angeles, claiming parks department officials failed to do a proper background check on the youth soccer coach accused of sexually abusing and murdering the teen.

    Oscar Daniel Hernandez and Gladys Bautista Vasquez, the parents of Oscar Omar Rodriguez, filed a notice of claim against the city on Sept. 11, contending the Los Angeles Dept. of Parks & Recreation exposed children to harm by granting Mario Garcia-Aquino a permit to coach youth soccer teams.

    “The City of Los Angeles, through its permit application and approval process, knew or should have known that Mario Garcia-Aquino would be using city parks solely to groom and sexually abuse children on a daily or weekly basis under the guise of a boys’ soccer club,” read the notice, typically a precursor to a civil lawsuit.

    Gladys Hernandez, mother of Oscar Omar Hernandez, weeps while talking about her son during a news conference outside the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles, CA on April 30, 2025.

    (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)

    Oscar played for the Hurricane Valley Boys Soccer Club in the Sylmar area, which Garcia-Aquino coached. The family’s attorney, Michael Carrillo, said the city was negligent by failing to notify parents that he’d twice faced sexual abuse allegations from players in the past.

    The boy was found dead in Ventura County in April, days after traveling to Palmdale to Garcia-Aquino’s home where he was supposed to help his coach make soccer jerseys. Prosecutors have since accused Garcia-Aquino of killing the teen after sexually assaulting him. Oscar died of alcohol poisoning, records show.

    Garcia-Aquino is now awaiting trial for Oscar’s murder and the prior sex abuse allegations. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

    Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino accused of murder of 13 year old Oscar Omar Hernandez.

    A police booking photo of Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 43, accused of killing 13-year-old Oscar Omar Hernandez on March, 28 2025.

    (Jessica Foster/Courtesy of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Depertment)

    The Los Angeles Police Department investigated an allegation of sex abuse against Garcia-Aquino in late 2022, officials previously told The Times, but a criminal case was never filed because the victim would not cooperate with law enforcement. A second player accused Garcia-Aquino of abuse in 2024, prompting a sheriff’s department investigation.

    But the L.A. County district attorney’s office took more than 10 months to file charges, a previous Times investigation showed, raising questions about whether prosecutors missed a chance to arrest the coach before the alleged killing.

    Undated handout photo of Oscar Omar Hernandez.

    Undated handout photo of Oscar Omar Hernandez. The 7th grader was killed March 28 and his body was found five days after he left his Sun Valley home to meet with his coach in Lancaster.

    (Courtesy of Hernandez family)

    “We would expect for the LAPD to inform the city that they work for that ‘Hey maybe this guy should be on the do not permit list,’” said Michael Carrillo, one of the family’s attorneys. “That would be a very rational reasonable approach. Anything to prevent this man from being around kids.”

    Garcia-Aquino is undocumented, and news of his arrest also previously drew a furious response from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which called him a “depraved illegal alien who should have never been in this country,” in a post on X earlier this year. Carrillo, however, said it would be “wrong” to blame the murder on immigration policies and that the family’s frustration lies with city and county officials.

    A spokesman for the city attorney’s office said the agency does not comment on pending litigation. Calls and e-mails to the Department of Parks and Recreation were not returned. Carrillo said he did not know when Garcia-Aquino’s coaching permit was last renewed.

    Garcia-Aquino is due back in court next month.

    James Queally

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  • Hurricane Oscar causes at least 6 deaths in Cuba amid days-long power outage

    Hurricane Oscar causes at least 6 deaths in Cuba amid days-long power outage

    HAVANA, Cuba — Cuba‘s capital remained largely paralyzed on Monday and the rest of the island braced for the fourth night of a massive blackout that has generated a handful of small protests and a stern government warning that any unrest will be punished.

    Hurricane Oscar made landfall Sunday before crossing the island’s eastern coast as a tropical storm Monday with winds and heavy rain, leaving at least six dead after a night that saw protests by several dozen people in urban neighborhoods like Santos Suárez and central Havana.

    Some banged pots and pans in the streets, while others demonstrated from their balconies. Protesters who said they have no water blocked at least one street with garbage.

    “The country has completely halted,” said homemaker Mayde Quiñones, 55. She cares for her mother-in-law, who is in her 80s. “This hurts everyone, but the elderly most of all.”

    The Cuban government has a low tolerance for civil disobedience and President Miguel Díaz-Canel warned on national television Sunday that “we’re not going to allow any vandalism, or let anyone disturb people’s tranquility.”

    The prolonged nationwide blackout followed a massive outage Thursday night, part of energy problems that led to the largest protests in Cuba in almost 30 years, in July 2021. Those were followed by smaller local protests in October 2022 and March 2024.

    It’s all part of a deep economic crisis that has prompted the exodus of more than half a million Cubans to the U.S., with thousands more heading to Europe.

    The Cuban government and its allies blame the United States’ 62-year-old trade embargo on the island for its economic problems but White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday that the Cuban government’s “long-term mismanagement of its economic policy and resources has certainly increased the hardship of people in Cuba.”

    Power remains relatively cheap but increasingly unavailable. The Cuban government has said that it’s producing 700 megawatts when peak demand can hit 3 gigawatts. Authorities said by Monday afternoon that about 80 percent of Havana had intermittent power but people were skeptical.

    “We have the fridge full of food and we’re scared,” said small-business owner Juan Estrada, 53, whose central Havana business hasn’t had consistent power since Friday morning.

    Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said in a news conference he hoped that more reliable electricity will be restored by Monday or Tuesday morning but classes remained closed through at least Thursday.

    He said that Oscar, which made landfall on the eastern coast Sunday evening, will bring “an additional inconvenience” to Cuba’s recovery since it will touch a “region of strong (electricity) generation.” Key Cuban power plants, such as Felton in the city of Holguín, and Renté in Santiago de Cuba, are located in the area.

    Oscar later weakened to a tropical storm but its effects were forecast to linger in the island through Monday.

    Many of Havana’s 2 million people resorted to cooking with improvised wood stoves on the streets before their food went bad in refrigerators.

    People were lining up Monday to buy subsidized food and few gas stations were open.

    The failure of the Antonio Guiteras plant on Friday was the latest problem with energy distribution in a country where electricity has been restricted and rotated among different regions at different times. The status of Cuba’s other power plants was unclear.

    People lined up for hours on Sunday to buy bread in the few bakeries that could reopen.

    Some Cubans like Rosa Rodríguez had been without electricity for four days.

    “We have millions of problems, and none of them are solved,” said Rodríguez. “We must come to get bread, because the local bakery is closed, and they bring it from somewhere else.”

    The blackout was considered to be Cuba’s worst since Hurricane Ian hit the island as a Category 3 storm in 2022 and damaged power installations. It took days for the government to fix them.

    The Cuban government announced emergency measures to slash electricity demand, including suspending school and university classes, shutting down some state-owned workplaces and canceling nonessential services.

    Local authorities said the outage stemmed from increased demand from small- and medium-sized companies and residential air conditioners. Later, the blackout got worse because of breakdowns in old thermoelectric plants that haven’t been properly maintained, and the lack of fuel to operate some facilities.

    Cuba’s energy minister said the country’s grid would be in better shape if there had not been two more partial blackouts as authorities tried to reconnect on Saturday. De la O Levy also said Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela and Russia, among other nations, had offered to help.

    Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

    AP

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  • Hurricane Oscar weakens to tropical storm after making landfall in eastern Cuba

    Hurricane Oscar weakens to tropical storm after making landfall in eastern Cuba

    HAVANA, Cuba — Hurricane Oscar weakened to a tropical storm after making landfall Sunday in eastern Cuba on Sunday.

    Oscar brought heavy rains and winds to Cuba, an island already beleaguered by a massive power outage, late Sunday after brushing the Bahamas.

    It made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) in the eastern Cuban province of Guantanamo, near the city of Baracoa, on Sunday evening. Oscar had weakened to a tropical storm with 70 mph (110 kph) winds by late Sunday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

    Tropical Strom Oscar path: System weakened after making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in Guantanamo

    The storm was 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Guantanamo moving west-northwest at 6 mph (10 kph).

    Thunderstorms and rain, along with moderate flooding in low-lying areas, were reported in the country’s eastern provinces. Cuban media said 2-meter (6.5-feet) swells were hitting the coast and roofs and walls in Baracoa had been damaged. Authorities have set up 20 centers for evacuees.

    The system is expected to move across eastern Cuba on Monday. Forecasters said 6 to 12 inches (15 to 31 centimeters) of rain are expected across eastern Cuba through early Wednesday, with some isolated locations getting up to 18 inches (46 centimeters). A storm surge of up to 3 feet (almost 1 meter) in some areas of Cuba’s north shore in the area was possible, the center said.

    This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration taken at 6:40pm ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, shows Hurricane Oscar.

    This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration taken at 6:40pm ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, shows Hurricane Oscar.

    NOAA via AP

    Oscar was expected to weaken over eastern Cuba before making a turn to the northeast and approaching the central Bahamas on Tuesday, the center said.

    Oscar made landfall on Great Inagua island in the Bahamas earlier Sunday. A storm surge that could cause coastal flooding was forecast, along with heavy rain.

    The hurricane‘s arrival comes as Cuba tries to recover from its worst blackout in at least two years, which left millions without power for two days last week. Some electrical service was restored Saturday.

    Philippe Papin of the National Hurricane Center said it was somewhat unexpected that Oscar became a hurricane Saturday.

    “Unfortunately the system kind of snuck up a little bit on us,” Papin said.

    Hours earlier Tropical Storm Nadine formed off Mexico’s southern Caribbean coast. It degenerated into a tropical depression as it moved over land.

    Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

    AP

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  • Cuban power grid collapses for fourth time as hurricane arrives

    Cuban power grid collapses for fourth time as hurricane arrives

    Hurricane Oscar’s arrival to eastern Cuba Sunday has impacted millions of residents already facing days without power, as fresh attempts to restore much of the nation’s electric grid have failed.In the capital city of Havana early Monday, people were seen outdoors in poor lighting, a few playing dominoes to kill time. Children are opting to sleep outside to cool off from the stifling heat indoors – schools have also been canceled until Thursday.Oscar made landfall near Baracoa along Cuba’s eastern shores around Sunday afternoon as a Category 1 storm with winds of 80 mph. By Sunday night, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced that Oscar had weakened to a tropical storm and was moving toward the west-southwest of the country at 6 mph.“Through Wednesday morning, rainfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches with isolated amounts of 18 inches are expected across eastern Cuba,” the NHC said, adding that as much as 8 inches of rain will appear in isolated amounts in the southeast Bahamas.Earlier Oscar made landfall on Inagua Island in The Bahamas, with maximum estimated sustained winds of 80 mph, the NHC said.On Sunday afternoon the Cuban Electrical Union announced that more than 216,000 people in Havana, a city of 2 million, had power restored. The power grid collapsed again later in the day — for the fourth time since Friday.Some Cubans have taken to the streets, to protest the three-day-long blackout — many banging pots and pans and disrupting traffic.Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel criticized demonstrators for causing public disorder, saying in a video posted on X that “we are not going to allow acts of vandalism and much less alter the tranquillity of our people.”Cuba descended into darkness on Friday, when one of the country’s major power plants failed, according to the Energy Ministry. Since then, most people in the 10 million-strong country have had their access to power interrupted, while also struggling to maintain fresh food and a steady supply of water.Havana residents queue for breadSome people began flooding WhatsApp chats with updates on which areas had power, while others arranged to store medications in the fridges of those who briefly had power – or were lucky enough to have a generator.In Havana, residents waited for hours to buy a few loaves from the handful of locations selling bread in the capital. When the bread sold out, several people argued angrily that they had been skipped in line.Many wondered aloud where Cuba’s traditional allies were, such as Venezuela, Russia and Mexico. Until now, they had been supplying the island with badly needed barrels of oil to keep the lights on.Meanwhile, tourists were still seen circling Havana’s main avenues in classic 1950s cars, although many hotel generators had run out of fuel.One foreign visitor told CNN that Havana’s José Martí International Airport was operating in the dark on emergency power only, adding that printers did not work to issue tickets and there was no air conditioning in the terminal.Reuters reporters witnessed two small protests overnight into Sunday, while videos of protests elsewhere in the capital have also surfaced.The Cuban government is cancelling classes for students from Monday until Wednesday, having previously cancelled them on Friday. It has also instructed non-essential workers to stay home. The U.S. Embassy in Havana will be open only for emergency services on Monday.Cuban officials have blamed the energy crisis on a confluence of events, from increased U.S. economic sanctions to disruptions caused by recent hurricanes and the impoverished state of the island’s infrastructure.In a televised address on Thursday that was delayed by technical difficulties, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz said much of the country’s limited production was stopped to avoid leaving people completely without power.“We have been paralyzing economic activity to generate (power) to the population,” he said.The country’s health minister, José Angel Portal Miranda, said Friday on X that the country’s health facilities were running on generators and that health workers continued to provide vital services.

    HAVANA, Cuba —

    Hurricane Oscar’s arrival to eastern Cuba Sunday has impacted millions of residents already facing days without power, as fresh attempts to restore much of the nation’s electric grid have failed.

    In the capital city of Havana early Monday, people were seen outdoors in poor lighting, a few playing dominoes to kill time. Children are opting to sleep outside to cool off from the stifling heat indoors – schools have also been canceled until Thursday.

    Oscar made landfall near Baracoa along Cuba’s eastern shores around Sunday afternoon as a Category 1 storm with winds of 80 mph. By Sunday night, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced that Oscar had weakened to a tropical storm and was moving toward the west-southwest of the country at 6 mph.

    “Through Wednesday morning, rainfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches with isolated amounts of 18 inches are expected across eastern Cuba,” the NHC said, adding that as much as 8 inches of rain will appear in isolated amounts in the southeast Bahamas.

    Earlier Oscar made landfall on Inagua Island in The Bahamas, with maximum estimated sustained winds of 80 mph, the NHC said.

    On Sunday afternoon the Cuban Electrical Union announced that more than 216,000 people in Havana, a city of 2 million, had power restored. The power grid collapsed again later in the day — for the fourth time since Friday.

    Some Cubans have taken to the streets, to protest the three-day-long blackout — many banging pots and pans and disrupting traffic.

    Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel criticized demonstrators for causing public disorder, saying in a video posted on X that “we are not going to allow acts of vandalism and much less alter the tranquillity of our people.”

    Cuba descended into darkness on Friday, when one of the country’s major power plants failed, according to the Energy Ministry. Since then, most people in the 10 million-strong country have had their access to power interrupted, while also struggling to maintain fresh food and a steady supply of water.

    Havana residents queue for bread

    Some people began flooding WhatsApp chats with updates on which areas had power, while others arranged to store medications in the fridges of those who briefly had power – or were lucky enough to have a generator.

    In Havana, residents waited for hours to buy a few loaves from the handful of locations selling bread in the capital. When the bread sold out, several people argued angrily that they had been skipped in line.

    Many wondered aloud where Cuba’s traditional allies were, such as Venezuela, Russia and Mexico. Until now, they had been supplying the island with badly needed barrels of oil to keep the lights on.

    Meanwhile, tourists were still seen circling Havana’s main avenues in classic 1950s cars, although many hotel generators had run out of fuel.

    One foreign visitor told CNN that Havana’s José Martí International Airport was operating in the dark on emergency power only, adding that printers did not work to issue tickets and there was no air conditioning in the terminal.

    Reuters reporters witnessed two small protests overnight into Sunday, while videos of protests elsewhere in the capital have also surfaced.

    The Cuban government is cancelling classes for students from Monday until Wednesday, having previously cancelled them on Friday. It has also instructed non-essential workers to stay home. The U.S. Embassy in Havana will be open only for emergency services on Monday.

    Cuban officials have blamed the energy crisis on a confluence of events, from increased U.S. economic sanctions to disruptions caused by recent hurricanes and the impoverished state of the island’s infrastructure.

    In a televised address on Thursday that was delayed by technical difficulties, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz said much of the country’s limited production was stopped to avoid leaving people completely without power.

    “We have been paralyzing economic activity to generate (power) to the population,” he said.

    The country’s health minister, José Angel Portal Miranda, said Friday on X that the country’s health facilities were running on generators and that health workers continued to provide vital services.

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  • Oscar has weakened to a tropical storm after making landfall in Cuba

    Oscar has weakened to a tropical storm after making landfall in Cuba

    Tropical Storm Oscar brought heavy rains and winds to Cuba, an island already beleaguered by a massive power outage, late Sunday after brushing the Bahamas.It made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) in the eastern Cuban province of Guantanamo, near the city of Baracoa, on Sunday evening. Oscar had weakened to a tropical storm with 70 mph (110 kph) winds by late Sunday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.Related video above: Hurricane Oscar strengthens in the Greater Antilles, while Tropical Storm Nadine makes landfall in BelizeThe storm was 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Guantanamo, moving west-northwest at 6 mph (10 kph).Thunderstorms and rain, along with moderate flooding in low-lying areas, were reported in the country’s eastern provinces. Cuban media said 2-meter (6.5-feet) swells were hitting the coast and roofs and walls in Baracoa had been damaged. Authorities have set up 20 centers for evacuees.The system is expected to move across eastern Cuba on Sunday night and Monday. Forecasters said 6 to 12 inches (15 to 31 centimeters) of rain are expected across eastern Cuba through early Wednesday, with some isolated locations getting up to 18 inches (46 centimeters). A storm surge of up to 3 feet (almost 1 meter) in some areas of Cuba’s north shore in the area was possible, the center said.Oscar was expected to weaken over eastern Cuba before making a turn to the northeast and approaching the central Bahamas on Tuesday, the center said.Oscar made landfall on Great Inagua island in the Bahamas earlier Sunday. A storm surge that could cause coastal flooding was forecast, along with heavy rain.The hurricane’s arrival comes as Cuba tries to recover from its worst blackout in at least two years, which left millions without power for two days last week. Some electrical service was restored Saturday.Philippe Papin of the National Hurricane Center said it was somewhat unexpected that Oscar became a hurricane Saturday.“Unfortunately, the system kind of snuck up a little bit on us,” Papin said.Hours earlier, Tropical Storm Nadine formed off Mexico’s southern Caribbean coast. It degenerated into a tropical depression as it moved over land.

    MIAMI —

    Tropical Storm Oscar brought heavy rains and winds to Cuba, an island already beleaguered by a massive power outage, late Sunday after brushing the Bahamas.

    It made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) in the eastern Cuban province of Guantanamo, near the city of Baracoa, on Sunday evening. Oscar had weakened to a tropical storm with 70 mph (110 kph) winds by late Sunday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

    Related video above: Hurricane Oscar strengthens in the Greater Antilles, while Tropical Storm Nadine makes landfall in Belize

    The storm was 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Guantanamo, moving west-northwest at 6 mph (10 kph).

    Thunderstorms and rain, along with moderate flooding in low-lying areas, were reported in the country’s eastern provinces. Cuban media said 2-meter (6.5-feet) swells were hitting the coast and roofs and walls in Baracoa had been damaged. Authorities have set up 20 centers for evacuees.

    The system is expected to move across eastern Cuba on Sunday night and Monday. Forecasters said 6 to 12 inches (15 to 31 centimeters) of rain are expected across eastern Cuba through early Wednesday, with some isolated locations getting up to 18 inches (46 centimeters). A storm surge of up to 3 feet (almost 1 meter) in some areas of Cuba’s north shore in the area was possible, the center said.

    Oscar was expected to weaken over eastern Cuba before making a turn to the northeast and approaching the central Bahamas on Tuesday, the center said.

    Oscar made landfall on Great Inagua island in the Bahamas earlier Sunday. A storm surge that could cause coastal flooding was forecast, along with heavy rain.

    The hurricane’s arrival comes as Cuba tries to recover from its worst blackout in at least two years, which left millions without power for two days last week. Some electrical service was restored Saturday.

    Philippe Papin of the National Hurricane Center said it was somewhat unexpected that Oscar became a hurricane Saturday.

    “Unfortunately, the system kind of snuck up a little bit on us,” Papin said.

    Hours earlier, Tropical Storm Nadine formed off Mexico’s southern Caribbean coast. It degenerated into a tropical depression as it moved over land.

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  • Tropical Storm Oscar forms near Turks and Caicos Islands

    Tropical Storm Oscar forms near Turks and Caicos Islands

    Tropical Storm Oscar forms near Turks and Caicos Islands

    From West two. This is the hurricane kid casts. Hello, I’m West Two news anchor, Nancy Alvarez and I’m first warning meteorologist, Eric Burriss. Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait *** minute. Let’s, let’s tone this down just *** little bit. Ok. Hold on today. We’re all about the kids. We each have kids. We know how curious they are about everything and everything includes the weather. That’s right. And as parents, we know storms can be really scary. So we want to know how we can help keep kids calm and help them really understand what’s happening. So we ask kids to send in their questions about hurricane season. I gotta tell you, we got some really good ones we did. So first up is Eva and she gets right to the point. Hi, my name’s Eva. What exactly is *** hurricane? Great question. So what is *** hurricane? Think of it as your normal run of the mill thunderstorm? Just on *** much bigger scale. They can be hundreds of miles wide and they do carry *** lot of wind and *** lot of rain. But essentially that’s it. We get storms each and every afternoon. It’s just *** really big one. That’s pretty easy to understand. And *** good question. Evan. Yeah. So let’s get to another question. All right. So we’ve got another good one and this one is from Henry. Hi, Eric. My name’s Henry. And how *** hurricane storm? Great question. So, basically think of the ocean as *** warm thing. Right? During the summer we go out and we play, but in grade school we learn about the water cycle, right? Evaporation, condensation. That’s essentially how we develop tropical storms and hurricanes that water evaporates, condensates becomes clouds, showers, thunderstorms and this happens over hundreds of miles over the ocean. Ok. Water temperatures, once they hit about 80 degrees, you really get this going. And if the conditions are right, you can get what’s called *** tropical depression, which is the first stage if you will in development, ok. As it gets stronger and bigger, you could become *** tropical storm with winds of 39 to 73 MPH. And if it is just right, atmospherically, you can get *** big hurricane, *** very large area of strong wind and circulation. These are the storms that get the names. These are the ones that we have to watch so closely. That is so helpful. You know, one of the best ways to really feel less anxious about everything that’s going on around us and about *** storm is to really understand what’s happening and then you can be part of the preparations Yes, you can help. We can do this, help your parents, your neighbors, even your pets. And when the storm passes, you can even step up and help your community once it’s safe, we promise all of these things will make you feel *** lot better love that. All right, Eric. So, here’s *** question from Haley and she’s curious about something that happened *** couple of years ago. Hi, my name is Haley and I want to know how do hurricanes set up water from the ocean? And how’d you say empty camp the day, Haley? That’s *** really, really good question. So, think about *** hurricane, you see it spinning there, it spins what’s called counterclockwise or the opposite direction of *** wall clock. And believe it or not, there’s winds rotating around *** storm in the exact same direction. So if you get *** storm system positioned, say just south of Tampa Bay, all of the wind actually pulls water out. And if the wind is strong enough, like it was *** few years ago, you can actually pull all the water out of the bay. The problem is what goes out must come back in and as soon as you get *** change in the wind direction, you can get all that water piling back in with *** storm surge. We’ve even seen that happen out in the Bahamas. I mean, it’s wild and doesn’t that just make you realize how unbelievable science is wind pulling water out like that. It’s so powerful and again, it makes you feel less anxious when you really understand how and why it’s happening. Thanks, Eric. Well, our next question comes from *** little girl named Gracie. Hi, Mr Eric. I’m my name is Gracie. I want to know how hurricanes to damage *** house. Great question, Gracie. So, winds and waves, it’s all driven by the wind though. So *** category one carries winds over 74 miles an hour that can snap trees, bring power lines down. But folks that live at the beach could actually start to see what’s called storm surge, flooding where the ocean is pushed across the beach and into homes. And when that starts to happen, you combine that with strong winds and you could see some significant damage. That’s why when there are big hurricanes coming, people that live right at the beach are asked to evacuate just so that you can get away from that storm surge. The term we use in the weather world, Nancy hide, ok. Hide from wind, run from water. So when evacuation orders come down, this is not anything to be scared about. It’s just to make sure if the threat is there, you don’t have water coming into your house and you’re trapped and those rules and plans are there to keep you safe. So that’s why it’s so important that we listen and we do what we’re asked to do in these situations. So we’re talking about hurricanes, right? But during *** hurricane, we often can experience other types of weather events and that’s what Marshall wants to know about. Here’s his question. Hello. My name is Marshall. I’m nine years old. My question is why are there so many tornadoes inside *** hurricane? Well, Marshall, this is *** little complex but I’ll do the best I can to answer it. So this is the path of Vidalia, which was one of the last storms to impact Florida. You see that line, that’s where the center of circulation moved on the right side of that circulation. There’s *** little extra spin in the atmosphere and that’s where you could look for *** higher tornado threat. They’re usually weaker tornadoes and, and frankly, they’re not much stronger than the storms winds themselves. So at the end of the day, whether it’s *** hurricane force wind gust or *** tornado, it just kind of adds *** little extra something to them. But the good news, they’re usually weak and they’re usually very, very quick lived. They pop up and then they fade right out. Good to know. That is good news. All right. So these have all been such great questions and I know I’m not *** kid. Ok, obviously, but I have *** question. Can I ask it? Is that ok? Ok. What are some things kids should make sure they have with them during *** hurricane? I think the most important thing is games Right. Not anything crazy. Just *** deck of cards, *** board game. My son loves monopoly all of *** sudden or shoots and ladders have things to do because if the power goes out we have to have some fun. Right. That’s, I think the most important thing for the kids after that, it’s just making sure that you have your snacks that you have, meals are able to eat and drink all of that fun stuff. Let the parents handle all of the, you know, food and water and all that. But for the kids, let’s just have things to do that way when it’s *** little windy outside and it may sound scary. We don’t even have to worry about that. We can just play and have *** good time with them and you can even have your own little lantern or your own flashlight. There’s *** lot of things that you guys can do on your own to help your parents and help ease that stress *** little bit that you might be feeling. Thank you so much. If you even have more questions, you can tell your parents to reach out to us on social media and we’ll try to answer everything we can and make sure we get through this hurricane season together. It was so much fun. Thank you. Thank you for this and thank you so much for hanging out with us. Let’s stay safe and track each storm this season.

    Tropical Storm Oscar forms near Turks and Caicos Islands

    Tropical Storm Oscar has formed just east of the Turks and Caicos Islands, according to the National Hurricane Center. >> Video above: Hurricane Kidcast: What’s a hurricane? Oscar is moving toward the west at 13 mph. Maximum sustained winds are 40 mph with higher gusts. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 mb.Some intensification is possible over the next day or so, followed by little change in strength, the NHC said. The government of the Bahamas has issued a tropical storm warning for the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Southeastern Bahamas.The government of Cuba has issued a tropical storm warning for the provinces of Guantanamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas and a tropical storm watch for Camaguey. The storm is not expected to impact Florida as high pressure in the state is expected to protect Florida from tropical activity through the end of the month.Tracking the TropicsThe NHC is also tracking Tropical Storm Nadine, which is expected to make landfall near the Yucatan Peninsula on Saturday evening. >> More on Nadine hereFlorida was lashed by back-to-back storms in the last few weeks. Many areas are still recovering from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. More: Chopper 2 video shows significant Milton damage in Orange CityMore: Milton leaves burning power lines, flooded streets, toppled trees in Central Florida | Pictures, videosFirst Warning Weather Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.RadarSevere Weather AlertsDownload the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts. The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Kellianne Klass, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    ORLANDO, Fla. —

    Tropical Storm Oscar has formed just east of the Turks and Caicos Islands, according to the National Hurricane Center.

    >> Video above: Hurricane Kidcast: What’s a hurricane?

    Oscar is moving toward the west at 13 mph.

    Maximum sustained winds are 40 mph with higher gusts.

    The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 mb.

    Some intensification is possible over the next day or so, followed by little change in strength, the NHC said.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    The government of the Bahamas has issued a tropical storm warning for the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Southeastern Bahamas.

    The government of Cuba has issued a tropical storm warning for the provinces of Guantanamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas and a tropical storm watch for Camaguey.

    The storm is not expected to impact Florida as high pressure in the state is expected to protect Florida from tropical activity through the end of the month.

    Tracking the Tropics

    The NHC is also tracking Tropical Storm Nadine, which is expected to make landfall near the Yucatan Peninsula on Saturday evening.

    >> More on Nadine here

    Florida was lashed by back-to-back storms in the last few weeks. Many areas are still recovering from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

    More: Chopper 2 video shows significant Milton damage in Orange City

    More: Milton leaves burning power lines, flooded streets, toppled trees in Central Florida | Pictures, videos

    First Warning Weather

    Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    Download the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts.

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Kellianne Klass, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

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  • Burning Questions for the Most Uncertain Oscar Race in Years

    Burning Questions for the Most Uncertain Oscar Race in Years

    Matt is joined by New York Times awards season reporter Kyle Buchanan to preview the 2024-25 Oscar race now that the table is mostly set. Kyle sets the table for a fascinating Oscar season—one without a clear front-runner like Oppenheimer was last year—and highlights the biggest narratives that have emerged, including the movies with the strongest momentum, early 2024 films that could make a last-second surge, and other burning questions (02:09). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the MLB playoffs (28:28).

    For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, What I’m Hearing …, click here.

    Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com

    Host: Matt Belloni
    Guest: Kyle Buchanan
    Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
    Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

    Subscribe: Spotify

    Matthew Belloni

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  • Noche UFC Deserved Our Reservation, Now It Deserves Our Praise

    Noche UFC Deserved Our Reservation, Now It Deserves Our Praise

    Something strange happened during the lead-up to Noche UFC, the promotion’s second annual celebration of Mexican Independence Day. For the first time since becoming interested in MMA during the McGregor era and falling in love with the sport during the pandemic, I skipped all of my UFC fight week traditions. I hadn’t tuned in to a single episode of Embedded, nor did I watch the press conference on Thursday or the ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday. And I certainly didn’t have my usual “one more sleep” jitters heading into Saturday. What’s clear to me now is my lack of enthusiasm was the result of the sort of uncertainty that leads to reservation rather than curiosity.

    Almost everything about Saturday night’s card left me and other fans scratching our heads going into it, starting with its hodgepodge of a name: UFC 306: Riyadh Season Noche UFC. And then there was the star of the promotional buildup. No, not the homegrown, hype-machine-manufactured Sean O’Malley, and not even Mexico’s own Alexa Grasso, but rather The Sphere (or simply “Sphere,” as it was referred to throughout the broadcast). A Mexican-inspired Fight Night that somehow became a numbered pay-per-view presented by a Saudi Arabian festival series, boasting an arena as its main attraction, left me with questions that couldn’t be answered by the sights and sounds of a typical fight week. Instead, those questions were answered by the standard brilliance of the most production-savvy combat sports promotion this side of WWE.

    When it was initially reported the cheapest seat in the house would cost over $2,000, I wondered if more impassioned Mexican and Mexican-American fight fans would be priced out in favor of casuals with cushy salaries and corporate credit cards. That concern was quieted once I heard the crowd pop for Raúl Rosas Jr. as he walked toward the octagon ahead of the night’s first prelim. I did my best Irish accent and asked who da fook is dat guy when I found out four fighters I’d never heard of were opening the main card. Lo and behold, those were the two most entertaining bouts of the evening, with Esteban Ribovics and Daniel Zellhuber earning Fight of the Night bonuses that could have just as easily gone to Ronaldo Rodríguez and Ode’ Osbourne. And, as Sean O’Malley took issue with himself at one point, I noted with interest, which soon soured into ambivalence, that the event’s venue was being promoted more heavily than the then-bantamweight champion at the top of its billing. I don’t know about him, but I understood why that was by the end of the night, as the suspense surrounding what a sporting event at The Sphere might look like paid off more abundantly than the one-way drubbing most educated fans correctly predicted he’d receive in the main event.

    But above all, the main question I had before last night was why did the UFC’s first and potentially only appearance at The Sphere need to be on Mexican Independence Day? As Noche UFC neared, my thinking was that, presumably, an event headlined by the eventual return of either Conor McGregor or Jon Jones would have made for a greater pop cultural spectacle, International Fight Week would have led to less complicated branding, and UFC 300, which fans and pundits also made the mistake of underestimating, would have allowed for a deeper card. Again, the event itself convinced me of its merits in a way that no moment on Embedded or confrontation at a press conference could have prepared me for.

    No alternative I had in mind for a more appropriate Sphere card would have resulted in the breathtaking storytelling of Noche UFC. The six interstitials produced by Oscar-winning filmmaker Carlos López Estrada’s Antigravity Academy made perfect use of The Sphere’s immersive capabilities, transporting audiences throughout Mexican history with images that inspired awe even through a TV screen. Ancient civilizations, heroic freedom fighters, spiritual traditions, iconic combat athletes, and the virtues of Mexican culture were all honored with Lucasesque light and magic. Eight first- and second-generation Mexican Octagon Girls strutted between rounds wearing stunning costumes inspired by their shared heritage.

    The main event notwithstanding, the fights themselves lived up the pageantry of the night in ways only the drama of high-level MMA could, especially when booked in celebration of a culture’s fighting spirit. Minutes after a short film told the story of Indigenous warriors, the earliest people to fight for the land now known as Mexico, Mexican flyweight Ronaldo Rodriguez escaped two near-completed submissions and persevered his way to a unanimous decision over Ode’ Osbourne. Right after that, Mexico City-born Daniel Zellhuber battled Argentina’s Esteban Ribovics with the breakneck pace of a Street Fighter button-mashing, losing on the cards but winning over fans like me who were watching him compete for the first time. And despite a lackluster performance from former Women’s Flyweight Champion Alexa Grasso, I found myself on the edge of my seat seemingly once per round, attempting to will a tap from Valentina Shevchenko into existence.

    Similar to 300 before it, there are images from UFC 306 that’ll be etched in my brain for the rest of my fandom; thrilling moments I would have never predicted when comparing the names on the card to the hyperbolic hype that preceded it.

    I don’t know if Noche UFC turned out to be “the greatest sporting event of all time,” as UFC CEO Dana White promised in July. In his post-fight press availability, White admitted himself it’d be up to the public to decide if the night lived up to that claim. In general, I’m a bit allergic to making statements that grand. But what I will confess is Noche UFC was the most impressively produced televised sporting event I’ve seen with my own two eyes–better than any Super Bowl, NBA Finals, or WrestleMania I’ve ever watched.

    It was a spectacle I couldn’t quite convince myself to anticipate, but one that I’ll never forget. If you’re still with me, scroll or click through the following photos for a look at what made the night so memorable.

    Austin Williams

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  • Cate Blanchett Explains Why She’s In The Borderlands Movie

    Cate Blanchett Explains Why She’s In The Borderlands Movie

    Image: Lionsgate / Gearbox

    It always seemed a bit weird that famed, Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett decided to be a part of the Borderlands live-action movie. Now we know the story of how this odd casting happened and it seems we can blame covid-19.

    Kotaku’s Hopes For Spyro The Dragon’s (Reported) Comeback

    In May 2020 it was first reported that Blanchett was in talks to star in the upcoming Borderlands movie. Directed by Eli Roth and also starring Jack Black and Kevin Hart, the live-action adaptation of Gearbox’s popular looter shooter series seemed like a strange choice for the renowned actress. What was it about the troubled development of Borderlands and Lilith—her character in the film—that attracted Blanchett? Some theorized she was looking for a big paycheck. Others suggested she was secretly a Borderlands sicko. But the actual truth is that during the pandemic lockdowns, being cooped up and not working started taking a toll on her, and she took the job.

    As explained in a new online excerpt from a feature about the Borderlands film in Empire, Blanchett says that she enjoys “crazy” roles that people wouldn’t expect her to take. However, she also suggested a bit of “covid madness” was involved as well.

    “I was spending a lot of time in the garden, using the chainsaw a little too freely. My husband said, ‘This film could save your life,’” said Blanchett.

    IGN / Lionsgate

    Funnily enough, the previously mentioned report claiming she was in talks to star in the film (which ended up being accurate) was from May 2020, just a few months into the global lockdowns happening due to the pandemic. So this all tracks. Honestly, it makes more sense now that she said yes to Borderlands because she was stuck in her house for months and was losing her mind.

    According to Empire, to get prepared for the role Blanchett got a PS5 and started playing the games. She also got “absorbed” into the Borderlands community, looking at cosplayers and super fans online. And hey, she seems to have had a good time making the film, telling Empire: “The gun-slinging stuff was so much fun.” So that’s nice. Now, I wonder if Jamie Lee Curtis—who is also in Borderlands—can similarly blame Covid-19 for taking the role.

    Borderlands hits theaters on August 9 and uh…it doesn’t look good.

    .

    Zack Zwiezen

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  • 10 Freaky Horror Movies to Stream on Shudder

    10 Freaky Horror Movies to Stream on Shudder

    At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul | Trailer 1964 #movie

    In 1964, Brazilian director, co-writer, and star José Mojica Marins unleashed his singular creation—Coffin Joe—into the world of horror cinema. At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul kicked off a film series built around the character, a murderous undertaker who’s the most monstrously awful guy you’ll ever meet, while also being someone you simply can’t take your eyes off whenever he’s onscreen. Stream on Shudder.

    Cheryl Eddy

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  • Here’s Even More Godzilla Minus One Art for Your Wall

    Here’s Even More Godzilla Minus One Art for Your Wall

    Image: Toho

    Here at io9, we love Godzilla Minus One. We also love very cool art. And we especially love very cool Godzilla Minus One art. So it’s a good job Toho is getting ready to release some of the film’s most glorious official posters for us to plaster our walls with—and we’ve got your first look.

    io9 can exclusively reveal four new Godzilla Minus One posters coming this Thursday, June 20, to the U.S. Godzilla store—bringing familiar art with a new twist, and home access to some of the swankiest official posters dropped during the film’s titanic run at the box office.

    The new drop includes four releases: the “Destruction” poster, depicting Godzilla looking over the ruins of Ginza, in a lenticular format created with the poster experts at Bottleneck Gallery; the U.S. and Japanese theatrical posters for the film’s black-and-white re-release as Minus One/Minus Color; and the “For Your Consideration” poster used as part of Minus One’s successful Oscar nomination campaign earlier this year.

    All four posters will be available exclusively through the U.S. Godzilla store starting at 12 p.m. PT tomorrow, June 20—click through to take a look and get more details!

    James Whitbrook

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  • Joker: Folie à Deux’s First Trailer Sends in the Clowns

    Joker: Folie à Deux’s First Trailer Sends in the Clowns

    After what feels like years of waiting—mostly, because it has been—we finally have our first extended look at Joker: Folie à Deux in action, bringing laughs, sorrow, and music to Todd Phillips’s vision of the Batman’s most legendary foe.

    Spoilers of the Week | June 17th

    It stars Joaquin Phoenix, reprising his Oscar-winning role of Arthur Fleck, now fully transformed into the clown prince of crime known as the Joker after the events of the 2019 film. Folie à Deux—which, in a surprising turn, is a jukebox musical—also introduces pop-sensation-turned-actress Lady Gaga as another iconic DC character in Harleen Quinzel, aka Harley Quinn.

    Joker: Folie à Deux | Official Teaser Trailer

    Joker: Folie à Deux also stars Zazie Beetz, returning from the first film alongside Leigh Gill and Sharon Washington, as well as Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland, Steve Coogan, Ken Leung, and Harry Lawtey. It’s set to hit theaters on October 4.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

    James Whitbrook

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  • Joker 2 Is Apparently Aiming to Be DC’s First Jukebox Musical

    Joker 2 Is Apparently Aiming to Be DC’s First Jukebox Musical

    Image: DC Studios

    Get ready to see Todd Phillips send in the clowns in Joker: Folie à Deux—the jukebox musical! Though we’ve long heard the DC Studios film starring Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn and Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker will be a musical, we now know a bit more about the off-kilter romantic showdown.

    Spoilers of the Week | June 17th

    Variety cites insider sources as revealing Joker 2 will be “mostly a jukebox musical,” with at least 15 covers of “very well-known” songs with room for original music. I mean they have Lady Gaga so one would hope some original music will be in the mix. Composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, who won an Oscar for Best Original Score for 2019’s Joker, is also aboard the sequel, and Variety’s source notes her “haunting” musical cues will have a presence once more.

    Among the cover songs is “That’s Entertainment” from The Band Wagon, a 1953 musical starring Judy Garland (which just so happens to open with the lyric “A clown with his pants falling down”). We can imagine that the music will harken mostly to old Broadway showtunes as opposed to a broader playlist of classic and modern hits like Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge. There’s definitely an old Hollywood romance vibe to all the imagery we’ve seen of the duo in their dreamlike mad love story.

    Joker: Folie à Deux from DC Studios Elseworlds is set for release October 4.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

    Sabina Graves

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  • Wolfgang Puck celebrates 30 years of serving only the finest at Oscars Governors Ball

    Wolfgang Puck celebrates 30 years of serving only the finest at Oscars Governors Ball

    HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — What’s a celebration without delicious food and drinks? Well, the Oscars ceremony is the biggest celebration in Hollywood so of course the treats and drinks will be top notch.

    Master chef Wolfgang Puck is celebrating an “Oscar” milestone as he marks his 30th year catering the event. For three decades, Puck has returned to serve up his delicious creations at the Oscars Governors Ball.

    “It’s a great thing to do it for 30 years,” he said. “When I look back at my life, my career, I said, ‘You know, longevity is really the most important thing.’ Why? Because a lot of restaurants come and go, but very few stay on.”

    While he says he can’t pick just one dish as his favorite, he says he – of course – will be serving the crowd favorite: potpie!

    “We always have a great variety of traditional innovation. You cannot make everything new all the time because then people are going to miss the old stuff too,” said Puck.

    Along with a detailed menu comes an exquisite selection of beverages for the occasion.

    “The Oscars are about culture and the celebration of excellence, so I think for us to come together, you can’t celebrate excellence in German culture without good food and good wine,” said Clarendelle CEO Prince Robert de Luxembourg.

    “There’s only champagne as a celebration drink, and the Oscars is such a celebration of art and craftsmanship and that’s who we are as well,” said Alexis Blondel, Chef de Cave Adjoint.

    Of course, you can’t forget about the desserts (like a chocolate cigar!)

    Plus, at the Governors Ball, everyone can go home a winner with a mini Oscar statue covered in 24 karat gold.

    “We really kind of combined and married a lot of really fun, unique ideas to really make this ‘our Oscars’ if that makes sense,” said Executive Pastry Chef Ellen Maloney.

    DON’T MISS the 2024 Oscars live Sunday on ABC! Red carpet coverage starts at 1 p.m. ET | 10 a.m. PT with “Countdown to Oscars: On The Red Carpet Live.” At 4 p.m. ET | 1 p.m. PT, live coverage continues with “On The Red Carpet at the Oscars,” hosted by George Pennacchio with Roshumba Williams, Leslie Lopez and Rachel Brown.

    The 96th Oscars, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, begins at 7 p.m. ET | 4 p.m. PT, an hour earlier than past years, followed by an all-new episode of “Abbott Elementary.”

    Copyright © 2024 OnTheRedCarpet.com. All Rights Reserved.

    OTRC

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  • A Celtics Flop, Best Oscar Story Lines, Planning the Olympics, and the Fall of College Sports With Matthew Belloni and Casey Wasserman

    A Celtics Flop, Best Oscar Story Lines, Planning the Olympics, and the Fall of College Sports With Matthew Belloni and Casey Wasserman

    The Ringer’s Bill Simmons shares some brief thoughts on the Celtics’ loss to the Cavaliers (2:08) before he is joined by Matthew Belloni to answer 10 burning questions about the Oscars (8:46). Then Bill talks with Casey Wasserman about planning for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles (42:17), managing talent at Wasserman, the future of college sports (1:02:38), media, the next generation of stadiums, and more (1:34:54).

    Host: Bill Simmons
    Guests: Matthew Belloni and Casey Wasserman
    Producer: Kyle Crichton

    Subscribe: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / Stitcher / RSS

    Bill Simmons

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  • Peek Behind the Curtain of Godzilla Minus One’s VFX

    Peek Behind the Curtain of Godzilla Minus One’s VFX

    A new video showcases the VFX of Godzilla Minus One.
    Gif: Toho

    You don’t have to know much about filmmaking to be impressed by the visual effects of Godzilla Minus One. The movie stars a giant monster, so even if you don’t know practical from digital, you can marvel at the fact Godzilla looks so good and is done so well, you believe he’s real.

    Will We See More of Uhura’s Relationship with Spock? | io9 Interview

    Amazingly though, Godzilla himself is probably the least impressive visual effect in the entire movie. A new video released by Toho pulls back the curtain on the film’s Oscar-nominated visual effects which, yes, includes Godzilla. But also shows the incredible ways the team achieved all the water sequences, recreated old cities, and more. Plus, the video breaks down how all of this was achieved by fewer people than a Marvel movie probably has preparing its food. Check it out.

    The Visual Effects of Godzilla Minus One

    So, again, while Godzilla certainly looks awesome in the movie thanks to the team’s VFX, I watched this and was fascinated to see how everything else was achieved. How all of the ships were created using just one small set. How the actors themselves had to sway back and forth to simulate the waves. Just how little was shot practically of the crowd scenes compared to what we see in the movie.

    Plus, the brief scenes inside the offices of director Takashi Yamazaki scooting around while everyone worked are just plain delightful. Even if those were captured after the fact, which they almost certainly were, the way it conveys the size of the team and streamlining of the process is a nice little window into the filmmaking process.

    Godzilla Minus One, io9’s choice for best genre film of 2023, is still playing in some theaters. Fingers crossed we can get our hands on a physical copy sooner rather than later.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

    Germain Lussier

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  • Sleeping with Elliot Page — An Unconventional Review of Pageboy: A Memoir

    Sleeping with Elliot Page — An Unconventional Review of Pageboy: A Memoir

    Usually, I’m a hard-copy kind of gal. The feeling of pages between my fingers, the occasional paper cut drawing bright crimson across a page, the scent and weight of the volume itself — these are tangible and hugely enjoyable markers of reading an actual, honest-to-goodness book.

    The pandemic changed that. The amount of time I spent on-screen rose to new heights and my eyes begged for rest. So, I transitioned into an audiobook phase.

    Some audiobooks were more successful than others. I attribute this to the readers.

    No, I couldn’t make it through Robert A. Caro’s ThePower Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York (Random House Audio 2011) which details the monumental role Moses played in developing NYC. Should be fascinating, right? Not with Robertson Dean’s soporific narration. After four chapters I was seriously afraid of nodding off at the wheel. So, for the safety of all, I gave up with a whopping 62 hours and 28 minutes left to go.

    As the pandemic faded, I entered a hybrid phase, switching between hard copies and audio and discovered my sweet spot as a listener: authors who narrate their own work. I ecstatically plugged into Audible’s Words & Music imprint and started in on Broken Horses (Random House Audio) the 2021 must-listen memoir by Brandi Carlile (I loved it when she broke out her guitar and sang solo renditions of songs featured in the book). Next up was Smarty Girl: Dublin Savage (Simon & Schuster Audio 2012), Honor Molloy’s autobiographical novel about growing up in 1960s Dublin, read with the glorious lilt of the Irish storyteller. And I must mention Guinevere Turner’s When the World Didn’t End (Penguin Random House Audio 2023). Turner’s harrowing yet hopeful memoir about her childhood in a cult and with an abusive family member. After these three golden audio nuggets, I was ready to return to hard copy land…but COVID had other plans, as it often does.

    Only a few weeks ago, I landed in quarantine for five days. Pageboy — written and narrated by Canadian actor Elliot Page — called my name. Published earlier this year, Page’s powerful and poignant memoir tracks the actor’s transition from Ellen to Elliot. It’s a major contribution to non-binary and trans awareness and advocacy, a New York Times Bestseller, and a story we need to hear in an age when hateful anti-trans legislation rages across the USA.

    I first noticed Page in his Oscar-nominated title role in Juno (2007). He narrates his memoir in a youthful, raspy voice. He sounds calm, even when emotions run high. You feel like you’re sitting in his living room on that overstuffed chair featured in Juno. Elliot Page was often mistreated and misunderstood for his identity. Transphobia is infuriating, and hearing Page tell his own story in his own voice makes his fury palpable.

    “Do you have a fever? Brain fog?” a friend asked over the phone. “How are you?”

    “Much better today,” I said. “I’ve been sleeping with Elliot Page.”

    Okay, that’s not funny — but it’s accurate as far as it goes. Pageboy’s filled with raunchy revelations about who Elliot’s slept with. (Spoilers: a secret relationship with Kate Mara! His Juno co-star Olivia Thirlby — in the trailer during shooting!) But I slept with Elliot in the most platonic of ways, drifting off on the couch in a mild Covid-haze.

    Dozing off while reading a hard copy can be dangerous. The book slips from your hands and wakes you with a start. With any luck, you don’t lose your place. And if you do, you have to hunt for the place where consciousness ceased.

    In contrast, my Audible Book versions go on without me. Pageboy skips around chronologically in a stream-of-consciousness style, mirroring how memory works. It also makes it tough to find precisely where I left off.

    There’s something to appreciate in the way language, reader, and listener can meld when the gates of consciousness are left ajar. As I listened half-asleep, Page’s disclosure about his gender dysphoria merged with my own journey as a queer woman who views gender as a continuum rather than as a binary. How deeply? In ways I will never fully know.

    Thank you, Elliot Page. Pageboy was wonderful company for 8 1/2 hours — more, if you count the times when I tumbled into dreamland and had to rewind!

    Check out the Close To You teaser for the film that opened September 10th and is the “complete highlight of my [Elliot’s] career.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVVgIp3qSHQClose To You Trailer 2023 | Elliot Page | Hillary Baack | Close To You Trailer | Close To You Teaserwww.youtube.com

    Popdust Staff

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  • Viewers React To ‘Sound Of Freedom’

    Viewers React To ‘Sound Of Freedom’

    “The movie was fine, but it didn’t feature nearly enough discussion of the immense suffering caused by people who throw horseshoes at bars and hit someone in the head, giving them a concussion and making them spill their beer all over themselves. This happened to me, and it could happen to you.”

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  • The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s Jack Black Made An Incredible Love Letter To Gaming

    The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s Jack Black Made An Incredible Love Letter To Gaming

    You probably know Jack Black from his long career as the enthusiastic star of films like School of Rock and Kung Fu Panda, and most recently as the actor who was the perfect amount of excited to voice Bowser for The Super Mario Bros. Movie. While Chris Pratt convinced me that he’s never touched a controller in his life, Black wants you to know that he is a hardcore gamer like the rest of you, something he’s made many delightful YouTube videos about in the past on his channel JablinskiGames. Now he and Kyle Gass, who together are better known as the rock duo Tenacious D, have created a musical tribute to games in their signature style, complete with a video in which a cartoon version of Black cameos in games such as God of War, Fallout 4, Tomb Raider, Street Fighter, Sonic, and Red Dead Redemption 2. 

    Disney’s New Post-Apocalyptic Anime Proves The Mouse Has Good Taste

    The Week In Games: Return To Hyrule

    Monday 3:53PM

    ‘

    Tenacious D – Video Games (Official Video)

    This is good, actually. Black starts off singing that “I don’t play video games no more, I never play video games.” As the video goes on, it becomes clear that his cartoon persona is as plugged in as the rest of us. He makes exceptions for AAA and Nintendo games that he considers to be “experiences,” all while reiterating over and over that he doesn’t have time for gaming. At one point, he appears naked while riding the most fucked-up-looking horse I’ve ever seen. True to the experience of gaming, the animations are filled with gratuitous violence, but with a comedic tone.

    Over and over, he stresses: “That’s not a game. That’s an adult thang.” His song addresses how gaming is stigmatized by people who didn’t grow up with a console, but it’s not woe-is-me about it. Black is so excited to share what he loves about his favorite games, and you should be too.

    The music was produced by Tenacious D, which, if you’re unaware, is a comedy rock duo formed by Black and Kyle Gass, another actor who also appears in the video (only to die incredibly frequently). Tenacious D has a sizable cult following, but The Super Mario Bros. Movie has reminded mainstream audiences that Black can really sing. His performance of the love ballad “Peaches” blew up the internet, and is eligible for an Oscar nomination.

    Of course, the other reason that Black is enjoying so much popularity right now is because he doesn’t act like engaging with video game media is beneath him. Or that he’s paid for his time. When he has to put in a public appearance for the Mario Bros. movie, he goes above and beyond to dress like he voices Bowser. Even his “Video Games” video stands as a work of art on its own rather than a cynical marketing ploy to capture the gaming fan base. I hope Nintendo brings him back for whatever the next Nintendo movie is going to be. They’d be making a huge mistake if they didn’t—Black’s charisma and goodwill extends beyond the movie screen.

    Sisi Jiang

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