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Dr. Mehmet Oz, the former heart surgeon who rose to prominence dispensing dubious medical advice on TV, is expected to appear before the Senate’s Committee on Finance this month for hearings on his nomination to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under President Donald Trump.

Cms oversees Medicare coverage for some 65 million Americans, and provides support for an additional 79 million covered by state-administered Medicaid and Chip programs. It’s a massive portfolio — and one that wields enormous influence over access to birth control and reproductive health care...

The new boss at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau had a jarring message for staffers Monday morning, in an internal memo leaked to Rolling Stone: “Stand down from performing any work task.”

The message came from Russell Vought — a Project 2025 architect who was confirmed by the Senate last week to lead the Office of Management and Budget in the Trump White House. One of Vought’s first official acts was to seize the reins as acting director at Cfpb, the agency designed by Congress to safeguard Americans from the...

Whoopi Goldberg has been keeping busy since late last year. When the hosts from The View took their holiday break to get some rest, Whoopi went to work on Broadway. She has since returned to the talk show but has also been traveling lately as well. It seems to be wearing on her, though, as she made a blunder on the daytime talk show this past week.

Here is what Whoopi said that was uncharacteristic of her.

Whoopi Goldberg Forgets Co-Host’s Name

Whoopi Goldberg is the moderator on The View. She has been there longer than almost anyone other than Joy Behar. This means she has the job of keeping things in line and speaking to the women about things to keep the conversation moving in the right direction.

Whoopi Goldberg – YouTube

Whoopi’s closest friend on The View is likely Sara Haines. The two women share good chemistry...

Just over a month after his death on Dec. 29, 2024, at age 100, Jimmy Carter won a posthumous Grammy for Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording for Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration. He defeated Barbra Streisand (My Name Is Barbra), Dolly Parton (Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones), producer Guy Oldfield (All You Need Is Love: The Beatles in Their Own Words), and George Clinton (…And Your Ass Will Follow). It was Carter’s fourth victory after a storied post-presidential career, the longest of any former president in U.S. history.

Carter’s one term in office was beset by challenges including economic stress, an energy crisis, and the Iran hostage crisis, the last of which largely contributed to his failure to secure a second term in the White House. He was defeated by Ronald Reagan in 1980 and left office in 1981, after which Carter focused on humanitarian work,...

Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, even Whoopi Goldberg, who happened to embarrass one of her co-hosts on The View.

Whoopi has been having the time of her life recently, as she showcased a fantastic transformation at the Paris Fashion Show.

During a lengthy break from moderating The View, Whoopi flew to Paris to feature the Ami Paris clothing line.

Between the time she took to play in the Annie Broadway show and the traveling abroad, everything may be catching up to Whoopi, as she forgot something vital live on the air.

As Monsters and Critics has reported, Whoopi’s best friend on the show is Sara Haines, and they frequently laugh and cut up during The View.

Whoopi’s closeness with Sara made an embarrassing blunder even more awkward during a recent episode of The View.

Whoopi forgot who Sara was for a moment live on air

Whoopi was recently at...

On Thursday’s (January 30) episode of The View, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren was the first guest of the day, on tap to respond to her grilling of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his confirmation hearing. After offering her condolences to the families of the victims of the prior evening’s crash between a commercial plane and a military helicopter, Warren began to talk about her concerns over Donald Trump‘s cabinet nominees like Kennedy and Tulsi Gabbard. However, the episode was preempted by special report coverage of Trump’s address and press conference on the subject of the crash, which lasted until nearly the end of the hour. This means audiences will have to wait until the episode is available on digital platforms before seeing the rest of it. One segment from Warren’s interview that didn’t make it to air on ABC but has since been shared by the show’s social media,...

Updated: Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth’s Defense Secretary nomination cleared a Senate procedural hurdle, pointing to a likely confirmation for one of Donald Trump’s most controversial picks.

The vote was 51-49. Two Republicans, Sen. Susan Collins (R-me) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-ak), joined with all Democrats in opposing the confirmation.

Murkowski said in a statement that she “cannot in good conscience support his nomination for Secretary of Defense.”

“Managing the Department of Defense requires vast experience and expertise as the department is one of the most complex and powerful organizations in the world, and Mr. Hegseth’s prior roles in his career do not demonstrate to me that he is prepared for such immense responsibility,” she said. “His leadership of two veteran organizations was marked with accusations of financial mismanagement and problems with the workplace culture he fostered.”

Collins expressed similar concerns, which also included previous statements...

President-elect Donald Trump’s Treasury Secretary pick, a billionaire who has been accused of evading taxes, says that “the most important economic issue of the day” is extending Trump’s tax cuts for the ultra rich.

Scott Bessent spoke about his economic plans while sitting for his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday. Bessent is an investor, political donor, and a hedge fund manager. He is a former partner at Soros Fund Management, liberal philanthropist George Soros’ investment firm. Nevertheless, Bessent is a Maga darling, and is...

Jimmy Carter died on Dec. 29 at age 100, after almost two years in hospice care. He lived longer than any U.S. president in history. And his influence extended beyond his tenure in the White House. After he was voted out and left office in 1981, Carter focused on philanthropy and humanitarianism, becoming especially well known for his work with Habitat for Humanity, and eventually earned a Nobel Peace Prize. He was also a prolific author, and in that capacity Carter became a three-time Grammy winner for his audiobooks. Now it looks like a forth win is coming.

According to the combined predictions of Gold Derby users, Carter is the frontrunner to win Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling for Last Sunday in Plains: A Centennial Celebration, with more than two-thirds of pundits (66.8 percent) betting on him to prevail, and for good reason. He has earned nine previous nominations for Best Spoken Word Album,...

In its latest post-election move, MSNBC has found a new host for its Morning Joe lead-in Way Too Early.

Capitol Hill correspondent Ali Vitali will take over as host of Way Too Early beginning on Jan. 6 at 5 a.m. Et, while current host Jonathan Lemire will be getting an expanded role in the 9 a.m. hour of Morning Joe, a flagship show anchored by Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.

Vitali, who joined NBC News in 2012, covered the Trump administration as White House reporter for the news organization’s digital side before covering the midterms and then the campaigns of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Michael Bloomberg during the 2020 Democratic primary.

During the Biden administration, Vitali was on-site as Capitol Hill reporter during the dramatic ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker. Vitali is also author of the 2022 book, Electable: Why America Hasn’t Put A Woman In the White House…...

This year’s presidential election was a historic one for weed, with both major presidential candidates endorsing marijuana legalization for the first time ever. Kamala Harris said that she would legalize adult-use cannabis at the federal level. At the same time, Donald Trump announced that he was backing Florida’s Amendment 3, which would have legalized recreational weed in the state (despite majority support, the measure did not receive the required 60 percent voting threshold in the November election).

At this stage, federal legalization seems all but inevitable. Last May, President Biden...

A coalition of Democratic senators and representatives is calling on the Biden administration to finalize its plans to limit marijuana prosecutions at the federal level before he leaves office.

In a Tuesday letter drafted by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) along with Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), legislators wrote that the simple descheduling of marijuana “will not end federal criminalization, resolve its harms, or meaningfully address the gap between federal and state cannabis policy. Possession and use of recreational marijuana — and...

True to character, Donald Trump is already flouting ethics laws and norms even before he takes office as president in 2025. The president-elect is accepting secret donations to fund his transition while refusing to sign ethics pledges or deliver an ethics plan mandated by the Presidential Transitions Act. The transition also has not signed an agreement with the Federal Bureau of Investigation that would allow the agency to do background checks on Trump nominees.

The transition has missed deadlines in September and October despite transition team leaders Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon...

On “The Daily Show” Monday night, Jon Stewart urged Democrats to act more like Republicans by “exploit[ing] the loopholes” if they want to get anything done.

“We’ve learned nothing! Even those putting up resistance to Trump’s agenda don’t seem to understand who they’re dealing with,” Stewart said during his opening monologue. The late-night show then played a report on Sen. Elizabeth Warren accusing the president-elect of breaking the law after failing to sign an ethics pledge by its deadline.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Republicans are playing chess, and the Democrats are in the nurse’s office because they glued their balls to their thigh. That is what is happening,” Stewart said. “The election that we just had was a repudiation of the status quo, an overly-regulated system that is no longer responsive or delivering for the needs of the...

Jon Stewart opened Monday’s episode of The Daily Show by echoing what many watching were feeling. “It has been two weeks since the election. Feels like two months,” he said, before adding: “So it’s been 15 years since the election.”

The late-night host slammed Democratic leaders for trying to spin media interviews, playing back footage of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Rep. Dan Goldman, and Rep. Pramila Jayapal. In one clip, Goldman touts how Dems flipped three House seats and “gained back almost all of those that we had...

Jon Stewart returned to The Daily Show on Monday, taking stock of Donald Trump‘s bizarre series of cabinet picks.

As the comedian discussed the loopholes Trump’s administration could take to bypass the Senate confirmation and install his cabinet, Stewart pointed out the absurdity of his selections, predicting Hulk Hogan could be next.

“For example, Trump’s — let’s be generous — provocative and unorthodox cabinet picks,” said Stewart in his opening monologue. “I don’t think Hulk Hogan’s been nominated yet. I think he’s going to be the secretary of ‘Take Your Vitamins!'”

After speaking at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally last month, Hogan said he hopes to join the president-elect’s Hhs secretary pick Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“Well you know, brother, in the wrestling business, when you’re getting ready to draw some big money, you got to shoot an angle, put some hot spice on the feud,...

Former Fox and Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson said she was “stunned” after president-elect Donald Trump named Fox News host Pete Hegseth as his pick for Secretary of Defense on Tuesday, November 12. “From silly diner interviews on Weekend Fox and Friends to Secretary of Defense?“ Carlson wrote on X. ”I never thought I’d say I’m stunned about any pick after the election but nominating Pete Hegseth for this incredibly important role? Yes he’s a veteran … and?” Hegseth is a military veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq and previously worked as the executive director of Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America. He joined Fox News as a contributor in 2014 and has gone on to host various programs for the network, including the channel’s All-American New Year in December 2018. Other political figures and commentators also reacted to the news, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who wrote on X,...

Kamala Harris’ 2024 campaign started out fun. It opened with the politics of joy, and a hearty dose of mockery aimed at Donald Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance. The campaign quickly adopted a different tack — attempting to project strength and leadership, while courting support from Republicans concerned about the threat posed by Trump.

That approach culminated with Harris campaigning with former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney and touting an endorsement from her father, former Vice President and Iraq War architect Dick Cheney. The pitch bombed with Republicans, as Democrats’ share...

Fubo continues to claim that Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery (Wbd) have structured their joint venture Venu Sports in a way that will destroy any potential competition.

In a 70-page document filed Monday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Fubo outlined how Disney, Fox and Wbd control “critical and unique live televised sports programming” that they license to U.S.-based distributors. Fubo also accused the trio of having a “built-in advantage,” saying they would consolidate their “rights to more than half of all U.S. live televised sports content,” thus blocking out any other competitors in the space.

“They further propose to give their Jv the exclusive right to offer consumers the ability to subscribe to sports and only to sports programming – a coveted arrangement known as a ‘skinny sports bundle,'” the documents read. “No distributor can compete in the market for...

With less than a month before Election Day, the race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is coming down to the wire. Both candidates have embarked on a punishing schedule of rallies, interviewers, events, and fundraisers in their last-minute bids to win over voters. The former president seems to be growing even more erratic as polls show the race is neck-and-neck.

On Wednesday, Trump held back-to-back rallies in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state. Watching the two events, one might think that the former president isn’t in a close race...

“Saturday Night Live” premiered October 11, 1975 on NBC with a group of fresh-faced cast members known as the “Not Ready For Prime-Time Players.” None of those original stars lasted for more than five seasons, but they all made their mark on the late night sketch series that is still going strong five decades later.

Over the past 50 seasons (and counting), who are “SNL’s” longest-running cast members ever? Kenan Thompson currently holds the record at a whopping 22 seasons. His closest competition is Darrell Hammond, who starred for 14 seasons before leaving and then returning as the show’s announcer. Scroll through our “Saturday Night Live” photo gallery above (or click here for direct access) to see more long-time cast members.

See‘SNL’ 5-Timers Club: Who has hosted ‘Saturday Night Live’ at least five times?

Kenan Thompson

22 seasons (2003-Present)

Popular characters: Diondre Cole, Steve Harvey, Darnell Hayes, Bill Cosby, Diner Lobster, Lorenzo McIntosh...

More than three years ago, The New Yorker‘s unionized employees authorized and threatened a strike during a contentious first contract negotiation that culminated with scores of protestors descending on the Greenwich Village home of Condé Nast executive Anna Wintour days before a deal was ultimately reached.

Now, as the labor group is in the middle of negotiating a second contract with mother ship Condé Nast, it is applying similar pressure. In a vote that took place Wednesday, The Hollywood Reporter has learned, 100 percent of voting members of the bargaining unit opted to authorize a strike. According to the union, out of 101 eligible voters, 100 participated in the contest and voted yes.

A strike authorization vote does not mean a strike will occur, but it gives a union power to call one when it deems necessary.

“We presented management with a pledge signed by 99 percent of our members saying that we...

Lina Khan, the youngest person to chair the powerful Federal Trade Commission, has come down hard on monopolies and anticompetitive behavior, so some business leaders and Wall Streeters are nudging Kamala Harris to dump her if the Democrats win the White House.

Kahn, who became FTC chief in 2021 at age 34, declined to comment on the presidential campaign, but told a New York conference, “I think it’s true that, over decades, enforcement has not always been so vigorous, and so that type of change can be uncomfortable for some people.”

LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman came out publicly against Khan in a CNN interview calling her efforts a “war” on corporations. Barry Diller told CNBC, “I think she’s a dope,” but walked the comment back later.

She’s taken on heath care,

A recent story about the FTC chief in The Atlantic is titled “The Wrath At Kahn,” who has...

The end of 2023 was not a great time for the crypto industry. In November, Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the Ftx cryptocurrency exchange, learned that no amount of Michael Lewis gymnastics could save him from being convicted on seven charges of fraud and conspiracy. He was eventually sentenced to 25 years in prison after disappearing $11 billion of other people’s money. The following month, Sen. Elizabeth Warren sent letters to three crypto industry giants, the Blockchain Association, Coin Center, and Coinbase, criticizing them for undermining efforts to rein in crypto’s use in terrorist financing.

Warner Bros. Discovery and its besieged CEO David Zaslav finally have reason to celebrate in 2024.

Formed from the 2022 merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, the company has seen its stock price plunge 70% since the deal closed, with a series of miscues culminating in the loss of NBA rights — pending a legal complaint — starting with the 2025-26 season.

In August, S&P lowered its outlook on Wbd to “negative” from “stable,” citing declines in the media company’s cable TV business that could worsen with the potential loss of NBA rights.

The streak was reversed in dramatic fashion Thursday, however, as the company announced an early carriage renewal with Charter Communications, the largest pay-tv operator in the U.S. The deal, which resolves one of several pending renewals for Wbd, will see its streaming flagship Max integrated into most of Charter’s Spectrum cable and broadband systems. Unlike a similar deal between...

No less than one hour after the historic debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump ended, Taylor Swift announced that she will be casting her vote for the Democratic candidate.

On Tuesday, Swift addressed fake AI posts of the star endorsing Trump. “Recently I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation,” explained the artist. “It brought me to the conclusion...

Taylor Swift has formally endorsed Kamala Harris after the candidate’s debate with Donald Trump, following up the ABC-hosted match-up with a strong message posted to her Instagram Story — saying that the vice president “fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos.”

Wrote Swift: “Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to do your research on the issues at hand and the stances these candidates take on the topics that matter to you the most. As a voter, I make sure to watch and read everything I can about their proposed policies and plans for this country.”

She continued, “Recently I was...

One of the more pervasive and noxious lies in American politics is the idea that relieving student debt would be a giveaway to the wealthy.

Donald Trump’s running mate J.D. Vance, for instance, has called student debt relief “a massive windfall to the rich,” arguing that “Republicans must fight this with every ounce of our energy and power.”

The argument has always been ridiculous on its face. Why would students take on high-interest loans if they didn’t need to? And if student debt cancellation truly benefited the wealthy,...

Over the years, there have been many highly memorable late-night talk show hosts. In the modern era, Stephen Colbert has become one of the richest talk show hosts according to reports that he has a truly impressive fortune. Since Stephen has spent the majority of his career working as a talk show host, there is no doubt that his late-night TV career allowed him to make millions.

Given Stephen's success as a talk show host, some fans may assume that his interviews rarely go wrong. However, the truth is that Stephen has conducted a surprising number of incredibly awkward interviews over the years.

Eminem The Interview Was Awkward Because Stephen Asked Eminem Bizarre Questions

Interview Took Place On:

July 2015

Between hosting The Colbert Report and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Stephen Colbert didn't have a talk show for a while. During that era, Stephen interviewed Eminem for a little-seen public access show called Monroe,...

Carole King showed off her rendition of Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” during the inaugural Swifties for Kamala call. The coalition’s kick-off event feature an appearance from King, who addressed the 34,000 attendees and offered a snipped of Swift’s 2014 single.

“I am a Swiftie, and Taylor and I are actually friends,” King said during the call. “We have had conversations backstage and I see her as sort of my musical and songwriting granddaughter. We have a lovely relationship, and I’m so proud of her.”

Kinda never getting...

Singer-songwriter Carole King joined the Swifties for Kamala organizing call Tuesday to encourage attendees to get involved in door-knocking and more to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential election.

Calls throughout the Zoom asked for $19.89 and $13 donations to the campaign. The group has no official affiliations with Swift.

“I’ve been a political activist for years. I’ve been a volunteer, I’ve been a door knocker, even as a famous person,” King said on the Zoom call. “It’s always important to know your opening line. Mine was ‘Hi, I want to talk to you about what is important to you in your life and what do you want for your future? ‘ The key to door-knocking is asking a good question and then listening.”

King also encouraged the over 27,000 attendees to make a connection.

“If they’re a little ambivalent about Kamala, here’s a great...

Swifties for Kamala announced Tuesday that Carole King will speak during the organization’s kickoff call. The coalition, which supports Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, will virtually host the event on Tuesday at 7 p.m. E.T.

Other speakers include Massachusetts Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Pennsylvania Rep. Chris Deluzio, Vermont Rep. Becca Balint, and North Carolina Democratic party chair Anderson Clayton, among others.

Although Swift will not be in attendance during the call, the organizers shared on social media that Swift is “always...

Vice President Kamala Harris strode onto the DNC stage at 10:30 p.m. on the convention’s closing night, just after her beloved sister laid a firm foundation for her reintroduction to America — something dozens of the most powerful people in the Democratic party also spent the past four nights doing. Harris presented herself to the party and U.S. electorate as the nominee to banish former President Donald Trump from politics for good in November.

“Our nation with this election has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past,” Harris told her party in the speech, where the former senator and California attorney general formally accepted the party’s nomination. “A chance to chart a new way forward. Not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans.”

In the first section of Harris’ roughly 45-minute speech, she shared...

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts delivered a powerful endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris during her speech on the final day of the Democratic National Convention.

She appeared emotional when taking the stage on Thursday, as the crowd at the United Center welcomed her with an uproarious applause. The senator quickly got down to business, however, and drew a sharp contrast between the Democratic nominee and convicted former President Donald Trump.

“Kamala Harris can’t be bought and she can’t be bossed around,” Warren said, sharing that she first...

Some very big stars participated in night 3 of the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

Hosted at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, the four-day event will culminate with Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepting the nomination to lead the Democratic ticket in the 2024 presidential election.

On Wednesday (August 21), her running mate Tim Walz officially accepted his nomination with support from his wife Gwen and their kids Hope and Gus.

The night featured several celebrity speakers, including one who referenced the divorce of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck from the stage.

There were also performances from the likes of Maren Morris and John Legend and appearances from notable politicians.

We pulled together the photos so that you could easily scroll and see who was there for the important night.

Head inside to see all of the pics from Night 3 of the Democratic National Convention…

Keep scrolling to see all of the photos…

Maren...

If Venu sounded too good to be true, well, now we won’t know until next year (at least).

A court has granted Fubo’s injunction against the sports-streaming service, a joint venture between Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery, set to launch on August 23. Now it is grounded until at least 2025, pending the joint venture’s appeal.

The Venu companies and executives wanted their service out in time for the 2024 NFL football season. At this rate, it’s missing all of that, most of basketball season, probably (at least) some baseball. It would’ve had some hockey games too.

The U.S. District judge in the case wrote that Venu would have “substantially lessened competition and restrained trade.”

“Today’s ruling is a victory not only for Fubo but also for consumers. This decision will help ensure that consumers have access to a more competitive marketplace with multiple sports streaming options,...

The new sports streaming service will head to market before the 2024-25 NFL season starts, unless an injunction request by Fubo is granted.

According to a new report, the launch of Venu Sports might be even more imminent than many might have imagined. Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery originally announced that Venu would launch simply “in the fall,” but a new report from Front Office Sports indicates that — even though fall technically doesn’t start until September — the service will launch sometime before the end of August. With the college football season getting underway on Aug. 24 and the NFL kicking off on Sept. 5, time is certainly of the essence for the three companies behind this joint venture.

Key Details: Closing arguments for Fubo’s injunction request will be heard on Monday. Judge Margaret Garnett has been apprised that Disney, Fox, and Wbd intend to launch Venu by month’s end.

Disney (ESPN+), Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery recently announced the name and pricing for their joint sports streaming offering, Venu Sports. This has prompted Fubo to file an antitrust lawsuit that is currently being heard in court. Now, three bipartisan politicians are urging the Department of Justice (DoJ) to investigate.

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusets), U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), and U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) have sent a letter to the DOJ asking them to investigate and possibly prevent the new Venu Sports streaming service arguing that the service would violate antitrust and telecommunications laws.

They argue that the joint venture will control most sports access, does not offer competitors the same bundling opportunities, and, therefore, is unfair.

“We write to express serious concerns regarding the proposed joint venture (Jv) between Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Disney subsidiary ESPN, named Venu Sports (Venu).1

This massive new sports...

Lawmakers are ramping up scrutiny of streaming sports bundle Venu, with the aim of blocking the joint venture.

In a letter, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) called on the Justice Department and Federal Communications Commission to initiate a probe of Venu and stop Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery from pooling their sports licensing rights to form the streaming service. They say that the platform will result in price hikes by further consolidating the market for live sports.

The streaming bundle is targeting a fall launch at $42.99 per month. Subscribers, who will be locked in at that price for a year, will be able to access a number of live, linear channels, including ESPN, Fox, ABC, TNT and TBS, as well as ESPN+. Between the three networks, they have rights to the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL, plus college sports and pro tennis.

Exclusive: Ghost Of John McCain, the new, upcoming Off Broadway musical satire that finds the late Senator in a very, very strange heaven, has found its cast for characters that include McCain, Donald Trump, Donald Trump’s brain and the just-added Kamala Harris.

An example: Luke Kolbe Mannikus, a handsomely baby-faced recent college grad with no fewer than three Broadway credits since his fairly recent childhood a decade ago, will play Donald Trump.

Jason Tam, who played the apostle Peter in the hit NBC Live event Jesus Christ Superstar, and starred in Broadway’s Be More Chill, will play John McCain, and Aaron Michael Ray (The Public Theater’s acclaimed The Low Road), will play Donald Trump’s Brain.

And reflecting swift-moving real-world developments, Zonya Love has just been added to the cast as Kamala Harris.

Ghost of John McCain will preview Tuesday September 3 at the Soho Playhouse ahead of its official opening on Tuesday,...

Americans welcomed more pets into their homes throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, pet medical costs surged. Fortune recently highlighted one reason why: Private equity firms have rapidly acquired veterinary practices, and now own nearly 30 percent of the marketplace.

The magazine’s investigation focused on a Houston-area veterinary hospital owned by Jab Holding Company, a German-owned private equity firm best known for its investments in bakery chains and beverage companies. In recent years, Jab has scooped up so many specialty and emergency veterinary hospitals that the Federal Trade Commission...

Congressman Joaquin Castro was joined by Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren in a letter urging scrutiny for Venu.

Venu Sports is continuing to draw added layers of scrutiny from lawmakers in the United States. The joint venture service being produced by Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery has already been promised a review by the Department of Justice for antitrust violations, and is the subject of a lawsuit from Fubo, which alleges that the service is indeed running afoul of federal antitrust laws. Congress has already expressed concern about the product, and a new letter from Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-tx) and Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-ma) and Bernie Sanders (D-vt) regarding the service shows that lawmakers are not satisfied with the answers they’ve been given by the three companies so far.

Key Details: The new letter urges the FCC and the DOJ to examine Venu closely for antitrust violations.

Vice President Kamala Harris has selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate in her 2024 presidential bid.

“I am proud to announce that I’ve asked @Tim_Walz to be my running mate,” Harris wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday morning. “As a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran, he’s delivered for working families like his. It’s great to have him on the team. Now let’s get to work.”

On Tuesday, she and Walz are set to appear at a Philadelphia fundraiser, which will launch a tour of multiple battleground states ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago from Aug. 19-22.

Ahead of her official announcement, which had been expected on Tuesday, CNN, The Hill and The Associated Press all reported, per multiple sources, that Walz would be her pick.

Harris secured enough votes from delegates to become the Democratic nominee...

After a brief fakeout for Independence Day last month, the ladies of “The View” are now officially on summer break. And yes, it’ll be a bit longer until you can return to the table with them again.

Friday marked the Season 27 finale, and it came with a bit of news from host Sunny Hostin. To wrap up the show, she announced that “after 10 years and 2,143 episodes, this is also the last episode we’ll do from this studio.” Indeed, when the show returns for Season 28, it’ll be at a brand new table in a brand new studio.

The episode also welcomed Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to the show, where he picked apart Donald Trump’s racist comments about Vice President Kamala Harris.

But if you’re here, you’re probably wondering when exactly the Season 28 return will be. Well, worry not, we have that answer. It’ll be Tuesday,...

Rebecca Herbst Was Almost Axed In 2011. (Photo Credit – Twitter)

In 2011, General Hospital could have lost fan-favorite character Rebecca Herbst, aka Elizabeth Webber, before the backlash overturned the network’s decision. ABC’s move to axe Rebecca Herbst not only shocked the fans but also took the actress by surprise. She said she was blindsided when the show announced her exit.

In January 2011, ABC confirmed that Rebecca Herbst, who has played Elizabeth Warren since 1997, was leaving the show. At the time, the network, in a statement to Soaps In Depth, said: “Storyline dictates the exit of Elizabeth Webber this spring. The next few months promise to be a ‘not-to-miss’ story for the character. We at ABC and Gh wish Rebecca Herbst nothing but the best in her future endeavors.”

Fans didn’t take the news too kindly, and even her General Hospital cast members were stunned to learn the show’s...

The Kamala Harris campaign for president kicked off on Sunday, but the vice president has already hit the jackpot. Over the last few weeks, her past public statements have sparked viral social media trends about falling out of coconut trees; stan armies behind popular musicians have started to back her in the race; and in just one day, her campaign has already brought in over $81 million in donations, according to a statement released Monday.

New from @KamalaHQ >>

We raised $81 Million in the first 24 hours of her campaign.

That is the Largest 24 hour raise in history.

Vice President Kamala Harris said she intends to “earn and win” the Democratic nomination for president following President Joe Biden’s decision to exit the race.

“With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done throughout his life of service: putting the American people and our country above everything else,” Harris wrote in a statement issued shortly after Biden withdrew.

“My intention is to earn and win this nomination,” she added.

On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership...

Hollywood reacted to Biden’s announcement that he will halt his re-election campaign and endorse Kamala Harris for president on Sunday. Many, including names such as Barbra Streisand, Lee Daniels, the Clintons and the Obamas, celebrated Biden’s decision as a heroic and selfless move for the country. Several politicians, including the Clintons and Elizabeth Warren, and those in Hollywood alike, including Shonda Rhimes and Damon Lindelof, also endorsed Harris.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote.

In a follow-up message, Biden explicitly endorsed Harris to take his place at the top of the ticket. “Democrats...

President Joe Biden offered his “full support and endorsement” for Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for president in the 2024 race. He made the endorsement minutes after announcing he was bowing out of the campaign.

“My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President,” Biden wrote on social media.

Senator Elizabeth Warren stopped by The Late Show to discuss the state of politics in American and took the opportunity to talk about the importance of gun control and Donald Trump’s recent vice presidential pick J.D. Vance.

Warren told host Stephen Colbert. She said believes the Republican Party should embrace gun safety legislation and an assault weapons ban following the attempted assassination on Trump earlier this week.

“This should be the moment for it,” Warren said of the need for gun control, including a ban on Ar-15-style weapons.