-
Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Feb 5, 2021
February 5, 2021
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
Tube talk: CBS is working on a followup to their series, "The Equalizer" --and unlike the preview two incarnations, the title character --the Equalizer-- will not be played by a man (like EDWARD WOODWARD or DENZEL WASHINGTON) but by a woman --QUEEN LATIFAH-- who's a former C.I.A. agent who became disillusioned with the government’s methods and retired. The show premieres Sunday night after the Super Bowl on CBS.
Lawsuit of the day: TAYLOR SWIFT has been sued over her album, "Evermore" --which just happens to be a theme park with the same name outside Provo, UT. The park is a two-year-old place where you'll find yourself in a fantasy world staffed with baby dragons, dwarves, knights and other costumed actors along with various special effects to make you gasp in surprise. One of the problems the theme park has, is that searches on places like Google stopped listing them as the top search as of last December and listed Taylor's album first. We'll see what happens as the theme park's lawsuit progresses.
Drug bust of the day: drug users are getting themselves high with something new --horse tranquilizer. Known as xylazine (or by its street name, "tranq"), vets use it but it has never been approved by the FDA for human use. In fact, CNN reports in Philadelphia, where drug overdoses have spiked to historic highs, it was present in nearly one-third of all fatal opioid overdose cases in 2019. In horses, it'll act as a sedative and muscle relaxant. But in you or me, it'll depress your central nervous system, slow you respiration and can even cause death. Police authorities believe its use began in the early 2000s in Puerto Rico and hit the US shores later.
Movie news: JON M. CHU, the same guy who directed “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights,” will be the new director of “Wicked,” which will be the movie version of the hit musical. No word yet on who will be starring in the film, since filming has been delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
See ya: CNN’s President, JEFF ZUCKER, is leaving the company after this year when his contract ends. He announced the move to the network's staffers yesterday (Thursday). No word yet on who's taking over the helm.
Looking for a roller coaster ride that's the fastest in the world --more than 155 miles per hour? You'll have to leave the country in order to do it, since it's being built in lovely Saudi Arabia. CNN reports that it'll be called "Falcon's Flight," and be the main attraction of Six Flags Qiddiya, outside the country's capital of Riyadh. Six Flags claims it'll be "the world's tallest free-standing coaster" and give riders a weightless experience as well on their three-minute ride.
Gotta go: The Hollywood Reporter sez former PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP has resigned from the broadcaster's union, SAG-AFTRA, after the union's executive board voted "overwhelmingly" to begin a disciplinary process that could result in his expulsion. "I no longer wish to be associated with your union," Trump wrote. Interestingly, since he's resigned (or if he stayed until he was expelled by the union), he will not be allowed to do TV shows like "The Apprentice" which require union membership from the networks.
-
-