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Severance, a critically acclaimed series that netted several awards along with prominent nominations, made its debut on the Apple TV+ streaming service in 2022. After a lengthy hiatus, Severance returns to the streamer next month, and a new trailer was unveiled that surely drummed up excitement.
Starring Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, and Britt Lower, Severance follows the life of Mark Scout and the split between himself and his severed persona. Cherry plays the role of Dylan George, another severed worker for Lumon Industries in the Macrodata Refinement division who is deeply committed to the job. Lower plays Helly Riggs, a recently severed Lumon employee.
For those who haven’t seen the first season, we won’t reveal too much of the plot but the show benefits from strong performances by a variety of fantastic actors including Tramell Tillman, John Turturro, and Patricia Arquette among others.
Source: Severance / Apple TV+
Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle split directing duties for the first season with Stiller returning to direct five more episodes in season 2 according to reports. The main cast members are returning to their roles and with the first season ending explosively, fans are clamoring to see what happens for the rest of the severed workers and their “outies” in the coming season.
Severance returns on Jan. 17, 2025. Check out the trailer below.
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Photo: Apple TV+
Billboard is counting down the Top Artists of 2024, as based on weekly chart activity, as we build toward the Billboard Music Awards on Thursday (Dec. 12) and the reveal of nearly 500 year-end charts on Friday (Dec. 13). Starting Monday (Dec. 9), we’re unveiling the No. 10 and No. 9 acts on the year-end […]
Summer Walker announced on Monday (Dec. 9) that she’s launching her own “Over It Radio” show on Apple Music this week. The six-episode series will debut ahead of her highly anticipated third studio album, Finally Over It. The show will feature Walker talking about relationships, motherhood, friendship and music, both her own music and the music […]
This year, the two biggest players in live music, AEG and Live Nation, put energy and resources into making power sources at live events, and festivals in particular, cleaner and greener.
This largely took the form of batteries, with the option to use batteries to power not just the errant parking lot light but full mainstage operations becoming real with the evolution of technology, as driven by the electric vehicle industry.
The effect was felt at the highest levels, with Lollapalooza in August becoming the first major festival in the U.S. to power its mainstage using battery power. Meanwhile AEG/Goldenvoice, which has been experimenting with battery systems for a few years with lower-priority power needs, had a breakthrough year in 2024 through a hybrid system that uses industrial-tier batteries, clean generators, biodiesel, solar and grid power to dramatically reduce “scope 1” emissions at events. (“Scope 1” refers to the emissions created by power sources at the event itself, versus a scope 3 emission that would include carbon emitted by fan travel to and from shows.) The hybrid system from AEG/Goldenvoice saved the use of more than 6,000 gallons of diesel fuel (truly, stop for a second to consider how much that is) at its Portola Festival in San Francisco alone. This same system at Camp Flog Gnaw in L.A. in November ended up being, the company said, Goldenvoice’s “cleanest energy festival to date.”
What’s also encouraging is that huge and longstanding festival energy providers like CES Power are also looking at ways to implement battery systems and starting to shift inventory to include batteries.
These aren’t yet perfect systems. Batteries still must be charged by generators, with the standard diesel-chugging kind still primarily used for this charging. Plus, these systems are still more expensive than traditional power sources, which can make it hard for producers to use them even with the best intentions. But with industry leaders putting time, money and attention towards these projects, there’s reason to believe the trickle-down effect will happen in time as prices across the battery industry come down and technology advances.
When it comes to sustainability, there’s a lot of industry talk about freely sharing information about the stuff that’s working, given that this work is so important for the industry and humanity at large. And yet, one gets the sense that a competitive spirit is still driving some of this innovation within the perpetually-competitive live events world, which if true feels like a welcome battle to wage.
The holiday season is in full swing on the Hot 100. Tetris Kelly: It’s time, the holidays have arrived! This is the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 for the week dated December 14. At 10 is “Holly Jolly Christmas.” Gaga and Bruno are down to nine. As is Shaboozey to No. 8, and last week’s […]
Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” dashes through all competition on the Billboard Hot 100 once again, surging nine spots to No. 1 for a 15th total week atop the chart.
The carol reigns in a record-extending sixth holiday season. It was originally released on Carey’s album Merry Christmas in November 1994 and, as streaming has grown and holiday music has become more prominent on streaming services’ playlists, it hit the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time in December 2017, and the top five for the first time in the 2018 holiday season. It led at last, prior to this week, over the holidays in 2019 (for three weeks), 2020 (two), 2021 (three), 2022 (four) and 2023 (two).
“When I wrote [it], I had absolutely no idea the impact the song would eventually have worldwide,” Carey marveled in 2021. “I’m so full of gratitude that so many people enjoy it with me every year.”
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” became Carey’s 19th Hot 100 No. 1, the most among soloists and one away from The Beatles’ overall record 20. It also made Carey the first artist to have ranked at No. 1 on the chart in four distinct decades (1990s, 2000s, ‘10s and ‘20s).
Holiday cheer infuses half the Hot 100’s top 10, including the entire top three. Below Carey, Brenda Lee bounds 15-2 with “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” which spent three weeks at No. 1 last holiday season, reaching the summit at last 65 years after its release. Plus, Wham!’s “Last Christmas” leaps 18-3, as the 1984 single hits a new Hot 100 high.
Two other classics return to the Hot 100’s top 10: Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” (19-5) and Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas” (33-10).
The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data, the lattermost metric reflecting purchases of physical singles and digital tracks from full-service digital music retailers; digital singles sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites are excluded from chart calculations. All charts (dated Dec. 14, 2024) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Dec. 10). For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
‘Christmas’ Streams, Airplay & Sales
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One of the most popular insurance providers is rethinking one of their recent plan changes. Anthem BlueCross BlueShield has reversed their policy to not cover anesthesia after the CEO of UnitedHealthcare was murdered.
As spotted on TMZ, the popular health insurance company is rethinking their recent coverage plan when it pertains to their subscribers going under the knife. Back in November, Anthem BlueCross BlueShield declared they would no longer pay for anesthesia for the full-length duration of some surgeries that exceed a certain amount of time. While this only impacted three states, the news took the public by surprise with many questioning ABCBS’ business ethics. An outcry on social media soon followed, but the Chicago, Ill.-based insurer didn’t seem to be reconsidering the policy change.
On Wednesday (Dec. 4), UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Brian Thompson was assassinated in New York City outside of his midtown Manhattan hotel. Local police say the murder was pre-planned but have yet to publicly reveal the shooter’s potential motive. Since then Anthem BlueCross BlueShield has changed their tune regarding the coverage limitations on anesthesia.
On Thursday (Dec. 5), UnitedHealthcare’s Vice President Janey Kiryluik gave an exclusive statement to Forbes explaining they will “not proceed with this policy change” after the announcement was surrounded with “significant widespread misinformation.” She went on to further detail ABCBS’ position. “To be clear, it never was and never will be the policy of Anthem BlueCross BlueShield to not pay for medically necessary anesthesia services,” Kiryluik told Forbes in a statement. “The proposed update to the policy was only designed to clarify the appropriateness of anesthesia consistent with well-established clinical guidelines.”
The suspect in Brian Thompson’s murder has yet to be apprehended.
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Source: Christopher Polk / Getty
Diddy is requesting access to a laptop while in jail awaiting trial, decrying the conditions restricting him from using it.
The legal team representing Diddy has requested the use of a laptop promised to him while he is incarcerated and awaiting trial, claiming that he’s been blocked from use by the government under unfair conditions. The request was made in a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian Wednesday (Dec. 4). In that letter, it was explained that Diddy could gain access to the laptop either in the video-teleconference room at the Brooklyn Detention Center while in the presence of other legal staff or the legal visiting room between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
“These restrictions are untenable and from what we understand, not required of any other inmate on Mr. Combs’ unit,” the letter from attorneys Tony Garagos and Marc Agnifilio stated. “They significantly limit the time available for Mr. Combs to use the laptop and force Mr. Combs to choose between using the laptop and meeting with his attorneys (who often meet with Mr. Combs over video-teleconference).”
Both lawyers claim that there is “no justification” for those conditions, also alleging that the federal government was keen on surveillance of the embattled mogul’s communication. “Moreover, given the government’s efforts to surreptitiously monitor and record his handwritten legal notes, Mr. Combs’ need for a laptop to take legal notes free from government surveillance is heightened,” they wrote. The letter also said that the government “has indicated that it intends to file a response.”
Diddy is currently awaiting trial for federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. The date for preliminary hearings to begin is May 5, 2025. If convicted, Diddy aka Sean Combs can receive a sentence of life in prison. With Damian Williams, the Attorney General for the Southern District of New York having resigned to be replaced by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton, there will be more scrutiny on the Bad Boy Records founder’s case as Donald Trump is set to return to the White House next January.
Indeed, Trump’s pick to head the FBI, Kash Patel, has declared that he would release the names of all those who attended Diddy’s parties in the past decades if appointed to the position. Of course, that list would include Trump who was a fixture at some of Diddy’s parties as well as those of the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
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Source: DENIM TEARS / Denim Tears
One of the hottest brands in the world might be changing the game again. Denim Tears is releasing camo print sweatsuits.
As spotted on High Snobiety the popular label has updated their signature cotton wreath branding for a limited run. On Wednesday, Dec. 4 the company announced a new drop via several Instagram posts. This capsule features camouflage print sweatsuits in five different flavors. The color ways include pink, green, blue, sand and grey. To compliment the sets are matching durags available in the same color ways. There is also a pajama set in a red tartan color way right in time for the holiday season. All the pieces are modeled by some of London’s most prominent creatives including Clint Ogbenna (of streetwear brand Corteiz) and members of Motherlan (a Nigerian brand with rooted in skateboarding).
Now here comes the bad news. These Denim Tears camouflage items will only be available on Saturday, Dec. 7 at their pop-up shop at 10a Lexington Street, W1F 0LD in London. So if you don’t live nearby or have friends from The Square Mile then expect to pay like you weigh on the resale market.
Back in October Denim Tears announced a co-branded carry with Marc Jacobs called “The Tears Bag”. This release was in honor of Marc Jacobs’ 40th anniversary and the two creative’s long-standing friendship.
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Source: ANGELA WEISS / Getty
Last month, Diddy was forced to celebrate his 55th birthday behind bars with some prison pizza, biscuits and oatmeal. With Christmas now on the horizon, the “Bad Boy For Life” rapper will have to endure his first Christmas celebration under similar circumstances. Luckily, it will be an improvement over his previous soiree.
According to TMZ, Diddy’s Christmas in the bing won’t be as struggle as his birthday and Thanksgiving were as not only will he and his fellow inmates at MDC Brooklyn be served some baked Cornish hens, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce, and a “holiday dessert,” but there will also be some fun and games as there will be a spades tournament along with a dominos competition. The winner may get to make Diddy’s bed for a month (just kidding, but probably).
As if that wasn’t fun enough, there will also be a 3-on-3 basketball tourney and a soccer competition. Truth be told, this sounds like more fun than being unknowingly drugged and sexually trafficked at a Diddy party. Just sayin’.
If officials wanted to make some money they could sell tickets to these sporting events a la The Longest Yard or something.
The revelation comes after Diddy was hit with yet another lawsuit by an associate of Cassie who says Diddy dangled her off a 17th-floor apartment balcony back in 2016.
With many months between now and his sex trafficking trial date of May 2025, one can only wonder what other stories about Diddy’s past and maybe present will surface between now and then.
What do y’all think about Diddy’s current status? Should he be granted bail for the holidays, or is society better off with the man behind bars until he has his day in court? Let us know in the comments section below.