Ben Rhodes, the former Deputy National Security Adviser to President Barack Obama, has raised concerns about Jared Kushner’s alleged corruption in his $3 billion investment fund, predominantly financed by foreign sources.
Kushner’s firm received a $2 billion investment from a Saudi sovereign wealth fund shortly after he departed from the White House, serving as a senior adviser to his father-in-law, Donald Trump.
During an interview with MSNBC’s Alex Wagner, Rhodes expressed his unease, “This is just putting a price tag on American foreign policy… This is a level of corruption that we’ve just never seen, and it’s hiding in plain sight.”
Earlier in the program, Wagner highlighted that Kushner’s firm had been involved with foreign interests and cited its engagements in hotel developments in Serbia and Albania. She inquired about the potential implications of Kushner’s “entanglement” with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Trump...
Kushner’s firm received a $2 billion investment from a Saudi sovereign wealth fund shortly after he departed from the White House, serving as a senior adviser to his father-in-law, Donald Trump.
During an interview with MSNBC’s Alex Wagner, Rhodes expressed his unease, “This is just putting a price tag on American foreign policy… This is a level of corruption that we’ve just never seen, and it’s hiding in plain sight.”
Earlier in the program, Wagner highlighted that Kushner’s firm had been involved with foreign interests and cited its engagements in hotel developments in Serbia and Albania. She inquired about the potential implications of Kushner’s “entanglement” with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Trump...
- 4/13/2024
- by Baila Eve Zisman
- Uinterview
Saudi Arabia, where popular anime characters such as “Captain Tsubasa” and “Dragon Ball” protagonist Son Goku have been engrained in the culture for decades, is taking its love affair with Japanese manga content to the next level.
In late March, just a few weeks after the death of “Dragon Ball” creator Akira Toriyama, it was announced that the world’s first theme park dedicated to the megahit Japanese manga and animation franchise will be built in Qiddiya, the massive entertainment and tourism project outside the Saudi capital of Riyadh through a joint venture between Qiddiya and Japan’s Toei Animation.
In January, Saudi animation studio Manga Productions premiered anime movie “Great Pretender Rzbliuto,” made in partnership with Japanese studio Production I.G., at the Muvi Cinemas multiplex in central Riyadh with director Hiro Kaburagi and producer Hitoshi Ito in tow. The event marked the first time a Japanese helmer attended the...
In late March, just a few weeks after the death of “Dragon Ball” creator Akira Toriyama, it was announced that the world’s first theme park dedicated to the megahit Japanese manga and animation franchise will be built in Qiddiya, the massive entertainment and tourism project outside the Saudi capital of Riyadh through a joint venture between Qiddiya and Japan’s Toei Animation.
In January, Saudi animation studio Manga Productions premiered anime movie “Great Pretender Rzbliuto,” made in partnership with Japanese studio Production I.G., at the Muvi Cinemas multiplex in central Riyadh with director Hiro Kaburagi and producer Hitoshi Ito in tow. The event marked the first time a Japanese helmer attended the...
- 3/26/2024
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Davis Simanis’s period drama Marijas Klusums (Maria’s Silence) centers on a real-life silent movie star in Soviet-era Russia, Maria Leiko, who thought she was untouchable when tricked into moving to Moscow in 1937, only to be murdered a year later by Stalin’s secret police.
And the Latvian film director — who is no stranger to actors — sees parallels between Leiko in Stalin’s Russia and Hollywood and foreign celebrities who became high-profile friends in more recent times with Vladimir Putin, until some of them broke with the Russian leader after he invaded Ukraine two years ago.
“They know how to pretend, they know how to play characters. So if a regime gives you a role, that role sometimes becomes you in a way,” Simanis says of buddies of Putin, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other autocrats around the world for whom make-believe comes easy as entertainers.
And the Latvian film director — who is no stranger to actors — sees parallels between Leiko in Stalin’s Russia and Hollywood and foreign celebrities who became high-profile friends in more recent times with Vladimir Putin, until some of them broke with the Russian leader after he invaded Ukraine two years ago.
“They know how to pretend, they know how to play characters. So if a regime gives you a role, that role sometimes becomes you in a way,” Simanis says of buddies of Putin, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other autocrats around the world for whom make-believe comes easy as entertainers.
- 2/16/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Johnny Depp has struck up a “bromance like no other” with Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aka Mbs, says a Vanity Fair profile.
And after getting a royal tour of the Saudi Kingdom, the Pirates of the Caribbean star is eyeing a possible seven-figure deal to become a global cultural ambassador as he shoots movies in the country.
“Though I admit I was somewhat naïve at first to what was transpiring in the region, I’ve since experienced firsthand the cultural revolution that is happening there,” Depp told Vanity Fair.
The magazine profile reveals Depp over the past year has spent around seven weeks in Saudi Arabia, touring the country and getting a firsthand look at its cultural renaissance led by Mbs.
“I’ve had the opportunity to meet people from various parts of the region who have been most welcoming in sharing with me their culture, their traditions,...
And after getting a royal tour of the Saudi Kingdom, the Pirates of the Caribbean star is eyeing a possible seven-figure deal to become a global cultural ambassador as he shoots movies in the country.
“Though I admit I was somewhat naïve at first to what was transpiring in the region, I’ve since experienced firsthand the cultural revolution that is happening there,” Depp told Vanity Fair.
The magazine profile reveals Depp over the past year has spent around seven weeks in Saudi Arabia, touring the country and getting a firsthand look at its cultural renaissance led by Mbs.
“I’ve had the opportunity to meet people from various parts of the region who have been most welcoming in sharing with me their culture, their traditions,...
- 2/14/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A Deus Ex videogame sequel has been cancelled by the Embracer Group, with 97 staff also laid off at developer Eidos Montreal.
At some point in the near future, there ought to be a book written about Swedish media company Embracer Group and its impact on the videogame industry.
For now, we’ll simply focus on the latest sorry episode in an ongoing saga: it’s been announced that Embracer has abruptly cancelled a Deus Ex game in development at Eidos Montreal – a project the studio had been working on for about two years. At the same time, 97 staff have been laid off – a figure later confirmed by Eidos Montreal in a statement.
“The global economic context, the challenges of our industry and the comprehensive restructuring announced by Embracer have finally impacted our studio,” Eidos Montreal wrote, as reported by Eurogamer. “The difficult decision has been made to let go 97 people from development teams,...
At some point in the near future, there ought to be a book written about Swedish media company Embracer Group and its impact on the videogame industry.
For now, we’ll simply focus on the latest sorry episode in an ongoing saga: it’s been announced that Embracer has abruptly cancelled a Deus Ex game in development at Eidos Montreal – a project the studio had been working on for about two years. At the same time, 97 staff have been laid off – a figure later confirmed by Eidos Montreal in a statement.
“The global economic context, the challenges of our industry and the comprehensive restructuring announced by Embracer have finally impacted our studio,” Eidos Montreal wrote, as reported by Eurogamer. “The difficult decision has been made to let go 97 people from development teams,...
- 1/30/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
Is the Saudi-Hollywood love affair back on?
Judging by the third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival, which wrapped on Dec. 9, the answer is yes. A parade of stars including Will Smith, Michelle Williams, Chris Hemsworth, Johnny Depp and Halle Berry made the pilgrimage to Jeddah even as the Israel-Hamas conflict raged just 700 miles north.
This year’s guest list signals a dramatic reversal in relations from five years ago, when Hollywood’s outrage campaign was in full swing following the murder of The Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the hands of Saudi government agents. In the aftermath, WME’s Ari Emanuel cut ties with the kingdom, returning its $400 million investment just six months after courting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to Los Angeles.
While enticing big-name talent this year generated positive publicity, the real Saudi mandate is to diversify the country’s economy beyond oil,...
Judging by the third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival, which wrapped on Dec. 9, the answer is yes. A parade of stars including Will Smith, Michelle Williams, Chris Hemsworth, Johnny Depp and Halle Berry made the pilgrimage to Jeddah even as the Israel-Hamas conflict raged just 700 miles north.
This year’s guest list signals a dramatic reversal in relations from five years ago, when Hollywood’s outrage campaign was in full swing following the murder of The Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the hands of Saudi government agents. In the aftermath, WME’s Ari Emanuel cut ties with the kingdom, returning its $400 million investment just six months after courting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to Los Angeles.
While enticing big-name talent this year generated positive publicity, the real Saudi mandate is to diversify the country’s economy beyond oil,...
- 12/13/2023
- by Tatiana Siegel
- Variety Film + TV
Neom is a burgeoning production and creative hub in northwestern Saudi Arabia featuring the largest soundstages in the country.
It is also the biggest purpose-built production facility in the region, with four stages currently operational and six more scheduled to go online by mid-2024, including a volumetric stage that captures three-dimensional space and video that can be viewed on flat screens, as well as using 3D displays and VR goggles. Plus, the Neom hub plans to grow its currently 350 units of accommodation to 500 by mid-year 2024.
With 26,500 square kilometers, the semi-autonomous Neom region is nearly the size of Belgium or Massachusetts and is designed to showcase an alternative way of living and working. For example, it is set to become the home of a futuristic car-less city called The Line, envisioned to accommodate 9 million people, to be zero-carbon and powered by renewable energy, namely solar and wind energy. There won’t be roads or cars,...
It is also the biggest purpose-built production facility in the region, with four stages currently operational and six more scheduled to go online by mid-2024, including a volumetric stage that captures three-dimensional space and video that can be viewed on flat screens, as well as using 3D displays and VR goggles. Plus, the Neom hub plans to grow its currently 350 units of accommodation to 500 by mid-year 2024.
With 26,500 square kilometers, the semi-autonomous Neom region is nearly the size of Belgium or Massachusetts and is designed to showcase an alternative way of living and working. For example, it is set to become the home of a futuristic car-less city called The Line, envisioned to accommodate 9 million people, to be zero-carbon and powered by renewable energy, namely solar and wind energy. There won’t be roads or cars,...
- 12/8/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Saudi Arabia is following in Middle East neighbor Qatar’s footsteps and will host the 2034 soccer World Cup.
In the past few hours, Football Australia has pulled out of the running, leaving Saudi Arabia the only nation bidding to host the global tournament in a decade’s time.
World football body Fifa had said the 2034 World Cup would be held in Asia or Oceania, and an Australian bid was regarded as the only potential challenger to Saudi Arabia.
The move means that the World Cup will be hosted in a middle eastern nation twice in the space of 12 years, following last year’s Qatar World Cup.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s Sports Minister, said the World Cup bid “constitutes an important and natural step in our journey as a country passionate about football”.
Amidst accusations of ‘sportswashing,’ Saudi Arabia has gone big on soccer in past months,...
In the past few hours, Football Australia has pulled out of the running, leaving Saudi Arabia the only nation bidding to host the global tournament in a decade’s time.
World football body Fifa had said the 2034 World Cup would be held in Asia or Oceania, and an Australian bid was regarded as the only potential challenger to Saudi Arabia.
The move means that the World Cup will be hosted in a middle eastern nation twice in the space of 12 years, following last year’s Qatar World Cup.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s Sports Minister, said the World Cup bid “constitutes an important and natural step in our journey as a country passionate about football”.
Amidst accusations of ‘sportswashing,’ Saudi Arabia has gone big on soccer in past months,...
- 10/31/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Sam Bankman-Fried will take the rare, and potentially precarious, step of testifying on his own behalf at his ongoing criminal fraud trial, The New York Times reports.
Bankman-Fried’s lawyer, Mark Cohen, confirmed the embattled Ftx founder’s plan to testify during a recent hearing with prosecutors and the judge overseeing the case (the trial has been on break since last Friday, Oct. 20). Bankman-Fried could take the stand as soon as tomorrow, Oct. 26, though an exact date is unclear. He’ll be called when the defense begins its case, which is expected to be soon,...
Bankman-Fried’s lawyer, Mark Cohen, confirmed the embattled Ftx founder’s plan to testify during a recent hearing with prosecutors and the judge overseeing the case (the trial has been on break since last Friday, Oct. 20). Bankman-Fried could take the stand as soon as tomorrow, Oct. 26, though an exact date is unclear. He’ll be called when the defense begins its case, which is expected to be soon,...
- 10/25/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Bret Baier’s recent Fox News interview with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took up less than 36 minutes on the cable outlet’s “Special Report.” Behind the scenes, preparations took months.
Baier spent time in the U.S. with Princess Reema, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, and made a special trip overseas to meet with various ministers and the head of state himself to test their rapport. “I went over on a flier,” says Baier during an interview in Fox News Channel’s New York offices. “I said there was not going to be any laying out of what the questions are, that it was going to be tough but fair. And we came to the end, and he said, ‘I think I’m going to do it.’ It took a few months after that to get it locked down.”
What Baier got was something of a surprise.
Baier spent time in the U.S. with Princess Reema, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, and made a special trip overseas to meet with various ministers and the head of state himself to test their rapport. “I went over on a flier,” says Baier during an interview in Fox News Channel’s New York offices. “I said there was not going to be any laying out of what the questions are, that it was going to be tough but fair. And we came to the end, and he said, ‘I think I’m going to do it.’ It took a few months after that to get it locked down.”
What Baier got was something of a surprise.
- 10/19/2023
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
In a country where women’s freedoms have historically been marginalized (a nationwide ban on female drivers was only lifted five years ago), new Mbc Studios boss Christina Wayne is determined to seek out the strongest female creative voices Saudi Arabia has to offer.
In her first major interview since replacing Peter Smith in February, American producer Wayne, who shepherded Mad Men and Breaking Bad for AMC Networks, tells Deadline how the Riyadh-based media giant is encouraging work from “across all genders” but lasering in on new female talent.
“We have lots of amazing female writers and directors in the region who are bringing us fabulous stories,” she says. “There are book series here with fanbases that are young and female, and they are surprisingly interested in fantasy and sci-fi.”
Despite being criticized for a litany of human rights abuses and ‘sportswashing’ claims, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has spearheaded...
In her first major interview since replacing Peter Smith in February, American producer Wayne, who shepherded Mad Men and Breaking Bad for AMC Networks, tells Deadline how the Riyadh-based media giant is encouraging work from “across all genders” but lasering in on new female talent.
“We have lots of amazing female writers and directors in the region who are bringing us fabulous stories,” she says. “There are book series here with fanbases that are young and female, and they are surprisingly interested in fantasy and sci-fi.”
Despite being criticized for a litany of human rights abuses and ‘sportswashing’ claims, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has spearheaded...
- 10/19/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
On a Wednesday afternoon in Sdny’s courtroom 26A, Caroline Ellison cried on the witness stand after reading a text message she had sent to Sam Bankman-Fried last November. It was Ellison’s second day of testimony against Bankman-Fried, her former boss and boyfriend, who faces seven counts related to fraud. “That was overall the worst week of my life,” she sobbed. “It’s something that had been in my mind every day, worrying about what would happen when the truth finally came out.”
Now, the truth is out. Ftx...
Now, the truth is out. Ftx...
- 10/12/2023
- by Tracy Wang
- Rollingstone.com
Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman gave a response to accusations of sportswashing against his country, saying he 'doesn't care'.
The de facto leader, known by the acronym Mbs, has overseen the colossal spending on sports since he rose to power six years ago, through the country's sovereign wealth fund - the Pif (Public Investment Fund) which has total estimated assets of over $700 billion.
This is a strategic investment in line with Vision 2030 - an ambitious plan that is expected to transform the Gulf kingdom from its dependence on fossil fuels. So far, it has forged ties with high-profile football players to play in their domestic league.
Besides owning an 80% stake in Newcastle United - an English-based football club, its investment extends beyond football to encompass the successful takeover of golf, hosting high-profile sporting spectacles such as Formula 1 and Wrestling. And of late, it has tested tennis hands.
The de facto leader, known by the acronym Mbs, has overseen the colossal spending on sports since he rose to power six years ago, through the country's sovereign wealth fund - the Pif (Public Investment Fund) which has total estimated assets of over $700 billion.
This is a strategic investment in line with Vision 2030 - an ambitious plan that is expected to transform the Gulf kingdom from its dependence on fossil fuels. So far, it has forged ties with high-profile football players to play in their domestic league.
Besides owning an 80% stake in Newcastle United - an English-based football club, its investment extends beyond football to encompass the successful takeover of golf, hosting high-profile sporting spectacles such as Formula 1 and Wrestling. And of late, it has tested tennis hands.
- 9/23/2023
- Tennis Infinity
A major transition at the top of a big company typically spells significant change. Just ask anyone who has worked for CNN while parent company WarnerMedia passed along to AT&T and then the new Warner Bros. Discovery.
But Fox News may — at least for now — remain as is, even though the network’s best-known backer, Rupert Murdoch, has signaled that he will step back from some parts of managing Fox Corp. and News Corp., handing the reins to his son, Lachlan, and becoming the companies’ chairman emeritus. Murdoch has vowed to remain active in matters of content, and people familiar with his management say it’s difficult to envision him not haggling over news cycles and Fox News Channel’s positioning on them.
To be sure, Fox News faces heady industry challenges. Linear TV audiences are shrinking, and with them, the leverage that media companies like Fox can use to...
But Fox News may — at least for now — remain as is, even though the network’s best-known backer, Rupert Murdoch, has signaled that he will step back from some parts of managing Fox Corp. and News Corp., handing the reins to his son, Lachlan, and becoming the companies’ chairman emeritus. Murdoch has vowed to remain active in matters of content, and people familiar with his management say it’s difficult to envision him not haggling over news cycles and Fox News Channel’s positioning on them.
To be sure, Fox News faces heady industry challenges. Linear TV audiences are shrinking, and with them, the leverage that media companies like Fox can use to...
- 9/21/2023
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Saudi Leader Mohammed Bin Salman Addresses Saudi Arabia’s Role In 9/11 Attacks In Fox News Interview
Fox News Bret Baier sat down with Saudi Arabian leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman tonight and, to Baier’s credit, asked some pointed questions which Mbs – as he is known – answered in turn with degrees of candor and deflection.
Among them were queries about the reported $2 billion the Kingdom invested with Jared Kushner shortly after Donald Trump left office, the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the normalization of ties with Israel, Liv Golf, Russia and, maybe most important to many Americans, the Saudi government’s role in the attacks of 9/11.
“Recently in the U.S., we remembered the 22nd anniversary of the 911 attacks,” Baier began. “As you know, 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis, and the 9/11 victims families, you know, they make their feelings clear, especially around the anniversary, that they believe there’s intelligence that somehow links the Saudi government to supporting or facilitating those hijackers. What do you say to those 9/11 families 22 years later?...
Among them were queries about the reported $2 billion the Kingdom invested with Jared Kushner shortly after Donald Trump left office, the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the normalization of ties with Israel, Liv Golf, Russia and, maybe most important to many Americans, the Saudi government’s role in the attacks of 9/11.
“Recently in the U.S., we remembered the 22nd anniversary of the 911 attacks,” Baier began. “As you know, 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis, and the 9/11 victims families, you know, they make their feelings clear, especially around the anniversary, that they believe there’s intelligence that somehow links the Saudi government to supporting or facilitating those hijackers. What do you say to those 9/11 families 22 years later?...
- 9/21/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Hasan Minhaj admitted to — and defended — making up stories in his stand-up sets in a new interview with The New Yorker.
The story outlines several fabrications peppered throughout Minhaj’s work, often in service of describing experiences of discrimination and threats of violence for speaking truth to power. It is not unheard of for comedians (or even memoirists) to tweak, exaggerate, or make-up certain details to ensure a joke lands, and Minhaj defended his choices, saying the stories he told were based on “emotional truth.”
He added: “The punch line is worth the fictionalized premise.
The story outlines several fabrications peppered throughout Minhaj’s work, often in service of describing experiences of discrimination and threats of violence for speaking truth to power. It is not unheard of for comedians (or even memoirists) to tweak, exaggerate, or make-up certain details to ensure a joke lands, and Minhaj defended his choices, saying the stories he told were based on “emotional truth.”
He added: “The punch line is worth the fictionalized premise.
- 9/15/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Hasan Minhaj says “all my standup stories are based on events that happened to me” after a new profile in The New Yorker found that some of the details in his onstage anecdotes, like those featured in his Netflix stand-up specials, may have been made up.
Stories that The New Yorker found didn’t necessarily play out as he presented them include jokes involving one of his children and their possible exposure to anthrax and an alleged interaction with police and an FBI informant at his family’s mosque when he was a teen.
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter responding to The New Yorker story, Minhaj said, “All my standup stories are based on events that happened to me. Yes, I was rejected from going to prom because of my race. Yes, a letter with powder was sent to my apartment that almost harmed my daughter. Yes, I...
Stories that The New Yorker found didn’t necessarily play out as he presented them include jokes involving one of his children and their possible exposure to anthrax and an alleged interaction with police and an FBI informant at his family’s mosque when he was a teen.
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter responding to The New Yorker story, Minhaj said, “All my standup stories are based on events that happened to me. Yes, I was rejected from going to prom because of my race. Yes, a letter with powder was sent to my apartment that almost harmed my daughter. Yes, I...
- 9/15/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Comedian Hasan Minhaj has admitted that many of the stories about racial discrimination the late night host built his career around are not true, a new expose in the New Yorker revealed.
These fabrications include a story about a FBI informant infiltrating his Sacramento Muslim community, a white powder that was sent to his home to scare his family and that Minhaj met with the Saudi Embassy to interview crown prince Mohammed bin Salman right before the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The New Yorker confirmed these stories were partially fabricated or at the very least exaggerated.
“Every story in my style is built around a seed of truth,” Minhaj said. “My comedy Arnold Palmer is 70% emotional truth — this happened — and then 30% hyperbole, exaggeration, fiction.”
The comedian went on to say “the emotional truth is first. The factual truth is secondary.”
Though Craig Monteilh was an FBI informant in an Orange County Muslim community,...
These fabrications include a story about a FBI informant infiltrating his Sacramento Muslim community, a white powder that was sent to his home to scare his family and that Minhaj met with the Saudi Embassy to interview crown prince Mohammed bin Salman right before the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The New Yorker confirmed these stories were partially fabricated or at the very least exaggerated.
“Every story in my style is built around a seed of truth,” Minhaj said. “My comedy Arnold Palmer is 70% emotional truth — this happened — and then 30% hyperbole, exaggeration, fiction.”
The comedian went on to say “the emotional truth is first. The factual truth is secondary.”
Though Craig Monteilh was an FBI informant in an Orange County Muslim community,...
- 9/15/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
In what’s being billed as the Saudi leader’s “first interview with a major American news network since 2019,” Fox News announced that Bret Baier will sit down with Mohammed bin Salman for a “no holds barred” conversation.
The pre-taped encounter with the controversial crown prince will cover a range of topics, including the future of the kingdom and its relations with the United States.
The latter is of special interest, given that the Saudis and the Russians agreed this year to an oil price cut that has sent futures prices for Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate, the benchmarks for crude oil, up 13% and 14%, respectively, and diesel prices up 40% since May.
More recently, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Ct) this week demanded communications and records from PGA Tour and Liv Golf regarding their planned merger. Liv Golf is financed by the Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which, Blumenthal says,...
The pre-taped encounter with the controversial crown prince will cover a range of topics, including the future of the kingdom and its relations with the United States.
The latter is of special interest, given that the Saudis and the Russians agreed this year to an oil price cut that has sent futures prices for Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate, the benchmarks for crude oil, up 13% and 14%, respectively, and diesel prices up 40% since May.
More recently, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Ct) this week demanded communications and records from PGA Tour and Liv Golf regarding their planned merger. Liv Golf is financed by the Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which, Blumenthal says,...
- 9/14/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
House Oversight Democrats are calling on committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) to use his subpoena power to investigate the foreign business dealings of Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner — an investigation Comer has been personally stalling for more than a year.
Since Republicans gained control of the House in 2022, Comer has focused the bulk of the Oversight Committee’s work on a sprawling probe into President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden.
But earlier this month, Comer himself acknowledged that Kushner had “crossed the line of ethics” in his foreign business dealings,...
Since Republicans gained control of the House in 2022, Comer has focused the bulk of the Oversight Committee’s work on a sprawling probe into President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden.
But earlier this month, Comer himself acknowledged that Kushner had “crossed the line of ethics” in his foreign business dealings,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
Fred Ryan, the publisher and CEO of The Washington Post for the past nine years, is stepping down.
Ryan announced to the staff that he is going to lead the Center on Public Civility for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
Jeff Bezos, the owner of the Post, said that Patty Stonesifer, a director of Amazon since 1997, will join the Post as interim CEO. Ryan will remain as publisher through Aug. 1 to provide a transition period.
“Patty has built and led great organizations,” Bezos wrote in a memo to staffers. “You’ll soon see for yourself why admire her. Her skills, judgement and character all stand out.” Bezos wrote that Stonesifer will help him identify the next publisher/CEO “who will take the Post forward into the next decade.”
In his memo to the staff, Ryan said that the Post during his tenure “have accomplished one of the most...
Ryan announced to the staff that he is going to lead the Center on Public Civility for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
Jeff Bezos, the owner of the Post, said that Patty Stonesifer, a director of Amazon since 1997, will join the Post as interim CEO. Ryan will remain as publisher through Aug. 1 to provide a transition period.
“Patty has built and led great organizations,” Bezos wrote in a memo to staffers. “You’ll soon see for yourself why admire her. Her skills, judgement and character all stand out.” Bezos wrote that Stonesifer will help him identify the next publisher/CEO “who will take the Post forward into the next decade.”
In his memo to the staff, Ryan said that the Post during his tenure “have accomplished one of the most...
- 6/12/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
The PGA Tour has agreed to merge with its former rival, the Saudi-backed Liv Golf, in one of the wildest about-faces in professional sports.
The new agreement will bring together the PGA Tour, Liv Golf, and the European Tour (also known as the Dp World Tour), with the deal being described in a press release as “a landmark agreement to unify the game of golf, on a global basis.” This new global golf conglomerate — which doesn’t have a name yet — is described as a “collectively owned, for-profit entity” that...
The new agreement will bring together the PGA Tour, Liv Golf, and the European Tour (also known as the Dp World Tour), with the deal being described in a press release as “a landmark agreement to unify the game of golf, on a global basis.” This new global golf conglomerate — which doesn’t have a name yet — is described as a “collectively owned, for-profit entity” that...
- 6/6/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
In a move that practically no one in the sports or broadcasting worlds saw coming, it was on Tuesday that the PGA Tour and Liv Golf will merge in an effort to promote golf around the world. The two rival tours will also unite with Dp World Tour — the PGA’s European Tour — to form a new commercial entity to promote all of the brands in order to deliver “maximum excitement and competition among the game’s best players,” according to a press release issued by the PGA Tour.
While the three tours will continue to exist and operate independently, Liv’s parent company Public Investment Fund (Pif) will make a capital investment into the new commercial enterprise, whose name will be announced at a later date. Pif is run and funded by Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has been accused of crimes against humanity and the brutal murder of Suadi-American journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
While the three tours will continue to exist and operate independently, Liv’s parent company Public Investment Fund (Pif) will make a capital investment into the new commercial enterprise, whose name will be announced at a later date. Pif is run and funded by Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has been accused of crimes against humanity and the brutal murder of Suadi-American journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
- 6/6/2023
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel went to town on CAA, said his company almost invested $1 billion in the new Liv Golf tour, and projected that COO Mark Shapiro will take over the company whenever Emanuel calls it quits.
The wide-ranging conversation with Freakonomics Radio host Stephen J. Dubner has just gone online as a podcast and will also air on public radio stations. (Listen Here.) Deadline was provided with a transcript in advance. In addition to covering a few newsy items, Dubner aimed to give listeners a sense of Emanuel’s day-to-day to arrive at his answer to a simple question: Is he enjoying himself?
“I’m having a meeting, getting on a plane to England, then going to Madrid, then coming back, then back to New York, then coming back, then going to Cannes. Then I’m going to Tokyo. Yeah. And I enjoy it,” Emanuel said. “So when I don’t enjoy it,...
The wide-ranging conversation with Freakonomics Radio host Stephen J. Dubner has just gone online as a podcast and will also air on public radio stations. (Listen Here.) Deadline was provided with a transcript in advance. In addition to covering a few newsy items, Dubner aimed to give listeners a sense of Emanuel’s day-to-day to arrive at his answer to a simple question: Is he enjoying himself?
“I’m having a meeting, getting on a plane to England, then going to Madrid, then coming back, then back to New York, then coming back, then going to Cannes. Then I’m going to Tokyo. Yeah. And I enjoy it,” Emanuel said. “So when I don’t enjoy it,...
- 6/1/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith and Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
“You wouldn’t know it existed unless you were told directly about it. You weren’t reading about it anywhere. There was nothing. It was a very closed-door experience.” There’s little that bonds people more than a shared secret. Saudi-born American producer Todd Nims underscores this as he recalls his earliest memory of the Saudi Film Festival, the country’s first and oft-described “most local” event of its kind.
Launched in 2008 in yhe Saudi Arts and Cultural Society (Sasca) — a small cultural center in the city of Dammam — in the beginning, it comprised just 80 or so filmmakers from across the country, a lot of them meeting for the first time after hearing about the gathering purely via word-of-mouth. The creation of the Dubai International Film Festival in 2007, followed by the Gulf Film Festival in 2008, also held in Dubai, somewhat jump-started the creation of Saudi’s own offering.
“I met...
Launched in 2008 in yhe Saudi Arts and Cultural Society (Sasca) — a small cultural center in the city of Dammam — in the beginning, it comprised just 80 or so filmmakers from across the country, a lot of them meeting for the first time after hearing about the gathering purely via word-of-mouth. The creation of the Dubai International Film Festival in 2007, followed by the Gulf Film Festival in 2008, also held in Dubai, somewhat jump-started the creation of Saudi’s own offering.
“I met...
- 5/19/2023
- by Becky Lucas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
There aren’t many politicians, on either side of the aisle, who have been harder on Mohammed bin Salman than Lindsey Graham. The South Carolina senator squarely blamed the Saudi Arabian crown prince for the 2017 murder of Saudi-born journalist and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi. “He is irrational, he is unhinged, and I think he has done a lot of damage to the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia, and I have no intention of working with him ever again,” Graham said a year later, shortly after the...
- 4/12/2023
- by Ryan Bort
- Rollingstone.com
No news would have been good news for the NCAA’s Pac-12 conference this week. Instead, a report from CBS outlined the difficulties the Pac-12 has been having in finding a broadcast partner that is willing to air more than 50% of its games.
Fewer games on broadcast TV means less exposure for school brands, making it more difficult to recruit top-flight players. The Pac-12’s media rights are set to hit the open market in 2024, and negotiations are being hampered by the fact that two of its most popular and recognizable schools — UCLA and USC — are leaving the conference in fall of 2024 for the Big Ten.
Reporting from The Athletic indicates even internal timelines for a broadcast deal have been thrown off. University of Arizona president Robert Robbins told that publication he thought a deal was mere weeks away in March, but now that estimate is being pushed back. Sources...
Fewer games on broadcast TV means less exposure for school brands, making it more difficult to recruit top-flight players. The Pac-12’s media rights are set to hit the open market in 2024, and negotiations are being hampered by the fact that two of its most popular and recognizable schools — UCLA and USC — are leaving the conference in fall of 2024 for the Big Ten.
Reporting from The Athletic indicates even internal timelines for a broadcast deal have been thrown off. University of Arizona president Robert Robbins told that publication he thought a deal was mere weeks away in March, but now that estimate is being pushed back. Sources...
- 4/7/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Welcome to Deadline’s International Disruptors, a feature where we’ll shine a spotlight on key executives and companies outside of the U.S. shaking up the offshore marketplace. This week, we’re sitting down with Wayne Borg, Managing Director of Media, Entertainment and Culture and Fashion at Neom, and he tells us how the Saudi Arabia-based media hub, which recently housed $140M epic Desert Warrior, is quickly ramping up its offerings to the film and television sectors.
Wayne Borg is not one to say no to a challenge. When the industry stalwart was approached to set up the media efforts of Neom, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious futuristic city that is the beating heart behind the country’s efforts to diversify its infrastructure, he considered it a “once in a lifetime” opportunity.
“To be part of the Neom vision and the scale of the ambition was something I just sort...
Wayne Borg is not one to say no to a challenge. When the industry stalwart was approached to set up the media efforts of Neom, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious futuristic city that is the beating heart behind the country’s efforts to diversify its infrastructure, he considered it a “once in a lifetime” opportunity.
“To be part of the Neom vision and the scale of the ambition was something I just sort...
- 2/23/2023
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
While in the White House, Donald Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner cultivated close ties with the Saudi regime, and it’s paying off in the form of billions of Saudi dollars flowing into the two men’s post-presidency businesses. This is raising questions about how Trump and Kushner may have used their positions in government to ensure they profited when re-entering the private sector. With Trump’s announcement he is running for president again, the Saudi ties present a potential major conflict of interest, The Washington Post reports.
“The...
“The...
- 2/12/2023
- by Peter Wade
- Rollingstone.com
The National Press Club has called on The CW‘s new owner, Nexstar, to “explain why they have partnered with the murderers of a journalist,” by allying with the Saudi-backed Liv Golf.
Nexstar announced on Thursday that it had inked a multi-year agreement for The CW to become Liv’s U.S. broadcast television and streaming home. As part of the deal, The CW will air 14 global Liv Golf League live events in 2023; weekend tourneys will air Saturdays and Sundays on The CW, and Fridays on The CW app.
More from TVLineThe CW to Add Golf (?!) as New Prez Attempts...
Nexstar announced on Thursday that it had inked a multi-year agreement for The CW to become Liv’s U.S. broadcast television and streaming home. As part of the deal, The CW will air 14 global Liv Golf League live events in 2023; weekend tourneys will air Saturdays and Sundays on The CW, and Fridays on The CW app.
More from TVLineThe CW to Add Golf (?!) as New Prez Attempts...
- 1/20/2023
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
San Francisco, Dec 15 (Ians) Former Twitter employee Ahmad Abouammo has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison after being convicted of spying for Saudi Arabia, media reported on Thursday.
He was sentenced in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, reports NBC News.
Abouammo was found guilty by a US court in August this year for accessing private information in the accounts of certain Twitter users, and providing that information to officials in Saudi Arabia.
Abouammo and Ali Alzabarah — two Twitter employees — and Saudi national Ahmed Almutairi, aka Ahmed Aljbreen, were charged in 2019 for acting as illegal agents of the Saudi government in the US.
Abouammo was also charged with destroying, altering, or falsifying records in a federal investigation.
In the trial, the prosecution argued that a prominent member of Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman’s government tapped Abouammo for help investigating his enemies.
He was sentenced in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, reports NBC News.
Abouammo was found guilty by a US court in August this year for accessing private information in the accounts of certain Twitter users, and providing that information to officials in Saudi Arabia.
Abouammo and Ali Alzabarah — two Twitter employees — and Saudi national Ahmed Almutairi, aka Ahmed Aljbreen, were charged in 2019 for acting as illegal agents of the Saudi government in the US.
Abouammo was also charged with destroying, altering, or falsifying records in a federal investigation.
In the trial, the prosecution argued that a prominent member of Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman’s government tapped Abouammo for help investigating his enemies.
- 12/15/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Saudi Arabian director talks filming a tale of survival in Neom.
One of only two Saudi titles in Competition at this year’s Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff), Mohammed “Moe” Alatawi’s feature debut Within Sand combines aspects of a road movie with the futuristic landscapes found in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, where it was shot.
It is ultimately a tale of survival for its lead character, a young man named Snam, played by newcomer Ra’ed Alshammari, who is ambushed by thieves in the deserted terrain and left with only a knife to fend for himself.
Within Sand...
One of only two Saudi titles in Competition at this year’s Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff), Mohammed “Moe” Alatawi’s feature debut Within Sand combines aspects of a road movie with the futuristic landscapes found in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, where it was shot.
It is ultimately a tale of survival for its lead character, a young man named Snam, played by newcomer Ra’ed Alshammari, who is ambushed by thieves in the deserted terrain and left with only a knife to fend for himself.
Within Sand...
- 12/9/2022
- by E. Nina Rothe
- ScreenDaily
Riyadh, Nov 4 (Ians) iPhone maker Foxconn and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund have formed a joint venture called ‘Ceer’ to build and sell electric vehicles.
The joint venture will license component technology from BMW to use in the vehicle development process.
Foxconn said in a statement that it will develop the electrical architecture of the vehicles which will lead to “a portfolio of products” in the areas of infotainment, connectivity and autonomous driving technologies.
By 2034, the new company expects to directly contribute 8 billion to Saudi Arabia’s Gdp, and to bring over 150 million of foreign direct investment.
It will create up to 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.
“Saudi Arabia is not just building a new automotive brand, we are igniting a new industry and an ecosystem that attracts international and local investments, creates job opportunities for local talent, enables the private sector, and contributes to increasing Saudi Arabia’s Gdp over the next decade,...
The joint venture will license component technology from BMW to use in the vehicle development process.
Foxconn said in a statement that it will develop the electrical architecture of the vehicles which will lead to “a portfolio of products” in the areas of infotainment, connectivity and autonomous driving technologies.
By 2034, the new company expects to directly contribute 8 billion to Saudi Arabia’s Gdp, and to bring over 150 million of foreign direct investment.
It will create up to 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.
“Saudi Arabia is not just building a new automotive brand, we are igniting a new industry and an ecosystem that attracts international and local investments, creates job opportunities for local talent, enables the private sector, and contributes to increasing Saudi Arabia’s Gdp over the next decade,...
- 11/4/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Riyadh, Nov 4 (Ians) iPhone maker Foxconn and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund have formed a joint venture called ‘Ceer’ to build and sell electric vehicles.
The joint venture will license component technology from BMW to use in the vehicle development process.
Foxconn said in a statement that it will develop the electrical architecture of the vehicles which will lead to “a portfolio of products” in the areas of infotainment, connectivity and autonomous driving technologies.
By 2034, the new company expects to directly contribute 8 billion to Saudi Arabia’s Gdp, and to bring over 150 million of foreign direct investment.
It will create up to 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.
“Saudi Arabia is not just building a new automotive brand, we are igniting a new industry and an ecosystem that attracts international and local investments, creates job opportunities for local talent, enables the private sector, and contributes to increasing Saudi Arabia’s Gdp over the next decade,...
The joint venture will license component technology from BMW to use in the vehicle development process.
Foxconn said in a statement that it will develop the electrical architecture of the vehicles which will lead to “a portfolio of products” in the areas of infotainment, connectivity and autonomous driving technologies.
By 2034, the new company expects to directly contribute 8 billion to Saudi Arabia’s Gdp, and to bring over 150 million of foreign direct investment.
It will create up to 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.
“Saudi Arabia is not just building a new automotive brand, we are igniting a new industry and an ecosystem that attracts international and local investments, creates job opportunities for local talent, enables the private sector, and contributes to increasing Saudi Arabia’s Gdp over the next decade,...
- 11/4/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Exclusive: Studiocanal, Entertainment 360 and The Picture Company have made deals to turn the 2021 documentary film The Lost Leonardo into a limited series. Gillian Weeks will write the script.
Directed by Andreas Koefoed, the docu explores the origin and surreal journey of the now famous painting called the “Salvator Mundi.” Discovered in an estate sale in Louisiana in 2005 by enterprising art dealers and purchased for 1000, the painting took on a life of its own when it was restored and authenticated as a true Leonardo Da Vinci. The authentication came from Dianne Modestini, a renowned art restorer and da Vinci expert.
After several real-life twists and turns that saw the painting travel through the underbelly of the international art world, it eventually sold at Christie’s auction house in New York for 450 million. That was the highest price ever paid for a piece of art, and it was purchased by Mohammed bin Salman,...
Directed by Andreas Koefoed, the docu explores the origin and surreal journey of the now famous painting called the “Salvator Mundi.” Discovered in an estate sale in Louisiana in 2005 by enterprising art dealers and purchased for 1000, the painting took on a life of its own when it was restored and authenticated as a true Leonardo Da Vinci. The authentication came from Dianne Modestini, a renowned art restorer and da Vinci expert.
After several real-life twists and turns that saw the painting travel through the underbelly of the international art world, it eventually sold at Christie’s auction house in New York for 450 million. That was the highest price ever paid for a piece of art, and it was purchased by Mohammed bin Salman,...
- 10/24/2022
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
“In comedy we talk a lot about ‘pushing the envelope,’ ” says Hasan Minhaj. “But sometimes the envelope pushes back.” He’s talking about the now-infamous episode of Patriot Act, his Peabody Award-winning talk show, that took aim at Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s alleged involvement in the Jamal Khashoggi murder. The full story behind that episode — which Netflix pulled from Saudi Arabia after receiving a legal threat — is one of the main topics of Minhaj’s new stand-up special, The King’s Jester (Netflix, Oct. 4). “For me, this whole special was an exploration of how I can clearly define what I’m willing to say now.”
The former Daily Show correspondent, 37, worked with director and Patriot Act co-creator Prashanth Venkataramanujam on the hourlong special. Jester began as what Minhaj describes as “comedy vomit,” coming to life through small pop-up shows...
“In comedy we talk a lot about ‘pushing the envelope,’ ” says Hasan Minhaj. “But sometimes the envelope pushes back.” He’s talking about the now-infamous episode of Patriot Act, his Peabody Award-winning talk show, that took aim at Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s alleged involvement in the Jamal Khashoggi murder. The full story behind that episode — which Netflix pulled from Saudi Arabia after receiving a legal threat — is one of the main topics of Minhaj’s new stand-up special, The King’s Jester (Netflix, Oct. 4). “For me, this whole special was an exploration of how I can clearly define what I’m willing to say now.”
The former Daily Show correspondent, 37, worked with director and Patriot Act co-creator Prashanth Venkataramanujam on the hourlong special. Jester began as what Minhaj describes as “comedy vomit,” coming to life through small pop-up shows...
- 9/29/2022
- by Seija Rankin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
President Joe Biden has arrived in London, where he will join other world leaders at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Monday.
The prime ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand are already in the UK for the ceremony, but the guest list for the funeral of the world’s longest-reigning monarch is proving to be controversial.
While many of the 500 names of heads of state and foreign dignitaries are as expected – French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Germany’s Frank-Walter Steinmeier all due to attend – there are some names that have caused a diplomatic headache.
Representatives from Russia, Belarus, Myanmar, Syria, Venezuela and Afghanistan have not been invited, while Iran, North Korea (Dprk) and Nicaragua have only been invited to send ambassadors instead of heads of state.
China’s President Xi Jinping was invited, but it will be his Vice President Wang Qishan who attends in his place.
The prime ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand are already in the UK for the ceremony, but the guest list for the funeral of the world’s longest-reigning monarch is proving to be controversial.
While many of the 500 names of heads of state and foreign dignitaries are as expected – French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Germany’s Frank-Walter Steinmeier all due to attend – there are some names that have caused a diplomatic headache.
Representatives from Russia, Belarus, Myanmar, Syria, Venezuela and Afghanistan have not been invited, while Iran, North Korea (Dprk) and Nicaragua have only been invited to send ambassadors instead of heads of state.
China’s President Xi Jinping was invited, but it will be his Vice President Wang Qishan who attends in his place.
- 9/18/2022
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
Twitter whistleblower Peiter Zatko described the company as a Wild West of unsecured data whose management consistently chose revenue and subscriber growth over security and privacy.
“Thousands of Twitter employees can access user data they don’t need access to to do their jobs. And if foreign assets work for Twitter, those foreign assets can also access the data,” he alleged Tuesday in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. “An employee could take over the accounts of all of the senators in this room.”
Last month, a former Twitter employee was found guilty of spying on Saudi dissidents using the social media platform to pass their personal information to an aide of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Zatko, known as “Mudge,” a hacker who served as Twitter’s head of security until he was fired in early 2022, said some Twitter employees were also concerned that the Chinese government could collect user data.
“Thousands of Twitter employees can access user data they don’t need access to to do their jobs. And if foreign assets work for Twitter, those foreign assets can also access the data,” he alleged Tuesday in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. “An employee could take over the accounts of all of the senators in this room.”
Last month, a former Twitter employee was found guilty of spying on Saudi dissidents using the social media platform to pass their personal information to an aide of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Zatko, known as “Mudge,” a hacker who served as Twitter’s head of security until he was fired in early 2022, said some Twitter employees were also concerned that the Chinese government could collect user data.
- 9/13/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
“We’re not taking sides in this,” said Tucker Carlson on his popular Fox News show last night, “but one of the biggest controversies in sports in many years is taking place between the PGA Tour and an upstart tour called Liv.”
Carlson then offered up an interview with Liv tour CEO and golf legend Greg Norman.
“Why is it so offensive to some American golf fans that you’re doing here?” the Tucker Carlson Tonight host asked.
“I don’t know. I really don’t really care, quite honestly. I really just want to grow the game of golf,” replied Norman. “We at Liv see that opportunity not just for the men but for the women. We at Liv see it for NCAA and younger generations. We at Liv see it as a pathway to opportunities for these kids to experience a new world out there. Liv is the future of golf.
Carlson then offered up an interview with Liv tour CEO and golf legend Greg Norman.
“Why is it so offensive to some American golf fans that you’re doing here?” the Tucker Carlson Tonight host asked.
“I don’t know. I really don’t really care, quite honestly. I really just want to grow the game of golf,” replied Norman. “We at Liv see that opportunity not just for the men but for the women. We at Liv see it for NCAA and younger generations. We at Liv see it as a pathway to opportunities for these kids to experience a new world out there. Liv is the future of golf.
- 8/2/2022
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Yet again, the only thing standing between former President Trump and a public stance is a signature on a check. At a Saudi-backed Liv Golf tournament, held at Trump’s Bedminster golf course Thursday, the former President told reporters that “nobody’s gotten to the bottom of 9/11,” signaling a reversal from Trump’s previous conviction that the Saudi government was responsible for the terrorist attack that killed nearly 3,000 Americans.
"Well, nobody's gotten to the bottom of 9/11, unfortunately, and they should have, as to the maniacs that did that horrible thing...
"Well, nobody's gotten to the bottom of 9/11, unfortunately, and they should have, as to the maniacs that did that horrible thing...
- 7/28/2022
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
President Joe Biden may have given Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman the fist bump seen ’round the world, but “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah had a good laugh Monday night imagining the other ways the two could have greeted each other.
“You know what Biden should have done if he didn’t want any controversy? He should have gone in for the handshake and then given him the psych,” Noah said, extending his hand before pulling it away quickly. “There’s no comeback from that. Devastating.”
While it didn’t exhibit the formality of a handshake between world leaders, Biden has come under fire for his fist bump with bin Salman, who U.S. intelligence officials have linked to the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
In the “Daily Show” segment, Noah was quick to note that he feels America “obsesses” over small political infractions, like...
“You know what Biden should have done if he didn’t want any controversy? He should have gone in for the handshake and then given him the psych,” Noah said, extending his hand before pulling it away quickly. “There’s no comeback from that. Devastating.”
While it didn’t exhibit the formality of a handshake between world leaders, Biden has come under fire for his fist bump with bin Salman, who U.S. intelligence officials have linked to the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
In the “Daily Show” segment, Noah was quick to note that he feels America “obsesses” over small political infractions, like...
- 7/19/2022
- by Katie Campione
- The Wrap
As Jimmy Kimmel’s summer vacation continues, Dana Carvey stepped in to take over hosting duties on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” for the week, and he opened his first monologue by catching fans up on some of his classic “Saturday Night Live” characters.
“Now, before we get going, a lot of you probably are wondering if I’m going to do any of my old impressions from ‘SNL.’ The honest answer is [in President George Bush Sr. voice] ‘Not gonna do it. Wouldn’t be prudent at this juncture,’” Carvey said to laughs as he trotted out his famed impression of the former commander in chief.
“Of course I’m going to do it,” he continued, confirming he was acquiescing to the wishes of the audience. “I often get asked to do my classic characters and people wonder — they think they’re still alive. What are they doing, right?”
Also Read:
‘Jimmy Kimmel...
“Now, before we get going, a lot of you probably are wondering if I’m going to do any of my old impressions from ‘SNL.’ The honest answer is [in President George Bush Sr. voice] ‘Not gonna do it. Wouldn’t be prudent at this juncture,’” Carvey said to laughs as he trotted out his famed impression of the former commander in chief.
“Of course I’m going to do it,” he continued, confirming he was acquiescing to the wishes of the audience. “I often get asked to do my classic characters and people wonder — they think they’re still alive. What are they doing, right?”
Also Read:
‘Jimmy Kimmel...
- 7/19/2022
- by Jolie Lash
- The Wrap
“The View“ hosts are at odds over Joe Biden’s decision to fist bump Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a meeting on Friday in Saudi Arabia to discuss oil prices and more. Biden has been criticized for the fist bump since the Saudi Crown Prince allegedly ordered the 2018 assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“This is a murderer. You don’t normalize a murderer by this fist bump,” Sunny Hostin said during Monday’s episode. “It was the photo op that he wanted and we’ve normalized these relationships.”
Hostin called the fist bump an “unforced error” on Biden’s part. When co-host Joy Behar asked if Biden really “normalized” Mohammed bin Salman by fist-bumping him, Hostin fired back, “Yes, absolutely. No, Joy, this is the rehabilitation that Mbs wants and Joe Biden gave that to him.”
“Well, let’s not forget that Trump was pals with Putin,...
“This is a murderer. You don’t normalize a murderer by this fist bump,” Sunny Hostin said during Monday’s episode. “It was the photo op that he wanted and we’ve normalized these relationships.”
Hostin called the fist bump an “unforced error” on Biden’s part. When co-host Joy Behar asked if Biden really “normalized” Mohammed bin Salman by fist-bumping him, Hostin fired back, “Yes, absolutely. No, Joy, this is the rehabilitation that Mbs wants and Joe Biden gave that to him.”
“Well, let’s not forget that Trump was pals with Putin,...
- 7/18/2022
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
The hosts of “The View” largely defended President Biden on Monday morning, after his fist bump with the Saudi Crown Prince went viral this weekend. But Sunny Hostin was the outlier at the table, scolding the president for “normalizing a murderer.”
As part of his trip to Saudi Arabia — which he faced criticisms for even going through with — Biden met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday. Shortly thereafter, images and video of the President fist-bumping the royal sparked outrage, considering Bin Salman ordered the 2018 assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
And for Hostin, that was the sticking point. She noted that she understood why Biden went to Saudi Arabia to begin with, as far as discussing oil prices, but argued that this particular meeting was “an unforced error.”
“This is a murderer. You don’t normalize a murderer by this fist bump,” Hostin said. “It was...
As part of his trip to Saudi Arabia — which he faced criticisms for even going through with — Biden met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday. Shortly thereafter, images and video of the President fist-bumping the royal sparked outrage, considering Bin Salman ordered the 2018 assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
And for Hostin, that was the sticking point. She noted that she understood why Biden went to Saudi Arabia to begin with, as far as discussing oil prices, but argued that this particular meeting was “an unforced error.”
“This is a murderer. You don’t normalize a murderer by this fist bump,” Hostin said. “It was...
- 7/18/2022
- by Andi Ortiz
- The Wrap
A counterterrorism special agent tonight talks about the lessons learned from the 9/11 attacks in the two-episode season finale of Inside The FBI: New York. Special Agent Frank Pellegrino has been part of the FBI’s counterterrorism division since 1992. After the World Trade Center bombing in 1993 he was given lead responsibility for the arrest of ring-leader Ramzi Yousef. He also spent a decade searching for Khaled Sheikh Mohamed, the mastermind of the September 11 attacks. In the first episode of Inside the FBI: New York tonight, titled Ground Zero to Chelsea, Pellegrino talks about how much things have changed...read more...
- 6/1/2017
- by Julian Cheatle
- Monsters and Critics
Last week I had a posting about the title of the new Mission Impossible movie, which is being shot in Dubai. Well, the Cruise machine has been hanging off the side of the worlds tallest building…the lunatic!! Seriously big set of balls, safety crews or not!! The Daily Mail (!) have some pictures of cruise dangling high above Dubai and also with the head honcho in Dubai, Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum! Take a peek…...
- 11/3/2010
- by vicbarry@gmail.com (Vic Barry)
- www.themoviebit.com
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