Latest news with #ChapmanUniversity
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Awards Chatter' Live Pod: Sean Evans on a Decade of ‘Hot Ones,' Buying the Show From BuzzFeed and Interviewing Secrets
Sean Evans, the host of YouTube's Hot Ones — an unconventional interview program that launched a decade ago advertising itself as 'the show with hot questions, and even hotter wings,' and has gone on to release 369 episodes that have attracted more than 4 billion views and featured the consumption of some 3,000 spicy chicken wings — is the guest on this episode of The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast, which was recorded in front of a journalism class at Chapman University. Hot Ones has been described by Vanity Fair as 'the closest thing the Internet has to a late-night talk show' and by the New York Times as 'a breakthrough pop-culture phenomenon' — the show has even been spoofed on Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons — while Evans, 39, has been hailed by Forbes as 'among the country's most revered interviewers' and by Bloomberg as 'the David Letterman of Generation YouTube.' More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Awards Chatter' Pod: Sissy Spacek on Her Collab 'Die My Love,' the 'New Hollywood' of the '70s and the Penises in 'Dying for Sex' YouTube Stays Atop TV Distributor Rankings in April In-Flight Entertainment: How a Live-Feed From LAX Became YouTube's Latest Hit Over the course of a conversation in front of — and eventually including — students enrolled in the Chapman University course 'The Art of the Interview,' Evans reflected on what was going on in his life and in journalism that resulted in the creation of Hot Ones for Complex's First We Feast blog, which was later acquired by BuzzFeed; how he prepares for and conducts interviews; what motivated and will result from the 2024 purchase, by Evans and a consortium of others, of Hot Ones from Buzzfeed for $82.5 million; how he feels about Hot Ones becoming eligible for Primetime Emmys in the same categories as the traditional late-night talk shows that inspired him as a kid; plus much more. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Los Angeles made big promises for the Olympics. Can it deliver by 2028?
LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles officials brimmed with confidence a decade ago as they urged the International Olympic Committee to make the city the first in the U.S. to host the Summer Olympics since 1996. 'Follow the sun,' they said in the official bid for the Games in 2015. Los Angeles promised terrific weather, a $1 billion Olympic Village to house athletes, a state-of-the-art transit system that would allow for a car-free Olympics and a ready-to-go network of stadiums and arenas. But three years before the opening of the 2028 Summer Olympics, those ambitious promises have been scaled back, supplanted by obstacles that are threatening to undercut preparations for an event that would test this city's wits and resources even in the best of times. Los Angeles is struggling to recover from the calamitous fires in January, and is girding for a shortage of workers and supplies just as preparations for the Games reach their height. The city government is confronting a projected deficit of nearly $1 billion, and the mayor is facing the threat of a tough reelection campaign. The Trump administration has been antagonistic to this overwhelmingly Democratic city and state, raising concerns about whether the federal government will come through on all of the $4 billion in funding promised for Olympics security and transportation. Economists fear that a recession may be on the horizon that could, along with the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, dampen ticket sales from overseas visitors. 'I assume they are competent enough to pull it off -- we have the infrastructure built,' said Joel Kotkin, a fellow in urban studies at Chapman University in Orange County. 'But I can't for the life of me see why you would want to put your effort there. Given what the city and the region now face, why would you want to put more stress on it?' The city's mayor, Karen Bass, and Casey Wasserman, chair of the Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee, said they were confident the Games would be a success and a needed boost for the city, as it recovers from the wounds of this past year. 'Our goal as an Olympics is to make LA a better city than it was before the Olympics,' Wasserman said. Still, Bass acknowledged there were reasons for worry: that the fires might divert the attention of city officials from the Olympics; that President Donald Trump might cut off urgently needed funds; that the federal crackdown on immigration, along with the competition for workers, could create a last-minute crunch. 'I think it is appropriate to be concerned,' Bass said in an interview. 'It just presents us challenges that we have to overcome. But what I'm often reminded of is the condition of the city in 1984, in '83, when we were in a very, very serious recession, and the economic outlook was very, very bleak. And we were able to come out of it in a major way.' The 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles were widely hailed as a triumph, in no small part because of Peter Ueberroth, the sports executive who was the chair of the Los Angeles Olympics, as well as Tom Bradley, who served as the mayor from 1973 to 1993. Ueberroth was named man of the year by Time magazine based on the success of that Olympics. From the Super Bowl to the Oscars, Los Angeles has plenty of experience with high-profile spectacles. The city will also host World Cup matches in 2026 and the Super Bowl in 2027. City officials said those would amount to a practice run for the monthlong back-to-back Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Summer Games will far exceed those other major events in scope, attendance and duration. The Games will cost close to $7 billion to stage, and are expected to draw more than 10,000 athletes and potentially millions of tourists, all of whom have to be housed, fed and moved to over 40 venues across the vast expanse of the Los Angeles region. 'The Olympics is hosting seven Super Bowls a day for 30 days,' Wasserman said. The success of 1984 was invoked by Eric M. Garcetti, who was the city's mayor from 2013 to 2022, as he pitched the Olympics to the world while seeking to reassure many of his constituents that the Games would be a lift for Los Angeles' economy and global reputation. But that vision presented by Garcetti and other city officials 10 years ago proved, in many cases, to be more ambitious than the final plan. The $1 billion Olympic Village, which would have been turned into permanent housing, was abandoned because of its cost; the athletes will instead be housed at dormitories at the University of California, Los Angeles. The volleyball competition will take place at the Alamitos Beach in Long Beach, rather than on the beach at Santa Monica, famous for its pier and Ferris wheel. The Santa Monica city government, facing a projected five-year deficit, backed out. Canoe slalom, originally envisioned to be played at Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area in Encino, a 30-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles, has been moved 1,300 miles away to Oklahoma City, where an established slalom canoe venue course is already in place. And it has become clear that one of the central selling points of locating the Games in Los Angeles -- the events would be staged at existing venues without massive amounts of construction -- also means there will be little visible legacy of the 2028 Games. 'LA is not quite ready to be a mega-event capital and welcome all these people,' said Alissa Walker, editor of Torched, a newsletter examining the city's preparations for the Olympics. 'And what do we get out of it?' In their original bid, Los Angeles officials -- aware of the city's reputation for traffic -- raised the idea of this being a car-free Olympics. Early plans pledged to have '100% of ticketed spectators travel to competition venues by public transport, walking or cycling.' Now, Bass and Wasserman have played down the notion of a carless Olympics. 'What is meant by that is not that there will be no cars during the Olympics, but that if you want to go to a venue, take public transportation,' Bass said. 'It's going to be too difficult to support a car.' Some of the transit improvements envisioned a decade ago have not been completed. Monica Rodriguez, a Los Angeles City Council member who traveled to Paris last year for the Olympics and who is a frequent critic of Bass, said the Olympics preparations have been 'a little behind.' As an example, she pointed to one unfinished part of the region's $120 billion rail expansion plan: the East San Fernando Light Rail. Those transit projects that will be completed, including an electric train, or people mover, on a 2.25-mile track serving Los Angeles International Airport, will meet the Olympic deadline because the original 2024 date of the Games slipped to 2028. (Los Angeles originally bid for the 2024 Games; the IOC, in an unusual dual announcement, gave the 2024 Games to Paris and the 2028 Games to Los Angeles). Jules Boykoff, a government and politics professor at Pacific University in Oregon who has written extensively about the Olympics, said that Los Angeles was facing a 'triple whammy' as host of these Games: the fires, the budget crisis and the 'Trump wild card factor.' Any one of those factors, he said, could complicate preparations for the Olympics. 'Every hour that City Hall staff puts toward the Olympics really doesn't go toward wildfire recovery,' Boykoff said. Paul Krekorian, who is overseeing the city's role in preparing for the Olympics, said the fires would not distract from the city's efforts. He, too, noted that the nation was mired in the Great Depression leading up to the 1932 Olympics, which Los Angeles also hosted, and a recession before the 1984 Olympics. 'We're used to having to deal with challenges and succeeding despite that,' Krekorian said. For Los Angeles officials who are struggling with the city's own financial problems, a key question is whether Wasserman's committee will meet its target of raising $7.1 billion in corporate sponsorships, contributions and ticket sales. Should it fall short, the city will be responsible for covering the first $270 million of any gap, with the state -- facing its own $12 billion deficit -- responsible for the next $270 million. Wasserman said he had obtained commitments of $5.1 billion from benefactors and corporate sponsors and was confident that the rest of the $7.1 billion would come in ticket sales. Asked about the committee's fundraising efforts, Bass responded: 'We will be ready for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and we expect that LA28 will be successful in its fundraising efforts.' Her predecessor, Garcetti, said that he attended the 1984 Olympics at the age of 13 and watched Carl Lewis, the track and field star, deliver one of the best performances of his career. (He won four gold medals that year.) Garcetti said he was as confident that the Summer Games would be a success as he was when he campaigned for them years ago. He predicted that Los Angeles would be able to use the stage of the Olympics to present a story of recovery. 'LA is the city of comeback stories,' Garcetti said. 'It's a script that writes and rewrites itself. Forget the Olympics. Whether it's earthquakes, riots, civil unrest, fires. The rising from the ashes -- quite literally this time -- is the story waiting to be told.' This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Copyright 2025
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
From a Civil War Sex Scandal to the Depths of Pearl Harbor: New Documentary Brings Astonishing Wartime Letters to Life
Behind the Lines is a new documentary narrated by Annette Bening featuring selections from the Center for American War Letters brought to life by stars including Laura Dern, Common and Michael C. Hall. The documentary was selected by Ken Burns to be screened at this year's Gettysburg Film Festival. Behind the Lines will receive a wide release this a soldier, a letter holds a meaning that's hard to comprehend for anyone who hasn't worn the uniform. It's more than a message — it's a fragile thread connecting them not only to loved ones, but also to a fleeting sense of normalcy. Over the last 250 years, U.S. servicemen and women have sent an estimated one billion pieces of correspondence. Some were scrawled on delicate parchment, others typewritten with military precision and still more tapped out on computer screens. Andrew Carroll treasures them all. As the founding director of the Center for American War Letters, he's spent decades traveling the world on a mission to preserve these messages from those who've witnessed warfare firsthand. It began when he obtained a note written by his cousin James Carroll Jordan, an American soldier who chronicled the horrors he witnessed at the newly liberated Buchenwald concentration camp after the fall of the Nazis. 'Keep it,' Jordan told him, 'I probably would have thrown it out.' Fearing that many other vets would feel similarly about these firsthand accounts, Carroll felt moved to act. Since 1998, the collection has grown to over 100,000 letters, which is now housed at Chapman University. More than just a priceless historical archive, it's an ever-evolving, expanding monument to the men and women who served their country. The earliest entries date back to the Revolutionary War. Some of the lines capture hilariously mundane moments of humanity. 'Mom, for the last time,' writes one exasperated serviceman, 'Please don't send any more underwear — just letters!' Others are steeped in gallows humor, like the soldier who reported, 'Today there's a rather determined effort from a German sniper to erase me from the company roster.' And some reflect on the incomprehensible scale of violence with haunting introspection:'It seems so strange to feel that a power is inexistent that can hurl masses of men against each other in deadly conflict, slaying each other by the thousands, mangling and deforming their fellow men. It's almost impossible. Who permits it?' Sometimes the letters themselves tell stories that transcend words. One, pulled from the body of a Confederate soldier killed at the 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville, is splotched with mud and blood. Another, carried by a man fighting in the campaign at Anzio during World War II, bears a hole from the bullet that struck the soldier in his back. (Miraculously, he survived.) Carroll's quest to preserve these letters has formed the basis of the New York Times bestselling book Behind the Lines: Powerful and Revealing American and Foreign War Letters – and one Man's Search to Find Them, which has been made into a documentary by filmmaker John B. Benitz, a theater professor at Chapman. Narrated by Annette Bening, the film features letter readings by a star-studded cast including Laura Dern, Common, Michael C. Hall, Rachel Bloom, Gary Cole and many more. 'I see these letters as kind of the first draft of not just national history but world history. They're kind of the world's great undiscovered literature,' Carroll says in the film. 'They show us not just what war looks like, but what it feels like.... I have come to this realization that you can never fully convey it. But at least if there's an understanding of what this person has been through, I think that can change society.' Behind the Lines was selected by Ken Burns to be screened at the Gettysburg Film Festival this May in advance of a wider release later this summer. Below are just a few of the extraordinary stories included in the documentary, all culled from these historic letters. The new owners of a home in Seattle were stunned to discover the firsthand account of the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Ensign William Czarko was trapped deep in the bowels of the USS New Orleans, which was moored at Battleship Row on that fateful morning having its engines repaired. 'Dear sis, it's now 9:05 Sunday morning and we've been bombed now for over an hour.... Our anti-aircraft guns are yammering, and every so often a bomb strikes so close as to rock this ship. We're helpless down here in the forward engine,' he writes. 'A man just brought us our gas masks. I don't know why I'm writing this because if we're hit with a bomb they won't find enough of me, let alone this letter. I imagine it's to show myself I can be calm under fire. A few of the boys here are white-faced, their voices hushed and choked. They know this is no joke or mock battle but the real stuff.' Czako survived the attack and went on to fight in the Pacific. He received an honorable discharge in 1945 before working at a shipyard in Norfolk for more than 30 years. Among the most heartbreaking items in the archive are letters written the same day the author was killed. These include an audio tape made by 21-year-old Lance Corporal Aaron Austin for his fiance, Tiffany, just hours before his death in Fallujah on April 26, 2004 — five months before he was due to be discharged. Speaking into a small recorder, Austin reflected on the uncertainty of the mission ahead and shares a mix of fear, love and hope for a future he would never get to see. 'I don't know what's gonna happen. Last time was pretty crazy. At least I got to talk to you and tell you I love you. I want you to know how much I appreciate you standing by my side how you have out here. All the letters, all the pictures,' he said. 'It's crazy constantly getting shot at. But it's second nature reaction to it now, so… Don't worry about me, just keep your head up, I can't wait to get back, lay in bed with you and hold onto you. I can't wait to start the family with you. I'll be there, and I won't leave again. I have no doubt things will work out.... Just take care of yourself there. Take care of my mom. Sounds like you guys kind of take care of each other, that's awesome. Five months… five months.' Those dreams ended hours later. According to his mother, De'on Austin-Miller, who spoke with the medic who held her son in his final moments, Aaron's last word was a whispered 'Please.' A letter she wrote to him, intended to arrive during his deployment, never made it in time. After his death, she added a postscript. 'I miss you Aaron, with all of me, all of the time. I was, am, and will always remain so very proud of you. I just never believed your time would come before mine. But son, you know we are forever.… And how good it will be to see you again. Mom.' War always puts a strain on romantic relationships, but the separation imposed by military service creates more than just emotional distance. For couples torn apart by long deployments, the absence of physical intimacy could become unbearable — sometimes with dramatic consequences. In 1863, a Civil War soldier known as 'John N.' wrote a notably candid letter to President Abraham Lincoln requesting a discharge. The reason? Marital betrayal. 'Mr. Lincoln. When this war broke out, I went right in — I did,' he began. But during a furlough, he discovered his wife had been 'diddling other men. And I would like to have a discharge, for she diddles all the time.' To make matters worse, he added, 'she's got the clap, which I now have got, too.' Pleading with the president to let him return home permanently, he closed with a flourish: 'If you do what I say, I for you will pray.' The request was ultimately approved. More than 50 years later, the anguish of enforced celibacy was still being felt. In January 1917, a German woman known as 'Mrs. S.' penned a desperate letter to her husband's commanding officer during World War I. 'Although my husband has only been in the field for four months,' she wrote, 'I would like to ask you to grant him a leave of absence. Mostly because of our physical relationship. I would like to have my husband at least once for the satisfaction of my natural desires. I just can't live like this anymore.' Following this, she promised, she could then endure the war 'until we are victorious.' Her request, unlike John N.'s, was denied. On July 11, 1944, Private First Class George Saito, a Japanese-American soldier, wrote a letter to his father — who was, at the time, imprisoned in a U.S. internment camp. Like more than 100,000 other Japanese Americans, George's father had been forcibly relocated by the U.S. government under suspicion of divided loyalty following the attack on Pearl Harbor. 'Dear Dad,' George's letter began. 'I believe the War Department has notified you of our loss of Calvin. I have just learned of his passing. On the 6th of July, his unit was attacking a hill held by the enemy. Cal, being the radioman, somehow got a call through to the artillery to open fire on the enemy, and he personally directed and guided the firing, which routed them. His action — doing his job well at this one instance — saved many of his buddies. He happened to be one of the unlucky ones. All the fellows were telling me what a good soldier he was, and that his loss was keenly felt.' Then, in a moment of quiet defiance and pride, George urged his father not to give in to bitterness: 'Dad, this is not the time to be preaching to you, but in spite of Cal's supreme sacrifice, don't let anyone tell you he was foolish or made a mistake to volunteer. From what I've seen in my travels on our mission, I'm more than convinced that we're doing the right thing. In spite of what has happened in the past, America is a damn good country. Cheer up, Dad, and take care of yourself.' Three months later, George Saito was killed in action. Read the original article on People
West Australian
25-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Budget opportunity to build homes not barriers
Perth's allure as a desirable and prosperous city is increasingly being overshadowed by the stark reality that the city is facing a growing housing crisis. The recently published Demographia International Housing Affordability report by Chapman University was the latest instalment of poor news for property buyers, with Perth ranked as the 18th most unaffordable city for housing globally. This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need for action. As the State Government finalises its 2025-26 budget, it's time to move beyond short-term fixes and embrace a comprehensive long-term vision for housing. One of the most pressing needs is a significant and strategic investment in infrastructure. We can't expect to accommodate a growing population without providing the essential services and connections which support thriving communities. This goes beyond laying more pipes and paving more roads. It requires a holistic approach to planning, which prioritises projects connecting new communities to employment hubs and providing access to quality education and healthcare. We must also embrace innovative solutions, such as smart grids and sustainable water management, to ensure the long-term viability of our infrastructure investments. Beyond infrastructure, we must also carefully consider the impact of taxes and charges on the cost of housing. While government revenue is essential for funding public services, we need to be mindful of the potential consequences of policies which add to the financial burden of building and buying homes. Are we inadvertently discouraging development or making it more difficult for young families and first-time buyers to enter the market? A thorough and transparent review of our tax system is warranted, with a focus on streamlining processes, reducing restrictions to housing mobility – like stamp duty – and incentivising responsible development which meets the diverse needs of our growing population. This review should also consider the potential for tax incentives to encourage the development of more affordable housing options such as apartments and townhouses. Finally, we must address the inefficiencies plaguing our planning system. Delays and red tape can add significant costs to development, driving up the price of housing and making it less accessible. Planning reform requires a commitment to streamlining approval processes, reducing bureaucratic hurdles and fostering greater collaboration between government, industry and the community. By investing in infrastructure, reforming our tax system and streamlining our planning processes, we can create a city where everyone can find a safe, secure and affordable place to call home. The upcoming budget presents a crucial opportunity to make this vision a reality but it requires a commitment to long-term planning, strategic investment, and a willingness to embrace bold and innovative solutions.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hilary Swank Inspires Graduates at Chapman University's 2025 Commencement Ceremony
President Daniele C. Struppa Delivers Final Commencement Address After 19 Years of LeadershipDownload High Resolution Photos Here Download Broadcast Quality Video and Sound Here ORANGE, Calif., May 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Under the lights of Wilson Field, more than 8,000 attendees listened as two-time Academy Award-winning actress and producer Hilary Swank delivered a heartfelt and inspiring keynote address to Chapman University's Class of 2025 on Friday evening, May 23. Swank's remarks emphasized perseverance, purpose, and compassion as she spoke to over 2,600 graduating students, including more than 750 earning advanced degrees. Drawing from her acclaimed career and personal experiences, Swank offered words of encouragement and challenge, urging graduates to embrace their individuality and create impact in their communities and professions. Her remarks were a powerful call to embrace vulnerability, authenticity, and creative perseverance. She spoke to the universal feeling of being an outsider, urging graduates to reframe setbacks as fuel for transformation and to connect through storytelling, empathy, and bold individuality. Her journey – from a trailer park to an Oscar stage – underscored that your beginnings don't define your potential, rather it's how we transform adversity into drive that defines our success. 'It doesn't matter what your career path is,' said Swank. 'It could be wildly creative or methodically linear. There's a language in there that will allow you to connect with people, to improve lives beyond your own, unearth it and become fluent. It will change your perspective on your career when you need it most, and if practice to fluency, it will change your life and the lives around you.' Swank was also awarded an honorary Doctor of the Arts degree in recognition of her artistic achievements and philanthropic work, including her leadership of The Hilaroo Foundation, which connects foster youth with rescue animals. The ceremony also marked a historic moment in Chapman University's history, as President Daniele C. Struppa delivered his final Commencement address before retiring from the presidency in September and returning to the mathematics faculty. Over the course of 19 years, Struppa's visionary leadership helped transform Chapman into a nationally recognized institution with thriving programs in the arts, sciences, business, and beyond. In his farewell to the Class of 2025, he reflected on the deeper purpose of education and the legacy he hopes to leave with every graduate. 'We are here to honor the hard work and the tenacity that brought you to this moment, to toast your future and incredible achievements to come,' Struppa told students. 'But it's a chapter in your lifelong journey to learning, and as you look towards the future, a future that may not yet be clear, please know that you are ready to face the challenge.' Swank joins an esteemed list of past Chapman commencement speakers including comedian, actor, writer and director Bill Hader, award winning actress, director and executive producer Angela Bassett and Nobel Peace Laureate Nadia Murad. With the No. 4 film school in the country, Chapman frequently attracts top talent in the entertainment industry to its Orange campus. About Chapman University Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university in Orange, California, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles. Chapman serves nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students can choose from over 100 areas of study within 11 colleges for a personalized education. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 'high research activity' institution. Students at Chapman learn directly from distinguished world-class faculty including Nobel Prize winners, MacArthur fellows, published authors and Academy Award winners. The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest and most prestigious honor society. Chapman also includes the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. The university features the No. 4 film school and No. 66 business school in the U.S. Learn more about Chapman University: Media Contact: Bob Hitchcock, Director of Strategic Communications | rhitchcock@ | Mobile: 407-388-4657 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
