Latest news with #ColdOpen
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Paramount Could Violate Anti-Bribery Law If It Pays to Settle Trump's ‘60 Minutes' Lawsuit, Senators Claim
Three prominent U.S. senators warned Paramount Global and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone that they might be breaking a federal anti-bribery law if they agree to settle President Trump's lawsuit against CBS over a '60 Minutes' segment. In a letter addressed to Redstone that was posted publicly, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) cited reports that Paramount has been in settlement talks with Trump's lawyers in the case. The Trump suit, which seeks at least $20 billion in damages, alleges CBS's '60 Minutes' deceptively edited an interview with Kamala Harris and thereby violated a Texas consumer protection law. Paramount and CBS have argued that they did nothing wrong; in a motion to dismiss Trump's suit Paramount called the legal action 'an affront to the First Amendment' that is 'without basis in law or fact.' CBS News has maintained that the '60 Minutes' broadcast and promotion of the Harris interview was 'not doctored or deceitful.' More from Variety CBS News Chief Wendy McMahon Steps Down, Citing Conflicts With Paramount Trump Heads to the Middle East, Falls in Love With Saudi Crown Prince in 'SNL' Cold Open: 'I Love the Arabs! Get Me to Allah's Country!' Trump Calls Bruce Springsteen 'Not a Talented Guy,' 'Dried Out Prune' and 'Dumb as a Rock,' as American Federation of Musicians Denounces Presidential Attacks on Springsteen, Taylor Swift Now, the senators wrote in the letter dated May 19, 'Paramount appears to be walking back its commitments to defend CBS's First Amendment rights.' They said they were writing 'to express serious concern regarding the possibility that media company Paramount Global (Paramount) may be engaging in improper conduct involving the Trump Administration in exchange for approval of its megamerger with Skydance Media' — and the senators suggested any monetary settlement in the case could be illegal. 'Under the federal bribery statute, it is illegal to corruptly give anything of value to public officials to influence an official act,' the senators wrote. 'If Paramount officials make these concessions in a quid pro quo arrangement to influence President Trump or other Administration officials, they may be breaking the law.' A copy of the letter is at this link. Warren and Sanders were among nine senators who urged Redstone in a May 6 open letter to not settle the lawsuit, calling it 'an attack on the United States Constitution and the First Amendment.' A spokesperson for Paramount declined to comment but referred to the company's previous statement saying: 'This lawsuit is completely separate from, and unrelated to, the Skydance transaction and the FCC approval process. We will abide by the legal process to defend our case.' A rep for Redstone declined to comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. SEE ALSO: The $8 billion Paramount-Skydance deal is currently pending FCC approval. Earlier this month, Trump-appointed FCC chairman Brendan Carr said the approval of Paramount-Skydance is not connected to the president's '60 Minutes' lawsuit; last November, he had said Trump's CBS lawsuit was 'likely to arise in the context of the FCC review of [the Paramount-Skydance] transaction.' On Monday, CBS News president Wendy McMahon announced her resignation, writing in a memo to staff 'It's become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward.' That came less than a month after '60 Minutes' executive producer Bill Owens quit, also citing conflicts with Paramount execs. Warren, Sanders and Wyden drew a connection between the exits of McMahon and Owens and the Trump lawsuit: 'Paramount's scheme to curry favor with the Trump Administration has compromised journalistic independence and raises serious concerns of corruption and improper conduct,' they wrote. In the letter to Redstone, the senators requested answers to specific questions regarding the situation by June 2, including 'Does Paramount believe the lawsuit filed by then-candidate Trump against CBS has merit?', 'Has Paramount evaluated the risk of shareholder derivative litigation from settling the lawsuit?'; and 'Has 60 Minutes made changes to its content at the request of anyone at Paramount to facilitate approval of the merger?' The three senators also asked pointedly: 'Does Paramount have any policies and procedures related to compliance with 18 U.S.C. 201 and any other laws governing public corruption? If so, please provide a copy of those policies and procedures.' Trump, on his Truth Social social media account last month, said his lawsuit against CBS was 'a true WINNER' and falsely claimed that Paramount, CBS and '60 Minutes' admitted to committing 'this crime' of deceptively editing Harris' answer. Trump alleged '60 Minutes' edited the interview to eliminate her 'bad and incompetent' response to a question about whether Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is 'listening to the Biden-Harris administration.' Trump asserted the version of the '60 Minutes' interview that aired 'cheated and defrauded the American People at levels never seen before in the Political Arena.' The senators' letter to Redstone was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Fans' fury as SNL cold open mocks Trump's first '100 years in office'
Fans were left furious by Saturday Night Live 's cold open that mocked President Donald Trump 's first '100 years in office'. The sketch comedy kicked off its show with Trump, played by James Austin Johnson, as he poked fun at his first 100 days in office, instead referring to them as his first '100 years'. 'My bad! Hi, hello. It's me your favorite president and perhaps your next pope. Conclave,' Johnson said, referring to Trump posting an image of himself dressed as the late pope just a week after the Catholic leader died. 'Well, it's been 100 years since I became president. Excuse me. Days. Wow. Feels longer, but people are saying that what I've done so far has single-handedly helped win people elections, mostly in Canada,' he went on. The skit then went on to discuss Trump's busy start to his second term, including the parodied president quickly signing a slew of executive orders - seemingly mocking the commander-in-chief for signing off on more than 100 orders in a little over three months. 'I've also signed 147 executive orders, everything from banning paper straws to defunding PBS,' Johnson said before touching on the Trump administration's mass deportation plans. 'I understand Elmo has now been apprehended by ICE. Brought to you by the letter L for El Salvador. He's not coming back,' he added. After watching the show, many were left unimpressed by the skit, as one said: 'Garbage not even funny.' 'So much material yet every week this falls flat,' wrote another angered viewer. 'Please, just one Cold Open that is actually funny and not obliterating our president,' another commented. Someone else said: 'Again. Mocking Trump in same old boring ways.' While many were left disappointed by the skit, others thought it was quite comical and accurate. One wrote: 'An snl skit that's actually kinda funny? What is this 2012??' 'Omg out of all the comics, this is by far the funniest Trump impersonation imo,' said another. A user commented: 'I thought this was a good sketch.' During the sketch, SNL had fake Trump sign a couple more orders, including one that would make it 'socially acceptable for a man in his 70s to date a 24-year-old' - a jab at former Patriots coach Bill Belichick's relationship with his young girlfriend Jordan Hudson. 'Old men can now date far younger women. We like that, it's hot. But in reverse, it's quite disgusting, right? Very Dateline, you know,' Johnson said, calling it the 'Belichick law'. Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, played by Mikey Day, stood next to Trump as he rapidly signed more orders in the skit. The proposed orders also included, bringing back Columbus Day, reducing the number of interracial couples in TV commercials, a pardon for Harry Potter author JK Rowling, and an order to 'outlaw ghosts'. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, played by Marcello Hernandez, then joined them in the Oval Office. 'Come on in, little Marco. You're gonna love this,' Johnson said. After Hernandez joined, parodied Trump introduced a new order that would 'forbid all Hispanic babies from getting their ears pierced.' 'Sorry, little Maricela. Sorry, Valentina. It's clip-ons for you from now on, alright? I mean, we got grown white American tweens trying to get into Claire's, and they gotta wait behind a thousand tiny Latina babies to get their ears pierced,' he continued. The sketch ended with a sharp jab at the country's growing economical concerns, as Johnson was handed an executive order to shorten the word recession to 'recess.' 'Recession will now be called recess. Fun, right? So, America, get ready for a historically long recess. I call tetherball,' he quipped. The mention comes right after the president signaled that he was 'OK' if the U.S. fell into a recession, while also noting the country is 'gonna do fantastically'. SNL was also slammed after making a sordid joke about Elon Musk's 'pull out game' over the weekend. The NBC comedy series faced backlash after comedian Michael Che delivered a bold joke about the tech billionaire during the 'Weekend Update' segment. The skit involved Che taking aim at Musk's recent announcement about stepping back from his duties in the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) federal agency. He then made a crude reference to the billionaire's personal life and 'pull out game' that left some viewers outraged. 'Elon musk announced that he will step back from his role with DOGE,' the co-host said. 'But as always Elon pulled out a little too late.' The joke was referencing the 'pull out' method of contraception - a pointed jab at Musk, who is the father of 14 children. Users slammed the show in the comments with one writing: 'Even Weekend Update is bad this week. Sad.' 'SNL is so f***ing hyper-liberal!!! Bring back the good old days with people like the original cast!' another wrote.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
SNL takes a savage dig at Bill Belichick's May-December relationship with Jordon Hudson: "Make Girlfriends Young Again"
Bill Belichick's relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson sparks SNL satire, media criticism, and public debate, while the couple remains unfazed and focused on their future. (Credit: SNL/NBC and Getty Images) Bill Belichick may be a master strategist on the football field, but his off-field relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson has made him the punchline of late-night satire and the subject of media debate. The couple's 49-year age gap was recently spotlighted on the May 3 episode of Saturday Night Live , in a segment that blended politics with pop culture mockery. SNL cold open hilariously roasts Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson's eyebrow-raising 49-year age gap In the episode's Cold Open, James Austin Johnson's portrayal of Donald Trump, joined by Mikey Day's Stephen Miller, introduced a fictional executive order titled 'The Belichick Law.' 'Sir, this order will make it socially acceptable for a man in his 70s to date a 24-year-old,' Day's Miller quipped, to which Johnson's Trump replied, 'That's right, we're calling it 'The Belichick Law.' We're going to make girlfriends young again.' Trump's character doubled down, adding, 'Old men can now date far younger women. We like that. It's hot! But in reverse, it's quite disgusting, right? Very 'Dateline.'' The live audience responded with roaring laughter, cementing Belichick and Hudson's romance as comedic fodder for the masses. Trump Executive Orders Cold Open - SNL Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn How Smart Traders Use Data to Navigate Volatile Markets News Portal Try Now Undo But while the sketch amused viewers, not everyone found the situation funny. Former NFL insider Peter King expressed his discomfort on the Sports Media with Richard Deitsch podcast, stating, 'Bill's got to get a hold of himself here. He's got to get a hold of this situation. This is embarrassing. It's totally embarrassing for a guy who's as great at his job as he is.' Despite public scrutiny, those close to the couple paint a different picture. A source told PEOPLE magazine that Belichick is unfazed by the criticism. 'He's never been happier than he is with Jordon. She brings a positive energy, and people haven't seen him this relaxed and laidback in a while.' The insider added that Belichick, who met Hudson on a flight to Palm Beach in April 2021, continues to enjoy a strong bond with her. Their relationship has, however, drawn further attention following a tense moment during a CBS Sunday Mornings interview on April 27. When journalist Tony Dokoupil asked how they met, Hudson quickly shut the question down, saying, 'We're not talking about this.' Dokoupil later described her as a 'constant presence' throughout the taping. Belichick soon clarified the situation, issuing a statement that defended Hudson's reaction: 'She was not deflecting any specific question or topic but simply doing her job to ensure the interview stayed on track.' He further elaborated, 'Some of the clips make it appear as though we were avoiding the question of how we met, but we have been open about the fact that Jordon and I met on a flight to Palm Beach in 2021.' Meanwhile, Hudson is pursuing her own ambitions as she prepares to compete once again in the Miss Maine Pageant on May 10, representing Hancock. After securing second place in 2024, she's determined to take the crown this year. As the media storm continues to swirl, the couple appears committed to focusing on their bond—critics, skits, and pageants notwithstanding. Also Read: Will Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and Donald Trump spark chaos at the Kentucky Derby amid heated immigration debate?
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'SNL' Cold Open turns Trump's 100 days into a bizarre executive order bonanza
President Donald Trump has officially crossed the 100-day mark in office for his second term — an occasion that feels less like a milestone and more like a never-ending fever dream. To honor the moment, Saturday Night Live kicked things off with a Cold Open featuring James Austin Johnson's pitch-perfect (and deeply weird) impression of the president. SEE ALSO: Trump casts himself as pope in AI-generated image Much like FDR, but in exactly one, extremely specific way, Trump has a deep affection for signing executive orders. Sure, legally and constitutionally, some of Trump's executive orders have been little more than glorified press releases (like that time Trump made everyone female), but SNL Trump's executive orders veer into absurdist fun. Among the highlights from the Cold Open is an order reinstating Columbus Day — something that real Trump plans to do, even though it's already a federally recognized holiday. Another, dubbed the "Belichick Law," makes it socially acceptable for men over 70 to date women barely out of college. Then there's the one demanding fewer interracial couples in TV commercials, and another aimed at making the New York Times Connections game easier (honestly, we get it, Mr. President). Oh, and one executive order bans Hispanic babies from getting their ears pierced. Trump, of course, blames that one on Marco Rubio. There are a few more gems in the sketch we won't spoil — but what makes the satire hit differently is the gnawing feeling that, yeah… he might actually try some of this. And that's the part that's not so funny.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'SNL' Pokes Fun at Bill Belichick and Girlfriend Jordon Hudson's 49-Year Age Gap: 'We're Going to Make Girlfriends Young Again'
poked fun at Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson's relationship, and 49-year age gap, during the May 3 episode In the Cold Open, James Austin Johnson reprised his parody of President Donald Trump to sign the fake "Belichick Law" that would "make girlfriend's young again" Belichick, 73, and Hudson, 24, first met in April 2021 Saturday Night Live took aim at Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson's relationship. During the Cold Open of the May 3 episode, which was hosted by Quinta Brunson and saw Benson Boone perform as the musical guest, James Austin Johnson reprised his parody of President Donald Trump. At one point, Johnson's Trump poked fun at the age gap between Belichick, 73, and his 24-year-old girlfriend Hudson while signing off on a new executive order inspired by the couple. Mikey Day, playing Stephen Miller, the president's deputy chief of staff, said, 'Sir, this order will make it socially acceptable for a man in his 70s to date a 24-year-old," which prompted Johnson to respond, "That's right. We're calling it 'The Belichick Law.' We're going to make girlfriends young again." 'Old men can now date far younger women. We like that. It's hot! But in reverse, it's quite disgusting, right? Very Dateline," he added. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! Related: Bill Belichick 'Doesn't Care' About Criticism of His Relationship with Jordon Hudson (Exclusive Source) Belichick and Hudson first met in April 2021, and they later made their red carpet debut at The Museum Gala in December 2024. A source recently told PEOPLE that the football coach has 'never been happier" three years into his relationship with Hudson, and the couple are still going strong. "Bill doesn't care about all the talk surrounding his and Jordon's relationship," said the insider. "He's never been happier than he is with Jordon. She brings a positive energy, and people haven't seen him this relaxed and laidback in a while." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Related: Bill Belichick Is 'Totally Hypnotized' by Jordon Hudson, Source Says (Exclusive) The couple recently drew criticism after Hudson shut down reporter Tony Dokoupil's question about how they met during Belichick's interview with CBS Sunday Mornings on April 27. "We're not talking about this," Hudson told Dokoupil, 44, after he posed the question to Belichick. The journalist described Hudson as a "constant presence" during the segment taping. Belichick later released a statement defending Hudson, saying, "She was not deflecting any specific question or topic but simply doing her job to ensure the interview stayed on track.' "Some of the clips make it appear as though we were avoiding the question of how we met, but we have been open about the fact that Jordon and I met on a flight to Palm Beach in 2021,' he continued. Saturday Night Live airs weekends on NBC. Read the original article on People
