Latest news with #DunKings
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Matt Damon, Ben Affleck were ‘flabbergasted' after meeting Jordon Hudson, insider says
It turns out that viewers weren't the only ones confused by Jordon Hudson's presence in a Dunkin' Super Bowl commercial alongside Bill Belichick. A couple of her famous co-stars were as well. In a recent discussion with Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, journalist Pablo Torre shed some light on what he described as bizarre negotiations to make the DunKings commercial happen. Torre reports that Hudson was acting as Belichick's agent. Torre, the host of 'Pablo Torre Finds Out,' has been notably plugged in with the Belichick-Hudson relationship. 'She was negotiating directly with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who were, I am told very reliably, flabbergasted that this was who they had to go through to get to the guy that they revered for decades as the greatest coach of all time,' Torre said. Affleck and Damon both grew up in Massachusetts and have been vocal about their New England sports fandom. They're plenty familiar with the former Patriots coach, who was famously media savvy in terms of keeping his life private. That's why it's been especially jarring to see Belichick and Hudson so open about their public and professional relationship with his girlfriend (and rumored fiancée). Torre described Hudson as 'kind of Bill Belichick's 'momager,' a mom/manager akin to Kris Jenner figure, the architect behind the Kardashian-Jenner media empire. Torre noted that Affleck and Damon were thrown off by Hudson's role in negotiations, but pushed on to secure Belichick's spot in the commercial. However, the North Carolina coach didn't come alone. Hudson reportedly 'forced' her way into an on-screen role in the Super Bowl ad. Hudson's appearance on TV screens in the Super Bowl was one of many catalysts that vaulted her into the national conversation as one half of the most talked-about relationship in football. QB Joe Milton says Patriots trading him was a 'blessing' for 4 reasons Bill Belichick has tried to land Jordon Hudson '6-figure' jobs, insider says Jabrill Peppers has amusing recollection of first meeting with Mike Vrabel Veteran starter impressed with Patriots rookie safety Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon ‘Still Marvel' at Jordon Hudson Crashing Dunkin' Super Bowl Commercial: Report
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have worked with just about every actor in Hollywood, but there's one former costar they can't stop talking about: Bill Belichick's girlfriend, Jordon Hudson. Affleck, 52, starred in a Dunkin' Super Bowl commercial earlier this year alongside a bevy of Boston-affiliated celebrities, including former New England Patriots head coach Belichick. Damon, 54, has also appeared in the Dunkin' cinematic universe, teaming up with Affleck, Tom Brady and others to form the 'DunKings,' an Avengers-like group of Dunkin' enthusiasts. In the ad that aired during Super Bowl LIX in February, Belichick, 73, appeared alongside his girlfriend, Hudson. As it turns out, Hudson, 23, wasn't supposed to be in the commercial at all — until she started working her magic. All the Wildest Claims and Revelations From Podcast Deep Dive Into Jordon Hudson and Bill Belichick 'She was the one negotiating with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who had no idea what was happening,' journalist Pablo Torre alleged Monday, May 12 on the 'Ovies and Giglio' podcast. 'She appointed herself Bill Belichick's agent, got into the commercial, got paid.' Torre, 39, added, 'Affleck and Damon, I can very safely say to you, still marvel at this today.' Us Weekly has reached out to Affleck and Damon for comment. Belichick and Hudson's relationship was analyzed in a deep dive on Torre's own podcast, 'Pablo Torre Finds Out,' last week. As he reported on Monday, the Dunkin' commercial was really the catalyst for stories about Hudson to come out of the woodwork. 'The floodgates opened behind the scenes in terms of, 'You think that's crazy, you should hear about this,'' Torre explained. 'When that started happening, when this came to be a story not about an age gap relationship, but a story about power being wielded very clumsily behind the scenes, I just pulled on every available thread.' Torre initially broke the news of how Hudson weaseled her way into the Super Bowl commercial on an episode of his podcast in February. 'Jordon has represented herself as [Belichick's] de facto agent,' Torre alleged at the time. 'The person that you need to go through to book Bill Belichick for a Super Bowl commercial, or for the other commitments that he has as a multi-platform personality. She's the gateway.' Torre continued, 'In this case, what I have been told reliably, is that Jordon happened to then use that power to be in the commercial, as well.' Hudson's influence over Belichick has allegedly become a point of concern for his family. Unearthed Pageant Video Calls Jordon Hudson's Real Age Into Question On Torre's episode about the couple's relationship last week, he reported the Belichicks are 'extraordinarily concerned' about Hudson. Us Weekly has reached out to Belichick and Hudson for comment. Torre spoke to a 'Belichick family source' who said there is allegedly 'deep worry for how detrimental Jordon can be for not just North Carolina but Bill's legacy, reputation — everything he has built and worked for over decades.' The Belichick family has reportedly started 'digging into' Hudson's past on their own.
Politico
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Only kind of joking
SOUTHIE SMACKDOWN — Top pols gathered in Boston Sunday for state Sen. Nick Collins' annual beatdown/cringefest St. Patrick's Day political breakfast — and a chance to air their barely-simmering grievances. Here's what you missed: NOTE QUITE OFF TO THE RACES — With a deep bench of Democrats all with nowhere to go, one of the main themes of the morning was everyone's ambitions for higher office. Senate President Karen Spilka joked about state Auditor Diana DiZoglio challenging Gov. Maura Healey for governor (prompting DiZoglio to hold up a 'false' sign, (Trump joint-address style). Boston mayoral hopeful Josh Kraft said he'd gladly vote for Mayor Michelle Wu … for a Senate seat. And DiZoglio and Healey herself joked about the first-term governor's perceived national ambitions after recent interviews with The New York Times, Seth Meyers and political podcaster Molly Jong-Fast. TARGET PRACTICE — Wu and Kraft had one of their first face-to-face confrontations since the son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft officially got in the race last month. Wu roasted Kraft for his family wealth and his father's connections to President Donald Trump. Kraft responded with some playful and pointed ribbing of his own, knocking Wu over bike lanes and the $650,000 tab for lawyers who helped her prep for her testimony before the House Oversight Committee in D.C. GRUDGE MATCH — DiZoglio brought down the house with remixed renditions of pop songs pushing for — what else — her audit of the state Legislature. 'It's me, Hi! I'm the problem, it's me. On your … dime — everybody agrees,' DiZoglio belted to the tune of Taylor Swift's 'Anti-Hero.' That's a line Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano can probably agree with. MISSING IN ACTION — Notably absent from the lineup: any members of the state's congressional delegation. Rep. Stephen Lynch, who represents South Boston, was on a congressional mission in Switzerland, Collins said during the event. GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy St. Patrick's Day. Another no-show at Sunday's breakfast: the Dunkin tracksuits Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll first broke out at last year's reception. 'We are a nation of laws, not of DunKings or DunkQueens,' Healey said, paraphrasing a line from former President John Adams. 'So you won't be seeing me in the outfit ever again.' TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and First Lady Joanna Lydgate visit Boston's Children Hospital to highlight the impact of cuts to National Institutes of Health funding at 2:40 p.m. Secretary of State Bill Galvin hosts a viewing of Revolutionary War-era artifacts that will be on display as part of the Revolution 250 Commonwealth Museum exhibit at 11 a.m. in Dorchester. State Auditor Diana DiZoglio speaks at the Massachusetts Municipal Auditors and Accountants Association Conference at 8:45 a.m. in Amherst. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attends the South Boston Citizens Association's Evacuation Day event at 9:30 a.m. in South Boston and joins the East Boston Senior Center's St. Patrick's Day celebration at noon in East Boston. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@ DATELINE BEACON HILL SHELTER SHIFT — Gov. Maura Healey rolled out regulations Friday lowering the limit on the number of families in the state's emergency shelter system from 7,500 to 5,800 and following through on reforms laid out in the supplemental budget she signed last month. As of May 6, there were roughly 5,500 families in state-run shelters, according to a report from the state's housing office. As of Friday, those seeking shelter are required to consent to criminal background checks, and anyone convicted of a serious crime (murder, arson, kidnapping, rape) in the last three years will be ineligible for emergency shelter. Read the regulations. — 'Massachusetts is increasingly becoming the target of Republican ire,' by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: 'President Donald Trump's administration and Congressional Republicans are increasingly targeting Massachusetts over immigration policies and alleged antisemitism at institutions of higher education. From Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's testimony in Washington on the city's so-called 'sanctuary status' to investigations into local colleges and universities, federal lawmakers and officials in the Trump administration are setting their sights on the Bay State. The latest salvo from conservatives on immigration came in the form of Sen. Ted Cruz's threat to subpoena the Massachusetts Port Authority in an effort to produce information on the migrants that slept at Logan International Airport during the height of new arrivals.' — 'Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey rewards, punishes communities with MBTA zoning law,' by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald: 'The Healey administration is rolling out $8.7 million to Massachusetts cities and towns complying with the controversial MBTA zoning law while withholding previously committed grant funds from resistant communities. Gov. Maura Healey has rewarded 10 municipalities following the state's orders by enacting zoning plans compliant with the MBTA Communities Act. At the same time, her administration continues to be taken to court. — 'Faculty unions seek more money for public colleges,' by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: 'A coalition of college faculty unions is calling on state leaders to carve out more money from the millionaires' tax to offset anticipated federal cuts to public higher education funding. Gov. Maura Healey wants to pump at least $2.5 billion into facilities at the University of Massachusetts, state universities and community colleges over the next decade to modernize campuses by building new labs, classrooms and training facilities that support fields like web development, robotics and advanced manufacturing.' — 'Mass. lawmakers don't have to follow the public records law. Few of them say that should change,' by Matt Stout and Anjali Huynh, The Boston Globe: 'Massachusetts state legislators say they are creating a new era of openness on Beacon Hill. They want to make more votes public, better explain the bills they're proposing, and make changes that promote, as one Democrat put it, 'extreme transparency.' Very few, however, say they are inclined to embrace another basic requirement: that the Legislature, like the vast majority of public bodies in Massachusetts and its legislative counterparts nationwide, provide records when the public asks for them.' THE RACE FOR CITY HALL — 'William Reichelt to seek fourth term as West Springfield mayor,' by Michael Ballway, The Springfield Republican: 'Closing in on a decade as mayor, William Reichelt says he still has work to do. 'I love this job,' he said when asked about his plans to run for reelection this year to a fourth term. 'It's been a blast these past 10 years. We've done a lot.' He pointed to infrastructure projects at various stages of planning — a new police station, a new Fausey School, extensions of bike lanes and multi-use paths — as well as steps he has championed to make West Springfield's roads safer, such as lane reductions and speed humps.' PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — 'West-East Rail funding uncertain under Trump administration,' by Mitch Fink, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'President Donald Trump's return to office has raised questions about the future of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding Massachusetts secured for its West-East Rail plan with suggestions the administration may place a greater emphasis on birth and marriage rates and immigration policy.' DAY IN COURT — 'Judge orders U.S. Customs officials into court to answer for RI doctor's deportation,' by Tom Mooney, The Providence Journal: 'A federal judge has ordered U.S. Customs and Border officials to respond Monday at a hearing before him to allegations they 'willfully' disobeyed his order not to deport a Rhode Island doctor until he could review her case. On Friday U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin, in Massachusetts, issued an order that Dr. Rasha Alawieh, 34, who had been detained at Logan Airport on Thursday after returning from visiting family in Lebanon, not be deported without giving the court 48 hours notice.' KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION — ''Musk is killing veterans': Mass Rep. Moulton tells packed town hall,' by John L. Micek, MassLive: 'Tech billionaire Elon Musk is cutting a destructive path through the middle of the federal government, and the damage will take a deadly toll on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton told constituents at a town hall on Saturday.' LISTEN — Rep. Jake Auchincloss joined Puck's 'Impolitic' podcast for lengthy conversation on the government shutdown situation, Trump's trade policies, House Speaker Mike Johnson's leadership and more. POLL POSITION — A poll conducted by the Republican-aligned firm Advantage Inc. for the Fiscal Alliance Foundation pitted Rep. Jake Auchincloss against Sen. Ed Markey in a hypothetical Senate matchup. The results? A statistical tie with lots of respondents still undecided. Of those surveyed, 25.25 percent said they would support Markey, while 24.5 backed Auchincloss, within the poll's margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. But but but: The poll surveyed 800 likely Bay State voters, not just those likely to participate in a Democratic primary. It was conducted from March 6-12. FROM THE 413 — 'No one likes uncertainty: Here's how Trump's proposed tariffs on Canadian lumber will impact the Berkshires' housing market,' by Claire O'Callahan, The Berkshire Eagle. THE LOCAL ANGLE — ''To cultivate a culture of excellence': Saucier sworn in as Worcester police chief,' by Craig S. Semon, Telegram & Gazette. — 'Unanimous decision: Provincetown School Committee chooses Paul Teixeira as superintendent,' by Desiree Nikfardjam, Cape Cod Times. — 'Norfolk County sheriff in Washington to discuss funding for mental health programs,' by Imani Clement, WCVB. HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, former MassGOP Chair Jim Lyons, Daniel Bellow, Cam Charbonnier, Amber Jamanka and Jeremy Comeau.
Boston Globe
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Meet Vito Giacalone, the 11-year-old from Gloucester featured in DunKings 2 Super Bowl ad
'Forget them suckas,' Affleck claps back, in a thick Boston accent. 'Matt Damon and Tom Brady don't have the heart of a champion. We got a new squad, DunKings sequel! Afflecks and Belichick.' An exasperated Vito rubs his head as Affleck shouts 'DunKings!' and pumps his fist in the air, while Casey Affleck and Belichick make halfhearted fist pumps. Advertisement In the DunKings 2 ad, Vito Giacalone, 11, can't believe that Matt Damon and Tom Brady aren't part of the DunKings. Lia Giacalone/courtesy photo It was game on as the DunKings, dressed in bright pink-and-orange tracksuits, competed against rival chains in the 'JavaJam Battle of the Coffee Brand Bands.' Vito, sixth-grader at O'Maley Innovation Middle School in Gloucester, watched the amusing commercial with his family and 'a lot' of friends at their home Sunday night. 'We had a big Super Bowl party with my family,' Vito, who wore his DunKings tracksuit for the party, said in an interview Monday night. '[There were] 20 kids, [and] 50 people in total.' Vito wore his DunKings 2 tracksuit during Sunday's Super Bowl with his family at their Gloucester home. Lia Giacalone/courtesy photo Vito hails from a long line of Gloucester fishermen. His father, Vito, and uncles, own a wharf in the famed port. Vito and his mother, Lia, sent in an audition tape for the commercial at the end of December, Lia said in a phone interview with the Globe. 'It was literally an audition recording from my phone,' Lia said. 'And his headshot was his school photo.' The 11-year-old submitted his school photo as his head shot to casting directors. Lia Giacalone/courtesy photo They got a call back to meet with the directors in early January, and he was told he got the role and flew out to Los Angeles a few days later, Lia said. 'I auditioned for it, and next thing you know I'm on a plane to L.A.,' Vito said. Shortly after they arrived, Vito said that he and his family had to be evacuated from the area, near Sunset Hill, due to the raging wildfires. 'The production team was awesome, they relocated us, and we only got pushed out a couple of days and then we finally got to film,' Vito said. Advertisement When Vito met Ben Affleck, he said the Oscar winner complimented the boy's audition video. 'Ben saw my films and he said, 'Oh, I saw your films, they were awesome,'' Vito said. He said he also got to toss a football around with the Affleck brothers. 'They were so cool, and they were so funny,' Vito said. 'I never expected their personalities to be so kind, they were so kind to me.' Among the other celebrities he got to meet was Belichick. Vito said he got to shake hands with the former Patriots coach. 'He was very serious,' Vito said. 'All he said was, 'nice to meet you,' and I said nice to meet you back. 'I was so excited to meet him because I'm a Patriots fan,' Vito said. 'I was starstruck.' Watching the commercial, which also features Boston-born actor Jeremy Strong of Succession fame, was a special moment for Vito. 'I was blown away, it was so cool,' Vito said. Prior to the DunKings commercial, Vito said his only other role was a Bert in a school production of Mary Poppins, but he said he would like to continue his acting career. 'I'd love to,' Vito said. Vito in the arms of actor Ben Affleck, with Boston-born actor Jeremy Strong dressed as Paul Revere, in a scene from DunKings 2: The Movie, a 7-minute production on YouTube. It was not featured in the Super Bowl commercial promoting Dunkin'. Lia Giacalone/courtesy photo Adam Sennott can be reached at
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Super Bowl commercials: Watch these 2025 memorable ads
The Brief Many Super Bowl commercials went for easy laughs and nostalgia in an effort to stand out to the millions of viewers watching. Ben Affleck brought back the DunKings for Super Bowl LIX, while British singer Seal appeared as a literal seal for Mountain Dew. Some of the roughly 80 ad spots during the big game cost a record $8 million for 30 seconds this year. While the Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs in this year's Super Bowl, some commercials also stole the show, with many going for easy laughs and nostalgia in an effort to stand out to the millions of viewers watching. Ben Affleck brought back the DunKings for Super Bowl LIX, while British singer Seal appeared as a literal seal in a Mountain Dew ad spot, and Vin Diesel starred in Häagen Dazs' ad as his "Fast & Furious" character. Actor Glenn Powell, comedian Nate Bargatze, and singer Shaboozey also appeared in various commercials. The backstory Tim Calkins, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, explained to the Associated Press how this was a complicated Super Bowl for advertisers. Most ads were in development during the U.S. presidential election race last fall, so avoiding controversy was even more of a priority than usual, Calkins noted. The finalized batch of Super Bowl commercials featured a lot of simple humor, nostalgia and a few creative risks – but even that approach can backfire. "That's the challenge this year. Everybody wants to be safe, but you also want to be interesting," Calkins said. "Safe advertising isn't the advertising you notice or remember." By the numbers Standing out is important to advertisers who pay big bucks for a spot during the Super Bowl. Some of the roughly 80 ad spots during the big game cost a record $8 million for 30 seconds this year. Dunkin' Affleck, a Boston native, brought back the DunKings ad for Super Bowl LIX for Dunkin', but he was missing Matt Damon and Tom Brady. Instead, Affleck was joined by his brother, Casey Affleck, and former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson. The commercial also featured other cameos, including Jeremy Strong – who is seen dunking himself into a barrel of coffee grounds to get into character. Watch the nearly 7-minute version here. Mountain Dew Seal, a 15-time Grammy nominated singer, appeared as an actual seal in the Mountain Dew ad spot, which premiered in the second quarter of the Super Bowl. The "Kiss of a Lime" commercial also featured singer Becky G and the brand's newest spokesperson, Mountain Dude. In the 1 minute, 20 second spot, Seal sings a catchy tune about the brand's Baha Blast beverage – sad that he couldn't hold Mountain Dew with his flippers. Häagen Daz Vin Diesel starred in Häagen Dazs' ad as his "Fast & Furious" character, alongside Michelle Rodriguez. In the 30-second spot, the stars take a slow cruise in a convertible to enjoy Häagen-Dazs ice cream bars. Ludacris then pulls alongside them in a Jeep and asks, "Hey, what happened to fast life?" Little Caesars In the Little Caesars spot for its Crazy Puffs, Eugene Levy's iconic eyebrows fly off and buzz around after he takes a bite. Novartis Pharmaceutical company Novartis promoted early detection of breast cancer with a Super Bowl commercial titled, "Your attention please." The ad features Hailee Steinfeld, breast cancer survivor Wanda Sykes, and many other women spotlighting breasts in different forms. Toward the end of the commercial, a screen reads: "Over 6 million women watching today's game may be diagnosed with breast cancer." It also directs viewers to the website for more information about screenings and other facts. Ram Trucks Powell starred as Goldilocks in the classic fairytale with a twist for Ram Trucks in the 1 minute Super Bowl commercial, co-starring the Ram 2500 Rebel, the Ramcharger, and the Ram RHO. DoorDash Bargatze saved so much money using DoorDash in the company's Super Bowl ad, the comedian cloned himself and even hired an opera singer that "sings me compliments." Nerds Shaboozey took a stroll through New Orleans for Nerds' Super Bowl commercial to promote its Gummy Clusters. In the spot, he also covers New Orleans jazz icon Louis Armstrong. The Source This story was reported using information from various Super Bowl commercials that aired during the Super Bowl on Feb. 9, 2025. It was reported from Cincinnati.
