Latest news with #Hader
San Francisco Chronicle
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Ali Wong and Bill Hader just hit a new relationship milestone
Ali Wong and Bill Hader have already made their love red carpet official. Now they're taking another big step forward in their relationship by collaborating on a musical. The two comedians announced they are co-executive producers for Riki Lindhome's one-woman show, 'Dead Inside.' Though Wong and Hader both voiced characters in 'The Angry Birds Movie' (2016), this venture marks their first professional collaboration since they began dating in 2023. 'Dead Inside' is a dark comedy about Lindhome's fertility journey, and is described as 'part musical, part solo stand-up spiral,' according to the show's synopsis. An experienced singer and actor, Lindhome is known for her work as a musician in the comedy folk duo Garfunkel and Oates and lists roles in ' Knives Out ' (2019) and the first season of 'Wednesday' (2022) among her onscreen credits. 'This show started as a way to process an experience that felt isolating, emotional and impossible to explain,' she wrote in an Instagram post about Wong and Hader's involvement. 'Thank you @aliwong & Bill for helping me amplify the most important story I've ever gotten to tell.' Wong and Hader saw the show during its Los Angeles run in April, and signed on ahead of its performances at Washington D.C.'s Woolly Mammoth Theatre, scheduled for July 9-27. Tickets are available now. The couple has been spotted out and about on several occasions since making their relationship public, and were photographed dining at San Francisco's Vietnamese restaurant Turtle Tower in March during Wong's run of stand-up shows at Punch Line Comedy Club. More recently, the San Francisco native was seen cheering on the Golden State Valkyries during the WNBA team's debut earlier this month at Chase Center. Though the Valkyries lost 67-84 to the Los Angeles Sparks, Wong still posted to Instagram congratulating the team. She also shared photos of her dinner at Gao Viet Kitchen & Bar in the Outer Sunset during her trip home.
Man of Many
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Man of Many
11 Best Shows on HBO Max
By Dean Blake - News Published: 20 May 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 14 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Is it Max? Or HBO Max? Honestly, who cares: when the programming is as good as it is, what does it matter. Either way, the streaming service formerly known as Max dropped in Australia early in 2024, bringing with it a slew of fantastic original content, as well as classic older shows you'd love to revisit. As one of the newest streaming services to hit our shores Down Under, it's about time to figured out what it brings to the table. We've all seen the classic HBO static start-up before a fantastic show before, and that's because the company has a history of making high-quality tele. In fact, coming up with a list of 'best shows on HBO Max' was honestly pretty difficult, as there's a ton of great shows stuffed in there. Hopefully we've brought together a list of some shows near and dear to your heart, as well as a few you haven't seen yet and can experience for the first time. So, without further ado, check out the best TV shows Max has to offer. 1. Barry IMDB rating: 8.3 Rotten Tomatoes rating: 98% Created by: Alec Berg, Bill Hader Starring: Bill Hader, Stephen Root, Sarah Goldberg, Anthony Carrigan, Henry Winkler, D'Arcy Carden Number of seasons: 4 Release date: 26 April, 2018 What happens when a hit-man decides to take up acting? Barry happens. After years of service in the US Marines, Afghanistan veteran Barry Berkman (Hader) takes to a new life of violence in contract killing: but after following a target to an acting class, he learns he honestly wants to escape the life he's built and start a new one on the stage. If that doesn't sound fascinating enough, keep in mind that Hader gives the performance of a life-time as Berkman, channeling his already dry comedy chops with an intensity and drive usually reserved for a psychotic villain. Plus, Hader's cast-mates are equally as fantastic, with Henry Winkler playing the acting coach unwittingly helping a murderer get his life together. Obviously, though, things start getting complicated when the reality of Berkman's life start getting in the way of his new dream. It's honestly great stuff. The show didn't win 44 Primetime Emmys for nothing. 2. Chernobyl IMDB rating: 9.3 Rotten Tomatoes rating: 95% Created by: Craig Mazin Starring: Jessie Buckley, Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård Number of seasons: 1 Release date: 7 May, 2019 A historical drama outlining the explosion of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986—the worst nuclear disaster in history, as well as the costliest disaster of all time—Chernobyl takes a few artistic liberties to make what is an awful moment into fantastic television. Rather than taking a purely objective, eagle-eyed view of the disaster from a historical perspective, outlining the facts the way documentary would, Chernobyl focuses instead on the people left to deal with what was a very unknown situation and showcases their bravery in a moment of international crisis. It's a sombre story of humanity's willingness to do incredible things in the face of horror, and shouldn't be overlooked by anyone with even a passing interest on our history. 3. Curb Your Enthusiasm IMDB rating: 8.8 Rotten Tomatoes rating: 92% Created by: Larry David Starring: Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, J.B. Smoove, Richard Lewis, Ted Danson Number of seasons: 12 Release date: 15 October, 2000 What happens when you take the basic framework of one of the funniest shows ever made, Seinfeld, remove the 'family friendly' guard rails, and make George the main character? You get Curb Your Enthusiasm: Larry David's other television masterpiece. What makes Curb so good—apart from how it has no issues in pushing social taboos in a way reminiscent of South Park—is the fact that so much of it is improvised by the actors involved. David comes up with an outline for how an episode will function, as well as directions for each scene, and then the actors figure out how to get there live. It makes every interaction in the show feel strangely honest, as if the characters really are reacting to what one another are saying rather than simply waiting for their cue. I love Curb, but I also recognise it isn't for everyone. If you liked Seinfeld, but wished it was a bit more modern and risky, I'd highly recommend it. 4. Game of Thrones IMDB rating: 9.2 Rotten Tomatoes rating: 89% Created by: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, based on work by George R.R. Martin Starring: Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Peter Dinklage, Sean Bean Number of seasons: 8 Release date: 18 April, 2011 If you try to forget about what ended up being a pretty average ending, Game of Thrones is one of the most influential TV shows of the past decade. From the first episode it'll hook even the most jaded viewers, and it'll suck you into a deep and enthralling world of swords and bone. As it goes on, the show opens new mysteries and closes older ones, but the key focus—the White Walkers—feels as though it's always on the horizon. At any point, the living dead could breach the southern border, and everything would turn to shit. Unfortunately, the show sits on this tension a bit too long, in our opinion, which definitely makes the final season(s) come off as rushed and incomplete. Storylines that have literally been building from episode 1 are suddenly thrust into their endgame, and there's a sense of whiplash in having a titanic conclusion appear out of nowhere. It's well known that the show outran its source material, with George R.R. Martin yet to release The Winds of Winter, or A Dream of Spring. Here's hoping he can stick the landing, because although Game of Thrones revitalised fantasy television, it's also a bit of a cautionary tale. 5. I May Destroy You IMDB rating: 8.1 Rotten Tomatoes rating: 98% Created by: Michaela Coel Starring: Michaela Coel, Weruche Opia, Paapa Essiedu Number of seasons: 1 Release date: 8 June, 2020 A shocking true-story-turned-black-comedy, I May Destroy You tells the story of Arabella (Coel), a young writer who, after trying to blow off some steam at a night club with friends, wakes up the next morning with little idea of what happened. She eventually realises that she had been drugged and sexually assaulted, and begins to withdraw from the world around her. It's a deeply troubling story of something that happens all too often, but told in a way that shines a light on the realities often faced by survivors of sexual assault: having their stories nit picked and questioned, constantly reliving their trauma. The show deeply unpacks the different ways someone can be assaulted, from the harmless to the incredibly harmful. It's a sobering watch, while still being funny in that 'how fucked up this this' kind of way. 6. Industry IMDB rating: 7.5 Rotten Tomatoes rating: 90% Created by: Mickey Down, Konrad Kay Starring: Myha'la, Marisa Abela, Ken Leung Number of seasons: 3 Release date: 10 November, 2020 If you're looking for something a bit raunchier, Industry shifts between financial drama and soapy while still delivering well-told stories and characters. The main cast are young graduates who come to work at London-based investment, Pierpoint & Co., and are essentially given six months to prove themselves or be cut loose. The show is both a look at the harsh reality facing new hires in what is a very intense line of work, as well as a shaming of corporate overwork tactics: with a worker dying of a heart attack in the bathroom within the first episode, and the bank immediately going into damage control to soften the narrative. Gross. Yeah, it's a bit raunchy, but the show has gone on to deliver a surprisingly deep story surrounding the financial industry so far, with Vanity Fair describing the series as the 'missing link' between Succession and Euphoria. 7. The Last of Us IMDB rating: 8.6 Rotten Tomatoes rating: 95% Created by: Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann Starring: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, Isabela Merced, Young Mazino Number of seasons: 2 Release date: 15 January, 2023 We all know the story by now: based on the award winning video game, following two survivors as they make their way across a post-apocalyptic United States. It's a fantastic story, though, and still has one of the most unique and interesting renditions of 'infected' this side of 28 Days Later. Here, rather than mindless zombies, or rage-filled infected, the creatures of The Last of Us are living people that have been taken over by cordyceps—a real-world parasitic fungus that typically affects insects, but in this world has made the leap to humans. It leads to a very unique breed of ecohorror, with dead zombies releasing spores into the air that can easily infect anyone that comes close, meaning even in death the creatures can keep causing harm. Add to that amazing characters, and fantastic performances from leads Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, and you have one of the best shows on modern television. 8. The Penguin IMDB rating: 8.6 Rotten Tomatoes rating: 95% Created by: Lauren LeFranc Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz Number of seasons: 1 Release date: 20 September, 2024 If you watched Robert Pattinson's The Batman and decide you want more of this particular rendition of Gotham City, The Penguin will slake your thirst until the sequel lands sometime in 2027. Here, rather than focus on the world's greatest detective, we focus on Oswald Cobb: an up-and-coming criminal kingpin with designs on Gotham's underworld. It's effectively a crime drama set within a world with superheroes, which is pretty fascinating and unique, really. Plus, Colin Farrell's depiction of the titular Penguin is near perfect. He's not a likeable character, but god-damn do you root for him regardless. And, despite the fact that Farrell has previously said that he 'never wants to put on that fucking suit and fucking head again', he'll be returning in said sequel to The Batman, as well as a potential second season of The Penguin. Sorry Colin, it looks like you'll be back in the fat suit. 9. The Sopranos IMDB rating: 9.2 Rotten Tomatoes rating: 92% Created by: David Chase Starring: James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco Number of seasons: 6 Release date: 15 July, 1999 Easily one of the most highly-regarded television shows of all time, The Soprano's needs little introduction. The story of Tony Soprano, a mafia boss based in New Jersey who begins suffering panic attacks and, reluctantly, starts seeing a psychologist to unpack the impact his life of crime has had on his mental state. As the head of a crime family, though, Soprano can't exactly step back from his work, and ends up dealing with increasingly bloody and traumatic events as a fight for the family's territory, as well as internal struggles with family members, heat up. It's a classic for a reason, and swings between dark humour and pretty devastating brutality where it needs to in order to showcase the duality of the Sopranos. Yes, they're killers and extortionists, but they're also people, with families, and desires for the future. It's fascinating, and leads up to one of the most talked about endings in TV histo-. 10. True Detective IMDB rating: 8.9 Rotten Tomatoes rating: 79% Created by: Nic Pizzolatto, Issa López Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Vince Vaughn, Colin Farrell, Jodie Foster, Kali Reis Number of seasons: 4 Release date: 22 February, 2014 True Detective dropped one of the finest first seasons of any television show, ever, back in 2014, and has largely struggled to reach the same level of relevancy since. McConaughey's Rust Cole, and Harrelson's Marty Hart brought a complicated, messy, human touch to what was a pretty stagnant 'police procedural' genre, taking it somewhere between a true-crime whodunnit and a quasi-supernatural mystery thriller. Of course, the following seasons are good in their own respect, but fail to meet the incredibly high bar set by season one. The most recent season, headlined by Jodi Foster and Kali Reis, is honestly fantastic viewing until the final act, where the weight of the mysteries set up in the first half struggle to be resolved in any meaningful way. True Detective's new showrunner, Issa López, is working on a fifth season now set in New York, and we're keen to see the show hit the highs it deserves! 11. The White Lotus IMDB rating: 8.0 Rotten Tomatoes rating: 90% Created by: Mike White Starring: Natasha Rothwell, Jennifer Coolidge, Walton Goggins, Sydney Sweeney, Patrick Schwarzenegger Number of seasons: 3 Release date: 16 August, 2021 An anthology series dedicated to the weird shit people get up to on holidays, basically. Each season is focused on a different location within the fictional 'White Lotus' resort chain, and follows the trials and tribulations of its staff and guests, as they interact, clash, and slowly unravel. At the beginning of each season we see someone's death, and are then transported back in time to see the days leading up to whatever event led someone to lose their life. It's a black comedy, so you can expect some fairly dark jokes and socio-political prodding, but the best part of this series is that every season has essentially reinvented itself. That's one of the reason's White has said The White Lotus is his dream gig: every season the show ends up being a completely different mystery, in a completely different place, impacting completely different people, and touching on completely different themes. I give points for effort, if nothing else. Things to Consider for HBO Max With a catalogue of shows, movies and lifestyle documentaries to envy, HBO Max has some top-tier programming, but you'll also be paying on the high end to access it. You'll be able to download shows for offline viewing if you pay for one of the 'ad free' tiers, and can view content in up to 4K resolution if you pay up for Max's Premium tier. Compared to some of the other services out there, though, HBO Max's newer content might feel a bit thin if you're not all that keen on HBO's shows, but there are plenty of classics to fall back on. How Much Does HBO Max Cost in Australia? HBO Max subscriptions start at $11.99 per month (with ads) in Australia. The ad-free HBO Max Premium subscription is priced at $21.99 per month, and this is comparable with Netflix Premium ($25.99/month) as it offers the ability to stream on four devices at once, stream in 4K UHD, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR 10 on select titles. Finally, you can make 100 downloads to watch when internet access isn't possible. Here's how HBO Max compares to other streaming services available in Australia: The table above may contain affiliate links, meaning Man of Many may earn a commission if you subscribe to any streaming service via these links. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps support our independent content.
USA Today
12-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Highest-paid MLB relief pitchers and closers for 2025: Top salaries
Highest-paid MLB relief pitchers and closers for 2025: Top salaries Show Caption Hide Caption ARod thinks international games for the MLB could be a huge success Alex Rodriguez is showing his support in the MLB international and Japan games. Sports Seriously Josh Hader, a five-time All-Star and three-time Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year Award winner, came up just short of breaking the record for the largest contract for a relief pitcher. Instead, he will settle for being the highest-paid reliever in 2025. Hader and the Houston Astros agreed to a $95 million deal over the winter. Edwin Diaz's $102 million deal with the New York Mets still stands as the biggest contract ever given to a reliever. Hader's deal will pay him $19 million this season. Diaz will earn $18.3 million in present-day value because of deferred payments. Hader's deal with Houston also includes a full no-trade clause with no money deferred and a $1 million bonus if he wins the Mariano Rivera Award as the AL's best relief pitcher. Who are the highest-paid MLB relief pitchers in 2025? (In present-day value calculated by MLB) Josh Hader, Astros: $19,000,000 Edwin Diaz, Mets: $18,331,014 Raisel Iglesias, Braves: $16,000,000 Ryan Pressly, Cubs: $14,100,000 Kirby Yates, Dodgers: $13,000,000 Tanner Scott, Dodgers: $ 12,141,009 Taylor Rogers, Reds: $12,000,000 Rafael Montero, Astros: $11,500,000 A.J. Minter, Mets: $11,000,000 Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox: $10,750,000 2025 MLB SALARIES: Database of every player who made the Opening Day roster The figures, compiled by USA TODAY, are calculated by the MLB Labor Relations Department of the present-day value of contracts including deferrals and signing bonuses. The figures by MLB and distributed to all teams are intended to reflect the cash obligations in any given year.
San Francisco Chronicle
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Ali Wong's boyfriend reveals how she helped him through devastating L.A. fires
Bill Hader recently revealed his girlfriend, Ali Wong, took him shopping this month after his home was deemed 'unlivable' following the Los Angeles fires in January. The 'Saturday Night Live' alum spoke about the San Francisco comic's kind gesture during an guest appearance on the podcast ' Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend ' on Sunday, April 27. 'It's a funny thing that Ali and I went today … to shop for clothes,' he said. 'It meant a lot to me. It's because I'm just wearing Uniqlo sweats, you know, and my kids are like, 'You're living in your pajamas.' I feel like they're very worried. And I told her about that and she was like, 'Let me take you to get some clothes.'' His home in the Palisades was one of the thousands affected by the deadly blaze at the start of the year. Hader recalled that he was filming a Volkswagen ID. Buzz commercial when the fires began and had to travel with a news crew to get to his home in the Palisades. 'We're shooting and I look up, I saw smoke and the guys go, 'Oh, don't worry, that's in the Palisades.' I go, 'I live in the Palisades,' and it was just dead silence,' he recalled. 'Then I was like, 'I got to go.'' Though his home survived the fire, it was severely damaged. 'It was like dust, you know, toxic stuff everywhere,' he said. 'It was no good. I was in total shock … I thought I was going to go up there and hopefully the house would be somewhat OK and I could get my passport and get out of there.' He added he was 'speechless' seeing the state of his home and community, and has had to lean on friends and loved ones, like the ' Beef ' actor, since. The Golden Globe-winning comedians have officially been a couple since 2023, though they briefly dated in late 2022. They made their red carpet debut together in February at the 77th Directors Guild of America Awards. Last month, Wong, a Pacific Heights native, brought Hader to the newly reopened Vietnamese restaurant Turtle Tower. She previously named the establishment as one of her favorites in the city and shouted out its signature chicken pho as one of the top four noodle soups of all time during an appearance on the talk show 'Hot Ones.' Loyal to her hometown, she thanked the Punch Line Comedy Club during her acceptance speech at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards in January and set and filmed part of her 2019 rom-com ' Always Be My Maybe ' in San Francisco.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bill Hader Was So Shocked by His Wildfire-Wrecked Home That a News Crew Filming Him Cut the Cameras
Bill Hader recounted bringing a news crew with him to his house in the Palisades when the devastating wildfires broke out on Jan. 7, but was not prepared for what he saw. 'I went up to my house and I was like, 'Oh wow, it's not too bad.' And then I stepped in and it was like dust, toxic stuff everywhere,' he said on the 'Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend' podcast. 'I thought I was going to go up there and hopefully the house would be somewhat OK and I could get my passport and get out of there. I was in total shock,' he said of seeing the actual damage. He explained that his house is 'still standing but not livable.' Hader then explained how he got to his house when he didn't have access: He coerced a news crew to invite him along to the site. He had been shooting a 'Californians' Volkswagen commercial with fellow 'SNL' alum Kristen Wiig when the fire broke out. 'Kristen that morning said, 'There's a really bad windstorm coming. I'm really concerned about fires.' First thing she said to me. And then we're shooting and I look up, I saw smoke and the guys go, 'Oh, don't worry, that's in the Palisades.' I go, 'I live in the Palisades.' And it was just dead silence. Then I was like, 'I've got to go.'' Hader explained that he 'never got a chance to go home,' so he got to the taped off area and tried to convince law enforcement to let him because he needed to get his medication ('which is true,' he added). When he was told no, he began approaching news crews asking, 'You recognize me?' until someone invited him along. He had told the news crew they could interview him in front of his house, but they turned the camera off when they saw his reaction to the devastation, Hader said. Hader recalled being struck 'speechless' by the wreckage. 'I could feel those guys going, 'Oh, we're going to get a good interview with you,' and they see that it was hitting me and then they felt bad and they went, 'We'll just turn off the camera and let's just take you back.'' But the actor still gave them a brief interview as he soaked in the Palisades wildfire damage. Hader is currently developing a series about cult leader Jim Jones for HBO. Watch his full podcast interview with O'Brien in the video embed above. The post Bill Hader Was So Shocked by His Wildfire-Wrecked Home That a News Crew Filming Him Cut the Cameras | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
