Latest news with #Kiki
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BBC Studios, Blink Industries Team Up for New Animated Martial Arts Series, ‘Children Vs Battle SuperStars'
BBC Studios Kids & Family is developing a new animated series aimed at 8 to 12-year-olds, in collaboration with Blink Industries. 'Children Vs Battle SuperStars' (working title) will be the first project under a two-year first-look deal between the two companies, which are will share early details about the title with potential clients at this week's Annecy Animation Festival. The 22-episode series follows a martial arts tournament in a fantastical, modern-day world. It focuses on ordinary children facing off against larger-than-life 'Battle SuperStars.' The show's creators, Remus Buznea and Kyriaki Kyriakou (known professionally as Kiki), are known for their work on 'Rick and Morty' bumpers, 'Primal' and the award-winning short 'Dateless.' More from Variety 'Mary Anning': Swiss Animation Unearths the Childhood Backstory of a Legendary Fossil Pioneer in Annecy Playing Feature International Animation Unions Plan Protest Against AI at Annecy Festival: 'Generative Al Do Not Support Artists, It Destroys Them' Global Constellation Unveils Ambitious Animation Slate at Annecy (EXCLUSIVE) 'The idea for the series was initially sparked by our constant defeats in online fighting game matches at the hands of children and the tremendous turmoil this no-win scenario brought about,' said Buznea and Kyriakou. 'Through a 'tournament' narrative, we wanted to explore the competitive spirit and humorously deconstruct the tropes of the martial arts genre.' Grainne McNamara, VP of development for live action and animation at BBC Studios Kids & Family, described the show as 'comedic and quirky, combining the ordinary with the bizarre.' She added, 'It has the most brilliant characters – from the central trio of friends battling the Super Stars to a mystery fighter which no tournament would be complete without.' Blink Industries, which has won Emmy, Annie and BAFTA awards, will produce the series. Benjamin Lole, Head of Animation and Executive Producer at Blink, praised the creative team behind the project. 'Remus and Kiki's specific brand of humor and standout visual style has created such a unique take on the tournament genre,' said Lole. 'We can't wait to throw our hat in the ring and create something that will compete with anime greats like 'Naruto,' 'Dragon Ball,' and 'Pokémon.'' Best of Variety 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
New York Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Shop the two CurrentBody skincare devices featured in Netflix's ‘Sirens'
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. If you've been glued to the screen watching 'Sirens' — the No.1 show on Netflix this week — then you've likely been mesmerized by the style and grace of Kiki, portrayed flawlessly by Julianne Moore. Her character is elegance personified: always poised, always polished, and always ahead of the curve when it comes to beauty and tech. So, it came as no surprise that before her big photo shoot, she turned to not one, but two cutting-edge skincare tools from CurrentBody. CurrentBody is a UK-based beauty technology company that has revolutionized at-home skincare by introducing professional-grade devices for personal use. It was founded in 2009 by Laurence Newman, a seasoned expert in aesthetic devices, and Andrew Showman, a digital commerce specialist, and the brand quickly emerged from Newman's extensive experience in supplying professional tools to clinics and spas. Recognizing the potential to adapt these technologies for home use, CurrentBody was established to offer consumers access to advanced beauty treatments in the comfort of their homes. Advertisement The company's flagship product, the CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Mask, has garnered significant attention for its effectiveness in stimulating collagen production and enhancing skin texture. This mask, along with other devices like the Radio Frequency Skin Tightening Device, has contributed to CurrentBody's reputation as a leader in the beauty tech industry. CurrentBody In the boudoir scene that's already gone viral, both Kiki and her immaculate assistant Simone are seen prepping with the CurrentBody Lip Perfector. This device is a beauty essential that uses advanced LED light therapy to enhance hydration, improve texture, and naturally plump the lips. CurrentBody It's the kind of innovation that makes makeup optional and confidence effortless. Simone might be younger, but Kiki, ever the multitasking icon, knows how to maximize her glow and time. With the Lip Perfector in hand, she turns her prep time into an indulgent self-care ritual that's as stylish as it is smart. CurrentBody No true icon overlooks the details, and Kiki proves it by pairing her lip treatment with the CurrentBody Neck and Dec Series 2. This high-performance LED device targets the often-neglected neck and décolleté area, which are regions where skin tends to show aging the fastest. CurrentBody By boosting collagen production and smoothing skin texture, this device ensures that even the most exquisite necklace is framed by flawless skin. And, here's a little behind-the-scenes magic: it was none other than Julianne Moore herself who suggested incorporating the Neck and Dec Series 2 into the scene. Proof that great taste transcends the screen. It's not just Kiki and Simone who recognize the power of great skincare. Ethan, who is suave, strategic, and secretly sentimental, knows that keeping Simone enchanted requires more than just a plump wallet. On his dresser? A bottle of Yon-Ka, ready to hydrate and refresh. After all, real charm comes with a glow that can't be faked. Whether you're watching 'Sirens' for the drama, the fashion, or the flawless faces, one thing is clear: the stars of the show (and their skin!) shine thanks to the innovative beauty tools from CurrentBody. From the Lip Perfector to the Neck and Dec Series 2, these devices are just as essential for the red carpet as they are for your at-home skincare shelf. This article was written by Victoria Giardina, New York Post Commerce Journalist & Content Strategist, who has spent countless hours researching, testing hundreds of products and comparing the latest makeup, skincare, hair and beauty items and trends to determine what's truly worth your hard-earned cash. She evaluates formulas, textures, ingredients and more, in addition to consulting medical and industry experts. Some of Victoria's latest conquests include testing the best vitamin C serums on the market, and a rinse-and-repeat review of the best shampoos of 2025. Victoria, who received a beauty industry essentials certification from the Fashion Institute of Technology, has been creating shopping guides for the New York Post since 2021 and previously held positions at Insider Reviews and CNN Underscored. Looking for a headline-worthy haul? Keep shopping Post Wanted.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘Sirens' and the women that men love to blame
Before sirens became screeching beacons on police cruisers and ambulances, they were winged women who lured sailors to their island with seductive songs. Not even Odysseus, the great Greek hero, braving his way home to his beautiful wife and son after the Trojan War, was immune to their song, thrashing against bindings of both rope and duty to reach them. Centuries later, their legacy lives on, not in the pages of mythology but in the way society still views women who wield power, allure, independence, or simply dare to step outside their house. Netflix's new limited series Sirens, created by Molly Smith Metzler (based on her 2011 play Elemeno Pea), revisits this age-old archetype through three modern women who, depending on whom you ask, are either victims or villains, or perhaps both. The women of Sirens seem to embody the mythical creatures they are named after. Michaela 'Kiki' Kell (Julianne Moore), a wealthy socialite, is rumoured to have murdered her husband's first wife. Simone DeWitt (Milly Alcock), her sweet yet sharp secretary, is accused of manipulating her way into the lives of powerful men, including her boss. And Devon DeWitt (Meghann Fahy), Simone's older sister, is hinted to be a nymphomaniac, seducing everyone from her boss to the ferry captain. The men in their orbit are helpless — or so they claim. Ethan Corbin III (Glenn Howerton), a wealthy playboy, calls Simone a 'monster' after she rejects his marriage proposal and blames her when he drunkenly topples off a cliff. Peter Kell (Kevin Bacon), Kiki's husband, blames her for his estrangement from his children before discarding her for a younger woman, Simone, who was his best friend's girlfriend until yesterday. Even Devon's boss, who nearly drowns in a reckless midnight swim, tells her, 'You have this crazy pull over me.' The sisters' own father blames their late mother for the abuse and neglect he heaped on his daughters — as if her suicide, not his actions, doomed their family. Are the men on to something, then? Are these women, who allegedly ensnared them with their beauty and 'honeyed' siren song, to be blamed for their misguided actions? Or are they simply being cast in the same role as the sirens of old — beautiful, dangerous, and always at fault? The series opens with Kiki walking through the fog with a peregrine falcon, whispering to it before it takes flight. Later, we learn she runs a sanctuary for raptors, nursing wounded birds of prey. The symbolism is heavy-handed but effective: These women, like the falcons, are predators by nature, but they are also victims of circumstance. The falcon, once freed, returns in the night, too afraid to leave the safety of the sanctuary. It crashes through the glass of Kiki's home, destroying what little stability she had — a foreshadowing of her own fate. Kiki fires Simone after discovering that her husband has set his sights on her. However, Simone — a predator herself, and a wounded one at that — refuses to go back into the wild once she has seen what her life could be. Simone, like Kiki before her, is a survivor, clawing her way up from foster care into the gilded cages of the elite. Devon, trapped in cycles of self-destruction, seeks validation in the arms of men who see her as both temptation and scapegoat. It is clear that a wounded predator is still a predator, but the question to ask is: Who hurt them in the first place? The women are in no way innocent. They are flawed, sometimes cruel, often selfish, but so are the men. The difference is that the men's actions are ignored and excused, while the women are vilified, seen as monsters rather than just human. For centuries, men have refused to take accountability for their decisions, accusing women of bewitching them, robbing them of their free will. It is an argument which continues to crop up even today. Men blame women dressing or behaving provocatively, for having the audacity to step out at night or rub shoulders with them at work, while their own behaviour is put down to an inability to control themselves. Cast off on an island in the middle of nowhere, the sirens are trying to survive like everyone else in this world. But their greatest sin, it seems, is crossing the path of sailors. One might wonder whether at least some of the responsibility lies with sailors who stray from their course. 'The Sirens bewitch everyone who approaches them. There is no homecoming for the man who draws near them unawares and hears the Sirens' voices: No welcome from his wife, no little children brightening at their father's return,' Circe warns Odysseus in The Odyssey. Of course, she had 'coerced' Odysseus into a relationship and sired a son with him before that. What else is to be expected from a witch?
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sirens: the dark psychology of how people really get drawn into cults
Like other quirky TV shows that explore coercively controlling groups, Sirens leans into the 'wackiness' of cult life. Set on a remote island, an affluent community exists under extravagant rule of Michaela Kell aka Kiki (Julianne Moore). Her devoted followers – many of whom are employed by her – are committed to ensuring her every whim is met. This carefully curated existence appears bizarre but flawless, until outsider Devon (Meghann Fahy) arrives looking for her sister Simone (Milly Alcock) and begins to illuminate the control and cult-like behaviour being used as tools of oppression. It is easy to laugh along with Sirens, to get caught up in the eccentric characters and absurd rituals – from assistants being instructed to sext Kiki's partner to rituals around perfuming her underwear drawer each morning. We shake our heads at the characters' choices and reassure ourselves: 'I would never fall for that, I would just leave.' But the uncomfortable truth is it's not that simple. Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here. What portrayals of cult communities in sitcoms often miss, or gloss over, is the deeply manipulative psychology behind why leaving a cult is incredibly difficult. Research into cult experiences has shown, cults do not just trap people physically. They entrap them mentally and emotionally too. I have seen this in my own research into how to help children and their families resist exploitative and coercively controlling individuals and groups. We do see such entrapment in Sirens but it is often obscured by the wackiness of Michaela's cult-ish community. In the real world, entrapment starts with isolation. New recruits are gradually cut off from their support networks, separated from their friends and family. We see this in Sirens between Simone, who is Kiki's assistant, and her outsider sister Devon. In one episode, for instance, Simone makes it clear to Devon that their matching sister tattoos were no longer valuable to her. What was once a show of love has become viewed as 'trashy' by Simone. This is a reflection of how Simone was being manipulated away from her previous values. Rejecting the importance of familial relationships is a tool often used by cult leaders, enabling them to construct rifts between the person in the cult and their loved one on the outside. In Sirens, we see a sisterly relationship become ruptured at the instruction of the powerful Kiki, who exploits the vulnerability of Simone to her own advantage. Then comes the love-bombing – a flood of praise, attention, and affection. It feels amazing, especially to someone who has been overlooked or undervalued. When the person expresses surprise, the group responds with lines like, 'that's because we truly see you' or they belittle the person's previous relationships. The message from the group is clear: only we value you. Only we understand the real you. But the honeymoon phase does not last. Soon, the fear of being cast out takes hold. The group convinces the person that they can only become their best self within the group, that they are fulfilling a higher destiny by being guided by the leader. Leaders in cults use authoritarian tactics, often portraying themselves as messianic figures with mystical powers. They demand unwavering loyalty and devotion. Questioning their authority is not tolerated. Any concern or question is reframed as a personal failing rather than as legitimate concern. Punishment for dissent reinforces the leader's dominance and sends a clear message to the rest of the group: Do not question. The leader and their doctrines are irrefutable. This sort of control can lead people to do things they never imagined they would. Take the scene where Simone willingly chews gum that has just been in Kiki's mouth. We might cringe at this, think it's gross and abnormal, but it's symbolic of something much bigger: it depicted total control being exerted over another. Here we watch as Kiki insults Simone, telling her her breath stinks. Instead of being seen as cruelty it is perceived as care, and Kiki then giving Simone the gum she has just chewed to rectify the problem, is perceived as kindness. Simone is grateful and doesn't question it at all. Simone's mind has been manipulated. Devon asks her: 'Does Michaela have her talons so deep in your brain you cannot tell, you are in trouble?' Through using thought reform techniques, cults hack minds. They override critical thinking and replace it with fear and dependency. The constant sense of danger and fear keeps members in a state of acute stress, impairing their capacity to think clearly or make rational decisions. However, this constant fear is happening in a place they are repeatedly told and are convincing themselves is where they have never been happier. The cognitive dissonance of this can contribute to the group's ability to retain members even when exposing them to prolonged psychological and or physical abuse. Even after someone leaves, the effects of this trauma can linger for years – sometimes a lifetime. Survivors often exit these groups with very few tangible resources. Education and employability may have been restricted and housing and financial independence are often tightly controlled by the group. Many survivors suffer from mental health issues and other stress induced physical ailments. As a result, survivors require various forms of support and different interventions over the cause of their recovery. And yet, in pop culture, cults are often played for laughs. The trauma is reduced to punch lines. To be fair, shows like Sirens effectively capture the bizarre nature of cult life and hopefully reading this piece has helped you look beyond the laughs to see the dark nature of how these groups operate. For survivors, cult life is not eccentric or surreal – it is traumatic. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Joy Cranham volunteers for Faith to Faithless, an organisation that supports apostates who are often former members of high-demand religions or cult-like organisations. Faith to Faithless is connected to Humanist UK
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MGM's Aria advertises Illegal offshore betting site
A screenshot from a PokerGo tournament at Aria in mid-April shows the Monkey Tilt logo advertised on the poker table felt. MGM Resorts International is advertising an offshore casino and sports betting site that is off limits to gamblers in the United States — a move that could prompt more regulatory headaches for the company, which recently paid $16 million to state and federal authorities for violating anti-money laundering laws. The logo for Monkey Tilt, an offshore casino and betting site, appears on an Aria poker table in an episode of PokerGo, a program that is sometimes produced at Aria. Among the gamblers at the table is Samer (Sam) Mohammed Kiki Jr., founder and CEO of Monkey Tilt. He did not respond to numerous requests for comment. The revelation puts MGM in the awkward position of advertising for an illegal competitor of its BetMGM site. MGM general counsel John McManus did not respond to requests for comment. It's unknown whether MGM received compensation for the logo's placement on the poker felt. Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman Kirk Hendrick said via email that Nevada gaming regulation does 'not specifically address what types of advertising are allowed by those approved to participate in Nevada's gaming industry,' but noted regulations provide 'guidance regarding types of advertising that may be determined as an unsuitable method of operation…' Under Nevada gaming law, licensees may be subject to disciplinary action for 'failure to conduct advertising and public relations activities in accordance with decency, dignity, good taste, honesty and inoffensiveness, including, but not limited to, advertising that is false or materially misleading.' Hendrick declined to address Aria's Monkey Tilt ad specifically, but said 'the Nevada Gaming Control Board is concerned whenever issues relate to unlicensed gaming.' 'The PokerGO Studio at the ARIA Resort & Casino is your destination to participate and watch the biggest poker tournaments and cash games as seen on PokerGO,' says the PokerGO Facebook page. 'What you're talking about sounds more sloppy than anything that would require a regulator to get involved,' says Alan Feldman, director of Strategic Initiatives for UNLV's International Gaming Institute and formerly MGM's longtime corporate spokesman. 'If it was an explicit endorsement, it would require a formal approval. If it amounted to an implicit endorsement, it probably should have been approved.' Kiki, a Las Vegas resident, is a former employee of MGM and Caesars Entertainment. His Instagram account features images of a villa at the Mansions at MGM Grand, an accommodation reserved for high rollers. A video shows Kiki gambling at Fontainebleau. Like a growing number of offshore sites, Monkey Tilt accepts only cryptocurrency, which is often used by offshore platforms to evade tracking by law enforcement. Prospective gamblers in the U.S. who attempt to register to gamble on Monkey Tilt are directed to which is billed as a 'social casino.' However, the site is inoperable. Americans bet more than $510 billion a year with illegal and unregulated operators, according to a report from the American Gaming Association, at an annual cost of $44.2 billion in revenue to legal operators. The AGA says 55% of sports bettors who placed illegal bets thought they were gambling legally. Through the use of virtual private networks (VPNs), gamblers in the U.S. can circumvent the law and evade detection by masking their internet protocol (IP) address, which is used to identify location. 'Having a logo for an offshore site on an MGM event gives the impression that the MGM is endorsing this site,' says former casino executive and California Gambling Control Commission member Richard Schuetz. 'It is totally inappropriate and contrary to the goals of Nevada's model of regulated gaming.' A bettor who views an ad for a gambling site on the poker table of a licensed Las Vegas resort 'would absolutely have a reasonable expectation to believe' the site is legitimate, says Trey Delap, executive director of the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling. According to the AGA, illegal gambling operations don't invest in responsible gambling programs, fail to protect minors via age verification, take no steps to prevent money laundering, and don't guarantee fair payouts. 'Unlike legal operators, illegal operators also don't pay a dime in taxes, robbing state and local governments of more than $13 billion in tax revenue each year,' says the AGA. State gambling regulators, including Hendrick, and the AGA have asked the federal government to crack down on offshore betting sites. 'Offshore operators who offer their products into these highly-regulated state jurisdictions are doing so in contravention of not only state laws, but federal law,' says a 2023 letter to then-U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland signed by top regulators in New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Colorado, Mississippi, and Louisiana, in addition to Nevada. Federal law contains provisions for holding offshore sites accountable, such as the Wire Act of 1961, which prohibits the use of wire communication to transmit bets on sporting events across state or national borders, and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which makes it illegal for offshore sites to knowingly accept payment for unregulated gambling. Jurisdictional challenges, international laws, encryption methods, as well as the expense of global prosecutions, render such efforts rare. A 2022 opinion piece in Legal Sports Report on the AGA's letter to Garland suggests the Department of Justice, 'like many law enforcement agencies, focuses much of its attention and resources on particular areas. To the extent that illicit gambling might overlap with any of the areas of interest that the Justice Department has its eye on, one can bet that those operators will be a priority.' President Donald Trump's DOJ has its eye almost exclusively focused on deporting undocumented, as well as some credentialed, immigrants. Anti-money laundering investigations in Nevada casinos have flourished in recent years, initiated by federal authorities from the Central District of California. MGM paid $7.45 million to the feds as part of a non-prosecution agreement for failing to file suspicious activity reports, and another $8.5 million to Nevada regulators last month for the same offense. The GCB, based on federal prosecutions of illegal sports bookies Mathew Bowyer and Damien LeForbes, fined Resorts World $10.5 million in March. However, under the Trump administration, an anticipated non-prosecution agreement between Resorts World and the DOJ has yet to materialize. Two of three federal prosecutors who brought the charges against MGM and the illegal bookies have left the office, and Trump has replaced the U.S. Attorney who oversaw the cases. The president, who says he's been persecuted and seeks to avenge individuals he perceives as similarly situated, may be unlikely to support anti-money laundering cases for personal reasons. Trump's Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, which closed in 2016, was plagued by repeated anti-money laundering violations and admitted to several willful violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, including failure to report suspicious transactions; failure to file currency transaction reports; and failure to keep adequate records, according to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN). Trump, whose Las Vegas tower has no gambling, held a 10% share of the Riviera in the early 2000s. In 2016, Harry Reid told the Washington Post that Trump couldn't get a gaming license. Trump's Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, founder of Nevada-based Cantor Gaming, landed in hot water with Nevada gaming regulators, and paid a fine of $5.5 million, and with the DOJ, which he paid $16 million for engaging in illegal gambling and money laundering. In the absence of aggressive federal pursuit of illegal actors, the Nevada Legislature is taking a crack at curbing offshore sites that cater to gamblers in the state. Senate Bill 256, which has passed both houses, would allow Nevada officials to prosecute illegal sites that cater to Nevadans and recoup the site's gross receipts or profits, which would go into the state's general fund. 'While other states are looking to ban sweepstakes gambling and increase the penalties for illegal offshore gambling providers, Nevada may be the first to up the ante to include a provider's 'ill-gotten gains,'' reports Public Gaming International. The bill proposes increased penalties for individuals or entities facilitating illegal gambling, including the potential for felony charges. It also seeks to derail the proliferation of so-called social casino sites, which presumably allow patrons to play games without money. 'If you've ever had the opportunity to, unfortunately, click on that, which a lot of consumers do, you're taken to an app that you download, where you purchase gold coins,' Sen. Rochelle Nguyen, sponsor of SB 256, testified before a Senate committee. 'It is essentially gaming. It's illegal gaming.'
