Latest news with #Monopoly
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Monopoly': Inside Netflix's Massive Bake-Off To Win Right To Produce Board Game Reality Series
EXCLUSIVE: Netflix is no stranger to the bake-off, a process designed to choose a production company to make a certain show, in the unscripted universe. The streamer has held auditions for such series as Meghan Markle's With Love, Meghan, which was won by Sony's IPC, and its upcoming Willy Wonka series The Golden Ticket, which will be produced by The Floor producer Eureka Productions. More from Deadline 2025 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming Netflix's 'Willy Wonka' Reality Competition Series Bake-Off Won By 'The Floor' Producer Eureka YouTube Shows Are Increasingly Going To Netflix. Now The Streamer Wants To Make Them Bigger However, its latest process to pick a company to make a reality series based on iconic board game Monopoly has taken things to a new level. Deadline understands that there are around 40 companies vying to score the right to make Monopoly, which Netflix picked up from Hasbro Entertainment earlier this year, as revealed by Deadline. Seeing as there are around the same number of companies keen to battle it out to make the show as there are squares on a Monopoly board, the process has been the talk of the unscripted business over the past week. Jeff Gaspin, who heads up unscripted at Netflix, told Deadline that he was convinced to buy the project without a pitch in part due to the success of Monopoly Go!, the mobile board game from Scopely that came out in 2023. That game is thought to have had more than 150 million downloads and generated at least $5 billion in revenue. 'There's a gameplay in Monopoly Go! that I think really will resonate with gameplay in an unscripted series,' he said. 'The idea itself is still up for grabs. How do we want to approach it? Is it a giant game board? Is it in the real world? We don't have the answer and we had so many agents and so many production companies reaching out and asking us if they can participate, and asking if we'll consider putting them in the bake-off that we didn't want to be restrictive. So, we said, 'Why don't we do a first round that's pretty broad.'' Companies have had to be either invited to join the process or pre-approved by Netflix executives. It's believed that these companies then signed a two-page contract, which highlights that the successful company won't secure any back-end rights to the property, before being asked to submit a logline. It's thought that this larger group will be whittled down to around 15 companies who will be invited into a 15-minute pitch meeting, where a winner will either be declared or a handful of companies will be chosen to develop their ideas further. Netflix is hoping that the end product will be a 'large-scale' series similar to its hits like Love Is Blind and Squid Game: The Challenge. One source said that the unprecedented scale of the bake-off was 'ridiculous,' while another called it a 'little out of control.' 'It seems completely crazy and also seems completely disrespectful of people's time and resources,' added a producer. But Gaspin disputed this notion, saying the process is designed so companies don't waste a lot of time developing and pitching a series that doesn't make it. 'We'll see what comes back,' he said. 'My guess is this is going to be an iterative process. It's going to take us a little while, but that's okay. We did it with The Golden Ticket and I'm really excited about the creative on The Golden Ticket. We did that in a bake-off style process and I think it's good for the community that producers and production companies have a chance to show what they have.' He added that it may also open doors for companies that haven't scored a big unscripted series for Netflix. 'Even if they don't get picked on this project, we might see something in their pitch that we really like, so we'll keep them in mind the next time something comes along. I think it's healthy for the community to give a lot of people an opportunity.' Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Emmys, Oscars, Grammys & More Everything We Know About 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' Solve the daily Crossword
Cosmopolitan
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
22 Sex Games for Couples
Ordinarily, we're not ones to condone playing games in relationships. But playing games in the bedroom…. Yes, we're definitely here for some sex games. What's a sex game, you ask? From steamy takes on old classics like dirty truth or dare to intimacy decks created with adult playtime in mind, a sex game is any fun little extrasexual activity you and your partner(s) may add to your sex life. Some companies make card and board games specifically for foreplay, including questions or tasks that require players to do or confess something spicy. Other sex games aren't original sex games, per se, but adult spins on the games you already know and love. (Think: Monopoly, Twister, and Jenga with 'strip' or other sexy elements.) Whichever way you take it, incorporating sex games can be an extremely effective way to add a little extra fun to your sex life. For your fun and pleasure, we've curated this list of the best sex games to play in the bedroom. So whether you're trying to play coy with a little horny hide and seek or get rowdy at home with some 'Strip Twister,' there's no shortage of sex games that'll make everyone feel like winners. Now go forth and get lucky! Yes, sexy board games and card games exist, from spicy versions of old classics like Monopoly and Truth or Dare to intimacy decks featuring sexy prompts and questions to help couples bond on a whole new level. Here are a few picks you can add to your cart right now. There's a Monopoly version for basically every state and hobby, so it makes sense there'd be a sex version as well. Similar to the normal game, you move tokens and land on properties, but in this spicy version, there's a lot more flirting and sexual trivia involved. Oh, and if you can't pay your rent, the other players might literally take the shirt off your back. Buy Now If you're a fan of card games and trying to master new positions, combine your two seemingly unrelated passions with this clever card deck from Lovehoney. Each card is a different Kama Sutra position, but the deck itself is pretty versatile. Play your favorite card game, and then try out the position on whatever card you land/use/draw/etc. Buy Now This classic sleepover game is about to get a very sexy twist thanks to this Truth or Dare pleasure deck from Unbound. Buy Now If you're looking for a fun game to pull out when your equally adventurous friends come over, Couplicious is definitely a must-have. The game is a mix of trivia, role-play, and confessions, and is fun for the whole group/polycule/what have you. Buy Now This one is a little less overtly sexual, but the questions in Talk, Flirt, Dare are all about playfully getting to know each other better, and the reviews swear by it. Sometimes, the best way to get it on is to make the actual date focused more on connecting and just straight-up having a lot of fun together. Buy Now The Choose Your Pleasure card game features two decks full of sexy scenarios. The decks have a variety of spicy challenges and the game comes with dice so you can randomize prompts. Buy Now Up your oral sex game (literally) with this Oral Fun board game, featuring spicy trivia questions and oral-focused prompts. Buy Now Inspired by old-school favorites you know and love, these DIY-style games make it easy to put a sexy spin on the classics you know and love, from Twister and Jenga to MadLibs and Scrabble (yes, Scrabble). Sex therapist Rachel Wright suggests trying a NSFW version of Truth or Dare. And while you could spring for a designated sexy card game version, you don't necessarily need a deck to give this classic game a spicy upgrade. You can play it the old-fashioned way by getting creative and coming up with spicy prompts all on your own (or browsing some of our recommendations here). Some of the hottest sex games are simply fun twists on the classics, and one of the best is obviously Twister. I mean, you're already using your literal bodies as the game pieces (fun fact, the game was considered quite risqué when it first debuted in the '60s) so add in an extra sexy element and you have yourself a bonafide sex game. Each time someone 'loses,' they have to take off an article of clothing. You'll be stripped down and tangled up in no time. Take the classic game and sexify it yourself. Write a dirty dare on each block, and whoever tries to remove the block that knocks the tower down has to perform that dare. You know those games you played on road trips when you were a kid? Well, best believe they can have a sexy spin. Whether you play in the bedroom or while driving home for the holidays together, grab a MadLibs pad or printout and only use dirty responses for the answers. Like regular Scrabble, except you can only spell out dirty words. (None of that 'qi' nonsense.) Every time your partner gets a point, you have to remove an item of clothing. (And vice versa, because fair is fair.) Set up your dining room table like a beer-pong table, but skip the brew: Arrange six 16-ounce plastic cups in a triangle shape at either end of the table, and grab some ping pong balls. You'll stand at one end of the table, with your partner at the other. Take turns trying to throw a ping pong ball into the cups at the opposite end of the table. When one of you makes it in, the other has to remove that cup…and a piece of clothing. The first person to land a ball in all six cups gets to request a sexual favor of their choice. Start with a deck of cards and assign each suit a different sexy meaning. Example: hearts represent kissing, diamonds equal a massage, clubs are manual stimulation, and spades signify oral. Take turns picking cards from the stack and treating each other to the sexy move you draw. The numbers on the cards represent how long you have to do each action—so if you get the nine of diamonds, they have to give you a sensual rubdown for nine seconds. If they pick the ace of clubs, you give them a one-second handy. You can also replace seconds with minutes, if you want to play for longer. Seven Minutes in Heaven is a step up from Spin the Bottle. But now that you're not in braces in your parent's basement, Alison Tyler, author of G Is for Games suggests making it dirtier. Set the kitchen timer for seven minutes and then hop in the coat closet together for a torrid quickie. The timer creates a sense of urgency, and the small, dark space makes it feel like you're doing something forbidden—so hot. Recommended by sexologist Alex Miller, this game combines strip poker and truth or dare. You'll need a set of poker cards and maybe a pen and paper to write your bets down. To play, pick whatever style of poker you like, but none of the players can look at their cards—the idea is to bet without seeing them. Instead of betting with money, you bet with actions. 'For example, 'I see your oil-massage, and I raise you with a hand job,'' Miller explains. 'Once betting is over, players flip over their cards and whoever loses has to do all the things that have been said.' For those who like it a little on the freaky side, some extra-spicy games that blend elements of kink/BDSM into your playtime. Get kinky with a little temperature play and take turns exploring each other's bodies with ice. Keep in mind that you should be very gentle with ice and keep your movements light and teasing. Wait until the ice has sufficiently melted down a bit and your partner is used to the cold sensation before heading down to their genitals. This not only amps up their desire, it also ensures they won't be getting freezer burn anywhere sensitive. Vibrating panties and wearable massagers are must-haves for any goodie drawer, but why not take them out for a night on the town? Before going out to dinner, both you and your partner simply each slip on a pair and exchange remotes. When you're out to eat, whoever orgasms first (remember: discretion is key here!) has to pick up the tab for dinner. If you're still having fun, you can go round two for dessert. Slow down and explore each other's bodies while asking 'May I?' before every touch. Be flirty or bratty to spice things up. Visit a sex shop or lingerie store together and tell your partner they can pick one thing they want to see you wear, no questions asked. Give them an allowance to spend so they stay in your budget. Don't let them show you what they bought until you get home from the shopping trip. Enjoy watching their jaw drop as they see you walk out in their fantasy getup. Blindfold your partner naked on the bed and then tease them all over using a series of sexy objects. Caress them with a silky thong or a simple feather, have them try to guess what you're stroking them with, and don't move on to the next object until they get it right. Who says you need to wait until the holidays? You can find advent calendars for sex toys, lingerie, etc., and break them out whenever you so choose. This kinky, non-holiday-specific one is perfect for any time of year. Buy Now
Time Magazine
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
Like Theo Huxtable, Malcolm-Jamal Warner Defied Expectations With Heart
In the final episode of The Cosby Show, Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable is beaming with pride—his only son is graduating college. Over the course of the show's eight year run, this moment was not always taken as a given; the son, Theo Huxtable, was for years presented as a chronic underachiever, more interested in the typical trappings of teenage boyhood—friends, parties, girls, motorcycles. He was never any real trouble, not aggressive, or violent, or otherwise disrespectful, but didn't seem to be able to live up to the expectations set by his successful father. His graduation from college in the finale is a triumph. And as Dr. Huxtable sits there, watching the ceremony, barely able to contain his glee, there's a flashback to the very first episode of The Cosby Show—a classic not only because of the eight seasons of the one of the greatest sitcoms ever that followed, but an episode that stands on its own as comedic genius. In it, the stage is set for Theo's trajectory: he has brought home a report card full of D grades, and this isn't something that will be accepted in the Huxtable household. When Dr. Huxtable confronts him about the report card, Theo suggests that he is maybe meant to be a regular person, not a doctor like his father or lawyer like his mother. The Huxtable patriarch responds with a lesson on the financial reality of 'regular' people, via Monopoly money. A bit later, a forlorn Theo offers a heartfelt thought. 'Instead of acting disappointed, because I'm not like you,' Theo says gently to his father, 'maybe you can just accept who I am and love me anyway. Because I'm your son.' The studio audience applauds, and for a moment everyone feels the tenderness of the request—a boy wanting to be loved by his father for who he is and not what his father desires for him. And then a comedic break: Dr. Huxtable rises and yells, 'Theo…that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard in my life!' The audience roars with laughter, as surely everyone who has ever seen it does, recognizing the exasperation of a parent wanting what is best for their child and a child's attempt to weasel out of giving any effort. Theo Huxtable was, of course, played by Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who at the age of 54, tragically died on Sunday in a drowning accident while vacationing with his family in Costa Rica. The loss has been felt all over—the cultural impact of The Cosby Show can't be overstated, and Warner was an integral part of it; the show possibly doesn't even work without him. For everything it sought to do in presenting a black family that was not mired in trauma, its heart could be found in Warner's portrayal of Theo trying his best to navigate the lofty expectations that come with such freedom, while also wanting to be a teenager, going through all the trials and tribulations that make up that phase of life. Warner, through Theo, became the relatable, accessible, fun, stylish (with the exception of the Gordon Gartrell catastrophe), good-natured older brother/cousin/friend that a teenager of the 1980s could hope to be or befriend. It is the way Warner will live on for many. And yet for others, that image is tainted, through no fault of Warner's. Bill Cosby, the show's creator and namesake, forever tarnished the legacy of The Cosby Show, through his years of sexually assaulting dozens of women. That has nothing to do with Warner, who made no excuses for Cosby when asked about him, but it still lingers. Which brings me back to that Cosby Show finale: one way to view it is as redemptive for Dr. Huxtable, that his harshness seen in the pilot episode and relentless pressure throughout the series paid off. Through his will, his son succeeded. Another is that Theo, having to overcome the long shadow of his father, managed to do so not only by being determined, but being gentle with himself and accepting of who he was—part way through the series, we learn that Theo has dyslexia, and that his trouble in school was not simply the result of his lack of effort, but a failure on the part of teachers, and his parents, to understand him better. But Theo never wavered in being possessed of his own confidence, or let the harshness of his father dim his good-nature. The same can be said of Malcolm-Jamal Warner. The long shadow of Bill Cosby has always been there, darker in recent years, and yet he forged a career as an actor that didn't rely on knowing he was once on one of the most popular sitcoms ever to see he had success. He scored comedic and dramatic roles alike, ranging from the late 1990s sitcom Malcolm & Eddie, which ran for four seasons, to appearing as O.J. Simpson's best friend Al Cowlings in 2016's The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story. He won a Grammy alongside Robert Glasper and Lalah Hathaway in 2015, and then was nominated for another in 2022 for his spoken word album Hiding in Plain View. He may not have become bigger than The Cosby Show, a difficult feat, but he became his own person, his own artist, something beyond even the relationship his audience forged with him. My favorite of his post-Cosby turns is an episode of the sitcom Community, from 2011, where he plays the previously unseen ex-husband of Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown), Andre. In a quiet moment, another character remarks, 'Nice sweater' and Andre replies, 'Thanks. My dad gave it to me.' The sweater in question bears a striking resemblance to the kind Bill Cosby became famous for wearing. But Malcolm-Jamal Warner made it all his own.
Vox
2 days ago
- Business
- Vox
How Trump is making America hungrier
The Congressional Budget Office estimates more than 3 million people in the United States will likely be dropped from the accessing SNAP the next few years, states will have to decide how much of the SNAP costs to absorb, which totaled over $100 billion in 2024. The CBOe predicts that some states will scale back or drop SNAP benefits altogether. Food banks throughout the country are already raising the alarm that they won't be able to meet the food demands created by cuts to the program. In addition to shifting the cost to states, the legislation will change the enrollment requirements for SNAP, such as raising the working age to 64, and requiring able-bodied parents with children over 14 to work in order to receive benefits. Some critics of the bill argue the provision prevents SNAP from serving its purpose of feeding low-income Americans. On the Today, Explained podcast, co-host Sean Rameswaram dove into the history of SNAP, the program's controversies since its inception, and how the legislative bill will prevent the program from being able to deliver on its original goals with Tracy Roof, an associate professor of political science the University of Richmond who focuses on domestic policy who is writing a book about the history of food assistance in the United States. Below is an excerpt of their conversation, edited for length and clarity. There's much more in the full episode, so listen to Today, Explained wherever you get podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify. What's the history of food assistance in the United States of SNAP? Whose idea was this and why did we want to do it? In the 1950s, you got more attention to certain pockets of poverty in the United States. One of the areas that got the most attention was Appalachia with coal miners who were losing their jobs. You were starting to see more mechanization of coal mines, as well as competition from things like oil. And all of these coal miners were losing their jobs in the middle of areas that didn't have other economic opportunities. And because you had able-bodied workers in the household, a lot of these families didn't qualify for cash assistance. John F. Kennedy, when he was running for president in 1960, toured some of these areas and saw how widespread the problem of starvation was. At the same time, members of Congress made the argument that we were spending all of this money to store surplus grain, and we could not find enough places to sell that grain. So we started sending some of it abroad to starving people in other countries, but we had starving people in the United States who were not getting access to that food. And so the idea came about of trying to get some of these surplus commodities to people. When Kennedy came into office, his very first executive order was to create a pilot program. People were given coupons that looked like Monopoly money that they could take into grocery stores and use to buy any food within the grocery store. You couldn't get alcohol, you couldn't get cigarettes, but pretty much any consumable food you were able to purchase with it. Then during the mid- to late 1960s, you started to see more and more attention to the plight of tenant farmers in the South. A documentary from CBS called Hunger in America came out, and it showed starving children. When Nixon came in, there was a very famous speech where he pledged to end hunger. That ultimately led to the creation of a permanent program in 1964 that was expanded over the course of the late 1960s, and ultimately every jurisdiction was required to have it by 1974. It was set up such that the federal government would cover all the cost of the benefits, and the states would still be responsible for administering it, but a lot of the cost would be borne by the federal government. So that's the origins of the program. Epic. Yeah. This isn't the first time that people have wanted to cut or curtail or prevent certain people from accessing this program. That's been a long-established history as well. Pretty much from the beginning, there've been critics of the program. I mean, there were people in Congress that just didn't think it was necessary, or they thought that it should be treated as a welfare program and not as a nutrition or agricultural program because it was always put into the Farm Bill. But as inflation grew in the 1970s, enrollment really started to take off. And you saw people like Ronald Reagan in his run for the presidency become very critical of people becoming overly dependent on it. The argument was very similar to what we've just heard, that we needed to protect the program for the truly needy and get people that can fend for themselves off of it. Is this most recent cut to SNAP the most drastic cut we've ever seen? Yes, it's likely to be the biggest cut we've seen. But it isn't an elimination. It's saying, 'States, you gotta figure this out, your move.' Exactly. Is it going to affect Democrats, Republicans, white people, Black people, Asian people, poor people, tall people? A lot of that is gonna be up to the states. So rather than Congress coming in and saying, 'We're going to eliminate eligibility for these categories of people,' it's telling the states, 'You're going to have to bear a larger share of the benefits. And if you can't cover that, you're going to have to figure out how you reduce enrollment in the program or come up with ways to cover the additional cost.' You know, some of the bluer states are probably going to try to make up those differences and maintain assistance to people. Some of the poorer states are probably going to cut back. People will be hungry. Why let people go hungry? We're the richest country on Earth. Why do people want to cut food aid for the poor? You always have a number of people that could be getting something like SNAP, but they don't apply, either because of the stigma associated with it, or because they don't want to go through all the paperwork, or for whatever reason they don't know they're eligible. Back in the 1990s in the midst of welfare reform, the participation rate fell such that only 57 percent of eligible participants participated in SNAP. And then over the course of the George W. Bush administration, that number came up into the 70s. As they tried to make the program more accessible — and that took off during the Great Recession — what you saw was a steep increase in the percentage of people that were on SNAP. It went up to 15 percent of the population at the peak in 2013. But it remained pretty high, even as the economy started to recover. That was largely because it took a long time for the economic recovery to hit low-income workers, and partly because of the decline in stigma. And so that criticism became really loud in Congress once Republicans took control of Congress during the Obama years, and it carried over into the Trump administration. This isn't the first time that the Trump administration has tried to cut benefits. They tried to do it in the wake of the 2016 election as well, they just weren't successful. How much of a shakeup do you think this is of food aid in the United States ultimately? Most states have to have balanced budgets either because of their constitutions or because of state laws. They can't just sell more Treasury bonds the way the federal government does. That means that when we slip into a recession, states face really tough choices because they need to fund education, they need to fund Medicaid, and they need to fund all the other services that states provide. They're going to face some really tough choices about where they allocate their resources.
IOL News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Discover engaging family board games and puzzles
It's the Monopoly game with a strategy twist on Monopoly Island. Image: Loot Description: Monopoly Builder: A Family Strategy Game It's the Monopoly game with a strategy twist on Monopoly Island, located in the center of the board. This family board game is designed for 2 to 4 players ages 8 and up -- it's a fun game to play. Price: R919 Visit: Our Falcon de luxe premium puzzle range was first introduced in the 1970's. Image: Loot Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Unpack feelings using color with this bestselling character. Image: Loot Description: Jumbo Falcon de luxe Jigsaw Puzzle - The Queens Platinum Jubilee (1000 Pieces) Our Falcon de luxe premium puzzle range was first introduced in the 1970's. Designed and crafted with a passion for excellence, we pride ourselves that Falcon de luxe represents quality, heritage and unbeatable choice. Price: R450 Visit: the markers in this kit help the images jump from the page. Image: Loot Description: The Colour Monster - Anna Llenas Unpack feelings using colour with this bestselling character who helps young readers identify emotions and feel more in control. Price: R210 Visit: Description: Inkredibles CoComelon Mess-Free Colour Burst Featuring everyone's favourite CoComelon characters, the markers in this kit help the images jump from the page. The Colour Burst Kit includes 6 markers, 8 colouring pages and 8 free-drawing pages. Price: R169 Visit:
