Tag Archives: Entertainment

The Most Incredible Photos Of Surfing’s Olympic Debut

Posted on by
Reply

For the first time in Olympic history, 40 surfers will compete for a spot on the winners’ podium.

Each surfer competes in a 30 minute heat, trying to catch as many waves as possible. Their top two scoring waves at Tsurigasaki beach are combined for their final total.

See the athleticism, grit and each drop of water in these amazing photos from the first two days of training and competition.

OLIVIER MORIN via Getty Images

Japan’s Mahina Maedagoes rides a wave during a free training session at the Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach, in Chiba, on July 24, 2021 during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 

It has taken a century of advocacy to get surfing into the Olympics. Hawaiian surfer and Olympic swimmer Duke Kahanamoku started the push in 1912 when he first asked the International Olympic Committee to include the sport. 

OLIVIER MORIN via Getty Images

Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi rides a wave during a free training session at the Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach.

OLIVIER MORIN via Getty Images

Chile’s Manuel Selman rides a wave during a free training session.

Pool via Getty Images

Silvana Lima of Team Brazil

Ryan Pierse via Getty Images

Lucca Mesinas of Team Peru surfs during the Men’s Round 1 heat on day two of on July 25, 2021 in Ichinomiya, Chiba, Japan.

Ryan Pierse via Getty Images

 Kanoa Igarashi of Team Japan warms up before competition on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Pool via Getty Images

Carissa Moore of Team United States

Share Button

TV Network Admits It Covered Olympic Opening Ceremony In ‘Inappropriate’ Way

Posted on by
Reply

South Korean TV network MBC’s coverage of the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony on Friday went awry when it used what it has now admitted were “inappropriate” photos and captions to refer to countries competing in the games.

The broadcaster drew the most ire on Twitter after it showed a photograph of Chernobyl — the site of the 1986 nuclear power plant disaster ― as Ukraine’s athletes entered the National Stadium, reported Agence France-Presse.

MBC also used pictures of pizza when Italy’s representatives arrived, salmon for Norway, sushi for Japan, a scene of unrest for Haiti, and a depiction of the fictional Dracula for Romania, according to Reuters.

Critics called out the network for propagating national stereotypes with its choice of images.

The Chernobyl image prompted the most anger.

“In today’s Opening Ceremony broadcast, inappropriate photos were used when introducing countries like Ukraine and Haiti,” MBC said in a statement, per the New Zealand Herald. “Also, inappropriate photos and subtitles were used for other countries. We apologise to the viewers of Ukraine and other countries.”

Share Button

The Aerials, Slides And Wipeouts Of Skateboarding’s First Olympics

Posted on by
Reply

Skateboarders have their first-ever chance for an Olympic gold.

The men’s street competition began Saturday, giving audiences their first taste of the rebel “anti-sport” on the global athletics stage. Women’s street begins Sunday, and the park competition for women and men debuts August 3 and 4.

Two of the Olympic’s youngest stars will participate in park — Team GB’s 13-year-old Sky Brown and Kokona Hiraki of Japan, who is 12.

The street course was created to model real-world obstacles like stair cases and railings. The park course has the giant bowls and half-pipes seen in skateparks. Check out these incredible images of Olympic Street Skateboarding’s debut.

Ezra Shaw via Getty Images

Vincent Milou of Team France competes at the Skateboarding Men’s Street Prelims on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Urban Sports Park.

Ezra Shaw via Getty Images

Nyjah Huston of Team USA practises prior the Skateboarding Men’s Street Prelims on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Ezra Shaw via Getty Images

Jake Ilardi of Team USA competes at the Skateboarding Men’s Street Prelims.

Dan Mullan via Getty Images

Sora Shirai of Team Japan competes at the Skateboarding Men’s Street Prelims.

Dan Mullan via Getty Images

Gustavo Felipe of Team Brazil competes at the Skateboarding Men’s Street Prelims Heat 1.

MARTIN BERNETTI via Getty Images

Jagger Eaton of the US takes a fall as he competes in the men’s street prelims heat 1.

Ezra Shaw via Getty Images

Yuto Horigome of Team Japan competes at the Skateboarding Men’s Street Prelims.

MARTIN BERNETTI via Getty Images

Jake Ilardi of the US competes in the men’s street prelims heat 2.

MARTIN BERNETTI via Getty Images

Brazil’s Kelvin Hoefler takes a fall as he competes in the men’s street prelims heat 2.

JEFF PACHOUD via Getty Images

Australia’s Shane O’Neill competes in the men’s street prelims heat 2.

JEFF PACHOUD via Getty Images

Brazil’s Gustavo Felipe reacts as he competes in the men’s street prelims heat 1 during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Share Button

Piers Morgan Reveals He Caught Coronavirus Watching Euros Final At Wembley

Posted on by
Reply

Piers Morgan has revealed he thinks he caught coronavirus while watching England play in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.

The journalist and television presenter told the Mail on Sunday he contracted Covid despite being double vaccinated.

In a post on Twitter, he said it has been “a long ten days”.

He added: “Yes, it’s certainly been one of the more interesting (and unnerving…) experiences of my life, but it gave my a new perspective on covid, vaccines & where we are.”

MWE via Getty Images

Piers Morgan

Writing in his column for the newspaper, Morgan said he thinks he caught the virus during England’s Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy.

“My confidence that the event would be ‘covid safe’ had disintegrated,” he said.

“It was turning into an unregulated free-for-all.”

According to the newspaper, he began to feel unwell two days after the match and subsequently tested positive for the virus.

“As I’m sure everyone who gets it feels, it’s a strange, disquieting moment to know I have this killer virus inside me,” he said.

The former Good Morning Britain presenter added that coronavirus is “definitely the roughest I’ve felt from any illness in my adult life”.

“I’m still here – unlike so many millions around the world who’ve lost their lives to Covid in this pandemic,” Morgan said.

“For that, I owe a heartfelt debt of thanks to the brilliant scientists up in Oxford who created the Astra-Zeneca vaccine with such astonishing speed.”

Share Button

British Olympic Pole Vaulter Harry Coppell’s Painful Accident Reveals Danger Even After Safe Landing

Posted on by
Reply

Good thing pole vaulters don’t need their teeth to compete, because Harry Coppell just smashed a few at the Tokyo Olympics.

The British athlete posted video on Instagram of the accident in which he lands safely in the practice attempt but cannot stop the bar from crashing onto his mouth.

“I hope @tokyo2020 has a good dentist around,” he wrote.

Harry, the 22nd ranked pole vaulter in the world, eventually did see a dentist.

The visit turned into an all-night ordeal and left him without a tooth and part of another one ― but with his sense of humour intact.

“I’m gonna tell people I was in a bar fight….” he wrote on his story with a photo of the results.

Share Button

Cardi B Hits Back At Accusations Of Queerbaiting: ‘I Don’t Like This New Word’

Posted on by
Reply

Cardi B has hit back at accusations of “queerbaiting” in her latest music video.

The term is often used to describe straight performers who hint at non-heterosexual encounters, without actually depicting them, to attract LGBT fans.

A Rolling Stone article on the subject included a reference to Cardi B’s Wild Side video with singer Normani, noting a social media user had accused them of queerbaiting.

The video features the pair naked and dancing together.

Prince Williams via Getty Images

Cardi B

The rapper, who is expecting her second child with husband Offset, said the term could pressure artists into divulging details about their private lives.

“I don’t like this new ‘queer baiting’ word,” she tweeted. “I feel like it pressure artist to talk about their sexuality or their experiences that they don’t feel comfortable speaking about.

“If a artist kiss a girl on a video does that means she gotta show videos & text wit wit other women?”

Addressing the Rolling Stone article, 28-year-old Cardi B said: “You do know we was trying to hide a whole baby bump right?”

She added: “Also I’m married to a man but I have express soo much about my bisexuality and my experiences wit girls. All of a sudden “queer baiting” is the new word & people use it to the ground!”

Queerbaiting is not a new subject in pop music.

Rita Ora was criticised in 2018 for her song Girls, which featured Cardi B, Charli XCX and Bebe Rexha.

Rita claims she intended the song to be a celebration of bisexuality but was accused of being exploitative.

She later released a statement apologising and said: “I would never intentionally cause harm to other LGBTQ+ people or anyone.”

Madonna was recently accused of queerbaiting over her famous kiss at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

Share Button

Japanese Video Game Music Gets Big Moment At Olympic Opening Ceremony

Posted on by
Reply

Fans of Japanese video games couldn’t believe their ears as Olympic athletes paraded into Tokyo’s National Stadium during the opening ceremony for the 2020 Games on Friday: the orchestra was playing tunes from some of their favourite games.

In a celebration of Japanese popular culture that is appreciated worldwide, the entry parade was set to tunes from games developed by Sega, Capcom and Square Enix. 

It kicked off with “Overture: Roto’s Theme” from Dragon Quest. Next up was “Victory Fanfare” from Final Fantasy. The parade featured more tunes from Monster Hunter, Soulcaliber and Sonic the Hedgehog. (Check out the original list in Japanese from Nikkan Sports, or in English from Polygon.) 

According to Classic FM, the music from Kingdom Hearts was composed by Yoko Shimomura, who is responsible for the music for some of the biggest video games ever made. Fans were delighted to hear her work being incorporated into the ceremony.

While the list didn’t feature widely recognised tunes from cultural juggernauts like Mario Bros. or The Legend of Zelda, the music helped give a sense of atmosphere to the ceremony, which was held in almost an empty stadium due to coronavirus restrictions.

Olympians waved mostly for the cameras in the made-for-TV ceremony, which only had about 1,000 people in attendance at the 68,000-capacity stadium ― VIPs like Japanese Emperor Naruhito, first lady Jill Biden, members of the International Olympic Committee and journalists. 

In another nod to Japanese pop culture, the placard for each country’s delegation was in the style of a speech bubble from manga, which is Japanese comics and graphic novels. The signs had the country’s name in English on one side and Japanese on another.

Natacha Pisarenko via AP

Snaefridur Sol Jorunnardottir and Anton Mckee, of Iceland, carry their country’s flag during the opening ceremony.

And in another tribute to Japanese pop culture, the Google Doodle, which is accessed by going to the google.com home page, also starts out with an anime-inspired theme, then moves to an incredibly elaborate ’80s-style arcade game.

The exposure to anime and manga from the Tokyo Games may serve to make the art forms even more popular worldwide, said Susan Napier, a professor of rhetoric and Japanese studies at Tufts University, according to The Washington Post.

Share Button

Prince Harry Working On ‘Intimate And Heartfelt’ Memoir About His Life In The Public Eye

Posted on by
Reply

Prince Harry is working on a memoir that will cover his life as a member of the Royal Family and marriage to Meghan Markle.

On Monday, it was reported that the Duke of Sussex was collaborating with the novelist J. R. Moehringer on a book about his life in the public eye.

The publisher Penguin Random House said of the venture (via Page Six): “In an intimate and heartfelt memoir from one of the most fascinating and influential global figures of our time, Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him.”

They added that the memoir will span “from childhood to the present day”, “including his dedication to service, the military duty that twice took him to the frontlines of Afghanistan, and the joy he has found in being a husband and father”.

PETER NICHOLLS via Getty Images

Prince Harry pictured in March 2020

According to Page Six, a manuscript from Prince Harry was expected next month, but this has been pushed back to October due to his hectic schedule.

The book’s release is scheduled “for late 2022”.

Penguin Random House highlighted that proceeds from Prince Harry’s book will be donated to charity.

Harry’s memoir is his latest venture since stepping down as a senior member of the Royal Family last year.

Pool/Samir Hussein via Getty Images

Prince Harry’s memoir will include accounts of his marriage to Meghan Markle

Share Button

Guto Harri Blasts GB News After Resigning From Struggling Station

Posted on by
Reply

GB News presenter Guto Harri has called out the struggling news station after resigning from his role.

Earlier this week, Guto was publicly rebuked by GB News after taking the knee live on air, in solidarity with the England footballers who had been subjected to racist abuse since the Euro 2020 final.

Writing in the Sunday Times this weekend, he criticised the broadcaster, and claimed he had been encouraged to take the knee when he first alerted a producer to the fact he would be doing so.

“Immediately before going on air, I mentioned that I was considering making the gesture,” he wrote, noting he was then told: “If you do it, do it to camera three.”

GB News

Guto Harri taking the knee live on air on Tuesday afternoon

Guto continued: “GB News captured the moment and proudly cascaded it through social media. Watch five minutes of the channel and you’ll see how presenters are encouraged to speak freely, confront sensitive subjects, engage in difficult debates and make a case.

“However, what followed was a tsunami of disappointment, resentment and hate. Old friends were amused to see me described as woke and Marxist. By Thursday night, the boss called and I’d been taken off air for the summer.”

He added that he first joined GB News as a part-time presenter because he “supported the broad vision”, but accused the station of having become an “absurd parody of what it proclaimed to be”.

He wrote: “Rather than defending free speech and confronting cancel culture, it has set out to replicate it on the far right.”

GB News, which launched in June with a supposed emphasis on free speech, said this week that Guto taking the knee was an “unacceptable breach of our standards”.

The Independent reported on Sunday afternoon that Guto has now made the decision to quit GB News altogether, quoting a resignation letter in which he told bosses he felt he had no other option but to resign.

“I now see that you’ve hired Nigel Farage who immediately declared in public that he will not be taking the knee,” a section of the letter reads (via The Independent).

“Please explain how that does not breach editorial standards but I did – so I can share it with my lawyers.”

HuffPost UK has contacted GB News for comment.

GB News returned to the headlines this week, after it was revealed several of its shows had recorded zero viewers in the past week, with reports also claiming that several behind-the-scenes figures were in the process of leaving, in the lead-up to Nigel Farage being announced as a new presenter.

On Friday evening, the station’s chairman Andrew Neil – who announced he was taking a break from GB News two weeks after its launch, and had been completely silent about the channel since 6 July – spoke out in its defence, insisting that it was still “finding its feet”.

The broadcaster was dealt a further blow on Friday afternoon when presenter Alastair Stewart announced he would also be taking a break from GB News after breaking his hip in a horse-riding accident.

Share Button

Mila Kunis Shut Down Husband Ashton Kutcher’s Attempt To Fly To Space

Posted on by
Reply

Mila Kunis was not over the moon with her husband’s plan to fly to space.

In an interview published earlier this week, Ashton Kutcher told website Cheddar News that he’d bought a ticket for billionaire Richard Branson’s next Virgin Galactic flight and was all set to rocket into space — until his wife talked him out of it, that is.

“When I got married and had kids, my wife basically encouraged that it was not a smart family decision to be heading into space when we have young children,” Ashton explained.

“So I ended up selling my ticket back to Virgin Galactic.”

C Flanigan via Getty Images

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis attend the sixth annual Breakthrough Prize at NASA Ames Research Center in 2017.

Asthon became the 500th person to buy a Virgin Galactic space flight ticket back in March 2012, three years before he and miLA got married.

Richard Branson – who owns the space travel company – and five of his employees hurtled into space from New Mexico on Sunday.

The 70-year-old is the first person to blast off in his own spaceship, beating fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos and his company Blue Origin by nine days, the Associated Press reported.

PATRICK T. FALLON via Getty Images

The Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo space plane Unity and its mothership separate as they fly above Spaceport America, near Truth and Consequences, New Mexico, on Sunday.

Branson and the other passengers reached an altitude of about 53 miles over the New Mexico desert, allowing them to see the curvature of Earth and experience a few minutes of weightlessness before heading back down. 

Virgin Galactic plans to do one more test flight before it begins flying paying customers, CNN reported. The company already has more than 600 potential space tourists with reservations, per AP.

Tickets initially cost $250,000 (around £182,000) each, but when the company reopens ticket sales soon, they’ll be even pricier.

“I was supposed to be on the next flight, but I will not be on the next flight,” Ashton told Cheddar.

Although Mika shut down her husband’s current dream (perhaps because she saw this bit on Late Night with Seth Meyers), he is still not giving up.

“At some point, I’m going to space,” he insisted.

Share Button