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  • Friday, Jun. 14, 2024
Google CEO testifies at trial of collapsed startup Ozy Media and founder Carlos Watson
CEO and co-founder of Ozy Media Carlos Watson arrives at Brooklyn Federal Court, Friday, June 7, 2024 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
By Jennifer Peltz

Google CEO Sundar Pichai testified briefly Friday at the federal financial conspiracy trial surrounding buzz-to-bust startup Ozy Media, countering founder Carlos Watson's alleged claims that the search giant once sought to buy Ozy.

Google did consider hiring Watson for a high-level news executive job in 2021 and putting $25 million into Ozy in something of a tradeoff for luring him away, Pichai told jurors.

"Mr. Watson was a critical part of Ozy Media, and we were considering making an investment in the company to make the transition easier," he explained.

But "did you ever offer to purchase Ozy Media for $600 million?" prosecutor Dylan Stern asked.

"No," replied Pichai, who heads Google and parent Alphabet Inc.

He said he had been introduced to Watson at a conference and then in a video interview for a possible Google job interacting with news outlets. Neither the hire nor the $25 million investment ultimately More

  • Friday, Jun. 14, 2024
Vermont governor vetoes data privacy bill, saying state would be most hostile to businesses
A woman types on a keyboard in New York, Oct. 8, 2019. Vermont’s governor on Thursday, June 12, 2024, vetoed a broad data privacy bill that would have been one of the strongest in the country to crack down on companies’ use of online personal data by letting consumers file civil lawsuits against companies that break certain privacy rules. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)
By Lisa Rathke

Vermont's governor has vetoed a broad data privacy bill that would have been one of the strongest in the country to crack down on companies' use of online personal data by letting consumers file civil lawsuits against companies that break certain privacy rules.

Republican Gov. Phil Scott said in his veto message late Thursday that the legislation would have made Vermont "a national outlier and more hostile than any other state to many businesses and non-profits."

"I appreciate this provision is narrow in its impact, but it will still negatively impact mid-sized employers, and is generating significant fear and concern among many small businesses," he wrote.

The legislation would have prohibited the sale of sensitive data, such as social security and driver's license numbers, as well as financial information and health data. It also would have set meaningful limits on the amount of personal data that companies can collect and use, More

  • Friday, Jun. 14, 2024
Hannah Einbinder uses comedy as a coping mechanism in debut standup Max special
Hannah Einbinder attends the 17th annual Chanel Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner at The Odeon on Monday, June 10, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
By Brooke Lefferts & Kaitlyn Huamani
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- 

To rising comic Hannah Einbinder, her bits are for more than just laughs. She says her jokes are a coping mechanism she uses to process the tough topics she tackles in her material.

Einbinder, known for matching Jean Smart's quick wit and comedic timing in "Hacks," released her debut standup special on Max on Thursday to critical acclaim. Throughout her set, she takes on several difficult subjects, including sexual identity and climate change.

"Climate change is something that I think about every day when I look out the window at the Earth, before my eyes, so that is something that I definitely wanted to hit on," Einbinder tells The Associated Press. "It's just something that overwhelms my consciousness and so I write about it."

Einbinder says she thinks about "pretty much everything through the lens of comedy," adding that the habit is a "classic coping mechanism" or "survival instinct."

The special, "Everything Must Go," More

  • Friday, Jun. 14, 2024
Film Independent and FX select 6 Fearless Latinx Creators for Imaginar TV Incubator
Jessica Gonzalez (photo by Adrienne Argenbright)
LOS ANGELES -- 

Film Independent and FX have named the six Fellows selected for the inaugural Film Independent Imaginar TV Incubator for Fearless Latinx Creators, in collaboration with the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP). Daniela Bailes, Marissa Díaz, Jessica Gonzalez, Eric Reyes Loo, George Pérez and Eliana Pipes were chosen for this new program.

The Imaginar TV Incubator supports Latinx Creators as they participate in a series of workshops, conversations and individual meetings designed to provide them with valuable support and insight into the FX Networks drama programming brand, and direct access to industry leaders.

“This inaugural cohort of Imaginar Creators is a reflection of the impressive talent and bold voices within the Latinx community,” said Angela C. Lee, director of artist development at Film Independent, “We couldn’t be more thrilled to work with these six writers to help them gain an even stronger foundation More

  • Friday, Jun. 14, 2024
Pope Francis meets more than 100 comedians at the Vatican: "You also make God smile"
Chris Rock, left, and Conan O'Brien arrive for an audience with Pope Francis in the Clementine Hall at The Vatican, Friday, June 14, 2024. Pope Francis is meeting with over 100 comedians from 15 countries aiming to establish a link between the Catholic Church and comic artists. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
By Giada Zampano
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- 

Before flying to Italy's southern Puglia region to meet world leaders at the Group of Seven summit, Pope Francis hosted a very different audience at the Vatican on Friday celebrating the importance of humor.

The pontiff welcomed more than 100 comedians from 15 nations, including U.S. celebrities Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Rock, Stephen Colbert and Conan O'Brien.

"In the midst of so much gloomy news, immersed as we are in many social and even personal emergencies, you have the power to spread peace and smiles," Francis told the comedians.

"You unite people, because laughter is contagious," he continued, asking jokingly, "Please pray for me: for, not against!"

Francis pointed out that in the creation, "Divine wisdom practiced your art for the benefit of none other than God himself, the first spectator in history," with God delighting in the works that he had made.

"Remember this," he added. "When you manage to More

  • Friday, Jun. 14, 2024
Esports Olympics set to launch after IOC presents proposal for video game project
The Olympic rings are seen on the Eiffel Tower Friday, June 7, 2024, in Paris. The Paris Olympics organizers mounted the rings on the Eiffel Tower on Friday as the French capital marks 50 days until the start of the Summer Games. The 95-foot-long and 43-foot-high structure of five rings, made entirely of recycled French steel, will be displayed on the south side of the 135-year-old historic landmark in central Paris, overlooking the Seine River. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) -- 

The first Olympic Esports Games are set to be added soon to the IOC's portfolio of events as it seeks to attract and retain young audiences.

The International Olympic Committee said Friday it will ask members to approve a proposal to create a video game Olympics when they meet next month in Paris on the eve of the Summer Games.

The Olympic body said it was in "advanced discussions with a potential host" that should be announced soon after the July 23-24 meeting in Paris.

"The IOC is taking a major step forward in keeping up with the pace of the digital revolution," its president Thomas Bach said in an online briefing.

The Esports Olympics will build on an IOC-backed week of video game competitions held last year in Singapore. It was a mix of physical simulations of Olympic sports and traditional video games.

The IOC said 75 percent of viewers engaging with Singapore events were between the ages of 13 to 34.

More
  • Thursday, Jun. 13, 2024
With deal done, Disney will withdraw lawsuit, ending conflict with DeSantis and his appointees
The Cinderella Castle is seen at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, July 14, 2023, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
By Mike Schneider
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- 

Now that Disney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' appointees to a governing district have reached a deal on how Walt Disney World will be developed over the next two decades, the company plans to ask that its federal lawsuit be dismissed, ending the last piece of conflict between the two sides.

The decision comes as little surprise because the federal lawsuit's future was contingent on whether a development agreement could be reached between Disney and the DeSantis appointees to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District that governs Disney World, according to a settlement reached in March.

The development deal was approved Wednesday night by the DeSantis appointees on the district's board. A Disney official on Thursday confirmed the plans to ask for the dismissal of the federal lawsuit against DeSantis and his appointees but wasn't authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

As part of the 15-year deal, Disney agreed to invest $17 More

  • Thursday, Jun. 13, 2024
Supervising location manager Sue Quinn to receive Life Achievement honor at LMGI Awards
Sue Quinn (photo courtesy of LMGI)
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- 

Veteran supervising location manager Sue Quinn will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 11th Annual Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) Awards on Saturday, August 24, in Los Angeles. Quinn, best known for her exceptional work on blockbuster films such as “Fantastic Beasts,” and the “Harry Potter” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchises, will be honored for her outstanding contributions to the film and television industry.
 
Recognized for her seamless integration of real-life locations with the magical world in almost 40 films, Quinn has been a key figure in the world of location management for over three decades, working on some of the biggest and most successful films in Hollywood. Her expertise and attention to detail have helped bring to life iconic locations and settings that have become synonymous with these beloved films. 
 
“Sue Quinn’s boundless passion and dedication have left an indelible mark More

  • Thursday, Jun. 13, 2024
Joey Chestnut, Takeru Kobayashi to compete in Netflix competition, streamer's latest live TV event
Joey Chestnut, defending champion of the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, left, works to outpace former champion Takeru Kobayashi, right, July 4, 2009, in New York. Chestnut, a 16-time hot dog-eating champion, will face off with his frequent Nathan’s competitor, Kobayashi, in a live Netflix special on Sept. 2, 2024, the streamer announced Wednesday, June 12. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File)
By Kaitlyn Huamani
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- 

After organizers for Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog-eating contest said Joey Chestnut wouldn't compete this year because of a deal with a rival brand, Netflix swiftly announced a new hot dog-eating competition that will feature Chestnut and his "fiercest rival."

Chestnut, a 16-time hot dog-eating champion, will face off with his frequent Nathan's competitor, Takeru Kobayashi, in a live Netflix special on Sept. 2, the streamer announced Wednesday.

The contest, titled "Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef," will feature the two chowing down on all-beef hot dogs, likely in a nod to reports that Chestnut's rival brand deal is with Impossible Foods, which makes plant-based hot dogs.

Major League Eating, the organization that oversees the Nathan's contest, announced Tuesday that Chestnut's deal was an "exclusivity" issue, saying that it was his decision to step back from the competition he has participated in since 2005. "We More

  • Wednesday, Jun. 12, 2024
DeSantis appointees bury the hatchet with Disney by approving new development deal
The Cinderella Castle is seen at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, July 14, 2023, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
By Mike Schneider
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- 

Gov. Ron DeSantis' appointees on Wednesday gave final approval to an agreement that buries the hatchet between Disney and the governing district for Walt Disney World, which the Florida governor took over after the company two years ago publicly opposed a state law critics dubbed "Don't Say Gay."

The five DeSantis-appointed board members to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District unanimously voted to approve a 15-year development deal in which the district committed to making infrastructure improvements in exchange for Disney investing up to $17 billion into Disney World over the next two decades.

The agreement followed a detente in March in which both sides agreed to stop litigating each other in state court and work towards negotiating a new development agreement and a new comprehensive plan no later than next year. The district provides municipal services such as firefighting, planning and mosquito control, among other things, More

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