Noob Shelter Podcast: Episode 14

NS-0014-2019-09-23-Final.mp3
SHOW INFORMATION:
  Show Notes for September 23, 2019
  Episode: 0014
  Show Title: Naruto Run
  Run Time: 1:11:44
Credits
  Executive Producers: None
  Hosted By: Matt Fugitive, John Rythone & Feyd2Black Mike
  Special Thanks to the following:
  End of Show Song: I've No More Fucks to Give - Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq
  End of Show Song: Holding out for a Healer - Sharm/Kruithne
  End of Show Song: Wet Dream by Kip Addotta
  Dave Jones: Freedom Controller
  Adam Curry: Sound Clips
  John Fletcher: Sound Clips
  Anchor.FM: Our MP3 and RSS hosts
  Please Donate To The Noob Shelter Podcast!!
BREAKING NEWS:
  Area 51 Update:
    'Storm Area 51' Raid Turns into a Lame Festival, Excuse to Sell Merch - Nerdist
      Link to Article
      Mon, 23 Sep 2019 16:53
      Science & Tech
      'Storm Area 51' Raid Turns into a Lame Festival, Excuse to Sell Merch
      It's finally happened. The ''Storm Area 51 They Can't Stop All of Us'' meme/Facebook page that first went viral in June of this year has culminated in a real, live gathering of people outside of the infamous military base in Nevada, and now we get to see what happens when a 21-year-old's ''shitpost'' becomes a cultural phenomenon. The result: A kind of lame version of Burning Man with a lot of alien masks and people selling merch.
      But at least we get to watch this guy Naruto run toward absolutely nothing behind a KTNV newscaster'....
      According to Reuters, the call to storm Area 51 has resulted in a gathering of'--wait for it'--dozens of alien-seekers around the heavily guarded gates of the secretive base. Yes, there are dozens of them. Dozens! Although to be fair, some pictures from Twitter seem to indicate at least a few hundred people in attendance.
      For those who haven't bothered to investigate the origins of this meme-raid (adults with lives), it's the brain baby of 21-year-old college student, Matty Roberts. Roberts, who lives at home with his folks in Bakersfield, California, is described by Vox as ''a long-haired, laid-back bro'' who's into spending ''a lot of time online in anime and video gaming communities.'' Roberts, who also has a penchant for posting goofy memes, began the Storm Area 51 They Can't Stop All of Us meme on a lark, but once he set up a Facebook page for the theoretical act of civilian defiance, it quickly gained more than a million sign-ons.
      ''We're taking #Alienstock on tour'...''
      We caught up with Matty Roberts (#StormArea51) at @DLVEC ahead of the #Area51Celebration tonight. He say's they're taking the event on the road! #Area51mania | https://t.co/YFXHIcDLcD pic.twitter.com/UK3kQ72TXL
      '-- KTNV Action News (@KTNV) September 20, 2019
      As of this writing, the ''Official Alienstock Tour'' page, which is now basically the face of the movement, has roughly 2.1 million people interested in going. But again, when it came to game time, only a few dozen, or perhaps a few hundred, people showed up.
      i literally cannot stop laughing, this is SO ICONIC- #raidarea51 #Area51 #Area51storm pic.twitter.com/Bs67wIYnWX
      '-- lauren !? (@averagelaur) September 20, 2019
      Which leads us to where we are right now: in the midst of the raid, the meme, the phenomenon, the attempt to find the truth that's out there! And aside from those few dozen people, who, very thankfully, didn't actually attempt to storm Area 51, what are we looking at? People hawking T-shirts, folks dressed up in gimmicky alien garb, and that one guy Naruto running behind a newscaster. As for Roberts, he put on his Alienstock show the night prior to the Storm event, which attracted, according to one twitter poll (with 118,347 votes as of this writing), around 1,000 to 5,000 people. Although from pictures online, even 1,000 seems generous.
      '...aaaand #AlienStock is officially underway! ðŸ‘½ @FOX5Vegas pic.twitter.com/eXlOISYRUR
      '-- Vania Beltran (@vaniabeltran) September 20, 2019
      So what can we learn from this experience? Perhaps that a ''shitpost'' isn't a great way to start any kind of serious cultural movement. Perhaps that storming a heavily guarded military base isn't the brightest idea ever. But also, perhaps, that one young person can encourage millions of people to rally to a cause'--just imagine if the cause was meaningful. How many people would've shown up then?
      What do you think of the turnout for the Storm Area 51 raid? Did you expect this kind of real-life response all along or did you truly believe that this could've been a revelatory moment in world history? Storm the comments section below with your opinions!
      Feature image: KTNV
  A51 clips:
    Las Vegas ABC 13 Action News
    Hannity - Fox News (3 clips)
    CNN - 2 clips
Video Games:
  GameStop's Store Redesign Leaked - IGN
    Link to Article
    Tue, 17 Sep 2019 15:45
    IGN can confirm the accuracy of a recent Facebook video, which appears to show what one of the redesigned GameStop stores could look like under the company's GameStop Reboot plan.A GameStop store in Pryor, Oklahoma posted a video tour of what looks like a new layout for the store. A source familiar with GameStop's operation, who's requested anonymity, has confirmed that the store matches the blueprint layout of the redesigns shown at GameStop's annual conference.IGN's sources say there's a test store in Oklahoma, the same state from which this video is from. A second source familiar with GameStop's future reboot plans said that not all stores will look like the one in the video, with some stores redesigned to focus more on esports, retro games (as shown here), or a more traditional design similar to existing stores. Other features, like the wall-mounted tablet, are more universal features that corporate will implement across all stores.
    For more information on GameStop's massive third quarter losses, watch the news video below:The new store appears to ditch the glossy, black and white aesthetic of current GameStop locations. Instead, the store now sports a more muted, gray color aesthetic with faux wood paneling. The store is also sleeker and more streamlined, with cleaner rows of games, as well as a small table for video game apparel and figures. There's also a wall-mounted tablet in the store that customers can order from, as well as a sofa and HD TV located in the middle of the store.
    Furthermore, in the back of the store is a new space filled with CRT TVs and tables, apparently used for tabletop games. This would align with GameStop's previously stated goals of turning stores into event spaces where they could host live tournaments and live events.
    In August, GameStop confirmed to IGN that it had laid off over 120 employees, including editorial members of GameStop's print publication Game Informer. GameStop also recently confirmed during an earnings call that it could close up to 200 ''underperforming'' stores worldwide. GameStop announced the layoffs as part of GameStop Reboot, which includes plans to redesign stores to focus on live events, retro games, and esports.Every SNES Game Coming to Nintendo Switch
    The news follows a 14.3% sales decrease year-over-year and a net loss of over $400 million in Q2. GameStop CFO Jim Bell also predicted that this trend of loss will continue for the next several quarters until the next generation of consoles is released.
    IGN has reached out to GameStop for a statement but has not received a response as of press time. IGN also contacted the Oklahoma store but were told they cannot comment on the store redesign.
    Will event spaces be enough to turn GameStop's fortunes around? How do you feel about the new design? Feel free to comment below.Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.
      https://www.facebook.com/GameStopPryorPlaza/videos/vb.1989766337812623/2160950194204050/?type=2&theater
  Suspect who DDOSed World of Warcraft Classic is arrested | PC Gamer
    Link to Article
    Fri, 20 Sep 2019 21:15
    HomeNewsMMOWorld of Warcraft(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
    Earlier this month, World of Warcraft Classic servers were hit with a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack that made reliably accessing its servers a struggle for many players across North America. And now, a Blizzard community manager followed up to say that after a brief investigation a suspect has been arrested.
    "Immediately after the Distributed Denial of Service attacks against our game service began, the Blizzard Security Team worked around the clock with local and international law enforcement agencies to track down the source of the DDoS," the forum post by community manager Kaivax reads. "It is our understanding that, within a few days, authorities were able to successfully identify and arrest a suspect."
    Though it seems likely, Blizzard did not confirm whether this individual was the same person who went by UkDrillas on Twitter who originally took credit for the attacks. On September 7, when players first started complaining of server issues, UkDrillas would tweet out 30-minute warnings before another wave of attacks would make logging into WoW Classic nearly impossible on many servers. Shortly after, that Twitter account was deleted.
    Still, it's an incredibly stupid way to get yourself arrested. In both the US and Europe, DDoS attacks are considered federal crimes that can lead to a prison sentence of several years. The UK is especially harsh, with a maximum sentence of 10 years.
    Steven enjoys nothing more than a long grind, which is precisely why his specialty is on investigative feature reporting on China's PC games scene, weird stories that upset his parents, and MMOs. He's Canadian but can't ice skate. Embarrassing.
Pure Disgust:
  Computer scientist Richard Stallman resigns from MIT after defending Jeffrey Epstein - CNET
    Link to Article
    Tue, 17 Sep 2019 17:19
    Richard Stallman, the founder of the Free Software Foundation, has resigned from the nonprofit as well as his position at MIT.
    Massimiliano Ferraro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images Computer scientist and free-software advocate Richard Stallman announced Monday that he has resigned his position at MIT 's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. Stallman's resignation comes after he suggested in an email thread that some of the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's underage victims were "entirely willing."
    "I am resigning effective immediately from my position in CSAIL at MIT," Stallman wrote Monday in an email. "I am doing this due to pressure on MIT and me over a series of misunderstandings and mischaracterizations."
    Stallman also resigned as president and board of directors of the Free Software Foundation, the foundation announced Monday. Stallman, the creator of the GNU operating system, founded the nonprofit in 1985.
    Epstein died in August of an apparent suicide in jail while facing federal sex-trafficking charges. Federal prosecutors in New York alleged Epstein sexually abused and exploited dozens of underage girls as young as 14.
    Stallman's resignation comes just days after Motherboard published an email thread in which Stallman suggests that "most plausible scenario" is that Epstein's underage victims were "entirely willing."
    When someone else on the thread points out that Virginia Giuffre was 17 when she was forced to have sex with MIT professor Marvin Minsky, a pioneer in artificial intelligence and founder of the Media Lab, Stallman argued that "it is morally absurd to define 'rape' in a way that depends on minor details such as which country it was in or whether the victim was 18 years old or 17."
    Stallman's resignation is the latest chapter in the growing scandal over the MIT's relationship with Epstein. The New Yorker reported earlier this month that the MIT Media Lab had a deeper funding relationship with Epstein than it had previously acknowledged and worked to disguise its contacts with the disgraced financier.
    Stallman isn't the only resignation from MIT in the wake of the scandal. Joi Ito, the Media Lab's director, resigned his position a day after the report was published. He also stepped down as a professor and employee of MIT.
  Police Investigating More Match Fixing, Organized Crime Links To Australian Overwatch Team
    Link to Article
    Tue, 24 Sep 2019 03:06
    The crackdown on Australian esports has already begun, but a report from the ABC this morning has raised the stakes several notches after questioning the ownership of a local Overwatch Contenders team.
    Six Counter-Strike Players Arrested Over Match-Fixing AllegationsVictoria Police announced on Friday afternoon that six Australians have been arrested in connection '...
    Read more Read The report from ABC's 7.30, which went online early Tuesday morning, touches on the ongoing investigation from Victoria Police that resulted in the arrest of multiple Australian Counter-Strike players. The report includes previously unannounced details, however, including the figure that Victoria Police believe that as much as $30,000 could have been won on the rigged Counter-Strike matches that triggered the first major esports integrity investigation in Australia.
    That's not the only juicy detail, though. Neil Paterson, the assistant commissioner of Victoria Police, told the ABC that he believed more esports corruption cases to emerge. And that was immediately followed by a paragraph suggesting that concerns have been raised around the ownership of an Overwatch contenders team:
    [Victoria Police's] Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit has received reports of match fixing in other Counter-Strike: Global Offensive games, and about organised crime links to the ownership of an Australian-based team that plays the Overwatch Contenders game.
    The team isn't named, although most of the teams in the Australian Overwatch Contenders league also have teams in other games. ''We are seeing people encroach on that area that have reputations that [mean they] probably '... shouldn't be involved in this part of esports,'' the assistant police commissioner is quoted as saying.
    I've contacted Blizzard Australia for comment, asking whether they were aware of the investigation, the assistant commissioner's remarks and what steps they take to ensure the integrity of tournaments in Australia. I've also contacted the Esports Integrity Commission, which helped Victoria Police with the original Counter-Strike investigation, for further clarification on the commissioner's remarks.
    This story originally appeared on Kotaku Australia.
Digital Capitalism
  French Court Says Valve Must Allow Steam Users To Resell Games
    Link to Article
    Thu, 19 Sep 2019 21:39
    Steam is dedicated to all things in and around Valve's PC gaming service.
    Back in 2015, Valve got sued by a French consumer organization called UFC-Que Choisir(not to be confused with the non-French, non-consumer organization the Ultimate Fighting Championship)
    UFC-Que Choisir had a multitude of bones to pick with the longtime Steam steward, the biggest among them being that Steam doesn't let users resell their games.
    Four years later, a French court has ruled in UFC-Que Choisir's favor. Valve plans to appeal.
    According to the French gaming site Numerama, as well as UFC-Que Choisir itself, the High Court of Paris ruled in UFC-Que Choisir's favor earlier this week. If Valve's appeal fails, this ruling stands to have ramifications not just in France, but across the European Union.
    Specifically, the court didn't find Valve's defense that Steam is a subscription service compelling. As a result, the court declared that users should be allowed to resell Steam games.
    The court ruled in favor of UFC-Que Choisir on other counts, too. In its original suit, the organization had also taken aim at the fact that, if a user leaves Steam, Valve would keep whatever currency was left in their Steam Wallet. The recent ruling states that the company will instead have to reimburse users who request it. Valve must now also accept responsibility when users say an item on Steam caused them harm, even if it's in beta. Valve's rights to users' mods and community content will also be diminished, and the company will have to clarify the conditions under which users can lose access to Steam for poor behavior.
    Again, though, Valve, plans to appeal the ruling. ''We disagree with the decision of the Paris Court of First Instance and will appeal it,'' a Valve representative told Kotaku in an email. ''The decision will have no effect on Steam while the case is on appeal.''
    If Valve refuses to change its rules and post the court's decision to Steam within a month, it will have to pay a fine of up to 3,000 Euros per day for up to six months.
    So don't expect any major changes in the near future. Still, it's notable that UFC-Que Choisir scored this victory, and it could very well lead to changes on Valve's platform. A 2014 Australian court ruling, for example, led to Steam's current refund policy. Similarly, the company began to go after the 2.3 billion dollar Counter-Strike gambling ring that sprung up in its backyard in 2016 only after lawsuits began to trickle in. For now, however, the appeal still lies ahead, so probably don't go around trying to pawn off your old, digital-dust-covered games just yet.
  Louis Vuitton is designing new skins for League of Legends - The Verge
    Link to Article
    Mon, 23 Sep 2019 16:58
    League of Legends is taking a big step into the world of fashion. Today, developer Riot Games announced a new partnership with Louis Vuitton that will see the famed fashion house design League-themed items for both in the game and in the real world.
    Unfortunately, we don't know what those designs will look like yet, but there will be two main components. First, Louis Vuitton will be creating a bespoke case for the Summoner's Cup, which is the trophy given out each year to the team that wins the League of Legends World Championship. This year's event will kick off with play-in games in Berlin on October 2nd, building up to the finals on November 10th in Paris. Riot says that the case ''will feature both traditional Louis Vuitton savoir-faire, along with cutting-edge, high-tech elements inspired by the League of Legends universe.''
    ''They understood and appreciated gaming and e-sports right away.''
    Louis Vuitton has a history of creating these kinds of trophy cases for events like the World Cup and the French Open, and Naz Aletaha, head of global e-sports partnerships at Riot, says the developer had long wanted something similar for League's biggest annual spectacle. ''We so admire what they bring, and how they support other sports,'' she tells The Verge. ''They understood and appreciated gaming and e-sports right away.''
    The partnership will also extend into the game itself. Nicolas Ghesqui¨re, Louis Vuitton's artistic director for women's collections, will be designing a series of in-game character skins along with a clothing capsule collection. Both the skins and the trophy case will be revealed at some point during the month-long world championships.
    This isn't Louis Vuitton's first foray into gaming '-- the company previously featured Final Fantasy XIII heroine Lightning as a virtual model '-- but it comes at a time when fashion is becoming more tightly connected to gaming and e-sports. Nike recently revealed a new line of jerseys for League teams in China's LPL, which will debut at the World Championships, while Fortnite star Tyler ''Ninja' Blevins recently launched a new line of apparel with Adidas.
    ''It's really become a lifestyle.''
    Meanwhile, e-sports organizations like 100 Thieves '-- which operates a team in the North American League pro circuit LCS '-- have made apparel a major part of their business. It's a shift that has attracted some big names as investors, including Drake. When The Verge spoke to rapper Offset about joining e-sports team Faze Clan, he explained that ''These guys are influencing things for the culture. This is what I believe in. This is what I do my art for.''
    For Aletaha, this confluence of gaming and fashion makes a lot of sense as League has become something bigger than just a game. The strategy title is approaching its 10th anniversary this year, and Riot says that it's ''the biggest PC game in the world'' with more than 8 million daily players. In addition to e-sports, the game has expanded into everything from music to comic books. League was featured in an episode of The Simpsons, and last year's world championship in Incheon featured an augmented reality K-pop concert. (The song was so popular that it even made it into other games.)
    With that in mind, a partnership with Louis Vuitton doesn't seem so out of place. ''It's really become a lifestyle,'' Aletaha says. ''We now fully have our own culture. Fashion is a not-surprising next step.''
Movie Shlock:
  The Internet Really Hates the Idea of a PRINCESS BRIDE Remake - Nerdist
    Link to Article
    Wed, 18 Sep 2019 16:49
    Movies
    The Internet Really Hates the Idea of a PRINCESS BRIDE Remake
    There are good reasons to remake movies. Sure, many are shameless cash grabs, but sometimes a filmmaker has a unique spin offering new insights, or a story has something timely and meaningful to say about the modern world. There are also movies that are fun to see with different casts and modern technology. But some films are already perfect and timeless, and the thought of remaking them isn't just weird, it's downright infuriating. That list includes The Princess Bride, a beloved classic that only gets better with age. So when the possibility of a remake was floated this week, the internet responded with righteous (and for once correct) indignation, including from some people who have an even bigger connection to it than fans.
    Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra says that ''very famous people whose names I won't use'' want to redo Norman Lear's 'The Princess Bride' https://t.co/xGHdIxW2bf pic.twitter.com/uvHjWzpj9t
    '-- Variety (@Variety) September 17, 2019
    Variety's report that ''very famous people'' want to ''redo'' The Princess Bride went over about as well as killing Inigo Montaya's father. People do NOT like the idea.
    The THOUGHT of remaking The Princess Bride is literally-and I've been alive a long time-the stupidest thing I've ever fucking heard.
    '-- Swishergirl (@Swishergirl24) September 18, 2019
    They're remaking The Princess Bride. Hollywood loves to crush all that you cherish. '...Time for a glass of wine. pic.twitter.com/VFs26vtFDX
    '-- Tipsy Bartender (@TipsyBartender) September 18, 2019
    Instead of remaking The Princess Bride, why not power blast the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and have Banksy give it a new look.
    '-- NotKennyRogers (@NotKennyRogers) September 18, 2019
    Twitter: everyone is my enemy, we will never have peace!Hollywood: I think we should remake The Princess BrideTwitter: TONIGHT WE RIDE AS ONE
    '-- Brian Stevenson (@Ashitaka1110) September 18, 2019
    I like that in these chaotic times we can all put aside our differences and agree that no one should remake The Princess Bride
    '-- Rachel Paige (@rachmeetsworld) September 18, 2019
    I want their names RIGHT THIS MINUTE, TONY, and I want them all hauled before the nearest court of public opinion. Blasphemy! https://t.co/1NQWjNq3OI
    '-- Adam Proteau (@Proteautype) September 17, 2019
    My promise to anyone who does this: ''Your ears you keep, so that every shriek of every child shall be yours to cherish'--every babe that weeps in fear at your approach, every woman that cries 'Dear God, what is that thing?' will reverberate forever with your perfect ears.'' https://t.co/Nm96URd0r3
    '-- Dr. Jessie Christiansen (@aussiastronomer) September 17, 2019
    pic.twitter.com/YGX2Hcv2CJ
    '-- Fluent in Sarcasm (@jokork9) September 17, 2019
    I love that this is such a reviled idea that we can't name those involved, I assume for their own safety https://t.co/QjHHWFHEfG
    '-- Erica Henderson (@EricaFails) September 17, 2019
    But it's not just moviegoers who are aghast/ready to riot at a remake. Some of Hollywood's biggest stars want nothing to do with it either.
    I would never dare.
    '-- Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) September 17, 2019
    Oh really? Well, I married the six fingered man, obviously why we have stayed together for 35 years and there is only ONE The Princess Bride and it's William Goldman and @robreiner's. ''Life is pain highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something!'' https://t.co/hv33UIZKN3
    '-- Jamie Lee Curtis (@jamieleecurtis) September 17, 2019
    But the ultimate word on the matter came from Westley himself, Cary Elwes, whose reaction captured the feelings of so many.
    There's a shortage of perfect movies in this world. It would be a pity to damage this one. https://t.co/5N8Q3P2e5G
    '-- Cary Elwes (@Cary_Elwes) September 18, 2019
    A remake of The Princess Bride might not be inconceivable, but it should be.
    Featured Image: 20th Century Fox
World of Streaming:
  Everything Coming to NBC's Streaming Service Peacock - Nerdist
    Link to Article
    Tue, 17 Sep 2019 16:52
    Television
    Everything Coming to NBC's Streaming Service Peacock
    Another day means another streaming service is on the way. As if the pending launches of Disney+ and HBO Max weren't enough to make you unexpectedly wistful for the days of regular old cable packages, NBC is officially getting in on the overcrowded market fun. The network has announced it will launch (the unfortunately named) Peacock next spring. And chances are you'll likely be ponying up for one more subscription service, because the announced lineup of classic, new, and rebooted shows is worth preening over.
    NBC announced their new service will debut in April of 2020. Named for the network's logo, it will feature 15,000 hours of content, and that will ultimately include modern classic series like Parks & Recreation (October 2020) and The Office (January 2021). It will also be home to legendary NBC shows like Cheers, Frasier, and SNL, as well as series made famous at other networks, like Everybody Loves Raymond and Married '... with Children. Peacock will also include movies from Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation, Illumination, and more. Below you can find a full list of other classic shows and movies that will be available in their library.
    NBCBut Peacock won't just offer a trip down pop culture memory lane. It will also be home to reboots of beloved shows, including a new take on Saved by the Bell, which will feature original stars Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley. Punky Brewster will also return with Soleil Moon Frye playing an adult Punky, a single mom who has three kids.
    THR reports NBC has also tapped Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail to head up a straight-to-series Battlestar Galactic relaunch. The show is expected to ''be an updated, more modern look at the world'' that will be ''inspired by Syfy's 2004 series'' (which will also be available to stream on the service), rather than the original 1978 show.
    SYFYNBC also has a full slate of original programming that should help it compete with content creating services like Netflix and Amazon. That will include new dramas. They include:
    ''Dr. Death, based on the true-crime podcast starring Jamie Dornan, Alec Baldwin, and Christian Slater''Brave New World, based on the dystopian novel by Aldous Huxley and starring Alden Ehrenreich and Demi Moore''Angelyne, a limited series from Emmy Rossum''One of Us Is Lying, based on the New York Times best-selling young adult mystery-thriller.Peacock will also have original comedies:
    ''Rutherford Falls, co-created by The Good Place's Mike Schur, Ed Helms (who also stars), and Sierra Teller Ornelas''Straight Talk, from Rashida Jones and Jada Pinkett Smith-Season four of A.P.Bio, starring Glenn Howerton and Patton Oswalt-the second spinoff movie based on the TV show PsychNBC also announced a slate of original unscripted series:
    ''Who Wrote That, a new Saturday Night Live docuseries from creator Lorne Michaels exploring the famous personalities in front of and behind the camera-an original talk show from Jimmy Fallon-a weekly late night show starring Amber Ruffin and executive produced by Seth Meyers-a spinoff of The Real Housewives franchiseThey might be entering a crowded streaming service field, but no one can deny they're strutting their stuff as they walk in.
    TV Shows
    Bates MotelBrooklyn Nine-NineCheersChrisley Knows BestCovert AffairsDownton AbbeyFriday Night LightsHouseKeeping Up with the KardashiansThe King of QueensMarried '... with ChildrenMonkParenthoodPsychThe Real HousewivesRoyal PainsSuperstore30 RockTop ChefWill & Grace100 Dias Para Volver (Spanish-language)Betty in NY (Spanish-language)El Bar"n (Spanish-language)Preso No. 1 (Spanish-language)
    Movies
    American PieA Beautiful MindBourne franchiseThe Breakfast ClubBridesmaidsBrokeback MountainCasinoDallas Buyers ClubDespicable Me franchiseDo the Right ThingErin BrockovichE.T. The Extra TerrestrialFast & FuriousField of DreamsJawsKnocked UpMamma Mia!Meet the FockersMeet the ParentsShrek
    Featured Image: NBC
In Memoriam:
  Sid Haig dead: House of 1,000 Corpses actor dies at 80 | EW.com
    Link to Article
    Tue, 24 Sep 2019 03:41
    Sid Haig, a legend of the horror genre from films like House of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects, died Saturday following an unspecified ''accident'' two weeks earlier. He was 80.
    In a statement shared on the actor's Instagram account, wife Susan L. Oberg wrote, ''My light, my heart, my true love, my King, the other half of my soul, Sidney, passed from this realm on to the next. He has returned to the Universe, a shining star in her heavens. He was my angel, my husband, my best friend and always will be.''
    ''He adored his family, his friends and his fans,'' she continued. ''This came as a shock to all of us. We, as a family, are asking that our privacy and time to mourn be respected.''
    Earlier this month, Oberg wrote on Haig's Instagram that her husband had been in an accident, but didn't go into specifics. On Sep. 13, she updated the now-deleted comment by stating Haig was ''winning the fight'' after taking a ''nasty spill.''
    Haig got his start in horror with 1967's Spider Baby or, the Maddest Story Ever Told. He was then cast in Rob Zombie's House of 1,000 Corpses as Captain Spaulding and its sequel The Devil's Rejects. Haig was meant to have a larger role in this fall's third installment, 3 From Hell, but Zombie told EW that health issues prevented him from doing so.
    ''The movie that I prepped to make, and was getting ready to start shooting, it was Captain Spaulding, Otis, and Baby, the three originals,'' Zombie said. ''But three weeks out from shooting, I got a call from Sid Haig. He had been in the hospital, and he had just had surgery, and he was now recovering in a rehabilitation facility. I'm like, holy sh'--, this is a serious business. So, I went to see him, and he had changed drastically from the last time I saw him. Because Sid, he's big and burly, and now he's tiny as a skeleton. So, I was like, oh man. I kind of realized, yeah, he's in rough shape.''
    Knowing how important it was to include Haig in the film, the director added, ''Lionsgate was fine with me sort of sneaking him in one day to shoot as much as I could. It was on me to make sure that nothing went wrong. So I got him in, I shot everything I could shoot.''
    Haig also appeared in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown and would later re-team with the filmmaker on Kill Bill, Vol. 2.
    Other credits to Haig's name include Night of the Living Dead 3D, 2007's Halloween, The Lords of Salem, and Bone Tamahawk.
    Rosario Dawson, who filmed a deleted scene in The Devil's Rejects, wrote in the comments to Oberg's Instagram post, ''Oh! Dear Sid. You will be missed beloved. Grateful to have met and worked with you. What a talent and energy graced this earth. Blessings and love to your adored family.''
    In his own post, Zombie simply wrote, ''Horray for Captain Spaulding. Gone but not forgotten.''
    Related content:
    Stars we lost in 2019 Rob Zombie reveals 'complete chaos' behind the creation of Devil's Rejects' sequel 3 from Hell
  Rick and Morty, The Simpsons Producer Mike Mendel Has Died
    Link to Article
    Tue, 24 Sep 2019 03:42
    Mike Mendel, a prolific producer whose work included The Simpsons and Rick and Morty, has reportedly passed away at the age of 54. According to his biography on Fadango.com, Mendel got his start working as a summertime studio assistant on the soap operas All My Children and Loving. After graduating from Syracuse University, Mendel served as a production assistant on Broadcast News and Big. He served as an associate producer on The Tracey Ullman Show from 1986 to 1988, before going to work on spinoffs The Simpsons and The Critic.
    Mendel served as an associate producer on The Simpsons for the show's first five seasons, and continued to produce episodes up until the Season 10 episode "Make Room for Lisa". After leaving the job in 1999, Mendel went on to produce animated shows such as The PJs, Drawn Together, and Sit Down Shut Up. On the film side, he also served as an associate producer of Jerry Maguire.
    Beginning in 2013, Mendel served as a producer on Rick and Morty, having a hand in 22 of the show's episodes. The most recent episode he is credited on is the show's Season 3 premiere, "The Rickshank Rickdemption".
    Over his life, Mendel earned seven nominations and four wins at the Emmys, winning for The Simpsons in 1995, 1997, and 1998, as well as for Rick and Morty's "Pickle Rick" episode in 2018.
    The Simpsons executive producer Al Jean posted a tribute to Mendel on social media on Tuesday, calling him a "great guy".
    .@TheSimpsons V v sorry to learn of the passing of Mike Mendel (left) great guy. Our thoughts are with his family. pic.twitter.com/slCcW5WSSI
    '-- Al Jean (@AlJean) September 23, 2019 0 comments Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland also shared a tribute, revealing that he's "devastated" and doesn't know what he's going to do without Mendel by his side.
    My friend, partner, and line producer Mike Mendel passed away. I am devastated. My heart breaks for his family. I don't know what I'm going to do without you by my side Mike. I'm destroyed.
    '-- Justin Roiland (@JustinRoiland) September 23, 2019Our thoughts go out to Mendel's family, friends, and fans at this time.