Mornin! This is Sean McNulty (connect here on LINKED-IN if ya like) and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on FRIDAY Jan. 5, 2023.
Where DISNEY just can’t catch a break… no, I’m not talking about the $200+ million-per-movie spending, cable bundle collapse, becoming a bit too “woke” – ok, let’s not go down that road.
But this time – Bob Iger has gone too far, he’s moved “Binny”.
err well, I’m thinking the task fell to a lower level employee – guess we can’t really use the term “minions” in the DISNEY universe anymore 😂.
Yes, EPCOT CENTER moved a trash receptacle that looks like a brown mailbox, that the “Disney Day Drinkers Club” #realclub (85,000 members on FB 🥴, yes including a ‘singles branch’) began congregating around during Covid when they had to drink outside.
“Binny” became their mascot (and yes, there’s a joke about getting “trashed” related to it), and sadly the narcs at DISNEY totally moved it from its home in front of the Rose & Crown pub sign to another location, as crowds were blocking the entrance to the pub, and the DISNEY Day Drinkers are apparently revolting.
So, add this to Iger’s 2024 list, and most of all – let’s really hope Binny gets added to the 2027 PIXAR slate 🙏.
PLUS: CBS will premiere its new 12:35 a.m. series After Midnight on Tue. Jan. 16, hosted by Taylor Tomlinson. /THR
ALSO: Former DISNEY MARVEL star Jonathan Majors will be doing his first post-verdict interview on DISNEY’s GMA on Monday, with a 30-minute ABC NEWS special dropping Thu. Jan. 11 on DISNEY’s HULU 👀.
AND: CHARTER’S SPECTRUM ‘TV Select’ cable bundle customers now have free DISNEY+ ad tier accounts, so we’ll see what the boost to subs is on the Q1 earnings call in May (unless it previews the expected number bump on the next earnings call in Feb.).
If you have this SPECTRUM service, you can go here to activate your account. If you already have a DIS+ account, you’ll need to go to your account to manage/receive a credit etc.
Free ESPN+ access should be arriving ‘in the coming months’.
THEN: While most NFL games mean absolutely nothing this weekend as the league wraps up the regular season…(QB’s Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Brock Purdy, Matthew Stafford and Joe Flacco are all taking the weekend off fyi), many other players have million-dollar bonuses 💰 on the line if they hit certain personal statistic markers – interesting read at FOS on the real incentives for some players, for anyone watching games this weekend.
OH: If you’re wondering who’s paying for NOVO NORDISK’s immense profits from the Ozempic phenomenon (and other drugmakers), yeah, it’s us.
NORTH CAROLINA’s state treasurer put the costs involved to cover government/state employees on the state’s health plan this way: “It’ll sink the plan.”
WAKEUP BOX OFFICE POLL
Gonna change it up a little bit today, and go with thoughts on how many folks watch the GOLDEN GLOBES this Sunday.
The carpet does have the KC SWIFTIES CHIEFS as a lead-in on CBS in parts of the country (presumably including LA – they’re playing the CHARGERS), but the show is also up against the BILLS & DOLPHINS on NBC in a game with playoff implications.
Last year was 6.3 Million on NBC, albeit on a Tuesday, and year before that was 6.8 Million.
How Golden are the Globes? (and just for the 8 p.m. show – I’m not going to count any spillover from the red carpet overflow from the NFL… and we’ll see how late the game actually goes, I’m sure CBS will do its best).
NEW ANKLER PODCAST EPISODE
AND LAST NIGHT WITH The Ankler…
It was a packed house and fun night at The Ankler and Pure Nonfiction’s Documentary Spotlight event at The Culver Theater. More coverage and details coming later, but here are hosts Janice and Thom Powers with Still: A Michael J. Fox’s Davis Guggenheim (right) and editor Michael Harte (far left).
WEEKEND #GOODREAD: As we finish out this first… and rather quiet week of 2024, just sharing a story here of perspective about health – something folks are known to think about this time of year.
This was a #goodread NY Mag story from NYC journalist & editor Tom Socca, who became very ill at 52-years-old with no warning… and few, to no answers as to what’s going on.
As Tom writes, it’s not one of those medical stories where they do a thousand tests… and then one doctor remembers this random thing that ‘cracks the case’ – but rather what it’s like navigating the process of a mystery illness, and perspectives on life that come about therein.
A worthwhile weekend read, and an encouragement to get out, enjoy your weekend, work on that project you’ve been putting off, or in general just to live in the moment in front of you, and with appreciation.
🎥 THE SILVER SCREEN
ACROSS TV & MOVIES…
A few casting items to start, and yet more moves in the executive suites to end the first week of the year…
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