For years, Microsoft cofounder, billionaire, and philanthropist Paul Allen has hosted a star-studded party during the Cannes Film Festival.

Though the party usually takes place on his 414-foot superyacht "Octopus," Allen switched it up this year, hosting the event on his other, $160 million yacht, "Tatoosh." This yacht is slightly smaller than "Octopus," which all but confirmed the rumors that the guest list was going to be even harder to get on this year.

According to the Daily Mail, stars like Pamela Anderson, Salma Hayek, and Lindsay Lohan were in attendance. Take a look at the exclusive event below. 

SEE ALSO: Take a tour of the luxurious Italian villa where the Obamas are reportedly vacationing

During the film festival, the Port de Cannes is lined with multimillion-dollar yachts, including Allen's.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/BUc3lMnFoU2/embed/
Width: 658px

 Source: Forbes

Tatoosh is 303 feet in length, and it has a swimming pool and pads for two helicopters.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/BRq3oxXAPP9/embed/
Width: 658px

 Source: Boat.com

Although they kept a quiet social-media presence at the party, Pamela Anderson and Salma Hayek were spotted by paparazzi as they entered the yacht.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/BUbrOoIgDkz/embed/
Width: 658px

 Source: Daily Mail

Ariana Grande has officially suspended her global tour behind her album "Dangerous Woman" on Wednesday, following the recent attack on her show in Manchester, England, which left at least 22 dead and 59 others injured.

The explosion, a suspected terrorist attack, happened Monday evening at the Manchester Arena.

The pop singer tweeted after the attack that she was "broken." The status of her scheduled future concert dates in England and elsewhere was unclear until Wednesday.

TMZ reported that sources close to Grande said she was "inconsolable" and "in hysterics" when she learned of the casualties following the attack, and she's in "no condition to perform."

The UK was put on its highlest level of alert following the attack. An investigation of the attack and the bomber, who died in the explosion, as well as a possible network tied to him is underway, according to The New York Times.

Fans of Justin Bieber, who has many young fans like Grande, have pleaded with the singer to cancel his upcoming UK tour dates.

Below is the statement regarding the suspension of Grande's tour from promoters:

"Due to the tragic events in Manchester the Dangerous Woman tour with Ariana Grande has been suspended until we can further assess the situation and pay our proper respects to those lost. The O2 shows this week have been cancelled as well as all shows through June 5 in Switzerland. We ask at this time that we all continue to support the city of Manchester and all those families affected by this cowardice and senseless act of violence. Our way of life has once again been threatened but we will overcome this together. Thank you."

SEE ALSO: 100 movies on Netflix that everyone needs to watch in their lifetime

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Watch the first trailer for 'The Dark Tower' — the new film based on Stephen King's epic series

HBO finally released the first official trailer for season 7 of "Game of Thrones." This is the first real glimpse at what fans can expect in July when the first episode premieres. Here's a closer look at the shots in the trailer and what they might mean. The "Great War" is coming.

Follow Tech Insider:On Facebook

Join the conversation about this story »

The big stars are in the South of France looking their most glamorous for this year's Cannes Film Festival and getting their photos shared across the world.

Following her eye-catching red dress at last year's Cannes, model Bella Hadid returned to the festival to grace the legendary red carpet. But fellow model Emily Ratajkowski also showed up and was turning everyone's head. Then there are the movie stars like Nicole Kidman, Kristen Stewart, Elle Fanning, Robin Wright, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Williams, Charlize Theron, and Uma Thurman. 

And Rihanna pretty much put everyone to shame.

But the person having the best time has to be festival jury member Will Smith. When he's not arguing about Netflix with jury president Pedro Almodóvar, he's having an incredible time walking the carpet and waving to the fans.

Here are photos of all the stars looking fabulous at this year's Cannes:

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 11 best movies of the year so far

The cast of "The Beguiled" had everyone's attention on the red carpet.

Gwendoline Christie, Jane Campion, and Elizabeth Moss were on hand for "Top of the Lake: China Girl."

Charlize Theron showed up for the 70th Anniversary of Cannes event.

Facebook has signed deals with millennial-focused news and entertainment creators Vox Media, BuzzFeed, ATTN, Group Nine Media and others to make shows for its upcoming video service, which will feature long and short-form content with ad breaks, according to several sources familiar with the situation.

Facebook is planning two tiers of video entertainment: scripted shows with episodes lasting 20 to 30 minutes, which it will own; and shorter scripted and unscripted shows with episodes lasting about 5 to 10 minutes, which Facebook will not own, according to the sources.

The world's biggest social media company is set to pay up to $250,000 for the longer, scripted shows which will be owned by Facebook, taking a page from a strategy employed successfully by Netflix and Amazon, which both now own some of the content they sell to subscribers.

For the second tier of shorter shows, Facebook will pay $10,000 to $35,000 for each show and give creators 55 percent of revenue from ads, the sources said. Ads will run during both the long-form and short-form shows.

All of the sources asked to remain anonymous because the deals are confidential. A Facebook spokeswoman declined to comment.

Business Insider first reported details about Facebook's original video efforts earlier this month. The company planned to unveil its first slate of shows in June, but Recode recently reported that the launch has been postponed until later in the summer.

Facebook's move to acquire and license original content is the latest in its push to attract more advertising dollars, putting the company in head-to-head competition with Alphabet's YouTube Red, Snapchat's Discover feature, and traditional television networks.

It is an attempt to deliver on Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg's remarks to investors earlier this month that the company was looking for so-called “anchor content” that would draw people to the video tab on Facebook's app.

Sell externally

Facebook said in December it would buy original scripted and unscripted programming for its video service. Earlier this year, it tapped former MTV executive Mina Lefevre to lead the effort.

Facebook currently offers live video from a number of news publishers as well as its own users. It has begun testing the water with live sports video in the last few months. Most recently it signed a deal with Major League Baseball to show 20 games live this season.

While Facebook will initially run short-form shows exclusively on its site, the creators of the content will be able to run the shows on their own properties after a negotiated period of time, and will be able to eventually sell them externally, the sources said.

The company is focused on working with news and entertainment makers that are already active on Facebook and have a large millennial following. Vox, BuzzFeed, ATTN and Group Nine Media - the holding company for Thrillist, NowThis and The Dodo - are all working on short-form content for the new Facebook service, the sources said.

Advertisers are interested in learning more about Facebook's service as they see it as another way to get in front of the growing number of viewers watching their favorite shows on tablets and smartphones, said Monique Lemus O'Brien, a media buyer at The Media Kitchen.

(Reporting by Jessica Toonkel in New York; Additional reporting by David Ingram in San Francisco; Editing by Anna Driver and Bill Rigby)

SEE ALSO: Facebook wants to unveil its big attack on TV next month — here's what we know

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A judge explains how Facebook can be used against you in court

No electric guitar is more iconic than the Fender Stratocaster. Buddy Holly played one. Jimi Hendrix played one. Bob Dylan "went electric" in 1965 at the Newport Folk Festival. Eric Clapton has a signature model. The Edge from U2 plays one. The list goes on and on. Even famous guitar players who aren't famous for playing Strats have probably picked one up for a while.

The unmistakable design, with its thin, solid body, asymmetrical curves, 21-fret neck and triple pickups, has been around since Leo Fender created it in 1954.

Fender sells many, many different versions of the Strat, for amateurs, pros, rock stars, rich folks, and folks on a budget. But among the most coveted Fender instruments are those that come from the company's Custom Shop in Corona, California, where a small group of "Master Builders" creates masterpieces.

Fender invited me to check out one the most recent examples, a collaboration with Jose Cuervo, the tequila company. Even by the elevated standards of Custom Shop Strats, this guitar was special — and a challenging project for Master Builder Paul Waller.

The wood that was used came from the agave plant, from whence all tequila comes. It was tricky to work with, but Waller was up to the task. 

SEE ALSO: The 14 best bars in America

That's Waller. He became a Master Builder in 2010. He's done guitars for Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones, as well as blues legend Buddy Guy.

According to Waller, the hardest thing about what would become the "Cuervo X Strategist" was the extreme softness of the wood. He had been prepared for this, but it wasn't until he got down to work that he learned just HOW soft agave was.

He persevered, however, and eventually created two Cuervo Strats. The end result really is all about the unique visuals of the wood: it's a monotone guitar with abundant, subtle surface detail.

Jean Pigozzi's pool parties might be as famous as the guests who have attended them over the years.

Businessman, art collector, philanthropist, and all-around entertainer, Pigozzi has been throwing his notorious pool parties at his home in the south of France during the Cannes Film Festival for years.

A gracious host, Pigozzi also lets guests stay overnight. Filmmaker Brett Ratner recently told Vanity Fair, "After I was banned from the Hotel Du Cap for life, I moved into Jean's house during the Cannes Film Festival."

Guests like Sharon Stone, Woody Allen, Tony Bennett, and Jane Fonda have all graced his Villa Dorane with their presence, their attendance forever immortalized by Pigozzi's camera.

His book, "Pool Party," chronicles what went down in the villa's backyard pool, which looks out onto the ocean.

Ahead, see six snaps that prove Pigozzi's parties are not to be missed.     

SEE ALSO: Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen threw an exclusive party on one of his superyachts during the Cannes Film Festival

The book contains more than 100 iconic and unpublished photos from Pigozzi's personal archives.

Bono wrote the book's foreword. "Of all the wild and wonderful guests jumping in and out of his looking-glass pool, the biggest thrill for me is to hear the laughter drown out the sea," he wrote.

"My favorite guest, Mick Jagger, [who] I've spent a lot of time with, and we have very funny conversations, and we've traveled all around the world together," Pigozzi said in an interview with NOWNESS.

Source: NOWNESS

Netflix has canceled Baz Luhrmann’s show about the birth of hip-hop, "The Get Down," after just one season.

“The Get Down” was an expensive undertaking, costing Netflix a whopping $120 million to make, according to Variety. The production was also smacked with a bunch of issues, so much so that writers reportedly began calling it "The Shut Down," since production started and stopped so often.

"The Get Down" is one of only a few shows Netflix has canceled. The streaming giant has loudly rejected the "pilot" system of TV, instead ordering full seasons of shows before any of them air. And since it began releasing original shows in 2013, Netflix has stuck by a remarkably high percentage of them for subsequent seasons.

But even Netflix knows sometimes you have to cut your losses. So far, Netflix has canceled six shows, not including "Bloodline," which will "conclude" after season three.

Here are the six shows Netflix has killed, along with their critic and audience ratings from Metacritic:

'Longmire': Canceled after 6 seasons (3 on Netflix)

Netflix description: "This contemporary crime thriller focuses on a Wyoming sheriff who's rebuilding his life and career following the death of his wife."

Critic rating: 75/100

Audience rating: 9.2/10

'The Killing': Canceled after 4 seasons (1 on Netflix)

Netflix description: "Seattle homicide detectives Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder are deeply affected by the murders they investigate in this dark acclaimed crime series."

Critic rating: 69/100

Audience rating: 8.2/10

'Lilyhammer': Canceled after 3 seasons

Netflix description: "They killed his dog. They made him run. Now he's living a new life in a strange land ... like a boss."

Critic rating: 68/100

Audience rating: 7.6/10

The dust is settling and the dirty business of cancellations and renewals is mostly over, so it's time to take a look at the new batch of TV show offerings from the broadcast networks.

There are plenty of themes that are still very much recurring in this year's new shows — from revivals and reboots like NBC's "Will & Grace" and "Roseanne" to shows based on already established franchises, such as spin-offs of "Grey's Anatomy," "The Big Bang Theory," and "Star Trek," alongside a few new shows based on Marvel and DC comics.

Business Insider took a look at what we know about the new shows and made some snap judgments on the ones we're most looking forward to watching.

Here are the 18 most exciting new TV shows from the broadcast networks:

SEE ALSO: The 10 most talked-about new TV shows right now

DON'T MISS: The 20 most-watched TV show finales of all time, ranked

"Black Lightning" (The CW)

The CW has had a good run with shows based on DC Comics properties. We also really enjoyed Cress Williams as the mayor on "Hart of Dixie." Aside from the black lead, the show shares some similarities to Netflix and Marvel's "Luke Cage" in its story of trying to leave behind the superhero life and then being pulled back in when the protagonist's community is in need of his help. What gives "Black Lightning" a point of difference is its family dynamic and the tease that his daughter may also have superpowers.

"The Crossing" (ABC)

ABC is touting "The Crossing" as the next "Lost." Those are big shoes to fill, but the show looks promising. It follows the sudden arrival of dozens of apparent shipwreck survivors to a small American town who are seeking refuge from a war in their country. The catch is that they're Americans and there's no war in the US.

"The Gifted" (Fox)

The latest addition to Marvel's TV offerings, "The Gifted" centers on parents, played by "True Blood" star Stephen Moyer and "Angel" alum Amy Acker, who realize that their children have strange powers. With an anti-mutant government, the family seeks haven with an underground group of mutants. We're always willing to give Marvel shows a chance, though they can be hit or miss. Bring on "The Gifted"!

After just one season, “The Get Down” is officially down in the TV dumpster, according to Variety. Netflix canceled the musical drama about teens from the Bronx in the late 1970s from creator Baz Luhrmann (“The Great Gatsby,” “Moulin Rouge!”) on Wednesday.

Canceling a show at all is still a rare move for Netflix, and this is the first time the streaming service has ever killed one of its original shows after only a single season. ("The Killing" ran for one season on Netflix, but had three previous seasons on AMC.) "The Get Down" debuted in 2016, and the second part of the first season premeired in April.

Netflix infamously doesn’t reveal viewing numbers, so there’s probably no way we’ll ever find out if it was really the least-watched original series on the streaming service, but it definitely didn’t get as much buzz as Stranger Things,” “Orange Is the New Black,” or “House of Cards.”

The other clear factor here is production expenses. The show was reportedly the most costly production in Netflix history at $120 million. There were also some complications throughout shooting that led some of the show's writers to jokingly call it “The Shut Down,” according to Variety.

 Creator and director Baz Luhrmann tweeted his thoughts after the news came out Wednesday night:

“As for the real future of the show, the spirit of ‘The Get Down,’ and the story it has begun to tell... it has its own life,” Luhrmann wrote in a Facebook post. “One that lives on today and will continue to be told somewhere, somehow, because of you, the fans and the supporters.”

SEE ALSO: 45 TV shows that have been canceled

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 7 details you might have missed in episode 1 of 'American Gods'

Video games are great at lots of things: immersion, delight, even storytelling every now and again. But when it comes to turning those successes into film or television adaptations, something goes terribly wrong. 

The most recent example came in late December 2016, with Michael Fassbender starring in a movie adaptation of the "Assassin's Creed" franchise. Critics ravaged the film. "I suppose you could say the film made me slightly more likely to play one of the games, but only because I’d do just about anything before I saw this movie again," wrote Slate senior editor Jonathan L. Fischer.

It has an 18% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Netflix is promising something different with an upcoming animated series based on the classic game series "Castlevania." Here's how Netflix describes the show:

"Inspired by the classic video game series, 'Castlevania' is a dark medieval fantasy following the last surviving member of the disgraced Belmont clan, trying to save Eastern Europe from extinction at the hand of Vlad Dracula Tepe himself. The animated series is from Frederator Studios, a Wow! Unlimited Media company, written by best-selling author and comic book icon Warren Ellis and executive produced by Warren Ellis, Kevin Kolde, Fred Seibert and Adi Shankar."

The show's producer, Adi Shankar, says it's based on the third game in the series, "Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse." Here's what that game looks like, for reference:

He also has a message for the folks who think this show is destined to be another bad video game adaptation: "I’m personally guaranteeing that this is going to be the best f-----g video game adaptation ever made to date," he told Collider. "I’ve seen it, and it’s f-----g amazing."

Shankar got more specific in a post on Facebook:

Here's hoping he's right! 

To Shankar's credit, his past work includes the excellent "Dredd" film, and the show's writer is acclaimed graphic novel author Warren Ellis. Additionally, the production company is Frederator Studios — better known as "the folks behind 'Adventure Time,'" among other things. But it's a bold claim to make regardless given past precedent.

We'll find out for ourselves sooner than later; season one is scheduled to arrive on June 7, on Netflix of course. Check out the first trailer right here:

SEE ALSO: The 24 best Netflix original shows of all time, according to critics

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Netflix and Marvel just dropped the first 'The Defenders' trailer — and it looks amazing

Of course Stephen Colbert didn't give President Donald Trump a pass on the $2 trillion math error in his proposed federal budget.

"Well, President Trump is still on his semester abroad, getting his extra credits," Colbert said on Wednesday's "Late Show," referring to the president's international trip this past week, which began in Saudi Arabia and ends in Italy this week. "He might want to stay over there for a little while until the firemen can put out his budget proposal. Not only does nobody like it, it turns out to have a big mistake in it."

The host then tried to clear up what could be behind the error.

"There's a simple explanation for how this happened," Colbert said. "Donald Trump is an idiot or he's lying."

Not to get too deep into the mathematics of it all, but basically the proposed budget seeks to use a hopeful $2 trillion in increased revenue generated by tax cuts to cover the loss from the tax cuts and to make up for the amount needed to balance the budget. Basically, it's applying the assumed growth generated from tax cuts twice.

"That's like robbing Peter to pay Paul, but you're paying Paul with Blockbuster gift certificates," the host joked. "It doesn't work anymore."

In order to "help" Trump with his basic math skills, Colbert offered the following "lesson": "If a train leaves Washington, D.C., traveling 40 miles an hour, please get on it. Just go."

Watch the video below:

SEE ALSO: 'Game of Thrones' author George R.R. Martin: Trump is a grownup King Joffrey

DON'T MISS: Trevor Noah: Why Fox News' coverage of Trump is 'aggressively ignorant'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Trump approved the largest weapons deal in US history — here's what Saudi Arabia is buying

The Pokémon Company has never shied away from making unusual games. Ever since the original Red and Blue versions came out in 1996, it's released many traditional, turn-based sequels. But it's also dabbled in pinball games, photography games, puzzle games, RPGs, fighting games, and even one based on feudal Japan. 

And now, in perhaps its boldest move yet, Pokémon has released a mobile game centered entirely around what is widely considered its weakest, most useless creature: Magikarp.

The goal of "Magikarp Jump" is to make the titular Pokémon, Magikarp, well, jump. Your protagonist is introduced to Mayor Karp, who is in charge of Hoppy Town, where "everybody loves Magikarp." The mayor explains that despite its reputation as a Pokémon that doesn't know any good moves for battle, the people of Hoppy Town love competing with Magikarp in other ways. 

Gameplay is simple: feed and train your Magikarp to increase its Jump Power (JP), and then enter it into jumping competitions. There's no skill involved, and the game isn't difficult, but it's endearing and I found myself becoming attached to the Magikarp I'd spent all of 20 minutes with. Unfortunately, once your Magikarp reaches level 20, it'll retire from the jumping competitions and you have to start over with a new one. 

While "Magikarp Jump" doesn't have the replay value of a traditional Pokémon game, or even a mobile game like "Pokémon Go," it's a worthy ode to one of The Pokémon Company's most infamous creations. 

"Magikarp Jump" is available for free (with in-app purchases) on iOS and Android devices. 

Check out the trailer below: 

SEE ALSO: Russia wants to jail a man for 3 and a half years for playing Pokemon Go in a church

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A former iPhone factory worker explains how they keep the new iPhones a secret

Episode 4 of "Twin Peaks: The Return" took a comedic turn with a brief cameo from Michael Cera and more doppelgänger hijinks from Kyle MacLachlan. While you wait for episode 5 to air on Showtime on June 4, 2017, catch up on everything you might have missed in the most recent episode the first time around.

The first four episodes are already available on Showtime on Demand.

Follow Tech Insider:On Facebook

Join the conversation about this story »

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the release of George Lucas' “Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope," which didn't just launch the one of the greatest movie franchises of all time but also the summer blockbuster, let's look back at one of the movie's most memorable moments: the Mos Eisley cantina scene.

It's where Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) find a pilot to take them to Alderaan. You guessed it — Han Solo (Harrison Ford).

But Kenobi wasn’t joking when he told Luke that in Mos Eisley, “You’ll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.”

Let’s look back on ten interesting characters who were in the cantina the day Luke and Obi-Wan walked in.

Watch out, this place can be a little rough.

SEE ALSO: George Lucas was scared to death to shoot this epic scene in 'Attack of the Clones'

1. Ackmena The Bartender

The nightshift at the cantina was overseen by Ackmena. We saw her in the now infamous "Star Wars Holiday Special" played by "Golden Girls" great Bea Arthur. Legend has it the day Luke and Obi-Wan were in the cantina she was in the backroom.

Ackmena was more liked at the cantina than the bartender during the day... 

2. Wuher The Bartender

This gruff fellow is known for not allowing droids in the establishment and takes cover when a blaster is drawn.

3. BoShek

This Corellian smuggler (who dabbled a little in The Force) is distinctly known for introducing Obi-Wan to the Millennium Falcon’s first mate, Chewbacca. But Obi-Wan and Luke would have been in good hands if BoShek decided to take them.

He set a new record for the Kessel Run before his meeting with the Jedi that day. Taking bragging rights from Solo and Chewbacca, who were the previous record holders. Though Solo still boasted his feat when he met Luke and Obi-Wan.

For the past few weeks, the media world has buzzed about the prospects of sports television, after brutal layoffs at ESPN coincided with record cable subscriber losses in the quarter.

The big question was whether the old business model is tenable in the world of smartphones and social-media.

But when considering the future of sports media, Craig Barry, the head of content for TV juggernaut Turner Sports (the company behind the “NBA on TNT”), takes inspiration from an unlikely source: esports.

In the summer of 2016, Turner made its first big foray into the budding world of esports with ELEAGUE, which broadcasts professional players of popular video games like “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive” and “Overwatch.” And it’s been an eye-opening experience for the 25-plus year Turner Sports veteran.

“ELEAGUE is teaching us so much about the digital space,” Barry said in a recent interview with Business Insider.

For Barry, esports has been particularly useful in highlighting the difference between a “fan base” and a “community,” he said. A community is engaged, drives the conversation, and decides whether something is good or bad. A community can push Turner Sports to totally change its approach based on the community's acceptance, or lack thereof. On the other side, a fan base, historically, has been more passive in terms of what it demands of a broadcaster.

That distinction is relevant for the future.

In the digital age, communities rule, and those who want to dominate the next phase of sports media need to understand that. These communities are all about conversation, particularly what’s happening in the swirl of social media. And old-media giants like Turner Sports would do well to react to it.

TV is not the default

“The same way that tech is evolving, content is evolving,” Barry said. Pregame shows, for instance, used to lean heavily on historical, “evergreen” content. Now the pregame show is starting the conversation around the game, and jumping into the conversation that’s already happening online.

“That’s what specifically social [media] has brought to the sports media table,” Barry said: The ability to have conversations in realtime. “You [as a broadcaster] have to be reflective of those conversations.”

Beyond reflecting the online discourse in its TV broadcasts, Turner Sports has created shows designed specifically for various online platforms, like Twitter or Facebook.

“It’s part of our DNA now,” Barry said. Five years ago, TV was the default, and Turner Sports would search for a digital extension, he explained. Now they think about whether it would play better on Facebook or Twitter from the outset.

An example is Kevin Garnett’s “Area 21.” Segments of “Area 21” appear on TNT’s NBA broadcasts, but it’s really meant for Twitter. The show recently stirred up controversy when Garnett got the old Celtics band back together — pointedly without Ray Allen — and they talked about the strained relationship with Allen (who rejected a Celtics contract extension to go to the Heat).

That moment was meant to spark a discussion on social media.

The money question

But as social media begins to play a bigger role in sports coverage, the main problem is that it’s hard to make money on platforms other than TV. You certainly aren’t getting the type of revenue you get from cable subscribers.

“The code has not been cracked to some degree,” Barry said of monetization on social media platforms. But at the same time, the level of engagement Turner Sports is getting from these places, and in coveted demos, is compelling. “There has to be a value proposition” eventually, if five million millennials are following you on a certain platform, Barry said. One thing Barry thinks has held back the money is a lack of good audience measurement tools, which he said will improve over time.

But here's something that’s certain: If you aren’t able to build a brand that rises above commodity items — the way highlights and scores have become a commodity — you won’t survive.

“I will tell you, ‘engagement’ is most important metric in our industry,” Barry said (whether people are watching it, liking it, and sharing it on social media). The fact is that people, even the cord-cutters and cord-nevers, aren’t going to stop watching sports, Barry said. But you need to meet them where they are, and give them the type of content they want.

So what do they want?

“Access, access, access,” Barry said, when describing what fans are looking for moving forward.

One reason Barry thinks the NBA has continued to rise in the pop culture imagination is how close people feel to the players. In the game, locker room, and on the social media accounts of NBA stars, the league has made an effort to grow that intimate relationship with its fans. (It’s good to note that the NBA is one of Turner Sports’ biggest contracts.)

But as the NBA playoffs reach their peak, it's certainly true that its biggest stars, like Steph Curry and LeBron James, have actively showed the world their personality. Curry's wife and daughter have even become stars in their own right. 

This has served the league well, according to Barry. Fans want to be as close to the game, and the players, as possible.

SEE ALSO: The 7 highest-paid CEOs in the US last year were all in the media business — here they are

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This field of sea stars is actually a death trap that scientists never saw coming

Jason Bateman is back on Netflix, but not with "Arrested Development." He's costarring in a dark new drama show with Laura Linney called "Ozark" and it just released its first trailer.

Bateman, who's also an executive producer, stars as Marty, a financial planner, and Linney plays his wife, Wendy. They suddenly uproot their family from the suburbs of Chicago to a resort community in the Missouri Ozarks. It turns out they're on the run from a drug lord! Things look like they get really dark over the 10-episode first season.

Set to debut on July 21, "Ozark" is the first series regular role for Bateman since "Arrested Development's" fourth season. It's also Linney's first TV role since Showtime's "The Big C" ended in 2013. Chris Mundy ("Hell on Wheels," "Criminal Minds") serves as the showrunner. 

Watch the first trailer for "Ozark" below:

SEE ALSO: The 18 most exciting new TV shows you'll want to watch

DON'T MiSS: How 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' pulled off its incredible 'Lemonade' parody episode

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Netflix and Marvel just dropped the first 'The Defenders' trailer — and it looks amazing

Brian De Palma has never been shy about giving his full, honest opinion. Especially to fellow filmmakers.

The director of classics like “Scarface,” “Carrie,” and “The Untouchables” told Business Insider last year when he was doing press for the documentary on his career, "De Palma," that after seeing “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” before it premiered in 1977, he turned to his good friend Steven Spielberg, who directed the movie, and said, “I don’t know, this doesn’t really work for me.”

Laughing about it now, he said, “And this was considered a crowning success of his career.”

But Spielberg wasn't the only person in the talented inner circle that De Palma ran in during the 1970s (they were known as the Movie Brats) who was on the receiving end of his harsh opinions.

In an encounter that has become a Hollywood legend, De Palma didn’t think much of the original “Star Wars,” either.

George Lucas’ Movie Brats mates were the first people to see “Star Wars,” including Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, John Landis, and De Palma.

After watching an early cut of the movie — which included little to no effects and didn't yet have the John Williams score — the Brats got together to tell Lucas what they thought. Spielberg told Lucas it was going to be a hit, but De Palma thought differently.

“The crawl at the beginning looks like it was written on a driveway,” De Palma told Lucas, according to the book “Easy Riders, Raging Bulls.” “It goes on forever. It’s gibberish.”

Looking back now at his alleged insults, De Palma has a different recollection. Kind of.

“That is not correct,” De Palma told Business Insider. “I am sarcastic. I am considered the class clown, but a sarcastic clown. So I would make fun of certain things. Because everyone would take this stuff too seriously.”

He did, however, admit he didn’t like the opening crawl.

“The crawl didn't make any sense at all,” De Palma said. “And I kept kidding him about the Force. I was like, ‘What is the Force?’ But you have to understand, we used to look at each other's movies in order to be helpful. We might say some things that weren’t nice.”

De Palma admits the harsh criticism didn’t always go down well for some. Though he said, as far as he knows, Lucas never took offense to his remarks about the movie.

But one story has it that Lucas’ wife at the time, Marcia, confronted De Palma.

“I don't remember this, but there was an account where Marcia told me, ‘You've hurt George's feelings and you should be gentle with him.’ I don't remember that. I really don't know what they're talking about,” De Palma said. “I was basically myself. The thing the guys could always count on with me is I would say what I thought. I wasn't holding back.”

Success washes away all sour grapes in Hollywood, and if Lucas was ever mad at De Palma, that sure ended quickly, as the original “Star Wars” went on to make over $775 million worldwide in its theatrical run and gave birth to one of the most lucrative movie franchises of all time.

SEE ALSO: Brian De Palma, legendary director of "Scarface" and "Carrie," explains why he 'left Hollywood completely'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's everything we know from the season 7 trailer for 'Game of Thrones'

HBO has renewed its hit comedies "Veep" and "Silicon Valley" for additional seasons. Both will return in 2018, the pay network announced on Thursday.

The new orders mean that "Veep," which stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, will be back for a seventh season. The current sixth season has found Louis-Dreyfus' Selina debating whether she'll throw her hat into the next presidential election.

HBO's renewal for "Silicon Valley" will bring the favorite tech comedy into its fifth season. Currently airing its fourth season, the show has found Pied Piper founder Richard (Thomas Middleditch) at a crossroads after the company pivots away from his data-compression algorithm to a video-messaging app.

SEE ALSO: 'Silicon Valley' star T.J. Miller says it's 'funny' that people claim to have inspired his 'buffoon' of a character

DON'T MISS: Here are all your favorite TV shows that are coming back for another season

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's everything we know from the season 7 trailer for 'Game of Thrones'

With Thursday marking the 40th anniversary of the release of "Star Wars: A New Hope," there are a lot of stories circulating that look back on the iconic first movie of the lucrative saga.

The Hollywood Reporter has published a deep dive on one of the movie's most infamous moments: the Stormtrooper who banged his head on a blast door. 

The shot comes toward the end of the section of the movie when Luke, Han, and company save Princess Leia from the Death Star. Stormtroopers barge into a control room, and if you look closely, one of the them walks right into the door that rises from the floor. 

THR tracked down the actor who played the head-banging Stormtrooper, Laurie Goode, and got to the bottom of what happened.  

What happened that day when you hit your head? 
On the second day of filming, I developed an upset stomach. By mid-morning I had paid three-to-four visits to the loo/bathroom. Having re-dressed myself and returned to the set, I felt the need to rush back to the gents' toilets, but I was placed in shot. On about the fourth take, as I shuffled along, I felt my stomach rumbling, and "bang", I hit my head! As I wasn't moving too fast it was more of a scuffed bash, so it didn't hurt, but as no-one shouted "cut" I thought the shot wasn't wide enough for me to be in frame. 

Which take was that? How many takes did you do of that scene?
I remember after the first two takes, we were told to hold our guns in our left hands as opposed to our right. So I believe the head-bang happening on the fourth take, whatever number of takes we did, the head-bang happened on the last take. When it first happened — that day — I told my fellow actor on the film, Mark Kirby, that I hit my head, but we didn't go for another take!

Goode said when he saw the movie, he couldn't believe George Lucas used the shot. 

As the decades have passed and the blooper has become part of "Star Wars" lore, there's been a little controversy about the identity of the actor who banged his head. Actor Michael Leader, who died last year, has also claimed to be the head-banger. But Goode proclaims he's the guy. And he's even written a song about it (so you know he's got to be telling the truth).

SEE ALSO: HBO finally dropped the first full "Game of Thrones" season 7 trailer — and it's incredible

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Watch the first trailer for 'The Dark Tower' — the new film based on Stephen King's epic series