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Netflix's 'Grace and Frankie' has been renewed for a 5th season — here are the only 3 other Netflix original series to make it that far

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grace frankie

  • Netflix's "Grace and Frankie" has been renewed for a fifth season.
  • Only three other Netflix original programs have managed to do that.

 

Netflix announced on Wednesday that its original comedy "Grace and Frankie," about two women — played by Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda — whose husbands leave them for each other, has been renewed for a fifth season to premiere in 2019.

The fifth season will guest star RuPaul, famous for "RuPaul's Drag Race." RuPaul (and the show's Twitter) tweeted about the news on Wednesday:

 

Netflix has a ton of original shows, but now only four — excluding children's shows, talk shows, and revivals of shows that started on other networks — have managed to reach the 5-season club.

Here are the other three Netflix original programs that have reached or been renewed for five seasons:

SEE ALSO: Netflix signed TV giant Ryan Murphy to a massive $300 million deal — here are his series ranked worst to best, from 'Glee' to 'American Horror Story'

1. "Orange is the New Black" (2013)

Number of seasons: 5, and renewed for a sixth

Number of episodes so far: 65

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

Highest rated season: 2 (98%)

Lowest rated season: 5 (74%)

Jenji Kohan's "Orange is the New Black," based on the book by Piper Kerman, originally focused itself on Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), who was imprisoned in an all-female facility with a woman she used to have a relationship with.

However, the series in recent seasons has deviated from Chapman's story and emphasized its large ensemble of prisoners played by a diverse cast of women, including Emmy-winner Uzo Aduba and Laverne Cox.



2. "BoJack Horseman" (2014)

Number of seasons: 4, and renewed for a fifth 

Number of episodes so far: 48

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

Highest rated season: 2 (100%)*

Lowest rated season: 1 (60%)

"BoJack Horseman" follows a washed-up actor — who happens to be a horse voiced by Will Arnett — as he attempts to get his life on track through a series of stunts that include a book deal and an Oscar campaign. However, he is consistently held back by his own self-doubt and drinking problem. The show deals with heavy themes for an animated comedy, including depression and drug abuse.

*Both season 2 and 3 had 100% Rotten Tomatoes scores, but season 2 had a higher audience score.

 



2. "House of Cards" (2013)

Number of seasons: 5, and renewed for a sixth (and final) season

Number of episodes so far: 65

Rotten Tomatoes score: 81%

Highest rated season: 4 (88%)

Lowest rated season: 5 (71%)

"House of Cards" saw power hungry Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) lie, manipulate, and even murder his way into becoming the President of the United States.

However, after a series of sexual assault allegations against Spacey surfaced, Netflix decided to cut ties with the actor. In November, Netflix announced a sixth and final eight-episode season starring Robin Wright, who plays Frank's wife, Claire. Production resumed on the season in January, with two new co-stars added — Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear.



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The eSports competitive video gaming market continues to grow revenues & attract investors

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eSports Advertising and Sponsorships

This is a preview of a research report from BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about BI Intelligence, click here.

What is eSports? History & Rise of Video Game Tournaments

Years ago, eSports was a community of video gamers who would gather at conventions to play Counter Strike, Call of Duty, or League of Legends.

These multiplayer video game competitions would determine League of Legends champions, the greatest shooters in Call of Duty, the cream of the crop of Street Fighter players, the elite Dota 2 competitors, and more.

But today, as the history of eSports continue to unfold, media giants such as ESPN and Turner are broadcasting eSports tournaments and competitions. And in 2014, Amazon acquired Twitch, the live streaming video platform that has been and continues to be the leader in online gaming broadcasts. And YouTube also wanted to jump on the live streaming gaming community with the creation of YouTube Gaming.

eSports Market Growth Booming

To put in perspective how big eSports is becoming, a Google search for "lol" does not produce "laughing out loud" as the top result. Instead, it points to League of Legends, one of the most popular competitive games in existence. The game has spawned a worldwide community called the League of Legends Championship Series, more commonly known as LCS or LOL eSports.

What started as friends gathering in each other's homes to host LAN parties and play into the night has become an official network of pro gaming tournaments and leagues with legitimate teams, some of which are even sponsored and have international reach. Organizations such as Denial, AHQ, and MLG have multiple eSports leagues.

And to really understand the scope of all this, consider that the prize pool for the latest Dota 2 tournament was more than $20 million.

Websites even exist for eSports live scores to let people track the competitions in real time if they are unable to watch. There are even fantasy eSports leagues similar to fantasy football, along with the large and growing scene of eSports betting and gambling.

So it's understandable why traditional media companies would want to capitalize on this growing trend just before it floods into the mainstream. Approximately 300 million people worldwide tune in to eSports today, and that number is growing rapidly. By 2020, that number will be closer to 500 million.

eSports Industry Analysis - The Future of the Competitive Gaming Market

Financial institutions are starting to take notice. Goldman Sachs valued eSports at $500 million in 2016 and expects the market will grow at 22% annually compounded over the next three years into a more than $1 billion opportunity.

And industry statistics are already backing this valuation and demonstrating the potential for massive earnings. To illustrate the market value, market growth, and potential earnings for eSports, consider Swedish media company Modern Times Group's $87 million acquisition of Turtle Entertainment, the holding company for ESL. YouTube has made its biggest eSports investment to date by signing a multiyear broadcasting deal with Faceit to stream the latter's Esports Championship Series. And the NBA will launch its own eSports league in 2018.

Of course, as with any growing phenomenon, the question becomes: How do advertisers capitalize? This is especially tricky for eSports because of its audience demographics, which is young, passionate, male-dominated, and digital-first. They live online and on social media, are avid ad-blockers, and don't watch traditional TV or respond to conventional advertising.

So what will the future of eSports look like? How high can it climb? Could it reach the mainstream popularity of baseball or football? How will advertisers be able to reach an audience that does its best to shield itself from advertising?

Robert Elder, research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled an unparalleled report on the eSports ecosystem that dissects the growing market for competitive gaming. This comprehensive, industry-defining report contains more than 30 charts and figures that forecast audience growth, average revenue per user, and revenue growth.

Companies and organizations mentioned in the report include: NFL, NBA, English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, NHL, Paris Saint-Germain, Ligue 1, Ligue de Football, Twitch, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, ESPN, Electronic Arts, EA Sports, Valve, Riot Games, Activision Blizzard, ESL, Turtle Entertainment, Dreamhack, Modern Times Group, Turner Broadcasting, TBS Network, Vivendi, Canal Plus, Dailymotion, Disney, BAMTech, Intel, Coca Cola, Red Bull, HTC, Mikonet

Here are some eSports industry facts and statistics from the report:

  • eSports is a still nascent industry filled with commercial opportunity.
  • There are a variety of revenue streams that companies can tap into.
  • The market is presently undervalued and has significant room to grow.
  • The dynamism of this market distinguishes it from traditional sports.
  • The audience is high-value and global, and its numbers are rising.
  • Brands can prosper in eSports by following the appropriate game plan.
  • Game publishers approach their Esport ecosystems in different ways.  
  • Successful esport games are comprised of the same basic ingredients.
  • Digital streaming platforms are spearheading the popularity of eSports.
  • Legacy media are investing into eSports, and seeing encouraging results.
  • Traditional sports franchises have a clear opportunity to seize in eSports.
  • Virtual and augmented reality firms also stand to benefit from eSports.  

In full, the report illuminates the business of eSports from four angles:

  • The gaming nucleus of eSports, including an overview of popular esport genres and games; the influence of game publishers, and the spectrum of strategies they adopt toward their respective esport scenes; the role of eSports event producers and the tournaments they operate.
  • The eSports audience profile, its size, global reach, and demographic, psychographic, and behavioral attributes; the underlying factors driving its growth; why they are an attractive target for brands and broadcasters; and the significant audience and commercial crossover with traditional sports.
  • eSports media broadcasters, including digital avant-garde like Twitch and YouTube, newer digital entrants like Facebook and traditional media outlets like Turner’s TBS Network, ESPN, and Canal Plus; their strategies and successes in this space; and the virtual reality opportunity.
  • eSports market economics, with a market sizing, growth forecasts, and regional analyses; an evaluation of the eSports spectacle and its revenue generators, some of which are idiosyncratic to this industry; strategic planning for brand marketers, with case studies; and an exploration of the infinite dynamism and immense potential of the eSports economy.

Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:

  1. Subscribe to an All-Access pass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. >> START A MEMBERSHIP
  2. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >> BUY THE REPORT

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The best and worst superhero movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ranked according to critics

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a cash cow for Disney since it kicked off with "Iron Man" in 2008.

The franchise has made over $13.5 billion worldwide to date, and that number will rise drastically this weekend when "Black Panther" opens, as is projected to break some box office records.

Critics seem to love the MCU, but they especially are in love with "Black Panther." The movie currently has a 98% ranking on Rotten Tomatoes.

Check out where that ranks among the 18 movies in the MCU, according to critics on Rotten Tomatoes:

SEE ALSO: The 27 best romantic comedy movies of all time, according to critics

18. "Thor: The Dark World" (2013)

Critic score: 66%

User score: 77%

What critics said: "The 'Crocodile Dundee II' of superhero films — in a good way!" — Slate



17. "The Incredible Hulk" (2008)

Critic score: 67%

User score: 71%

What critics said: "In close-up the Hulk is more cartoonish than scary, but when he's ripping armed vehicles to shreds? Kewl." — Houston Chronicle



16. "Iron Man 2" (2010)

Critic score: 73% (certified fresh)

User score: 72%

What critics said: "It's easy to talk about what 'Iron Man 2' doesn't do, but what it does do is so full of energy and genuine enthusiasm that it's hard to imagine anyone walking out unhappy." — CinemaBlend



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Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman has a biting take on Netflix's new show 'Altered Carbon'

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  • Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman made a comment about Netflix's new show 'Altered Carbon' reflecting our own world and power structure.
  • The show's violence against women has been a source of debate, with some saying it's gratuitous and others arguing it's reflective of our society.


Everyone loves binge-watching Netflix, even Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, who delivered an incisive take after finishing the streaming giant's newest hit.

In a tweet Wednesday, Krugman addressed the science-fiction world of "Altered Carbon," Netflix's epic series based on the 2002 novel by Richard K. Morgan.

"I just finished watching 'Altered Carbon' on Netflix," Krugman tweeted. "It's about a corrupt future society in which wealthy, powerful men feel free to ignore the law and abuse and beat up women. In other words, watching it was a lot like reading the morning newspaper."

The tweet has racked up over 11,000 likes so far.

altered carbon

The world of "Altered Carbon" has been a source of debate since the show became available to stream on Netflix on February 2. Some, including Business Insider's own Carrie Wittmer, criticized the show's depiction of violence against women.

In her review, Wittmer wrote:

In establishing the world of "Altered Carbon," the violence didn't have to be toward young, attractive women — over and over again. But it is, and feels gratuitous. At first, the excessive violence toward the human form reinforces the fact that death isn't final. But to drive this point home to the audience, the show could use some variety in victims.

But others have defended this element of the series.

"I think it's really important to investigate what this very dark world tells us about the world we actually have right now," one of the stars of the show, Renée Elise Goldsberry, said at a roundtable discussion recently. "In order to really examine ourselves we can't shy away from the best and the worst of us."

At the same discussion another "Altered Carbon" star, Dichen Lachman, pointed out that violence against women is common, even today.

"This is a real thing and it is hard to digest and look at," she said. "We can really look at our own society through this focused lens, and maybe it will push people into action to do something positive to help women reach out to women who have suffered. Because it's a real thing and not enough people talk about it. And if we shy away from it, then we can't really examine how horrific it is, and how it needs to stop."

At least one viewer, Krugman, seems to agree with Lachman about the show's relevance to our world.

SEE ALSO: A quick guide to every major character on Netflix's 'Altered Carbon'

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The 16 shows Netflix has canceled, including recently cut comedy 'Disjointed'

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Disjointed Netflix

Netflix did some major house cleaning in 2017, cutting expensive shows like "Sense8" and "The Get Down." 

It also killed flops like "Girlboss" and "Gypsy" after only one season, and old favorites like "House of Cards," which will end after its sixth season. 

And Netflix isn't holding back in 2018 either.

Netflix's most recent cancellation is the one-season sitcom "Disjointed," which starred Kathy Bates as a woman who runs a Los Angeles marijuana dispensary. The show had one season that premiered in two parts. It got slammed by critics.

This is Netflix's second cancellation in 2018, following that of quirky comedy "Lady Dynamite."

Here are the sixteen shows Netflix has killed in total, along with their critic and audience ratings from Metacritic.

Additional reporting by Jethro Nededog. 

SEE ALSO: All the TV shows that have been canceled in 2018

"Disjointed": Canceled after one season

Netflix description: "Pot activist Ruth Whitefeather Feldman runs a medical marijuana dispensary while encouraging her loyal patients to chill out and enjoy the high life."

Critic rating: 43/100

Audience rating: 7.4/10

Date canceled: February 2018 



"Lady Dynamite": Canceled after two seasons

Netflix description: "Comedian Maria Bamford navigates awkward dates, bizarre gigs and the fallout from a major breakdown in a funny and poignant series based on her life."

Critic rating: 85/100

Audience rating: 6.6/10

Date canceled: January 2018



"Love:" Canceled after three seasons

Netflix description: "A couple must navigate the exhilarations and humiliations of intimacy, commitment and other things they were hoping to avoid."

Critic rating: 76/100

Audience rating: 7.5/10

Date canceled: December 2017 (the final season will be released in 2018)



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Netflix's CEO reportedly offered to resign from Facebook's board after slamming Peter Thiel's support of Trump — but Mark Zuckerberg said 'no' (FB, NFLX)

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  • Netflix CEO Reed Hastings reportedly offered to resign from Facebook's board over his disagreement with Peter Thiel's support of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, according to The Wall Street Journal.
  • Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg declined Hastings' offer to resign.
  • Thiel is reportedly scaling back his involvement in Silicon Valley and moving his investment firms to Los Angeles, where he plans to build a "right-leaning media outlet."

 

In August of last year, The New York Times reported that, in 2016, Peter Thiel's support of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump caused friction among the members of Facebook's board.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings — who called his fellow board member Thiel's support of Trump "catastrophically bad judgment" in an email leaked to the Times — also offered to resign over his disagreement with Thiel, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Thursday.

Sources told WSJ that Facebook CEO Zuckerberg declined Hastings' offer to resign. Facebook declined to comment on the matter to Business Insider.

Hastings and Thiel are both currently on the Facebook board, though, according to WSJ, Thiel is reportedly discussing "the possibility of resigning" from the board, and is scaling back his involvement in Silicon Valley.

A vocal libertarian, Thiel has called Silicon Valley "a one-party state" and lamented the lack of a conservative presence in the tech industry. He also drew criticism from tech industry leaders when he served as an adviser on Trump's transition team in 2016. 

The founder of PayPal and a prominent investor in Silicon Valley, Thiel is reportedly moving his investment firms Thiel Capital and Thiel Foundation out of the Bay Area and into Los Angeles this year, according to WSJ.

In L.A., Thiel is also reportedly planning to build "a right-leaning media outlet to foster discussion and community around conservative topics." Thiel bankrolled the lawsuits that eventually forced Gawker Media into bankruptcy, and has been trying to buy Gawker's now-defunct flagship site.

SEE ALSO: The best current TV show on each network — from ABC to FX to Netflix

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All the TV shows that have been canceled in 2018

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It's early in the year, but the list of canceled TV shows is already piling up.

Networks haven't announced many cancellations yet with the exception of ABC, which canceled freshman sitcom "The Mayor" and "Once Upon a Time" (which was once a ratings hit). 

On the streaming side, things are a bit different. Amazon kicked off 2018 with a slew of cancellations, announcing the end of three quirky comedies. It axed Golden Globe nominee "I Love Dick" and comedian Tig Notaro's semi-autobiographical show, "One Mississippi." 

There are many more cancellations to come, especially since networks haven't announced the fates of their fall shows. We'll update this list as more cancellations are announced. 

Here are all the shows that were canceled this year, including those from networks and Netflix:

SEE ALSO: The worst TV show of every year since 2000, according to critics

"The Mayor" — ABC, one season



"Chance" — Hulu, two seasons



"Lady Dynamite" — Netflix, two seasons



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Motown's 7 most successful music artists, from Stevie Wonder to The Jackson 5

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The culture-shifting sensation that was Motown music began in January 1959, when Berry Gordy Jr. founded Tamla Records in Detroit, Michigan. 

After Gordy incorporated the name "Motown Records" in 1960, the label and its subsidiaries would usher in the careers of a number of legendary artists, including Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Diana Ross, along with decades of soul and R&B classics.

From its first major hit with Smokey Robinson & the Miracles' "Shop Around" in 1960, Motown utilized a prolific "assembly line" approach to song production that Gordy said he adapted from working on the factory lines of Detroit's automotive industry.

At "Hitsville U.S.A.," the small Detroit home that served as the label's studio throughout the 1960s, musicians and songwriters would circle in and out to collaborate on, and produce, hit records at a rapid pace. The company eventually moved to Los Angeles in 1972, which roughly coincided with artists like Wonder and Gaye breaking from the conventional "Motown sound" to produce innovative and influential concept albums.

After nearly three decades of immense commercial success, the label had financial difficulties toward the end of the 1980s, and an era ended when Gordy sold the label to MCA for $61 million in 1988. But the power of the company's timeless music endures.

In honor of Black History Month, the following is a brief retrospective on Motown's 7 most essential artists and the contributions they've made to music:

SEE ALSO: The 50 best-selling music artists of all time

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

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After becoming the first Motown act to break through to the mainstream, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles had a long stretch of hits through the 1960s and '70s.

"Shop Around," one of the group's first singles, became Motown's first platinum-selling record in 1960. The band's subsequent hits included "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962), "The Tracks of My Tears" (1965), and the group's first No. 1 single, "The Tears of a Clown" (1970). 

Robinson, whom Berry Gordy has called "the soul of Motown," was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1987. Controversially, Robinson's band members, the Miracles, were not inducted until 2012. 



Stevie Wonder

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In 1963, the 12-year-old prodigy "Little" Stevie Wonder (as Berry Gordy dubbed Stevland Morris) broke onto the national scene for Motown with his harmonica-infused No. 1 single, "Finger Tips, Part II."

A multi-instrumentalist genius, blind from infancy, Wonder would release a string of self-produced and commercially successful albums through the latter half of the 1960s. In 1971, he became the first Motown artist to negotiate a contract that allowed for complete artistic control of his music. 

Through the '70s, starting with his 14th album "Music of My Mind," Wonder unleashed what critics have called "the greatest creative run" in the history of popular music. This run included five massively success, critically acclaimed LPs and two Billboard No. 1 albums — one of which, 1976's "Songs in the Key of Life," was certified diamond in the US for sales of more than 10 million copies.

Wonder was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.



The Supremes

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Diana Ross and The Supremes were the most successful group or artist in Motown's history by at least one measure — their 12 Billboard No. 1 singles.

The trio's run of hits started with 1964's "Where Did Our Love Go" and stretched into the early 1970s. Ten of their twelve No. 1 hits, including "Baby Love" and "Stop! In the Name of Love," were written by the prolific Motown songwriting trio Holland-Dozier-Holland.

The Supremes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, and Diana Ross also went on to have a successful solo career after releasing her debut, self-titled album in 1970. 



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'Glee' and 'American Horror Story' producer Ryan Murphy has been obsessed with Netflix for the past year — and now he's getting paid $300 million to join the party (NFLX)

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  • TV producer Ryan Murphy will leave Fox for Netflix, in a deal worth a reported $300 million.
  • Money wasn't the only factor, as Murphy is a huge fan of Netflix, according to Fox television group's co-CEO Dana Walden.


Ryan Murphy, the superstar producer who launched shows like "Glee," "American Horror Story," and "Nip/Tuck," jumped from Fox to Netflix in a five-year deal worth as much as $300 million, according to The New York Times.

But it might not be just about the money.

According to Dana Walden, the co-CEO of the Fox television group, and the godmother of Murphy's children, Murphy is obsessed with Netflix.

“All Ryan has watched for the last year has been Netflix,” Walden told The New York Times. “He loves their Y.A. series, he loves their documentaries, he watched ‘The OA’ and loved it, he loved ‘13 Reasons Why,’ he admires the brand, the programming. It was the right timing and right company for him.”

Walden and Fox are certainly sad to see Murphy go, but his departure seemed imminent once Disney agreed to buy 21st Century Fox's film studio and a large chunk of its television production assets for $52.4 billion in December.

In January, Murphy shared that when he heard about the Disney deal, he said he was worried and wondered, "Am I going to have to put Mickey Mouse in 'American Horror Story?'" He said he was "very emotional" about the deal, though Disney CEO Bob Iger tried to reassure him.

“Were the Disney deal to have never happened, I think he would have been close to a new deal with us,” Walden told The New York Times. “If the Disney move happened a year ago, and the transaction was completed by now and we were part of the Disney Company, I think he would be part of us.”

Murphy isn't the first TV giant Netflix has landed in recent months. The streaming company lured Shonda Rhimes away from ABC this summer in a deal worth a reported $100 million.

SEE ALSO: Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman has a biting take on Netflix's new show 'Altered Carbon'

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NPR's 'On Point' host Tom Ashbrook fired over allegations of workplace abuse

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  • NPR host Tom Ashbrook has been fired from the popular radio show "On Point" over allegations that he created an abusive workplace for his employees.
  • More than 11 current and former employees came forward with allegations of verbal abuse, bullying, and unwanted contact.

 

Tom Ashbrook, the host of NPR's popular radio show "On Point," has been fired over allegations that he created an abusive workplace for his employees.

Ashbrook hosted the nationally syndicated show at Boston radio station WBUR for 16 years.

WBUR placed him on leave in December 2017 after 11 current and former employees came forward with allegations of verbal abuse, bullying, and unwanted contact. 

WBUR said the number of complaints grew in subsequent months after Boston University, which owns WBUR, launched two independent investigations into the matter. 

Boston University's investigations found that Ashbrook's conduct "created an abusive work environment," but "was not sexual in nature and did not constitute sexual harassment."

"I am deeply disappointed by this decision, which I believe is profoundly unfair both to me and the listeners who [have] been such a part of On Point," Ashbrook said in a statement. "I'm sorry to those who found the show's pace and me just too much."

"On Point" is carried by more than 290 stations. WBUR said the show will continue to be produced with a rotation of fill-in hosts, including journalists Jane Clayson, Tom Gjelten and Ray Suarez.

SEE ALSO: The 50 best TV show seasons of all time, according to critics

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Oscar-nominated movie 'Three Billboards' inspired a campaign demanding justice for a fire that killed 71 people in London

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  • An activist group demanding justice for the 71 people killed in a fire at London's Grenfell Tower in June have taken inspiration from the Oscar-nominated film "Three Billboards" in a campaign on Thursday. 
  • The group is seeking prosecutions for the fire, which police said in September could have been caused by a fridge-freezer malfunction.

 

An activist group in London, England, has taken inspiration from the Oscar-nominated film "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" to pressure Parliament into finding a resolution to a fire that killed 71 people and injured 70 more at London's Grenfell Tower in June of last year.

The campaign's billboards, parked outside Parliament and various locations throughout London on Thursday, read, "71 DEAD," "AND STILL NO ARRESTS?," "HOW COME?" (In the film "Three Billboards," Frances McDormand's character puts up billboards in the same manner to pressure the Ebbing, Missouri police into finding her daughter's killer.)

British Prime Minister Theresa May ordered a full public inquiry into the fire in July. The inquiry had its first hearings in September, and the latest development was a police statement in September that said the fire could have been caused by a fridge-freezer malfunction. 

But the "Three Billboards"-inspired campaign is seeking more concrete answers and "prosecutions" for the disaster.

Vice spoke to one of the campaign's organizers, Yvette Williams, who said the campaign is trying to keep the Grenfell fire in the public consciousness, partly as a referendum on "the state of public housing."

"We were told that even as the public inquiry is ongoing, there was going to be an interim report by Easter. Now that's not happening. We want the truth. We want prosecutions," Williams said. "People up and down the country need to feel safe in their homes. None of that is happening. We think they're playing with time, hoping that the story will be downplayed."

SEE ALSO: The 50 best movies of all time, according to critics

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The last 43 Oscar best-picture winners, ranked from lowest budget to highest

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  • A range of highly expensive to low-budget films have won the best picture Oscar throughout its history.
  • Based on budget data from IMDB Pro, and then adjusted for inflation, we ranked the last 43 best picture winners based on their budget, from lowest to highest.

 

There is no special formula to win the best picture Oscar — at least when it comes to money.

Films that range from low-budget indie flicks ("Moonlight," "The Artist") to high-budget blockbusters ("Titanic," "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King") have won the Oscar for best picture throughout history.

And that's reflected in this year's nominees as well — from Christopher Nolan's $100 million war epic, "Dunkirk," to Luca Guadagnino's $4 million 1980s romantic drama "Call Me by Your Name."

Based on budget data from IMDB Pro, and then adjusted for inflation using an inflation calculator, we've ranked the last 43 best picture winners from lowest budget to highest budget. 

SEE ALSO: Oscar-nominated movie 'Three Billboards' inspired a campaign demanding justice for a fire that killed 71 people in London

43. "Moonlight" (2016)

Initial budget: $4 million

Adjusted for inflation: $4.13 million 



42. "Rocky" (1976)

Initial budget: $960,000

Adjusted for inflation: $4.18 million 

 

 



41. "Crash" (2005)

Initial budget: $6.5 million

Adjusted for inflation: $8.2 million 



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Netflix’s $300 million deal with Ryan Murphy is 'expensive as opposed to explosive' (NFLX)

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  • Netflix is over investing, says Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter.
  • He believes making the $300 million investment in Ryan Murphy worth it will be a tall order.
  • Pachter's price target is 60% below Netflix's current level because of the company's negative cash flow. 


Netflix is way overvalued, according to Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, who is one of the longest-running bears on the company. He gives the movie-streaming giant a price target of $110 a share, some 60% below its current level.

Netflix made a splash on Tuesday, announcing a five-year $300 million contract with famed "Glee" and "American Horror Story" producer Ryan Murphy, who is currently finishing his deal with 21st Century Fox.  

And while the deal was hailed as a win in the entertainment world, Pachter says he doesn't think it makes sense for Netflix. Pachter told Business Insider the company's deal with Murphy is "expensive as opposed to explosive," and that he's concerned about Netflix's cash-burning tendencies.

Pachter says Netflix is "not investing prudently" and even if Murphy has a 50% success rate the company is "still going to lose money."

He attributes a large part of Murphy's success at 21st Century Fox to John Landgraf, the CEO of FX Network and FX Productions. "Does Ted Sarandos have the same skill set?" Pachter said of Netflix's chief content officer. "I would say no."

But Netflix was willing to pay a high price for Murphy. "Somebody at Netflix really wanted this guy," Pachter theorized. "His agent asked for $300 million and they got him. Could they have gotten Ryan Murphy for $80 million instead of $300 million? Maybe. Was there a bidding war? Yes."

Netflix reported fourth-quarter earnings of $0.41 a share, but burned through $1.79 billion of cash due to its big spending on important assets like content. The company is expected to spend $8 billion on content this year, compared to Apple's $1 billion.

"I'm concerned that their reported net income doesn't accurately reflect their economic situation," Pachter warned. "Cash burn matters."

Netflix is able to spend so much money because of its easy access to loans. "They have to keep borrowing to fund their spend," Pachter said. While the company's content library becomes more valuable as it grows, he added, "they don't generate enough cash to pay down debt."

Screen Shot 2018 02 15 at 12.03.22 PM

SEE ALSO: U.S. watchdog to probe chairman's decisions in broadcast deal: Democrat

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The 37 most famous guest stars who have ever been on 'Law & Order: SVU'

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Law and Order SVU

Dun. Dun.

Part of what makes "Law & Order SVU" so great (besides the undeniably incredible cast) are the familiar faces that enter the lives of Detective Olivia Benson and the Special Victims Unit. 

After 19 seasons we've seen everyone from Academy Award winners to teen heartthrobs. In New York City, the dedicated actors who (sometimes) commit these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the guest stars of SVU. These are their stories. 

Jennifer Esposito

“Remorse” (Season 1, Episode 20)

SVU Role: Jennifer Esposito plays television reporter Sarah Logan who discusses her rape during her segments which leads to the arrest of a suspect.

Known for: Esposito has had roles in “Spin City”, “Samantha Who?”, “Blue Bloods” and “NCIS”.



Hayden Panettiere

“Abuse” (Season 2, Episode 11) and “Hooked” (Season 6, Episode

SVU Roles: In season 2, Panettiere plays Ashley Austin Black who intentionally injures herself in order to get attention from her parents. In season 6, she plays Angela Agnelli, a high school prostitute who kills her doctor.

Known for: Most recently, Hayden Panettiere plays country superstar Juliette Barnes on “Nashville.” She also played cheerleader/superhuman Claire Bennet on “Heroes.”



Sarah Hyland

“Hothouse” (Season 10, Episode 12)

SVU Roles: In “Hothouse”, Sarah Hyland plays the highly intelligent Jennifer Banks, who suffers from a psychotic breakdown and admits to the murder of her roommate.

Known for: Sarah Hyland currently plays the vapid Hayley Dunphy on sitcom “Modern Family.”



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'Transparent' star Jeffrey Tambor won't return to the Amazon show after accusations of sexual harassment

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  • "Transparent" star Jeffrey Tambor won't return for the show's fifth season.
  • Tambor, who has won two Emmys and a Golden Globe for his role, was accused of sexual harassment by two women in November.

 

"Transparent" star Jeffrey Tambor is gone from the show, Amazon confirmed to multiple outlets Thursday.

Tambor — who has won two Emmys and a Golden Globe for his role as transgender woman Maura Pfefferman — was accused of sexual harassment by two women in November.

After investigating the accusations, Amazon decided to part ways with Tambor. The show, which also stars Judith Light, Jay Duplass, Gaby Hoffmann, Amy Landecker, and Kathryn Hahn, will continue. Amazon has not said if the fifth season of the Emmy-winning series, created by Jill Soloway, will be its last. 

Deadline reports that the decision to write Tambor out of the show was made "in the past week."

Both women who accused Tambor of sexual harassment on the show were transgender. The first accusations were made by Tambor's former assistant Van Barnes, the second by his "Transparent" co-star Tracy Lysette. 

Barnes and Lysette accused Tambor of saying sexually explicit things to them, and acting inappropriate physically. 

Tambor has denied both accusations. 

In November, Tambor wrote a statement in response to The Hollywood Reporter's article detailing Lysette's accusations:

"I can be volatile and ill-tempered, and too often I express my opinions harshly and without tact," Tambor said. "But I have never been a predator — ever. I am deeply sorry if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being sexually aggressive or if I ever offended or hurt anyone." (Full statement here.)

Business Insider revieved the following statement from representatives for Soloway:

"I have great respect and admiration for Van Barnes and Trace Lysette, whose courage in speaking out about their experience on 'Transparent' is an example of the leadership this moment in our culture requires.  We are grateful to the many trans people who have supported our vision for 'Transparent' since its inception and remain heartbroken about the pain and mistrust their experience has generated in our community. We are taking definitive action to ensure our workplace respects the safety and dignity of every individual, and are taking steps to heal as a family."

SEE ALSO: The best and worst superhero movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ranked according to critics

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Evan Spiegel doubles down on new Snapchat redesign, says complaints only 'validate' changes (SNAP)

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  • Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel doubled-down on the app's major redesign, which sent users into a tizzy when it came out last week.
  • Speaking to investors at a Goldman Sach's conference, Spiegel said that user complaints only "validate" the changes, which make bigger distinctions between content created by friends and content created by media brands and celebrities. 
  • Spiegel said that the time it takes for users to relearn an app after a redesign is a challenge for the company, but that Snapchat is "still very early in even the core app evolution."


SAN FRANCISCO -- Snap CEO Evan Spiegel is not fazed by the uproar over his new redesign. 

Speaking to investors at the Goldman Sachs' Technology and Internet conference on Thursday, Spiegel said that he personally prefers the new version and thinks that users will like it too once they have had time to learn to use the new features. 

"I feel way more attached to the service than I ever have," Spiegel said. 

Snapchat users publicly protested last week after the company began to roll out its biggest redesign to date. The app is now divided between content created by friends, and content created by media companies, celebrities, and brands.

Spiegel described this as a split between "communications" with people you know, and "broadcast" with people you don't. He told the audience that he thinks distinguishing between the two different types of content brings "more clarity to the service."

Spiegel went on to describe complaints from users who felt they had lost the feeling of intimacy that they experienced when watching Snapchat stories from celebrities like Kim Kardarsian. Ultimately, he said, this is a good thing.

"We'd been thinking about the redesign for a really long time because we were frustrated that when you looked at the [app], both sides looked the same," Spiegel said. "We're excited about what we're seeing so far. Even the complaints we're seeing reinforce the philosophy. The frustrations we're seeing really validate those changes."

The 27 year old CEO was very vague about the benefits of the redesign, and did not provide any concrete details that would show whether users' behavior or engagement with the service has changed as a result of the redesign.

For Spiegel, this is just the beginning. He said Snap is "still very early in even the core app evolution," which means there may be more major changes to come. The biggest hurdle, he said, is getting Snapchat users on board.   

"The hardest part that you can't get around is the time it takes to learn," he said.  

SEE ALSO: Snapchat may be winning back digital influencers with help from recent screw ups by YouTube and Instagram

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The 34 best photos of the Winter Olympics so far

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The reasons the Olympics enthrall viewers — the atmosphere, the joy of winning, the agony of defeat, the spectacle of sport — are the same reasons they produce some of the best photos.

The Winter Olympics are underway, and although we're only a few days in, already photographers have captured some stunning images from the games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Though there's too many great photos to count, we used Getty to compile some of our favorites so far.

Take a look below.

Figure skating is an exhausting sport, both physically and emotionally.



But when your score turns out to be worth a gold medal, it's all worth it.



Lydia Lassila of Australia floats upside down, as freestyle skiers do.



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5 million people watched Netflix's 'trainwreck' of a new 'Cloverfield' movie in the first week, which has an 18% on Rotten Tomatoes

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The Cloverfield Paradox

  • Netflix released "The Cloverfield Paradox" right after the Super Bowl.
  • Critics called it a "trainwreck," and it has a 18% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
  • But people apparently watched it, as Nielsen has estimated five million people watched it in the first week.

 

People love watching "Cloverfield" movies, even when they are terrible.

According to new estimates by Nielsen, five million people worldwide watched Netflix's newest movie in the series, "The Cloverfield Paradox," in its first week of availability on the service. (Note: Netflix does not release official numbers, and has previously questioned the accuracy of third-party trackers.)

But even if the Nielsen numbers are just a rough gauge: That's still a ton of people for a movie that might have epically flopped in a traditional theatrical release.

Part of the mystique of this film was its release strategy.

Netflix released a trailer for "The Cloverfield Paradox" during the Super Bowl. And then it released the movie on Netflix right after the game. This was shocking given that, as of early January, Paramount was set to release the movie in theaters in April.

The reveal stunt was great, but unfortunately critics hated the movie. Right now, it has a 18% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The first movie, "Cloverfield" (2008), has a 77% rating, and the second movie, "10 Cloverfield Lane," has an impressive 90%.

But it doesn't seem to have bothered Netflix viewers, who have also watched Netflix's critically panned new Adam Sandler movies in droves (Netflix previously revealed.)

So why is "The Cloverfield Paradox" so bad?

We collected some of the rotten reviews from critics to give you an idea:

SEE ALSO: Danny McBride told us how he got involved in that fake 'Crocodile Dundee' movie, which was actually a $27 million ad campaign for Australian tourism

"A trainwreck of a sci-fi flick bent on extending a franchise that should have died a peaceful death almost exactly one decade ago."

The Hollywood Reporter



"Perhaps what makes The Cloverfield Paradox so frustrating is that it squanders the gifts it has been given."

Slashfilm



"The true paradox of this movie is that those enjoyably wild twists alone would've made this film a whole lot of fun to watch with a big multiplex audience, even as inconsistent and ultimately illogical it turns out to be."

The Playlist 



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'Transparent' star Jeffrey Tambor lashes out at Amazon after being fired over allegations of sexual harassment

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  • "Transparent" star Jeffrey Tambor won't return for the show's fifth season.
  • Tambor, who has won two Emmys and a Golden Globe for his role, was accused of sexual harassment by two women in November.
  • In a statement, Tambor said he was "profoundly disappointed" in Amazon's investigation and in series creator Jill Soloway.

 

"Transparent" star Jeffrey Tambor has parted ways with Amazon and the show, but the split seems to have not been amicable at all. 

Tambor — who has won two Emmys and a Golden Globe for his role as transgender woman Maura Pfefferman — was accused of sexual harassment by two women in November. Thursday night, Tambor said that he was "profoundly disappointed" in Amazon's investigation of the allegations, and "Transparent" creator and showrunner Jill Soloway's characterization of him.

“I am profoundly disappointed in Amazon’s handling of these false accusations against me,” Tambor said in a statement to Deadline. “I am even more disappointed in Jill Soloway’s unfair characterization of me as someone who would ever cause harm to any of my fellow castmates."

After investigating the accusations, Amazon decided to dismiss Tambor from the series. The show, which also stars Judith Light, Jay Duplass, Gaby Hoffmann, Amy Landecker, and Kathryn Hahn, will continue. Amazon has not said if the fifth season of the Emmy-winning series, created by Jill Soloway, will be its last. 

Deadline reports that the decision to write Tambor out of the show was made "in the past week."

Both women who accused Tambor of sexual harassment on the show were transgender. The first accusations were made by Tambor's former assistant Van Barnes, the second by his "Transparent" co-star Tracy Lysette. 

Barnes and Lysette accused Tambor of saying sexually explicit things to them, and acting inappropriate physically. 

Tambor has denied both accusations. 

"We are taking definitive action to ensure our workplace respects the safety and dignity of every individual, and are taking steps to heal as a family," Soloway said in a statement provided to Business Insider on Thursday. 

SEE ALSO: The best and worst superhero movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ranked according to critics

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Chris Rock's new Netflix special takes on the gun-control debate — and was released the same day as the Florida high-school shooting

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Chris Rock Tamborine

  • Chris Rock tackles the gun-control debate in his new Netflix special, "Tamborine."
  • It feels eerily relevant since the special was released Wednesday, the same day as the Parkland, Florida, shooting.
  • Some viewers on Twitter commented on the timing.


Not even 10 minutes into Chris Rock's new Netflix stand-up special, "Tamborine," viewers may have been left with an eerie feeling. About six minutes in, Rock addresses the gun debate in America.

It's not uncommon for comedians to tackle controversial issues, but the timing of Rock's routine makes this particularly relevant.

"Tamborine" became available on Netflix on Wednesday, the same day 17 people were killed in a shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida.

"This gun s--- ain't going nowhere," Rock says in the special. "There ain't never gonna be no gun control. You talk about it too long, and you're gonna get shot."

He addresses the pro-gun argument that a knife could do damage as well.

"If 100 people ever got stabbed at the same time, in the same place, by the same person, you know what that would mean?" he asks the audience. "Ninety-seven people deserve to die."

While Rock filmed his special back in November, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, two other mass shootings rattled the US leading up to this show — the Las Vegas shooting in October that left 58 people dead at a concert and the Texas church shooting in November that left 26 dead.

Since the release of the special, viewers on Twitter have commented on the timing:

It speaks to the prevalence of shootings in America that "Tamborine" feels so relevant; Rock also addressed guns in a well-known bit from his stand-up special "Bigger and Blacker" in 1999.

Rock said bullets should cost $5,000 and called it "bullet control."

"People would think before they killed somebody if a bullet cost $5,000," he said.

SEE ALSO: Jimmy Kimmel gives an emotional plea to Trump on gun control: 'Children are being murdered, do something'

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