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Kanye West is facing backlash for saying 400 years of slavery 'sounds like a choice'

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Kanye west

  • Rapper Kanye West said on "TMZ Live" on Tuesday that 400 years of slavery "sounds like a choice."
  • People were shocked, confused, and angry at West on social media.
  • A TMZ employee told West, "I'm disappointed, I'm appalled, and, brother, I am unbelievably hurt by the fact that you have morphed into something, to me, that's not real."
  • It is the latest in a recent series of controversies for West, who has made headlines for his support of President Donald Trump.

Kanye West, who has made extensive headlines recently with his support of President Donald Trump, sparked serious backlash Tuesday in an interview with "TMZ Live" in which he suggested that slavery was a "choice" for black people in the US.

"When you hear about slavery for 400 years — for 400 years? That sounds like a choice. Like, you were there for 400 years and it's all of y'all ... It's like we're mentally in prison," West said.

He went on to say that he liked the term "imprisoned" over "slavery," because "slavery goes too direct to the idea of blacks."

"Prison is something that unites us as one race, blacks and whites as one race," he continued. "That we're the human race."

Many were shocked and angry about West's comments. Here were a few reactions from Twitter:

 

Later on in the video, West addressed the entire TMZ newsroom and asked, "Do you feel that I'm being free and I'm thinking free?"

TMZ's Van Lathan stood up.

"I actually don't think you're thinking anything," he said. "I think what you're doing right now is actually the absence of thought. Kanye, you're entitled to your opinion, you're entitled to believe whatever you want, but there is fact and real-world, real-life consequence behind everything that you just said."

Lathan continued: "The rest of us in society have to deal with these threats to our lives. We have to deal with the marginalization that comes from the 400 years of slavery that you said, for our people, was a choice. Frankly, I'm disappointed, I'm appalled, and, brother, I am unbelievably hurt by the fact that you have morphed into something, to me, that's not real."

West later approached him to say, "I'm sorry I hurt you."

The "TMZ Live" clip is below. West's comments about slavery begin at the 1:15 mark:

SEE ALSO: Kanye West explains what he finds most 'inspiring' about Trump in a new video

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A guide to which superheroes are in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — and which aren't

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Wolverine

After 10 years and 19 movies, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is more popular than ever. But some moviegoers may still not know what characters are and are not involved with it.

Is Batman an Avenger? Is Wolverine? Is Spider-Man? It can get a little confusing.

With that in mind, there's a few things to remember in regards to who is and isn't in the MCU.

The first is that film rights for Marvel Comics characters like the X-Men, Wolverine, Deadpool, and Fantastic Four are owned by Fox. But Disney's — which owns Marvel — acquisition of Fox's film studio leaves the future of those franchises up in the air until the deal is finalized. 

The second thing to remember is that there are Marvel shows on Netflix, such as "Daredevil," that are technically connected to the MCU but the shows only ever vaguely allude to MCU events.

Finally, DC Comics characters are not in the MCU because the MCU only includes Marvel characters. DC and Warner Bros. have attempted their own cinematic universe called the DC Extended Universe. The Justice League is DC's superhero team, while the Avengers is Marvel's.

Below is a guide to what popular comic book characters are and are not in the MCU:  

SEE ALSO: This chart shows how much longer 'Avengers: Infinity War' is than other Marvel Cinematic Universe movies

Superman: NO

Superman is not in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He is a DC Comics character. Created in 1938, he set the standard for modern superheroes. But in the 80 years since, he has never and will never appear in a movie featuring Marvel characters. He is currently played by Henry Cavill in the DC Extended Universe. 



Batman: NO

Batman is also not in the MCU and is also a DC Comics character. He is currently played by Ben Affleck in the DCEU. Before that, he was portrayed by Christian Bale in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Trilogy." He has never been in a movie with the likes of Captain America or Spider-Man, and never will. 



Wonder Woman: NO

Wonder Woman is a DC Comics character. She is currently played by Gal Gadot in the DCEU. Again, she has never appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or any other Marvel movies because she is not a Marvel character. 



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The 50 Disney movies that made the most money at the US box office

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"Avengers: Infinity War" earned the highest domestic box-office debut of all time over the weekend, and it did so by dethroning a record set by "Star Wars: Force Awakens" in 2015.

A Marvel film surpassing a "Star Wars" box-office record is, needless to say, music to the ears of The Walt Disney Company.

That's because both films and the lucrative franchises they fit into are pieces in Disney's ever-expanding arsenal of cinematic cash cows.

To track the Disney films that "Infinity War" will be chasing for subsequent records in the coming weeks, we turned to Box Office Mojo for data on the highest-grossing movies at the US box office that have fallen under Disney's umbrella.

Here are the 50 highest-grossing Disney movies of all time at the domestic box office, unadjusted for inflation:

Note: This list would change significantly if it were ranked by inflation, but we went with Box Office Mojo's available, unadjusted ranking, and included inflation adjustments for films that weren't shown in 2018.

SEE ALSO: Where the Marvel Cinematic Universe can go after 'Avengers: Infinity War'

50. "Cinderella" (2015)

Domestic box office: $201,151,353

Inflation adjusted: $222,649,000



49. "Armageddon" (1998)

Domestic box office: $201,578,182

Inflation adjusted: $393,700,700



48. "Thor: Dark World"

Domestic box office: $206,362,140

Inflation adjusted: $226,626,300



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The 5 confirmed Marvel Cinematic Universe movies after 'Avengers: Infinity War'

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"Avengers: Infinity War" may signal changes for the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward, but it's far from the end of the line for the franchise.

Marvel Studios has scheduled nine release dates from 2020 to 2022 for as-yet-unannounced movies.

One of the dates in 2020 — though we don't know which — has been confirmed to be a sequel. There's one other MCU movie coming this year and three more in 2019.

That's five confirmed MCU movies coming in the next two years.

Here are the five confirmed Marvel Cinematic Universe movies after "Infinity War."

SEE ALSO: A guide to which superheroes are in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — and which aren't

"Ant-Man and the Wasp"

Release date: July 6

"Ant-Man and the Wasp" will be the third and final MCU movie this year (following "Black Panther" and "Avengers: Infinity War").

It takes place between the events of "Captain America: Civil War" and "Infinity War," so it will give no insight into the aftermath of the most recent movie.



"Captain Marvel"

Release date: March 8, 2019

"Captain Marvel" will take place in the 1990s, so it is also set before "Infinity War." But it will detail how Nick Fury knows Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), who is likely to play an important role in the "Infinity War" sequel.

Learn more about Captain Marvel »



Untitled fourth "Avengers" movie

Release date: May 3, 2019

Audiences have to wait a whole year before they learn what happens after the shocking end of "Infinity War."

A new title for the film, which was introduced as "Avengers: Infinity War — Part 2," hasn't been announced. (We probably won't know it for a while, as it's apparently a spoiler.)



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35,000 people watched all 331 episodes of 'ER' in just 2 months after they went up on Hulu

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  • Hulu announced on Wednesday that it had surpassed 20 million US subscribers, and many of its subscribers have oddly impressive viewing habits.
  • The company shared that 35,000 subscribers watched all 331 episodes of the NBC medical drama "ER" in just 2 months after it debuted on its streaming service in January. 
  • Hulu also said that "thousands" of customers watched every episode of "Law and Order: SVU" in 4 months, and that "South Park" was its most-watched show in 2017.

There are some serious "ER" fans among Hulu subscribers.

At its annual Upfront presentation on Wednesday, Hulu said it had surpassed 20 million US subscribers, and the streaming service also dished out some oddly impressive data on the viewing habits of its subscribers. 

Hulu CMO Kelly Campbell shared that 35,000 Hulu subscribers watched all 331 episodes of the NBC medical drama "ER" in just 2 months — at a rate of 5 episodes per day — after it debuted on Hulu in January. 

Campbell also said that "thousands" of customers watched every episode of "Law and Order: SVU" in 4 months, which would mean they were watching 100 episodes of "SVU" a month, or over three episodes per day over four months.

Campbell added that "South Park" was the service's most-watched show of 2017, as subscribers watched 135 million hours of the animated comedy last year. "South Park" re-upped its partnership with Hulu in 2015 for a 5-year, $192 million deal, and it appears to have paid off for the streaming service.

Though Hulu has touted its originals like "The Handmaid's Tale," which it renewed for a third season, these stats show that Hulu subscribers love its back catalog of TV.

In addition to surpassing 20 million subscribers, Hulu said that it had grown total audience engagement on its platform by more than 60%.

SEE ALSO: RANKED: Hulu's 12 original shows, from worst to best

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Spotify is climbing ahead of earnings (SPOT)

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Spotify stock price earnings per share revenue loss profit


Spotify was up 2.66% and climbing ahead of its first earnings report as a public company, due out after Wednesday's closing bell.

The freshly public company is expected to report a first-quarter loss of $0.31 a share on revenue of $1.14 billion, according to analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. In 2017, Spotify lost $5 billion on revenues of $1.5 billion. 

Negative cash flow and hefty accumulated losses have Wall Street worried about the longevity of Spotify as it fights to claim its stake in the "global addressable market"' for music streaming, especially as a majority of its revenue goes to paying royalties on the content it offers.

"We do not have sufficient confidence that [Spotify] will generate excess returns on capital over the next 10 years," Morningstar analyst Ali Mogharabi wrote. He has a "fair value estimate" of $118 — 30% below where the stock opened Wednesday. 

"Spotify has continued to generate cash from operations since 2016; although the firm has incurred hefty operating losses in recent years, Spotify’s cash flow has been better as a good portion of these costs, which are accrued fees to rights holders, have not yet been paid out in cash," he said.

Wall Street on the whole remains more optimistic, with a price target of $174.

Morgan Stanley, which led Spotify's direct offering last month on the New York Stock Exchange, says shares could reach $190 in the next year, as other revenue increases to offset royalty payments.

"The current modest gross margins for Spotify are not an impediment to healthy and growing free-cash-clot generation," Morgan Stanley analyst Ben Swinburne wrote earlier this week. "Over time, Spotify will need to improve gross margins, primarily from driving advertising and other ancillary revenues not tied to label content."

Shares of Spotify are up about 2% since opening for trading at $165.90 on April 3.

Check back here Wednesday afternoon for Spotify's first quarter earnings results.

SEE ALSO: Spotify's free version loses so much money that it takes 12 months for a paying user to cover the cost of the free music they previously listened to

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The sad ending of 'Infinity War' has inspired a hilarious meme

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Spoiler warning: Don't read if you have yet to see "Avengers: Infinity War."

  • The devastating ending of "Avengers: Infinity War" has inspired a hilarious meme.
  • At the end of the movie, Thanos wipes away half of humanity, including many of the Avengers.
  • This has inspired people on the internet to post images of people disappearing, often with the caption "I don't feel so good," which is inspired by a shocking moment with Spider-Man in the movie.

 

The ending of "Avengers: Infinity War" left many audiences shocked, confused, and devastated. But that has only propelled a funny meme inspired by the ending to go viral.

At the end of "Infinity War," Thanos acquires all six Infinity Stones and with the snap of his fingers, wipes away half of humanity. Many of the Avengers even fade away into dust.

This has prompted people on the internet to post hilarious images of people disappearing.

Some are more general, while others are inspired by a specific scene: Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man, fearing for his life as he's about to disappear, and falling into Tony Stark's arms as he does.

"Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good," he says. "I don't want to go."

It's a powerful moment in the movie sold entirely by Tom Holland's performance. So the internet naturally had to turn it into a meme.

Some examples of the meme are below:

 

 

 

Not letting the man live 😂 #nba #nbamemes #cavs #tristanthompson #nbaplayoffs (Via ‪xMangojuice‬/Twitter)

A post shared by Nba Memes (@nbamemes) on May 1, 2018 at 5:12pm PDT on

If you get this, ily - - - - - - - - - #memes#dankmemes#infinitywar#me#sad

A post shared by TheGufster (@goof_in_life) on May 1, 2018 at 7:19am PDT on

 

SEE ALSO: The 5 confirmed Marvel Cinematic Universe movies after 'Avengers: Infinity War'

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The 8 best new TV shows of 2018 so far

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American Crime Story VersaceAs we get further into the year, we've started thinking about the new shows we've loved the most.

There's good news and bad news: there haven't been that many great shows so far, but less required viewing is a bit better for your TV watching schedule. 

With excellent writing and performances that stand out among the overwhelming amount of TV shows that exist now, these are the best new shows of 2018.

We'll update this list with new shows we love as the year goes on. 

Here are the best TV shows of 2018, ranked (along with their Rotten Tomatoes scores):

SEE ALSO: The 50 Disney movies that made the most money at the US box office

8. "Everything Sucks!" — Netflix

Critic Score: 69%

Audience Score: 90%

"Everything Sucks!" tells the story of Kate Messner, a high school sophomore who's coming to terms with her sexuality. Her journey, which happens to take place in the 90s, showcases how hard it was to be an LGBTQ+ teen two decades ago. The season, which really picks up in the final episodes, also follows a lovely romance between Kate's dad and her friend Luke's mom, which is one of the few "parent" stories on a teen show that's not a complete waste of screen time. Unfortunately, Netflix already canceled the show. But there's an active campaign to bring it back.



7. "Trust" — FX

Critic Score: 76%

Audience Score: 62%

"Trust" tells the story of the Getty family — more specifically the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III in 1973 (sans Christopher Plummer). Brendan Fraser makes a major comeback with his Emmy-worthy performance as James Fletcher Chase. It's also glamorous and quite stylish thanks to executive producer Danny Boyle, who directed a few episodes. 



6. "Killing Eve" — BBC

Critic Score: 100%

Audience Score: 88%

The female-driven "Killing Eve" is stylish, thrilling, and has incredible performances from Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer. It isn't a typical spy thriller, and that's what makes it so great. Oh's performance is truly extraordinary, and proves, like she did with her work on "Grey's Anatomy," that she's one of the best TV actors ever. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A ticket to the Met Gala is around $30,000, but that's only a fraction of what it costs for a night at 'the Super Bowl of fashion'

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  • The Met Gala 2018 theme is "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination."
  • It reportedly costs $30,000 for a ticket to attend the Met Gala.
  • However, that's just the beginning of all the costs associated with the $3.5 million event.

 

The first Monday in May hosts the party of the year in the fashion world.

Dubbed the Oscars of the East, the annual Met Gala is back on May 7, themed "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" to celebrate the Metropolitan Museum of Art's newest exhibition at the Costume Institute.

With 180 pieces on display, featuring high-end, expensive designers from Versace and Valentino to Dolce & Gabbana and Chanel, the exhibition will focus on the "dialogue between fashion and the masterworks of religious art."

Helmed by Vogue's Anna Wintour (and co-chaired this year by Rihanna, Donatella Versace, and Amal Clooney), the Met Gala is known for its best-dressed and worst-dressed celebrities, socialites, and businesspeople who walk the red carpet in their interpretation of the theme.

Anyone who is anyone is there, at least according to Wintour's handpicked and closely scrutinized guest list

But the cost to make an appearance during fashion's biggest night out is a steep one, and the cost to make the event happen is even bigger. For $30,000 a ticket, those who passed Wintour's approval can attend the $3.5 million event.

And that's just the beginning of all the money that goes into — and comes out of — what André Leon Talley refers to as "the Super Bowl of fashion."

Take an inside look at the money behind the Met Gala.

SEE ALSO: This $59 million penthouse in New York City's priciest zip code has a living room the size of a museum and perfect views of the Empire State Building and One World Trade

SEE ALSO: Meghan Markle could wear a custom-designed tiara worth nearly $700,000 on her wedding day — here's how much the tiaras of other British royal brides are worth

It cost $3.5 million to produce the Met Gala 2016.

Source: The Wall Street Journal



Tickets for the Met Gala 2017, which 550 people attended, cost $30,000 — that's enough to put a family of four over the poverty line. Some sources say tickets can even cost up to $50,000.

Source: Fortune, Page Six



Tables go for $275,000, but can go for up to $500,000. They cost even more if they're paid for by sponsors. Yahoo sponsored the Met Gala 2015 and reportedly paid $3 million for two tables.

Source: Fortune, Page Six



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The folks behind 'Grand Theft Auto' just put out a new trailer for their next big game, 'Red Dead Redemption 2'— take a look

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The hotly-anticipated sequel to "Red Dead Redemption" doesn't hit PlayStation 4 and Xbox One until October 26. The entire summer still sits between you and what's likely to be the biggest game of 2018.

Sorry!

Red Dead Redemption 2

The good news is that, in the meantime, Rockstar Games issued a new trailer for the game on Wednesday. And in doing so, further detailed the upcoming prequel's storyline. 

If "Red Dead Redemption" was a tale of vengeance and, yes, redemption, "Red Dead Redemption 2" is seemingly a tale of survival. Here's what we learned from the latest trailer:

SEE ALSO: The PlayStation 4 is having a killer run — here's what to expect in 2018

In "Red Dead Redemption 2," the main character is Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde Gang — a crew who played an important role in the previous "Red Dead" game.



The game is a prequel to the previous game in the series. It follows the Van der Linde gang as they "rob, fight and steal their way across the vast and rugged heart of America in order to survive."



The latest trailer demonstrates this in several instances, including a bank robbery and a train robbery.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

MoviePass returns to its one-movie-a-day plan after capping new subscribers at 4 movies a month (HMNY)

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  • MoviePass announced on Wednesday that it's going back to its $9.95 monthly plan.
  • Since April, new subscribers had to pay for a $29.95 three-month plan that allowed four movies per month and a free trial to iHeartRadio's All-Access streaming package.


MoviePass announced via Twitter on Wednesday that it is reinstating its popular $9.95 one-movie-per-day monthly plan.

The app discontinued the plan in April and reports surfaced last week while MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe was taking meeting with exhibitors at CinemaCon, the industry's annual conference in Las Vegas, that the $9.95 would not come back. But it looks like there has been a change of heart. 

“We never planned to abandon the flagship product that everybody loves,” Lowe told Variety. “Any time we’ve done a promotional package, we’ve taken the monthly plan off our site.”

Since mid-April, new MoviePass subscribers had only been able to pay $29.95 for a three-month promotional plan that allowed four movies a month, as well as a free trial of iHeartRadio's All-Access streaming package.

But there is one new tweak to the service that isn't changing: Subscribers are not allowed to do repeat viewings of the same movie with the app.

With the summer movie season upon us, it's a smart move by MoviePass, as it won't have to pay full admission price for repeat showings of hits like "Avengers: Infinity War" and upcoming titles "Deadpool 2" and "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom." 

However, some MoviePass holders have found a workaround — use the app to get a ticket to a different movie and then go to the movie you really want to see. 

It seems MoviePass doesn't just have to worry about how to keep itself afloat, but also prevent people from taking advantage of the service. 

More on MoviePass:

SEE ALSO: The 100 best movies on Hulu right now

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'Infinity War' screenwriters say the deaths in the movie are 'real' and you should 'move on to the next stage of grief'

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  • "Avengers: Infinity War" screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely say the deaths that happened in the movie are "real."
  • They also explained why some of the characters — like Captain America and Black Widow — didn't have a big part in this story.

Warning: Major spoilers below if you haven't seen "Avengers: Infinity War."

Yeah, the ending of "Avengers: Infinity War" was pretty heavy.

And according to the movie's screenwriters, you should just deal with the fact that some your favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe characters aren't coming back for the sequel.

In an interview with BuzzFeed, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely made a point to say that the fourth "Avengers" movie — which is also the conclusion to what took place in "Infinity War" — will be different.

The next movie "doesn't do what you think it does," Markus said, describing the deaths in the movie as "real."

"I just want to tell you it's real," he said, "and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you will be able to move on to the next stage of grief."

Wow!

McFeely added: "I think ['Infinity War'] is a fairly mature movie for a blockbuster. It's got a lot of fun in it, obviously, but boy, it gets very mature. The second one is also mature. We're going to own these choices, and hopefully surprise and delight you and get you invested. It's by the same studio, the same filmmaking team. They were written at the same time, shot at the same time. They're clearly connected, but they are definitely two different movies, one of which is dependent on what happened previous."

Obviously, the writing duo didn't want to give away what happens in the next movie, but you have to wonder now if some (or all) of the heroes who faded away at the end of the movie aren't coming back. Those who perished before the end — Loki, Heimdall, Gamora, and Vision — are almost certainly not coming back.

Infinity War

But if you weren't already freaking out that Black Panther, Groot, Spider-Man, Star-Lord, Bucky, and the rest won't be back to take on Thanos in the next movie, these comments are going to throw you for a loop.

In the comics, things are brought back to normal. But perhaps it won't be that simple in the movies.

Markus and McFeely also said there was a reason that beloved characters like Captain America and Black Widow were not featured heavily in "Infinity War."

"Some characters were better served in movie two after this event," McFeely said. "We were making some choices based on some characters we knew were going to leave us at the end of the first movie, so they got highlighted in the first movie. And some who were going to be in the second movie more maybe got less attention or less screen time [in 'Infinity War'] — I'm thinking of Cap and Natasha, specifically. It's about the story we wanted to tell in movie two, mostly."

We'll see how everything plays out and who's really dead when the next "Avengers" movie comes out next year.

SEE ALSO: MoviePass returns to its one-movie-a-day plan after capping new subscribers at 4 movies a month

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Refinery29 is taking aim at live TV with it own lifestyle-focused channel

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Philippe von Borries Justin Stefano Refinery29 CEO founders

  • Female-focused digital media company Refinery29 is the latest publisher eyeing OTT expansion, and plans to launch its very own live and on-demand lifestyle channel in late 2018.
  • The channel will bring together video, events and shopping on a single destination, across a variety of connected devices as well as the company's existing digital platforms.
  • The company plans to monetize the channel with native branded integrations with its programming.

Turns out, more digital media publishers want to take a page from video startup Cheddar's playbook. 

Refinery29, the female-focused digital media company, plans to launch its very own live and on-demand lifestyle channel. The company timed the announcement with its presentation at the Interactive Advertising Bureau's annual Digital Content NewFronts conference on Wednesday. 

"Channel 29" will go live in the fourth quarter of 2018, bringing together video, events and shopping on a single destination, across a variety of connected devices as well as the company's existing digital platforms.

"Everything that we do is rooted in what our consumers want," Sarah Personette, Refinery29’s chief operating officer, told Business Insider. "Channel29 will take the best of Refinery29, and bring it to our audiences in the way they want it."

In a digital ad market that continues to be dominated by Google and Facebook, publishers have been trying to figure out sustainable business models. Refinery29 is no different, and was forced to trim 7.5% of its staff back in December 2017.

In such a climate, the move is a bid by Refinery29 to expand its core businesses and deepen the relationship it has with its audience. The publisher was encouraged by video engagement and viewership growth across its platforms. Over the past year, for example, time spent on Refinery29 video has reached 4.1 billion minutes.

"We've been watching this audience and how consumer appetite for OTT content has grown," said Amy Emmerich, Refinery29's chief content officer. "And we’ve always been in playing in the livestreaming space — the only difference is how we stay focused on a specific channel versus doing multiple programs."

Channel 29's content will be a mix of both short-form premium digital content as well as two hours of live programming daily, focusing on everything from pop culture and entertainment to home and travel

It will also make a conscious effort to feature "radically inclusive content that subverts category norms," bringing new perspectives to trending news, fashion, beauty, shopping and wellness, according to the company.

The channel will initially be streamed on the publisher's own redesigned website, Facebook Live and YouTube Live, as well as on connected devices such as Apple TV and Roku.

"We want to flip traditional TV on its head," said Emmerich. "Our goal is to break up the clock — and not stick to 22 minutes or 40 minutes of programming. Our ideal block would be six to 15 seconds in length."

Refinery29 does not have plans to monetize the channel by selling traditional pre-roll or mid-roll ads, at least not initially, and is instead seeking out brand partners for native integrations with its programming. A beauty brand, for instance, could theoretically sponsor a live segment on the latest contouring trend.

The company is in sponsorship discussions with several of its current brand partners already, said Emmerich. The hope is that its NewFronts presentation will help close some of those deals as well as generate more excitement and buzz, according to Personette.

Refinery29 is not the only publisher eyeing expansion in over-the-top (OTT) streaming. Condé Nast too announced that it was expanding its OTT offerings, with channels for Wired, Bon Appétit and GQ at its NewFront presentation this week.

But Refinery29 believes it has an edge over its competitors. 

"Our differentiator is that we're bringing live events, shopping and premium content all together," said Personette. "Through our insights into our audience and who they are today, we're able to authentically integrate them into our brand experiences."

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LIVE: Here comes Spotify's first ever earnings report (SPOT)

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NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 15: Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Spotify Daniel Ek speaks onstage during Spotify Investor Day at Spring Studios on March 15, 2018 in New York City.

Spotify is set to announce its first-quarter results Wednesday after the bell, its premier report as a public company following its direct IPO last month.

Here's what what Wall Street analysts are expecting from the streaming music company, on average:

  • Revenue: $1.14 billion. In the first quarter a year ago, Spotify posted $902 million in sales.
  • EPS (GAAP): A loss of 23 cents a share. In the same period a year earlier, the company lost $1.15 a share.

We'll be updating this report with Spotify's actual results when they come in. Hit refresh or click here for the latest updates.

SEE ALSO: Wall Street's betting Spotify can turn the rest of the world Swedish

SEE ALSO: Spotify just proved that the streaming-music business is like a black hole — and investors may not see it until it's too late

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Trump and Kanye West have something in common that sets them apart from most other highly successful people

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  • Donald Trump and Kanye West's budding internet bromance has inspired controversy and speculation.
  • The two share one major trait in regards to their daily habits.
  • Both the president and the rapper reportedly don't read many books.


Donald Trump and Kanye West have embarked on a Twitter bromance for the ages.

The rap artist took to social media to declare his love for Trump, adding that they both have "dragon energy" — referring to what Business Insider's Shana Lebowitz described as a "metaphor often used in Taoist magic." Trump returned the favor by thanking West for "performing a great service to the black community."

West's embrace of the president and conservative commentator Candace Owens has sparked controversy amongst the rapper's fans. He also shocked fans by showing up at TMZLive with Owens and saying, "When you hear about slavery for 400 years — for 400 years? That sounds like a choice. Like, you were there for 400 years and it's all of y'all ... It's like we're mentally in prison."

But Trump and West don't just have "dragon energy" and a penchant for controversial statements in common. They also share a striking similarity when it comes to the world of literature. They both reportedly don't really prioritize reading books.

That sets the president and the rapper apart from many successful bibliophiles, from Oprah to Bill Gates.

Back in 2016, Megyn Kelly pressed the then-presidential candidate to name his favorite book besides the Bible or his own ghost-written, best-selling work, "The Art of the Deal." He picked "All Quiet on the Western Front," and has called the 1929 novel "one of the greatest books of all time."

However, when asked to name the last book he read, Trump went on to say, "I read passages, I read areas, chapters, I don't have the time," according to the New Republic. On the campaign trail, he made it clear that he had no time for studying previous presidents, telling the Washington Post, "I'm always busy doing a lot. Now I'm more busy, I guess, than ever before."

Trump's lack of interest in reading has led The Atlantic to label him as "the president who doesn't read."

"He didn't process information in any conventional sense," Michael Wolff wrote of the president in "Fire and Fury." "He didn't read. He didn't really even skim. Some believed that for all practical purposes he was no more than semi­literate."

The president has, however, tweeted out numerous book endorsements. He also reportedly watches a lot of TV — somewhere between four and eight hours a day.

And, while Yeezy may be the co-author of "Thank You and You're Welcome," he previously said that he typically stays away from books — especially those of the fictional variety. In fact, he said he found novels "self-absorbed" as a rule.

"Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy and so self-absorbed," he told Reuters in 2009. "I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book's autograph. I am a proud non-reader of books. I like to get information from doing stuff like actually talking to people and living real life."

Nonetheless, West is reportedly working on a philosophy book, the Washington Post reported.

SEE ALSO: Donald Trump doesn't read books — Here are other successful people who don't read very much

DON'T MISS: Kanye West is facing backlash for saying 400 years of slavery 'sounds like a choice'

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Zynga founder Mark Pincus is giving up his 70% voting control of the company (ZNGA)

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  • Zynga founder Mark Pincus announced in a Medium post Wednesday that he is stepping down from his executive chairman role at the gaming company and converting his super voting shares into ordinary shares.
  • The decision to scrap the dual class stock structure is an unexpected move, at a time when tech founders from Mark Zuckerberg to Evan Spiegel are holding on to power with super voting stock.
  • Pincus said in the post that he will continue to contribute to Zynga efforts, specifically with Facebook Messenger's Instant Games.

Zynga founder Mark Pincus is doing something  unexpected in the world of powerful tech entrepreneurs: he's giving up control of the company he founded. 

In a Medium post on Wednesday, Pincus announced that he will convert his super voting shares in the company into plain old Class A common stock. That means that Zynga will no longer be a "controlled company"  with a dual class stock structure in which Pincus wields 70% of the voting power.

Pincus' stake in the online gaming company will still have the same economic value, but he will now only control about 10% of the vote.

The move represents the first big reversal of the controversial dual class stock structure that has been embraced by tech executives from Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg to Snap's Evan Spiegel. 

"It's a good time to evolve my role again"

mark pincusAlong with the change in structure, Zynga announced that Pincus will no longer be a full time employee of the company. He will become non-executive Chairman of the company. 

"With Zynga in a strong position and a team focused on our players, it’s a good time to evolve my role again," Pincus wrote in the Medium post. 

"I will continue to be passionately engaged in Zynga and will continue to partner with Frank on strategy, especially on new platform efforts like Facebook Messenger Instant Games," he noted. 

Shares of Zynga were down 2% in after hours trading on Wednesday, following the news of the change and the release of Q1 financial results.

Pincus returned to the position of CEO at Zynga, the company with 300 million players behind social games like Words With Friends and Zynga Poker, in 2015 in the midst of rocky financial times that resulted in the resignation of Zynga's CFO. In 2016, Pincus was replaced by then-chairman Frank Gibeau.

Pincus cites Zynga's steadiness as the reason for his new role: After a rocky few years, cash flow from operations are now in positive territory, and mobile bookings have increased. That said, Zynga's stock has languished in the $3-$5 range for about six years, after listing at $10 a share in a 2011 IPO that valued the company at $7 billion.

Pincus was cagey about what he will do next, besides serving as non-executive chairman for Zynga.

"I love bringing new ideas to consumers, testing, learning and iterating. And I love investing in entrepreneurs and teams doing the same where I can help. Expect to see a lot more of both from me."

Read Pincus' full letter here.

SEE ALSO: 10 startups that became worth billions in less than 3 years

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Zynga founder Mark Pincus looks like Mr. Nice Guy for giving up control of his super-voting shares — but he’s also giving himself the ability to sell all his stock (ZNGA)

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  • Zynga announced today that founder Mark Pincus is relinquishing his outsized control over the company.
  • Pincus plans to convert his preferred shares, which come with super-voting powers, into common ones.
  • The company portrayed the move as being shareholder friendly.
  • But the conversion frees Pincus up to sell his entire Zynga stake.


Zynga founder Mark Pincus got to portray himself as a shareholder friendly founder on Wednesday.

But it could well be that he's simply setting himself up to do something that isn't so friendly for investors — dump his shares in the company.

Since he founded the company, Pincus has exercised dictatorial control over it through his ownership of shares with special "super-voting" rights.

Zynga has three classes of stock. Regular Class A shares, which trade on the open market, get just one vote per share in shareholder elections. Class B shares get seven votes per share and Class C shares get a whopping 70 votes per share.

Pincus only owns about 10% of Zynga's outstanding shares. But because he owns 100% of its Class C shares and 96% of its Class B shares, he controls 72% of all the votes at the company.

That control allowed him to oversee any and all decisions at the company and even to wrest back day-to-day oversight of it in 2015 after he stepped back from the company two years earlier.

Pincus is converting his preferred shares to common ones

On Wednesday, Pincus and the social-gaming company announced that he's planning on giving up that control. He's no longer going to be a company employee and will no longer be its executive chairman; instead, he'll serve as its non-executive chairman.

Frank Gibeau ZyngaMeanwhile, he's planning on converting all of his Class B and Class C shares into Class A shares. He'll still be Zynga's largest shareholder after the move, but the stock conversion means that he'll get the same amount of votes for each of his shares as any other investor in the company.

Zynga and Pincus painted the move as being an affirmation of the company's health and stability. After years of struggling, the company's sales grew last year and it posted its first full-year profit since it went public in 2011.

But even more so, the company and Pincus described the move as being done on behalf of common shareholders.

"Given our positive momentum, now is the right time to simplify our stock structure and transition to one share, one vote," Pincus said in a statement. "I believe it’s in the best interests of our shareholders to establish voting rights parity for all."

In an interview with Recode, Pincus played up that theme, even taking shots at other tech companies that have insulated their executives by giving them outsized voting control through multi-class stock structures and other means.

"Is the value we were worried about at founding served by multi-class structures?" Pincus told Recode. "It’s no longer obvious what benefit it has given."

Pincus is relinquishing control — but gaining a new freedom to sell

But Pincus' motivations for converting his shares may be a little less altruistic than he and the company are letting on.

The thing about Zynga's Class B and Class C shares is that for all the voting power they gave Pincus, they had one big limitation — he couldn't sell them, at least not directly. In order to sell the shares, he had to convert them into Class A shares first.

What often happens in companies that have multi-class stock structures is that the executives who hold preferred shares convert some of their stake to common shares from time to time — a little bit here, a little bit there. That allows founders to liquidate some of their holdings, while still reassuring everyday shareholders that the founders are still invested in the companies.

But that's not what's happening here. By converting all of his preferred shares to common stock, Pincus has given himself the freedom to sell his entire stake in Zynga — some 91 million shares, which are worth around $332 million — whenever he sees fit.

Zynga and Pincus are telegraphing his plans

Pincus may or may not have that in mind. Zynga did not immediately return a request for comment on Pincus' plans for the stock.

But the company telegraphed that he may be planning to sell off a big chunk of his stake.

As part of Pincus' agreement to step down as executive chairman, Zynga agreed to nominate him to its board in perpetuity — as long as he retains half of his current shares in the company. In other words, Pincus can now sell up to half of his stake in Zynga and still keep a hand in helping direct the company.

Pincus may have another reason to convert his stock. He’s reportedly in the middle of a divorce from his wife, Alison Gelb Pincus. His wife is reportedly contesting a prenuptial agreement they signed, a move that could have forced him to sell his stake in Zynga anyway.

However, Pincus told the New York Times the divorce was “not part of or relevant to the announcement” of his stock conversion

Now may be a good time for Pincus to sell. Zynga's shares are off the peak they hit in December, but they've retained much of the rise they saw last year and are trading well above where they've been for much of the last four years.

In the statement, Pincus said he plans to "continue to play an active role" at Zynga. But he also told Recode that he's got lots of other projects he wants to work on.

"It's time to create more space between me and the company," he said. He continued: "I have a lot of pent-up ideas and energy that for well over a year I have wanted to pursue."

It wouldn't be a surprise if he sold off some of his stake to fund those projects. And now he has plenty of freedom to do so.

That's good for Pincus. Maybe not for investors.

SEE ALSO: Mark Zuckerberg is acting like a man who can’t be fired — and the unique way his stock is structured could be why

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Kim Kardashian says she's lobbying Jared Kushner to get a presidential pardon for a woman serving life in prison over drugs

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  • Kim Kardashian West and Jared Kushner have been discussing the possibility of getting Donald Trump to pardon a woman serving life in prison.
  • Alice Marie Johnson — a first-time, non-violent drug offender who is now 62 — has been in federal prison since 1996.
  • Kardashian West and Kushner have reportedly been talking for the past several months.


Kim Kardashian West has been working with Jared Kushner for several months about a possible presidential pardon for a woman serving a life sentence in Alabama.

The reality star had been speaking to Donald Trump's son-in-law on the phone over the past several months, with more frequent conversations taking place over the past few days, Mic reported on Tuesday.

A Kardashian spokesman confirmed that the talks had happened.

They have been discussing the case of 62-year-old Alice Marie Johnson, who has been serving a life sentence without parole for her role facilitating communications for a cocaine ring in the early 1990s.

She was convicted of drug conspiracy and money laundering charges — her first offenses — and has been in federal person since 1996. While incarcerated she became an ordained minister, playwright, and mentor, and has never broken any rules in prison.

Former President Barack Obama granted clemency to 231 inmates in 2016, but Johnson wasn't one of them.

Johnson told Business Insider in 2016: "Some have even suggested that I must have committed a heinous crime that no one is talking about. It's heartbreaking for my family.

"I'm hoping that when I'm free that I will be able to make a difference by using my story and advocating for change.

"It's easier to be harsh when you don't see a face, a life and a family that has been so terribly affected by these draconian sentences like mine have been."

alice marie johnson

Kardashian West first learned of Johnson's case in October, according to Mic, who said she was inspired by a video they made about her. Kardashian West then enlisted lawyers the following month to advocate for Johnson's release.

Kushner has been pushing for criminal justice reform for months, including one that would invest in programs to help prevent ex-convicts from reoffending.

He has an interest in US prison reform because his father, Charles Kushner, served just over a year in federal prison after a conviction in 2005 for illegal campaign contributions and witness tampering.

How Trump will respond to Kardashian West and Kushner remains unclear. While the White House has called for legislation on programs to help prisoners prepare for life after release, it has not mentioned other reforms such as changing minimum sentences for drug offenders.

Earlier this year Trump repeatedly suggested giving drug dealers the death penalty in an effort to solve the ongoing opioid crisis.

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The top 20 Marvel Cinematic Universe superheroes, ranked from worst to best

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WARNING: This post contains major spoilers for "Avengers: Infinity War." Read at your own risk.

At this point, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has lots of characters. Some, like Thanos, might even say too many.

Many of its heroes are similar: men who are full of themselves, get superpowers (or great technology), become heroes, and experience personal growth, except when they don't.

In honor of "Avengers: Infinity War," we ranked all the superheroes who have been main characters in their own movies, and significant side characters who have fought with the Avengers.

In February, we ranked the MCU villains, and since they were all bad, the ranking wasn't as fraught. But this one was a little more tricky because the majority of the MCU heroes are compelling characters with many layers to unpack, who leave a lot to look forward to in every scene. But that doesn't mean that all of these MCU heroes are great. Some, like Hawkeye and Black Widow, are forgettable despite appearing in several films over nearly a decade.

Here's our ranking of the MCU heroes, from worst to best (updated for "Infinity War"):

SEE ALSO: The top 20 Marvel Cinematic Universe villains, ranked from worst to best

20. Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff — played by Aaron Taylor Johnson

Who? Quicksilver was Scarlet Witch's annoying brother, who Ultron killed during the Battle of Sokovia. He didn't even last an entire movie, and that's a good thing. He wasn't a fully fleshed-out character, and "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (2014) used this character in a much more clever way the same year.



19. Hawkeye/Clint Barton — played by Jeremy Renner

The only thing that makes Hawkeye any different from arrow-slinging heroes like Legolas or Katniss Everdeen is that he has a secret family, which is not even a secret anymore because he introduced them to the Avengers in “Age of Ultron.” The most personality we’ve seen from Hawkeye was in “Captain America: Civil War” when he shows up out of retirement to help fight on team Cap. Why? We don’t know and probably never will.



18. War Machine/Colonel Rhodes

War Machine, played by Don Cheadle, doesn't have much going on besides being Tony Stark's best friend. Rhodes, often called Rhodey, tries to keep Tony in check, but isn't very good at it.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

If you loved 'Karate Kid' you need to watch 'Cobra Kai' on YouTube Red

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  • The classic 1980s movie, "The Karate Kid," gets a reboot with the original cast members in the YouTube Red series, "Cobra Kai."
  • If you were a fan of the movie you really need to see this.


YouTube Red has been trying to get into the original content space with something that would grab a big audience, and may have finally got it with "Cobra Kai."

The 10-episode series dusts off the classic 1984 movie, "The Karate Kid," and brings it to the present day by looking at where the characters ended up after the movie.

If you've never seen "The Karate Kid" — first, how dare you, go watch it right now on Hulu or iTunes — the movie is the definition of a kid overcoming the bully. Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) moves out to Los Angeles from Newark and has a tough time fitting in at his new high school. And things get really bad when he falls for Ali, who happens to be the ex-girlfriend of the top student at the Cobra Kai dojo, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). This leads to Lawrence and his friends constantly kicking the crap of and tormenting LaRusso. LaRusso befriends the maintenance man in his building, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), who teaches him karate. This leads to LaRusso and Lawrence facing off in a karate tournament at the end of the movie. Of course, LaRusso defeats the odds to beat the big bully Lawrence.

"Cobra Kai" takes place in the present day. The tournament looks to have shattered Lawrence's life as he lives a sloppy existence trying to get by doing maintenance work (which he soon gets fired from doing). LaRusso, on the other hand, owns a car dealership that is thriving with multiple locations. This is a fact Lawrence can never escape because he constantly sees LaRusso commercials and billboards.

karate kid columbia picturesThe pilot episode focuses on Lawrence's down-and-out life. But it's also filled with tons of "Karate Kid" references, including many clips from the movie and 1980s needle drops. There's even a "Rocky IV"-like montage where Lawrence drives his broken-down Firebird while clips from Lawrence in "Karate Kid" flash on screen.

One of the best moments of the first episode is when Lawrence has to show off his long-ignored karate skills.

When a kid from his building is bullied by a group of kids, Lawrence steps in (well, when the kid is thrown into his precious Firebird). The group of kids then tries to take on Lawrence and he shows no mercy, even letting out the familiar high-pitched grunts that anyone who loved "The Karate Kid" will remember him doing in the movie.

By the end of the episode, the seeds are planted for a potentially great season. Lawrence and LaRusso meet after Lawrence's Firebird is crashed into and gets hauled to LaRusso's dealership. They kind of act cordial to one another, but you can tell they generally don't care for each other. But the encounter gives Lawrence a light-bulb moment: He's going to relaunch the Cobra Kai dojo. 

"Cobra Kai" is extremely entertaining, but even more so if you loved "The Karate Kid" (and its sequels) growing up. Zabka and Macchio are all in with the reprisal of their iconic roles and that's really the hook. Some of the stuff will certainly go over your head if you weren't into the movie, but YouTube is hoping that the popularity of the movie over decades has enough passionate fans to launch this series (and YouTube) into the streaming zeitgeist.

 

SEE ALSO: The sad ending of "infinity War" has inspired a hilarious meme

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