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Melissa McCarthy slammed the 'Ghostbusters' reboot haters in the best way

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'Ghostbusters'

Melissa McCarthy thinks the "Ghostbusters" haters are just "terrific fellas."

During an appearance on Wednesday's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" the actress sarcastically addressed those who oppose the all-female reboot of the 1984 film.

"What they don’t say when they’re typing is that one minute after they type their mom is like, ‘Get upstairs and take out the garbage! You’re 45 years old,’" McCarthy said on the late-night show.

The "Ghostbusters" reboot has received an unending wave of criticsm since its trailer was released in March. A trailer that is actually one of the most disliked videos of all time on YouTube, with more than 860,000 dislikes currently. For comparison, the trailer for the universally bashed "Fantastic Four" 2015 reboot only has 20,000 dislikes

“All those comments — ‘You’re ruining my childhood!’ I mean, really,” McCarthy said in an interview with The Guardian. “Four women doing any movie on earth will destroy your childhood? I have a visual of those people not having a Ben [Falcone, her husband], not having friends, so they’re just sitting there and spewing hate into this fake world of the internet. I just hope they find a friend.”

SEE ALSO: The original 'Ghostbusters' cast reunited and shared their favorite memories of the movie

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NOW WATCH: Watch Christie beg to be Trump’s vice president on 'Saturday Night Live'


28 celebrities who are taking a strong stand against Donald Trump

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TRUMP

For Donald Trump, celebrities are turning out to be much harder to win over than Republican delegates.

While the presumptive GOP nominee has several enthusiastic Hollywood endorsements, dozens more celebrities are adamantly against him. More than 65,000 people — including Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Kerry Washington, Connie Britton, and Roseanne Barr — have signed the #StopHateDumpTrump online petition against the businessman.

In a video for Vanity Fair, Armie Hammer said he would move to the Caribbean and start a Jet Ski rental business if Trump won. (Natasha Lyonne opted for a mental hospital to help recover.)

Here are 28 other celebrities, from Sarah Silverman to George Clooney, who are standing against Trump with strong public statements.

SEE ALSO: 22 celebrities who love and endorse Donald Trump

George Clooney

The actor spoke out against Trump in an interview with The Guardian, calling him a "xenophobic fascist." He added: "In election season, things go crazy, and the loudest voices are the furthest and most extreme."

 



Matt Damon

In September, the actor mocked Trump with talk of a "Game of Thrones"-esque wall on the US northern border because Canadians are "white walkers." At this year's MIT commencement ceremony, Damon expressed a fascination for a theory that states we are living in a simulated reality created by more intelligent forms of life. He then asked: "If there are multiple simulations, how come we have to be in the one where Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee for president? Can we, like, transfer to a different one?"



Johnny Depp

Depp, who also did an impression of Donald Trump for Funny or Die, told a reporter: "If Donald Trump is elected president of the United States in a kind of historical way, it's exciting because we will see the actual last president of the United States. It just won't work after that."

Despite the word "exciting," we don't think Depp meant his declaration to be positive at all.



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Spotify CEO's advice to startups: 'don't sell'

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daniel ek spotify

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has no intention of selling his company, and he doesn't think other rising startup founders should either.

At Symposium Stockholm on Thursday, Ek spoke about the future of Sweden's tech scene:

What I'm excited about, when it comes to a city like Stockholm, is that we’ve had a couple of exits. We’ve had Minecraft, Skype’s Niklas Zennström, who ended up founding a VC company. So for the first time now there’s an ecosystem around it, with capital and experience that can actually help guide entrepreneurs. One advice I give is don’t sell.That’s the biggest problem we have. All of these things that could have gone gigantic if you had just kept on course, and doing what you were doing. My selfish ambition with Spotify is just to trying to show the path, that we can create one of those super companies here in Europe.

When asked directly if he would sell Spotify, Ek responded, "I'm not going to sell, no," according to Reuters.

Music streaming startup Spotify had revenues of $2.18 billion in 2015, a growth of 80% year-over-year, according to Music Business Worldwide. Spotify's losses were $194 million, but its growth slowed, which part of the reason why Spotify said to investors that 2015 was in many ways "our best year ever."

Many believe Spotify is on its way to an IPO, especially given the terms with which it raised $1 billion in debt financing in March. But some industry analysts also believe it could be an acquisition target for a tech giant, Reuters reports.

Ek, it seems, would rather create a "super company" of his own.

SEE ALSO: People are now spending more time in Snapchat than Instagram

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NOW WATCH: TINDER CO-FOUNDER: Here's what's seriously wrong with the growing trend in Silicon Valley called 'brogramming'

Billionaire Sean Parker's innovative movie startup is already a dud according to one exec — here's why

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sean parker

Though Sean Parker’s latest startup proposing to offer movies still in theaters for home viewing has received a lot of press, according to an executive in the movie exhibition industry, the company isn’t making much noise in Hollywood.

“It didn’t get a lot of traction in the industry itself,” said Patrick Corcoran, vice president and chief communications officer for the National Association of Theatre Owners, according to Variety

Parker’s Screening Room would offer new theatrical releases to stream at home for a rental price of $50 each. Director Peter Jackson, the only person involved with Screening Room who has spoken extensively about it, told Deadline that the mission of the company is to “inject health” into the movie industry by splitting the money Screening Room gets with exhibitors so, as Jackson puts it, the theaters and studios use the money to "improve the [cinematic] experience" and "get more films made."

But Corcoran pointed out at a conference on Thursday that eliminating the window between the theatrical release and when people can see a movie at home wouldn’t help theaters.

“Any talk about shortening the window is not in order to benefit the theatrical market,” he said. “It is because of the difficulties in the home [entertainment] market.”

Though the domestic box office saw a record $11 billion in earnings in 2015 (thanks “Star Wars”), the Blu-ray/DVD industry is continuing to crumble, as it has lost $6 billion in revenue since 2005, according to Variety.

This is likely why Screening Room isn’t gaining many fans on the industry side in Hollywood. Though theatrical box office is only living off a handful of hits a year (which is scary), keeping a window between theatrical and home viewing is critical for making that possible.

Corcoran said at the conference that it’s vital for the industry to protect the “exclusivity” of the theatrical release window.

Currently, the fate of Screening Room is unknown. Neither Parker nor anyone else running the company has commented about it.

SEE ALSO: The $35,000 device that the super-rich use at home to stream movies still in theaters

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NOW WATCH: 4 things you might have missed on this week's 'Game of Thrones'

Netflix just released the first trailer for its creepy new show starring Winona Ryder

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netflix stranger things winona ryder

Netflix just released a spooky and intriguing first trailer for "Stranger Things," a throwback to 1980s cult films starring Winona Ryder.

The series, which premieres on July 15, is a mashup of genres including supernatural, coming-of-age, and police procedural.

Ryder stars as a mom whose son suddenly disappears under shady circumstances. In the trailer, she's forced to consider what the police won't. In an idyllic community where the worst thing that has happened in four years was an owl attacking a woman because it thought her hair was a nest, Ryder's character may find that the reason behind her son's disappearance will unearth some crazy things going down in the small town.

Writers/producers Matt and Ross Duffer, who were producers on M. Night Shyamalan's "Wayward Pines" series for Fox, serve as the c0-showrunners on "Stranger Things," which may explain its kooky style.

Watch the trailer below:

SEE ALSO: Everyone is coming back for the next 'Wet Hot American Summer' Netflix series, says Michael Ian Black

DON'T MISS: The 22 most exciting TV shows this summer you need to see

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NOW WATCH: How to find Netflix’s secret categories

'Hamilton' is now the most expensive show on Broadway ever by far — but there's a cheaper way in

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hamilton grammy

The hottest ticket in town just got more expensive.

"Hamilton" is raising the price of its premium seats from $549 to $849, but the musical has simultaneously increased the number of $10 lottery tickets it has available.

With the price hike, the show has shattered records to become the most expensive ticket on Broadway ever by a landslide. "The Book of Mormon" previously held the record at $477.

"Hamilton" is sold out through January 2017 but began a presale for select American Express cardholders for January 31 to May 21. General sale to the public begins June 12, 10 minutes after the Tony Awards are scheduled to end.

The New York Times reported that "about 200 seats at every 'Hamilton' performance — mostly in the center orchestra — will be sold for $849. The rest of the house — everything but the lottery tickets, or about 1,075 seats per show — will be sold for between $179 and $199 (currently, the regular seats are priced from $139 to $177)."

Thanks to the presale, the regular seating already seems to be entirely sold out for those four months.

But rise up, there's still a glimmer of hope.

Also included in that next four-month block is an increase in the number of $10 lottery tickets available, from the current 21 to 46. These seats are located in the theater's first two rows, and thousands of people try to snag them every day online.

In the meantime, you can rewatch the "Hamilton" performance from the Grammys and pretend like you are at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.

 

SEE ALSO: 

SEE ALSO: 

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NOW WATCH: 4 important things you probably missed on this week's 'Game of Thrones'

These 20-somethings have built a wildly successful business based on nostalgia for the early 2000s — and New Yorkers can't get enough

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Emo Night Brooklyn 2395

Ethan Maccoby and Alex Badanes don't actually share any family ties, but you could easily describe them as brothers. The two grew up together as neighbors outside of London and have been best friends ever since.

Their strongest tie is — and always was — music. Their Friday night hangouts started in their parents' basements during their teen years, and routinely included listening to "emo" music from popular bands like Yellowcard, Taking Back Sunday, and Brand New.

"Growing up, our favorite thing to do on a Friday night was blast emo and rock out together," Badanes told Business Insider.

Their hangout ritual hasn't changed much, except that they're now selling out 1,000-plus-occupancy venues to blast the exact same early-2000s songs for fellow fans who also feel nostalgic for their youth. 

The two's enterprise, called "Emo Night Brooklyn," has since graced seven different venues, with ticket sales growing in volume with each event. Ahead, take a look inside a recent rowdy event (held at Irving Plaza in Manhattan) and learn the story behind their growing business.

SEE ALSO: 12 incredibly mesmerizing photos of Tokyo taken by an award-winning video game designer

"Emo Night Brooklyn" officially started at a small, 100-person venue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in January of 2015. "The first event, [we were at a] 100-cap venue and it was free — but people were still being declined at the door, and we thought, 'Hmm, maybe this is a thing,'" Badanes said.



"It all started with us blasting our favorite tunes, drinking beers, and everyone in the crowd screaming their lungs out. We got such a positive response out of that first and second event that Brooklyn Bowl, an 800 capacity venue, reached out," Maccoby said. Since starting, event tickets have ranged from $5 to $10.



Starting Facebook events helped them get the word out, and the events at Brooklyn Bowl were a huge success. "Each time we did an event at BK Bowl, it became more epic, so we started getting guests DJs in the door," Maccoby said.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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

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de palma poster A24 final

In the 1970s, movies were ruled by “New Hollywood.” Made up of the likes of Robert Altman, Woody Allen, Michael Cimino, and William Friedkin (to just name a few), these filmmakers had differing levels of success, but they attained legendary status by bringing a more adult, sobering storytelling to movie theaters in an era absorbed by the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement.

A few known as the "Movie Brats" managed to create works that would redefine how generations of filmmakers work, and how we see movies now. Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Brian De Palma were the five core members. They quickly formed a close bond and pushed each other to make movies that audiences had never seen before. And they did, with "Jaws" (Spielberg), "Star Wars" (Lucas), "The Godfather" ("Coppola), "Taxi Driver" (Scorsese), and "Carrie" (De Palma).

De Palma was the glue of the group.

Looked up to thanks to his film-school success (often casting a young Robert De Niro), De Palma was never too shy to give his opinion. And he was known for fighting hard to get his vision, influenced greatly by Hitchcock, in works like “Sisters,” “Carrie,” “Blow Out,” “Scarface,” “Body Double,” “The Untouchables,” and “Mission: Impossible.”

In the new documentary “De Palma” (in theaters June 10), directed by Noah Baumbach (“The Squid and the Whale,” “Frances Ha”) and Jake Paltrow (“The Good Night”), the legend gives his usual unfiltered thoughts while looking back on his incredible career and explaining the struggles that went on behind the scenes.

Business Insider sat down with De Palma, 75, at the Metrograph in New York City (which is running a retrospective of his work in June) to talk about being brutally honest, ditching the Hollywood system, the movie he regrets making, and why he gave George Lucas a hard time about “Star Wars.”

de palma paltrow baumbachBusiness Insider: Did it take a lot of convincing by Noah and Jake to get you to agree to this?

Brian De Palma: No. No. No. No. It was very informal. I've known Noah for 20 years. Jake I met 10 years ago and we used to get together — because we all live in the same neighborhood — for dinner once a week.

BI: Do you guys still do that?

De Palma: Oh, yeah. It's like a directors' group at dinner and we would tell our various war stories and what we're working on. Then Noah and Jake were interested in this new digital camera and they wanted to do some tests for it. And having talked about various experiences over many years we decided that I would sit down in Jake's living room and Jake operated the camera and Noah monitored the sound and they would just ask me questions, basically saying what we had talked about over dinner. It was very informal. They had no idea what they were going to do with it. We shot it for a whole week.

BI: And were you thinking, "These are just shooting tests. I can say anything."

De Palma: Yeah, absolutely.

BI: But suddenly they came to you and said, "We want to make this into a movie"?

De Palma: No. The interviews were taken five years ago and in their moviemaking schedules they had time and decided they wanted to do something with it. And that's what they did.

BI: This sounds very similar to what you were involved with in the 1970s, building a community of directors — Scorsese, Coppola, Lucas, Spielberg.

De Palma: That's very true.

BI: There’s never been a competitiveness with other directors?

De Palma: People have always asked that, but even with our group in the '70s, as successful as those directors were, there was never a competitiveness. It's kind of odd. We were young directors trying to get into the Hollywood system on some level and we all basically met at Warner Bros., and all had disastrous experiences, which I guess bound us together for life. We used to hang out together in Hollywood. We were young men. Going out to dinner together. I miss that. I remember going to the premiere of “Goodfellas,” so that was the '90s, and by then we were beginning to disperse. We were going into different areas and weren't that close anymore, in the sense of calling each other up and saying, "Let's go have dinner." I missed that and that's when I went and assembled this next group.

BI: Did you ever find yourself competing for projects with them?

De Palma: Not really. I don't think we ever competed for projects because Steven was off in his own world and George was making "Star Wars" movies. It's interesting, some of them, like Francis, were very interested in making studios.

BI: Did Francis want you involved with American Zoetrope [the studio Coppola attempted to make]?

De Palma: Marty [Scorsese] and I went and saw Zoetrope. I remember seeing the flatbed editing machines. Marty and I went because Marcia Lucas [George Lucas' wife at the time] was editing Marty's movie. She edited “Taxi Driver.” [She was a supervising film editor.] So we went up and stayed with George. But what Francis was doing wasn't for me.

movie brats Mark J. TerrillBI: In 2007, Lucas, Coppola, and Spielberg introduced the best director Oscar, which went to Scorsese. Why weren't you also onstage with them?

De Palma: Yeah, that's interesting. You know, Vanity Fair wanted to do a picture of the five of us at one point in one of their Hollywood issues, and I was shooting a movie in Europe so I wasn't going to fly back to take this picture. I said, "No, thank you."

BI: But seeing Scrosese's friends handing him his first Oscar, it was puzzling to me that you weren't there.

De Palma: I was always the anti-establishment member of the group. I've never been nominated for an Oscar. I've never worked within the Hollywood establishment on any level. I made a lot of people very mad.

BI: But at the same time wealthy.

De Palma: Absolutely. We all made a lot of money. But I left the whole system and went to Europe after "Mission to Mars." I started making movies that were internationally financed. So I really left the Hollywood system completely. Steven is obviously in it, Francis is financing his own films, and George left completely.

BI: Have you talked to George since he sold Lucasfilm? Is he content with stepping away?

De Palma: I only know what Steven says. I think he misses it to some extent. Steven sees a lot more of George than I do. He went and sold his franchise to Disney and it's something he so carefully cultivated for so many decades so I don't know. I think he does miss it.

BI: One thing that grabbed me in the documentary was your openness about your relationship with your father. [Who was never around during De Palma's youth and, the director says, cheated on his mother with other women.] Do you think the stories you tell are based on your feelings toward him?

De Palma: Well, we're all a product of our upbringing to some extent. But my older brother was very influential too because he sort of represents that egomaniac that appears in many of my movies. My father was basically a very hardworking orthopedic surgeon, very much involved in his work. Whatever happened between he and my mother by the time I was born, they were at odds with each other and just hung in there until I went to college, basically. So it's interesting, the times I spent with my father I can count on one hand. I remember going to see a John Wayne Western with him.

BI: Which one?

De Palma:The Horse Soldiers.” That's about it.

BI: But in “Home Movies,” the character Denis peeps on his father, which you say is based on you confronting your father with a knife and accusing him of adultery. Did doing that scene close a chapter in your relationship with him?

De Palma: I actually approached it as a comedy. A bizarre comedy. It all happened, but by the time I made the movie I saw the absurd aspects to it.

BI: Anything you regret saying in “De Palma”?

De Palma: No, because when you're talking with people about experiences in show business — whether they are actors, directors, cinematographers — they are usually extremely careful because they want to work again.

BI: I experience that on a daily basis.

De Palma: Right, as you know trying to get an interview where someone says something negative about anybody is very difficult. I'll never forget an actor talking about working with another actor, and they did the interview at an old-age home. They were like, "How did you like working with so-and-so?" And he said, "He was awful. He was just impossible." So that's how I went about this, a candid look at what it's really like.

wise guys mgmBI: The projects you turned down — “Fatal Attraction,” “Flashdance,” “Taxi Driver” — do you regret not taking any of those?

De Palma: Boy, that's a hard question to answer. I think Adrian [Lyne] did a very good job with “Fatal Attraction.” Now a movie I wish I hadn't done was “Wise Guys.” The studio changed their minds and didn't want to make it. They just wanted us to go away. I should have just taken my money and walked instead of dealing with a studio that didn’t want to make the movie.

BI: Legend has it you were very hard on George the first time he showed you guys "Star Wars."

De Palma: That is not correct. [Laughs] I am sarcastic. I am considered the class clown, but a sarcastic clown. So I would make fun of certain things. Because everyone would take this stuff too seriously.

BI: So you were just messing with him about not liking the opening crawl?

De Palma: No, the crawl didn't make any sense at all. And I kept kidding him about the Force. I was like, "What is the Force?" [Laughs] But you have to understand, we used to look at each other's movies in order to be helpful. We might say some things that weren’t nice. You know, I remember reading an account where Marcia [Lucas] was very upset with me. And I don't remember this, but there was an account where Marcia told me, "You've hurt George's feelings and you should be gentle with him." I don't remember that. I really don't know what they're talking about. I was basically myself. The thing the guys could always count on with me is I would say what I thought. I wasn't holding back. I remember having a big discussion with Steven about “Close Encounters.” There were some sections I thought didn't work. And this was considered a crowning success of his career. And I was like, "I don't know, this doesn't really work for me." [Laughs]

BI: Do you remember a part that didn't work for you?

De Palma: I don't remember. But I remember going to a screening up on 55th street and afterward going to him and saying, "I don't know, Steven." But I think we have to do that, and I do it with Noah and Jake and these directors. If they are going to show me something or I'm going to show something to them, I want them to say what they think and not what will make me feel better.

SEE ALSO: 11 movies you need to see this summer if you're not into superheroes or aliens

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NOW WATCH: 'Star Wars' director J.J. Abrams explains why inclusivity is good for everybody


Jennifer Lawrence is set to star in a movie about the rise and fall of Theranos

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Elizabeth Holmes, CEO of Theranos, attends a panel discussion during the Clinton Global Initiative's annual meeting in New York, September 29, 2015.  REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

One of the biggest business stories of the year is going to Hollywood.

Jennifer Lawrence is attached to star as Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in a planned movie about the company, Deadline reports. Writer-director Adam McKay, whose movie "The Big Short" won the Oscar for best adapted screenplay, is behind the project.

Holmes started the company when she was 19, rocketing her way up to a company once valued at $9 billion. Theranos, a Silicon Valley-based blood-testing company, came under fire last year when the The Wall Street Journal reported its tests weren't producing accurate results and the company was trying to cover it up. Since then, the company has come under regulatory issues. It's corrected and voided tens of thousands of tests and Holmes' net worth has been struck down to $0 by Forbes.

Deadline did not report when production for the film might start or a potential release date.

Theranos told Business Insider it has no comment on the film project.

SEE ALSO: Theranos is at a critical turning point — what it does next could determine the company's future

DON'T MISS: Walgreens reportedly partnered with Theranos without checking its technology

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NOW WATCH: 4 things you might have missed on this week’s 'Game of Thrones'

We finally know what Sansa Stark's letter said on 'Game of Thrones' — and it's a big deal

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Sansa Stark seems to be looking for a little help, from a face we know well.

In the seventh episode of season six, Sansa and Jon Snow were seeking aid from northern houses to help them take back Winterfell from Ramsay Bolton. 

Some efforts worked...

Others didn't... GoT Lord Glover

Sansa and Jon then argued, with Jon saying they couldn't wait for Sansa's desire to have more men fight in their army.

The next shot features Sansa writing a letter, but only a few words are really clear: "Winterfell," "to fulfill," and her signature "Sansa Stark." 

Sansa Stark letter

Oh, how we've missed that Stark crest.

Stark crest

Thankfully, one persistent Reddit user couldn't accept what the showrunners decided to display. CreepyPancakes flipped, zoomed, and enhanced the sequence to get a better look at what Sansa had to say in the mysterious letter.

Sansa Letter Flipped

Sansa Letter Clarified

Now we can read that the letter says, "[...] to protect me. Now you have a chance to fulfill your promise. [...] Knights of the Vale are under your command. Ride north for Winterfell. Lend us your aid and I shall see to it that you are [well] rewarded."

Based on Sansa's previous connections, the letter's intended recipient is most likely Peytr "Littlefinger" Baelish. Sansa never told Jon about her meeting with Littlefinger in episode five, so it's not that much of a surprise that she would now turn to him secretly for extra help in their quest. 

sansa little 1 Sansa and Littlefinger

And in that same moment, Littlefinger suggests Sansa seek out her great uncle Brynden "Blackfish" Tully and his forces for a time when she might need an army loyal to her and not her "half-brother's army" of Wildlings.

Seems like she finally took his advice, though one shouldn't be so trusting of Littlefinger.

SEE ALSO: Every Pixar movie, ranked from best to worst

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NOW WATCH: Bill Cosby will stand trial on sexual assault charges

Google's moonshot boss reportedly huffed out of a meeting with the writers of HBO's 'Silicon Valley' (GOOG, GOOGL)

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Astro Teller, head of the Google X lab, wearing a pair of Google Glass

Lots of real-life tech luminaries, including former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo and investor Mark Andreessen, are more than happy to contribute their expertise to making sure that HBO's "Silicon Valley" is as accurate as possible.

The details of how, and why, tech leaders work with "Silicon Valley" showrunners Mike Judge and Alec Berg are recounted in excellent detail by The New Yorker's Andrew Marantz in a new long-form story.

But not every executive appreciates the show's satirizing of the real Silicon Valley.

According to The New Yorker report, the writers of "Silicon Valley" met with Astro Teller, the head of X, formerly known as Google X — the division of Google parent company Alphabet responsible for "moonshot" projects, including Google Glass and self-driving cars. That meeting ended poorly, with Teller "standing up in a huff" and making a dramatic exit, says the report.

"His message was, 'We don't do stupid things here. We do things that actually are going to change the world, whether you choose to make fun of that or not,'" "Silicon Valley" writer Carrie Kemper told The New Yorker.

The issue, Kemper says, was that he felt that the show was disrespectful to Google X and its projects. In the second season of the show, fictional Google analogue Hooli forms the HooliXYZ "moonshot factory," a clear parody of Google X.

Silicon Valley

But where the real Google X is working on high-minded stuff like universal connectivity and drone-package delivery, HooliXYZ built potato cannons and provided a backdrop for crude monkey masturbation jokes.

The funniest part, Kemper says, is that Teller's attempt at a big exit was a bit awkward because he was wearing Rollerblades. He "wobbled" to the door and struggled to get the door open with his ID badge ... all in clear view of the gathered "Silicon Valley" writers.

The writers weighed turning the event into a joke, but decided that it was "too hacky to use on the show," Kemper told The New Yorker.

hooli kitchen silicon valley

If the episode caused any hurt feelings, then they don't appear to have had any lasting effects, however.

“We believe in the power of compression to make the world a better place. In fact, X even hired Pied Piper's CEO away between seasons," a spokesperson tells Business Insider.

That's a reference to when Teller appeared alongside "Silicon Valley" star Thomas Middleditch in a Google April Fools' Day video earlier in 2016.

Earlier, when Google announced that it would create a new holding company called Alphabet in summer 2015, the official press release included a shout-out to HooliXYZAnd Google has even let HBO post fake "Silicon Valley" news to its search results.

This isn't the first time that the real Silicon Valley has pushed back at the satirical show. Back when it first premiered in 2014, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was extremely critical, saying that "most startups are a soap opera, but not that kind of soap opera."

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk goes off on new HBO show 'Silicon Valley' — the guy who wrote it has probably never even gone to burning man

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NOW WATCH: Chrome has a ton of hidden features — here’s how to find and enable them

Actress Sela Ward and her VC husband have sold their Bel-Air mansion to Jennifer Lopez for $28 million

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sela ward house

Jennifer Lopez is apparently moving into a new celebrity-approved home in Bel-Air.

According to The Los Angeles Times, Lopez has purchased the 14,000-square-foot home that actress Sela Ward and her husband, venture capitalist Howard Sherman, listed for just under $40 million in September. Lopez reportedly paid $28 million for the spread. 

Originally built in the 1940s, much of the home has been rebuilt with reclaimed wood from Louisiana and Mississippi, where Ward grew up.

Among the eight-acre property's notable features are a 30-seat movie theater, outdoor kitchen, and mini golf course.  

SEE ALSO: The $200 million Playboy Mansion just sold to its next-door neighbor

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The home sits on a huge lot with more than 8 acres of land. The main house itself has about 14,000 square feet of space.



The couple initially chose the property for all of the outdoor space it offered their two children. "I really wanted them to be outside more than not," Ward told The Wall Street Journal in September.

Source: WSJ



Wide paths lead around the property.



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Mel Gibson is working on a sequel to 'The Passion of the Christ,' and it could be a big comeback

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the passion of the christ Newmarket Films final

It looks like the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time is getting a sequel.

Mel Gibson, who directed "The Passion of the Christ," has teamed with screenwriter Randall Wallace — who penned Gibson's other hit directing effort, "Braveheart" — to write a sequel that will tell the story of the resurrection of Jesus, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Wallace, who recently directed the 2014 faith-based drama "Heaven Is for Real," told THR that motivation to make a sequel has ramped up recently due to demand for it from the Christian community.

When "The Passion of the Christ" was first released in 2004, the movie became an instant hit, earning $83.8 million its opening weekend and going on to gross over $611 million worldwide (it was made for just $30 million), even though the dialogue was in Aramaic.

Thanks in large part to the evangelical community, which came out to see the film by the bus loads, "Passion" became the biggest R-rated moneymaker in the US.

"'The Passion' is the beginning and there's a lot more story to tell," Wallace told THR.

Gibson has been absent from the Hollywood spotlight thanks to his anti-Semitic remarks after being pulled over for driving under the influence 10 years ago and allegations of assault from his ex-girlfriend.

Those events made him "blacklisted" within the industry, as writer-director Shane Black ("The Nice Guys") told Business Insider recently.

But recently Gibson has been nearing a sort of comeback. He found acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival for his latest film, "Blood Father," and he's finishing up his next directing effort, the World War II drama "Hacksaw Ridge," starring Andrew Garfield. 

But if a "Passion" sequel is made and does anywhere close to the business of the original, Gibson would be once more one of the elite figures in the industry.

None of that will happen, however, for at least a few years. The sequel is in the early script stage and currently doesn't have any financial backing.

SEE ALSO: 28 celebrities who are taking a strong stand against Donald Trump

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NOW WATCH: 4 things you might have missed on this week's 'Game of Thrones'

Barack Obama took a humorous dig at Donald Trump on Jimmy Fallon's 'Slow Jam the News'

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barack obama slow jam the news jimmy fallon nbc

President Obama got to tout the accomplishments of his administration and took a couple jabs at Donald Trump on Jimmy Fallon's popular sketch "Slow Jam the News" on Thursday night.

And naturally, Obama's version of the R&B take on the topics of the day also wrapped with a mic drop.

As for his progressive accomplishments, Obama discussed his work on climate control, LGBT rights, and the Affordable Care Act — or in his words, "climate change is real, health care is affordable, and love is love.”

He also reminded us how he was elected during a recession, and has been able to stimulate the economy and create new jobs.

Backup singer Jimmy Fallon summarized that with, "In 2008, the country wasn’t feeling in the mood. It was too tired, stressed — said it had a headache. Barack lit some candles and got some silky satin sheets. Told the American people, 'Yes, we can.'"

And even though this appearance was shot on Wednesday ahead of Obama's endorsement of Hillary Clinton on Thursday, there was a slick foreshadowing in the sketch.

Black Thought of The Roots, Fallon's backing band, sang, "He created lots of jobs for you and me. He's got one more left for Hillary."

Obama took the opportunity for a creative reference to Trump.

"Orange is not the new black," Obama said.

And in an attack on the GOP candidate's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again," Obama said, "America's best days are still yet to come."

Watch Obama's "Slow Jam the News" below:

SEE ALSO: David Letterman: 'I couldn't care less about late-night television'

DON'T MISS: Dana Carvey does amazing impressions of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders

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NOW WATCH: OBAMA: 'I am worried about the Republican party'

Watch 'Harry Potter' stars get sorted into their real houses and freak out

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Rupert Grint Pottermore

Turns out, Ron Weasley isn't a Gryffindor. 

Rupert Grint, the actor who played Harry Potter's best friend for 10 years in the film franchise, was sorted along with a few of his costars into their real houses via a video for Pottermore, J.K. Rowling's website for fans to further their "Harry Potter" love.

For fans, the Sorting Hat quiz is of utmost importance. It either confirms your intellect and places you in Ravenclaw or puts you with the badgers in Hufflepuff.

After completing Pottermore's rigorous and personal quiz, Grint was sorted into Hufflepuff.

 Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley, carried on the Weasley legacy and is truly a Gryffindor.

Sporting sideburns and a mustache, Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom, grimaced as he was placed into Hufflepuff and then tried to pretend he wasn't devastated. What is a Hufflepuff, anyway

 

 

Evanna Lynch, who played Luna Lovegood, reacted in the way that a true fan would when she was sorted into Gryffindor.

 

Watch the full video here:

SEE ALSO: Here's what Harry Potter looks like as an adult

DON'T MISS: J.K. Rowling is begging people not to spoil the plot of her new play, 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'

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NOW WATCH: 4 things you might have missed on this week's 'Game of Thrones'


'Lord of the Rings' megafans staged a huge re-enactment of a climactic battle

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lord of the rings reuters photo battle

Hyper-dedicated fans of J.R.R. Tolkein's "Lord of the Rings" series — including the prequel, "The Hobbit" — got together to stage a homemade version of the climactic Battle of the Five Armies. These photos, taken in the Czech Republic, show off the incredible attention to detail of their weapons and armor, and luckily Reuters was there to capture it all.

This level of LARPing, aka live action role playing, takes serious dedication. The cosplayers have crafted axes and spears, and wear dense metal armor with painted heraldry drawn straight from the books.

Plus, it looked like a ton of fun.  

"Czech" out the cosplayers and their incredible weapons and armor below.

There were dozens of participants in the epic Battle of the Five Armies re-enactment, with several LARPers cosplaying as nonhuman enemies.



The five armies in the "Hobbit" novel included orcs and goblins, wargs, dwarves, elves, and humans.



The LARPers used face paint and make-up to transform into the evil armies of the orcs, goblins, and wargs.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

20 huge video games to watch for at E3

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There are always awesome new video games coming out, but if you don't know where to look, it can be tough to keep up. That's what the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, is good for.

battlefield 1

E3 is easily the biggest gaming event of the year, where all the heavy-hitters of the video game industry come together in Los Angeles to show off what they're working on. Hundreds of video games, big and small, will be at E3 2016, and we've compiled a list of 20 of the games you definitely need to know about before the show starts next week.

Keep in mind that these are just the ones we already know about. Plenty of new, completely unexpected games are sure to be announced, too, and we'll have all the news as it hits next week.

"The Legend of Zelda" for Wii U

The long-awaited next entry in Nintendo's venerable "Zelda" series was revealed two years ago, but we don't even know its name yet. What we do know is that it takes series hero Link to a massive open world, one where Nintendo claims players will have total freedom to decide where to go and what to do once they get there. As you can see, it's got a gorgeous art style.

Nintendo has confirmed that this is basically all it's showing at E3 this year, so get ready to see plenty of "Zelda." Despite the fact that this game is launching simultaneously on Wii U and Nintendo's mysterious new NX console in early 2017, only the Wii U version is being shown.

Platforms: Wii U, NX



"Mass Effect: Andromeda"

The story of Commander Shepard wrapped up pretty directly in "Mass Effect 3," but the game's developer isn't done with this amazing sci-fi universe yet. The new entry in the excellent role-playing game series gives players a chance to explore the Andromeda galaxy for the first time, making friends and enemies with its native inhabitants. 

"Mass Effect" has a grand tradition of allowing players to shape the world through the decisions they make, as well as develop meaningful relationships with characters along the way. Combine that with an entire new galaxy to explore, and "Mass Effect: Andromeda" could be pretty outstanding.

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC



"Battlefield 1"

As "Call of Duty" goes to the future this year (more on that later), its main competitor in the military shooter genre goes way back, all the way to World War I. It's an interesting choice, especially as other multiplayer shooters like "Overwatch" and "Battleborn" become increasingly cartoonish and over-the-top. 

We don't know yet how developer DICE will make it fun to participate in a war where the technology is comparatively primitive with previous "Battlefield" games, but the studio has a killer pedigree. If anyone can do it, DICE can.

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 6 most popular fan theories for how 'Game of Thrones' will end

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Warning: spoilers ahead for both HBO's "Game of Thrones" and George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels.

When it comes to "Game of Thrones" fan theories coming true, the current sixth season has presented us with quite the bounty.

We watched Jon Snow (Kit Harington) get resurrected, learned that Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) will play a huge role in the show's endgame, watched Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) rise once again from the flames, and saw The Night King in action.

These and other recent events seem to be planting the seeds for countless theories surrounding the show's endgame. And that conclusion could come sooner than you realize: Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have said they're considering finishing with an eighth season.

Here are six fan theories about how the show will end that seem the most plausible.

SEE ALSO: The 5 most talked-about moments from this week's 'Game of Thrones'

DON'T MISS: 6 important things you probably missed on this week's 'Game of Thrones'

Jon Snow will rule the land.

This time around, Melisandre (Carice van Houten) seems to have gotten it right in her search for "the prince that was promised." All the elements are coming together.

Has he been reborn? Check. Is he from the line of House Targaryen? Not yet confirmed, but looking pretty likely. All he needs is a sword pulled from fire and the bravery to take on the White Walkers. No problem. 



Daenerys will take back the Iron Throne.

Jon Snow isn't the only candidate for the "promised" one. This season, another Red Priestess said that Daenerys Targaryen (Emily Clarke) is the prophesied savior.

What parts of the prophecy does Daenerys meet?

Clearly, she's a member of House Targaryen. Sure, she would be a princess, not a prince. But according to a passage in the "Song of Ice and Fire" books, the prophecy was written in High Valyrian, in which the word "prince" is gender-neutral. And we know she wouldn't back down from a battle with the White Walkers.

She was reborn in fire? Check.



Jon Snow vs. Daenerys

They can't both be the chosen one, right?

There's a theory that the two will clash. Jon would represent the North and ice while Daenerys would represent the South and fire.

There's already some belief that Dany is walking down a villainous path, one that has the burned corpses of Khals, the beheaded bodies of slave masters, and a trail of broken hearts. After all, bloodlust does run in the family. Her father was The Mad King.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How cartoon Donald Trump says he'll win over Bernie Sanders supporters

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cartoon donald trump bernie sanders stephen colbert cbs

With Hillary Clinton poised to capture the Democratic presidential nomination, Donald Trump wants to win Bernie Sanders' voters over to his side.

On Thursday's "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," cartoon Donald Trump showed us how he is going to do it.

Clearly, it will be a challenge. He and Sanders have very different stances on major political issues. As Colbert said, "The idea that Bernie Sanders voters would support him just seems outlandish. It seems cartoonish."

That's why he brought cartoon Trump back to the show to explain just how it could be done. Cartoon Trump doesn't think it's a challenge that Sanders supporters hate him. But what about the issues? Colbert reminded cartoon Trump that Sanders supporters steer young and liberal.

"Stephen, I'm known for liking them young. Everybody knows that. Plus, plus, I'm very liberal," he answered, before putting on a Rastafarian-style knit hat. "I mean check out my new 'Make America Great Again' hat... I'm a Trump-stafarian. Get mellow with me, man."

And as for Colbert pointing out that Sanders has socialist leanings, cartoon Trump didn't feel that would be a problem, either.

"Me, too," cartoon Trump answered. "I mean, my daughter is a socialite. We go to all the social functions. We're total socialists."

And as for abandoning his platform in order to poach Sanders supporters, cartoon Trump said, "I'm still building that wall with Mexico, but now it's going to be covered in Phish posters."

Watch the sketch below:

SEE ALSO: Barack Obama took a humorous dig at Donald Trump on Jimmy Fallon's 'Slow Jam the News'

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NOW WATCH: OBAMA: 'I am worried about the Republican party'

'Nashville' just found a new network after ABC canceled it

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nashville finds new home at CMT

"Nashville" just scored an encore performance.

After the series was canceled by ABC, cable network CMT has picked it up for a fifth season.

To celebrate the news, "Nashville" star Charles Esten, other cast members, and CMT host Cody Alan will take part in a concert in Nashville on Friday. More details on that will be released.

Produced by Lionsgate, ABC Studios, and Opry Entertainment, "Nashville" will also continue to stream new episodes on Hulu the day after they air on CMT.

“CMT heard the fans. The wave of love and appreciation they have unleashed for ‘Nashville’ has been overwhelming,” CMT president Brian Philips said in a statement. "'Nashville' is a perfect addition to our evolving line-up of big music specials, documentaries, and original series. We see our fans and ourselves in this show and we will treasure it like no other network. Nashville belongs on CMT.”

The show's salvation can be credited to the efforts of Lionsgate TV. The production studio hadn't given up on the show after ABC canceled it. When the decision was made by ABC, Lionsgate television group chairman Kevin Beggs wrote to employees, "We’re looking for a new home. We never give up on a great show."

Why try so hard to bring back "Nashville"? With four seasons on ABC, a fifth season would make it ripe for syndication. That means years of profits for the studios and residual checks for its cast.

Despite its cult audience, "Nashville" had long been on the bubble for cancellation at ABC. Season four averaged just 4.2 million viewers and did poorly in the demographic most important to advertisers, viewers between the ages of 18 and 49 years old.

The series stars Connie Britton as Rayna James, an aging country-music star faced with the competition of up-and-coming singer Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere).

"Nashville" isn't the first series to jump networks after being canceled this year. CBS canceled "Supergirl" because it felt its ratings didn't justify the cost of making the series. But it got another shot at CBS's sister network, The CW.

SEE ALSO: 20 TV shows that just got canceled

DON'T MISS: 47 new TV shows coming in the next year that just got announced

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