Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in most European countries. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to the EU market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
One of America's most famous news anchors has abruptly quit days after a female guest on his show alleged he made inappropriate remarks.
Chris Matthews, a veteran host at liberal cable channel MSNBC, said Monday's Hardball show was his last.
Last month he apologised after likening a Democratic presidential contender's victory to the Nazi invasion of Europe.
Once a speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter, Mr Matthews launched his political talk show in 1997.
The 74-year-old said on Monday that "compliments on a woman's appearance that some men, including me, might have incorrectly thought were OK were never OK.
"Not then, and certainly not today, and for making such comments in the past, I'm sorry."
Mr Matthews, who underwent prostate surgery last year, said he came to his decision after talks with MSNBC.
Last Friday a journalist, Laura Bassett, wrote a first-person cover story for GQ magazine in which she alleged Chris Matthews had made remarks that made her uncomfortable when she was a guest on his show back in 2016.
She wrote that in the make-up room before the show, Mr Matthews looked at her and said: "Why haven't I fallen in love with you yet?"
Ms Bassett wrote: "When I laughed nervously and said nothing, he followed up to the make-up artist. 'Keep putting makeup on her, I'll fall in love with her.'
"Another time, he stood between me and the mirror and complimented the red dress I was wearing for the segment. 'You going out tonight?' he asked."
It was not the first time Mr Matthews had been accused of making inappropriate comments about women.
In 2016, a hot mic picked up his remarks about Melania Trump as she took to the stage at a rally for her husband in Indiana.
The MSNBC host was heard saying of the former model: "Did you see her walk? Runway walk. My God, is that good!"
In 2011, Mr Matthews raised eyebrows for saying that Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin "could not be hotter as a candidate".
Last month, Mr Matthews was hosting the cable network's coverage of left-wing Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders' victory in the Nevada caucuses when he said: "I was reading last night about the fall of France in the summer of 1940.
"And the general calls up Churchill and says, 'It's over,' and Churchill says, 'How can it be? You got the greatest army in Europe. How can it be over?' He said, 'It's over.'"
Supporters of Mr Sanders, a Jewish candidate whose family members were murdered in the Holocaust, said the analogy was deeply offensive.
Mr Matthews went on his show two days later to apologise to Mr Sanders and promised he would "strive to do a better job myself of elevating the political discussion".
But last Friday, the TV host caused further embarrassment when he confused the identities of two black men, Senator Tim Scott and a South Carolina Senate candidate, Jaime Harrison.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have a truly fascinating relationship. When two of the world’s most egotistic individuals began dating, many thought it was nothing more than a publicity stunt.
Others pointed to Kardashian’s previous famously short-lived relationships as an omen that it wouldn’t last. But the pair — dubbed Kimye by fans —proved the critics wrong.
Now, though, some of those critics are taken a recent moment caught on camera as evidence that they were right all along. West walked away from an elevator leaving Kardashian to carry all the bags and make her way through the closing door. Is this a sign that the pair aren’t as crazy about one another as they claim?
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have a supportive marriage
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian | Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
Despite the rumors about their relationship being a publicity stunt, the pair have weathered many storms together and seem to be genuinely supportive of one another. Kardashian stood by West’s side when he had a very public mental health crisis. West, meanwhile, rushed off to be with his wife when she was robbed at gunpoint.
On top of these high-profile moments of intensity, the pair seem to have built a life together that works well for them. They have four children together, and they have found a way to make their time work so that each can pursue their passions.
Whether that means moving to Wyoming so West can fulfill his fantasies or budgeting their time so that Kardashian can pursue a career in law, they find a way to make it all work.
Kanye West left Kim Kardashian in an elevator
Recently, the pair were caught on camera in an elevator. First, the video shows a sweet moment of public affection. As the elevator descends, Kardashian is leaning into West with her hand on his chest as the two kiss. The camera captures it all through the glass doors.
As the doors open, however, Kardashian breaks the kiss and backs up. West then steps out of the elevator, leaving Kardashian behind to pick up the bags as the elevator door starts to close. Fans and critics alike were quick to jump on the video as evidence that West is selfish and uncaring to his wife or even that the entire relationship is a sham.
Fan reactions have been mixed
Many fans have used the video as evidence of their long-held belief that Kardashian and West are merely faking their relationship for publicity. “Cause it wasn’t PDA…it was publicity” a user named miss_erikarenee wrote on Instagram. Another user, georgia_ishaman shared a similar sentiment: “Literally ALWAYS for a photo or video. They always look so forced like it’s all for the camera. No thanks.”
Others simply made light of the situation. “If those her clothes then those her bags,” user sonjaaaaaa_ wrote with a laugh. Still others pointed out that it was only two bags. It’s not as if West left Kardashian struggling to carry something she couldn’t handle.
Maybe I’m wrong but Kanye don’t deserve Kim Kanye don’t deserve anyone .Y’all call him leaving Kim in an elevator with bags while the door closing a lil accident or a lil oops doopsy well I call it disrespect like how you gonna forget your girl. At least hold he door
Still, others took the situation to be much more serious. They pointed to West’s actions as a sign of disrespect and even went so far as to say that he doesn’t “deserve” his wife.
One Twitter user named Giovanni Teran took the opportunity to parody the incident in a video of his own. In it, he mimics West’s suave grin as he steps off the elevator. In the background, a woman struggles to pick up several bags off the elevator floor, and he turns around as if forgetting something, ostensibly going to help her.
Instead, he takes a duffle bag off his own shoulder and adds it to her overwhelming pile to carry. Finally, he exits the elevator as the door closes on the woman and the mess.
While this may be a comedic moment that has left the internet abuzz with commentary and jokes, there’s no real evidence that the situation is a window into anything other than two people getting off an elevator.
It’s official — Clare Crawley will lead The Bachelorette Season 16, and the fandom is buzzing with excitement. The 38-year-old breaks tradition, as she doesn’t come from Peter Weber’s current season of The Bachelor. But she has been a member of the franchise for some time. And as some longtime viewers have noticed, the last time we saw Crawley, she got engaged to Benoît Beauséjour-Savard during The Bachelor Winter Games reunion. So why did Crawley and Beauséjour-Savard break up? A lot has happened since the couple got together, but Beauséjour-Savard still seems as supportive of his ex-fiancé as ever.
Clare Crawley and Benoît Beauséjour-Savard got engaged after meeting on ‘The Bachelor Winter Games’
Benoît Beauséjour-Savard and Clare Crawley on ‘The Bachelor Winter Games’ | Paul Hebert/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images
Following her appearances on Juan Pablo Galavis’ season of The Bachelor and the first two seasons of Bachelor in Paradise, Crawley found her way to The Bachelor Winter Games in 2018. Once settled, the hairstylist from Sacramento, California met Beauséjour-Savard from The Bachelorette Canada and Bachelor in Paradise Season 5.
Of course, Crawley and Beauséjour-Savard hit it off. Nevertheless, there was a bit of trouble in paradise. Crawley also saw something in Christian Rauch, the contestant from Germany. So when Beauséjour-Savard confessed his feelings, she admitted she still wanted to explore her options. Then Beauséjour-Savard left the show.
But even so, the couple still got together after filming the reality series. During The Bachelor Winter Games: World Tells All, Crawley revealed she reconnected with Beauséjour-Savard when she returned home to Sacramento. Then when speaking with host Chris Harrison, the Canadian native said he couldn’t stop thinking about Crawley, noting how much he cared for her. So he couldn’t help but reach out when she left the show.
Meanwhile, Crawley reciprocated Beauséjour-Savard’s feelings and expressed how much she loved him in a tearful speech. And in the end, Beauséjour-Savard got down on one knee and proposed to Crawley.
“It’s overwhelming, it’s crazy,” Crawley told People about her engagement in February 2018. “Going on these Bachelor shows is a huge risk and you don’t know the outcome. It’s scary, but it’s a risk that you have to take to get the good in the end.”
Why Clare Crawley and Benoît Beauséjour-Savard broke up and ended their engagement
Despite the heartwarming proposal during the Winter Games reunion, Crawley and Beauséjour-Savard broke up and ended their engagement in April 2018. On their respective Instagram accounts, the Bachelor Nation couple wrote a joint statement addressing their split, hinting it was amicable. Crawley and Beauséjour-Savard wrote:
We understand a lot of you have been asking about [our] relationship since the show, and we wanted to thank you all for the love and respect as we navigated it in real life off camera. We do understand however, having a public engagement on TV kind of changes that.
It’s with a heavy heart that we have mutually decided to end our relationship. We think the world of eachother, and we were both hoping we could make this work. I’m sorry that this may not be what you want to hear, but it’s our truth. Just know there are no negative feelings here, we are simply two people who believed in love, and were open enough to give it a chance.
We still care for each other very deeply (That is why no hate or disrespectful comments will be tolerated about the other.) Please respect our privacy as well, as with the end of any relationship, it is never easy. Thank you for your understanding and love while we have shared our vulnerability with the world.
Benoît Beauséjour-Savard shows support for Clare Crawley as ‘The Bachelorette’
Now, a few years after ending their engagement, it appears Crawley and Beauséjour-Savard are still on good terms. In an interview with Life & Style Magazine following Crawley’s Bachelorette announcement on March 2, Beauséjour-Savard confirmed they’ve maintained a friendship long past the breakup.
“She has always been so nice to me, even after the breakup,” he said. “We talked on a regular basis and still care a lot about each other.”
Meanwhile, Beauséjour-Savard declared his support for Crawley as the next bachelorette.
“I’m glad she got that chance at finding love because we both trust that process. All I want for her is to be happy because she deserves the best,” he said. “She will be the best person to call out her men if they aren’t there for her. I’m sure she will find her soulmate. She will be the best bachelorette, I can tell you this.”
Crawley’s engagement to Beauséjour-Savard may have been short-lived after The Bachelor Winter Games, but it seems there’s no bad blood as the new bachelorette moves forward to find her forever. Now Bachelor Nation fans must wait to see how Crawley’s journey unfolds when The Bachelorette Season 16 premiers on Monday, May 18. Stay tuned.
When Universal released “The Mummy” starring Tom Cruise in 2017, the results were horrific.
The big-budget reboot cost $350 million to make and promote, so the studio lost a sizable chunk of change when the film ended its box office run with $409 million globally. “The Mummy” was intended to kick off an interconnected cinematic universe — dubbed the “Dark Universe” — based on its iconic monsters. But after the pricey cinematic train-wreck, the studio shifted its strategy away from weaving together its classic characters for the horror equivalent of what Marvel pulled off with the Avengers and instead opted to create standalone stories that best suit each movie.
The new approach was put on display this weekend with “The Invisible Man,” a sci-fi thriller with Elisabeth Moss that debuted to $29 million. Blumhouse, led by horror maestro Jason Blum, produced the film for $7 million, excluding marketing and distribution expenses. Though its opening weekend was similar to “The Mummy” ($31 million), ticket sales for “The Invisible Man” put this film on the glide path to profitability, proving horror works best as a low-budget genre. “The Invisible Man” made an additional $20 million at the international box office, despite fears that coronavirus would impact moviegoing in parts of the world.
“You don’t need to spend a lot on a really good horror movie,” said Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst with Comscore. “‘The Invisible Man’ proves that. It’s really about that core story and how it resonates with audiences. That’s been always the best thing about horror.”
Popular on Variety
In the age of streaming, studios have begun to favor movies that cost a ton (think: “Avengers: Endgame,” “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”) or almost nothing at all (see: “Midsommar,” “Get Out”), leaving little room for mid-budget offerings. Horror has been a reliable moneymaker amid the uncertainty, but Hollywood companies are finding out the hard way that movies in the genre don’t work as well when they get too expensive. There are exceptions — like Warner Bros.’ “It: Chapter 2” — to be sure. But movies like “The Mummy,” “Alien: Covenant,” “Dark Shadows” and more recently, “Doctor Sleep” also from Warner Bros., demonstrate that overstuffed budgets don’t equal outsized returns. “Doctor Sleep,” a sequel to “The Shining,” cost $45 million and earned $72 million.
Director Leigh Whannell said the smaller budget worked in favor of the film’s realism. He credits Blumhouse, which has become synonymous with affordable horror hits, for knowing “how to milk every dollar out of the budget you have.”
“A lot of times when you see movies with huge budgets, the CG really calls attention to itself,” Whannell told Variety. “You’re so aware that you’re watching something that was created in a computer. What I’m trying to do is something completely different.”
“The Invisible Man,” a modern take on the novel by H.G. Wells, put the spotlight on Cecilia Kass (Moss), a woman being hunted by her abusive ex-boyfriend. When he dies by suicide, she has to prove her sanity and that she’s being stalked by someone that nobody can see. Critics and audiences alike praised the film for delivering on the scares without compromising on quality. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman called Whannell’s vision “ingenious and entertaining,” adding that “the thrills don’t just goose you; they have an emotional import.”
Opening weekend crowds were almost evenly split between genders, and well over half (64%) were over the age of 25. The film brought out a diverse audience: 46% of ticket buyers were caucasian, while 20% were African American, 18% were hispanic and 11% were Asian.
“Our partners as Blumhouse don’t cut corners when it comes to quality,” Universal’s president of domestic distribution Jim Orr said. “They consistently deliver hit after hit.”
For Universal, there was a lot was riding on the opening weekend of “The Invisible Man.” Though its efforts to build a Dark Universe were for naught, the studio has a handful of projects based on its monsters in the works, including Dracula and Bride of Frankenstein. Elizabeth Banks is also working on a separate film, “Invisible Woman,” for Universal. After the success of “The Invisible Man,” it appears to be on the right track.
“That Universal changed up its plans so quickly is a huge testament to their non-monolithic way of dealing with it,” Dergarabedian said. “They course-corrected, and it paid off big.”
