Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are completing their final royal engagements as senior members of the British Royal Family this week. They chose to step down over privacy concerns and the desire to become financially independent. On Thursday at the Endeavour Fund Awards in centralLondon, the Duke and Duchess made their first public appearance together since the news of them stepping down emerged.
The couple have been the subject of intense media attention since their announcement to step down, with commentators across the globe offering their insight and views on the split.
Addressing the Sussexes on Sky News Australia, the Australian Daily Telegraph’s Jonathan Moran told Sky News Australia's Rita Panahi he thought Prince Harry was weak because of the move.
Mr Moran said: “I think the whole situation is ugly.”
Asked if he blamed Meghan for the split, Mr Moran said: “I blame him as well.
“I think he is weak. I blame them equally. But I think they are both weak.
“I think they are pathetic. And they need to harden up and just say ‘hang on, there are millions of people starving out there’.
“‘And there is a lot of good we can be doing.
“‘From within the royal house, so to speak.’”
He then attacked the Sussexes for “giving it all up because you are worried about a bit of privacy” but still attending high-profile star-studded events such as the Met Gala.
He said: “Meghan is already planning her outfit for the Met Gala, which is so private. I mean, give me strength!”
Host Ms Panahi went on to claim “it was never about privacy”.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were reunited in London at the Endeavour Fund Awards after the Duke of Sussex returned to the UK last week to begin his final round of events as a working royal.
Today Meghan and Harry will be attending the Mountbatten Music Festival at the Royal Albert Hall while the Duchess will mark International Women's Day on Sunday in what is expected to be a solo event.
The Duke and Duchess are then believed to be planning to head back to Canada to be with their son Archie, who is reported to have been left across the Atlantic for the duration of their working visit.
But the decision is causing an extra headache for the Met police, who had to send out officers to guard Archie in Canada, while also providing extra officers to protect Meghan.
The issue of funding for the couple’s security has been a subject of contention, as the British public question if they should pay for the Duke and Duchess's protection overseas.
Addressing the matter of security, Meghan and Harry said on their website: “It is agreed that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to require effective security to protect them and their son.
“This is based on The Duke’s public profile by virtue of being born into The Royal Family, his military service, the Duchess’ own independent profile, and the shared threat and risk level documented specifically over the last few years.”
Katy Perry is ready to put her baby bump on full display.
On Saturday, the American Idol judge made her first public appearance since announcing her pregnancy. Perry, who’s expecting her first child with fiancé Orlando Bloom, was spotted in Melbourne, Australia, where she was rehearsing for an upcoming live performance.
In a colorful, form-fitting dress, the mom-to-be, 35, smiled while showing off her growing baby bump.
Speaking with her American Idol costar Ryan Seacrest on his radio show Friday, Perry said she’s currently doing well after her first trimester, adding that unveiling her pregnancy in her new song “Never Worn White” was a way to not have to hide her journey into motherhood any longer.
“I’m excited for it,” she said of the song. “It’s not the lead single off of the next record — it’s like a way for me to tell people I’m not fat, I’m just pregnant!”
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“They are of course thrilled about the baby,” said the insider. “… They wanted to keep it quiet for as long as possible so Katy can just enjoy her pregnancy in peace. But everything is going well and she has several upcoming events so she thought it was the perfect timing to share.”
Throughout her pregnancy, Perry has been in good spirits as she’s stepped out in public on numerous occasions.
“Katy looks great,” another source told PEOPLE. “She has been dressing comfortably in sweats, oversized jackets and hiding her bump behind bags when she is out in public. She has kept busy with meetings, dinner plans and seems to be feeling okay.”
It’s been a dreadful 24 hours for live promoters and festival owners.
First, late yesterday (March 6), South By Southwest, the annual US film, tech and music festival – due to take place in Austin, Texas next week – announced its 2020 cancellation due to concerns over the spread of Coronavirus.
Organisers of SXSW, which was set to open this year on Friday, March 13 and close nine days later, confirmed: “The City of Austin has cancelled the March dates for SXSW and SXSW EDU. SXSW will faithfully follow the City’s directions.
“We are devastated to share this news with you. ‘The show must go on’ is in our DNA, and this is the first time in 34 years that the March event will not take place. We are now working through the ramifications of this unprecedented situation.”
Since that announcement, an unfortunate event cancellation has snowballed into a potential business disaster, with ramifications far beyond SXSW itself.
The co-founder of SXSW, Nick Barbaro, is also the publisher of the event’s local newspaper, The Austin Chronicle. According to the Chronicle, Barbaro has confirmed that SXSW does not have cover for cancellation insurance relating to a disease outbreak.
“We have a lot of insurance (terrorism, injury, property destruction, weather). However, bacterial infections, communicable diseases, viruses and pandemics are not covered.”
Roland Swenson, SXSW
SXSW’s non-insured status for the cancellation is unaffected, says Barbaro, by the fact that the event’s closure was actually triggered by Austin city representatives declaring a “local state of disaster.”
SXSW co-founder and Managing Director, Roland Swenson, further confirmed in a text message: “We have a lot of insurance (terrorism, injury, property destruction, weather). However, bacterial infections, communicable diseases, viruses and pandemics are not covered.”
SXSW isn’t the only large-scale US music event to make a COVID-19-related announcement in the past 24 hours, either.
The organisers of Winter Music Conference, which is part of Miami Music Week and has been held every March in Florida since 1985, has told speakers due to attend its scheduled 2020 event: “In light of the ongoing situation with the Coronavirus, we would ask you to put a pause on any travel plans for Winter Music Conference until further notice.
“We will be making an official comment in the coming days.”
As for SXSW, organisers continued in their statement yesterday: “We are exploring options to reschedule the event and are working to provide a virtual SXSW online experience as soon as possible for 2020 participants, starting with SXSW EDU.”
They added: “We understand the gravity of [this] situation for all the creatives who utilize SXSW to accelerate their careers; for the global businesses; and for Austin and the hundreds of small businesses – venues, theatres, vendors, production companies, service industry staff, and other partners that rely so heavily on the increased business that SXSW attracts.”
One company that, for obvious reasons, has been heavily affected by Coronavirus panic on the stock market is Live Nation Entertainment – the world’s biggest concert promoter, and owner (or co-owner) of music festivals such as Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo in the US, plus Reading & Leeds and Isle Of Wight Festival in the UK.
In the two weeks between the close of Friday, February 21 and the close of yesterday (Friday, March 6), Live Nation’s market cap value fell by over $4.5 billion ($15.92bn to $11.37bn) – a decline of 28.6%.
Speaking to investors on LNE’s Q4 earnings call last Thursday (February 27), the company’s CEO & President, Michael Rapino, downplayed the potential negative impact of Coronavirus on the global touring circuit.
“We don’t pay an artist until they play,” explained Rapino of concerts promoted by Live Nation. “If an artist says, ‘[We’re going to] cancel a show next month in Milan,’… there’s no cost incurred. When the artist replaces that show, then we pay the artist.”
“We don’t pay an artist until they play.”
Michael Rapino, Live NAtion (speaking last week)
Rapino reiterated that “rerouting and rescheduling a show” was considered “the easiest economic challenge… at no cost to us”.
However, when it came to the company’s own festivals, Rapino admitted there may be more fiscal pain to endure.
“The [situations] that always [bring] more challenges [are] when the festival gets canceled on the Saturday afternoon when 60,000 people are sitting there,” he said.
“That’s when you have some marketing and some sunk costs, where it may affect you.”
All eyes now are on Coachella, the Goldenvoice/AEG-run California music festival set to take place this year in April, headlined by the likes of Rage Against The Machine. Frank Ocean and Travis Scott.
[Pictured: A$AP Rocky speaks during the conference strand of SXSW 2019. Credit: Diego Donamaria/Getty for SXSW] Music Business Worldwide
Quibi doesn’t have the same immediate brand recognition as Disney and HBO, or YouTube and Instagram, but the latest entrant in the war for people’s attention is preparing to jump into battle headfirst with its launch day slate.
There are 50 shows and movies to watch beginning on April 6th. 25 of those shows are “daily essentials,” referring to the regular series coming from a number of content partners including ESPN, Rotten Tomatoes, and the BBC. There are 19 “unscripted originals,” which refers to series like Chance the Rapper’s Punk’d reboot and Murder House Mystery, a series about flipping houses where a killing has taken place.
(Disclosure: Vox Media, which owns The Verge, has a deal with Quibi to produce a Polygon Daily Essential, and there have been early talks about a Verge show.)
The four titles that Quibi will want to draw your attention to, however, are “lighthouse” productions. These are movies in chapters; full-length films spliced into four to 10 minute chapters. Most Dangerous Game, When the Streetlights Go On, Survive, and Flipped star major Hollywood talent, making them among Quibi’s most premium content. These movies will receive new chapters every single day and can then be binged all at once whenever the movie is completed.
Below is a list of every daily essential, unscripted series, and movie subscribers will be available to watch on April 6th. Customers will receive a 90-day free trial. After that, subscribers can choose between a $4.99-a-month plan with ads, or an ad-free $7.99-a-month option.
Lighthouse:
Most Dangerous Game:Dodge Maynard (Liam Hemsworth) enters a deadly game in an effort to take care of his pregnant wife financially before a terminal illness leaves him dead. Stars Liam Hemsworth and Christoph Waltz.
When the Streetlights Go On:The sister of a young girl who’s murdered in a suburban community struggles to go about her day-to-day life and navigate being a teenager as the investigation occurs. Stars Chosen Jacobs, Sophie Thatcher, Mark Duplass, Tony Hale, and Queen Latifah.
Survive:Two strangers are brought together after surviving a plane crash and forced to work together to battle the wilderness as they make their way back to civilization. They’ll “embark on a harrowing journey out of the wilderness, battling brutal conditions and personal traumas,” according to a press release. Survive, based on the book of the same name, stars Sophie Turner and Corey Hawkins.
Flipped:A couple trying to become TV’s hottest new house-flipping duo run into a problem when they’re hired by a Mexican drug cartel to renovate the mansion. The movie stars Will Forte, Kaitlin Olson, Arturo Catstro, Eva Longoria, and Andy Garcia.
Unscripted:
Thanks a Million:Produced by Jennifer Lopez, Thanks a Million stars celebrities who kickstart a chain of kindness by giving away $100,000 to someone. The catch? That person has to pay it forward. $1 million will be handed out over the course of 10 episodes. Kristen Bell, Nick Jonas, Jennifer Lopez, Tracy Morgan, Aaron Rodgers, Yara Shahidi, Gabriel Iglesias, Anthony Davis, Kevin Hart and Karlie Kloss will star in individual episodes.
Chrissy’s Court: Starring Chrissy Teigen, the show sees Teigen rule as a “judge” in small claims cases. Teigen’s mom will act as the bailif maintaining order in court. The show may sound goofy, but Teigen’s decisions are final.
Punk’d:Based on the MTV show of the same name, the updated version of Punk’d takes advantage of new technology to prank Hollywood stars. Stars Chance the Rapper.
Murder House Flip:Flipping houses meets CSI as homes known for mysterious murders undergo big renovations. Home renovation experts Mikel Welch and Joelle Uzyel will work to turn the houses from morbid to marvelous.
Skrrt with Offset:Offset and his friends, including Quavo, Lil Yachty and T-Pain will explore all things cars, according to a press release. Other guests include Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, Dapper Dan, Jay Leno, and T-Pain.
The Sauce:Dance sensations Ayo & Teo explore unique dance cultures across the country, finding new online talent and making them compete head-to-head for a cash prize. Usher serves as a judge.
Nikki Fre$h: Nicole Richie will use her alter ego, Nikki Fre$h to bring a new voice to wellness and music, making socially conscious tracks and educational songs about the world. Nikki Fre$h will meet with consciousness experts to learn ways to better serve our bodies and our planet.
&Music: The unscripted series shines the spotlight on the artists and elements behind the world’s biggest musicians. “Each episode will reveal an unprecedented look at a vital behind-the-scenes collaborator that transforms the performance of an iconic musical artist into a cultural phenomenon,” according to a press release.
Elba vs Block:Idris Elba and world renowned driver Ken Block will go head-to-head as they pit cars against each other and take on outrageous stunts to prove who the best driver is what the best car.
Gone Mental with Lior:The famous mentalist Lior Suchard will team with celebrities and run them through mental stunts. The series features Kate Hudson, The Miz (Mike Mizanin), Big E (Ettore Ewen), Sasha Banks, Bayley, Ben Stiller, Rob Gronkowski, James Corden, David Dobrik, and Zooey Deschanel.
Singled Out:A dating show that puts the emphasis on social media as a number of strangers try to find love in a hopeless place. The series is hosted by Keke Palmer and Joel Kim Booster.
Gayme Show:Comedians Matt Rogers and Dave Mizzoni, Gayme Show is a comedic take on games shows that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Two straight contestants are paired with a celebrity “life partner” as they take on a series of challenges, competing for the title of “Queen of the Straights.” Celebrity guest stars include Ilana Glazer, D’Arcy Carden, Trixie Mattel, Jon Lovett, Nicole Byer, Rachel Bloom, and Guy Branam.
Dishmantled: A cooking competition hosted by Tituss Burgess, each episode starts a cannon blasting a mystery food dish into the faces of two blindfolded chefs. The chefs will use their culinary prowess to identify the dish and then race to recreate it for a cash prize.
You Ain’t Got These:A show about sneaker culture featuring Lena Waithe. Celebrity guests include Carmelo Anthony, Billie Jean King, Hasan Minhaj, Candance Parker, Questlove, Nas, Jazerai Allen- Lord, Kerby Jean-Raymond, Mike Epps, Jemele Hill, Josh Luber and Eric Koston.
Fierce Queens:The nature series presented by Reese Witherspoon explores the women of the animal kingdom, including ant queens to speedy cheetahs.
Prodigy:Hosted by Women’s Soccer world champion Megan Rapinoe, each episode of Prodigy examines unprecedented accomplishments in sports.
Run This City:The show follows Jasiel Correia II as he figures out his position as the youngest mayor of Fall River, MA ever elected. When the FBI indicts him on charges over his former company, Correia vows to fight and vindicate his name.
Shape of Pasta:Chef Evan Funke is in Italy uncovering the culture behind some forgotten pasta shapes.
NightGowns:The series follows former RuPaul contestant Sasha Velour over the course of eight episodes as she adapts her Brooklyn drag revue into a full-on stage production. Described as part performance documentary, part portrait of the artist, each installment introduces viewers to one performer in particular and pulls back the curtain on their life. The goal is to be something totally new: live drag, designed for the screen.
Daily essentials:
Noteworthy shows:
The Nod with Brittany & Eric: The popular podcast is being turned into a daily Quibi show. Hosts Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings dig into the biggest moments and most under-explored corners of Black culture, as told by the actors, musicians, writers, thinkers, chefs, activists, artists, and everyday people who live it.
Last Night’s Late Night:A recap and breakdown of the most notable moments across the late night show landscape, broken down into a quick daily segment.
Sexology with Shan Boodram:The series stars certified sexologist and intimacy expert Shan Boodram as she shows subscribers how to navigate the realities of sex, dating, and relationships.
Fashion’s a Drag:Model Willam Belli is joined by supermodel Denise Bidot and their closest drag queen friends to break down what celebrities are wearing and all that’s happening in the world of fashion.
News:
NBC News will have morning, and evening shows, alongside special Sunday and Saturday editions of the news. CBS will bring its critically acclaimed 60 Minutes to Quibi with a younger focused, 60 in 6. The BBC will have an edition of its World News broadcast. Telemundo will have a Latinx news show for English-speaking subscribers. CTV will have a morning and nightly news show focused on Canadian subscribers. There will also be a daily show from The Weather Network.
Sports:
TSN and ESPN will have daily shows highlighting the top moments in sports.
Culture:
E!, TMZ, Rotten Tomatoes, Polygon, Telemundo and Fandango are some of the brands that will have daily shows looking at what’s happening in a number of pop culture realms, including celebrity news, movies, TV, gaming, and nerd culture.
Miscellaneous:
Two motivational/lifestyle/meditation shows: The Rachel Hollis Show and The Daily Chill.
A show about amazing and adorable animals from The Dodo.
Pop5 is a daily series about pop music
Hot off the Mic is a daily look at the hottest emerging comedians around the country.
As for SXSW, organisers continued in their statement yesterday: “We are exploring options to reschedule the event and are working to provide a virtual SXSW online experience as soon as possible for 2020 participants, starting with SXSW EDU.”
One company that, for obvious reasons, has been heavily affected by Coronavirus panic on the stock market is Live Nation Entertainment – the world’s biggest concert promoter, and owner (or co-owner) of music festivals such as Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo in the US, plus Reading & Leeds and Isle Of Wight Festival in the UK.
“We don’t pay an artist until they play.”
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