Celebrity
Shaun White Documentary Spells Out The Tough Choices He Made For His Sport
Shaun White- Years after their sport was elevated to the Olympic stage, most elite snowboarders still felt filthy about competing for large money and gold medals. They were more concerned with having fun and making new friends than winning money and rewards.
For every death-defying calculation Shaun White made throughout his two decades of risk-taking on the halfpipe, his decision to encourage other riders to reconsider their role in the sport was a game changer.
The first episode of the documentary series “Shaun White: The Last Run,” which premieres Thursday on MAX, focuses on the exact moment White chose to try to make a career off snowboarding rather than making friends.
“We saw a future in this sport that others didn’t, and we wanted to prove them wrong,” says White, now 36, in the series, reminiscing on a watershed event when he was 15. “I could potentially make what (my parents) were making for a whole year in one day.”
White received more than his fair share of criticism for that choice, but the next two decades proved him correct.
By the end of the series, no one has second thoughts about risking their life for a gold medal. Ayumu Hirano, 23, who won one in the Beijing Olympics — where White placed fourth after his final pass — is one of many who freely confess they wouldn’t be on the halfpipe if White hadn’t set a precedent.
“What’s beautiful about the documentary is, in the end, it’s not all about the wins,” White told The Associated Press. “In the end, it’s about leaving a legacy in sports.” “How it changed my life, how it changed the lives of my family, and, hopefully, how it changed the sport.”
For every death-defying calculation Shaun White made throughout his two decades of risk-taking on the halfpipe, his decision to encourage other riders to reconsider their role in the sport was a game changer.
For those who have only followed the three-time Olympic champion every four years, his decisions and the risks he takes in this four-part series will feel revelatory and as terrifying as they were in real time.
For those who already know the narrative, there’s a new opportunity to experience the ups and downs — specifically, the difficult, often life-changing and life-risking decisions he made in starting gates, ice tubs, and hospital beds with his coaches, Bud Keene and, subsequently, J.J. Thomas.
Along with years of home- and handheld-camera film, there are new interviews with White’s mother and father, Cathy and Roger, and his brother and sister, Kari and Jesse. They were all on board with Shaun as the family business. Excursions to Mount Hood and Mammoth in the family’s converted white van quickly turned into international flights to see their son and sibling transform the sport.
In a 2021 phone call, Kari reminds her brother, “Winning is your only friend,” as Shaun lies on a massage table, remembering when that was true but also experiencing the changes that 20 years had exacted on his body and psyche.
If there is a main opponent throughout this series, it is the triple cork — the enormous and hazardous three-head-over-heels move Hirano used to win in China last year.
White had been practicing that move for eight years before it was finally landed in a competition. In dozens of dives into airbags and foam pits, we witness him do it brilliantly and not-so-great. We see him commit to it, abandon it, then return to it, all the while knowing that if he loses his bearings on that trick — or any trick — while flying half-blind above a rock-hard halfpipe, his career and life are in jeopardy.
“That’s what the current riders were doing, and that’s where we are today,” White explained when asked why the series focuses on the triple jump rather than the other breakthrough techniques he pioneered. “And I thought it was important that they reacted by saying, ‘Hey, look, I tried this ages ago.'” But the sport did not change that way” when he first tried it.
It did, however, happen in the end.
The series alternates between eras. Early in Episode 1, White notices Hirano and the other Japanese riders landing triples weeks before the Beijing Games, and there’s a sense that his position atop the podium is in peril.
And yet, as he approaches the starting gate for his final ride in Episode 4, it feels as if he could try the triple and pull it off. After all, he had previously taken comparable risks and walked away with gold.
There are no spoilers in this section. Everyone knows how this is going to end.
But there were three gold medals and another fourth-place finish before that, each catapulting White to a different level of fame, satisfaction, happiness, or unhappiness. The objective of this story is not his career-ending fourth-place finish.
Instead, White made it acceptable — even desirable — for elite snowboarders to face the harsh realities of their jobs: Pushing the boundaries is admirable in and of itself. But there’s nothing wrong with being wealthy and famous for doing something you enjoy, especially if you’re willing to sacrifice your life.
SOURCE – (AP)
Celebrity
2024| Judge Rejects Claims That Generative AI Tanked Political Conspiracy Case Against Fugees Rapper Pras
Washington – Pras, On Friday, a court denied a request for a fresh trial in a multimillion-dollar political conspiracy lawsuit against Fugees rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel.
U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly determined that his defensedefense attorney’s employment of a generative AI software during closing arguments and other errors made throughout the Washington, D.C. trial did not constitute a substantial miscarriage of justice.
Judge Rejects Claims That Generative AI Tanked Political Conspiracy Case Against Fugees Rapper Pras
Michel was found guilty of ten counts after a jury heard testimony from witnesses, including actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former US Attorney General Jeff Sessions. On the most serious charges, he faces up to 20 years in prison. He is free until sentencing, which has yet to be decided.
The Grammy-winning rapper was accused of funneling money from a now-fugitive Malaysian financier through straw donors to Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, then attempting to deter a Justice Department investigation and influence an extradition case on behalf of China during the Trump administration.
The defense said Michel received lousy advice as he attempted to support himself while recreating himself in politics.
His defense attorney, David Kenner, who has previously represented rappers like Suge Knight and Snoop Dogg, pleaded guilty to leaking grand jury evidence to reporters.
Michel hired a new lawyer, who claimed Kenner had made several errors, including deploying an “experimental” generative AI software that botched closing arguments by misattributing a lyric from his client’s influential 1990s group.
Judge Rejects Claims That Generative AI Tanked Political Conspiracy Case Against Fugees Rapper Pras
Michel, however, failed to prove that Kenner’s handling of the case influenced the jury, according to Judge Kollar-Kotelly.
She accepted that some of Michel’s faults were valid, but they did not neutralise the prosecution’s extensive evidence against him or render the nearly month-long trial unfair.
Michel’s representative had no immediate comment on the ruling.
SOURCE | AP
Celebrity
Julian Ortega, Actor In Netflix’s ‘Elite’ Series, Dies Aged 41
Julian Ortega, a Spanish actor best known for his role in the popular Spanish-language Netflix drama series “Elite,” has died, according to the country’s actor and actress union. He was 41.
“Our deepest condolences to his family and friends,” the union said in a statement Monday.
The sun
Julian Ortega, Actor In Netflix’s ‘Elite’ Series, Dies Aged 41
Ortega, the son of Spanish actress Gloria Muñoz, was born in Madrid in 1983. According to the organization, he attended acting school in the Spanish capital.
He began his career in Spanish-language films, including the 2000 drama “El Otro Barrio” (“The Other Side”) and the 2008 horror fantasy “La raíz del mal.”
He appeared in various Spanish television programs before becoming well-known internationally after appearing in six episodes of Netflix’s Elite.
Ortega played a restaurant manager in the murder-mystery-infused high school thriller, which follows privileged pupils at a prestigious school.
His most recent performances were in drama programs like “The Countryside” (formerly called “El Pueblo”) and “4 estrellas.”
“You were a great man; humble, always smiling, generous, and thoughtful…” I have a great colleague. “Thank you for everything,” wrote his “Countryside” co-star Ruth Diaz in an Instagram post.
Julian Ortega, Actor In Netflix’s ‘Elite’ Series, Dies Aged 41
According to the Spanish Theatre in Madrid, Ortega has worked on theatre ventures, including the 2021 play “Ira,” which he created and co-starred in with his mother.
The reason for the death has not been officially confirmed.
SOURCE | AP
Celebrity
Selena Gomez Reacts To Taylor Swift Cameo Rumors in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ S4
Selena Gomez has recently put a fun twist on rumors swirling about a potential cameo by Taylor Swift in the fourth season of Only Murders in the Building. In an interview with E! News, Gomez responded to the speculation with her signature humor and charm.
Laughing off the rumors, Gomez quipped, “You’re hilarious. She’s a little busy, you guys.”
Her playful tone continued as she added, “Oh dear, I love that,” while still chuckling. Gomez’s light-hearted response showcased her easy-going nature and her ability to handle fan speculation with grace.
Gomez’s co-stars, Steve Martin and Martin Short, also joined in on the playful banter. Martin, in a comedic twist, said, “Listen, she calls us every day. Here – she’s calling right now. Ahh I’ll take it later.”
‘Only Murders in the Building’ S4
Martin Short added to the jest, joking, “No, I was talking to Taylor around 3:00 a.m.” Their jokes highlighted the camaraderie and fun atmosphere among the cast.
Beyond the jokes, Martin took a moment to genuinely praise both Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez for their poise.
He commented, “Taylor Swift handles everything perfectly and so does Selena. In the situations I’ve seen—politically, trolls, everything—she just seems to have a wisdom about how to do something quietly, effortlessly.”
The interaction underscores not only the strong bond between the cast members but also their mutual respect and admiration for each other.
Gomez and Swift’s friendship, along with their shared ability to navigate public life with elegance, continues to be a topic of interest and admiration among fans and colleagues alike.
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