Celebrity
Spotify Cancels Meghan Markle’s $18 Million Flop Archetypes
Meghan Markle’s Archetypes podcast has been cancelled, according to reports, as Spotify has slashed 200 more positions after the highly-publicized audio deal failed to rake in the expected sum of cash.
According to British media reports, the decision to lose more jobs comes five months after Spotify let off roughly 600 staff and said goodbye to Dawn Ostroff, the podcast executive who signed up Harry and Meghan.
Spotify has yet to formally announce that Meghan Markle’s podcast has been cancelled.
The podcast premiered on August 23, 2022, and featured Meghan speaking with celebrities, historians, and professionals about the history of gender stereotypes.
According to the New York Post, Meghan Markle was paid more than $18 million by Spotify for her ‘Archetypes’ podcast.
Since its premiere in August 2022, the Duchess of Sussex’s podcast has struggled to stay at the top, falling to number 22 in the charts by November.
According to the New York Post, Spotify is planning to cut another 200 workers after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s highly publicized audio partnership fell short of expectations.
The Swedish streaming giant, which reportedly paid the Duchess of Sussex over $18 million for her “Archetypes” podcast, which debuted last summer, is now forced to lay off a large number of employees as a result of the blunder.
This will be the company’s second round of layoffs this year, following its massive investment in the podcast business.
Spotify stated in January that it has fired off 6% of its 6,600-person workforce.
As the streaming platform prepares to scale down its internal operations, redundancies have now officially reached 2% of its total personnel – a startling figure given how recent the investment was.
Spotify’s head of podcast business, Sahar Elhabashi, stated in a blog post on the streaming platform, “We are expanding our partnership efforts with leading podcasters from across the globe with a tailored approach optimised for each show and creator.”
“This fundamental shift away from a more uniform proposition will allow us to better support the creator community,” Elhabashi added.
“However, doing so necessitates adaptation… As a result, we have made the tough but essential decision to refocus our group’s strategy and cut our global podcast vertical and other operations by about 200 individuals, or 2% of Spotify’s workforce.”
The layoffs demonstrate that the firm is failing to achieve the outcomes it had hoped for in the podcast space, despite investing billions of dollars to have Markle and Joe Rogan’s podcasts available on its platform.
However, Markle’s “Archetypes” podcast has struggled to stay at the top since its premiere in August 2022, falling to number 22 in the charts by November.
Rogan’s programme, for its part, has been plagued by scandals ranging from Covid-19 vaccination disinformation to accusations of using racial slurs and making antisemitic remarks.
Meghan Markle’s $18 MILLION SPOTIFY FLOP
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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