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☆ What Distinguishes a Neil Breen Film? Neil Breen.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Rumsey Taylor | More About Rumsey Taylor | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

All of Breen’s films seem clearly to mean something, and watching them, one’s suspension of disbelief is constantly threatened by strange directorial choices. “Pass-Thru” culminates in his darkest sequence, with Thgil — another of the messianic aliens in which Breen specializes — walking toward the horizon’s vanishing point. “Fateful Findings,” which I and many others consider Breen’s most deranged film, exemplifies the tonal stiltedness and libertarian rage that pervades his work. For many audiences the natural response to Breen’s films is laughter. Breen plays a double role, twins Cale and Cade, bestowed at birth with superhuman powers and pitted against each other with potentially world-changing consequences.

Persons: Thgil, Breen, Thgil —, “, ”, Tommy Wiseau, Ed Wood, Wood, Cale, Cade Organizations: Media, West Coast Locations: West Hollywood, Calif, Las Vegas, Chicago

☆ Fact Check-Video of military tanks in Los Angeles dates to at least 2020
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Footage of military vehicles driving by in Los Angeles, California, was shared on social media as early as 2020 and does not show military activity in California in July 2023, contrary to claims online. “JUST IN: Military seen driving through West Hollywood, California,” read posts sharing the video on Facebook (here). The exact location where the video was filmed in Los Angeles can be seen on Google Street View (bit.ly/46uedf3). The California National Guard did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Video of military movement in California can be traced back to 2020.

Persons: ”, George Floyd, Read Organizations: Facebook, California National Guard, Reuters Locations: Los Angeles , California, California, West Hollywood , California, TikTok, Los Angeles, Minneapolis

☆ Actors are joining writers on strike against the Hollywood companies, and they're driven by a fear plaguing workers everywhere: Robots are coming for our jobs.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Hollywood writers are entering their third month on strike. Film and TV writers say they're among those who have fared the worst as their industry has been remade, even as others reap the rewards. These Hollywood storytellers share something in common with workers in every industry: Everyone is afraid that the robots are coming for their jobs, Terminator-style. Now, they're some of the dominant forces controlling new content development in the entertainment industry. Recently, I reported on how the Hollywood writers' strike is dispiriting industry hopefuls at the outset of their careers — you can read it here.

Persons: Everything's, Fran Drescher, Adam Conover, Ted Sarandos, Bob Iger, Goldman Sachs, You've, We've, Jonathan Handel, Puck, they'll, Zayd Dohrn, —, Dohrn, Reed Alexander Organizations: Morning, NBC, Nickelodeon, Disney, Hollywood, Netflix, Wall, ., Writers Guild of America, Alliance, Television Producers, SAG, Apple, Big Tech, WGA, Northwestern University Locations: Hollywood, West Hollywood, Los Angeles and New York, Chicago

☆ Barry's CEO went from joining the gym to running the business in 11 years: I 'never expect to know what's next'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Chris Dilella | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

In 2004, at the age of 26, Gonzalez took his first Barry's Bootcamp class in West Hollywood. "I had someone that I was dating at the time kind of challenged me to take a class," Gonzalez recalls. In 1998, entrepreneur Barry Jay established the inaugural Barry's Bootcamp in West Hollywood. And that was really how I like cut my teeth and got, you know, even more obsessed with the business," Gonzalez says. Joey Gonzalez Barry's CEOAfter North Castle Partners invested and named him CEO in 2015, Gonzalez started to build a strong leadership team.

Persons: Joey Gonzalez, Little, Gonzalez, Barry Jay, Barry's, Jonathan, Francesca, Jake, I've, What's Organizations: Entertainment, Barry's, Big Apple, North Castle Partners, Harvard Business School Locations: —, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, New York City, Cuban, Italian, Chicago, Instagram, COVID, Austin, Denver, New York, LA, Frankfurt, Berlin, Copenhagen, San Francisco

☆ The fear driving Hollywood writers to strike — and soon, maybe actors too — is the same one roiling every industry: Robots are coming for our jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Hollywood writers are entering their third month on strike. Film and TV writers say they're among those who have fared the worst as their industry has been remade, even as others reap the rewards. Either way, the bottom line is this: Everyone in Hollywood is afraid that the robots are coming for their jobs, Terminator-style. Now, they're some of the dominant forces controlling new content development in the entertainment industry. Recently, I reported on how the Hollywood writers' strike is dispiriting industry hopefuls at the outset of their careers — you can read it here.

Persons: Everything's, Adam Conover, Ted Sarandos, Bob Iger, Goldman Sachs, You've, We've, Jonathan Handel, Puck, they'll, Zayd Dohrn, —, Dohrn, Reed Alexander Organizations: Morning, NBC, Nickelodeon, Disney, Hollywood, Netflix, Wall, ., Writers Guild of America, Alliance, Television Producers, WGA, Apple, Big Tech, Northwestern University Locations: Hollywood, West Hollywood, Los Angeles and New York, Chicago

☆ 'Not hiding in the shadows anymore': West Hollywood appoints first Drag Laureate
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"This is the death rattle of a movement that just cannot adapt to a changing world and to a community that is saying, 'We're not hiding in the shadows anymore.'" She helped establish and run the Los Angeles Drag Story Hour to spark interest in reading and inclusion among children. Libraries staging drag story hours have faced angry protesters calling for children to be protected from adult entertainment. Pickle, who will be inaugurated as West Hollywood's drag laureate on July 16, will work with D'Arcy Drollinger, recently named San Francisco's Drag Laureate. "I really want to empower drag artists to explore their talents, push themselves and challenge themselves, to really show the world that drag is a powerful, dynamic and intellectual art form," said Pickle.

Persons: Pickle, Christina Cady, D'Arcy Drollinger, Jorge Garcia, Sonali Paul Organizations: West Hollywood, Angeles, Thomson Locations: ANGELES, West, Los Angeles, U.S

☆ 'Vanderpump Rules' star Ariana Madix is selling breakup merch and using sales to fund a sandwich shop
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

"Vanderpump Rules" star Ariana Madix is turning her infamous breakup into one lucrative business after another. During the three-part "Vanderpump Rules" season 10 reunion, which aired in May and June, Madix and fellow castmate Katie Maloney shared that they made about $200,000 after launching merchandise for their upcoming West Hollywood, California sandwich shop, Something About Her. Madix says they launched the collection because fans kept reaching out to ask how they could support her during this difficult time. "It's really incredible that so many supportive people showed up to help us," Maloney said. After filming the reunion, Madix and Maloney decided to once again capitalize on interest in the breakup thanks to something that Sandoval said during the taping.

Persons: Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval, castmate Rachel, Raquel, Leviss, Madix, Katie Maloney, Maloney, Sandoval, Andy Cohen Locations: West Hollywood , California

☆ The founder of the elite sex club Snctm is launching a new 'sensual' restaurant
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Will Gendron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Damon Lawner, the founder of the sex club Snctm, is launching a new venture. Puzzle's owner, Damon Lawner, is best known for founding Snctm, a high-end, members-only sex club frequented by A-listers. Like, I have to tell them that," Lawner told the The Los Angeles Times. This status is open to just 13 people per year — and only one slot remains available, Lawner told Insider. Out of the London-based company's 41 locations, 22 have opened in the last five years, a spokesperson for Soho House told Insider.

Persons: Damon Lawner, —, Lawner, isn't Organizations: Snctm, Service, Los Angeles Times, Soho House Locations: West Hollywood, what's, Lawner, Soho, London, Vicente

☆ How Bravo's 'Vanderpump Rules' and #Scandoval have boosted NBCUniversal's Peacock as streamers increasingly lean into reality TV
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Peacock seized on the recent runaway success of "Vanderpump Rules" to reach new audiences. It also shows the potential for Peacock's reality-TV shows compared to those on other top streamers. The surge shows how Peacock — whose Instagram bio still reads: "Why are you reading this bio instead of watching Vanderpump Rules rn?" Thanks in part to its Bravo catalog, Peacock is in one of the best positions to capitalize on its unscripted TV pile. Recent Parrot Analytics data first published by TVREV shows Peacock had the second-largest US share of demand for unscripted TV programming during Q1, and ample supply.

Persons: Peacock, Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright, Lisa Vanderpump, Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval, Raquel Leviss, we've, I've, TVREV, HBO Max, Scandoval Organizations: West Hollywood, Housewives, Beverly, Bravo, Housewives of, Warner Bros, Discovery, HBO, Netflix, Hulu Locations: West, Beverly Hills, Jersey

☆ Data shows how Bravo's 'Vanderpump Rules' and #Scandoval have boosted NBCUniversal's Peacock as streamers increasingly lean into reality TV
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Peacock seized on the recent runaway success of "Vanderpump Rules" to reach new audiences. Data shows how the streamer's marketing and programming efforts to capitalize on the show's high-profile drama have played out. It also shows the potential for Peacock's reality-TV shows compared to those on other top streamers. The surge shows how Peacock — whose Instagram bio still reads: "Why are you reading this bio instead of watching Vanderpump Rules rn?" Recent Parrot Analytics data first published by TVREV shows Peacock had the second-largest US share of demand for unscripted TV programming during Q1, and ample supply.

☆ Elon Musk subpoena in Epstein-JPMorgan lawsuit can be served to Tesla, judge rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Ghislaine Maxwell and Elon Musk attend the 2014 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter on March 2, 2014 in West Hollywood, California. The Virgin Islands is suing JPMorgan in U.S. District Court in Manhattan for allegedly enabling and financially benefiting from Epstein's sex trafficking of young women. Rakoff, in his order Wednesday, authorized the USVI to "arrange alternative service of its Subpoena to Produce Documents by serving Elon Musk via service upon Tesla Inc.'s registered agent." A Tesla spokesperson told The Times, "It is incorrect to say that Epstein ever advised Elon on anything." Epstein killed himself in August 2019, a month after federal authorities arrested him on an indictment charging him with child sex trafficking.

☆ In Los Angeles, an Indian Chinese Feast Celebrating Female Founders
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Jean Trinh | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Before all of that, though, the women had some cooking to do, with help from chef Akilah York, whom Gao had hired to provide culinary back up. The goal was to kick back while shoring one another up. “We’re going around the table being like, ‘I see you. The guest Yasmine Khatib of the Los Angeles flower studio Yasmine Floral Design provided a trio of pastel arrangements: white vases filled with foxgloves, pincushions, peonies, poppies and alliums. And Shelley Kleyn Armistead, another guest and the chief executive of the Gjelina hospitality group, supplied the speckled white dinner plates from Gjelina’s kitchenware brand, Gjusta Goods.

☆ Billionaires and CEOs descended on Beverly Hills to talk recession, bank failures, and more. Here's the inside track.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Matt Turner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

On the agenda today:But first: The big takeaways from the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) speaks at the 2023 Milken Institute Global Conference Mike Blake/ReutersThe big-money set jetted into LA last week for the Milken Global Conference. Biggest opportunityCampbell: The pullback in lending by banks is raising the hopes of those in the private credit industry. Read more:'Junk fees'Getty ImagesIt goes by many names: an administrative fee, a transaction fee, even a "regulatory compliance" fee. Akash Nigam, the founder and CEO of Genies, who is spending $2,400 a month on ChatGPT accounts for all his employees.

“It was just so original,” she told Reuters, and her co-lead, “Umbrella Academy” actor Ritu Arya, could not agree more. When Lena drops out of art school and quickly gets engaged, Ria and her friends plan a bride-heist of epic proportions. Director Nida Manzoor's first feature film scored a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Critics have praised the quirky martial arts film for its inspiring and unconventional representation of compelling women and girls. “Strong women come from strong women,” Kansara said.

☆ Rwanda is releasing dissident Paul Rusesabagina from prison, the government says. The hero whose story inspired 'Hotel Rwanda' saved over 1,000 people from being massacred in the 1990s.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rwanda announced Friday that it is commuting the 25-year sentence of dissident Paul Rusesabagina. Rusesabagina, whose story inspired the Hollywood movie "Hotel Rwanda," saved over 1,000 people from being killed during the Rwandan genocide in the 1990s. Paul Rusesabagina and his wife Tatiana at an event in West Hollywood in 2005. The Hotel des Mille Collines, known as "Hotel Rwanda," where Rusesabagina sheltered Tutsis. Paul Rusesabagina (left) and actor Don Cheadle (right) at a 2005 press conference for "Hotel Rwanda."

☆ Versace reaches for new heights with starry LA rooftop show
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Kendall Jenner walks the runway during the Versace Fall-Winter 2023 collection fashion show in Los Angeles, California, U.S. March 9, 2023. REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniLOS ANGELES, March 10 (Reuters) - Italian fashion house Versace made its Fall/Winter 2023 show a star-studded affair on Thursday, moving its catwalk from Milan to Los Angeles three days before this year's Oscars ceremony. Held on the roof-top of the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, the open-air show was brought forward by a day due to a heavy rain forecast. Gigi Hadid led models on the runway dressed in a black pencil skirt and power-shouldered blazer. Versace offered denim trousers and jackets for more casual options.

☆ Ben Savage of 'Boy Meets World' launches bid to replace Adam Schiff in Congress
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ben Savage speaks onstage at the Boy Meets World 25th Anniversary Reunion panel during New York Comic Con 2018 at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on October 5, 2018 in New York City. Savage, 42, filed paperwork in January with the Federal Election Commission to run in the 30th Congressional District as a Democrat. The district Savage seeks covers a chunk of LA that includes Hollywood, Burbank and Glendale and is home to major players in the entertainment industry such as Disney Studios and ABC Studios. The biography on Savage's campaign website touches on his experiences in the entertainment industry as a child actor, though it does not specifically mention "Boy Meets World," the show that made him a household name for a generation of Americans. Savage is the younger brother of Fred Savage, who starred in another coming-of-age TV series, "The Wonder Years."

☆ 12 top investors, from Blackstone to TPG, pouring billions into production studios in a long-term bet on Hollywood's content boom
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Institutional investors continue to see gold in Hollywood studios, despite a slowdown in content spending. Just as investors are pouring money into film and TV production companies, they're also doubling down on studio space, betting that the content boom is here to stay. The production real estate arena has attracted giants like Blackstone, which in 2020 acquired 49% of real estate investment trust Hudson Pacific Properties' three Los Angeles-based studios. Also bulking up in Hollywood is Bain Capital Real Estate, which in 2019 created a joint venture with Bardas Investment Group, a West Hollywood real estate development and investment firm. And investors insisted to Insider that their long-term view on the space hasn't darkened, even if high interest rates and a slowdown in new content spending temper activity in the short term.

☆ Luxury developers in Los Angeles bet someone will pay record prices for these condos
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Ray Parisi | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

According to the building's website, the crown-jewel residence delivers almost 13,000 sq ft of indoor living area and nearly 6,000 sq ft of outdoor space. According to Eklund, the package deal brings the total interior footage to somewhere around 13,000 sq ft with an additional 6,000 sq ft outside. Building amenities include an over 12,000 sq ft outdoor area with pool, fireplaces and dining area. Her mega-deal spanned 15,500 sq ft at a price per sq ft of almost $2,250. On Central Park, he said, trophy condos have surpassed $10,000 and even $12,000 a sq ft. "That happens a lot, so is Los Angeles undervalued still?

☆ 7-Eleven is quietly testing self-driving robots to deliver Slurpees and Big Bite Hot Dogs in Los Angeles. Here's how it works.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

7-Eleven is testing autonomous robot deliveries in the Los Angeles area. 7-Eleven has been testing self-driving robots to deliver some of the convenience store chain's most iconic foods and snacks – from Slurpees to Big Bite Hot Dogs. Uber Eats is testing Serve's robots in Los Angeles. The robot deliveries for 7-Eleven can only be made through the 7-Eleven delivery app, dubbed 7Now. Serve Robotics launched in 2017 as a division of Postmates and has been testing its autonomous delivery robots since 2018.

☆ A Compass real-estate agent hired — then quickly fired — a woman after she was accused of taking part in the Capitol riot and linked to COVID-19 denial and anti-LGBTQ rallies
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Compass' official Instagram account said Makowka no longer worked for Townes. This week, after a politically progressive Instagram account reiterated its claims that Makowka was connected to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, Compass' official Instagram account confirmed she was terminated. "It is a fabrication that I stormed the Capitol," Makowka told Insider on Wednesday via Facebook Messenger. Later that day, Compass' official Instagram account commented on the post: "This person is no longer associated with Compass." The Townes team did not respond to requests for comment.

☆ I left Manhattan for LA. It's easier to make friends, my cost of living is lower, and I'm so much happier here.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Daniel Zahler | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

I got the full New York City experienceI lived in Manhattan for 12 years. In 2015, I decided to sublet my West Village pad and spend the winter in Santa Monica. Santa Monica is one of the priciest areas of California, but it's still cheaper than Manhattan. Today I'm paying $3,000 a month for a spacious apartment in the heart of Santa Monica with amazing views of mountains and palm trees. New York City is unrivaled in its energy and diversity and is the major league of cities — truly world-class.

☆ Porn actor Ron Jeremy found mentally incompetent to stand trial for rape
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

David McNew/Pool via REUTERSLOS ANGELES, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Porn star Ron Jeremy was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial in Los Angeles on rape and other sex charges involving 21 women, City News Service reported on Tuesday. Jeremy, 69, pleaded not guilty in August 2021 to more than 30 counts of sexual assault, including 12 of rape, in the Los Angeles area over a 23-year period. Goldfarb and a representative for the Los Angeles District Attorney's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters on Tuesday. A hearing on whether to place Jeremy in a state hospital will be held next month, the Associated Press said. The alleged offenses took place at night clubs and bars in the Los Angeles area, during a photo shoot, and at Jeremy's home, the District Attorney's office said.

☆ Comedian Andy Dick accused of public intoxication, failing to register as a sex offender
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Tim Stelloh | Tim Stelloh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Actor and comedian Andy Dick was accused Friday of public intoxication and failing to register as a sex offender, authorities said. Jail records show he was booked just before 1 a.m. and released roughly two hours later. An attorney who represented Dick in the case, Daniel Kapelovitz, called the case “totally bogus” and said at the time that his client is often falsely accused. In a separate case, Dick was accused of groping a ride-share driver in April 2018 in West Hollywood. As part of the case, Dick was required to register as a sex offender and complete 52 Alcoholics Anonymous sessions, among other terms, according to the Times.

Gay men, who have arguably been the lifeblood of “The Real Housewives” fanbase, will finally get a drama-filled reality TV show they can call their own. On Thursday, MTV announced it is launching on Jan. 20 “The Real Friends of WeHo,” which will follow six gay friends living in Los Angeles' premiere gayborhood, West Hollywood. “If you like the wives, don't miss these new house guys,” a narrator says in the trailer, in what appeared to be a nod to Bravo's “Real Housewives” franchise. “Went ahead and preemptively muted 'the real friends of weho' from my timeline,” one Twitter user wrote. '” But, she later added, “I will also be honest and say that I will probably be watching the show.”“The Real Friends of WeHo” premieres Jan. 20 on MTV at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

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