Kevin Conroy Known For Voicing The Titular Character In Batman: The Animated Series Dies At 66

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Kevin Conroy, the voice of Batman for three decades of animated TV, specials and video games, died Thursday. He was 66.

His death was announced by his rep Gary Miereanu and Warner Bros. A cause was not disclosed, but he reportedly had been battling cancer.

In a statement, Warner Bros. Animation said it “is saddened by the loss of our dear friend Kevin Conroy. His iconic performance of Batman will forever stand among the greatest portrayals of the Dark Knight in any medium. We send our warmest thoughts to his loved ones and join fans around the world in honoring his legacy.”

An actor with credits on stage, television and film, Conroy became a premier voice actor as the title character of Batman: The Animated Series (1992-96). He’d eventually give voice to the Dark Knight in nearly 60 different productions, including 15 films and more than 15 animated series spanning nearly 400 episodes and more than 100 hours of television.

Conroy also voiced Batman in dozens of video games and was featured as a live-action Bruce Wayne in the Arrowverse’s 2019-20 “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event.

“Kevin was perfection,” said Mark Hamill, who voiced the Joker opposite Conroy’s Batman. “He was one of my favorite people on the planet, and I loved him like a brother. He truly cared for the people around him – his decency shone through everything he did. Every time I saw him or spoke with him, my spirits were elevated.”

In recent years, Conroy was a fixture on the convention circuit.

“Kevin was far more than an actor whom I had the pleasure of casting and directing – he was a dear friend for 30+ years whose kindness and generous spirit knew no boundaries,” said casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano. “Kevin’s warm heart, delightfully deep laugh and pure love of life will be with me forever.”

Born on November 30, 1955, in Westbury, NY, and raised in Westport, CT, Conroy attended The Juilliard School and, under the tutelage of John Houseman, studied alongside Christopher Reeve and Frances Conroy. He was, at one point, a roommate of Robin Williams.

Conroy began his stage career following in both New York and at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, playing Hamlet at the 1984 New York Shakespeare Festival.

On TV, he had recurring roles in Dynasty, Tour of Duty and Ohara and appeared on the soaps Search for Tomorrow and Another World. He had guest roles on Cheers, Murphy Brown, Spenser: For Hire and Matlock.

His voice acting career took off with Batman: The Animated Series, which debuted on September 5, 1992. Conroy’s association with the Dark Knight would continue with Batman Beyond and Justice League/Justice League Unlimited, Batman: the Killing Joke, Batman: Gotham Knight, Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero and Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman.

“Kevin was a brilliant actor,” Hamill said in his statement. “For several generations, he has been the definitive Batman. It was one of those perfect scenarios where they got the exact right guy for the exact right part, and the world was better for it. His rhythms and subtleties, tones and delivery – that all also helped inform my performance. He was the ideal partner – it was such a complementary, creative experience. I couldn’t have done it without him. He will always be my Batman.”

Conroy is survived by his husband Vaughn C. Williams, sister Trisha Conroy, and brother Tom Conroy.

VH1 Is Making A Comeback On International Shores Through BET

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VH1 started life as a music channel for older demos but gradually shifted towards reality TV, and more recently has targeted the African American audience. Bakish said:

“This strategic alignment will ensure VH1 − a leader in multi-cultural programming and the second largest US cable network for Black viewership − is best positioned for future success as a key part of the powerful BET ecosystem under the leadership of Scott Mills. Scott and his team continue to drive the evolution and growth of BET by building an interconnected set of leading platforms – linear, streaming, digital and studios – centered around the Black Community, Black Culture and Content.”

Bakish acknowledged the contribution of the MTV Entertainment Studios team under the leadership of Chris McCarthy and Nina L. Diaz, “who, for the past five years, have rebuilt the VH1 brand and produced powerful hit franchises from Black Ink Crew and Love & Hip Hop to RuPaul’s Drag Race. As Chris and his team continue to focus on integrating SHOWTIME and globalising the Media Networks Group, they’ll also partner with the BET teams to continue producing several of the existing hit shows on VH1.”

VH1 reaches approximately 90m households in the US but has gradually been phased out or rebranded with MTV variants around the world. BET, however, is going strong as a channel and streaming brand. Streaming service BET+ was launched as a JV between Paramount and Tyler Perry Studios in 2019, and has been growing fast.

The Search Is On For Africa's Next WWE Superstar, Entries Close By Mid December

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WWE in conjunction with its Sub-Saharan Africa broadcast partner SuperSport, has announced a continent-wide talent search to find Africa’s next WWE Superstar. The campaign was announced today in Lagos, Nigeria, the host city for a multi-day tryout in February 2023.

“The Search for Africa’s Next WWE Superstar” will begin today and is open to citizens of any African country. Submissions will be accepted until December 18. Learn more about the application process at www.supersport.com/WWEAfricaSuperstar.

Interested candidates will be asked to submit a video highlighting their potential to become a WWE Superstar. Successful applicants will be invited to participate in the Lagos tryout in February 2023. A select number of tryout participants will then be awarded an all-expenses-paid experience to continue their tryout journey alongside current and prospective WWE Superstars ahead of WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles in April 2023. A fulltime WWE developmental contract may be offered to the top-performing participants who will then begin their new career at the world-class WWE Performance Centre in Orlando, Florida.

“Africa is a focal point of our renewed global talent recruitment strategy and this initiative in Lagos will launch what we envision becoming a year-round, multi-country effort to cultivate relationships and identify talent that will resonate with our passionate and loyal African fanbase,” said James Kimball, WWE Head of Talent Operations and Strategy. “The region has incredible potential to serve as a meaningful talent development hub for WWE and we look forward to working with our tremendous partners at SuperSport to uncover the next generation of Superstars through this program.”

“The continent abounds with athletes and Africa has had several WWE Superstars, so this is the perfect opportunity to showcase fresh new talent,” said Marc Jury, Chief Executive of SuperSport. “As there is a massive appetite among African audiences for WWE action and entertainment, we expect this initiative to be very popular with aspirants. SuperSport looks forward to telling this exciting story in the weeks and months to come.”

Last week, WWE and MultiChoice announced a major broadcast partnership that will see Showmax – the leading streaming service available in the region – become the new home of WWE Network in Africa. The partnership incorporates all WWE Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania, as well as WWE Network’s vast library of original and archived programming available to stream on-demand by more people in Africa from early 2023 on Showmax, Africa’s most loved streaming service.

SuperSport, the sport broadcasting subsidiary of video entertainment platform MultiChoice, will continue to broadcast live weekly episodes of Raw®, SmackDown® and NXT® as well as all of WWE’s Premium Live Events in a multi-year extension.

The Truth About Michael Jackson's Stranger In Moscow

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A ballad about a man merely trying to have his voice heard while by being crucified by the press.

“Stranger in Moscow” exemplifies Michael Jackson not as ‘The King of Pop,’ but simply as a man in a foreign land disconnected from the world.

“Stranger in Moscow” was written in a hotel room in Moscow, possibly between September 13–16, 1993, while Michael was on his Dangerous World Tour. The song would be released as the final single off the HIStory album in November, 1996. It is perhaps Michael’s most personal song, as his lyrics are direct and in the first person.

“Stranger in Moscow”

“I was wandering in the rain
Mask of life, feelin’ insane
Swift and sudden fall from grace
Sunny days seem far away
Kremlin’s shadow belittlin’ me
Stalin’s tomb won’t let me be
On and on and on it came
Wish the rain would just let me”

The opening verse speaks of a “mask of life,” a clear reference to isolation and despair which so often accompanies fame and fortune. Michael’s “fall from grace” refers to how the pop-star would be ridiculed, victimized and deemed a criminal by the press once the allegations of child abuse broke in 1993.

Up until this point, Michael was at the height of his success and in the midst of his record-breaking Dangerous World Tour. In response to the allegations, Michael recorded a statement from his Neverland Ranch which was televised worldwide on December 22, 1993. Of the media’s damaging treatment Jackson stated:

“I will say I am particularly upset by the handling of this mass matter by the incredible, terrible mass media. At every opportunity, the media has dissected and manipulated these allegations to reach their own conclusions. I ask all of you to wait to hear the truth before you label or condemn me. Don’t treat me like a criminal, because I am innocent.”

Michael has always had an indifferent relationship with the media. As he would suggest later in his career, “The bigger the star, the bigger the target.”

In an interview with Barbara Walters in Paris, 1997, Michael declared he disliked the name ‘Wacko Jacko’ — a name the mainstream and tabloid press often used from the mid 1980s:

Wacko Jacko — where’d that come from? Some English tabloid. I have a heart and I have feelings. I feel that when you do that to me. It’s not nice. Don’t do it. I’m not a wacko.

However, with the allegations directed at Michael in the summer of 1993, the media now had ammunition for a full character assassination despite the fact a police officer stated to the LA Times:

“No evidence (medical, photographic or video) could be found that would support a criminal filing.”

The media before 1993, were already invasive of Michael’s privacy, relationships and his changing physical appearance, as Michael suggested in “Leave me Alone”, but once the allegations were in the public domain, the mainstream and tabloid media went on the attack:

The New York Post on its front-page declared, Peter Pan or Pervert? August 23, 1993.

Newsweek on its cover page questioned of Michael, Is He Dangerous or Off the Wall? September 6, 1993.

Time stated, Michael Jackson: Who’s Bad? September 6, 1993.

As the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour was canceled, Michael retreated from the public eye in late November of 1993, in an attempt to end his drug dependency. Michael released an audio statement to the press:

“I was humiliated, embarrassed, hurt and suffering great pain in my heart. The pressure resulting from these false allegations, coupled with the incredible energy necessary for me to perform caused so much distress that it left me physically and emotionally exhausted. I became increasingly more dependent to the painkillers to get me through the days of the tour."

However, the media gave no sympathy to Michael whose emotional and physical health was at risk. Instead, the embattled star became the subject of taunts and ridicule:

The Daily Mirror held a “Spot the Jacko” contest which offered readers a vacation to Disney World. News of the World ran the headline, Hunt for Jacko the Fugitive. The Sunday Express headline read, Drug Treatment Star Faces Life on the Run.

How Does ‘It’ Feel?

In the chorus of “Stranger in Moscow,” Michael repeatedly asked the listener, “How does it feel?” What Michael is referring to is a question he has been asked so many times:

How does it feel to have the biggest selling album of all time? How does it feel to be admired by so many? How does it feel to be wealthy and famous? How does it feel to be so talented? How does to feel, Michael asks, “When you’re alone and you’re cold inside.”

“Here abandoned in my fame
Armageddon of the brain
KGB was doggin’ me
Take my name and just let me be
Then a begger boy called my name
Happy days will drown the pain
On and on and on it came
And again, and again, and again…
Take my name and just let me be”
Michael suggests it all means nothing when you feel isolated, disconnected and alone.

“Just Let Me Be”

Deemed a criminal, a forsaken man, Michael repeatedly asks the media to separate his celebrity persona from his true self. Michael is asking for privacy and for the public and media to understand that behind his image he is a man.

“Stranger in Moscow” concludes with lyrics spoken in Russian. The lyrics spoken by an unnamed individual lend to the feeling of paranoia, despair, fear and isolation of “Stranger in Moscow”, a ballad about a man merely trying to have his voice heard while by being crucified by the press.

Credits: MJ Beats

Poltergeist: A 1980s Classic Became Known As Hollywood's Most "Cursed" Film Following The Untimely Death Of A 12-Year-Old Actress

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Not only is Steven Spielberg's Poltergeist regarded as one of the most terrifying horror films of all time, it's also known as the most "cursed" film in Hollywood.

Shrouded in superstition following a handful of mysterious cast deaths, the 1982 film's grim history has followed it through decades – even casting fear over the critically reviled 2015 remake.

The "Poltergeist curse", as it's become known, came about after four of the cast members died of mysterious circumstances – the most shocking being that of Heather O'Rourke – the cherubic 12-year-old childstar who played protagonist Carol Anne in all three Poltergeist films, as well as Heather Pfister in Happy Days.

THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY

Set in a house built on an ancient Native American burial ground, the original Poltergeist trilogy told the terrifying story of the Freeling family and their encounters with the supernatural.

Gifted with a connection to the spiritual world, the youngest daughter, Carol Anne (O'Rourke), was haunted by the malicious spirits buried beneath her home, including that of a sadistic doomsday cult leader named Kane

It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on June 4, 1982 and was a commercial success, grossing $1.13 million in the United States, making it the highest-grossing horror film of 1982 and eighth overall for the year.

The film's special effects – inventive for its era – makes it frequently ranked among the greatest horror films of all time.

BEGINNINGS OF "THE CURSE"

Many believe the "Poltergeist Curse" began the same year the first movie was released.

Actress Dominique Young, who made her film debut in Poltergeist as the elder sister of Carol Anne, died a violent death shortly after its release in 1983.

She was strangled to death by her boyfriend, John Thomas Sweeney.

According to a New York Times article, Young was put on life support after the attack but passed away five days later.

Sweeney was later found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, according to a 1983 article from The Freelance Star.

JULIAN BECK

It was the actor who played Carol Anne's most intimidating spirit, doomsday cult leader Kane, who died next.

Julian Beck, who played Kane in Poltergeist II sadly did not live to see the release of the sequel.
He was 60 when he lost a battle with stomach cancer on September 14, 1985, according to The New York Times.

WILL SAMPSON

The third in the spooky string of deaths associated with the film was of the man who portrayed a friendly ghost named Taylor in the second Polergeist film, Will Sampson.

Sampson died on June 3, 1987, aged 53, after of an illness caused by a chronic degenerative condition, according to The Herald Journal.

HEATHER O'ROURKE'S DEATH

It was the unexpected nature of Heather O'Rourke's death which led many to believe the "Poltergeist Curse" was real.

Known for adorable, blue-eyed angelic looks and her creepy delivery of the line; "They're here" in the first film of the series, it was largely O'Rourke's chilling performance that made the film iconic.
At 12 years old, she passed away suddenly.

The actress died in surgery when doctors were attempting to repair an acute bowel obstruction, caused by what was believed to be a long battle with Crohn's disease, the LA Times reported.

The young address was tragically pronounced dead after suffering septic shock, on February 1, 1988.

Turkish Couple Edits Presents Verdeelde Liefde's Zeynep & Mehdi ღ Aciyor

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Turkish Couple Edits a YouTube channel which distributes a variety of music videos based on couples within a number of telenovelas. Part of which can be viewed on eExtra: #DisComplicated and Verdeelde Liefde.

Here's another music video this time for the show
Verdeelde Liefde:

For those wondering what song is used in the video it's called Aciyor and performed by Göksel.

TheOdd1sOut Presents The Spiders And The Bees

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Robert James Rallison (born May 14, 1996), known online as TheOdd1sOut, is an American cartoonist, YouTuber, animator, author, and voice actor. He is known for producing storytime animations on his YouTube channel and being the co-creator and co-star of the animated Netflix series Oddballs.

As of January 7, 2021, Rallison's main YouTube channel had over 16 million subscribers, and his secondary channel had over 2.7 million subscribers.

In 2017, Dave Trumbore of Collider named Rallison one of five YouTubers who were "poised for mainstream success". In 2018, Kristin Brantley of Culturess reviewed his channel and webcomics favorably, writing, "You’ll be glued to the screen watching all of these hilarious clips and reading all his great comics."

Roundups #109: Not So Un...Fortunate Love Is Finally Airing On Zee World, TLNovelas' Love Spell Makes Its Debut On NTV Uganda And eExtra's Vierspeel Vuurspel Getting Romanian Adaptation

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The twisted fates of Zee World

It was teased earlier in the year and trust the channel to wait for the year to almost end before we can finally get an update on anything regarding Unfortunate Love with the series slated for Saturday 5 November during Guddan's second double bill at 20:00 CAT.

Unfortunate Love tells the story of a small-town girl who will believe in dreams and love. She gets married to a young billionaire and her hopes will be shattered when she will learn that their marriage is part of a deal between their families.

Aishwarya Khare and Rohit Suchanti take on the lead roles of Lakshmi Rishi Oberoi (née Bajwa) and Rishi Oberoi. Other supporting characters include Munira Kudrati as Shalini “Shalu” Bajwa, Aman Gandhi as Ayushmann “Ayush” Chopra and Maera Mishra as Malishka Bedi.

A rerun of Love Spell is coming to NTV Uganda

For those who were struggling to watch the channel during its early days on DStv, good news folks as Love Spell starring Jacqueline Bracamontes and William Levy as main protagonists joins another list of shows you'd probably haven't seen will finally air on your local stations.

Alejandro returns home after a terrible accident to discover that he is married to Maria Jose, a poor, innocent girl who was deceived by Alejandro's brother Bruno. Bruno used Alejandro's name to marry Maria Jose, soon after he sent to kill his brother in hopes that Maria Jose would inherit Alejandro's fortune. But when Maria Jose arrives at the mansion she realizes that Bruno lied to her and used her. She is also scared when Alejandro is found alive and returns home.

Doctors tell Alejandro that he suffers from memory loss but he is convinced he never met Maria Jose before and goes in search of the truth, but during this time and Maria Jose actually fall in love, while Bruno and Maura (Alejandro's ex-girlfriend) plot to break them up. Meanwhile, the brothers' mother Victoria has fallen in love with Fernando--Alejandro's best friend, so closer to his age than hers.

Vierspel Vuurspel (Insider) is getting more love

Production is underway on a Romanian adaptation of Turkish crime drama Insider, under a scripted format deal between CME-owned commercial broadcaster Pro TV and distributor Eccho Rights.

The Romanian version, titled The Clan, follows an undercover police officer tasked with infiltrating a crime gang but whose work is complicated by his personal relationships on the other side of the law. The original Turkish series was produced for Show TV by prodco Ay Yapim.

“Insider was a giant hit, not just here in Turkey but all around the world,” said Handan Özkubat, director of Turkish drama at CJ ENM-owned Eccho Rights. “With Pro TV’s brilliant track record in script adaptation and commitment to bringing a unique take on existing fantastic stories, we are in no doubt that The Clan will be just as successful.”

Roundups #108: PBS Kids Banks On Civics And Shorts, What To Expect In December 2022 On Comedy Central Africa? And Turkish Adaptation To New Amsterdam Launches In 2023

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PBS KIDS has greenlit a new series of animated shorts focused on teaching kids about civics

City Island (20 x three minutes) will put a spotlight on topics such as city planning, how communities work and conflict resolution. New York-based Augenblick Studios and Future Brain Media are producing the shorts, which will launch on PBS KIDS in December 2022 and January 2023.

Aaron Augenblick (The Jellies! ) created the 2D-animated series for ages six to 10. Episodes follow the young lightbulb Watt as she learns about how cities run, what roles businesses like libraries and airports play, and how to solve problems.

Civics is a growing trend in the kids industry, with Netflix ordering the animated musical series We The People (10 x three minutes) from Chris Nee and executive produced by the Obama’s Higher Ground Productions. Launched in 2021, it features original songs that break down concepts like taxes and the first amendment for kids and teens. Meanwhile, the Jim Henson Company is developing Citizen Squad, a live-action one-off that encourages kids to be good citizens in their community.

What to expect this festive season on Comedy Central?

SPECIALS
MARTIN LAWRENCE LIVE: RUNTELDAT
SATURDAY 20:00 31 DECEMBER
Join Comedy Central for a night of laughter with famous Comedian and Actor Martin Lawrence in his concert film : Martin Lawrence's RunTelDat tour, it showcases his take on critics, sex and his 1999 brush with death in a filmed concert performance.​

SEASON 28
THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH
TUESDAYS - FRIDAYS
1 – 16 DECEMBER @ 23:30
South African born host, Trevor Noah delivers satirical news related to the international and American political matters in an entertaining way. This will be the final episodes of The Daily Show with Trevor as the host.

HOLIDAY MOVIE FESTIVAL
ENJOY A RANGE OF COMEDY AND CHRISTMAS MOVIES
EVERY SATURDAY
@ 20:00 THIS DECEMBER
SISTER ACT
BAD COMPANY
A HIP HOPFAMILY CHRISTMAS 1 & 2
ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS
CURSED FRIENDSFOREVER
A DIVA’S CHRISTMAS CAROL
RENO 911 –IT’S A WONDERFUL HEIST

NBCUniversal in association with 03 Medya welcome a new medical drama

The Turkish adaptation Hayat Bugün, meaning “Life Is Today,” will be produced by 03 Medya in association with Universal International Studios. Original show creator David Schulner is consulting on the series. It is scheduled to air in Turkey on Show TV in 2023.

The series will follow Dr. Bariş, the newly appointed chief of medicine at one of Turkey’s most famous and oldest public hospitals, as he works to reform the neglected facility by tearing up its bureaucracy to provide exceptional care to patients using creative solutions.

The original New Amsterdam was inspired by Dr. Eric Manheimer’s memoir Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital and his 15 years as medical director at the hospital. It was created for television by Schulner, who has also served as executive producer alongside Peter Horton. Produced by Mount Moriah, Pico Creek Productions and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.