Category: Business

  • Celebrities who died in 2024

    Glynis Johns in a dress
    Glynis Johns was best known for starring in 1964's "Mary Poppins."

    • Here are the famous people who died in 2024.
    • O.J. Simpson, Glynis Johns, Carl Weathers, Chita Rivera, Dabney Coleman, Donald Sutherland, and Louis Gossett Jr. passed away.
    • So did broadcaster Charles Osgood, fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, producer Roger Corman, NBA legend Jerry West, and MLB Hall of Famer Willie Mays.

    Below, we look back at those we lost in 2024.

    Seth Binzer (aka Shifty Shellshock)
    Shifty Shellshock putting his hands to his chest
    Shifty Shellshock.

    With his tattoos, frosted tips, and high energy, Crazy Town lead singer Shifty Shellshock was the epitome of the late 1990s-early 2000s rap-rock front man.

    With that also came a hit song: 1999's "Butterfly," which hit No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was a staple on the radio and MTV's "Total Request Live."

    By 2003, the band had disbanded, and despite an attempt to reunite a few years later, Crazy Town was relegated to one-hit-wonder status.

    Shifty Shellshock, whose real name is Seth Binzer, appeared on the first season of VH1's "Celebrity Rehab" in 2007 and the spin-off "Celebrity Rehab Presents Sober House" a few years later.

    Binzer died in a Los Angeles residence on June 24, according to USA Today. No cause was given.

    Eric Carmen, 74
    Eric Carmen with a cigarette in his mouth
    Eric Carmen.

    Carmen was a rock ballad king whose songs still get constant play to this day.

    "All by Myself" was a hit in the mid-1970s. It became an even bigger hit when Celine Dion did her own rendition in 1996.

    The Grammy-nominated "Almost Paradise" from the soundtrack to the hit 1984 movie "Footloose" became a staple at school dances and weddings.

    Carmen repeated the feat when his song "Hungry Eyes" showed up on the soundtrack for the 1987 classic "Dirty Dancing."

    Carmen's death was announced on his website on March 12, stating he "passed away in his sleep, over the weekend." No cause was given.

    Roberto Cavalli, 83
    Roberto Cavalli sitting down wearing a jacket and scarf
    Roberto Cavalli.

    The Italian fashion designer was known for his flamboyant designs and game-changing innovations.

    Cavalli's use of leopard prints beginning in the 1970s became one of his trademarks. His revolutionary method of printing leather and patchwork denim was beloved by everyone from Madonna to Gwyneth Paltrow.

    Cavalli died on April 12. No cause of death was given.

    Dabney Coleman, 92
    Dabney Coleman with arms crossed
    Dabney Coleman.

    Dabney Coleman became a captivating scene stealer in the 1980s thanks to his gruff demeanor and booming voice. Whether he was playing the mean boss opposite Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin in 1980's "9 to 5," or the nasty TV producer in "Tootsie," or chasing Matthew Broderick in "WarGames," Coleman had a talent for playing the heel.

    The Emmy winner most recently starred in the HBO hit series Boardwalk Empire from 2011 to 2014 and a 2019 episode of Yellowstone.

    Coleman died on May 16. No cause was given.

    Eleanor Coppola, 87
    Francis Ford Coppola and Eleanor Coppola holding hands on the red carpet
    Francis Ford Coppola and Eleanor Coppola at the 76th Academy Awards in 2004.

    As the wife of Francis Ford Coppola, Eleanor had to navigate the stress and complexities of living with one of the greatest directors of all time.

    She channeled that by filming her husband while he made his landmark 1979 Vietnam movie "Apocalypse Now."

    Her documentary, "Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse," has gone down as one of the most honest accounts of the making of a movie.

    Eleanor died on April 12. No cause of death was given.

    Roger Corman, 98
    Roger Corman leaning on a red chair
    Roger Corman.

    To say Roger Corman was the king of B-movies is too simple of a characterization.

    For decades, Corman made ultra-low-budget genre movies that featured everything from cheesy monsters to crazed bikers. Corman-produced titles almost always made a profit, and many of them became proving grounds for the directors and actors who would go on to change Hollywood.

    After directing the 1967 acid-trip fantasia "The Trip" starring Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda and written by Jack Nicholson, the trio went on to make "Easy Rider," which would usher in the New Hollywood era of the 1970s.

    Corman also produced titles directed by then-unknowns like Francis Ford Coppola, James Cameron, and Martin Scorsese before they went on to mainstream studio success.

    Corman died on May 9 at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., surrounded by family members.

    Joe Flaherty, 82
    Joe Flaherty leaning on the shoulder of Eugene Levy
    (L-R) Joe Flaherty and Eugene Levy on the set of "SCTV."

    As one of the original cast members of the Canadian sketch comedy show "SCTV" in the late 1970s, Joe Flaherty — alongside the likes of John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas, Andrea Martin, Martin Short, and Rick Moranis — created a brand of comedy that was edgier and more outlandish than their competition "Saturday Night Live."

    In later decades, Flaherty made scene-stealing appearances as the Western Union worker who gives Marty McFly the 70-year-old letter from Doc Brown in "Back to the Future Part II" and the heckler Donald in "Happy Gilmore."

    He was also a regular on TV through the decades, with roles in "Married… with Children," "Freaks and Geeks," and "The King of Queens."

    Flaherty died on April 1 following a brief illness.

    Louis Gossett Jr.
    Louis Gossett Jr. in a tuxedo holding his Oscar over his head
    Louis Gossett Jr. holding his best supporting actor Oscar.

    Born in Brooklyn, New York, Louis Gossett Jr. made his stage debut at 17. After building his craft onstage through the 1960s, Gossett Jr. made the jump to screen and in 1977 was cast in the acclaimed miniseries "Roots" opposite the likes of Ben Vereen, LeVar Burton, and John Amos. He went on to win an Emmy for his performance as Fiddler.

    He was nominated for seven more Emmys after that, most recently in 2020 for playing William Reeves in the HBO limited series "Watchmen."

    He made history in 1983 when he won an Oscar for best supporting actor for his portrayal of the strict drill instructor Emil Foley in "An Officer and a Gentleman." It would mark the first time a Black actor won the prize in that category.

    Gossett Jr. went on to star in hit movies and TV shows like "The Principal," "Toy Soldiers," "Iron Eagle," and "Boardwalk Empire."

    Gossett Jr. died on March 29. No cause was given.

    Norman Jewison, 97
    Norman Jewison in a button-down shirt
    Norman Jewison.

    The legendary director was best known for his eclectic filmography that included the drama "In the Heat of the Night," the musical "Fiddler of the Roof," and the beloved comedy "Moonstruck," all of which garnered him best director nominations at the Oscars.

    The Canadian filmmaker's specialty was getting top-notch performances out of A-list actors like Steve McQueen ("The Thomas Crown Affair") and Denzel Washington ("The Hurricane").

    It often led to Oscar glory for his movies and their stars. Twelve actors received nominations over his 40-year career, with five of his movies earning best picture noms.

    Jewison died on January 20. No cause of death was given.

    Glynis Johns, 100
    Glynis Johns in a black dress with her arms crossed
    Glynis Johns.

    The English actor starred in over 60 films and 30 plays, and is known best for playing Mrs. Banks in the beloved 1964 Disney movie "Mary Poppins."

    Legend has it that Johns originally thought she landed the role of Poppins. To let her down easy, Walt Disney made sure that she got to sing a big musical number in the movie. It led to the famous "Sister Suffragette" sequence.

    In 1973, Johns' breathy voice caught the attention of legendary composer Stephen Sondheim, who cast her in the original Broadway production of "A Little Night Music." Sondheim wrote "Send in the Clowns," the song she performs, with her in mind. Johns would earn a Tony Award for her performance.

    She was also nominated for an Oscar for her work in "The Sundowners" (1960).

    Johns died on January 4. No cause of death was given.

    Toby Keith, 62
    Toby Keith tipping his hat
    Toby Keith.

    Keith became prominent in the 1990s thanks to his hit single "Should've Been a Cowboy."

    It would make him one of the decade's top draws in country music.

    Keith released 19 studio albums, two Christmas albums, and dozens of songs that topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts in his career.

    Keith died on February 5 following a bout with stomach cancer.

    Richard Lewis, 76
    Richard Lewis in pajamas in bed holding a book
    Richard Lewis.

    In an era in the 1970s where stand-up comedy could be a path to superstardom, Richard Lewis was one of the biggest acts.

    Often dressed in black and holding his hand up to his temple, his self-deprecating and neurotic style made him a constant visitor to Johnny Carson's "The Tonight Show."

    By the 1980s, he hit it big on TV, starring opposite Jamie Lee Curtis on the series "Anything but Love," which ran for four seasons.

    His movie credits include the Mel Brooks comedy "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," "Leaving Las Vegas," and John Candy's final role before his death, 1994's "Wagons East." Lewis has said Candy's death was one of the things that finally got him sober.

    Lewis introduced himself to a new generation when Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" premiered on HBO in 2000. For 11 seasons, Lewis played a fictional version of himself as one of David's friends. Though he didn't return as a series regular for the series' final season, season 12, he popped up in a cameo in an episode that aired on February 18.

    Back in April, Lewis revealed via a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and would be retiring from stand-up comedy after undergoing four surgeries.

    Lewis died on February 27 of a heart attack in his Los Angeles home.

    Willie Mays, 93
    Willie Mays in a Giants uniform making a leaping catch
    Willie Mays.

    Regarded as one of the greatest baseball players who ever lived, Willie Mays was astounding to watch.

    He could hit and catch, had speed, and pulled off amazing feats that are still remarkable to this day.

    One of his most memorable plays happened in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series, which is simply known as "The Catch."

    Mays' New York Giants were facing the Cleveland Indians at the Polo Grounds in New York. With the score tied 2-2 in the eighth inning and runners on base, Indians player Vic Wertz hit a towering 420-foot blast to dead center that in today's baseball would be deep in the seats for a homerun. But due to the Polo Grounds' massive outfield, it was in play, and Mays used practically all of it to track down the ball on the run with an incredible over-the-shoulder catch and then threw it into the infield quickly so no runner could score. The Giants went on to win the game in extra innings 5-2, and would go on to win the World Series. Many still regard Mays' catch as one of the greatest moments in baseball history.

    Mays would go on to play 21 seasons with the Giants before being traded to the New York Mets for the 1972-73 season, which would be his last. He finished his career with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs.

    He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

    Mays died on June 18, no cause was given.

    Cindy Morgan, 69
    Cindy Morgan in a dark shirt
    Cindy Morgan.

    A 1980s icon, Morgan found instant stardom in her film debut playing the stunning Lacey opposite Chevy Chase in the classic 1980 comedy "Caddyshack."

    Two years later, she found herself in another iconic work, Disney's "Tron." As Dr. Lora Baines in the real world and Yori, who helps Jeff Bridges after he's sucked into the game world, Morgan once again showed she can shine opposite Hollywood's biggest leading men.

    Though Morgan worked steadily the rest of her career, including a multi-episode run on the soap opera "Falcon Crest," she'll be forever known for her performances in two of the biggest movies of the '80s.

    Morgan's death was first reported on January 6, though she died on December 30, 2023. No cause of death was given.

    Charles Osgood, 91
    Charles Osgood in a bowtie
    Charles Osgood.

    The face of "CBS Sunday Morning" for over two decades, Osgood became a fixture in Americans' homes at the end of every weekend thanks to his wit, calming demeanor, and that bow tie.

    Osgood had been at CBS since the early 1970s, first as a reporter, then the anchor of the "CBS Sunday Night News" from 1981 to 1987. From 1987 to 1992, he was often on "CBS This Morning."

    In 1994, he became the face of "Sunday Morning," replacing Charles Kuralt. He would go on to earn two Daytime Emmys and a Peabody for his work on the show. He ended his run 2016, passing the reins to Jane Pauley.

    Osgood died on January 23 after suffering from dementia.

    Chance Perdomo, 27
    Chance Perdomo in a cream jacket
    Chance Perdomo.

    Perdomo was a rising star in Hollywood, having starred in Netflix's reboot "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" and "The Boys" spinoff "Gen V."

    The British-American actor died on March 30 as a result of a motorcycle accident, his publicist confirmed.

    Tamayo Perry, 49
    Tamayo Perry in a pirate costume holding a sword
    Tamayo Perry in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."

    Perry, a professional surfer, appeared on screen in 2002's "Blue Crush" and 2011's "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."

    Perry died on June 23 after being attacked by a shark while surfing off the island of Oahu in Hawaii, according to the Associated Press. He was brought to shore by paramedics and pronounced dead at the scene.

    Chita Rivera, 91
    Chita Rivera demonstrates her dance routines for a show in New York City
    Chita Rivera.

    Rivera was a Broadway legend who originated some of the stage's most memorable characters, including Anita in "West Side Story," Velma Kelly in "Chicago," and Rose in "Bye Bye Birdie." She would go on to be nominated for 10 Tony Awards and win twice.

    With Broadway credits spanning seven decades, Rivera's singing and dancing shaped generations of performers.

    Rivera died on January 30 following a brief illness.

    Marian Robinson, 86
    Marian Robinson
    Marian Robinson.

    Former First Lady Michelle Obama's mother, Marian Robinson, was often described as the matriarch of the White House during the Obama administration, but the Chicago-born daughter of seven never felt quite at home on Pennsylvania Avenue, according to her family.

    "The trappings and glamour of the White House were never a great fit for Marian Robinson," a statement from former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and other family members said. "'Just show me how to work the washing machine and I'm good,' she'd say."

    Robinson's death was announced on May 31.

    A cause and place of death was not revealed.

    O.J. Simpson, 76
    O.J. Simpson on a movie set
    O.J. Simpson.

    O.J. Simpson had a life of high highs and low lows.

    Finding fame initially on the football field, he became one of the greatest running backs ever to play in the NFL in the 1970s. He had an MVP season in 1973 when he set a single-season rushing record and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1985 after his retirement.

    He was set to live out his days as a hero and grow even more famous thanks to endorsements, movie roles, and broadcasting.

    But all of that changed in June of 1994 after his ex-wife Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman were found stabbed to death outside her condo. Days later, Simpson, who was a person of interest in the murders, led Los Angeles police on a slow-speed chase in his Ford Bronco, finally giving up when he got back to his home.

    Simpson's televised trial for the deaths of Nicole and Goldman a year later became one of the biggest spectacles in modern-day American history.

    Simpson was acquitted of the murders, was found guilty in civil court in 1997.

    The story of Simpson's incredible rise and fall still fascinates people to this day. The 2016 ESPN docuseries "O.J.: Made in America" won an Oscar and Emmy, and Ryan Murphy's 2016 scripted series "The People vs. O.J.: American Crime Story" won eight Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes.

    Simpson died on April 10. He had been diagnosed with cancer, his family said.

    David Soul, 80
    David Soul with arm over shoulder
    David Soul.

    Soul found instant fame in the mid-1970s playing Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson, one half of the hip crime solvers in "Starsky & Hutch."

    Before hitting it big on the show, Soul was a folk singer through the 1960s, opening for the likes of Frank Zappa and The Byrds. At one time he even sang while his face was covered with a mask, calling himself "The Covered Man."

    After "Starsky & Hutch," Soul went back to music and scored the No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Don't Give Up on Us."

    Soul also made appearances on shows like "Star Trek," "Gunsmoke," the Clint Eastwood movie "Magnum Force," and a miniseries adaptation of the Stephen King novel, "Salem's Lot."

    Soul died on January 4. No cause of death was given.

    Morgan Spurlock, 53
    Morgan Spurlock smiling and holding McDonald's fries and drink
    Morgan Spurlock.

    In 2004, an unknown documentary filmmaker arrived in Park City, Utah, for the Sundance Film Festival. Overnight, his life was changed — because he made a movie about eating McDonald's.

    If there's one thing Morgan Spurlock knew how to do, it was get people's attention. With a big personality and an unusual idea, Spurlock changed the way we look at fast food when he made "Super Size Me," a documentary in which he ate nothing but McDonald's for a full month, to stomach-churning effect.

    The documentary earned an Oscar nomination and became a box-office sensation. Weeks after its release in theaters, McDonald's discontinued its supersize portions.

    Spurlock used that success to become one of the stars in the documentary medium, which was growing in popularity in the early 2000s. He would go on to direct and produce dozens of documentaries for the big screen and TV, focused on everything from Osama bin Laden to One Direction.

    His legacy would be tarnished in late 2017, at the height of the #MeToo movement, when Spurlock confessed to multiple acts of sexual misconduct in his past.

    Spurlock died on May 23 due to complications related to cancer.

    Donald Sutherland, 88
    Donald Sutherland in a leather jacket
    Donald Sutherland.

    Donald Sutherland had the incredible talent to be the life of the party in one performance or a wallflower in the next. Need a dark and disturbing presence for a role? He's your guy. Or he could do a wise-cracking know-it-all character.

    What we're trying to say is whatever the role, Sutherland could pull it off. And he did it so well that he delivered some of the most memorable roles ever put on screen over the last six decades.

    Playing a Nazi-killing grunt in "The Dirty Dozen" (1967), creating one of the greatest screen duos ever opposite Elliott Gould in "M*A*S*H" (1970), acting as a laid-back professor in "Animal House" (1978), delivering one of the best surprise endings ever in a remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978) — he could do it all. He was both the man who knew the truth behind the Kennedy assassination in "JFK" (1991) and the villain in the "Hunger Games" franchise (2013-2015).

    He was a fixture in our lives over generations.

    Sutherland died on June 20 in Miami following a "long illness."

    Johnny Wactor, 37
    Johnny Wactor in a black jacket staring at the camera
    Johnny Wactor.

    Wactor was best known for his role as Brando Corbin on the soap "General Hospital." He appeared in more than 160 episodes during his two seasons on the series before leaving in 2022.

    His résumé included guest roles on "Westworld," "The OA," "Station 19," "Siberia," "Agent X," "Vantastic," "Animal Kingdom," "Hollywood Girl," "Training Day," "Criminal Minds," "Struggling Servers," "Age Appropriate," "NCIS," "The Passenger" and "Barbee Rehab."

    He also starred in the 2016 Mario Van Peebles-directed movie "USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage" alongside Nicolas Cage, Tom Sizemore, and Thomas Jane.

    His family confirmed that Wactor was shot and killed on May 25 in Los Angeles during a robbery.

    M. Emmet Walsh, 88
    M Emmet Walsh in a cowboy hat
    M. Emmet Walsh in "Blood Simple."

    You may not know the name, but you definitely know this face.

    Character actor M. Emmet Walsh showed up in more than 150 movies over his career, many of which have gone on to become classics: "Blade Runner," "Blood Simple," "Slap Shot," "Fletch," "The Jerk," "Back to School," "My Best Friend's Wedding," and "Knives Out."

    He also has appeared in many popular TV shows over the decades, including "Home Improvement," "The X-Files," and "Frasier."

    Walsh died on March 19. No cause was given.

    Carl Weathers, 76
    Carl Weathers throwing a punch
    Carl Weathers.

    Thanks to his bravado and astounding physique, Weathers found fame when he was cast as heavyweight champion Apollo Creed in 1976's "Rocky."

    The following years and decades brought more memorable roles, whether he was sizing up biceps with Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987's "Predator," or trying to teach Adam Sandler how to play golf in 1996's "Happy Gilmore."

    Most recently, he played Greef Karga in the "Star Wars" series "The Mandalorian." Along with appearing in front of the camera, he also showcased his talents behind it, directing multiple episodes.

    Jerry West, 86
    Jerry West holding a basketball
    Jerry West.

    You can give several examples to show just how great a basketball player Jerry West was. He won an NBA title, an Olympic gold medal, and is the only player on the losing team of an NBA Finals to be named MVP.

    But there's one that overshadows all of these accomplishments: he was the logo.

    That's right. The actual NBA logo is a silhouette of Jerry West dribbling a basketball.

    Known for his tenacious play and ability to score in the clutch, West was one of the stars in the NBA before its enormous popularity in the 1970s, when players like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and later, Michael Jordan, became household names.

    After his retirement, West became an executive of the Los Angeles Lakers and was instrumental in the "Showtime" Lakers' championship dynasty through the 1980s. He made the key signings to get Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant to the Lakers, creating another dynasty in the early 2000s.

    West died on June 12. No cause was given.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Trump kept classified docs in cardboard boxes with Christmas ornaments and photos of himself: feds

    Photos taken by Nauta in December of 2021 show spilled boxes from a Mar-a-Lago storage room that prosecutors say contained classified documents.
    Photos taken by former property manager Walt Nauta in December of 2021 show spilled boxes from a Mar-a-Lago storage room that prosecutors say contained classified documents.

    • The feds released new details of the "haphazard" way they say Trump kept documents at Mar-a-Lago.
    • Classified documents were found in boxes with Christmas ornaments and photos of himself, they said.
    • Prosecutors revealed these details in fighting Trump's claims that they, not he, were careless.

    Federal prosecutors released new details of the "haphazard" way they say Donald Trump stored classified documents at Mar-a-Lago — including inside boxes that also held Christmas ornaments.

    Trump treated the nation's secrets like random "keepsakes," special counsel Jack Smith complained in a new classified documents case filing Monday night.

    The 30-page filing challenges defense claims that prosecutors were the ones who were reckless with classified documents.

    It alleges in the greatest detail yet how Trump commingled secrets and mementos in "disordered" stacks of tumbling, spilling boxes. It's the latest court battle to delay a trial date indefinitely.

    "Trump personally chose to keep documents containing some of the nation's most highly guarded secrets in cardboard boxes," including printer-paper boxes with lids, Smith's team wrote.

    Classified documents were stored "along with a collection of other personally chosen keepsakes of various sizes and shapes from his presidency — newspapers, thank you notes, Christmas ornaments, magazines, clothing, and photographs of himself and others."

    "At the end of his presidency, he took his cluttered collection of keepsakes to Mar-a-Lago, his personal residence and social club, where the boxes traveled from one readily accessible location to another — a public ballroom, an office space, a bathroom, and a basement storage area," prosecutors wrote.

    "After they landed in stacks in the storage room, several boxes fell and splayed their contents on the floor, and boxes were moved to Trump's residence on more than one occasion so he could pick through them."

    Trump's lawyers are trying to get the case thrown out by complaining about the FBI's admitted shuffling of the order of some documents and objects within their individual boxes as they seized evidence in August, 2022.

    The precise order of the items in each box as it left the White House is critical to his defense, Trump's lawyers argue.

    The defense has said that dates on news clippings and other personal items demonstrate how long ago classified documents were placed among them, allowing Trump to argue that he then forgot about them and never knowingly possessed them at Mar-a-Lago.

    In pushing back Monday, prosecutors said that Trump can raise this as a defense — and the case doesn't need to be thrown out entirely — because they have always maintained "box-to-box integrity."

    And Trump himself often rifled through their contents, which also shifted as boxes toppled and spilled, prosecutors also said.

    "The FBI agents who conducted the search did so professionally, thoroughly, and carefully under challenging circumstances," they wrote Monday, "particularly given the cluttered state of the boxes and the substantial volume of highly classified documents Trump had retained."

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • A day in the life of someone who lives in Montreal — the ‘Paris of North America’

    mira looking out over st louis square park in montreal
    I love living in beautiful Montreal.

    • I live in Montreal an idyllic Canadian town in Quebec known as the Paris of North America.
    • A typical weekend day for me consists of great food, shopping, and catching up with friends.
    • My partner and I often have mellow nights after days full of walking pedestrianized streets.

    When you think about a world-class city where most locals speak French, Paris is likely the first place that comes to mind.

    But on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, in the Canadian province of Quebec, lies another one-of-a-kind city brimming with French culture, fine dining, art, and history: Montreal.

    Plus, unlike Paris — which is one of the most expensive places to live — Montreal has struck an ideal balance between a low cost of living and a high quality of life. According to Mercer's 2024 cost-of-living data, it's one of only eight cities from a list of 226 to pull that off.

    I was lucky enough to grow up in a suburb outside Montreal before moving away at 19 for university. After spending seven years in Toronto, I returned to Montreal last summer and have spent the past year rediscovering everything it has to offer.

    Here's how I spend a typical summer Sunday in Montreal.

    I kick off the beautiful sunny day with a bit of people-watching.
    hand holding a mug of matcha latte in a living room
    I'm a fan of matcha lattes in the morning.

    I'm fortunate enough to live in the historic and vibrant neighborhood of Plateau Mont-Royal.

    My large windows look out onto a busy intersection, so I'll typically spend a weekend morning admiring the trees and passersby from my couch.

    Depending on the weekend, I usually either make breakfast at home with my partner or go out to one of Montreal's countless brunch restaurants. But today, I'm meeting a friend for a croissant in my favorite nearby park

    Montreal has tons of parks, and one of its cutest is steps away from my apartment.
    fountain in st louis square park in Montreal on a nice day
    Saint Louis Square is a beautiful park.

    I head over to Saint Louis Square, a small but beloved urban square and park filled with trees, ample seating, and a Parisian-looking fountain.

    There are many parks across the city, but this is one of the cutest and most European-feeling, so I'm glad I live nearby.

    The surrounding streets are lined with colorful Victorian houses. Nestled at one end of the park is a small café that sells pastries, ice cream, and beverages throughout the summer.

    My friend and I grab fresh pistachio croissants that are still warm.
    pistachio croissant sitting on a picnic table outside
    There are lots of good croissants in Montreal.

    As the croissants melt in our mouths, my friend swears it's one of the best she's ever had.

    Eating a fresh, gooey croissant in Montreal is as common as seeing an orange construction cone — one of the less glamorous things we're known for is lots of road construction.

    More friends join us for the morning.
    woman using a public bike station in montreal
    Bixi is our public bike-sharing service.

    After we eat, two of my other nearby friends come to meet us. One walked over with a dog she was watching for a friend, and the other took a public bike.

    Montreal is one of the most bike-friendly cities in North America. Many of its streets are adorned with bike lanes and Bixi stations (the public bike-sharing service) are affordable and widespread.

    The four of us head over to St. Denis, one of the city’s most popular streets.
    people milling about st denis street in Montreal on a nice day
    St. Denis Street was closed to cars on this Sunday.

    Since St. Denis Street was closed off to cars for the weekend for a comic arts festival, we took the opportunity to wander around.

    There was plenty of art to look at and all sorts of other goodies on display.

    Montreal is beloved for its many street festivals. Walking through our first of the season finally made it feel like summer had arrived.

    After grabbing an iced latte, my partner met up with us.
    mira and her partner posing for a selfie
    My partner also lives in Montreal.

    Les Co'Pains d'abord is a boulangerie (bakery) in the neighborhood that serves fresh baguettes and croissants alongside delicious coffee.

    The café has become one of my partner's go-to spots for a latte when he's in my neighborhood, so he grabs one before meeting up with us.

    We explore the stands and tables full of handmade and boutique items.
    people perusing a pottery table outside a local business in montreal
    My friend ended up buying a piece of pottery.

    This area is filled with stores that are mostly independent and local, so finding unique, handmade goods is easy. It's a great place to shop if you're looking to support small businesses and find something one-of-a-kind.

    My friend buys a handmade cup from a pottery shop with a booth in front of its storefront.

    Browsing around one of my favorite stores, Paperole, is a must.
    art hanging on the wall behind of merchandise tables at paperole in montreal
    Paperole is a great place to buy art.

    Paperole sells books, accessories, and art made by local Montreal creators.

    Since discovering this store, I no longer buy cards at the pharmacy or gifts at major chains. Instead, I try to support local artists — which means my presents have gotten much cuter.

    But while we wander the store, all I can think about is how hungry I am.

    I pop across the street to a spot I love called Teochew Foodie.
    hand holding a container of fried wontons
    I grabbed a quick bite at Teochew Foodie.

    Nearby, Teochew Foodie is selling dumplings at an outdoor booth. I buy four fried wontons for 4 Canadian dollars.

    The dumplings are fresh and delicious, and I munch on them while we walk.

    Although food prices are rising across Canada and the United States, Montreal is one of the last major cities where you can still enjoy yourself for a pretty affordable price.

    I’m still hungry, so we find more food.
    box of focaccia pizza with cheese, figs, and ham
    We shared focaccia bread loaded with ingredients.

    For lunch, we all share focaccia with spicy capicola, burrata, figs, and honey from a popular restaurant called La Panzeria.

    Eating Asian- and Italian-inspired dishes just moments apart is common in Montreal — the city's food scene is one of the most diverse and vibrant in the country.

    But we're particularly famous for our French and Quebecois food (you may have heard of poutine).

    With our stomachs full, we keep exploring pedestrian streets.
    garage sale on duluth street in montreal
    There was a fun garage sale on Duluth Street.

    Duluth Street is pedestrianized (closed to cars) for the entire summer. Like many surrounding streets, it's packed with restaurants and independent shops.

    We wander around a bookshop, admiring the colorful buildings, and briefly browse a garage sale before parting ways with my friends for the day.

    My partner and I take the metro to his apartment for the evening.
    people waiting for the metro in a station in montreal
    The metro is my favorite way to get around the city.

    Montreal's metro system is expansive and user-friendly. As a bonus, many of its stations feature public art.

    If you live downtown like I do, I think it's the easiest way to get around.

    We end the night with dinner from Mandy’s, a popular salad shop.
    two bowls of salad on a living room coffee table
    Dinner was salads from a popular chain restaurant.

    I haven't had a vegetable all day (I usually eat lots, I swear), so we order salads from Mandy's, a fast-casual salad chain.

    We end our night with "Modern Family" and a New York Times crossword while chatting about how lucky we feel to live in such a lively and beautiful city.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Netflix co-CEO explains why the company keeps increasing prices for ad-free plans

    Greg Peters Netflix
    Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters spoke to Verge about the company's price hikes.

    • Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters explained the streamer's price hikes for ad-free plans.
    • He cited viewer demand for diverse, quality shows and adding value as the reason behind the increases.
    • Netflix's strategy has led to a significant subscriber boost and $9.37 billion in Q1 revenue.

    It seems that every year viewers are watching streaming prices climb more and more — and Netflix is no exception.

    Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters explained the company's thinking behind the price hikes in a new interview.

    Peters recently told The Verge that the multiple price hikes to its ad-free plans in recent years are an effort to offer consumers a wider range of options — which require added investment to add that value.

    "[T]hey want a higher diversity of shows, they want more quality shows, so that's our job," Peters said. "If we do that well, we'll go back and occasionally ask members to pay a little bit more to keep that flywheel running."

    Last July, the streaming giant dropped its Basic plan, previously its cheapest ad-free option at $11.99 a month, leaving subscribers to choose between the Standard ad-free plan, which costs $3.50 more, or the more affordable Standard with Ads plan, which costs $6.99 a month. They could also opt for Netflix's priciest plan, Premium ad-free, which increased from $19.99 to $22.99 a month last October.

    When asked if Netflix is aiming to increase the number of viewers in the ads tier, Peters responded that "it's definitely not the goal."

    "What I would say is that our job is to add more value to the entertainment service that we are offering," he said.

    While Netflix may not intend to steer people to its ad-supported plan, those members receive some more good news: the co-CEO hopes to decrease the ad load over time to "provide higher-relevance, higher-value ads."

    Peters said that the costs and ad distribution come down to having "a set of prices with the right features so that basically we can attract more members around the world, and they can enjoy the incredible stories that we have available."

    And it seems to be working. Netflix smashed expectations for its first quarter earnings, increasing subscribers by 9.33 million worldwide and earning $9.37 billion in revenue.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • A 64-year-old woman outperformed millionaires in the anti-aging ‘Rejuvenation Olympics’ — using a much simpler and cheaper routine

    A woman on an elliptical.
    Amy Hardison, a grandmother of 64, currently holds a top rank in the Rejuvenation Olympics for having slowed her biological aging and improved her health.

    • A 64-year-old woman earned top ranks in the Rejuvenation Olympics with a simple anti-aging routine.
    • Her daily habits include eating homemade bread, doing exercise she enjoys, and always having dessert.
    • She outpaced entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, who spends $2 million a year on his longevity routine. 

    A 64-year-old grandmother-of-11 has become one of the buzziest names in the longevity world by beating billionaires at anti-aging with a simple and inexpensive routine.

    Amy Hardison is reigning in a top spot in the Rejuvenation Olympics, an online leaderboard where people can submit their health stats to show how they've slowed or reduced markers of biological aging.

    Earlier this month, she ranked 5th, one spot ahead of tech exec Bryan Johnson, 45, whose famously intense and costly routine has involved over 100 daily supplements and infusions of blood from his teenage son.

    Hardison's results (generated from blood samples and other tests) showed she had improved major markers of aging, such cellular senescence (or "zombie" cells that linger and cause damage), telomere shortening, and mitochondrial dysfunction.

    No one is more surprised than Hardison herself, who told Business Insider she's not competitive and doesn't even want to live past 100.

    "I actually had no clue," she said. "My daughter told me 'Mom, this is kind of a big deal. The guy just underneath you, he spends $2 million a year to get these kinds of results.'"

    In contrast, Hardison said she spends about $300 a month on supplements. The rest of her longevity routine costs little or nothing to follow, and there's good science to suggest her habits have helped keep her young and healthy.

    "My philosophy is, find what you love, find something that works for you that you could do long-term over your life, and be moderate," she said.

    Her diet includes big salads, chocolate, and homemade bread

    The foundation of a healthy life is a reliable routine, plenty of homemade bread, and a little treat every day, according to Hardison.

    Hardison said she's been a health-conscious eater since she was a teen, watching fad diets come and go. She swears by a moderate approach using principles of intuitive eating while also being mindful of nutrition.

    "I'll listen to my body. I will only eat what I love. I savor what I eat," she said.

    These days, she wakes up around 6 a.m. While one of the biggest longevity trends, intermittent fasting, involves waiting to eat until a certain time of day, Hardison isn't about that life, and starts her day with a big slice of toast and a glass of chocolate milk.

    The bread for her toast is always homemade and whole wheat since she isn't a fan of processed foods.

    A batch of homemade chocolate-chip cookies
    Sweet treats like a homemade chocolate-chip cookie can be a healthy part of a longevity routine in moderation

    "We don't eat out a lot just because I think my food's better and I think it's healthier. And I cook because if I'm going to eat, I want it to be good," Hardison said.

    She also has a big salad most days for lunch or dinner, loaded with veggies, berries, chicken for protein, and some nuts and cheese. Later in the day, she enjoys another slice of bread.

    For dessert, she has a piece of chocolate or a homemade cookie. ("I can't think of the last time I went a day without my little sweet treat," she said.)

    Her supplement routine includes magnesium and ginger

    Hardison initially got involved with the Rejuvenation Olympics after participating in a clinical trial with the longevity supplement brand NOVOS (who coordinated the interview with BI).

    Previously, she had never even taken vitamins.

    Her current regimen includes three NOVOS products (Core, Boost, and Vital) which cost around $160 per month.

    They include ingredients like:

    • Magnesium, which research suggests is good for healthy bones and regulates blood pressure and blood sugar.
    • L-theanine, linked to alertness, stress reduction, and a healthy brain
    • Ginger, which is rich in antioxidants and supports good digestive health
    • Fisetine, an inflammation-fighting compound found naturally in strawberries, onions, and apples.

    A gentle mix of cardio and high-intensity training

    Hardison's typical workout involves an hour at a moderate pace on the elliptical while listening to audiobooks, followed by short periods of higher intensity. When the weather allows, she does her cardio in the pool instead. She also spends 20-30 minutes a day stretching for better mobility.

    Over time, she's adjusted her exercise habits to fit her schedule (aiming for 30 minutes when she was a busy mom, for instance) but always makes time for movement.

    "It's an integral part of my day and it's so much fun for me. I think it's important to find what you love enough that you look forward to it," she said.

    Don't try to live forever

    Unlike many longevity gurus or biohacking enthusiasts, Hardison said she isn't interested in being forever young.

    "Growing old is amazing and it's wonderful," she said. "You can only get how sweet it is to have had the experience of life, the good, the bad, the hard things, you only get that by doing it."

    Her parents lived into their 90s but, over time, experienced cognitive decline that severely affected their ability to enjoy the things they used to.

    "I do not want to go through what they went through," Hardison said. said. "People that maybe are my kid's generation, they're like, 'Well, don't you want to live to 130? No, I don't."

    Instead, she's focusing on finding a balance of habits that keep her healthy and able to bask in the life and relationships she's built over the years.

    "I'm not trying to stave off old age. I think this is the best age ever."

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • A millennial who switched from working on oil rigs to wind turbines says he’s been promoted faster in renewable energy

    Shaun Mitchell, a supervisor at the offshore wind company Ocean Winds, poses in front of window overlooking a sea vessel.
    Shaun Mitchell is an operations and maintenance supervisor at Ocean Winds.

    • Shaun Mitchell left Halliburton for the offshore-wind industry in 2019 and quickly climbed the ranks.
    • In early 2023, wind farms became the largest source of electricity in the UK.
    • This article is part of "Trends to Bet Your Career On," a series about trending professional opportunities.

    Shaun Mitchell wasn't looking for a career change in 2019.

    The 30-year-old Scotland native had spent most of his career as an electrical technician at Halliburton, one of the world's largest oil-field-services companies. It offered Mitchell his first apprenticeship after he graduated from North East Scotland College in 2013 with a certificate in electrical engineering. He completed several years of training before heading off to work on offshore oil rigs.

    Mitchell saved enough money to take a six-month break and traveled through Thailand, New Zealand, and Australia. He was a freelance electrician in Sydney for a while but then returned home near Aberdeen, Scotland, and got his job back at Halliburton.

    In 2019, Mitchell heard from an old supervisor who had since moved into the offshore-wind industry. Vestas, a wind manufacturer, was looking for technicians for a project in Aberdeen Bay, Scotland, and the supervisor recommended Mitchell for the job.

    "I wasn't really sure because I was quite used to oil and gas, and I enjoyed it," Mitchell said.

    There were drawbacks, however. The work could be unpredictable.

    "You'd get a call and have to go offshore the next day, not knowing if you'd be there a couple days or three weeks," he said. "The line of work is good when you're young. But when you start having more commitments, it becomes a little harder."

    Mitchell decided to take the interview with Vestas and left Halliburton, wanting to be a wind-turbine technician.

    "A lot of my skills from working in the oil and gas industry passed straight into the wind industry, which was really beneficial for me," Mitchell said, adding that wind farms are managed by automated control systems, similar to oil and gas equipment.

    A wind turbine under construction off the coast of Scotland.
    The Moray West wind farm under construction off the coast of Scotland.

    He made the jump at a good time. While the UK has been a leader in offshore wind for more than two decades, development has sped up in the past few years — particularly in Scotland — as countries race to meet renewable-energy goals. The UK has the second-largest offshore sector behind China. By early 2023, wind farms became the UK's largest source of electricity, surpassing natural gas.

    Britain this year budgeted £1 billion, or about $1.3 billion, for renewable-energy subsidies, with 80% of the funds set aside for new offshore wind farms, Bloomberg reported. The UK government wants to boost offshore-wind capacity by almost fourfold by 2030, and overall employment in the sector is expected to triple by then.

    In the US, wind-turbine technician is the fastest-growing job. While the absolute number of new jobs isn't that big, it represents a projected 45% increase between 2022 and 2032, more than any other occupation. Industry groups forecast global demand for about 240,000 new recruits by 2027 across countries including Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, India, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, and the US.

    Mitchell spent more than four years at Vestas, starting as a technician and quickly moving up to deputy service supervisor and then shift supervisor. Vestas provided training that paved the way for Mitchell's advancement.

    He said that offshore-wind technicians' day-to-day depended on the weather. The seas can't be too rough; otherwise, it's risky for the crew to travel to the wind farm.

    The sizes of the vessel and the crew also matter. A larger boat can handle rougher waters. That means there's more work and less downtime. But technicians tend to work a couple of weeks on, a couple of weeks off — so they're away from home for extended periods.

    Smaller vessels have to wait for the right weather conditions and ferry back and forth to port each day. Technicians can go home each night, but there's more downtime, especially in the winter, Mitchell said.

    "It's rare that an entire wind farm will go down," he added. "But there has been times when multiple turbines go down, but the weather's so rough there's nothing you can do."

    An offshore wind turbine under construction.
    The under-construction Moray West wind farm.

    In October, Mitchell left Vestas for Ocean Winds, a joint venture between EDP Renewables and Engie that's focused on offshore-wind development. He's now the operations and maintenance supervisor at Ocean Winds' Moray West project off the coast of Scotland.

    The 882-megawatt project is still under construction. Once it's finished, it will generate enough power for about 1.3 million homes. Mitchell's team will be responsible for maintaining the wind farms' infrastructure both above and below the water, including the cables that carry power to onshore substations.

    Mitchell said he'd been able to advance his career in the wind industry a lot faster than in oil and gas. Ocean Winds declined to disclose salary information.

    "Oil and gas is quite well established. It's been around for years and years, so there aren't many opportunities to move up quickly," Mitchell said. "With offshore wind, there's always new sites going up, and they need so much personnel. I got in at a lucky time."

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  • TV shows you won’t believe turn 20 this year

    Heidi Klum stands on stage during a season one episode of "Project Runway."
    Heidi Klum during a season one episode of "Project Runway."

    • TV shows that came out in 2004 are turning 20 this year.
    • It might be hard to believe it's been two decades since the premiere of "Entourage" or "House."
    • "Project Runway" and "Drake & Josh" were shows that made 2004 iconic.

    2004 was a big year.

    Mark Zuckerberg released "TheFacebook" as a networking site for Harvard students, the Boston Red Sox won the World Series for the first time in 86 years, the Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, and it was the year of Janet Jackson's infamous Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction.

    It was a major year for TV, too. Some iconic, highly lucrative TV shows like "Friends" — which earned its stars and writers an incredible $1.4 billion, according to Forbes — wrapped up in 2004.

    But it was also the start of some of the most beloved series of the 2000s, from reality shows to kids' TV.

    You might find it hard to believe the following shows got their start 20 years ago. Here's why they were so beloved and where you can watch them today, if you missed out the first time.

    "Desperate Housewives"
    Desperate Housewives
    The stars of "Desperate Housewives."

    Being a mom is not for the weak, as shown by "Desperate Housewives," which aired on ABC from 2004 to 2012 for eight seasons.

    Beyond the picture-perfect facade of a suburban neighborhood are four women whose realities are far from perfect: Susan is navigating life post-divorce and the challenges of raising a teenage daughter; Lynette is overwhelmed by the chaos of her four children; Bree embodies the neighborhood's perfectionism … despite being completely dysfunctional; and former model Gabrielle is married to Carlos, who wants it all in life. Their lives are narrated by their neighbor, the late Mary Alice.

    During a 2004 interview with The New York Times, series creator Marc Cherry said the show was inspired by the case of Andrea Yates, who was found guilty in 2002 of drowning her five children. Cherry recalled how when he watched the trial with his mother, he was appalled by the crime and surprised by his mother's response. She said she understood the struggle and desperation of a housewife, and he realized how hard it can get for mothers. That experience played a pivotal role in forming "Desperate Housewives."

    "This show is actually a love letter to all the women out there who have issues and are trying their best to be stay-at-home moms," Cherry said.

    The show was an immediate hit upon its release, averaging 23.7 million viewers throughout the first season, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

    "Desperate Housewives" is now available on Hulu.

    "House"
    Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House in an image from "House" in 2004.
    Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House.

    If you're looking for a doctor who's sugar, spice, and everything nice … well, you've come to the wrong place.

    "House," which aired on Fox for eight seasons until 2012, shares the story of a crotchety genius, Dr. Gregory House, who works at the fictional Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey and solves medical mysteries.

    He plays mind games with his coworkers, but despite his bluntness and antisocial behavior, he is well respected for his instincts and unique perspective.

    "House" gained momentum during its first season to become a fan favorite: After premiering to 7 million viewers, its series-one finale in May 2005 was watched by 19 million, Forbes reported. At one point, it was even the most-watched series in the world — in 2008, it drew 81.8 million viewers across 66 countries, Entertainment Weekly reported.

    The show won numerous awards including five Primetime Emmys, two Golden Globes, nine People's Choice Awards, and a Peabody Award.

    It is available for streaming on Hulu.

    "The L Word"
    bette tina the l word
    "The L Word"

    Even in 2004, the producers of "The L Word" were making strides to ensure that all communities — in this case, a group of lesbian and bisexual women — were seen and heard on TV.

    The characters in "The L Word," which aired on Showtime, were on various romantic journeys, from serious relationships to casual encounters and devastating breakups. Storylines touched on contemplating starting families, exploring sexual identity, battling hidden desires, and embracing their authentic selves.

    The cast was heavily female, with Jennifer Beals, Kate French, Leisha Hailey, Pam Grier, and Laurel Holloman starring. While considered groundbreaking at the time by many, it has since received criticism from LGBTQ+ viewers as a "depiction" of their community.

    "The original 'L Word' was a wealthy, white fantasy about gay life in L.A. It reflected and reinforced some of the worst prejudices within our community," wrote Joy Ellison of Columbus Monthly in 2019.

    In 2019, the show got a reboot, "The L Word: Generation Q," which sought to include more diverse voices, including more thoughtful trans narratives.

    "The L Word" can be found on Paramount+.

    "College Hill"
    The cast of "College Hill" at a BET red-carpet event in 2007.
    The cast of "College Hill" in 2007.

    Flashback to the best four years of your life: You're away from home and living on your own. Now imagine living in a co-ed house and being filmed making those memories.

    "College Hill" was a reality TV series that documented eight students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as they tried to balance studying and socializing, all while living together. The first season was set at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

    The BET show, which aired for six seasons from 2004 to 2009, is credited as the first Black reality TV show.

    "When you cast a reality show right, you don't have to script it. We never ever scripted 'College Hill.' Since reality shows have evolved, I can tell what's scripted. We were so old school and intricately involved in the casting process that the stories unfolded because of the characters that we put into the house," said show creator and executive producer Tracey Edmonds in a 2019 interview with Blavity.

    In 2022, it got a reboot with a celebrity twist, featuring stars such as Stacey Dash, Ray J, Amber Rose, and NeNe Leakes. A new season featuring Karlous Miller, Tamar Braxton, and Saucy Santana has just kicked off.

    But like the original, the reboot faces one big question from HBCU alumni: Is all press good press? The reality show spotlighted drama and partying at HBCUs — rather than academics — which some viewers believe led to its original downfall, per Collider.

    "College Hill" and "College Hill: Celebrity Edition" are available for streaming on BET+ and Amazon Video.

    "Entourage"
    Entourage hollywood
    "Entourage."

    Can you believe it's been 20 years since this OG crew of friends stole viewers' hearts?

    In "Entourage," film star Vince Chase, portrayed by Adrian Grenier, has the support of his group of friends from Queens, New York, after they all move to Los Angeles.

    "Entourage" was released to moderate success — Forbes called it "comfort food" — and it ran for eight seasons on HBO, ending in 2011. In 2015, a film, also called "Entourage," was released, earning $49.3 million at the box office, per Box Office Mojo.

    "Its soft film-industry satire, glossy hedonism and strong chemistry among the cast made it an enjoyable, if unchallenging, show to watch," said Benjamin Lee of The Guardian.

    The series can be streamed on Hulu.

    "Project Runway"
    project runway
    The "Project Runway" judges.

    Calling all fashionistas and the creatively inclined!

    It's hard to believe it's been two decades since amateur fashion stylists and designers first battled it out to create the best clothes while juggling thematic, material, and time constraints.

    The show has since lasted for 20 seasons.

    Its early success could be largely attributed to big-name judges Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, and mentor Tim Gunn, fashion chair at Parsons The New School for Design.

    While it's unclear what the future holds for the show, there's no denying its success over the past two decades. Beyond its record-breaking viewership numbers for Bravo, "Project Runway" has launched many professional designers' careers, including Christian Siriano and Leanne Marshall. There are also at least 13 spinoffs including series aired in other countries.

    However, "Project Runway" is also no stranger to criticism.

    "The contestants are good, but the show never regained the sense of unbridled creative ambition that it had in the early years," Vulture's Jason P. Frank wrote in 2023.

    "Project Runway" is available for streaming on Amazon Video and Peacock.

    "Ned's Declassified"
    Devon Werkheiser ned's declassified
    Devon Werkheiser on "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide."

    This one was short-lived but memorable for a certain generation.

    "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide," commonly called "Ned's Declassified," only lasted for three seasons, from 2004 to 2007.

    It shared the adventures of three preteens — Ned Bigby, and his best friends Jennifer "Moze" Mosely and Simon "Cookie" Nelson-Cook — navigating middle school and puberty. The crew tackled any teen problem you can think of and how to survive it all — every episode is a topic in the titular "survival guide," from popularity and grades to school sports and romance.

    ""Ned's" is built like a cartoon, all speed and exaggeration and sudden stops and starts — there is more physical comedy here than perhaps anywhere else on television," said Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times in 2007.

    The tweenage guide to success is available on Paramount+.

    "Drake & Josh"
    Miranda Cosgrove, Josh Peck, and Drake Bell in season four of "Drake & Josh."
    Miranda Cosgrove, Josh Peck, and Drake Bell in season four of "Drake & Josh."

    "You calling me a liar?"

    "I ain't calling you a truther!"

    These are among the most memorable lines from the hit Nickelodeon series "Drake & Josh," which was beloved for its ridiculous jokes and hijinks.

    The show, a teen sitcom created by Dan Schneider, depicted the conflicts of teenage stepbrothers Drake Parker, portrayed by Drake Bell, and Josh Nichols, portrayed by Josh Peck. Miranda Cosgrove plays Drake's mischievous little sister.

    "In all of the show's campiness, there are also on-point, hilarious jokes and heartfelt moments. The cheesiness factor, while balanced with these other elements of the show, is also a staple that kept fans coming back for more," said Taylor Ferber for Bustle.

    Over four seasons from 2004 to 2007, as well as two movies, they won over most Nickelodeon fans in what was deemed a ratings success — their Christmas movie was the "most-watched live-action television movie with kids 2-11 and total viewers in Nickelodeon's history," per a 2008 WebWire press release.

    However, the show has been viewed with fresh eyes following the release of Investigation Discovery's 2024 docuseries "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV," which revealed allegations of abuse at Nickelodeon and the reportedly toxic work environment under Schneider. In the docuseries, "Drake & Josh" star Drake Bell publicly revealed he'd been sexually abused by a Nickelodeon acting coach.

    "Drake & Josh" is available for streaming on Paramount+.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • My son has autism and just finished high school, but he can’t go to college. It’s been difficult for me to accept.

    Jen lovy's son in a cap and gown and graduation
    The author's son has autism and just graduated from high school.

    • My son who has autism just graduated from high school, but he won't be going to college.
    • Instead, he will receive benefits from the state for his disability. 
    • I'm struggling to accept that my son won't have the traditional adulthood I imagined for him. 

    If ever there was a time for me to stay off social media, it's now. Over the last several months, posts about college acceptances, prom, and year-end celebrations have left me feeling heartbroken — followed by guilt for being upset.

    But the truth is, I'm crushed that Evan, my high school senior, didn't participate in most senior-year rites of passage. My son — who was diagnosed with autism as a kid — didn't go away for spring break. He didn't attend prom, and college is definitely not in his future.

    While he did participate in his school's graduation ceremony, he received a "certificate of participation." This designation is granted to students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) who do not meet the state's graduation requirements, setting him up for a different adulthood than his classmates.

    I regret not feeling the full joy of my son's accomplishments

    I am continuously asking myself: "What are you lamenting about? Many kids don't go to prom or college, and not everyone graduates with honors or accolades. These so-called markers are not the gold standards of success."

    I remind myself that it is a big deal that Evan, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of two, accomplished a lot during his school years. I try to focus on my gratitude and pride that despite his challenges, he's leaving school with basic reading and math skills and has learned many life and social skills along the way.

    Still, I can't and won't deny my sadness, but it does feel a little selfish to mourn things that don't bother my son. He's happy to be done with high school. He had no interest in going to prom or traveling to Mexico for spring break. Yet he wanted to attend graduation, and for that, I am thankful.

    My conflicting emotions resurfaced for the thousandth time when he walked across the stage. On the one hand, I was happy because I knew he was excited to be done with high school. But, as I looked around the audience, I knew other parents had a different mindset. They weren't, for example, considering an exit strategy for their graduate if the ceremony became too much for their child to handle.

    A local paper publishes a Cap & Gown issue, and parents send photos of their graduates, a list of achievements, and college plans. I submitted my son's picture and mentioned his participation in Special Olympics basketball and his plans to attend our school district's adult transition program. I wanted to recognize him and show others that not every graduate has to look good on paper.

    Flipping through this section wasn't easy because it reminded me of the hopes and dreams I've had for my child since before he was born. Many aspects of his senior year have been as emotionally challenging as when he was first diagnosed with autism, and my husband and I learned our roles as parents would be different than what we imagined.

    I'm looking on the bright side

    When his peers filled out college applications, I worked on gathering the required documentation so that when he turned 18, he could apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Because my son's disability limits him in many ways, as an adult, he is eligible for benefits.

    In the days leading up to graduation, I filled out more paperwork, ironed his graduation gown, and tried my best to stay off social media. I failed at the last one and suffered the consequences.

    One Facebook post hit me hard. It was from the mom of my son's first friends. The boys spent a good amount of time together but drifted apart as their cognitive differences became more apparent. The offending post showed two photos of her son — one from elementary school and the other from high school. In both pictures, he is standing next to the same friend. The caption reads, "These two…friends through it all! Everybody needs a friend like Jonny."

    I couldn't help but think, if my son were a neurotypical kid, would her post instead conclude, "Everybody needs a friend like Evan?"

    Still, I strive to look at the positives and not focus on the negatives, and it occurs to me that everyone could benefit from a friend like Evan. Evan is fun, funny, non-judgmental, and so much more.

    As I try to unpack my mixed bag of emotions surrounding my son's completion of high school and his nontraditional path moving forward, I'm working toward embracing the idea that it's OK to experience the joys and the pains of parenting a child with autism, especially when the traditional milestones end up being unconventional.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • ‘Perfect Match’ fans were shocked by the season two winners. Now cast members are claiming secret pacts swayed the vote.

    Nigel Jones and Christine Obanor match up in the season two finale.
    Nigel Jones and Christine Obanor match up in the season two finale.

    • Warning: spoilers ahead for "Perfect Match" season two.
    • Christine Obanor and Nigel Jones were the surprise winners of the show after pairing up in the finale.
    • Now cast members are claiming secret pacts helped the pair win. 

    "Perfect Match" season two fans were surprised when the newest couple were named the show's winners. Now, cast members are accusing each other of forming secret pacts to sway the vote.

    The dating series, which has been one of Netflix's most popular TV shows in June, sees contestants from the streamer's reality offering trying to find love.

    Every few days, new contestants, who are staying at a hotel separate from the main cast, are brought into the house to shake things up. Anyone left without a partner by the end of the night must leave.

    At the end of the series, all the contestants from inside and outside the house come together to vote for a winning couple — but this season's finale was messier than the last.

    During the cast reunion that aired on June 21, the singles from outside the house criticized the longer-lasting couples, accusing the male contestants of not being genuine. The cast then voted Christine Obanor and Nigel Jones, the newest couple who got together in the finale, as the winners — angering fans who were rooting for the other couples.

    Amid the fan backlash over the result, Chris Hahn and Harry Jowsey claimed contestants who couldn't find a match worked together to vote for Christine and Nigel over the longer-lasting couples.

    Christine and Nigel spent most of the series in the hotel, and only came in the house in the final episodes.

    On Tuesday's episode of his podcast, "Boyfriend Material with Harry Jowsey," Harry said that the hotel group hated the couples for rejecting them and didn't trust that the longer-lasting couples were loyal to each other, so they voted for their friends, Christine and Nigel.

    "I remember sitting down at the finale. I'm like, 'Wait, when did they become a couple? How the fuck did this happen?'" Harry said.

    In a TikTok video shared on Friday, Chris accused the hotel group of making a pact to vote for one of their own in the final.

    "Everyone outside during that pact voted for Nigel and Christine to win it," Chris said. "Are they a good couple? Maybe. I think so. Did they deserve to win 'Perfect Match?' Absolutely not."

    But Christine, Nigel, and other castmates from the hotel group have denied this and claimed there was another pact between the couples within the house to keep new contestants out at any cost.

    Stevan Ditter, who was in the house for the entire series, also supported this theory.

    "The girls kind of had a crazy girl code in the house. They just didn't want new girls in," Stevan told the "The Viall Files" podcast in an episode that aired last week. "They were talking about sending the guys on dates with girls that obviously weren't for them."

    It has become a common occurrence in later seasons of reality shows for contestants to become more strategic and competitive, leading to fake relationships for the camera. That may have been the case with "Perfect Match" season two.

    Dom Gabriel, who starred in both seasons of "Perfect Match," said the house was a lot more "wholesome" in season one because no one had a "competitive spirit."

    Regardless of how Christine and Nigel won, they may have actually been the most compatible couple in the series. Nigel and Christine said on social media after the finale aired that they won a compatibility challenge and went on an extra date during filming but they were cut from the show.

    Plus, they seem to be the longest-lasting couple.

    Christine said in a YouTube video about her "Perfect Match" experience that she dated Nigel for nine months and that they only officially ended things a month ago.

    By contrast, the rest of the couples said in Netflix's "Where Are They Now" video that they had ghosted each other or broken up soon after the show.

    Read the original article on Business Insider