Pop Culture

LeVar Burton, here in Los Angeles in 2016, told The New York Times that he feels like hosting Jeopardy! "is what I'm supposed to do." This week, he gets his turn at the host lectern left vacant by Alex Trebek, who died last year at age 80.

Arts

LeVar Burton Is A Fan Favorite To Host 'Jeopardy!' And It's Obvious Why

6:00pm July 26, 2021

by Neda Ulaby

Credited by a generation of book nerds for shaping their identities on Reading Rainbow, LeVar Burton guest-hosts Jeopardy! this week after a campaign hyped by his large and enthusiastic fandom.

#FreeBritney protesters gather outside the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles. Similar rallies have been taking place around the world in recent weeks.

They Were Laughed At For Their #FreeBritney Activism. Not Anymore

5:23pm July 26, 2021

by Andrew Limbong

The #FreeBritney movement has spent years trying to draw attention to Britney Spears' fight against her conservatorship. Now, it's beginning to have a serious impact on guardianship law.

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 22: Jackie Mason has lunch on 6th Avenue in Manhattan on March 22, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage)

Arts

Jackie Mason, Who Went From Rabbi To Stand-up Comedy Star, Dies At 93

2:03pm July 25, 2021

by H.J. Mai

Mason, known for his quick-witted observational humor, used stories from his orthodox Jewish background, a thick Yiddish accent and wild gestures to keep his audiences entertained for decades.

Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt and Nick Mohammed in Ted Lasso.

Arts

'Ted Lasso' Is Back, And You Bet Your Biscuits Season 2 Is Just As Sweet

5:09pm July 24, 2021

by Eric Deggans

Ted Lasso — the Apple TV+ series starring Jason Sudeikis as a clueless American coach taking over a British soccer team — avoids a sophomore slump with grace, heart and a lot of laughs.

An I-Have-The-Power vacuum pits Teela (Sarah Michelle Gellar) against Evil-Lyn (Lena Headey) in Netflix's Masters of the Universe: Revelation.

Arts

Show, Don't Mattel: 'Masters Of The Universe: Revelation' Is Toying With You

7:00am July 24, 2021

Producer Kevin Smith reboots the '80s cartoon/action-figure-commercial by adding more mythology ... and thinning out the cast.

Maya Hawke as Heather in Fear Street Part 1: 1994.

What's Making Us Happy: A Guide For Your Weekend Watching, Listening And Reading

6:00am July 24, 2021

Each week, the guests and hosts on Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. Today it's the Fear Street trilogy, Biz Markie's "Just a Friend," and Viet Thanh Nguyen's book, The Committed.

Like last year, the sidewalks around San Diego's convention center are empty and no one is lined up at the famed Hall H.

Books
Arts

Comic-Con Is Online Only Again This Year. On The Bright Side, No Lines!

3:17pm July 23, 2021

by Petra Mayer

No costumed crowds are thronging the streets of San Diego this weekend: For the second year in a row, Comic-Con is online only. But organizers are hoping for a small in-person show in November.

Author Sarah Ramey's first book was expected to be among 2020's bestsellers. But it was released the same week as the lockdown and got lost amid news of a global catastrophe.

Books
Arts

When Your Book Publishes In A Pandemic — Authors Talk About Terrible Timing

5:44am July 23, 2021

by Neda Ulaby

A league of unfortunate writers had their books come out in the height of the coronavirus crisis — there are even several online support groups for authors who published mid-pandemic.

Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is back in a second season of the Emmy-nominated series, in Sudeikis' Golden-Globe-winning role.

Arts

'Ted Lasso' Recap: Season 2 Returns With Dogs, Yips And Bad Dates

3:01am July 23, 2021

by Linda Holmes

In the season 2 premiere, Ted Lasso struggles to help a star player, Rebecca double dates with Keeley and Roy, and Jamie Tartt is a man on an island.

Take a flight on a Loftwing in the new Skyward Sword HD.

Arts

Nintendo Makes Some Needed Improvements In 'Skyward Sword HD' (We See You, Fi)

7:00am July 22, 2021

by Keller Gordon

Nintendo has released a newly remastered version of the classic Zelda game Skyward Sword — and while it's still a beautiful game, not all of the original's flaws have been addressed.