No one’s safe from 50 Cent’s slanderous ways. Throughout the years, Fif’s gained a reputation as a bully. Rap adversaries might get it the worst but that doesn’t mean that he’ll hold back against anyone else. That means even broadcasting partners and celebrities can face his wrath at any time. Fif targeted Starz over the years yet they continue to work with him because of successful series like BMF and Power. Though he said he wanted to purchase the latter from Starz, the show continues to air on their platform.
It’s clear that Fif’s had grievances with Starz in the past. During his appearance on The Beat, he explained that Fox offered him a non-exclusive clause in his contract. “It’s an opportunity to work with Fox and then, there’s the non-exclusive part of it… ‘Cause my last deal was an exclusive deal with Starz,” he explained. Still, Starz undoubtedly relies heavily on 50’s roster of TV series to help rake in subscriptions and big bucks.
Earlier this week, Starz announced that they picked up the first season of Three Women, starring Shailene Woodley, Betty Gilpin, DeWanda Wise and Gabrielle Creevy. Showtime initially released the show, though the producers of Three Women began to shop it around afterward. The network stated confirmed that they didn’t want to move forward with the series as part of their Paramount+ integration. “The show is anchored by such remarkable talent both in front of and behind the camera and aligns perfectly with our commitment to telling stories by, for and about women,” said Alison Hoffman, President, Domestic Networks, of Starz.
Of course, 50 Cent couldn’t help to chime in on the matter. With knowledge of the behind-the-scenes affair, the mogul described the series as a “dud.” “what do you call a fire cracker that don’t go off? a Dud, Yeah i think this is a Dud LOL,” he captioned a post, which included a screenshot of Deadline’s article featuring Woodley’s face. Evidently, Fif isn’t enthusiastic about the series but he’s undoubtedly excited to debut the next season of Power Book II: Ghost, which arrives later this month.
Buckle up for the next wave of the Jussie Smollett controversy. The singer has been living his best life away from scandal but is about to return to the true crime limelight. It was announced this week that a new docuseries about Smollett’s 2019 encounter with the Osundairo brothers is being made. Fox Nation helms Jussie Smollett: Anatomy of a Hoax, a five-part series set to premiere on March 13.
In early 2019, Smollett alleged that while walking in Chicago, he was attacked by two white men. He claimed he was taunted with racist and anti-gay slurs and even appeared with a noose around his neck. He received widespread support from activists and fans, but later, Chicago police alleged Smollett staged the entire incident. A lawsuit was even filed against the actor, and as more information was shared, he was let go from Empire.
The Osundairo Brothers Say It Was All Fake
ATLANTA, GA – JUNE 08: Jussie Smollett attends the “B-Boy Blues” Atlanta premiere at Silverspot Cinema at The Battery Atlanta on June 8, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.(Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage)
Later, police tracked down Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, brothers, athletes, and small-time actors. They reportedly met Smollett on the set of Empire and had regular correspondence with him. They claimed they worked with the actor in the attack, and it was speculated that Smollett orchestrated the event for sympathy. He denied every theory of blame and, until today, maintains his innocence. In court documents, Smollett demanded a new trial and stated, “In the present case, instances of prosecutorial misconduct were clear and egregious.” His legal team also alleges prosecutorial misconduct.
However, in 2021, he was convicted of five counts of felony disorderly conduct. There was reportedly a sixth count involving lying to investigators, but he was acquitted. Smollett was released from jail pending his appeal, but he still faces 150 days. Meanwhile, Fox Nation issued a statement about their upcoming docuseries.
A “Deep Dive Into A Scam”
“Anatomy of a Hoax takes a deep dive into a scam that reverberated through the worlds of entertainment, pop culture, and politics. We’re excited for viewers to hear the real stories behind this scandal from the Osundairo brothers for the very first time,” said John Finley, Fox Nation Executive Vice President.
The Mandalorian Season 3 has just dropped on Disney+. Unlike Netflix and other streaming services, Disney offers things in weekly format. This rewards patience and engrosses an audience far longer than the typical binge model.
As a result, the first episode of the Pedro Pascal-starring show arrived on Wednesday. The Mandalorian, Grogu and company were finally back on-screen for the first time since Season 2 ended in December of 2020 and since a few characters were seen at the end of The Book of Boba Fett.
The first episode drew viewers back in but didn’t offer much otherwise. A lot has happened and Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni decided to dedicate this episode to bringing viewers up to (light) speed and setting the plot in motion (spoilers for all episodes of The Mandalorian ahead).
The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 1 recap
Mando, as he’s affectionately called, is reunited with Grogu. The latter spent two years (as Favreau recently confirmed is the timeline) training with Luke Skywalker before choosing to pursue a Mandalorian lifestyle with Din Djarin.
The iconic duo head back to Nevarro, the same place Greef Karga has been operating in since the beginning. This time, it looks like a respectable planet and Karga is now High Magistrate.
Djarin wants to rebuild the only droid he’s ever trusted- IG-11. The droid that (spoilers) sacrificed himself to save the bounty hunter and Grogu has a statue made out of the remaining parts.
Djarin, who needs to find the cleansing waters of the Mandalorian mines, needs a droid to help him scout the destroyed planet. Even though he’s come a long way, the Mandalorian doesn’t want just any droid.
Episode 1 is familiarly good
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 22: Jon Favreau attends ‘The Forge’ experience inspired by the Star Wars series The Mandalorian, to celebrate the launch of The Mandalorian Season 3. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)
Thus the first plotline of The Mandalorian Season 3 comes into focus. Djarin needs to redeem himself for removing his helmet, the cardinal sin for certain sects of Mandalorians. This can only be done by bathing in the waters of the mines of Mandalore.
To achieve this, he needs a trusty droid, but IG-11’s memory processing unit has been destroyed, making him once again hostile towards Grogu. He can be fixed, but only with a specific part that Djarin and Grogu must find now.
The episode reintroduces Djarin, Grogu, High Magistrate Karga and other key players. It also explains the absence of the fired Gina Carano. Most of the episode is expositional since it’s been a while since Season 2 ended.
Nevertheless, by the end of the episode, The Mandalorian Season 3 has everyone hooked once again.
The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 1 review
General view of the El Capitan Theatre’s marquee promoting the upcoming season of the Disney+ Star Wars flagship show “The Mandalorian”. (Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
The first episode doesn’t do anything special in relation to other episodes of The Mandalorian. Season 3 begins with the protagonists needing something and going to look for it. This is a familiar plot line from the first two seasons.
What the show does so well is pull viewers in and give them what they want. There are a few excellent action set pieces, including the cold open, that rival any blockbuster movie.
The Mandalorian is so cool and Grogu is so popular that it truly doesn’t matter what they do as long as they’re on screen together.
There are some positively adorable Grogu moments, too. At one point, it appears he’s using the Force to move his chair in circles rapidly. He then uses the Force to pick up and eat a piece of candy.
More growth for Mando and Grogu
The relationship between the two protagonists has grown a lot, too. Djarin is much more fatherly to his adopted son. Looking back at the beginning of the series, there is a warmth between them now in Season 3 that just wasn’t there before.
This season appears poised to jump fully into the lore of Star Wars and of Mandalorians specifically. Bo Katan returns and is seen on Kalevala. This planet is making its live action debut after first being seen in The Clone Wars.
The show has done a tremendous job of slowly bringing fans, many of whom probably weren’t avid Star Wars nerds, into the fandom.
Now, they’re too hooked to care. They may not have heard of Kalevala and they don’t know the intricate lore of the Mandalorian religion. It matters not.
What started out as a very distant Star Wars project (no doubt designed to pander to less interested fans) is turning up the heat now. It doesn’t matter, because this show is too good to skip out on.
The premier of Season 3 of The Mandalorian proves that. It’s pure exposition with a bit of impressive action and it’s done so well that that’s all anyone needs.
The Mandalorian is still the best
There are plenty of Easter eggs and references for hardcore fans, but Filoni and Favreau have masterfully interwoven the intricate aspects of the universe into the most accessible property it’s ever had.
Take a close look at everything in the episode, titled The Apostate and you’ll see just how much is going on. Or don’t, and enjoy the return of television’s favorite duo.
There were probably some doubts as to what the best Disney+ show was and what the best Star Wars show was after Andor came out. Pascal, Favreau and the rest of the crew jumped back into the saddle to remind everyone that there should be no debate.
The next episode will go live on Wednesday, March 8. Be sure to get on Disney+ as soon as it does.
(SPOILERS for this week’s Bel-Air episode will be found below.)
Bel-Air didn’t get off to the most peaceful start for season two. It began with Will living at Jazz’s apartment after he had a fallout with Phil, Vivian, and his mother over the truth of his estranged father. Fortunately, Phil and Will were able to patch things up in the season two premiere and Will even returned home to the Banks’ Bel-Air mansion, but not before partying with family and friends for Ashley’s 13th birthday. In episode two of this season, the focus shifts to Will, Carlton, Hilary, and Jazz’s individual and interconnected lives where they all seek to make some type of progress toward their goals. Will has his eyes set on a getting a division one college basketball project while Carlton looks to make an impact in the Black Student Union and take a step forward in his battle with anxiety. Hilary and Jazz made things official in the season two premiere, but they aren’t exactly on the same page — something they hope to fix this week.
The aforementioned events in the second episode of Bel-Air season two, titled “Speaking Truth,” are soundtracked by songs that help to accentuate the emotions behind each scene. You can find a list of them belong as well as details about the scenes that the records soundtracked.
Check out our Bel-Air season 2, episode 1 recap here.
KAMI & Smoko Ono — “Superstar Moves”
KAMI & Smoko Ono’s track can be heard at the 01:15 mark during a Bel-Air Academy basketball game. Tensions are high as Will and his coach are not on the same page. Will wants to carry the team to a win while his coach wants it to be more of a team effort.
Easy McCoy — “Deja Vu”
At around the 06:40 mark, Easy McCoy’s “Deja Vu” briefly plays as the Bel-Air title flashes on the screen. This record is the theme song for Bel-Air.
Last Verse — “Semper”
Last Verse’s “Semper” checks in around 06:54 mark as Will and Carlton arrive at school. Will is venting to Carlton about his basketball frustrations. Carlton’s crush Yazmin arrives shortly after and asks him about attending and contributing ideas at the next Black Student Union meeting.
Tupac — “Can U Get Away”
Tupac’s track from his 1995 album Me Against the World plays around 09:05 as Jazz is tyding up at the record store. Hilary walks in as he’s dancing and rapping, but he doesn’t notice right away. She surprises him with lunch, but her agenda comes alive as she asks to use his Impala his for a video shoot with Ivy. He initially says no, but after some convincing, he changes his mind.
Jade Amar’s “My Own Boss” can be heard at the 16:04 mark as Hilary, Ivy, and friends are filming the video shoot with Jazz’s car. Contrary to Jazz’s wishes, Hilary reluctantly lets Ivy drive the car. Unfortunately for Hilary, Jazz finds out about this as he makes a surprise visit to the set.
YG — “Scared Money” Feat. J. Cole & Moneybagg Yo
YG’s “Scared Money” checks in in around 26:19 as Will and Carlton sneak out with Jazz to go to a party in South Central. Will meets with Jackie, where he also finds Doc, while Carlton lets his wild side out with a couple ladies in the club.
Inka Delli — “Bank”
Inka Delli’s record can be heard around the 28:42 mark as Carlton finds himself dancing, and rather happy, with a couple of ladies in the club. Will also gets his groove on with Jackie.
Iain Harper’s “Look Alive” plays in the background during a conversation at the club between Doc and Will. Doc questions Will about his sudden appearance in Bel-Air before telling Will that the Bel-Air basketball team is hurting his potential. Doc also introduces the idea of joining an AAU team to improve his stock, something that piques Will’s interest.
Julian Roy — “Trouble”
Julian Roy’s “Trouble” checks in around the 34:15 mark as Jazz is back working at the record shop. While there, he receives a text from Hilary asking for them to meet up for a conversation about their relationship. It leads to Hilary deciding to introduce him as her boyfriend to her parents.
Coast Contra — “Legacy”
Coast Contra’s record plays around the 37:10 mark as Carlton suggests that the Black Student Union hold a protest, a walk-out specifically, in defense of Mrs. Hughes unjust firing. The idea is fully supported by the BSU.
Chel Strong — “I Know You See It”
Chel Strong’s “I Know You See It” plays around the 40:59 mark during the latest Bel-Air basketball game. Will is on a whole new level during the game as his arrogance and cockiness is at an all time high. However, once again, Will and his coach clash during a timeout.
Armani White — “Billie Eilish”
At around the 42:38 mark, Armani White’s viral hit “Billie Eilish” plays as Will goes on an absolute tear, one that is also selfish and against his team’s wishes, to end the basketball game. Will’s team wins the game, but it appears that Will may lose his team.
You can stream this week’s episode of Bel-Air on Peacock here.
New episodes of ‘Bel-Air’ are available Peacock on Thursdays at 5:01 am EST/ 2:01 am PST.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
At some point in the last five or so years, someone on the Jeopardy! staff figured out that having answers and clues based on hip-hop is really amusing to the show’s audience. And so, there have been references to Public Enemy (and the Funky Bunch), ASAP Rocky, Lil Jon, Lizzo, Kendrick Lamar, and Megan Thee Stallion in recent contests, and invariably, the results have been entertaining — whether contestants’ answers are accurate or not.
The latest rapper to get the Jeopardy! treatment is Earl Sweatshirt. The Los Angeles-based former member of Odd Future appeared as the $800 clue in the “Rappers” category (they have a whole category!) last night. Now, it’s possible — even likely! — that our flustered contestant knew the correct answer. After all, the rapper whose name she blurted out is also named after a garment — damn near the same garment, in fact.
What that says about the state of rap names, in general, is probably a question for another day, but as far as linguistic replacements go, you could do worse than “A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.” The viewers’ frustration at the faux pas may appear to belie that assertion, though. She also mispronounced the “A” in “A Boogie” but considering everybody has to read everything online and just figure it out, this is something we are all going to have to get used to.
The fact remains that Earl and Artist look almost nothing alike (for what it’s worth, there are so many photos of A Boogie wearing so many other items that are not hoodies, maybe a name change is in order). Nor does their music sound alike, although that didn’t come up on Jeopardy!. In the end, none of the contestants could guess and host Mayim Bialik had to give the answer. On the bright side, maybe it worked out for Earl and A Boogie’s streaming numbers when viewers inevitably googled both to figure out what the big deal was. Check out more fans’ reactions below.
If you, like me and (apparently) Mayim, were not familiar with the (correct answer) Earl Sweatshirt or (Audrey’s incorrect answer) A Boogie wit da Hoodie, congratulations, you learned something new on Jeopardy tonight! (Thanks Audrey) #Jeopardypic.twitter.com/Atvh6AJzVq
HBO’s The Idol first came about in July 2021, and a lot has happened since that first announcement. Anticipation was high since the beginning, considering The Weeknd was starring in it as well as serving as a co-writer and a co-executive produce the series alongside Reza Fahim and Sam Levinson.
Things started getting weird in April of last year, when HBO shared a statement about the show taking on “a new creative direction.”
“The Idol’s creative team continues to build, refine, and evolve their vision for the show and they have aligned on a new creative direction,” HBO said in a statement at the time. “The production will be adjusting its cast and crew accordingly to best serve this new approach to the series. We look forward to sharing more information soon.”
However, a trailer lifted the spirits of fans in July 2022, and so did a second, more convincing trailer in August. It revealed a star-studded cast: Moses Sumney, Jennie Ruby Jane of Blackpink, Troye Sivan, Ramsey, Mike Dean, Dan Levy, Hank Azaria, Suzanna Son, Jane Adams, Rachel Sennott, and more. Another trailer arrived in October, really capturing the intensity of the series.
Today, March 1, Rolling Stone published a massive report on the alleged “sh*tshow” of The Idol. Anonymous sources say that The Weeknd was unhappy with the focus on the “female perspective,” leading to the departure of director Amy Seimetz. Levinson’s role subsequently intensified. A source says the direction of the show has turned into “any rape fantasy that any toxic man would have in the show.”
“At various points, Levinson’s scripts contained disturbing sexual and physically violent scenes between [Lily-Rose] Depp and Tesfaye’s characters, three sources familiar with the matter claim. In one draft episode, there allegedly was a scene where Tesfaye bashes in Depp’s face, and her character smiles and asks to be beaten more, giving Tesfaye an erection. (This scene was never shot, the source says.) Another proposed scenario was for Depp to carry an egg in her vagina and if she dropped or cracked the egg, Tesfaye’s character would refuse to ‘rape’ her — which sent Depp’s character into a spiral, begging him to ‘rape’ her because she believed he was the key to her success. (This scene also was not filmed because production couldn’t find a way to realistically shoot the scene without having Depp physically insert the egg, another source explains.)”
The source added, “It was a show about a woman who was finding herself sexually, turned into a show about a man who gets to abuse this woman and she loves it.”
Apparently, The Weeknd’s busy music schedule didn’t help either. “It was really frustrating because they were working so hard to make it possible to shoot and be released with his concert or whatever his timeline was [and] it all got thrown out the window,” a source said.
Of course, The Weeknd merely responded with a snarky tweet, sharing clip from the show in which a character calls Rolling Stone “irrelevant.”
A lot has recently been revealed about the forthcoming HBO show The Idol, known for being spearheaded by Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd. He co-created it alongside Euphoria director Sam Levinson and Reza Fahim, and there’s a lot to unpack about the controversial, long-awaited series. From intensely spicy trailers to a confusing timeline of its release, find information about The Idol below.
Release Date
There remains no release date. In Rolling Stone‘s new bombshell report about the show, it was reported, “One source with knowledge of the production schedule tells Rolling Stone the network initially hoped for The Idol to premiere last fall, taking over the Sunday time slot left open by House of the Dragon, which ended in October. Yet three teaser trailers have come and gone, and HBO can still only offer a vague ‘later this year.’ (A rep for the network declined to comment on when the show will air.)”
Cast
The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp are the leads. Other actors include Suzanna Son, Troye Sivan, Moses Sumney, Jane Adams, Dan Levy, Jennie Kim, Eli Roth, Rachel Sennott, Melanie Liburd, Tunde Adebimpe, Elizabeth Berkley Lauren, Nico Hiraga, and the late Anne Heche. There will also be a feature from Jennie of Blackpink.
Plot
The Idol, in six episodes, follows the story of “a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult, who develops a complicated relationship with an up-and-coming pop idol.” The trailer boasts it as “the sleaziest love story” from “the sick and twisted minds of the Creator of Euphoria Sam Levinson and Abel ‘The Weekend’ Tesfaye.”
Drama
In April of last year, they announced a “new creative direction,” which included the departure of director Amy Seimetz. Still, The Weeknd teased trailers during his After Hours Til Dawn Tour last summer.
An anonymous source told Rolling Stone that Tesfaye was not happy with the story’s “feminist lens.” “It was like The Weeknd wanted one show that was all about him — Sam was on board with that,” they told the publication. Another source said, “What I signed up for was a dark satire of fame and the fame model in the 21st century. It went from satire to the thing it was satirizing.”
“It was like, ‘What is this? What am I reading here,’” the source added. “It was like sexual torture porn.” Leaked scripts portrayed disturbing, violent scenes involving physical abuse and rape fantasies. “It was a show about a woman who was finding herself sexually, turned into a show about a man who gets to abuse this woman and she loves it,” the source said.
It feels like it’s been ages since Variety first reported The Weeknd was co-creating a forthcoming HBO series, The Idol, with Euphoria‘s Sam Levinson. Enough nonsense has happened since July 2021 — scratch that, enough has happened just today, March 1 — to satisfy a six-episode arc, making it even more confusing to identify when The Idol‘s first season will actually premiere.
The Idol was already off to a rocky start. It was reported last April that the series was undergoing “an overhaul” due to a “new creative direction,” including the departure of director Amy Seimetz.
And today, Rolling Stonepublished a very long bombshell report detailing some very disturbing (alleged) turmoil, which one source called “a sh*tshow.” Across interviews with 13 unnamed members of The Idol‘s cast and crew, reporter Cheyenne Roundtree learned that The Weeknd “felt the show was heading too much into a ‘female perspective.’” When Levinson replaced Seimetz as director, he allegedly threw out “the nearly-finished $54-75 million project to rewrite and reshoot the entire thing.”
Roundtree added, “With Seimetz out of the picture, HBO handed the reins to Levinson, only to have him weaken the show’s overarching message, many sources say, by dialing up the disturbing sexual content and nudity to match — and even surpass — that of his most successful show, Euphoria.”
The publication additionally provided an update on when any of us might be able to watch The Idol: “One source with knowledge of the production schedule tells Rolling Stone the network initially hoped for The Idol to premiere last fall, taking over the Sunday time slot left open by House of the Dragon, which ended in October. Yet three teaser trailers have come and gone, and HBO can still only offer a vague ‘later this year.’ (A rep for the network declined to comment on when the show will air.)”
After all of that, the plot of The Idol feels like a footnote, but The Weeknd stars as Tedros, “a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult” who “enters a complicated relationship with a rising pop idol, Lily-Rose Depp’s Jocelyn (as noted by IMDb). Dan Levy, Suzanna Son, Troye Sivan, Moses Sumney, Jennie Kim, and Jane Adams are among those also listed in the cast.
Yesterday (February 28), news surfaced that Peter Thomas was charged in connection to a physical altercation. The Real Housewives of Atlanta star was hit with a second-degree assault charge following an alleged altercation at his Bar One restaurant in Baltimore. According to the purported victim, Chanel Williams, she was with two friends at the location in March 2022. Williams testified the group was enjoying themselves before they were invited by a woman to join the VIP area. Thomas, who co-owns the establishment, reportedly went to hug Williams, and she believed he was a tad intoxicated.
Things took a turn when Thomas became upset at something. Williams additionally claimed he turned his fury on her, grabbed her by the neck, and squeezed for approximately 30 seconds. That evening, Williams called the police and, the next day, filed a report against Thomas. Williams’s friend, Cierra Dunlap, told the court she went to dinner with Thomas and had sex with him once. Dunlap also alleged he sent her $2,500.
A Verdict Is Reached
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 29: Cynthia Bailey and Peter Thomas attend Debra L. Lee’s 7th annual VIP pre BET dinner event at Milk Studios on June 29, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
We’re sure Thomas is somewhere celebrating, as it was reported he was found not guilty of the assault. During the hearing, Thomas claimed he wasn’t intoxicated, and Williams was “hysterical.” He denied choking Williams, insisting he “eased her off” of him, causing her to fall back into a chair. Despite his version of events, Tammy Rivera has spoken up because Williams is reportedly her niece.
In a video, Rivera claimed she received several DMs from people asking about Williams. She said she’s kept silent out of privacy for her niece but “doesn’t play when it comes to [her] family.” Rivera also added, “The moral of the story is, my niece didn’t want me to help her. She didn’t want me involved. She didn’t want me to help her with the lawyer, the case, anything.”
Rivera further stated Williams was given a State’s attorney while Thomas hired a high-profile lawyer. “That’s what happened. He put his hands on her. He choked her. She called me outside the restaurant crying hysterically. My niece is not loud, she’s not ghetto, she does not be in no mess. That’s not her world. For her to even call me like that and say that someone—everybody in the club saw it.”
According to the singer, the following day, Thomas called around trying his best to apologize for the allegedly incident. “You did it. Apologize and move on.” Check it out above.
Earlier today, Rolling Stonepublished an article detailing some of the production changes to the anticipated HBO drama The Idol in which members of the crew deride the production as a “sh*tshow” and criticize its new direction, which has been reportedly guided by co-creators Sam Levinson and The Weeknd, who also stars.
Well, The Weeknd clearly wasn’t going to take that criticism lying down and the perfect response ready to go, straight from the show itself. On Twitter, he posted a clip of the show in which his character calls the publication “irrelevant,” with the caption, “@RollingStone did we upset you?” The clip depicts Daniel Levy’s publicist pitching a cover story to his client, Lily-Rose Depp’s Jocelyn, only to be shut down by The Weeknd’s Tedros.
Of course, in the context of the show’s premise, this doesn’t quite scan as the harsh put-down of legacy publications it may seem at first blush. After all, according to HBO’s own publicity for the show, secret cult leader Tedros is a harmful influence on Jocelyn; in Rolling Stone‘s report, his actions toward her are described by the show’s own staff as “sexual torture porn.”
While it seems unlikely that The Weeknd has completely misunderstood the premise of his own show, reports have speculated that the reason for the controversial new direction stemmed from his distaste for the original director, Amy Seimetz’s, treatment of the material, which focused more on Jocelyn’s character than on Tedros.
Seimetz departed the nearly complete show last spring, replaced as director by Levinson, and most of the negative comments were focused on his new treatment, which turned the show from “a dark satire” into “the thing it was satirizing.” This tends to corroborate prior statements made about Levinson’s other HBO show, Euphoria, which has drawn criticism for its explicit content.
Is it possible that this is all some elaborate form of guerilla marketing? Maybe. But considering the show isn’t even completed yet — it doesn’t even have a release date, although HBO is still aiming for sometime in 2023 — it seems we won’t find out for a while… and the show we ultimately get might be completely different than either of the two shows described in Rolling Stone‘s report.
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