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Coldplay bring out Hollywood cameo for Aussie show

<p>Coldplay have shocked the crowd at their Melbourne concert by bringing out a 1980s movie legend to the stage for a surprise cameo. </p> <p><em>Karate Kid</em> Actor Ralph Macchio took to the stage during the show to help the band perform their song <em>The Karate Kid</em>, from their new album <em>Moon Music</em>.</p> <p>Macchio, 62, lip-synched to frontman Chris Martin’s vocals, before the pair embraced warmly in front of the crowd at the sold-out gig. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">NEWS • Karate Kid Actor Ralph Macchio took to the stage during today’s show in Melbourne to shoot the music video for "The Karate Kid". | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ColdplayMelbourne?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ColdplayMelbourne</a> 🇦🇺</p> <p>He lip synced to Chris's voice 🥋🎤</p> <p>🎥<a href="https://twitter.com/coldplaybrasil?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coldplaybrasil</a> <a href="https://t.co/bWP1YN79G3">pic.twitter.com/bWP1YN79G3</a></p> <p>— Coldplay United Kingdom (@ColdplayUK_) <a href="https://twitter.com/ColdplayUK_/status/1851967580363255983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>Macchio became a household name in the 1980s for playing Daniel LaRusso in three <em>Karate Kid</em> films, and more recently has reprised the iconic role in the Netflix series <em>Cobra Kai.</em></p> <p>According to a Coldplay fan account on social media, the footage of the actor’s on-stage cameo will be used as a music video when <em>The Karate Kid</em> is released as a single.</p> <p>The famous actor had earlier been spotted in the audience at Coldplay’s Wednesday show at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, having flown from New York to attend the gig.</p> <p><em>Image credits: X/Sonia Moskowitz Gordon/ZUMA/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Music

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6 reasons why people enjoy horror movies

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/shane-rogers-575838">Shane Rogers</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/coltan-scrivner-1475716">Coltan Scrivner</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/arizona-state-university-730">Arizona State University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/shannon-muir-2237282">Shannon Muir</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a></em></p> <p>The creeping shadows and haunting decorations transform the everyday into something eerie at Halloween. And you might be thinking about scaring yourself with a <a href="https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-horror-movies-of-all-time/">good horror movie</a>.</p> <p>Grotesque imagery, extreme violence, startling jump scares and menacing characters are common elements, making viewers feel fear, dread and disgust.</p> <p>We generally aim to avoid these <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1321053/full">negative emotions</a> in our everyday lives.</p> <p>So why would some people seek them out, and enjoy them, in horror movies?</p> <h2>1. Fear can be thrilling</h2> <p>There is lots of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149763423002063">overlap</a> between the emotions of fear and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-53533-y">excitement</a>. In both, <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev.neuro.051508.135620">stress hormones</a> are released that can produce physical symptoms such as increased heart and breathing rates, sweating and muscle tension. People also feel <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/the-psychology-of-fear-2671696">more alert</a> and “on edge”.</p> <p>Research has <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02298/full">consistently shown</a> people with personalities that crave intense emotional experiences, including fear and excitement, tend to enjoy horror movies.</p> <p>But for more fearful people, the jump scares and violent scenes can be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197535899.001.0001">too intense</a>. This can result in <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0956797620972116">coping behaviours</a> such as looking away or putting their hands over the ears, especially if they are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/ebs0000152">highly immersed</a> in the movie.</p> <p>Although, if they also happen to enjoy intense emotion, they may still enjoy the thrill of the ride.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/llpsjbNQIns?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Movie makers work hard to get these ‘jump scares’ just right. And viewers enjoy the thrill.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>2. There’s a sense of relief</h2> <p>People may enjoy horror movies because of a <a href="https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/7uh6f">sense of relief</a> after a <a href="https://www.the-scientist.com/ts-digest/issue/science-experiments-from-the-afterlife-24-14?utm_campaign=TS_TS%20Digest%202.0%20Promotion&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsmi=329250194&amp;utm_content=329250194&amp;utm_source=hs_email#why-do-some-people-enjoy-horror-movies-72181">scary moment has passed</a>.</p> <p>Watching a horror movie can be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, with distinct <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811920300094">peaks and troughs</a> of fear and relief over the course of the film.</p> <p>For example, in the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1396484/">2017 movie It</a> the main protagonists survive a series of scary encounters with a demonic clown. The scary moments are separated by calmer scenes, prompting a rollercoaster of emotions.</p> <p>In the classic <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073195/">1975 movie Jaws</a>, viewers experience relief from the scary moments, only to be scared again and again.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yFXG5QQYOvg?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Jaws is a rollercoaster of emotions.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>3. They satisfy our morbid curiosity</h2> <p>Many horror movies feature supernatural themes and characters such as zombies, werewolves and vampires. So horror movies can help satiate a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886921005183">morbid curiosity</a>.</p> <p>The violence, death, destruction and grotesque elements can provide curious people a safe space to explore things that are not safe (or socially appropriate) in the real world.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZbdMMI6ty0o?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Horror movies can help people satisfy their curiosity about death. But why are they curious in the first place?</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>4. We can work out our limits</h2> <p>Horror movies can reflect our deepest fears and prompt introspection about our personal thresholds of fear and disgust.</p> <p>So some people may enjoy watching them to get a <a href="https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/sdxe6">better understanding</a> of their own limits.</p> <p>Watching horror might also be a way to push personal boundaries to potentially become <a href="https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/7uh6f">less fearful</a> or grossed out by things in real life.</p> <p>In a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110397">study</a> one of us (Coltan) conducted, horror movie fans reported less psychological distress during the early months of the COVID pandemic compared with people not identifying as a horror movie fan.</p> <h2>5. They can be social</h2> <p>Some people say the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/ebs0000152">social aspect</a> of watching horror movies with others is a big part of their appeal.</p> <p>Watching with others might help some people feel safer. Alternatively, this might help <a href="https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/b8tgs">amplify</a> the emotional experience by <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0223259">feeding off the emotions</a> of people around them.</p> <p>Horror movies are also a common pick as a <a href="https://www.imdb.com/list/ls023286138/">date night</a> movie. Being <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.51.3.586">scared together</a> gives a good excuse to snuggle and take comfort in each other.</p> <h2>6. They give us pleasure in other people’s misery</h2> <p>Horror movies can provide the pleasurable emotion we feel when witnessing the misfortune of others, known as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/schadenfreude">schadenfreude</a>. This occurs most when we feel the person experiencing misfortune deserves it.</p> <p>In many horror movies the characters that suffer a gruesome fate are only side characters. Much of the time these unfortunate souls are made out to be unlikeable and often make foolish choices before their grisly end.</p> <p>For example, in the 1996 teen witch movie <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115963/">The Craft</a>, the character Chris Hooker is portrayed as being cruel to women. Then he dies by being blasted out of a window.</p> <p>Despite the grisly nature of horror movies, a <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-43893-001">study</a> by one of us (Coltan) found horror fans seem to have the same levels of empathy as anyone else.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZvLmyts6cEY?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">In The Craft, viewers enjoy witnessing the misfortune of others, particularly if the character is a ‘baddy’.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>What do I make of all this?</h2> <p>Horror movies allow us to confront our deepest fears through the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-1105/a000354">safety of make-believe</a>.</p> <p>People enjoy them for lots of different reasons. And the precise combination of reasons differs depending on the specific movie, and the person or people watching it.</p> <p>What is certain though, is the <a href="https://www.the-numbers.com/market/genres">increasing popularity</a> of horror movies, with <a href="https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-horror-movies-of-all-time/">many</a> to choose from.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/241480/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/shane-rogers-575838"><em>Shane Rogers</em></a><em>, Lecturer in Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/coltan-scrivner-1475716">Coltan Scrivner</a>, Behavioral Scientist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/arizona-state-university-730">Arizona State University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/shannon-muir-2237282">Shannon Muir</a>, Lecturer in psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/6-reasons-why-people-enjoy-horror-movies-241480">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Movies

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Freddy Krueger at 40 – the ultimate horror movie monster (and Halloween costume)

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-daniel-301018">Adam Daniel</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a></em></p> <p>Movie monsters have captivated audiences since the days of early cinema. They evoke fascination and terror, allowing audiences to confront their fears from the safety of the movie theatre or living room.</p> <p>Arguably one of the most enduring and captivating of these monsters is Freddy Krueger, the villain of the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087800/">A Nightmare on Elm Street</a> series who celebrates his 40th screen birthday this November.</p> <p>Memorably played by Robert Englund, Freddy quickly became a cultural icon of the 1980s and 1990s. Beyond his burned face and iconic bladed glove, Freddy’s dark humour and acidic personality set him apart from other silent, faceless killers of the era, such as Michael Myers in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077651/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_2_tt_6_nm_0_in_0_q_halloween">Halloween</a> or Jason Vorhees in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080761/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Friday the 13th</a>.</p> <p>Written and directed by horror maven <a href="https://theconversation.com/wes-craven-the-scream-of-our-times-46915">Wes Craven</a>, 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street garnered positive reviews for its innovative concept: Freddy stalked and attacked his victims in their dreams, making him inescapable and allowing him to tap into their deepest fears. The series (seven films plus a 2010 remake and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329101/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Freddy vs. Jason</a> spin offs) blended supernatural horror and surrealism with a dark and twisted sense of humour.</p> <h2>Scary … but funny</h2> <p>Humour was key to Freddy’s “popularity”. Both sinister and strangely charismatic, Freddy’s psychological torture of his adolescent victims often oscillated between terrifying and amusing.</p> <p>A famous kill scene from 1987’s <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093629/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors</a> demonstrates this paradox.</p> <p>Aspiring actress Jennifer drifts off to sleep while watching a talk show on TV. In her dream, the host of the talk show suddenly transforms into Freddy, who attacks his guest before the TV blinks out. When Jennifer timidly approaches the TV set, Freddy’s head and clawed hands emerge from the device, snatching her while delivering an iconic one-liner: “This is it, Jennifer – your big break in TV!”</p> <p>Freddy turns his victims’ fears or aspirations – their dreams – against them.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dCVh4lBfW-c?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">‘Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep.’</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>Creating a monster</h2> <p>Craven has shared how the character of Krueger came to life in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1510985/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy</a>, an oral history of the series.</p> <p>He described a childhood experience of seeing a strange mumbling man walking past his childhood home. The man stopped, he said, and looked directly at him “with a sick sense of malice”. This deeply unsettling experience helped shape Freddy’s menacing presence.</p> <p>The character’s creation also emerged from the filmmaker’s interest in <a href="https://www.iflscience.com/nightmare-on-elm-street-was-inspired-by-a-real-life-medical-mystery-60527">numerous reports of Southeast Asian refugees dying in their sleep</a> after experiencing vivid nightmares.</p> <p>In the film, Krueger’s origin story reveals him as a child murderer who was apprehended but released due to a technicality in his arrest. Seeking justice, the parents of his victims take matters into their own hands, and form a vigilante mob. They corner him in his boiler room and burn him alive. But Freddy’s spirit survives to haunt and kill the children of his executioners.</p> <h2>Cultural repression, expressed on film</h2> <p>Film critic and essayist <a href="https://www.cineaste.com/summer2019/robin-wood-on-horror-film-collected-essays-and-reviews#:%7E:text=Freudian%20theory%2C%20a%20crucial%20theoretical,the%20horror%20film%20perpetually%20enacts.">Robin Wood argued</a> horror films often bring to the surface elements society has repressed. These fears, desires, or cultural taboos are not openly acknowledged.</p> <p>But movie monsters act as manifestations of what society suppresses, such as sexuality, violence or deviant behaviour. American academic <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01956051.1995.9943696">Gary Heba</a> argues Freddy is:</p> <blockquote> <p>an example of America’s political unconscious violently unleashed upon itself, manifesting everything that is unspeakable and repressed in the master narrative (perversion, child abuse and murder, vigilantism, the breakdown of rationality, order, and the family, among others), but still always present in the collective unconscious of the dominant culture.</p> </blockquote> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UBrl4H0Uzng?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Actor Robert Englund calls Freddy Krueger ‘the gift that keeps on giving’.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>The monster decades</h2> <p>The 1970s and 1980s marked a golden era for the creation of horror film nasties like Krueger, Myers, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072271/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3">The Texas Chainsaw Massacre</a>’s Leatherface and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094862/?ref_=fn_al_tt_19">killer doll Chucky</a>.</p> <p>Since then, the landscape of horror has shifted, with fewer singular monsters emerging. The diversification of horror sub-genres (zombie virus horror, anyone?), the rise of psychological horror (<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7784604/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_2_tt_4_nm_2_in_0_q_heredi">Hereditary</a>), and an emphasis on human-driven terror (<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416315/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_7_nm_0_in_0_q_wolf%2520creek">Wolf Creek</a>) or supernatural forces all contribute to this shift.</p> <p>While modern horror continues to thrive, few characters have achieved the same iconic status as Freddy – although some would argue Art the Clown from the recent <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4281724/">Terrifier</a> franchise and the reinvigorated Pennywise from <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1396484/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_6_nm_1_in_0_q_it">IT</a> could join this exclusive group.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZuYoEtEI_go?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">‘Five, six, grab your crucifix.’ A 2010 Nightmare on Elm St reboot failed to fire.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>Happy Halloween!</h2> <p>Despite a <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1179056/">failed reboot in 2010</a>, the legacy of A Nightmare on Elm Street is strong, having influenced numerous filmmakers with its skilful mix of surrealism and slasher horror.</p> <p>However, it’s the orchestrator of the titular nightmares whose legacy is perhaps the strongest.</p> <p>With each Halloween, new fans choose Freddy for their costume. All it takes is a tattered striped sweater, a brown fedora hat, and a glove with sharp, finger-lengthening blades. Don’t forget makeup to re-create Krueger’s grisly facial burns. Sweet dreams!<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/240905/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-daniel-301018"><em>Adam Daniel</em></a><em>, Associate Lecturer in Communications, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: New Line Cinema - IMDB</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/freddy-krueger-at-40-the-ultimate-horror-movie-monster-and-halloween-costume-240905">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Movies

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Babyfaced Sam Armytage unrecognisable in resurfaced clip

<p>Aussie TV presenter Sam Armytage appears unrecognisable in a resurfaced clip. </p> <p>A video has emerged of a baby-faced Armytage early on in her media career, presenting for news for WIN in Canberra in the '90s.</p> <p>Armytage appeared on the <em>Today</em> show on Monday morning to discuss the launch of Nine's new reality series <em>The Golden Bachelor,</em> which she will host.</p> <p>It didn't take long before <em>Today</em> host Karl Stefanovic teased her with a throwback video. </p> <p>“You were part of the Nine family going way back to the early ’60s, have a look at this,”  Stefanovic joked.</p> <p>Today co-host Sarah Abo and Armytage laughed as footage of a younger Armytage appeared onscreen wearing a white blazer and rocking a bob cut. </p> <p>Abo told Armytage “you haven’t changed at all!”</p> <p>“Oh darling, thank you. Listen to that little high-pitched voice — I was a baby,” Armytage replied.</p> <p>Armytage's new stint comes just months after she left the Seven Network, where she was previously the host for another reality TV show, <em>Farmer Wants A Wife</em>.</p> <p>The show will air in 2025, with Armytage explaining that it is a similar show to<em> The Bachelor</em> that Aussies love but with a focus on those in their 50s and 60s. </p> <p>“This is bringing it forward to the golden ages, as we like to call it. We’re all heading towards some of this faster than others,” Armytage joked before announcing that they're currently casting. </p> <p>“What we’re looking for here is a Golden Bachelor, most likely in his 60s, and some ladies who will be in their 50s or 60s … because we’re casting now.</p> <p>“This is for people who are looking for love again, so people who’ve got some miles on their tyres who are ready to fall in love again.”</p> <p>She said there would be some “great stories” along with some “kind of sad” ones; however, the aim is for a “happy fairytale ending”.</p> <p>Stefanovic then joked that it was a shame Richard Wilkins was “off the market” before adding he was shocked people over the age of 50 were “so active”.</p> <p>“It’s shocking. I just feel like it’s like a lot to look at on the TV,” Stefanovic said, admitting that he'd watched the US version of the show that debuted last year. </p> <p>“I just find some of it confronting in a physical way.”</p> <p>Abo and Armytage were quick to cut off Stefanovic's train of thought before it went down “a path perhaps that we don’t want it to go down”.</p> <p>“I know what you’re talking about, but I don’t think it’s confronting. I think it’s lovely,” Armytage said.</p> <p>“I think that it’s life. It is. And there’s a huge percentage of the population in this age bracket who are active and looking for love.”</p> <p><em>Images: Today</em></p> <p> </p>

TV

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Raygun shows off stunning post-Olympics transformation

<p>Infamous Australian breakdancer Raygun has debuted her new look on the front page of <em>Stellar</em> magazine, just months after gaining global notoriety at the Paris Olympics.</p> <p>Rachael “Raygun” Gunn's infamous performance at the Olympics gained her not one single point in the competition, with her unusual style of dance going viral and parodied around the world.</p> <p>Now, Raygun has ditched the green and gold Olympic tracksuit and debuted her new look for her cover story with <em>Stellar</em> magazine.</p> <p>With her hair sleekly pulled back, Raygun shared the photo of her looking radiant in a vibrant blue dress and strappy black sandals, complete with a bold red lip.</p> <p>Though the full interview isn’t released until Sunday, the cover offers a tantalising glimpse into Raygun’s mindset, with quotes reading, “You did not bring me down. You did not succeed. I still stand by what I did.” </p> <p>The quotes echo Raygun's <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/weak-raygun-s-tell-all-interview-divides-audience" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tell-all interview</a> with Waleed Aly on <em>The Project</em> that she conducted after returning from Paris to a barrage of ridicule from Australia. </p> <p>While some people, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, thought Raygun gave it her best try, others were quick to call her out for "making a mockery of Australia". </p> <p>Speaking for the first time since the Olympics, Raygun told Waleed Aly in September that the backlash to her performance had a huge impact on her mental health. </p> <p>“I didn’t understand the scale of it,” she said. “I did preview some comments and I was like, ‘Oh, no’, and this kind of sick feeling started coming out. I was like, ‘Oh, goodness! What has happened?’”</p> <p>“It was really sad, how much hate that it did evoke,” she said. “There’s been a portion of very angry and awful responses, not only attacking me but attacking my husband, attacking my crew, attacking the breaking and street dance community in Australia, my family. The energy and vitriol that people had was pretty alarming.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram - Stellar</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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"Most loathed woman in parliament": Karl Stefanovic grills Lidia Thorpe

<p>Karl Stefanovic has labelled Lidia Thorpe as “the most loathed woman in parliament” during a fiery interview on the <em>Today </em>show. </p> <p>The <em>Today </em>host interviewed the politician on Thursday morning, noting that her decision to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/you-are-not-my-king-lidia-thorpe-interrupts-charles-parliament-house-visit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heckle King Charles</a> was not winning her much support. </p> <p>“Lidia, good morning to you. Nice to see you. I think it’s fair to say you might very well be the most loathed woman in parliament in Canberra at the moment. And that’s really saying something,’’ Stefanovic said. </p> <p>However, the Senator had no regrets and said that she was used to being "the black sheep" of politics. </p> <p>“Oh, well, it’s just another day in the colony, Karl. I’m used to that treatment,” she said.</p> <p>“You know. I am the black sheep of the family, if you like. But I wanted to send a message to the King. I got that message across. The whole world is talking about it.</p> <p>“And my people are happy because my people have been protesting for decades and decades. As you all know, for exactly this. And so the message has been sent, delivered. Now it’s up to the King of England to respond.”</p> <p>Stefanovic then asked her: “The question this morning you were being asked is, why the hell doesn’t Lidia Thorpe just do everyone a favour and get out of Canberra? Will you?”</p> <p>To which she replied: “I’m about truth telling. I’m loud, proud, black. Get used to it and listen to what I have to say.</p> <p>“We need to grow up as a nation and get rid of him and have our own head of state.”</p> <p>The broadcaster then showed a video of her swearing allegiance to the late Queen Elizabeth. </p> <p>“Did that hurt a little when you swore your allegiance? Did it take a little bit of your soul?’’ Stefanovic asked.</p> <p>“Absolutely it did. And I had to go through a process with my family prior to doing that, because swearing allegiance to someone else from another country whose ancestors have done a lot of damage to my ancestors, I think is completely inappropriate,” she replied. </p> <p>This comes after Thorpe's <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/lidia-thorpe-s-pledge-to-queen-elizabeth-raises-questions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pledge to Queen Elizabeth's</a> "hairs" instead of "heir" came to light.</p> <p>“We don’t need to be paying the Governor-General $800,000 a year to sign a piece of legislation. And we paid for that man to come here. How many millions of dollars did that cost?” she continued. </p> <p>Karl hit back saying that Thorpe herself is “getting paid pretty well to be part of the process and to be part of parliament, a place you clearly despise.”</p> <p>She replied: “Yeah. I’m being paid to do my job. You could say it’s paying the rent if you like." </p> <p>“This government has walked back a treaty. I know the opposition is not interested in treaty. So where else do you go? You go to the King of England. Who? Whose ancestors treated with other countries but didn’t treaty here. So there’s unfinished business. I’ll spend the next three years getting that unfinished business done.”</p> <p><em>Images: Nine</em></p>

TV

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Young woman dies after horror cruise fall

<p>A woman in her 20s has died after plunging from the MSC Virtuosa cruise ship in the middle of the night. </p> <p>The cruise ship was travelling from Lisbon to Southampton when disaster struck at around 2am on October 12. </p> <p>While air ambulance successfully winched her out of the English Channel, she was pronounced dead at the hospital despite the best efforts of medics. </p> <p>British and French police are now probing the unidentified woman's death, <em>The Sun</em> reported. </p> <p>The ship originally sounded a Man Overboard alert and spotlights were then used to light up the sea, as aircraft from France and the Channel Islands attended the sea. </p> <p>Infra-red cameras were used to locate the woman, who would've struggled to survive in the cold water. </p> <p>At around 3am French time, an emergency alert was issued saying that a person was missing, a coast guard told <em>The Sun</em>. </p> <p>A helicopter was sent to a search area just north Les Casquets rocks, near the Channel Island of Alderney, while a plane from  Channel Islands Air Search was sent to the scene from Guernsey, along with lifeboat crews.</p> <p>The £650 million ($A1.2 billion) vessel, which has a crew of more than 1500 and can carry up to 6300 passengers, remained in the area before making its way to Southampton. </p> <p>“A guest on board MSC Virtuosa went overboard on 12 October, while the ship was sailing to Southampton,” a Virtuosa spokesperson said.</p> <p>“The body was later recovered with the involvement of the authorities.</p> <p>“We are deeply saddened by this tragic event, and our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time.</p> <p>“Out of respect for their privacy, we will not be providing further details.”</p> <p>A Hampshire Police spokesperson added: “The investigation is not being managed by UK authorities.”</p> <p><em>Images: P.Cartwright / Shutterstock.com/ Channel Islands Air Search</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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Tony Armstrong jokes about "moonlighting" controversy on last ABC show

<p>Tony Armstrong has made a joke about the recent "<a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/tony-armstrong-called-out-by-media-watch-for-moonlighting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moonlighting</a>" controversy on his final show with <em>ABC News Breakfast</em>. </p> <p>On Monday, Armstrong was called out by <em>Media Watch</em> host Janine Perrett who said she was "stunned" that he failed to get the all-clear from network bosses before he became the voice of NRMA Insurance. </p> <p>Perrett launched into a blistering tirade over Armstrong's advertising gig with the insurance company, claiming the job was "strongly discouraged" by the public broadcaster. </p> <p>On Friday, Armstrong made light of the claims on his final show with <em>ABC News Breakfast</em>, after announcing he would be leaving the show after three years. </p> <p>While farewelling his co-hosts, the <em>News Breakfast</em> team gave him flowers and a big tin of coffee during his final broadcast, with Armstrong joking he wouldn’t name the coffee brand before back pedalling.</p> <p>“We won’t name the brand … Actually I don’t care, I’ve already been done by <em>Media Watch</em> — Nescafe!” Armstrong laughed.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DArqPr_SrrX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DArqPr_SrrX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by PEDESTRIAN.TV (@pedestriantv)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Armstrong went on to thank the <em>ABC News Breakfast</em> team in his final goodbye, saying “it takes a village” to get the show on air.</p> <p>“Look at this team around me. This is everyone that makes this show work. We are just the lucky presenters that get to go out there and present all of the hard work,” Armstrong said.</p> <p>“It takes a village. We do it understaffed and under resourced, and every day everybody rocks up with a smile on their face doing the work of four or five people. </p> <p>“So yes, I’m just an instrument that is part of a team.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: ABC News Breakfast</em></p>

Retirement Life

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Former Today Show host's surprise return

<p>It's been almost two months since Brooke Boney wrapped up her final <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/today-show-star-s-teary-farewell" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Today Show</em></a>, and bid farewell to viewers after five years on the show to further her studies at Oxford University in the UK. </p> <p>The former news and entertainment presenter made a surprise return to the Today show on Thursday morning, sharing updates on her latest adventure to hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo. </p> <p>Since settling in London, she was a guest at a reception held by none other than King Charles and Queen Camilla. </p> <p>The royals hosted a luncheon for Commonwealth countries at St James Palace, and the event was attended by other high-profile Aussies such as Cate Blanchett and Kathy Lette. </p> <p>"It was so wonderful, you go there and the whole experience is pretty surreal," the proud Gamilaroi Gomeroi woman told the<em> Today</em> hosts.</p> <p>"And I think especially as an Aboriginal person, it's like, oh how do I engage with this?' You know, it's a very complicated history between us and the royals but I thought, I'd rather be someone who's in the room and having conversations, than someone who's not."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DAoszVotXgp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DAoszVotXgp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kathy Lette (@kathy.lette)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>She also admitted that she was curious to see the inside of the palace, and while her brush with royalty was exciting, there was another guest at the event she was equally excited to see. </p> <p>"Do you know who else was there? Grace Jones," she revealed.</p> <p>"I was like, 'wait, oh, hang on, hang on, that is THE Grace Jones! I'm sure this was the tamest party that she's ever been to, because I've heard some very wild stories about Grace Jones."</p> <p><em>Image: Today</em></p>

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"Fresh start" for scalded baby after horror attack

<p>The family of a 10-month-old baby, who suffered severe burns after an unknown man <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/new-details-and-pics-emerge-after-baby-scalded-by-stranger-in-brisbane-park" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threw a thermos of hot coffee on him</a> in a Brisbane park, is urging police to release more information about the suspect, who is believed to have fled overseas.</p> <p>Queensland Police have been investigating the case since the attack, which took place in Stones Corner, Brisbane. While authorities have confirmed that international law enforcement is assisting with the search, the baby’s parents are asking for more transparency on the case.</p> <p>The family, who has chosen to remain anonymous, visited the park for the first time since the incident on Thursday. Burns from the attack are still visible on their young son's body.</p> <p>“He’s really strong and resilient and brave,” the baby’s mother <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/fresh-calls-from-family-of-baby-attacked-with-hot-coffee-in-brisbane-park-c-16190532" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told 7NEWS</a>. The visit came just weeks after their son was rushed to Queensland Children’s Hospital with burns to his face and chest. In celebration of the baby reaching 10 months old, he wore a miniature police uniform given to him by the squad working on his case.</p> <p>Despite the police’s efforts, the parents are concerned about the lack of information being shared with them and the public. “We would just like a bit of assurance that we are on the right track, and (that the offender) is going to get caught,” the father told 7NEWS. He also questioned the process of bringing the suspect back, asking, “How (do) they plan on bringing him back? And if they know where he is in that particular country, is that country working with us?”</p> <p>Queensland Police acting commissioner Shane Chelepy stated that while the police are actively working on the case, they are being strategic with the release of information. “We need to balance our investigative strategies with the need for the community to know what’s going on,” Chelepy explained.</p> <p>As the investigation continues, the family is moving into a new home, hoping for a fresh start after the traumatic event. “I think it’ll just be a nice, new, fresh start after such a difficult month,” the mother said. The father added, “We can’t believe how well he’s doing. He’s so happy and he’s hitting all his milestones.”</p> <p>Police remain committed to locating the suspect and are collaborating with international authorities to bring him to justice.</p> <p><em>Images: 7News / Nine Network</em></p>

Caring

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30 years of Friends: how the US sitcom became an enduring global sensation

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-howells-1225412">Richard Howells</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/kings-college-london-1196">King's College London</a></em></p> <p>I have to be honest – I didn’t actually watch the first episode of the classic TV series Friends when it originally aired in the US on September 22 1994. Nor did I bother when it first turned up on British television the following spring.</p> <p>But the final instalment was a different matter. I was on a road trip in the US at the time and checked into a motel on the outskirts of Cincinnati, Ohio specially to catch the concluding episode (The Last One) on May 6 2004. Room service arrived in the nick of time. My burger and beer only fuelled my appetite for what was to come – and the anticipation of guessing what the final line would be.</p> <p>So why the big change? How did my attitude evolve from indifference in the nineties to excitedly pulling off the interstate in the noughties? The answer is key to the show’s success – and why it remains so popular today.</p> <p>Back in 1994, the initial premise of Friends seemed to lack promise. The plot revolved round six not especially interesting characters, and none of the cast was especially famous (at least to me). The show was set mainly in two adjacent apartments in Manhattan and a coffee bar called Central Perk to which the characters returned almost every episode and in which (in the best sitcom tradition) the best seats were always available. Crucially, not a lot actually happened.</p> <h2>The power of the ensemble</h2> <p>So why did it work? The first important thing is that Friends was not so much a situation comedy as a character comedy. That meant it did not need a remarkable premise or dramatic incidents to drive the show. It was an ensemble piece in which we gradually got to know the characters and the friends became our friends.</p> <p>The show was built around everyday storylines – crushes, romances and misunderstandings or maybe something as gently amusing as Ross overdoing the teeth whitener. Viewers began to identify with individual characters (<a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/ljune/are-you-more-rachel-or-monica-from-friends-alfsqwp6hf">“are you a Monica or a Rachel?”</a>) or to take sides on the issues of the day. What, for example, are the relationship rules of being “on a break”?</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TIK01MpwWGg?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">One episode of Friends revolves around Ross (David Schwimmer) getting his teeth whitened.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>Friends was, of course, very well produced, cast and written. As it became even more successful, it survived the normally perilous inclusion of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHLaISBRmdI">celebrity guest stars</a> and – vitally – it never “jumped the shark” (industry-speak for growing out of its initial premise or building up to dramatic, but ultimately silly, plot gimmicks from which it is impossible to recover). Ultimately, and hearteningly, the six characters all remained friends.</p> <p>Beneath the professional craft and production polish of Friends, it is the concept of friendship, underscored with by the viewer’s sense of aspiration, which ultimately explains the series’ success then and now.</p> <p>One of the functions of popular culture is to provide a better imaginary world than the one we actually inhabit. In some ways this is simply compensation for the reality of the everyday: we dream of that which we do not have. It’s what the great Utopian sociologist Ernst Bloch called <a href="https://www.marxists.org/archive/bloch/hope/introduction.htm">“wishful images in the mirror”</a> – except that the mirror here is a television screen.</p> <p>The world of Monica, Rachel, Joey, Chandler, Phoebe and Ross is certainly a wishful one for many. They live in improbably nice apartments for their jobs (or lack of them), and they are defined by their personalities rather than their careers. They are good looking and well dressed, and the series centres on their ample leisure and social time. Unlike reality, arguments are always overcome and – most importantly of all – friendship always triumphs.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pPM7VxnVViw?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">The first and last scene of Friends.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>What a contrast this vision provides to the actual lives of so many people today. The real world is beset with isolation, loneliness, sometimes insurmountable problems, occasionally fear and certainly drudgery. But with Friends, as the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLisEEwYZvw">chirpy theme song</a> reminds us, there is always someone “there for you” – if only in surrogate.</p> <p>Some critics today carp about the show’s <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2023/04/02/lack-of-diversity-on-friends-mocked-on-snl-after-years-of-criticism-18542168/">lack of diversity</a> and <a href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a38817/11-times-friends-sexist-homophobic/">outdated attitudes</a> to the cultural issues of the present day. While this may be true, like TV series, criticism also dates. And series which have long gone into reruns, repeats, streaming and syndication are virtually critic-proof in that they are recommended by word of mouth rather than increasingly ideologically centred reviews. Viewers just want it to be funny.</p> <p>Oh: And in case you were wondering, the final line in the whole of Friends went to the <a href="https://theconversation.com/matthew-perry-the-power-of-celebrities-speaking-publicly-about-their-addiction-216879">late Matthew Perry</a> as Chandler Bing. When Rachel suggests they all go for one last coffee, Chandler quips: “Sure. Where?”</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-howells-1225412"><em>Richard Howells</em></a><em>, Emeritus Professor of Cultural Sociology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/kings-college-london-1196">King's College London</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: NBC</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/30-years-of-friends-how-the-us-sitcom-became-an-enduring-global-sensation-239464">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

TV

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Jamie Durie returns to Aussie TV with new show featuring his family

<p>Jamie Durie is set to return to Aussie TV screens with his new renovation show, <em>Growing Home</em>, and this time it will feature his young family. </p> <p>The international award-winning landscape designer and seven-time Logie-winning host of shows such as<em> Backyard Blitz</em>,<em> The Block</em> and many more, will showcase his skills through the process of building a sustainable and luxury dream home for, and with his family. </p> <p>“After 26 years making TV shows all over the world, this is the show I’ve always wanted to make. And if we’re creating a show around sustainability, then my family and I need to do it first and practise what we preach,” he said in an interview for <em>Better Homes and Gardens</em>.</p> <p>Durie has called this the biggest challenge of his career. </p> <p>It’s been “five long years of planning and researching the most eco-friendly partners, methods and technologies we can find, and we’re finally ready to build this house,” Durie said. </p> <p>Durie will film alongside his wife singer/songwriter Ameka Jane, who is equally committed to sharing real-life stories with the world, and creating a more authentic life. </p> <p>“I think there is a common misconception that ‘sustainable’ or ‘eco-friendly’ means that it’s complicated or that we have to compromise on style and function,” Jane said. </p> <p> “We want to show Australia how easy and accessible it is to create a green home on any scale. Small changes can make a big impact. I was a green novice at the start of this mission, so if I can do it, anyone can.”</p> <p>Their two kids, three-year-old daughter Beau and 18-month-old son Nash, will also make appearances on the show. </p> <p><em>Growing Home </em>aims to show an honest depiction of the struggles and accomplishments of building in the Northern Beaches, while educating on sustainability and what a greener future for Australia could look like. </p> <p>While no exact date has been released for the show, it is set to air soon on Channel 7 and 7Plus. </p> <p>You can watch a teaser for the show <a href="https://www.growinghomewithjamiedurie.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/ Growing Home with Jamie Durie</em></p>

TV

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Common drug shows potential in reversing ageing

<p>A common medication has been found to have anti-ageing qualities, with scientists finding that the drug can de-age monkeys. </p> <p>Metformin, a cheap and common diabetes drug that has been used since the 1950s, could be an anti-ageing elixir, with scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Institute of Genomics using the pill to "markedly" slow down ageing in the animals.</p> <p>According to the experts, the medication reduced deterioration of the brain and boosted cognitive abilities in the primates while also slowing down bone loss and aiding in the "rejuvenation" of several tissues and organs. </p> <p>The most significant improvements were seen in the liver and frontal lobe, the part of the brain responsible for language, reasoning, problem solving, memory, movement and personality. </p> <p>Researchers said all of the findings led to the conclusion that "metformin can reduce biological age indicators" up to six years, with the medication paving the way for ageing reversal in humans.</p> <p>The drug was previously tested on mice, but since testing the medication on Cynomolgus monkeys - that are both physiologically and functionally similar to humans - the tests have shown more promise for potential human trials. </p> <p>The researchers said of the 40-month study, "Our research pioneers the systemic reduction of multi-dimensional biological age in primates through metformin, paving the way for advancing pharmaceutical strategies against human ageing."</p> <p>The scientists added, "[The study] represents an important advance in the quest to delay human ageing, with geriatric medicine research gradually shifting its focus from treating individual chronic diseases to systemic intervention against ageing."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Body

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Hunter Valley bus driver finally speaks out over horror crash

<p>The man who was behind the wheel of the deadly Hunter Valley bus crash in June 2023 has finally taken the stand, saying he is deeply sorry for the hurt he has caused the victims and their families. </p> <p>Brett Button, 59, was transporting wedding guests from the reception ceremony at the Wandin Valley Estate back to Singleton when the bus flipped, causing the deaths of 10 people and injuring 25 others. </p> <p>After pleading guilty to 19 charges, including dangerous driving occasioning death and grievous bodily harm, Button appeared before Newcastle District Court on Tuesday to hear emotional <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/hunter-valley-crash-survivor-s-demands-of-killer-bus-driver" target="_blank" rel="noopener">victim statements</a> from survivors and family members of those who were killed.  </p> <p>On Wednesday, Button finally broke his silence on the fatal crash, issuing an emotional apology to all those impacted by the devastating crash.</p> <p>"I've tried to figure out the words to say I'm sorry, but how do you say you're sorry for such a horrible tragic event that has ruined the lives of hundreds of people," he told the court.</p> <div data-component="EmphasisedText"> <p>"I can't forgive myself. I can't believe I caused this, I never meant to cause it and every single person that died and was injured and everyone involved in this, I truly wish it never happened and I could apologise where people actually believe me."</p> </div> <p>"I live with this every day and I hate myself. I've caused parents to have to bury their children, which has been my biggest nightmare all my life, and now I've done it to so many families."</p> <p>"I'm sorry to everyone involved, including the police and everyone, my family — I've shamed everyone."</p> <p>Button also shared with the court that he had been taking the opioid tramadol since 1994, and admitted on the day of the crash, he had taken “in excess” of his prescribed dose of painkillers.</p> <p>When asked by his barrister Paul Rosser KC if he felt he was addicted, Button said he was "certainly dependent", adding that a pain specialist warned Button one year before the crash that he was at risk of addiction. </p> <p>When further questioned, Mr Button said he had no perception on that night the drug had impaired his driving.</p> <p>"I take responsibility for the death and injuries, it was no way purposeful and I wasn't negligent," he told the court. "I didn't do it deliberately."</p> <p>Andrew Scott, 35, and wife Lynan Scott, 33, Nadene McBride, 52, daughter Kyah McBride, 22, and her partner, Kane Symons, 21, Darcy Bulman, 30, Rebecca Mullen, 26, Zachary Bray, 29, Tori Cowburn, 29, and Angus Craig, 28, were killed in the crash on June 11th 2023, with the crash now known as one of Australia's worst ever fatal road incidents.</p> <p>Judge Roy Ellis will consider 40 victim impact statements as part of his sentencing.</p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News</em></p>

Legal

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Never-before-seen footage shows moments after JFK assassination

<p>Never-before-seen footage of aftermath of United States President John F. Kennedy's assassination has emerged, more than six decades after his murder. </p> <p>The film footage will soon be sold through RR action, and shows the moment JFK's motorcade sped toward Parkland Hospital as Clint Hill, Jackie Kennedy’s Secret Service agent, shields both her and the president. </p> <p>"This is remarkable, in colour, and you can feel the 80mph (130km/h)," said Bobby Livingston, executive vice president of the auction house.</p> <p>The 8mm home film was captured by Dale Carpenter Sr. and began with him filming other vehicles in the motorcade as it travelled down Lemmon Avenue toward the city centre.</p> <p>The film then picks up after Kennedy was shot, and shows Clint Hill - who famously jumped onto the back of the limousine as the shots were fired - hovering in a standing position over the president and first lady. </p> <p>"I did not know that there were not any more shots coming," Agent Hill, who is now 92-years-old, said. </p> <p>"I had a vision that, yes, there probably were going to be more shots when I got up there as I did."</p> <p>In an interview with <em>People</em> magazine, he said that the discovery of the film is “an emotional thing for me because I know what has happened. I know what I’m seeing in that film is a dead president.”</p> <p>The assassination itself was famously captured on film by Abraham Zapruder, and according to Livingston, the executive vice president of the auction house, the footage captured by Carpenter is "unlike any other footage known to exist". </p> <p>"This film captures a segment immediately following the Zapruder film, providing a fresh perspective on one of the most analyzed moments in history," he continued.</p> <p>"Once you see it, you'll never forget Clint Hill's heroic efforts to protect Mrs. Kennedy, racing at 80 miles an hour in a desperate attempt to save the president's life as they sped to Parkland."</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPGEtMvxAyQ?si=xzNde8jG6pllHMMn" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Carpenter's grandson, James Gate, said that his family had always known about the footage, but they rarely talked about the footage which was stored along with other family films in a milk crate. </p> <p>It wasn't until after his grandfather's death from Parkinson's disease when his mother decided to hand down family mementos and the film landed in Gate's possession. </p> <p>While he was initially underwhelmed by the film when he watched the footage, it was when he saw the aftermath of the assassination that he was "shocked". </p> <p>In 2012, Gates got in touch with Agent Hill and his wife Lisa McCubbin Hill, to show them the footage. </p> <p>Agent Hill's wife said that while knew about the events that unfolded on the tragic day, "to see the footage of it actually happen ... just kind of makes your heart stop."</p> <p>“When you see the president’s limousine, you see Clint on the back of the car. To see the speed of the car and how precarious that was — Clint is still trying to protect the president and Mrs. Kennedy from whatever else might be coming.</p> <p>"One slip and he would have gone flying off and he would have been killed,” she told <em>People</em> magazine. </p> <p>Stephen Fagin, curator at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, which tells the story of the assassination on November 22, 1963, said: "These images, these films and photographs, a lot of times they are still out there. They are still being discovered or rediscovered in attics or garages."</p> <p>The film will be up for auction in northeastern US city of Boston on September 28, with <a href="https://www.rrauction.com/auctions/lot-detail/348314307005036-assassination-of-john-f-kennedy-unseen-8mm-film-footage-from-november-22-1963-documenting-the-motorcade-and-rush-to-parkland-hospital/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online bidding</a> already underway. </p> <p><em>Images: RR Auction / Public Domain</em></p>

Legal

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"No show": Wild reason couple denied refund on flights scheduled during Covid

<p>A Melbourne couple, who had booked flights with Qantas during the state's fifth lockdown, were left furious after they were told they were ineligible for a refund because they were a "no show". </p> <p>Kieran McGregor told <em>news.com.au</em> that he and his partner had originally booked the flights to Darwin for July 18, 2021 through travel giant Expedia. </p> <p>When the number of Covid cases started rising, he moved the flights forward to fly out on the 16th of July, hoping that they would be able to get out before another lockdown, but the day before their flight, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced the state's fifth lockdown. </p> <p>Three years later, McGregor was still stuck between trying to get the refund from Expedia, who said Qantas had the money, and Qantas, who said the travel agent had it.</p> <p>Last year, McGregor contacted Expedia on their X account to try to resolve the issue, but the company said:  “We just got off the phone with the airline, and as per advised, the ticket shows suspended on their end due to a no show."</p> <p>“Your ticket is no (sic) eligible for a refund, and has no value as per the airline. We apologize for the inconvenience.”</p> <p>He was "incredulous" when he received the message. </p> <p>“How could I fly if the state of Victoria was in lockdown and I couldn’t move more than 5km from the house?” he told news.com.au. </p> <p>When he contacted Qantas, the airline claimed “the funds will still remain with the agency that you’ve booked with” and to contact them directly for a refund.</p> <p>McGregor told news.com.au the ordeal was “utterly disgraceful” and that he was unaware if the flight went ahead or not. </p> <p>The publication reportedly contacted Expedia and Qantas and on Tuesday morning they finally said that a refund would be issued, but McGregor said he was yet to be contacted.</p> <p>“For flight bookings at Expedia, we generally follow the policies of our travel partners, so any refund is determined by the airline,” an Expedia spokeswoman said.</p> <p>“We have looked into this case with Qantas, and we will be contacting the traveller to process the­ refund.”</p> <p>While a Qantas spokesman said: “We apologise for the extended delay in resolving this issue and are processing a full refund for their bookings.”</p> <p>It is unclear which company held McGregor's funds, which was reported to be around $2,500. </p> <p>Adam Glezer from Consumer Champion told news.com.au that McGregor came to him recently when he felt he had nowhere else to turn.</p> <p>He said that these situations were quite common. </p> <p>“What Kieran has gone through with Expedia and Qantas is extremely common where the third party says the airline has the money and the airline says the third party has the money. I call it the blame game and there’s only one loser out of it and that’s the customer," he said. </p> <p>“Transparency in these situations is of utmost importance and unfortunately it just doesn’t exist.”</p> <p><em>Images: news.com.au/ DLeng / Shutterstock.com</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Why is it so hard to cancel subscriptions or end ‘free’ trials? Report shows how companies trap you into paying

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katharine-kemp-402096">Katharine Kemp</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a></em></p> <p>Many businesses are trapping Australian consumers in paid subscriptions by making them hard to cancel, hiding important details and offering “free” trials that auto-renew with hefty charges. We need law reform to tackle this continuing problem.</p> <p><a href="https://cprc.org.au/report/let-me-out">A new report</a> shows 75% of Australian consumers have had negative experiences when trying to cancel a subscription, according to the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC).</p> <p>It shows businesses use “<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-spot-avoid-dark-patterns/">dark patterns</a>”, which are designs that hinder consumers who try to act in their own best interests. Subscription traps are often called “<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2022/11/checking-out-ftcs-100-million-settlement-vonage">Hotel California</a>” techniques, referring to The Eagles’ famous lyric: “you can check out any time you want, but you can never leave”.</p> <p>In some of these cases, consumers may have remedies under our existing consumer law, including for misleading conduct. But we need law reform to capture other <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/consultation/c2023-430458">unfair practices</a>.</p> <p>In the meantime, the CPRC’s research also gives examples of businesses with <em>fair</em>, consumer-friendly subscription practices. These also benefit the business.</p> <h2>Examples of unfair subscription traps</h2> <p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2022/09/12/the-evolution-of-the-subscription-model-and-whats-on-the-horizon/">Subscription business models</a> have become common – many products are now provided in the form of software, an app or access to a website. Some of these would once have been a physical book, newspaper, CD or exercise class.</p> <p>Most people who use online services have experienced the frustration of finding a credit card charge for an unwanted, unused subscription or spending excessive time trying to cancel a subscription.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=643&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=643&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=643&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=808&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=808&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=808&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Infographic with a few statistics from the report." /></a><figcaption><span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://cprc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/CPRC_LetMeOut_SubsTraps_Report_FINAL.pdf">CPRC, Let me out – Subscription trap practices in Australia, August 2024</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Businesses can make it difficult for consumers to stop paying for unwanted subscriptions. Some do this by allowing consumers to start a subscription with a single click, but creating multiple obstacles if you want to end the subscription.</p> <p>This can include obscuring cancellation options in the app, requiring consumers to phone during business hours or making them navigate through multiple steps and offers before terminating. The report points out many of the last-ditch discounts offered in this process are only short term. One survey respondent said:</p> <blockquote> <p>I wasn’t able to cancel without having to call up and speak to someone. Their business hours meant I had to call up during my work day and it took some time to action.</p> </blockquote> <p>Other businesses badger consumers with frequent emails or messages after they cancel. One respondent said a business made “the cancellation process impossible by making you call and then judging your reason for cancellation”.</p> <h2>What does consumer law say?</h2> <p>Some subscription traps already fall foul of the Australian Consumer Law and warrant investigation by the <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-warns-consumers-to-beware-of-subscription-traps">Australian Competition &amp; Consumer Commission</a> (ACCC). Consumers may have remedies where the business has engaged in misleading conduct or imposes an unfair contract term.</p> <p>For example, the ACCC is <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-court-action-against-eharmony-for-alleged-misleading-online-dating-membership-statements#:%7E:text=The%20ACCC%20has%20today%20commenced%20proceedings%20in%20the,the%20pricing%2C%20renewal%20and%20duration%20of%20its%20memberships.">suing dating site eHarmony</a> for its allegedly misleading subscription practices.</p> <p>In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/06/ftc-takes-action-against-adobe-executives-hiding-fees-preventing-consumers-easily-cancelling">has filed a complaint against software company Adobe</a> for allegedly using dark patterns in its subscription practices.</p> <p>The Federal Trade Commission has alleged that “Adobe pushed consumers toward the ‘annual paid monthly’ subscription without adequately disclosing that cancelling the plan in the first year could cost hundreds of dollars”.</p> <p>Adobe <a href="https://news.adobe.com/news/news-details/2024/Adobes-Recent-Statement-Regarding-Updated-Federal-Trade-Commission-Complaint-/default.aspx">issued a statement</a> arguing the commission’s complaint “mischaracterises” its business. The litigation is ongoing.</p> <h2>We need an unfair practices prohibition</h2> <p>Some subscription traps would fall outside the existing consumer law. This is because they don’t meet the test for misleading conduct or unfair contract terms, but make it practically very difficult to cancel.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-welcomes-consultation-on-possible-unfair-trading-practices-regulatory-reforms">ACCC has advocated</a> for Australia to follow other countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States to enact an unfair practices prohibition to capture conduct like this.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=769&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=769&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=769&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=966&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=966&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=966&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">The shift businesses can make today.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://cprc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/CPRC_LetMeOut_SubsTraps_Report_FINAL.pdf">CPRC, Let me out – Subscription trap practices in Australia, August 2024</a></span></figcaption></figure> <h2>Better practices benefit businesses too</h2> <p>The CPRC report also revealed that 90% of Australians would likely purchase from the same organisation if cancelling a subscription process was quick and simple.</p> <p>Businesses focused on a short-sighted cash grab fail to realise that consumers might cancel but later return if treated well.</p> <p>The CPRC highlights businesses that are doing a good job. For instance, the habit change app Atoms (based on James Clear’s book Atomic Habits) has a genuinely free trial. It doesn’t require credit card details, doesn’t auto-renew, and lets consumers know how many trial days remain.</p> <p>The CPRC says the charity World Vision doesn’t auto-renew annual sponsorships, but reminds supporters about when the sponsorship will lapse.</p> <p>Importantly, some businesses – such as Netflix – use their data for good in this context. They notice when users are paying for the service without using it and help them unsubscribe.</p> <p>These practices should be applauded. But we need an unfair practices prohibition for businesses who don’t follow suit and recognise the long-term benefits of treating customers fairly.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/237236/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katharine-kemp-402096">Katharine Kemp</a>, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law &amp; Justice; Lead, UNSW Public Interest Law &amp; Tech Initiative, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-it-so-hard-to-cancel-subscriptions-or-end-free-trials-report-shows-how-companies-trap-you-into-paying-237236">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Money & Banking

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Channel Nine revamps Today show line up

<p>Big changes are coming to Channel Nine's flagship <em>Today</em> show, following the <a href="https://o60.me/7hh8v2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">departure</a> of popular newsreader Brooke Boney. </p> <p>The shake-up to the morning show's line-up was confirmed on Monday and will affect both the weekday and weekend programs. </p> <p>Jayne Azzopardi, a former Sydney news reporter, will replace Boney on the morning news desk. </p> <p>Azzopardi's role as co-host of <em>Weekend Today</em> will now be taken over by Sophie Walsh, who will co-host alongside fellow veteran Nine presenter Clint Stanaway. </p> <p>Walsh has worked at Channel Nine for 15 years, after first joining the broadcaster as a news reporter in 2009. </p> <p>In another change for <em>Weekend Today, </em>senior journalist Lizzie Pearl will cover the news while Dan Anstey will present the weather. </p> <p>Renee Bargh, who has regularly featured on the <em>Today </em>show in the past has been officially welcomed to the team as an entertainment reporter. </p> <p>Confirmation of the changes comes after an emotional week among staff at the <em>Today</em> show with Boney's departure last Friday. </p> <p>"Thank you for accepting me. I know that I don't fit the mould and I'm grateful for each and every one of you for tuning in every day," Boney said during her farewell. </p> <p>The journalist, who was joined by her mother on the couch, became emotional as she reflected on her experience. </p> <p>"I'm so grateful for every opportunity that I've been given here, I've done things I never dreamed possible," Boney said.</p> <p>"For someone like me, I grew up in housing commission, so this is really beyond my wildest dreams.</p> <p>"I mean, I just spent a month at the Olympics. I've been to the Oscars... all around the world to do things that most people don't get to do."</p> <p>During her final show last week <em>Today</em> host Karl Stefanovic also told her that she was well loved and respected.</p> <p>“We love you and everything you represent, how hard you work,” he said.</p> <p>Boney announced her departure earlier this year after she was offered a position to study at Oxford University.</p> <p><em>Image: Nine/ Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Talk show legend dies after lengthy health battle

<p>US talk show host Phil Donahue has died aged 88 after a long illness. </p> <p>His family announced his death in a statement to People and <em>NBC News.</em> </p> <p>“Donahue died at his home surrounded by his family, including his wife of 44 years, Marlo Thomas, his sister, his children, grandchildren and his beloved golden retriever, Charlie,” they said.</p> <p>Donahue was dubbed  "the king of daytime talk" for being the first to include audiences as part of the talk show, paving the way for other talk show hosts like Oprah Winfrey and Ellen Degeneres. </p> <p>He was the host of <em>The Phil Donahue Show</em> for nearly three decades, from 1967 to 1996.</p> <p>The show tackled controversial issues and topics like equal rights for women in front of a live audience.</p> <p>In May, he and 18 other honourees received the Medal of Freedom from US President Joe Biden, the nation's highest civilian honour. </p> <p>Oprah Winfrey has led tributes to the talk show legend, with a post on social media. </p> <p>"There wouldn't have been an Oprah Show without Phil Donahue being the first to prove that daytime talk and women watching should be taken seriously," she shared, with a photo of a pair embracing during one of their meetings. </p> <p>"He was a pioneer. I'm glad I got to thank him for it. Rest in peace Phil."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-2tOpNuz1N/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-2tOpNuz1N/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Oprah (@oprah)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Former talk show host Ricki Lake also paid tribute to Donahue on social media, saying: "Raising a glass in honor of the great #phildonohue. Phil was an absolute legend and a pioneer in the talk show space.</p> <p>"So honoured to stand beside him at Oprah's show celebrating talk show icons in 2010. Such a warm, super supportive and brilliant man. Grateful for the path he paved and the legacy he has left behind. May he rest in peace."</p> <p>Montell Williams, fellow TV host also described him as "a true pioneer" saying, "Phil Donahue, the godfather of talk shows, forever changed the landscapes of television. My thoughts and prayers are with Marlo and his family. Rest in peace, Phil"</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is a very sad day. I admired Phil Donahue for so many reasons, and he was one of the finest broadcasters in American television. If there wasn't a Phil, there would have never been a Sally. My thoughts & prayers go out to Marlo and their family. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Legend?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Legend</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/talkshows?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#talkshows</a> <a href="https://t.co/knqPeAO6TJ">pic.twitter.com/knqPeAO6TJ</a></p> <p>— Sally Jessy Raphael (@SJRaphael) <a href="https://twitter.com/SJRaphael/status/1825545392953647162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>His wife Marlo Thomas, also paid tribute to her husband, with a throwback photo of the pair on holiday. </p> <p>"I'm sure by now you've heard the very sad news that I lost my sweetheart last night, so I know you understand that I'll be stepping away from this page for a while to take care of myself and the many people who took care of Phil, and held him close to their hearts," she shared.</p> <p>"But I didn't want to disappear without saying thank you for the beautiful messages of love and support that have been coming in all day, and for the wonderful and generous way that you've let Phil and me share our life adventure with you over the years."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-3PXINo43s/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-3PXINo43s/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Marlo Thomas (@marlothomas)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"As a man who spent his career loving his audiences, Phil got such a kick out of our cozy little community here, and I know he would be very touched by the heartwarming thoughts and memories you've been sharing," she continued. </p> <p>"Until I return, I wish you good health and happy days in the company of family and friends, and I hope that you will continue to hold close those you cherish most, just as I was blessed to do with my beloved Phillip."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/ X</em></p> <p> </p>

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