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"Cringe worthy": Viewers left speechless after star attacks Elmo

Viewers were left shocked after comedian Larry David unexpectedly attacked Elmo during their appearance on the latest episode of the US Today show. The 76-year-old was there to promote the final season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, while Elmo was in the studio alongside his dad Louie to talk about the importance of mental health resources. As the show was transitioning from segment to segment, David walked over to Elmo and smushed his face in before taking a swing at Elmo's dad. The attack caught the show's hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin, off-guard and they began shouting at his ill-timed act. “Oh, my gosh, you love Elmo, don’t you?” Guthrie said to David as an equally shocked Melvin exclaimed, “Oh, my God!” While Elmo didn't seem too bothered by the encounter, the 76-year-old was lectured by muppet dad Louie for his strange act. “Ask permission before you touch people, Larry,” Louie said. “Get back on the couch and let’s talk about how you feel,” Elmo added. Guthrie also called out David's inappropriate act and said: “Larry, you’ve gone too far this time." Although the Seinfeld star was later on forced to apologise to the plush duo and Elmo accepted his apology, the situation left many viewers disgruntled, given the topic matter that Elmo was there to discuss. “Larry David ruined a beautiful story,” one person commented on a video of the segment shared to Instagram. “I felt like I was watching Will Smith all over again. Very sad.” “I must say, I was shocked – it was cringe worthy,” another person wrote. “I love Larry David, but he should have stayed seated until his own segment.” “Although you tried to play it off, Larry David totally messed it up … guess no one told him the theme of the segment” a third shocked viewer added. Image: US Today Show/ Instagram

Genius Christmas hack divides viewers

Christmas, a time when the kitchen becomes a battlefield and culinary warriors seek ingenious hacks to conquer the chaos! Thankfully, Janelle from @thedailynelly on Instagram, armed with the wisdom of her grandma, has unveiled a potato-cleaning strategy that has shaken the very foundations of traditional holiday prep. Enter "Grandma's best Thanksgiving secret" – a cryptic title that foreshadows a culinary revelation of epic proportions. And yes, we know it's for Thanksgiving – but we are just going to give some thanks and use it for Christmas prep anyway. Janelle took to Instagram to showcase her revolutionary potato-cleaning hack for her followers and – spoiler alert – it involves a dishwasher, and things are about to get wild. As Janelle stacks unwashed potatoes into the dishwasher, she confidently claims that this unorthodox method saves her both time and effort. The video unfolds like a suspenseful thriller, with the person behind the camera questioning her every move. "This is the best way to do it. It saves you so much time," Janelle declares with the conviction of someone who has cracked the Da Vinci Code of holiday cooking. In a daring move, she populates not only the top rack with filthy potatoes but also the lower shelf, even utilising the cutlery holder – because who needs spoons when you can have spuds? Janelle defends her potato-loading strategy, pointing out that traditional methods in a bowl are impractical when faced with three bags of potatoes. Practicality, meet pandemonium. Janelle also points out – a little redundantly, but to be honest you never really know the caliber of person watching Instagram videos – that it's crucial not to use any dishwashing tablets or soap in this peculiar cleaning ritual, because, you know, that would be weird. We wouldn't want our spuds to taste like lavender-scented detergent, now would we? The climax arrives when the four-minute rinse cycle is over – a pivotal moment in this culinary odyssey. Janelle gleefully showcases the now pristine potatoes, claiming victory over the tedious hand-washing process. "They're clean, you didn't have to hand wash them. I'm telling you – it saves time on Christmas when you're hosting a tonne of people," she declares triumphantly. However, the internet, ever the skeptic, has of course reacted with horror and disbelief. Some commenters expressed their disgust, labelling the dishwasher technique as "gross" and "nasty". <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/reel/Cz7Af8oulYb/?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/Cz7Af8oulYb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Daily Nelly (@thedailynelly)</a> </div> </blockquote> Concerns about dishwasher residue and the efficiency of the method compared to traditional hand washing also echo through the comments. The naysayers argue that the time spent stacking potatoes in the dishwasher outweighs the alleged time saved. In the end, @thedailynelly's dishwasher potato video has become something of a cautionary tale, a reminder that not all culinary shortcuts are created equal. But here at OverSixty we are firmly on Team Janelle. At least she is out there giving it a go, listening to her grandma, and sharing her wisdom with the world. Images: Instagram / @thedailynelly

Food & Wine

Interactive cinema: how films could alter plotlines in real time by responding to viewers’ emotions

Most films offer exactly the same viewing experience. You sit down, the film starts, the plot unfolds and you follow what’s happening on screen until the story concludes. It’s a linear experience. My new film, <a href="http://www.albinomosquito.com/before-we-disappear/">Before We Disappear</a> – about a pair of climate activists who seek revenge on corporate perpetrators of global warming – seeks to alter that viewing experience. What makes my film different is that it adapts the story to fit the viewer’s emotional response. Through the use of a computer camera and software, the film effectively watches the audience as they view footage of climate disasters. Viewers are implicitly asked to choose a side. I chose to use this technology to make a film about the climate crisis to get people to really think about what they are willing to sacrifice for a survivable future. Storytelling has always been interactive: traditional oral storytellers would interact and respond to their listeners. For almost a century, film directors have been <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_cinema">experimenting with interactivity</a> – the past decade has seen an explosion of interactive content. Streaming services give viewers the opportunity to choose their own adventure. However, letting the viewer control the action has long posed a challenge: it’s at odds with narrative immersion, where the viewer is drawn into the world created by the story. One of the most prominent recent experiments in interactive film, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Mirror:_Bandersnatch">Netflix’s Bandersnatch</a>, clearly illustrates this. Here the action stops to ask the user what to do next – breaking the flow of the story and actively involving the viewer. Solving this issue of breaking the immersive experience remains a key question for artists exploring interactive film. The films I create and direct take a different route, leveraging non-conscious control to influence a film as the audience watches. My previous <a href="http://braincontrolledmovie.co.uk/">brain-controlled</a> films, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7853742/">The Moment (2018)</a> and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8072006/">The Disadvantages of Time Travel (2014)</a>, used brain computer interfaces (BCIs). These systems use computers to <a href="https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/980302/scanners-exploring-the-control-of-adaptive-films-using-brain-computer-interaction">analyse electrical signals from the brain</a>, allowing people to effectively control a device with their minds. Using this data from the brain, audiences <a href="https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/index.php/output/1468705/from-directors-cut-to-users-cut-to-watch-a-brain-controlled-film-is-to-edit-it">create a non-conscious edit</a> of the film in real time – reinforcing the films’ respective stories of science-fiction dystopia and a wandering, daydreaming mind. However, the BCI interface requires specialised equipment. For Before We Disappear, I wanted to use a technology more readily available to audiences, that could allow films to be shared over the internet. <h2>Controlling the narrative</h2> Before We Disappear uses an ordinary computer camera to read emotional cues and instruct the real-time edit of the film. To make this work, we needed a good understanding of how people react to films. We ran several <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3290607.3312814">studies</a> <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3290605.3300378">exploring the emotions</a> filmmakers intend to evoke and how viewers visually present emotion when watching. By using computer vision and machine learning techniques from our partner <a href="https://www.blueskeye.com/">BlueSkeye AI</a>, we analysed viewers’ facial emotions and reactions to film clips and developed several algorithms to leverage that data to control a narrative. While we observed that audiences tend not to extensively emote when watching a film, BlueSkeye’s face and emotion analysis tools are sensitive enough to pick up enough small variations and emotional cues to adapt the film to viewer reactions. The analysis software measures facial muscle movement along with the strength of emotional arousal – essentially how emotional a viewer feels in a particular moment. The software also evaluates the positivity or negativity of the emotion – something we call “<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00261/full">valence</a>”. We are experimenting with various algorithms where this arousal and valence data contributes to real-time edit decisions, which causes the story to reconfigure itself. The first scene acts as a baseline, which the next scene is measured against. Depending on the response, the narrative will become one of around 500 possible edits. In Before We Disappear, I use a non-linear narrative which offers the audience different endings and emotional journeys. <h2>Emotional journey</h2> I see interactive technology as a way of expanding the filmmaker’s toolkit, to further tell a story and allow the film to adapt to an individual viewer, challenging and distributing the power of the director. However, emotional responses could be misused or have unforeseen consequences. It is not hard to imagine an online system showing only content eliciting positive emotions from the user. This could be used to create an echo chamber – where people only see content that matches the preferences they already have. Or it could be used for propaganda. We saw in the Cambridge Analytica scandal how <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook%E2%80%93Cambridge_Analytica_data_scandal">large amounts of personal information</a> were collected from Facebook and used for political advertising. Our <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348325526_Brain-controlled_cinematic_interactions">research</a> aims to generate conversation about how users’ emotion data can be used responsibly with informed consent, while allowing users to control their own personal information. In our system, the data is analysed on the users’ device, rather than, say, the cloud. <h2>Big business, big responsibility</h2> Non-conscious interaction is big business. Platforms such as <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/algorithms-take-over-youtube-s-recommendations-highlight-human-problem-n867596">TikTok</a> and <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/algorithms-take-over-youtube-s-recommendations-highlight-human-problem-n867596">YouTube</a> use analysis of users’ past interactions on the platforms to influence the new content they see there. Users are not always aware of what personal information is being created or stored, nor can they influence what algorithms will present to them next. It’s important to create a system where audiences’ data is not stored. Video of the viewer or facial expression data should not be uploaded or analysed anywhere but on the player device. We plan to release the film as an interactive app, incorporating an awareness of potential abuse of the user’s data, and safeguarding any personal data on the device used to watch it. Adaptive films offer an alternative to traditional “choose-your-own-adventure” storytelling. When the story can change based on the audiences’ unconscious responses rather than intentional interaction, their focus can be kept in the story. This means they can enjoy a more personalised experience of the film. Turns out the old traditions of storytelling may still have much to teach us in the 21st century. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/interactive-cinema-how-films-could-alter-plotlines-in-real-time-by-responding-to-viewers-emotions-200145" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Images: Getty

Movies

Bridesmaid "horrifies" viewers with "cringe" wedding speech

A "horrifying" wedding speech has gone viral online, as a bridesmaid delivered an "awkward" toast to her friend and her new husband. The video, which was originally posted on TikTok, has racked up hundreds of thousands of views, shows a bridesmaid named Shannon standing in front of the congregation to toast the newlyweds. In what should have been an emotional, wholesome speech, it instead got off to a bad start when she appeared to forget how long she's known the bride for. “Hi, I’m Shannon, I’ve known Tracy for...oh god...” she started, before a voice off-camera suggests it’s been nine years. “I don’t quite know Anthony that well,” the woman continued, alluding to the groom. “But Tracy talks about you non-stop. She’d be like ‘Oh, Anthony this, Anthony that’, and I’m like, ‘I don’t care’.” Shannon's fake eye-roll didn't get a laugh from the crowd, as she insisted, "Just kidding!" <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> What…the hell…did I just watch? <a href="https://t.co/smfqexmcsz">pic.twitter.com/smfqexmcsz</a> — chris evans (@notcapnamerica) <a href="https://twitter.com/notcapnamerica/status/1585151254464196608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2022</a></blockquote> She continued, “You guys are so cute together.” After telling the groom he’d “better take care of my girl”, Shannon turned to the crowd and said, “I’m not gonna be racist, guys, I’m just saying.” “You guys are outstepping the stereotype and I love it." “You guys, I swear, I love Black people. You guys. Are. The. Best.” Shannon went on to say, “My own daughter’s great-aunt is like, the best woman” before concluding, “You guys are amazing, I love you.” As the video made the rounds online, viewers couldn't believe what they were watching. “What…the hell…did I just watch?” one person asked. “I actually gasped out loud! What in the actual hell??” another weighed in. <div> “Wtaf?! I thought you were just sharing a cringy public speaking clip and that was bad enough, but...then...it took a turn,” another wrote. Image credits: TikTok </div>

Relationships

Kiwi journalist hits back at viewer’s complaints about her Māori tattoo

A popular New Zealand newsreader has hit back at an irate viewer who has repeatedly complained about her traditional Māori face tattoo, asking him to keep his comments for “another lifetime”. Oriini Kaipara made headlines in 2021 when she became the first person to bear a moko kauae - a traditional Māori tattoo that covers a woman’s lips and chin - while anchoring a prime-time news broadcast in New Zealand. While many viewers have applauded Ms Kaipara, others were less kind, with one repeat objector prompting her to take to Instagram to respond on Thursday, saying she had “had enough” of his complaints. “Today I had enough. I responded. I never do that. I broke my own code and hit the send button,” the Newshub presenter shared with followers in a since-deleted post. The viewer, identified only as David, had written to the entire newsroom to complain about Ms Kaipara’s tattoo, which he mislabelled as a “moku” and said was “offensive” and “a bad look”. “We continue to object strongly to you using Māori TV presenter with a moku, which is offensive and aggressive looking. A bad look,” he wrote. David also objected to the use of te reo Māori during broadcasts, despite the fact that the Māori language features in most Kiwi TV broadcasts. “She also bursts into Māori language which we do not understand. Stop it now,” he said. On Instagram, Ms Kaipara shared her full response to him. “Thank you for all your complaints against me and my ‘moku’. I do find them very difficult to take seriously, given there is no breach of broadcast standards,” she wrote. “If I may, I’d like to correct you on one thing – it is moko not ‘moku’. A simple, helpful pronunciation guide of ‘Maw-Caw’ will help you articulate the word correctly. “I gather your complaints stem from a place of preference on how one must look on-screen, according to you. Moko and people with them are not threatening, nor do they deserve such discrimination, harassment or prejudice. “Moko are ancient cultural markings unique to the indigenous people of Aotearoa, myself included. We mean no harm or ill intent, nor do we deserve to be treated with such disregard. Please refrain from complaining further, and restrain your cultural ignorance and bias for another lifetime, preferably in the 1800s.” She ended her message with, “Nga mihi matakuikui o te wa,” a polite te reo Māori farewell, and signed off as “the lady with the moko kauwae who speaks Māori but MOSTLY English on TV”. Speaking to the <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/newshubs-oriini-kaiparas-response-to-viewers-complaint-about-her-offensive-moko-kauae/LWLE2VNRPXM2GJTQ73Z3FNME74/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a> after, Ms Kaipara said the viewer had been “relentless” in his complaints. “These types of complaints are being sent by a minority,” she told the publication, adding that she receives plenty of “lovely and thoughtful” messages from viewers. “The fact that my existence triggers some people is testament to why we need more Māori advocates in key roles across every sector.” Ms Kaipara, who is of Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Rangitihi and Ngāi Tūhoe descent, has previously said she got her moko in 2019 to remind herself of her identity as a Māori woman. “When I doubt myself, and I see my reflection in the mirror, I’m not just looking at myself,” she explained. “I’m looking at my grandmother and my mother, and my daughters, and those to come after me, as well as all the other women and Maori girls out there. It empowers me.” Image: @oriinz (Instagram)

“I’M NOT CRYING, YOU’RE CRYING”: Viewers react to Neighbours finale

Politicians, TV presenters and fans alike have swamped social media after the final episode of Neighbours aired in Australia. The long-running soap finished up after a 37-year run on TV screens and people couldn't help but share their thoughts on how things ended for the folks of Erinsborough. Among those to pay tribute to the iconic Aussie series on Twitter were the likes of Bill Shorten, TV presenter Sarah Harris and even Victoria Police who commended their local Erinsborough colleagues for a job well done. "Kidnappings, plane crashes, tornados, multiple (!!) people returning from the dead, murders, arson, explosions. For 37 years the Erinsborough police have been responding to crime, after disaster, after mystery on Ramsay Street, but today that all ends," read a message from the Victoria Police's official Twitter account. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Kidnappings, plane crashes, tornados, multiple (!!) people returning from the dead, murders, arson, explosions. For 37 years the Erinsborough police have been responding to crime, after disaster, after mystery on Ramsay Street, but today that all ends. <a href="https://t.co/4uwAhvc7Lz">pic.twitter.com/4uwAhvc7Lz</a> — Victoria Police (@VictoriaPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/VictoriaPolice/status/1552480371937124352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2022</a></blockquote> Bill Shorten called the show an “Aussie TV institution” and praised the consistent efforts Neighbours went to for those with disabilities. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Neighbours finale is the ultimate throwback. Every face is as familiar as our own neighbours, but also showing inclusive TV for people with disability. Brilliant. Congrats to everyone who has been part of the Aussie TV institution. What will I watch now! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CelebratingNeighbours?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CelebratingNeighbours</a> <a href="https://t.co/im69t6Cz5d">pic.twitter.com/im69t6Cz5d</a> — Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/billshortenmp/status/1552599274352824322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2022</a></blockquote> Meanwhile, Sarah Harris posted a simple yet emotional response to the show ending, revealing she shed a tear watching the nostalgic episode. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I'M NOT CRYING YOU'RE CRYING 😭😭😭😭😭 <a href="https://twitter.com/neighbours?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@neighbours</a> Thank you 🙏🏻 — Sarah Harris 🌮 (@SarahHarris) <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahHarris/status/1552611144627417091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2022</a></blockquote> The finale saw an entire host of famous faces including Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Guy Pearce and Margot Robbie among the long list of famous alumni returning to Ramsay Street to say goodbye, in an episode that wrapped up with a big joyous street party. To mark the end of an era, the show's beloved Susan Kennedy (played by Jackie Woodburne) walked down Ramsay Street reflecting on the past. The camera floated up and gave the audience one last aerial view of the neighbours together on the street. The simple but heart-warning ending won over viewers everywhere with many saying it was “pretty perfect”. Another said: "Having Susan/Jackie narrate the end was chef's kiss perfect given the heavy lifting she's done for 28 years. Chuck her a Logie please". <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> So pleased the finale focused on Mike and Plain Jane Superbrain reconnecting, and the nods to years gone by. Having Susan/Jackie narrate the end was chef’s kiss perfect given the heavy lifting she’s done for 28 years. Chuck her a Logie please <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Neighbours?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Neighbours</a> — Leith (@LeithMarshall) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeithMarshall/status/1552615534868324352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2022</a></blockquote> "After 37 years, I loved the way that ended. Not ashamed to admit tears, but smiling..... Thank you @neighbours," another person tweeted. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I'm not great at letting things go. After 37 years, I loved the way that ended. Not ashamed to admit tears, but smiling..... Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/neighbours?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@neighbours</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/scottmaj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@scottmaj</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/alanfletcher?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@alanfletcher</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/takayahonda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@takayahonda</a> and everyone involved ❤️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NeighboursFinale?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NeighboursFinale</a> — Andrew Peters (@PeeWeePeters) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeeWeePeters/status/1552655772341108736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2022</a></blockquote> Referring to the finale storyline where everyone on Ramsay Street had their houses up for sale briefly, one person joked: "Next season of The Block should be contestants renovating all the houses on Ramsay St." Other fans similarly expressed how upset they were, with posts simply saying "gutted" and others "really, really sad". Image: Fremantle Media

An Italian museum’s innovative way of tracking viewer interactions

Art researchers in Italy have discovered a new way to help more accurately curate popular museum exhibitions. Working with the Italian national agency for new technologies, the Istituzione Bologna Musei in Bologna has installed 14 small cameras that use artificial intelligence (AI) to study the reactions of viewers. The cameras pick up facial expressions, posture and positioning of those who pass through the gallery on a daily basis. The data collected by these cameras is then used to draw broader conclusions about future exhibits and specific artworks. Researcher Riccardo Scipinotti came up with the initiative, referred to as ShareArt, to record how long visitors look at art, the paths they take through galleries, where their eyes are drawn to on particular canvases. All of these factors make up each piece of art’s “attraction value”, as well as analysing which exhibits are the most popular. The ShareArt technology has the potential to revolutionise the museum and art world, as the data shared from the AI could determine placement of certain works in a gallery, how works are lit or hung, or how works are displayed in relation to one another. The team of researchers began to roll out ShareArt in early July as COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in Italy, and has already started to yield interesting results. The technology is also fitted to detect if museum-goers are flouting making-wearing rules. The AI device is programmed to flash red if a visitor is wearing their mask incorrectly, or not wearing one at all. Image credit: Shutterstock

Art

Prince Philip’s funeral pulls in more viewers than Meghan and Harry’s tell-all interview

Prince Philip's funeral garnered more than two million more people in the UK than Prince Harry and Meghan's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. The service was held at Windsor Castle on Saturday and was broadcast to the entire world. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840793/new-project-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/43f2c66ee29b4950bfc2767e21407258" /> For viewers in the UK, saying a final goodbye to Prince Philip was more important than tuning in to Meghan and Harry’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. The service was shown on three networks in the UK with 11 million people watching on the BBC, 2.1 million on ITV, and around 450,000 on Sky. Prince Philip's service was also given airtime on the radio and YouTube. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840794/new-project-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2bb49189e632408fb032e0d025973c75" /> When ITV aired Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah on March 8, the peak audience reached 12.4 million. In 2002, the Queen Mother’s funeral was watched by 10.4 million in the UK. 32 million tuned in to the 1997 funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. The Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral had just 30 guests due to COVID-19 restrictions. It is the first time since the passing of Prince Philip that the Queen has been seen. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840792/new-project-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b1ad780f19c1429f8fd24eb44fe10b52" /> It also marked Harry’s return to England after he relocated to California with his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and son Archie.

Experts claim Oprah interview with Harry and Meghan tricked viewers

A letter of complaint alleges that the Oprah Winfrey TV special with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry uses “the deliberate distortion and doctoring of newspaper headlines” to make the UK press look racist. The editorial legal director at Associated Newspapers claims that a montage of supposed press coverage to back the Duchess of Sussex's claims of "undeniable racist overtones" used headlines that never ran. “Many of the headlines have been either taken out of context or deliberately edited and displayed as supporting evidence for the program’s claim that the Duchess of Sussex was subjected to racist coverage by the British press,” wrote <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9357935/Associated-Newspapers-complains-CBS-seriously-inaccurate-misleading-montage.html" target="_blank">Hartley</a>. She has provided proof of the mocked-up headlines, where one example can be seen below. The first image is what was featured in the CBS special. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840304/hero-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/25eb744f5e8d45999f865b9e12582285" /> The second image is the headline that actually appeared online, with the line of text that appears in the first image seemingly taken from the middle of paragraph three in the 11-paragraph piece. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840305/hero-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/508374cc7046410b8ef4edce1beccef9" /> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Hartley slammed the CBS interview and has demanded that it is taken off air. "In conclusion, the programme in its current form, does not comply with the ViacomCBS editorial policies or align with its stated values. In terms of both accuracy and integrity, the programme is clearly compromised by the inclusion of this misleading montage. "Accordingly, I should be grateful for your urgent confirmation that the offending content will be removed from the programme currently being made available to the public. "We also understand that a further broadcast is being planned tonight. The montage should therefore be deleted prior to that broadcast." Harpo Productions, Oprah Winfrey's company, said that "Prince Harry and Meghan shared in the interview their personal story. We stand by the broadcast in its entirety." Photo credits: Daily Mail </div>

Ellen's back! But viewers and critics are unimpressed with her latest apology

Ellen DeGeneres' highly anticipated TV return has been met with swift backlash from unimpressed fans and critics. DeGeneres apologised at the start of her 18th season premiere and addressed the toxic workplace rumours that have followed her for months. “Sometimes I get sad. I get mad. I get anxious. I get frustrated. I get impatient. And I am working on all of that. I am a work in progress,” she said. She also joked that while she’s a “pretty good actress” having played a “straight woman in movies” she said she isn’t good enough to “come out here every day for seventeen years and fool you”. She also alluded to the toxic workplace claims, saying that the company have "made the necessary changes" without revealing what they are. <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CFZjbAdDnA7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CFZjbAdDnA7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ellen DeGeneres (@theellenshow)</a> on Sep 21, 2020 at 6:00am PDT </div> </blockquote> Within five minutes, DeGeneres had moved on and introduced her first guest, comedian Tiffany Haddish. Fans weren't as quick to move on, going to Twitter to voice their disapproval about the "quite bad" apology. "The Ellen apology was quite bad, right?" one user asked his followers. "Ellen's apology made no sense to me because she seems to base it on the idea that people mistake impatience, sadness and bad moods for being unkind. That's not really how it works," another explained. “Ellen DeGeneres using her first monologue back after allegations of a toxic work environment to make jokes about how she‘s impatient and not a good enough actress to fake being a nice person for 18 years just grosses me out,” <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/abb3rz07/status/1308105075236073472" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">wrote another Twitter user</a>. TV critics also questioned the apology, which was first posted to social media six hours before the season premiere of The Ellen Show. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/ellen-degeneres-strange-apology-for-toxic-behavior-wont-satisfy-anybody" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">Jezebel</a> noted: “Absent from this speech about kindness, however, was an acknowledgment of the remarkably unkind things that allegedly happened under DeGeneres’s long tenure as the head of The Ellen Show.” The<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/ellen-degeneres-strange-apology-for-toxic-behavior-wont-satisfy-anybody" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink"> Daily Beast</a> called it “a strange apology that’s unlikely to appease anyone.” <a rel="noopener" href="https://variety.com/2020/tv/columns/ellen-degeneres-monologue-apology-1234777459/" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">Variety</a> declared the monologue “fell short”. “It’s hard not to feel as though an opportunity was missed here,” they wrote, imagining what had happened if DeGeneres had spoken in more detail about feeling “mad, anxious and frustrated” in the past. “Going a bit deeper — being something other than blithely kind to an audience that craves real connection — might have been welcome.”

Caring

Inspiring interview with family crippled by drought moves viewers

Aussies all over Australia have banded together to support a hard-working NSW family struggling from the worst drought they have ever seen. On Sunday evening, a story sharing the Jerry family’s struggle warmed the hearts of viewers who came together to help the farmers who spiralled into debt. The Jerry’s run a sheep and cattling property near Coonabarabran in central NSW and have been dealing with unrelenting drought conditions. Members who know the family told The Sunday Project the Jerry’s were at breaking point, and a GoFundMe fundraiser page had been made to support them. “These people are not rich - they are the salt of the earth hard working Aussies who will do anything to keep their animals from suffering, and it's costing them everything they have, and more,” a family friend said on the fundraising page. The farmers fell into a crippling debt as they were forking out $15,000 a month to keep their stock alive and healthy. “It’s been the hardest year we’ve had - financially and everything else,” said 80-year-old Coral Jetty in an interview. Coral explained she had lived on the farm for over 50 years, and was only entitled to $3.60 per fortnight from the pension because the farm she owns is deemed asset rich. After Australians all over the country heard the heartbreaking story, they donated to the fundraising page - and raised a whopping $130,000 in just 15 minutes. It took less than an hour for the campaign to reach more than $200,000. By Monday morning, the amount had jumped up to more than $275,600. On Friday, the page has received over $377,000 in support. The organisers of the page took to social media to share their gratitude. I'd like to pass on our sincerest thanks to all of you who have supported us this evening. This response is overwhelming and such a huge relief,” a statement read. “Thanks doesn't convey the depth of our appreciation. As well as your amazing donations, we'll never forget the messages of support below - you've made us realise that we are not as alone, even in barest of paddocks. Thankyou.” Visit the <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/hungry-cobber">GoFundMe page </a>to support the family.

Retirement Life

Viewers' hilarious reactions to decluttering guru's new Netflix show Tidying Up

Following the global success of her books, decluttering guru Marie Kondo has finally taken Netflix by storm with her new show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. In the eight-episode series, Kondo helped her American clients rid everyday clutter and organise their belongings using the KonMari method, which focuses on the question: “Does it spark joy?” <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WvyeapVBLWY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> The show, which was aptly released on January 1, has attracted great attention, with audiences flocking to Twitter to share their two cents about the show. The following tweets are ones that spark joy for us. Many have been inspired to clean up. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> No joke guys, I made my step kids (5 and 9) watch an episode of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo yesterday. We then spent the whole day KonMarie-ing their bedroom and they loved it! Who knew it worked in kids too? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sparkjoy?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sparkjoy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TidyingUp?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TidyingUp</a> <a href="https://t.co/xefg9mvwAt">pic.twitter.com/xefg9mvwAt</a> — Miss Angie (@MySoCalledChaos) <a href="https://twitter.com/MySoCalledChaos/status/1081983965806743552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> After watching one episode of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix: <a href="https://t.co/Gp1g8EAgXl">pic.twitter.com/Gp1g8EAgXl</a> — Faizal Rosly (@ijaicool) <a href="https://twitter.com/ijaicool/status/1081868204341833729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Me after watching one episode of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarieKondo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarieKondo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/thankyou?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#thankyou</a> <a href="https://t.co/zBVooZ9dyZ">pic.twitter.com/zBVooZ9dyZ</a> — Kaci✨ (@kaci_rachelle) <a href="https://twitter.com/kaci_rachelle/status/1082348784397496320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote> Some take it to the next level. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> I don’t care about the Marie Kondo book debate, I just wanna know why she doesn’t ask the women if their husbands truly spark joy or if they should be thanked and removed. — Amy Gray (@_AmyGray_) <a href="https://twitter.com/_AmyGray_/status/1081838920977899521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> how to tidy up your friendships with the Marie Kondo method: 1. hold your friend up 2. check if your friend sparks joy 3. if no, thank your friend and put them in the trash — Tze Hern (@zhrent) <a href="https://twitter.com/zhrent/status/1082182693998055424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote> Some see the opportunities. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Me waiting for the thrift stores to fill up with all the good stuff now bc of this Marie Kondo Netflix special <a href="https://t.co/YtJvf7Gm2M">pic.twitter.com/YtJvf7Gm2M</a> — Kat (@rasberet) <a href="https://twitter.com/rasberet/status/1082140149796941824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> I'm very pumped for all the dumb expensive stuff my neighbors are going to give away in our building after watching Marie Kondo on Netflix. — Sam Sanders (@DreamSong77) <a href="https://twitter.com/DreamSong77/status/1080139322521780226?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2019</a></blockquote> Some are sceptical of her ideas. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Do NOT listen to Marie Kondo or Konmari in relation to books. Fill your apartment & world with them. I don’t give a shite if you throw out your knickers and Tupperware but the woman is very misguided about BOOKS. Every human needs a v extensive library not clean, boring shelves — Anakana Schofield (@AnakanaSchofiel) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnakanaSchofiel/status/1080957281636835328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Marie Kondo: “Does this sweater spark joy?” Werner Herzog: “Joy is a strange notion. I am just not made for it. It has never been a goal of mine; I do not think in those terms.” — hikikomori povich (@SarahSahim) <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahSahim/status/1082007778821107715?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote> Some take to conclude that attempts at self-improvement are futile. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> After a heated discussion with Marie Kondo i’ve decided to throw myself in the trash. — Kashana (@kashanacauley) <a href="https://twitter.com/kashanacauley/status/1082284404779638784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> oops, i accidentally threw every thing away when i tried to marie kondo my home because nothing makes me feel joy — jonny sun (@jonnysun) <a href="https://twitter.com/jonnysun/status/1082019330978533376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote> Have you watched Marie Kondo's new show Tidying Up on Netflix? What do you think about the show? Let us know in the comments below.

6 movie trailers that deceived viewers

A successful movie trailer not only makes you feel the anticipation to see a new flick, but it also gives you key glimpses into the story and characters so that you immediately are sold to watch it. However, some trailers have deceived audiences by selling an image of a story that does not remain true to the movie. Here are six movie trailers that managed to deceive audiences. Warning: Spoilers for the following movies. 1. Kangaroo Jack <iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XqSa4QGW8fs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> The trailer for Kangaroo Jack pitched the film as a family friendly comedy with the likes of a talking kangaroo and screaming characters. Many kids watched the flick at the cinemas only to sit through a mafia comedy about adult friendships and failed dreams. The coy marketing ploy led the film to the top of the box office over its opening weekend. 2. Snow Dogs <iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UBgBG2XTyug?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> After watching the trailer, this Disney film appears to look like a story following different talking dog characters. However, apart from the main dog Demon, the canines are not even central to the plot. After watching the film, audiences will realise the clip from the trailer that contains talking is dogs is from a dream sequence in the movie. 3. Drive <iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CWX34ShfcsE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> One woman sued the distributor of this movie because she believed the trailer was so deceiving. While the trailer makes it appear like a typical blockbuster car-chasing action film, it is actually slow-paced and contains little driving. The film focuses on cinematography, layers of meaning and character development rather than the typical Fast and the Furious story-arc that trailer viewers might have been expecting. 4. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street <iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_4R72KROZ20?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Although Sweeney Todd has been a musical for years, the trailer concealed all of its musical themes. The confused audiences who packed into cinemas to see this movie were taken aback as it strayed from the typical action thriller genre as depicted in the trailer. 5. Passengers <iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7BWWWQzTpNU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Passengers, starring heavyweight Hollywood actors Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt, strayed away from the central plot in the trailer advertising. It appears as if the duo were woken up by accident on their space voyage, however, in the movie Pratt’s character wakes up Lawrence on purpose – effectively killing her. Some audiences were turned off by his moral decision. 6. Collateral Beauty <iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/isQ5Ycie73U?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> This movie has a trailer that is understandably not true to the movie story because the story has too many twists to be successfully summarised in a short trailer. Will Smith plays Howard Inlet, a grieving man who struggles to move on in life. He begins to write letters to Death, Time and Love and soon these abstract identities show up to help him heal. Later, viewers discover that Howard’s friends have actually hired actors to play the personifications of Death, Time and Love so that they can film him and prove that he insane in order to take control of his business. However, there is still one more twist that audiences weren’t expecting. Have you ever been disappointed with a movie because of a misleading trailer? If so, tell us about it in the comments below.

Movies

Priscilla Presley shocks viewers with youthful look

Priscilla Presley's appearance on UK morning TV show Lorraine shocked social media users. The 72-year-old former wife of the original King of Rock ‘n’ Roll Elvis dropped by on Monday to promote a new Elvis album and tour, Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. But fans were more interested in her age-defying looks as many took to social media to comment on her youthful face that at 72 was without any wrinkles. <img width="445" height="587" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/20/11/468968ED00000578-0-image-a-94_1511175625691.jpg" alt="Discussions: Priscilla Presley's appearance got viewers talking on social media following her interview on Monday's instalment of Lorraine as she promoted new compilation Elvis album and tour, Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-7519a8e6cb5f31bf"/> “What has Pricilla Presley done to her face?” one user wrote. “Priscilla Presley what happened to ageing gracefully? #plastic,” another posted. “Priscilla what have you done to your face!” However, many of Priscilla’s fans jumped to her defence. One fan wrote: '” know she has had a lot done but Priscilla Presley looks amazing!!!” <img width="432" height="597" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/20/11/4689697A00000578-5099961-image-a-111_1511175940261.jpg" alt="Wrapped up: Priscilla donned a burgundy coloured rib top for the occasion which featured bow detail on the shoulder" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-9980c76a1cd72caa"/> Priscilla has previously admitted to falling foul of botched plastic surgery. She allegedly had industrial low-grade silicone similar to that used by mechanics to grease car parts injected into her face. Her spokesperson said at the time: “Priscilla Presley was one of many documented victims of Dr. Serrano. "An investigation which uncovered his misconduct ultimately lead to his imprisonment. Ms. Presley dealt with this matter years ago and everything is now well."

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