VICE TV has picked up its documentary series Icons Unearthed for a second season. This time around the subject is “Our Favorite Family,” The Simpsons.
The deep dive into the titular residents of 742 Evergreen Terrace, and their friends and neighbors in Springfield, USA, is being produced by The Nacelle Company, the folks behind The Movies That Made Us and The Toys That Made Us, which recently brought Icons Unearthed: Star Wars to VICE TV.
Icons Unearthed: The Simpsons will feature exclusive interviews with various directors, actors, writers and network executives who continue to bring the show to life, as well as famous fans of the show.
Nacelle Company CEO Brian Volk-Weiss noted of the six-part series, “We’re ecstatic to have the second season of our Icons Unearthed documentary series officially picked up by Vice TV. It’s an honor to be able to tell the little known history behind one of the most historic franchises in television, The Simpsons.”
(WASHINGTON) — The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is working to secure testimony from a growing number of officials in former President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News.
Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who reportedly discussed the possibility of invoking the 25th Amendment with then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, recently sat with committee investigators for a transcribed interview, the sources said.
ABC News previously reported that Pompeo is expected to speak with the committee in the coming days, though his interview is not officially scheduled.
Among the officials actively negotiating with the committee are former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe and former acting secretary for the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, sources familiar with the negotiations said.
Wolf would also be able to speak to Trump’s desire to order the federal government to seize voting machines.
The engagement shows that even after the committee’s round of dramatic public hearings, it continues to pursue additional evidence about what the administration’s most senior officials knew about Trump’s actions surrounding Jan. 6.
Committee investigators are not only focused on the discussions surrounding the 25th Amendment that occurred within the Cabinet, but also Cabinet members’ concerns after the attack on the Capitol about Trump’s decision-making, including his potential conversations with world leaders.
Cassidy Hutchinson, a former top aide to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, testified that Ratcliffe “didn’t want much to do with the post-election period.” Hutchinson said that Ratcliffe “felt that there could be dangerous repercussions, in terms of precedent set for elections, for our democracy, for the 6th. You know, he was hoping that we would concede.”
The committee also has expressed interest in speaking with other senior Trump officials like Robert O’Brien, the former national security adviser.
Representatives for Mnuchin, Ratcliffe, Wolf and O’Brien did not immediately respond to ABC’s request for comment.
Another area of focus are Cabinet officials who resigned in the wake on Jan. 6: former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.
They will potentially join a growing list of officials who have already cooperated with committee investigators, including former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, former Defense Secretary Christopher Miller and former Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia. Former Attorney General Bill Barr also sat with committee investigators for a deposition.
A spokesperson for the Jan. 6 committee declined to comment.
Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone testified that Scalia wanted to convene a Cabinet meeting on Jan. 7 2021. Scalia told the committee he requested the meeting that morning because “I thought that trying to work within the administration to steady the ship was likely to have greater value than simply resigning.”
The committee has been releasing new information leading up to the release of the anticipated September report on their findings.
In an audio clip released by the panel earlier this week, then-acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller told investigators there was “no order” from Trump to have 10,000 National Guard troops ready for deployment ahead of Jan. 6. Miller was responding to a Mark Meadows interview with Fox News from February 2021 where he claimed that it was a “given” that Miller had told thousands of troops to be at the ready.
(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. economy shrank 0.9% in the second quarter of this year, the Commerce Department reported Thursday morning, marking the second quarter in a row that the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) has declined.
The economy contracted 1.6% in the first quarter of 2022.
According to the Commerce Department, the decline in GDP “reflected decreases in private inventory investment, residential fixed investment, federal government spending, state and local government spending, and nonresidential fixed investment that were partly offset by increases in exports and personal consumption expenditures (PCE).”
The latest contraction in GDP this year has raised fears of a recession.
As ABC News’ Economics Correspondent Rebecca Jarvis notes, “That makes it two back-to-back quarters of economic activity declining here in the United States — and that is considered on Wall Street a strong signal that we either are in a recession, or will be soon.”
Shakira has opted to be tried by Spanish prosecutors over allegations of tax fraud in Spain, her public relations team said Wednesday.
The 45-year-old Colombian singer rejected a plea deal offered by the Spanish authorities and wants to prove her innocence in court, according to her lawyers.
Shakira “trusts her innocence and chooses to leave the issue in the hands of the law,” the PR firm Llorente y Cuenca said in a statement obtained by ABC News.
In 2018, Spanish prosecutors charged the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer with failing to pay €14.5 million — the equivalent of $14,797,250 U.S. — in taxes on income she earned between 2012 and 2014.
If found guilty she could face a fine and/or prison time. The court has not set a date for the trial.
(NEW YORK) — The family of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who has been detained in Russia for more than three years, said they now have “a little bit of hope” after learning that the United States has offered a prisoner swap to bring home Whelan as well as another jailed American, professional basketball player Brittney Griner.
“The offer that the U.S. government has made — and extraordinarily made public — is super. Hopefully the Russian government will take the concessions that have been made and allow Paul to come home,” Paul Whelan’s twin brother, David Whelan, told ABC News’ Robin Roberts during an interview Thursday on Good Morning America.
It’s the first time the Whelan family has spoken out since U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday that he will hold a call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov “in the coming days” and a critical topic of discussion will be securing Whelan and Griner’s freedom. Blinken revealed that the U.S. government had already “put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate their release” and remains hopeful for a breakthrough on their cases.
Three sources familiar with the offer confirmed to ABC News that the U.S. had proposed exchanging convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout in order to secure Griner and Whelan’s release from Russia. CNN was first to report this plan.
“We speak to people in the State Department and the National Security Council on a regular basis, but not to this level of detail. I think we were all taken by surprise yesterday when the announcement was made,” David Whelan said. “And it’s nice also to know that the offers are being made — that perhaps this is the only one that’s been made public, but there may have been other offers made in the past by the U.S. government.”
Paul Whelan, a 52-year-old former Marine and Michigan-based corporate security executive, has been held in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage charges, which both he and the U.S. government claim are false.
Griner, a 31-year-old Houston native and star center for the Phoenix Mercury, was returning to Russia to play in the WNBA’s offseason when she was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport in the Moscow suburb of Khimki on Feb. 17, after being accused of having vape cartridges containing hashish oil, which is illegal in the country. The two-time Olympic gold medalist has been held in Russia ever since and is currently on trial for drug charges.
Britney Spears scored another victory Wednesday when a judge ruled she will not have to sit for a deposition in her conservatorship case, ABC News has learned.
After a heated argument between the pop star’s lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, and Britney’s father, Jamie Spears‘ lawyer Alex Weingarten, Los Angeles Judge Brenda Penny stood by her motion that Britney would not have to be deposed.
Earlier this month, Judge Penny ruled that Jamie must sit for a deposition in response to Britney’s accusations he hired a security firm that put his daughter under surveillance throughout her conservatorship, monitored her phone and bugged her bedroom to record her private conversations.
Sydney Sweeney is keeping it real when it comes to finances and being in the entertainment industry.
Despite being cast in some of the hottest shows on television right now, like HBO Max’s Euphoria and The White Lotus, and an upcoming role in Marvel’s Madame Web, the 24-year-old actress tellsThe Hollywood Reporterthat she can’t afford to take time off just yet.
“If I wanted to take a six-month break, I don’t have income to cover that. I don’t have someone supporting me,” Sweeney confessed.
“They don’t pay actors like they used to, and with streamers, you no longer get residuals,” she explained. “The established stars still get paid, but I have to give five percent to my lawyer, ten percent to my agents, tree percent or something like that to my business manager. I have to pay my publicist every month and that’s more than my mortgage.”
Sweeney added that not earning enough to take some time away from her craft is why she’s taken on some brand deals.
“If I just acted, I wouldn’t be able to afford my life in LA,” the star adds. “I take deals because I have to.”
Sydney Sweeney is keeping it real when it comes to finances and being in the entertainment industry.
Despite being cast in some of the hottest shows on television right now, like HBO Max’s Euphoria and The White Lotus, and an upcoming role in Marvel’s Madame Web, the 24-year-old actress tellsThe Hollywood Reporterthat she can’t afford to take time off just yet.
“If I wanted to take a six-month break, I don’t have income to cover that. I don’t have someone supporting me,” Sweeney confessed.
“They don’t pay actors like they used to, and with streamers, you no longer get residuals,” she explained. “The established stars still get paid, but I have to give five percent to my lawyer, ten percent to my agents, tree percent or something like that to my business manager. I have to pay my publicist every month and that’s more than my mortgage.”
Sweeney added that not earning enough to take some time away from her craft is why she’s taken on some brand deals.
“If I just acted, I wouldn’t be able to afford my life in LA,” the star adds. “I take deals because I have to.”
(NEW YORK) — New grants, technology enhancements and partnerships are helping grocers and shoppers who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to get more access to more places for online grocery shopping.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) opened applications earlier this month for grants to an organization that will provide technology and systems support for new retailers to offer SNAP online shopping.
The recipient of the $5 million SNAP EBT Modernization Technical Assistance Center grant funded by the American Rescue Plan, will be announced this fall and go toward creating a more diverse set of grocery stores beyond the larger chains with established online shopping programs.
Stacy Dean, the agency’s deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, called online grocery shopping “a vital resource that improves access and convenience for all, including low-income families.” She added that this grant has the potential to “improve customer service for SNAP participants, especially those that face barriers in traveling to a physical store.”
In more recent efforts to bolster support and expansion for EBT-SNAP payment integration, Instacart announced a new partnership with Albertsons to add more online grocery shopping benefits, including delivery and pickup, to give more families access to affordable food.
The company said it will add 10 new states to the SNAP payment integration, which will now include 49 states plus Washington, D.C., to serve nearly 30 million people experiencing food insecurity.
Delivery and pickup fees will be waived on the first three EBT SNAP orders for each customer with a valid EBT card associated with their Instacart account, according to a representative for the company. Standard rates apply after the first three orders.
Just over three million households using SNAP shopped online in May 2022, which was a substantial increase from the nearly 35,000 households in March 2020. The USDA said this was due in large part to its expansion of the pilot program at the onset of the COVID pandemic, which added nearly 130 retailers in two years.
“At Instacart, our goal is to continue unlocking access to nutritious food for those who need it most. We’ve long advocated to expand online EBT SNAP acceptance, and we’re proud to bring this critical service to people,” Sarah Mastrorocco, vice president of access to food and nutrition, said in a statement. “Our partners offer a broad selection of fresh food and pantry staples, and with this expansion, we’re giving more families access to nourishment, paired with the convenience of same-day delivery and pickup.”
SNAP is accepted for online grocery shopping with Meijer, Price Chopper/Market 32, Tops Friendly Markets and Albertsons, which includes Pavilions, Safeway and Vons.
With these expansions, the brand said it now powers EBT SNAP payments for over 60 retailers that span more than 8,000 stores.
The combined efforts to modernize the SNAP program are set to help more Americans who participate to have the same shopping access as food-secure families. The USDA is currently developing a pilot program that will allow SNAP consumers to use their phones to purchase groceries at checkout and will soon seek states to participate in the pilot.
As a whole, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) leverages 15 nutrition assistance programs to ensure that children, low-income individuals and families have opportunities for a better future through equitable access to safe, healthy and nutritious food while building a more resilient food system.
Glee and Crazy Rich Asians star Harry Shum Jr. is set to join Grey’s Anatomy‘s 19th season, according to Deadline. He’ll play Daniel “Blue” Kwan, a sharp-witted, impatient, and brilliant first-year surgical resident. Shum’s character, per ABC, who “is generous by nature but competitive to a fault, naturally gifted, and used to winning at everything.” Shum is one of five new actors joining the season 19 cast — Adelaide Kane, Alexis Floyd, Niko Terho and Midori Francis are the other actors joining the long-running medical drama…
Netflix has dropped the trailer for Never Have I Ever‘s upcoming third season. Mindy Kaling‘s coming-of-age dramedy,, which follows the life of an Indian American teen and stars Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Richa Moorjani, Jaren Lewison, Darren Barnet, Lee Rodriguez and Ramona Young, with narration from John McEnroe. Netflix has also announced that Terry Hu and Deacon Phillippe will guest-star on season three as Addison and Parker, respectively. The new season, per the streamer, will follow Devi — played by Ramakrishnan — as she “continues to deal with the everyday pressures of high school and drama at home, while also navigating new romantic relationships”…
Deadline reports that David Krumholtz will be reunited with his The Santa Claus co-star Tim Allen for the Disney+ spinoff, The Santa Clauses. Krumholtz will reprise his role as Bernard the Elf. In the Disney+ series, Allen’s Calvin is nearing retirement age with a family seeking a normal life. “With a lot of elves, children, and family to please, Scott sets out to find a suitable replacement Santa while preparing his family for a new adventure in a life south of the pole,” the logline reads. Elizabeth Mitchell also returns as Mrs. Claus…
COVID-19 has struck NBC’s Late Night once again. Host Seth Meyers tested positive for the virus, forcing him to cancel his shows for the rest of the week. “After negative tests Monday and Tuesday I tested positive for COVID this morning. Canceling shows the rest of this week. Apologies to our scheduled guests and loyal viewers!” Meyers tweeted on Tuesday. This marks the Saturday Night Live alum’s second bout with the virus after having contracted it in January…
