NYPAA News

Sarah Silverman said comedian Louis C.K. used to masturbate in front of her with her permission, during an interview on Howard Stern’s SiriusXM radio show on Monday.

“I don’t know if I’m going to regret saying this,” Silverman said. “I’ve known Louis forever, I’m not making excuses for him, so please don’t take this that way. We are peers. We are equals. When we were kids, and he asked if he could masturbate in front of me, sometimes I’d go, ‘F— yeah I want to see that!’ … It’s not analogous to the other women that are talking about what he did to them. He could offer me nothing. We were only just friends. So sometimes, yeah, I wanted to see it, it was amazing. Sometimes I would say, ‘F—ing no, gross,’ and we got pizza.”

Silverman used the story as part of her explanation for why she believed C.K. didn’t understand the implications of his actions, pointing to his sudden fame and his inability to grapple with the newfound power that came with it.

“I’m not saying what he did was okay. I’m just saying at a certain point, when he became influential, not even famous, but influential in the world of comedy, it changes,” she said, echoing past statements in which she addressed the scandal. “He felt like he was the same person, but the dynamic was different and it was not okay.”

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“I’m not saying everyone should embrace Louis again,” the comedian continued. “I believe he has remorse. I just want him to talk about it on stage. He’s going to have to find his way or not find his way.”

Last year, Silverman’s sister Laura Silverman also tweeted that C.K. masturbated in front of her approximately 20 times during a cross country trip before he was famous. However, she also clarified that she did not view the act as criminal: “After that, it’s was Louis C.K., on a cross country trip before he was famous. About 20 times. Not criminal. But compulsive, rude & gross,” she wrote.

Sarah Silverman has addressed the sexual misconduct allegations waged against C.K. in the past, saying she was conflicted about the situation.

“He wielded his power with women in f—ed up ways, sometimes to the point where they left comedy entirely,” she said. “I could couch this with heartwarming stories of our friendship and what a great dad he is, but that’s totally irrelevant, isn’t it? Yes, it is. It’s a real mindf—, because I love Louis. But Louis did these things. Both of those statements are true. So I just keep asking myself, ‘Can you love someone who did bad things? Can you still love them?’”

https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/sarah-silverman-louis-ck-masturbated-1202988208/

Multiple shows saw minor downturns in the Live+3 ratings for week 3 of the 2018-2019 broadcast season.

For the week beginning Oct. 8, perennial chart toppers “This Is Us,” “The Good Doctor,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “9-1-1,” and others all ticked down in adults 18-49 compared to the prior week’s lifts.

“Manifest,” meanwhile, reclaimed the top spot from fellow NBC series “This Is Us,” growing by a 1.3 rating in the key demo to a 2.9 for 81% growth. “Manifest” was also the top grower in total viewers once again, reaching 12.9 million viewers after three days of playback.

Over the first three weeks of the season, “Manifest” is averaging the most growth in both key measures. The freshman series is averaging 1.4 rating lift in the key demo and adding an average of 5.6 million viewers each week. “New Amsterdam” and “A Million Little Things” have the next biggest lifts in the key demo, adding a 0.9 and a 0.7 respectively on average each week.

Check out the full Live+3 rankings for the week below.

Live+ 3 Adults 18-49 

Series	Network	Broadcast Date	Live+SD A18-49	Live+3 A18-49	Actual Growth	% Growth
MANIFEST	NBC	10/08/18	1.6	2.9	+1.3	+81%
THIS IS US	NBC	10/09/18	2.3	3.6	+1.3	+57%
GREY’S ANATOMY	ABC	10/11/18	1.5	2.6	+1.1	+73%
THE GOOD DOCTOR	ABC	10/08/18	1.1	2.1	+1.0	+91%
THE BIG BANG THEORY	CBS	10/11/18	2.3	3.3	+1.0	+43%
911	FOX	10/08/18	1.4	2.3	+0.9	+64%
NEW AMSTERDAM	NBC	10/09/18	1.4	2.3	+0.9	+64%
LAW AND ORDER:SVU	NBC	10/11/18	0.9	1.7	+0.8	+89%
HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER	ABC	10/11/18	0.8	1.5	+0.7	+88%
A MILLION LITTLE THINGS	ABC	10/10/18	0.8	1.5	+0.7	+88%
WILL & GRACE	NBC	10/11/18	0.8	1.5	+0.7	+88%
STATION 19	ABC	10/11/18	1.3	2.0	+0.7	+54%
MODERN FAMILY	ABC	10/10/18	1.4	2.1	+0.7	+50%
YOUNG SHELDON	CBS	10/11/18	1.8	2.5	+0.7	+39%
BULL	CBS	10/08/18	0.8	1.4	+0.6	+75%
CRIMINAL MINDS	CBS	10/10/18	0.8	1.4	+0.6	+75%
S.W.A.T.	CBS	10/11/18	0.8	1.4	+0.6	+75%
THE GOOD PLACE	NBC	10/11/18	0.8	1.4	+0.6	+75%
CHICAGO PD	NBC	10/10/18	1.2	1.8	+0.6	+50%
LAST MAN STANDING	FOX	10/12/18	1.4	2.0	+0.6	+43%
RIVERDALE	CW	10/10/18	0.5	1.0	+0.5	+100%
BLUE BLOODS	CBS	10/12/18	0.8	1.3	+0.5	+63%
SEAL TEAM	CBS	10/10/18	0.8	1.3	+0.5	+63%
FBI	CBS	10/09/18	1.0	1.5	+0.5	+50%
MOM	CBS	10/11/18	1.3	1.8	+0.5	+38%
CHICAGO FIRE	NBC	10/10/18	1.4	1.9	+0.5	+36%
SURVIVOR	CBS	10/10/18	1.6	2.1	+0.5	+31%
EMPIRE	FOX	10/10/18	1.6	2.1	+0.5	+31%
CHARMED	CW	10/14/18	0.5	0.9	+0.4	+80%
THE GIFTED	FOX	10/09/18	0.7	1.1	+0.4	+57%
LETHAL WEAPON	FOX	10/09/18	0.7	1.1	+0.4	+57%
HAWAII FIVE-0	CBS	10/12/18	0.8	1.2	+0.4	+50%
THE FLASH	CW	10/09/18	0.8	1.2	+0.4	+50%
HELL’S KITCHEN	FOX	10/12/18	0.8	1.2	+0.4	+50%
SUPERSTORE	NBC	10/11/18	0.8	1.2	+0.4	+50%
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS	CBS	10/09/18	0.9	1.3	+0.4	+44%
BOB’S BURGERS	FOX	10/14/18	0.9	1.3	+0.4	+44%
FAMILY GUY	FOX	10/14/18	0.9	1.3	+0.4	+44%
AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE	ABC	10/10/18	1.0	1.4	+0.4	+40%
SINGLE PARENTS	ABC	10/10/18	1.0	1.4	+0.4	+40%
THE RESIDENT	FOX	10/08/18	1.0	1.4	+0.4	+40%
THE NEIGHBORHOOD	CBS	10/08/18	1.1	1.5	+0.4	+36%
THE GOLDBERGS	ABC	10/10/18	1.3	1.7	+0.4	+31%
STAR	FOX	10/10/18	1.3	1.7	+0.4	+31%
CHICAGO MED	NBC	10/10/18	1.3	1.7	+0.4	+31%
NCIS	CBS	10/09/18	1.4	1.8	+0.4	+29%
THE VOICE-TUE	NBC	10/09/18	1.8	2.2	+0.4	+22%
THE VOICE-MON	NBC	10/08/18	1.9	2.3	+0.4	+21%
SUPERGIRL	CW	10/14/18	0.5	0.8	+0.3	+60%
BLINDSPOT	NBC	10/12/18	0.5	0.8	+0.3	+60%
I FEEL BAD	NBC	10/11/18	0.5	0.8	+0.3	+60%
MADAM SECRETARY	CBS	10/14/18	0.6	0.9	+0.3	+50%
SHARK TANK	ABC	10/14/18	0.7	1.0	+0.3	+43%
MAGNUM P.I.	CBS	10/08/18	0.9	1.2	+0.3	+33%
GOD FRIENDED ME	CBS	10/14/18	1.0	1.3	+0.3	+30%
MURPHY BROWN	CBS	10/11/18	1.0	1.3	+0.3	+30%
NCIS: LOS ANGELES	CBS	10/14/18	1.0	1.3	+0.3	+30%
THE COOL KIDS	FOX	10/12/18	1.0	1.3	+0.3	+30%
BLACK LIGHTNING	CW	10/09/18	0.4	0.6	+0.2	+50%
20/20-FRI	ABC	10/12/18	0.5	0.7	+0.2	+40%
FRESH OFF THE BOAT	ABC	10/12/18	0.5	0.7	+0.2	+40%
SPEECHLESS	ABC	10/12/18	0.5	0.7	+0.2	+40%
SUPERNATURAL	CW	10/11/18	0.5	0.7	+0.2	+40%
REL	FOX	10/14/18	0.5	0.7	+0.2	+40%
DATELINE FRI	NBC	10/12/18	0.7	0.9	+0.2	+29%
MACGYVER	CBS	10/12/18	0.8	1.0	+0.2	+25%
DANCING WITH THE STARS	ABC	10/08/18	1.0	1.2	+0.2	+20%
THE SIMPSONS	FOX	10/14/18	1.0	1.2	+0.2	+20%
CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND	CW	10/12/18	0.1	0.2	+0.1	+100%
ALL AMERICAN	CW	10/10/18	0.2	0.3	+0.1	+50%
DYNASTY	CW	10/12/18	0.2	0.3	+0.1	+50%
ALEC BALDWIN SHOW	ABC	10/14/18	0.3	0.4	+0.1	+33%
DATELINE MYSTERY-1	NBC	10/13/18	0.4	0.5	+0.1	+25%
DATELINE MYSTERY-2	NBC	10/13/18	0.5	0.6	+0.1	+20%
48 HOURS	CBS	10/13/18	0.6	0.7	+0.1	+17%
HULU INTO THE DARK TEASER	FOX	10/14/18	0.7	0.8	+0.1	+14%
DANCING W/STARS:JUNIORS	ABC	10/14/18	0.8	0.9	+0.1	+13%
HAPPY TOGETHER	CBS	10/08/18	0.9	1.0	+0.1	+11%
FOX+NFLN THU NT PREGAME	FOX	10/11/18	1.2	1.3	+0.1	+8%
AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS	ABC	10/09/18	1.8	1.9	+0.1	+6%
SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL	ABC	10/13/18	1.7	1.8	+0.1	+6%
60 MINUTES	CBS	10/14/18	1.9	2.0	+0.1	+5%
CBS NFL NATL POST GAME	CBS	10/14/18	3.5	3.6	+0.1	+3%
CBS NFL NATIONAL	CBS	10/14/18	5.2	5.3	+0.1	+2%
AMER FUNN HM VIDEOS-7PM	ABC	10/14/18	0.9	0.9	even	+0%
CHILD SUPPORT	ABC	10/12/18	0.4	0.4	even	+0%
CBS NFL NATL POST GUN	CBS	10/14/18	4.3	4.3	even	+0%
IHEARTRADIO MUSIC FEST-2	CW	10/08/18	0.2	0.2	even	+0%
FOX MLB NLCS GAME 2 POST	FOX	10/13/18	0.7	0.7	even	+0%
FOX+NFLN THU NT FOOTBALL	FOX	10/11/18	4.8	4.8	even	+0%
FOX+NFLN THU NT PRE-KICK	FOX	10/11/18	2.7	2.7	even	+0%
VERIZON UNDISPUTED SUNDAY	FOX	10/14/18	0.4	0.4	even	+0%
FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 2	NBC	10/14/18	2.0	2.0	even	+0%
FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 3	NBC	10/14/18	3.1	3.1	even	+0%
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL	NBC	10/14/18	7.0	7.0	even	+0%
SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK	NBC	10/14/18	4.4	4.4	even	+0%

Live+3 Total Viewers

Related

Series	Network	Broadcast Date	Live+SD Total Viewers (in Millions)	Live+3 Total Viewers (in Millions)	Actual Growth	% Growth
MANIFEST	NBC	10/08/18	7,469	12,933	+5464	+73%
THE GOOD DOCTOR	ABC	10/08/18	7,189	11,636	+4447	+62%
THIS IS US	NBC	10/09/18	8,916	12,986	+4070	+46%
NEW AMSTERDAM	NBC	10/09/18	7,039	10,822	+3783	+54%
BLUE BLOODS	CBS	10/12/18	8,319	11,966	+3647	+44%
BULL	CBS	10/08/18	6,520	10,159	+3639	+56%
THE BIG BANG THEORY	CBS	10/11/18	12,918	16,129	+3211	+25%
911	FOX	10/08/18	5,925	9,043	+3118	+53%
CHICAGO PD	NBC	10/10/18	7,158	10,088	+2930	+41%
GREY’S ANATOMY	ABC	10/11/18	6,710	9,496	+2786	+42%
CRIMINAL MINDS	CBS	10/10/18	4,646	7,251	+2605	+56%
NCIS	CBS	10/09/18	12,370	14,961	+2591	+21%
CHICAGO FIRE	NBC	10/10/18	8,413	10,999	+2586	+31%
YOUNG SHELDON	CBS	10/11/18	11,189	13,706	+2517	+22%
A MILLION LITTLE THINGS	ABC	10/10/18	3,669	6,171	+2502	+68%
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS	CBS	10/09/18	7,912	10,397	+2485	+31%
FBI	CBS	10/09/18	9,178	11,659	+2481	+27%
LAW AND ORDER:SVU	NBC	10/11/18	4,443	6,911	+2468	+56%
MADAM SECRETARY	CBS	10/14/18	5,483	7,870	+2387	+44%
S.W.A.T.	CBS	10/11/18	5,402	7,789	+2387	+44%
LAST MAN STANDING	FOX	10/12/18	6,323	8,693	+2370	+37%
SEAL TEAM	CBS	10/10/18	5,417	7,728	+2311	+43%
HAWAII FIVE-0	CBS	10/12/18	7,683	9,901	+2218	+29%
STATION 19	ABC	10/11/18	6,542	8,734	+2192	+34%
CHICAGO MED	NBC	10/10/18	8,148	10,272	+2124	+26%
WILL & GRACE	NBC	10/11/18	3,399	5,519	+2120	+62%
LETHAL WEAPON	FOX	10/09/18	2,942	4,914	+1972	+67%
THE RESIDENT	FOX	10/08/18	4,919	6,874	+1955	+40%
NCIS: LOS ANGELES	CBS	10/14/18	7,638	9,568	+1930	+25%
MODERN FAMILY	ABC	10/10/18	5,110	6,994	+1884	+37%
MURPHY BROWN	CBS	10/11/18	6,768	8,600	+1832	+27%
MAGNUM P.I.	CBS	10/08/18	6,056	7,875	+1819	+30%
HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER	ABC	10/11/18	3,222	5,017	+1795	+56%
MOM	CBS	10/11/18	8,212	10,004	+1792	+22%
SURVIVOR	CBS	10/10/18	7,683	9,263	+1580	+21%
EMPIRE	FOX	10/10/18	5,133	6,664	+1531	+30%
THE VOICE-MON	NBC	10/08/18	9,577	11,067	+1490	+16%
GOD FRIENDED ME	CBS	10/14/18	7,907	9,355	+1448	+18%
THE VOICE-TUE	NBC	10/09/18	9,216	10,633	+1417	+15%
THE COOL KIDS	FOX	10/12/18	4,770	6,132	+1362	+29%
BLINDSPOT	NBC	10/12/18	2,946	4,306	+1360	+46%
GOOD PLACE	NBC	10/11/18	2,711	4,009	+1298	+48%
MACGYVER	CBS	10/12/18	6,159	7,420	+1261	+20%
THE GIFTED	FOX	10/09/18	2,061	3,255	+1194	+58%
HELL’S KITCHEN	FOX	10/12/18	2,669	3,846	+1177	+44%
SINGLE PARENTS	ABC	10/10/18	3,648	4,784	+1136	+31%
20/20-FRI	ABC	10/12/18	4,282	5,395	+1113	+26%
FLASH	CW	10/09/18	2,077	3,183	+1106	+53%
THE NEIGHBORHOOD	CBS	10/08/18	6,349	7,446	+1097	+17%
STAR	FOX	10/10/18	4,106	5,184	+1078	+26%
THE GOLDBERGS	ABC	10/10/18	5,052	6,121	+1069	+21%
AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE	ABC	10/10/18	4,270	5,325	+1055	+25%
DANCING WITH THE STARS	ABC	10/08/18	7,224	8,242	+1018	+14%
CHARMED	CW	10/14/18	1,570	2,548	+978	+62%
RIVERDALE	CW	10/10/18	1,505	2,448	+943	+63%
DATELINE FRI	NBC	10/12/18	4,415	5,344	+929	+21%
SHARK TANK	ABC	10/14/18	3,645	4,545	+900	+25%
SUPERSTORE	NBC	10/11/18	2,957	3,838	+881	+30%
SUPERGIRL	CW	10/14/18	1,524	2,367	+843	+55%
SPEECHLESS	ABC	10/12/18	2,270	3,067	+797	+35%
FAMILY GUY	FOX	10/14/18	1,991	2,775	+784	+39%
SUPERNATURAL	CW	10/11/18	1,501	2,208	+707	+47%
I FEEL BAD	NBC	10/11/18	2,203	2,886	+683	+31%
FRESH OFF THE BOAT	ABC	10/12/18	2,690	3,368	+678	+25%
BLACK LIGHTNING	CW	10/09/18	1,161	1,811	+650	+56%
DANCING W/STARS:JUNIORS	ABC	10/14/18	4,665	5,301	+636	+14%
BOB’S BURGERS	FOX	10/14/18	2,140	2,714	+574	+27%
48 HOURS	CBS	10/13/18	3,532	4,093	+561	+16%
60 MINUTES	CBS	10/14/18	11,739	12,232	+493	+4%
HAPPY TOGETHER	CBS	10/08/18	4,794	5,243	+449	+9%
AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS	ABC	10/09/18	6,584	7,028	+444	+7%
SIMPSONS	FOX	10/14/18	2,520	2,890	+370	+15%
REL	FOX	10/14/18	1,396	1,757	+361	+26%
ALL AMERICAN	CW	10/10/18	685	976	+291	+42%
DYNASTY	CW	10/12/18	647	911	+264	+41%
ALEC BALDWIN SHOW	ABC	10/14/18	2,074	2,331	+257	+12%
DATELINE MYSTERY-2	NBC	10/13/18	3,414	3,662	+248	+7%
CHILD SUPPORT	ABC	10/12/18	2,033	2,241	+208	+10%
AMER FUNN HM VIDEOS-7PM	ABC	10/14/18	5,668	5,863	+195	+3%
DATELINE MYSTERY-1	NBC	10/13/18	2,984	3,176	+192	+6%
CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND	CW	10/12/18	401	571	+170	+42%
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL	NBC	10/14/18	21,177	21,337	+160	+1%
HULU INTO THE DARK TEASER	FOX	10/14/18	1,665	1,815	+150	+9%
FOX+NFLN THU NT FOOTBALL	FOX	10/11/18	14,759	14,889	+130	+1%
CBS NFL NATIONAL	CBS	10/14/18	17,688	17,758	+70	+0%
VERIZON UNDISPUTED SUNDAY	FOX	10/14/18	1,212	1,282	+70	+6%
FOX+NFLN THU NT PRE-KICK	FOX	10/11/18	9,037	9,082	+45	+0%
SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK	NBC	10/14/18	13,711	13,752	+41	+0%
SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL	ABC	10/13/18	6,048	6,084	+36	+1%
CBS NFL NATL POST GUN	CBS	10/14/18	15,049	15,079	+30	+0%
FOX MLB NLCS GAME 2 POST	FOX	10/13/18	2,462	2,492	+30	+1%
IHEARTRADIO MUSIC FEST-2	CW	10/08/18	608	635	+27	+4%
FOX+NFLN THU NT PREGAME	FOX	10/11/18	4,168	4,195	+27	+1%
CBS NFL NATL POST GAME	CBS	10/14/18	12,654	12,675	+21	+0%
FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 2	NBC	10/14/18	6,723	6,727	+4	+0%
FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 3	NBC	10/14/18	9,866	9,870	+4	+0%

https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/live-plus-3-ratings-week-of-oct-8-1202988135/

The Razer Phone 2 is in just about every way a much better Razer phone, but it still doesn’t quite match up with the products of the titans of the smartphone industry: Apple and Samsung.

As with last year’s Razer Phone, this follow-up device delivers over-the-top hardware hampered in some places by sub-part software. Specifically, while the camera app is better, it still delivers dull, relatively lackluster images.

The big draw for the Razer Phone 2, though, is its capabilities as a gaming device and in this regard, Razer’s second smartphone improves on some levels, while managing to play it surprisingly safe.

Hardware

The $800 Razer Phone 2 packs a 2.8 GHz Snapdragon 845 processor, a 5.72-inch IGZO LCD 120Hz display (2560 x 1440 with wide color gamut), 8GB of system memory, and a 4,000 mAh battery. The system runs on the slightly outdated Android 8.1, though it will be getting an update early next year.

Those new specs outline a series of big improvements that come to the Razer Phone 2, thanks to an internal redesign and listening to what users had to say about the original phone.

The original phone featured a cooling system that used twin copper pipes to help prevent the CPU from overheating and throttling performance. The new system features a vapor chamber to keep the CPU cool. Inside the phone is a sheet of hollow metal filled with condensation. The outside of that sheet is made of copper, as it heats, the vapor inside dissipates the heat evenly throughout the metal, which is about the size of the phone. That, in turn, means that games that require a lot of processing power can run longer at maximum performance.

The display remains the most impressive feature of the Razer Phone 2. It is still the only gaming phone on the market with a 120Hz refresh rate that delivers surprisingly smooth graphics and video with full HDR support. The display, already a top-of-class feature for gaming, was improved by making it about 50 percent brighter than the previous phone. At 645 nits, the Razer Phone 2’s display is brighter than both the Galaxy Note 9 and the iPhone Xs Max.

Both the battery and system memory are unchanged from the previous phone, but they remain some of the highest specs in the category. The competition, this year, simply had a chance to catch up.

Changes

The basic shape of the Razer Phone 2 is still a love-it-or-hate-it rectangle that, at first glance, is almost indistinguishable from its predecessor. What changes do exist are meaningful, however.

The Razer Phone 2 now features a glass back, which brings with it wireless charging and a chroma-infused RGB light-up logo that can be used as a simple adornment or as a color-coded notification system.

The cameras on the back of the phone have been shifted to the center and down a bit and the two lenses are not separated by the built-in flash. Razer also swapped out its camera sensors from Samsung to Sony (two 12MP on back, and a 8MP on the front) and added image stabilization in hopes of fixing the biggest stumbling block of the first phone.

The front of the phone looks identical, though if you were to dive into those display-framing speaker grills you’d find improved front firing speakers redesigned to both increase sound and clarity, while also being waterproof. To pull off that trick, Razer enlarged the speaker box behind the grill, giving it a larger chamber in which to resonate.

Thanks to that redesign and some other work, the phone is now rated IP67 for water resistance, which means it can be under as much as a meter of water for 30 minutes without being damaged.

Hands-On

After spending over a week with the phone, it’s clear that it is a better gaming phone than the original Razer.

After spending hours playing “PUBG” on the Razer Phone 2, its edges starting to get warm, but performance didn’t seem to be impacted. The high-end specs pairs nicely with Razer’s Cortex app.

The Cortex app allows users to go into each game and individually pre-set the configuration of the phone. For instance, I have “PUBG” set to run at 2.8 GHz (though I could have dropped it down to as low as 1.36 GHz). You can also set the frame rate from 40 fps up to 120 fps. And there’s the option to turn on anti-aliasing. There’s also an option to automatically turn on a do not disturb mode while playing a game, which turns off all phone notifications.

You can also launch your games directly from Cortex, or use the app to browse and download featured games.

The only other gaming-centric app created by Razer for its phone is the theme store, which comes packed with a slew of game-centric themes for your phone. You can grab themes for everything from “PUBG Mobile” to “The Bard’s Tale IV” and have your phone instantly outfitted in your favorite title’s colors, images, and sounds.

As with the original Razer Phone, the Razer Phone 2 avoided loading up the device with bloatware. Beyond those two gaming-centric programs and some basic apps, the phone is fairly empty of pre-installed software.

Razer’s camera app, while much, much improved over the original Razer Phone’s app, still leaves a lot to be desired.

The images, compared to those taken on on smartphones released this year, seem dull and very occasionally, slightly out of focus. While there are some added features, like a portrait mode for a depth of field effect and a selfie beauty mode, those features feel like entry-level attempts compared to the much more robust and refined modes found in competitive phones.

Razer rolled out a software update over the weekend that did a lot to tweak some of the low-light issues I was seeing with the phone, and the company has said they will continue to update their phone post-launch, so there is hope.

Conclusion

The Razer Phone 2 is a vast improvement over the original Razer Phone, but Razer continues to play catch-up in some important ways. For instance, when I asked if the phone would feature face recognition as a security feature, a rep told me that would be a great feature for the next phone.

As a gaming device, the Razer Phone 2 continues to shine, but its competitors, having woken to the growing and important niche, are starting to crowd in. Where just last year Razer was the clear market leader in this market, it’s new device, with much-needed improvements on a slew of oversights, offers very little when it comes to pushing the notion of a smartphone designed just for games forward.

The Razer Phone 2 is fighting to maintain its competitive edge with an unmatched display and an ornate, but under-utilized Chroma logo. The Razer Phone 2 is certainly a better device than what Razer delivered last year, but it does little to innovate for gaming this time around. Hopefully, next year will see a Razer Phone that both exceeds the general competition on basic features and once more evolves the notion of a gaming phone.

https://variety.com/2018/gaming/reviews/razer-phone-2-review-1202988133/

Oculus co-founder and former CEO Brendan Iribe is the latest executive to leave Facebook: Iribe announced on his Facebook profile Monday that he is leaving Oculus after six years. That the departure may have been prompted by Facebook canning plans for a second-generation Oculus Rift headset, according to a Techcrunch report.

“I never could have imagined how much we would accomplish and how far we would come. And now, after six incredible years, I am moving on,” he wrote. “This will be the first real break I’ve taken in over 20 years. It’s time to recharge, reflect and be creative. I’m excited for the next chapter.”

Multiple Facebook executives thanked Iribe for is work following the announcement, with Facebook CTO Mike Schroepfer writing that Iribe had “championed VR from its earliest days, when prototypes were still duct-taped and hot-glued,” and Facebook’s head of AR and VR Andrew Bosworth adding: “You built an incredible team and you defined the first generation of VR. We would not be where we are without your leadership.”

However, there are some indications that the departure wasn’t completely amicable. Techcrunch reported Monday that Facebook decided to cancel plans for a PC-powered Rift 2 headset that Iribe’s group had been working on, prompting him to throw the towel. A spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Iribe co-founded Oculus in 2012, assuming the role of the company’s CEO. He continued to lead Oculus VR after its acquisition by Facebook in 2014, but was effectively demoted in 2016 when Facebook restructured Oculus to more closely align it with the mothership.

Back then, Iribe moved to lead the PC VR group, taking charge of the company’s Rift VR headset while it was at the same tim developing standalone devices like the Oculus Go and Oculus Quest.

Iribe used his post Monday to thank the Oculus team as well as Facebook CEO MArk Zuckerberg for believing in their vision. “The success of Oculus was only possible because of such an extraordinary team effort,” he wrote. “I’d like to sincerely thank everyone that’s been a part of this amazing journey, especially Mark for believing in this team and the future of VR and AR.”

Iribe is just the latest co-founder of a company acquired by Facebook to leave. In recent weeks, Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom and Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger announced that they would leave the company. Whatsapp co-founder Jan Koum announced his departure in April.

Developing.

https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/oculus-co-founder-brendan-iribe-is-leaving-facebook-1202988298/

Theater fans don’t need to book passage across the pond in order to see West End favorites.

On Wednesday, Trafalgar Releasing will begin rolling out its latest slate of hit London shows, all of which have been captured on film in an effort to broaden their audience. “Funny Girl,” the first of these filmed versions, will debut in theaters on Wednesday for a one-night only presentation. It will be followed by “Red,” an award-winning drama starring Alfred Molina as the painter Mark Rothko; the Tony and Olivier-winning production of “An American in Paris”; and “The King and I,” a performance at the London Palladium featuring Ken Watanabe and Kelli O’Hara.

“We’re always looking to do a range of projects,” Trafalgar Releasing CEO Marc Allenby said. “We want to do big tentpole productions and also some smaller, more offbeat works.”

The company isn’t just releasing filmed plays — it will also offer up everything from the Bolshoi Ballet to Mat Whitecross’ Coldplay documentary “A Head Full of Dreams.” In any given year, Trafalgar will release between four to 10 filmed versions of shows. They will play in anywhere from 500 to 600 cinemas in the U.K. and up to 2,500 screens globally. So far, the company has largely focused on West End shows. Broadway shows have complicated union regulations that can make shooting productions difficult and can cost as much as $2 million to film. However that may no longer be the case. Trafalgar recently recruited Kymberli Frueh, a Fathom Events veteran, to join its North American operation as senior VP of programming and acquisitions.

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“We’re in a lot of active conversations with Broadway producers,” Allenby said. “There are incredible shows on Broadway right now and a lot of people are savvy to these kinds of opportunities.”

That’s a big change. It used to be difficult to sell theater directors, actors, and producers on the wisdom of filming shows. They were worried that the movies would be slapdash affairs that would fail to accurately capture the performances and had the potential to cannibalize ticket sales. However, the popularity of filmed productions of everything from the Royal Shakespeare Company to the Metropolitan Opera has caused such prejudices to dissipate. Just ask Michael Grandage, the director of “Red.” He’s been a convert ever since his 2010 production of “King Lear” was captured on film and shown in cinemas.

“It was an eye opener for me,” Grandage said. “I think that more people saw the film in one night in cinemas than watched it during its entire run in the U.K. and in America. And we were doing eight performances a week.”

“Not everyone can get to London to see a show and not everyone can afford a ticket,” adds Grandage. “This is a game changer.”

As filmed versions of live events have become more commonplace in theaters, producers have improved their approach to shooting plays. It used to be that these movies were rather staid affairs, with one or two cameras more or less capturing the action, and with minimal editing. Now, the Trafalgar team is more collaborative in its approach, mapping out sequences, mixing in close-ups and wide shots, so it can better capture performances. Grandage said he had multiple meetings with the Trafalgar team to plot out filming and noticed that the camera crew saw the show two or three times in order to fully prepare.

“There was lots of pre-planning,” he said. “They don’t just turn up on the day of the shoot. They want to fully capture the performances.”

As Trafalgar expands into the U.S., Allenby has his own bucket list of performances he’d like to capture.

“‘Hamilton’ lends itself to being filmed,” he said. “Not that I’m the first person to think that.”

Hint, hint Lin-Manuel Miranda.

https://variety.com/2018/film/news/funny-girl-red-coming-to-theaters-1202988001/

London-based Vue International, the largest movie exhibitor outside of the U.S., has put its plans to open multiplexes in Saudi Arabia on temporary hold in the wake of the global scandal surrounding the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

The company had signed an exclusive preliminary agreement in February with the Abdulmohsin Al Hokair Holding real-estate group to jointly build up to 30 multiplexes in Saudi Arabia, leading the way among exhibitors making inroads in the region after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman lifted a 35-year ban on cinemas in December 2017.

Vue chief executive and founder Tim Richards told the Guardian newspaper Monday that “we have delayed, but not pulled out” of Saudi Arabia, adding that, like a lot of leading companies around the world, “we are watching and share the concerns that others do.” “We want to see what happens in the next few weeks and don’t want to make any knee-jerk reactions,” he said.

Richards also told the Guardian that, like many other Western executives, he would not be attending a major economic forum, dubbed “Davos in the Desert,” in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday and currently has no further trips to Saudi planned.

Related

Khashoggi disappeared Oct. 2 during a visit to the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul. The Saudi government, which is effectively under the rule of the crown prince, vehemently denied any involvement in Khashoggi’s disappearance before acknowledging over the weekend that the journalist – a frequent critic of the prince – had been killed inside the consulate, as the Turkish government repeatedly alleged. Saudi officials called it a “rogue operation,” but Western officials have demanded answers.

The kingdom also has a similar agreement in place with U.S. exhibitor AMC, which pacted with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to build up to 40 cinemas, the first of which opened in April in Riyadh. AMC has been keeping mum on its plans following Khashoggi’s killing.

The Public Investment Fund, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, is an investor in Penske Media Corp., the parent company of Variety.

https://variety.com/2018/film/news/khashoggi-killing-vue-international-delay-plans-to-open-saudi-multiplexes-1202988242/

“Fortnite Save the World” will still be pay-to-play through 2018, Epic Games announced Monday via its State of Development update.

While the developer hoped to make the game free-to-play this year, it decided to move the launch “out of this year,” but did not specify when exactly it will happen.

“We’re working on a broad set of features, reworks, and backend system scaling we believe are needed to go free-to-play,” Epic Games stated. “‘Save the World’ has grown consistently since our launch in July 2017 and ‘Fortnite’ overall has experienced unprecedented growth. Scaling up for the legions of player heroes who will be joining the fight is key to providing an excellent experience. This applies to all of our players, old and new, so we’re taking the time to get this right.”

As always, “Fortnite Battle Royale” is completely free-to-play. But, if players are getting a little battle royale mode fatigue, “Save the World” will be on sale this week, with half-off offer for the Standard, Deluxe, Super Deluxe and Limited Founder’s versions of the game. Players who log in and enjoy during the Fortnitemares Event will get a free Brainiac Jonesy and Skull Ranger Ramirez.

Related

Speaking of which, Fortnitemares is back! Players will return to Hexsylvania and can play the Vlad Moon Rising questline, with some changes from last year for those who already played to enjoy.

As for other updates, there’s a new hero system that promises more room for creativity. Players will have six hero slots, twice the amount as before. Players will have the main hero to command and the five additional chosen heroes will decide what “perks and traits” players will have access to. Once this new hero system is finalized, Epic promises to release a “comprehensive blog” to explain it all.

For those worried about changes to already upgraded sections, Epic has already considered this and has a solution for players to not lose out on materials.

“We’re working on an investment refund feature that will activate whenever we make significant changes to schematics, heroes, survivors, defenders or any other items you’ve upgraded,” the developer stated. “Upon launch it will be an opt-in process, we will flag the item that has been re-balanced and you choose to de-level if you wish. We will NOT automatically de-level your items. For this first version we will be rolling out the ‘re-balance flag’ to only Heroes adjusted by the new system, while we investigate how to grant back other materials in edge case scenarios.”

Finally, the front-end user interface should feel a little more polished, as Epic is reorganizing the menu options and plans to move “more of your Fortnite experience into the game rather than in the front-end” as they complete this revamp.

https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/fortnites-save-the-world-free-to-play-not-happening-this-year-1202988073/

Welcome back to Tune In: our weekly newsletter offering a guide to the best of the week’s TV.

Each week, Variety’s TV team combs through the week’s schedule, selecting our picks of what to watch and when/how to watch them. This week, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” debuts on Netflix and “Legacies” premieres on The CW.

“Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh,” Netflix, Tuesday

In his first comedy special in years, Adam Sandler takes his comical musical musings back out on the road, from comedy clubs to concert halls to one very unsuspecting subway station.

“Legacies,” The CW, Thursday, 9 p.m.

In the series premiere of this “The Originals” spinoff, Under the guidance of headmaster Alaric Saltzman, the next generation of supernatural beings at The Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and Gifted. The students include tri-brid Hope Mikaelson, Alaric’s twins Lizzie and Josie, high-energy vampire MG, newly-triggered werewolf Rafael.

“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” Netflix, Friday

This new series imagines the origin and adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. The show finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.

“Midnight Texas,” NBC, Friday, 9 p.m.

The fantasy drama returns for its second season this week. After shutting the veil to hell, The Midnighters finally settle into a semblance of normality, until the opening of a new hotel rocks their stability once again.

“Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj,” Netflix, Sunday

In this weekly series, “Daily Show” alum Hasan Minhaj will explore the modern cultural and political landscape with depth and sincerity. Each week, Minhaj will bring his comedic voice and storytelling skill to investigate the larger trends shaping our fragmented world.

https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/tv-shows-to-watch-this-week-chilling-adventures-of-sabrina-legacies-1202983389/

https://variety.com/2018/film/news/dermot-mulroney-detective-horror-thriller-trick-1202988145/

“What a joy it is to dance and sing!” The words run throughout Angela Carter’s last novel “Wise Children,” a headlong tumble through the world of London theater, and their spirit is embodied by Emma Rice’s new stage adaptation. Raucous and imaginative, it’s a big, fat love letter to theater itself, in all its many forms — and, indeed, to life.

You could forgive the director for forswearing the stage. Known to Broadway audiences for her “Brief Encounter,” which sent Noel Coward’s stiff-lipped railway romance soaring into the skies, she’s had a bumpy few years back at home. A short-lived stint heading up Shakespeare’s Globe was feted but ill-fated: Rice’s crowd-pleasing program put purists’ backs up and she was, very publicly and very contentiously, given notice after only six months. “Wise Children” brings her back on her own terms with a new touring company of the same name.

It’s a heaven-made match. Carter’s novel hurtles across the 20th century stage behind two septuagenarian twin sisters, showgirls Nora and Dora Chance. It flutters from their debut as a young music hall duo to their West End break in a wartime revue, but the real story is their tangled family tree.

More Reviews

Abandoned by their vainglorious actor-manager dad, Olivier-proxy Melchior Hazard (clad head-to-toe in violet velour), they’re raised in run-down Brixton digs, under the wing of their wayfaring uncle, Melchior’s rivalrous twin Peregrine.

With its two worlds, twin sets and absentee dads, it’s a whopping cod-Shakespearean romp, but Rice turns it into a giant variety show. As the Chances shimmy from stage to stage, high art to low, “Wise Children” skips through every conceivable theatrical style. Beret-wearing ballet dancers watch the girls’ first flapper dance. Old songbook standards segue into pop, violin solos burst into burlesque, and double acts, drag acts and two-bit turns abound. It runs the whole gamut – Shakespeare to end-of-the-pier, and Paul Hunter’s pelvic-thrusting Gorgeous George is a ba-doom-tish delight.

Rice’s patchwork style elevates her storytelling, and she’s pruned Carter’s willfully convoluted plot back without sacrificing its freewheeling, bacchanalian spirit. There’s more sex here than you can shake your stick at, and a bed-trick to boot. Cutting its detour to a faux forest in Hollywood, she does lose some of its Shakespearean structure — the mix-ups and mischief that take place in the woods — but small bother. Where the page flattens performance, reducing it to words, words, words, Rice lets it burst into full-bodied life – and what’s theater, at base, if not precisely that?

For all her signature whimsical charm (bobble-hats, check; butterflies, check), that’s what makes “Wise Children” Rice’s most sophisticated show yet. She harnesses theatre’s imaginative possibilities to make a manifesto for life.

At the height of his fame, Melchior gambles his fortune away, including the crown his father handed down. His wife cuts him a cardboard replacement, stressing no-one will see the swap. Everything here lives in that spirit. Fires are conjured with a few bits of cloth, caravans stand if for grand stately homes, and everyone plays everybody: actors of all races, ages and genders play the Chance sisters and the Hazard dads. The message is as clear as the muddle: theatrical riches are more than a substitute for worldly wealth. Theater makes anything possible for anybody.

Rice’s crack cast of clowns take that mantra to their hearts, so that “Wise Children” is teeming with performances to relish. Hunter and Ankur Bahl are all poise and pomp as Melchior old and young, while Rice’s old Kneehigh mucker Mike Shepherd and Sam Archer bound around as his carefree brother. Katy Owens, in a lilac beehive and a saggy-bosomed body-suit, unleashes a lawnmower voice as Grandma Chance, and the Chance sisters themselves are beguilingly played at every age. Mirabelle Giraud and Bettrys Jones are the precocious kids blinded by the bright lights of the stage, Melissa Jones and Omari Douglas are the sultry backstage creatures on the way up, and Etta Murfit and Gareth Snooks, as the knock-kneed retirees, narrate the whole show with the bawdy sensibility of a village hall panto. What a joy to see that at the Old Vic.

https://variety.com/2018/legit/reviews/wise-children-review-emma-rice-old-vic-1202988167/