These are the top maybe-not headlines from the past 36-hours presented by The Conversation Project from raw engagement data from our social media to the headlines posted over the past day.
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The 8 topics that our followers ranked as the most conversational are:
‘TWILIGHT’ COMPANION NOVEL ‘MIDNIGHT SUN’ COMING FROM STEPHENIE MEYER
“Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer announced the release of her new book “Midnight Sun,” a companion novel to her vampire love saga. “Midnight Sun” will hit bookstores Aug. 4. While “Twilight” — and follow-up’s “New Moon,” “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn” — centered around shy high-schooler Bella Swan, the new novel will be retold through the eyes of vampire heartthrob Edward Cullen. “Midnight Sun” comes 15 years after the release of “Twilight,” which was adapted for the big screen in 2008 to massive success, making household names out of the franchise’s stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. Meyer initially teased the announcement for “Midnight Sun” on her website and on her production company Fickle Fish Film’s social media accounts through a countdown clock, before appearing on “Good Morning America.” “Midnight Sun” was originally supposed to publish in 2008, but it was cancelled when the manuscript was leaked online. A “partial draft” was posted on the internet, but now, “Midnight Sun” will be released in its entirety through publishing company Hachette Book Group.
COMMENTARY: “Twilight” was a phenomenon that I was not in the target demo for, so I don’t particularly care how well it does perform. To believe the long wait would keep the franchise down is to under estimate super fans. A hard thing to do about a story that was published on May the Fourth.
[SOURCE: variety.com]
GREEN LANTERN CO-STARS RYAN REYNOLDS AND TAIKA WAITITI INSIST THEY’VE NEVER HEARD OF THEIR DC MOVIE
Green Lantern stars Ryan Reynolds and Taika Waititi joked that they have “never heard of” the disastrous DC Comics movie that Reynolds has parodied on more than one occasion in the Deadpool movies. The film was directed by Martin Campbell and debuted in 2011. Reynolds starred as hotshot test pilot Hal Jordan, who has the gift of a cosmic ring controlled by his willpower bestowed upon him, granting him superpowers including the ability to create energy constructs. It also conducts him into the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps, Waititi played Jordan’s best friend, engineer Thomas Kalmaku. The cast also included Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Angela Bassett, and Mark Strong. Waititi quipped, “I still don’t have any idea what that project is. I’m not entirely sure which one you’re talking about.” Waititi continued to feign forgetfulness on Twitter, joking he was Photoshopped into the movie. Reynolds is just as forgetful. “I’ve never met him,” the jokester said of Waititi. “I still can’t quite figure out how we got him for [Free Guy]. He just sort of said ‘yes’ right away.” The new movie, directed by Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum, Stranger Things), is led by Reynolds as Guy — a NPC, or non-playable character — who comes to realize he’s living inside a video game, spurring him to take control of his destiny and his life.
COMMENTARY: A perfectly great way to promote a new movie is to completely trash an old movie everyone else has completely trashed. Ryan Reynolds and Taika Waititi show that their since of humor is in sync, making them a perfect team up for any film, and raising the expectations of Free Guy.
[SOURCE: comicbook.com]
’60 MINUTES’ CORRESPONDENT STAHL SAYS SHE FOUGHT CORONAVIRUS
CBS News “60 Minutes” correspondent Lesley Stahl said Sunday that she’s finally feeling well after a battle with COVID-19 that left her hospitalized for a week. Stahl said she was “really scared” after fighting pneumonia caused by the coronavirus for two weeks at home before going to the hospital. Stahl, 78, is the dean of correspondents at television’s best-known newsmagazine. She joined “60 Minutes” in March 1991, and before that was moderator of the Sunday talk show “Face the Nation” and a Washington correspondent. Stahl said there was a cluster of “60 Minutes” employees with the virus. One “had almost no symptoms while others had almost every symptom you can imagine,” she said. “Each case is different.” Stahl said she found an overworked and nearly overwhelmed staff when she was hospitalized but paid tribute to their care, and said she was wheeled out through a gauntlet of cheering medical workers when discharged.
COMMENTARY: The media is doing the best they can to put names and faces of regular people who have survived and died from the coronavirus, but the more famous a patient is, the more real exposure you get to what is really going on.
[SOURCE: msn.com]
TAYLOR SWIFT SURPRISES UTAH NURSE WITH HEARTFELT THANK YOU GIFTS FOR FIGHTING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Taylor Swift expressed her appreciation for a fan currently working on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. The singer, 30, recently surprised Whitney Hilton, a registered nurse at McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah, with a handwritten thank-you note and a bundle of Lover merchandise. Not only was Swift’s surprise in honor of Hilton’s 30th birthday but also a homecoming celebration for her. Hilton returned home after helping at Northwell Health’s Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York, where she said the “nurses are burned out.” Hilton shared Swift’s kind gesture on Twitter Sunday. “I need to PUBLICLY THANK TAYLOR SWIFT @taylorswift & @taylornation13 @treepaine for sending me a box full of Merch & a PERSONALIZED LETTER from Taylor herself for my 30th birthday/for going to NYC to help as a nurse. This was quite literally the BEST DAY OF MY LIFE.” In an April blog post published by Intermountain Healthcare, Hilton shared her experience of her 2,200-mile journey to lend a helping hand during the global health crisis, which she called “a modern war.”
COMMENTARY: Hoorah for Taylor Swift for doing such a great gesture, and triple hoorah for Whitney Hilton stepping up to the plate to lend a hand so far away from home to deal with COVID-19.
[SOURCE: msn.com]
YOUTUBE DELETES CONSPIRACY THEORIST DAVID ICKE’S CHANNEL
YouTube has deleted conspiracy theorist David Icke’s account. The video-sharing site said the 68-year-old violated its policies on sharing information about coronavirus. The former footballer has made controversial unproven claims about the virus on several internet platforms, including one that it is linked to the 5G mobile network. The video service, which is owned by Google, told the BBC: “YouTube has clear policies prohibiting any content that disputes the existence and transmission of Covid-19 as described by the WHO and the NHS. The ban follows a similar move by Facebook, which removed Icke’s page on Friday. Well-known medics and broadcasters including Dr Christian Jessen and former junior doctor Adam Kay have called on social networks to remove Icke from their platforms. They are backed by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), which claims Icke’s conspiracies over Covid-19 have been viewed more than 30m times. The CCDH asked for other networks to follow the lead, and added: “It is time for Instagram and Twitter to follow Facebook and YouTube by acting to remove Icke and his content from their platforms.
COMMENTARY: The problem with conspiracy theorist is that people believe the crazy talk they spew, even if the people spewing it know better. It’s a testament to the adage that bad news spreads faster than good news. In these cases, crazy news spreads even faster.
[SOURCE: theguardian.com]
STACEY DASH IS SELLING VIDEOS OF HERSELF TO FANS FOR $50 AMID DIVORCE
Clueless star Stacey Dash is selling videos online for $50 amid her divorce after her career imploded following her shocking domestic violence arrest, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal. The Republican actress, who ran a failed campaign for a southern California congressional seat in 2018 after acting jobs dried up, was arrested on domestic battery charges last year. Dash, 53, allegedly pushed, slapped and scratched her husband Jeffrey Marty, an attorney, during a blow-out argument at their Florida home. He later dropped the charges. On Thursday evening, Dash announced they had decided to go their separate ways after nearly two years of marriage on Instagram. The controversial star seems to have fallen on hard times and is now charging fans $50 for personalized shoutouts on the video-sharing website Cameo, joining a host of former Disney child actors, reality stars and Z-list celebrities.
COMMENTARY: Stacy Dash joining the world of celebrities using past fame to make a few extra bucks now is not the sad part of the story. Any person who has gone to a comic book or wrestling convention knows this all to well. What is sad is how poorly her post-Clueless life has played out. She refused to go into anonymity, flaunted notoriety, and now is reduced to constant mockery.
[SOURCE: dailymail.co.uk]
WOMEN DRESSED AS NURSES ARE STEALING PACKAGES OFF PORCHES, WASHINGTON STATE POLICE SAY
Women dressed as health care workers are taking packages from outside residents homes in Washington state, according to the Kennewick Police Department. Two women described by police as suspects in a porch piracy case are seen in surveillance videos wearing scrubs and what appears to be a lanyard with an identification badge. One wears gloves as she takes a package off the front porch of a home. Kennewick Police Department said that don’t believe these women are real nurses. Police shared the images on Saturday hoping the community can help identify the suspects.
COMMENTARY: There are plenty of professions that allow workers to wear scrubs. And there are plenty of people who have adopted scrubs as loungewear or overly comfortable activewear. Using scrubs as a uniform to throw people off the scent of thieves is not a use I would ever have come up with.
[SOURCE: cnn.com]
HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS ASKS PUBLIC TO SUBMIT BUSINESSES VIOLATING ABBOTT’S REOPENING ORDERS
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo requests the public to submit businesses violating Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive orders, according to a social media post. According to a list provided by the county, these are the businesses that must remain closed: any facility used for sports greater than four participants, arcades, arenas, bars, bingo halls, bowling alleys, concert halls, fitness centers, game rooms, gyms, hair and nail salons, licensed massage therapy, live performance theatre, lounges, nightclubs, nursing and retirement homes, long-term care facilities, spas, stadiums, swimming pools, and tattoo parlors. Residents are asked to submit violations online. You must include the name of the business, the address, the type of business or business services, and the compliant. The complaints should include businesses that are featuring more than 25% occupancy in the facility, non-approved recreational locations open and operating, interactive amusement venues open, non-approved establishments accepting customers, and bars not selling food in the open and operating. You may also include a date, a time, and additional comments. Anyone with questions is asked to email stayathome@cjo.hctx.net.
COMMENTARY: Stories of communities being asked to snitch on businesses and people not following social distance guidelines are growing. There must be some policing to maintain order, but some of the lengths that are being engaged border on obsession and madness.
[SOURCE: click2houston.com]
Eight Things To Talk About uses the raw engagement data from the social media engagement from The Conversation Project to generate the top-ranking headlines over the course of the past day.
A full weeks’ data (from Friday to Friday) is compiled, weighed, and sorted to produce the content for the Weekly Wrap-Up with J Cleveland Payne, published every Saturday as a podcast available at ThisIsTheConversation.com or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
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