What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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T22 WHATS UP! January 9 - 15, 2022 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert One retail expert described the [holiday shopping] market this way: "We see a consumer who is anxious to spend. ... They are ea- ger to shop and anxious about the execution." Coincidentally, "Eager to Shop and Anxious About the Execution" [is] also the title of Marie Antoinette's memoir. Breaking pizza news out of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where local authorities have confirmed that "Pizza Girls" is, in fact, a res- taurant and not — I repeat, NOT — a strip club. Residents are en- couraged to visit Pizza Girls only if you are looking for delicious Italian food in an environment where everyone keeps their clothes on. If you are looking for a strip club, authorities recom- mend trying pretty much any- where else in Florida. The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon On the fourth night of Hanuk- kah, President Biden hosted a menorah lighting. Nothing says you really care about a holiday like waiting until the fourth night to celebrate. An FDA panel just voted 13-10 to "narrowly endorse" Merck's an- ti-viral COVID pill. Yeah, when it comes to medication, I'm sure "narrowly endorsed" is the phrase you want to hear. "Annie Live!" premiered on NBC. Yup, it's been a tough year, so NBC wanted to lift our spirits with an orphan singing about how hard life is. The Late Late Show With James Corden North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un has reportedly banned citizens from wearing leather coats because they are copying his signature style. ... Yeah, it's the second-most egregious ban placed on his citizens right after, you know, being able to leave. Celebrity surgeon Dr. Oz official announced ... that he's running for a U.S. Senate seat from Penn- sylvania. He'll be running as a Republican. Still no word on whether he'll be called Sen. Dr. Oz, or Dr. Sen. Oz — we don't know. Kind of strange, isn't it, when your backup plan after los- ing the "Jeopardy!" hosting gig is to become a U.S. senator. The fitness apparel company Lululemon has filed a lawsuit against Peloton for allegedly copying their designs for work- out leggings and bras. Yeah, it's the first trial that'll feature a dai- ly recess for a white wine break. Jimmy Kimmel Live! The big news here at ABC is that we have officially chosen a new Bachelor! Did you see the smoke signals coming out of the Vati- can? That is why. Twitter will now ask you a series of questions when you're about to post an image to make sure it's yours to tweet, and they do it in a weird way. Before you post, Twitter has always asked "What's happening?" ... Now when you press "tweet," it asks a follow-up question. It says, "Is everything in this post (includ- ing photos) suitable for public posting?" If you say "yes" it asks "Have you considered keeping this thought to yourself?" And then: "Why tweet at all? Honest- ly. Go ride a bike or something," "Is this what 10-year-old you saw yourself doing when you grew up?" ... If you clear all those, you're ready to post! Late Night with Seth Meyers Amid tensions over possible military action in Ukraine, Presi- dent Biden will meet on a video call tomorrow with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Be- cause there's no better deterrent than a long video call with a 79-year-old man. A man in Italy reportedly wore a fake silicone arm last week to avoid getting the coronavirus vaccine — and wait until you hear how he got out of his vasec- tomy! The New York Times published a report yesterday detailing a se- ries of coronavirus infections stemming from an anime con- vention held last month in New York. Well, something tells me they'll be fine with quarantining: "Oh, you want me to stay inside for 10 days? Yeah, not a problem." LATE LAUGHS BY MICHELLE ROSE TV Media Weeknd TV: The Weeknd had the biggest hit of 2020 with "Blinding Lights," which is now the all-time No. 1 single on the Billboard charts — a feat that makes his 2021 Grammys shut- out all the more baffling. For 2022, the Canadian singer- turned-global-megastar has teased a new album, and his long-delayed "After Hours" world tour should kick off this summer. But The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) isn't limit- ing himself to the music indus- try: he also has a big TV project in the works. HBO has officially picked up "The Idol," a scripted drama se- ries co-created by the recording artist, his producing partner Reza Fahim and "Euphoria" cre- ator Sam Levinson. Reportedly, the story is about a self-help guru and sect leader who devel- ops a complicated relationship with a rising female pop star. Now that the project, in devel- opment since last summer, has landed a series order, the cast is quickly coming together. The Weeknd, who previously appeared in "Uncut Gems" (2019) and co-wrote/lent his voice to an episode of "American Dad," is also starring in "The Idol," along with Lily-Rose Depp ("The King," 2019), Troye Sivan ("X-Men Origins: Wolverine," 2009), Steve Zissis ("Together- ness"), newcomer Juliebeth Gonzalez and Suzanna Son ("Red Rocket," 2021). Other ad- ditions to the cast include Eliza- beth Berkley Lauren ("Saved By the Bell") and Anne Heche ("Chicago P.D."), both in recur- ring roles. Joseph Epstein ("Health and Wellness") will serve as show- runner and Amy Seimetz has been tapped to direct all six hour-long episodes of the series, which is already generating a lot of buzz — not only for The Weeknd's involvement, but also for its exploration of the dark side of fame. "When the multitalented Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye, Reza Fa- him and Sam Levinson brought us 'The Idol,' HBO programming VP Francesca Orsi said in an of- ficial statement, "it was clear their subversive, revelatory take on the cult of the music industry was unlike anything HBO had ever done before." 'Mayfair' moves forward: With "Better Call Saul," "Killing Eve" and "The Walking Dead" all ending in 2022, AMC's lineup may look very different in the near future, but don't worry: the basic cable network is already working on new programming to ensure there won't be any gaps. In fact, it just recently greenlit a TV adaptation of Anne Rice's "Lives of the May- fair Witches" novels. An eight-episode series, "Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches" will focus on an intuitive young neurosurgeon who discovers she's the heir to a family of witches. While grappling with her newfound powers, she must also contend with a sinister presence that's haunted her fam- ily for generations. The series order comes just a few months after reports first surfaced that it was in develop- ment. Things moving so quickly could be attributed to the quality of the source material, but it also signals AMC's eagerness to ex- pand its Anne Rice universe (look out, Marvel). Its adapta- tion of "Interview with the Vam- pire," starring Jacob Anderson ("Game of Thrones") and Sam Reid ("The Newsreader"), should premiere later this year, and "Mayfair" will likely follow, though no premiere date has been announced yet. "[This year] will be the big- gest year for original program- ming in the history of our com- pany," Dan McDermott, presi- dent of entertainment at AMC Studios, said. "We are ... over the moon that it will now include the first two series in an expand- ing Anne Rice universe built around stories and characters that have captivated millions of fans around the world." 'Saturdays' alright: With "Black-ish" now in its final run, series star Marsai Martin is wasting no time prepping her next TV gig. Martin, who founded produc- tion company Genius Entertain- ment at the age of 14, has part- nered with writer-executive producer Norman Vance Jr. ("Girlfriends") to bring his new coming-of-age comedy series to life. After ordering it to pilot last March, Disney Channel has now handed "Saturdays" a full series order. Written by Vance, the comedy centers on Paris Johnson (Dani- elle Jalade, "Yes Day," 2021), a 13-year-old who considers roller skating to be part of her soul — she breathes it in and makes it a lifestyle. Per Deadline, Paris lives for the weekends because that's when she gets to go to her neon- lit sanctuary: a seemingly magi- cal wooden-floor roller rink where the impossible often manifests. In this place, Paris can hang out with her friends (the We-B-Girlz skate crew), choreograph routines on wheels, banter with rivals, navi- gate life with her DJ brother, and work on becoming a member of the skating elite chosen by The Duchess, a former '90s hip-hop- backup-dancer-turned-rink owner. The Weeknd to create, star in HBO's "The Idol" STARS ON SCREEN