Here's the Scoop...

I've been watch too very different TV programs lately, but they are both very enjoyable. I kind of like discovering shows after the hype has died down or they have fallen off viewer's radar.

My two current shows are 'Arrested Development' and the TV Mini-Series 'Shogun'. Both very different. Both very entertaining.

I won't get into these shows today, but I'm curious about you...have you discovered a 'new-to-you' show or held out on a show due to hype? Please let me know!

Be Well,
Steve

Comments? Questions? Nooz? Email Steve



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Sandra Bullock, Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez offer aid to Tropical Storm Harvey victims
The American Red Cross says Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock has donated $1 million to the organization to help the thousands of people impacted by Tropical Storm Harvey.

"I'm just grateful I can do it. We have to take care of one another," the Virginia native, who now lives in Louisiana, said in a statement Monday.

"Thousands of people have had to be rescued, and we are in the beginning of a massive relief effort, providing safe shelter and comfort for those forced from their homes. The American Red Cross is on the ground now and will be there for weeks to come, working alongside our partners to coordinate response efforts," said Brad Kieserman, vice president of Disaster Services Operations and Logistics for the Red Cross.

Texas-born, pop music icon Beyonce has promised to assist as many Harvey victims as possible.

"My heart goes out to my hometown, Houston, and I remain in constant prayer for those affected and for the rescuers who have been so brave and determined to do so much to help," she said in a statement to The Houston Chronicle. "I am working closely with my team at BeyGOOD as well as my pastor [Rudy Rasmus at St. John's in downtown Houston] to implement a plan to help as many as we can."

New Yorkers Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez donated $50,000 and are encouraging others to do the same.

"Please help by donating what you can! Link above... God bless Houston," Lopez captioned an Instagram video in which she, sitting on beau Rodriguez's lap, said: "Our hearts are just breaking for all the families that are displaced. It's just devastating and we just want to do our part to help."

"We're praying for you and God bless all of you," Rodriguez told "all the great families in distress down in Houston."


Ed Skrein drops out of 'Hellboy' reboot amid whitewashing controversy
Ed Skrein has exited the upcoming reboot of Hellboy citing concerns over his casting due to the character being originally written as Japanese-American in the comic book series.

"Last week it was announced that I would be playing Major Ben Daimio in the upcoming Hellboy reboot," Skrein wrote on Twitter Monday.

"I accepted the role unaware that the character in the original comics was of mixed Asian heritage. There has been intense conversation and understandable upset since that announcement, and I must do what I feel is right," he continued.

"It is clear that representing this character in a culturally accurate way holds significance for people, and that to neglect this responsibility would continue a worrying tendency to obscure ethnic minority stories and voices in the Arts. I feel it is important to honor and respect that. Therefore, I have decided to step down so the role can be cast appropriately," Skrein said.

"Representation of ethnic diversity is important, especially to me as I have a mixed heritage family. It is our responsibility to make moral decisions in difficult times and to give voice to inclusivity. It is my hope that one day these discussions will become less necessary and that we can help make equal representation in the Arts a reality."

Skrein is best known for portraying the main villain in Deadpool.

Following the actor's announcement, Hellboy star David Harbour, who will be portraying the superhero, commented on the matter on Twitter writing, "Hey internet. Thank you for your voices. An injustice was done and will be corrected. Many thanks to @edskrein for doing what is right."

Hellboy producers Larry Gordon and Lloyd Levin and studios Lionsgate and Millennium released a statement saying, "Ed came to us and felt very strongly about this. We fully support his unselfish decision. It was not our intent to be insensitive to issues of authenticity and ethnicity, and we will look to recast the part with an actor more consistent with the character in the source material."

Hellboy, announced in May, will also star Ian McShane as Professor Broom, the adoptive father of the title character with Milla Jovovich in talks to portray the villainous Blood Queen.

The film was the latest project to be caught in a whitewashing controversy following Scarlett Johansson's role in Ghost in the Shell as a character who is Asian in the original source material and the casting of Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One in Dr. Strange, another character who is Asian.


LOOSE LIPS:
"Baby girl, we don't change...We take the gravel in the shell and make a pearl. We help other people to change, so they can see all kinds of beauty."
--Pink, addressing her daughter Willow, during her MTV VMAs acceptance speech



??? Guess Who ???
Which singer has just earned her blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu?


Charlotte Flair gives update to WWE on dad Ric Flair's condition
WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair shared with the WWE Tuesday how her Hall of Fame father Ric Flair is doing following his recent health scare.

"It's probably the hardest two weeks I've had but man my dad's a fighter," Charlotte said backstage at Smackdown Live to WWE's Renee Young.

"He has a long road, I'm not saying he is going to be back next week strutting but definitely the prayers and the positive vibes help and I wouldn't be here if I didn't think it was okay," she continued, referencing her return to the WWE after Ric was hospitalized earlier in August. Charlotte was not featured on television during Smackdown Live.

"Everything's looking good and this is where I belong and I'm glad to be back," Charlotte said.

Also on Tuesday, Ric tweeted for the first time since being hospitalized and wrote "Sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you have ever been, to stand up taller than you ever were. Naitch WILL be back!" alongside an older wrestling photo of himself.

It remains unclear exactly what medical issues the professional wrestling icon has been dealing with. WWE previously acknowledged that the 68-year-old had undergone surgery but was unable to comment on what exactly necessitated the hospital stay.

Ric's fiancee Wendy Barlow previously stated in private Facebook post that his condition involved having a portion of his bowel removed and that he will begin physical therapy soon, The Charlotte Observer reported.


Kathy Griffin says her friendship with Anderson Cooper is over
Kathy Griffin says her longtime friendship with Anderson Cooper is over.

The 56-year-old comedian explained in an interview with The Cut that she cut ties with Cooper after he denounced her controversial photo shoot aimed at President Donald Trump.

Cooper, who co-hosted CNN's New Year's Eve special with Griffin from 2007 to 2016, had distanced himself from the comedian after she shared a picture of herself holding up a fake, bloody, decapitated head resembling Trump in May.

"For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in. It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate," the 50-year-old television personality tweeted May 30.

Griffin told The Cut four of Cooper's colleagues at CNN reached out to her following the backlash, but said Cooper didn't contact her until June 10.

"[Anderson was] shocked and upset by the photo, and while he was not ready to talk to her personally about it, he still considered her to be a friend, and was publicly supportive when asked about the controversy," a source told the magazine.

Griffin said she ultimately ended her friendship with Cooper after he publicly claimed they were still friends. Cooper had said as much while appearing on the July 26 episode of Watch What Happens Live.

"Yeah, we're still friends," the television personality told host Andy Cohen. "I said what I said about how I didn't think what she said was appropriate, but I wish her the best and I hope she bounces back and gets back on the road."

"She's incredibly funny and a lot of people love her, and I think she'll bounce back from this," he added.


??? Guess Who ???
Which singer has just earned her blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu?

Demi Lovato was "beyond excited" to earn her blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu this week.

The 25-year-old singer and actress shared a makeup-free selfie Monday to celebrate the latest milestone in her martial arts training.

"I'm so beyond excited because I just received my blue belt in #brazilianjiujitsu!!!!" Lovato captioned the photo on Instagram. "I fell in love with #BJJ over a year ago and have been training several times a week ever since."

"Thank you so much to @chilcote.dunn @captainHarlan_ @tarsisbjj for giving me my belt along with one of the most important and special women in my life today @officialdaniellemartin/@trueboundaries - I love you so much and couldn't be more grateful for you," she said.

"Also special shoutout to @jayglazer for flying in to give me my belt as well!!!" the star added. "Love you jay!!!"

Glazer is an NFL insider for Fox Sports who also trains athletes in mixed martial arts at his Unbreakable Performance gym. He congratulated Lovato in a post on his own account Monday.

"I'm more proud of the work @ddlovato puts in with nobody watching than i am what she does with the world watching. Congrats on achieving your blue belt today in #bjj, YOU put the grind in!" Glazer wrote.

Lovato is a longtime boxing fan who previously dated MMA fighters Luke Rockhold and Guilherme Vasconcelos. She told Entertainment Tonight this month that she was hoping to earn her blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu by the end of the year.

"I've been a white belt for over a year now and so it's time. But I can't, you can't ask for it," the singer explained. "It goes white, blue, purple, brown, black. So I'll have a blue belt probably by the end of the year. But we'll see what happens."