Here's everything that's been happening in the world of Pop Culture this past week... in case you missed it! Feel free to comment on any of the stories and info shared here, add any news bits that you caught going on that may have been missed, or at least show us some love if you read the post but have nothing to comment on by clicking on that little heart icon at the bottom of the post...

GENERAL POP CULTURE NEWS:

- Twelve Democratic state attorneys general filed for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to prevent the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger from closing while the states pursue an antitrust lawsuit. The states have asked a federal judge to act by July 22^nd (Paramount previously informed the states that it would not close the transaction before that date). The motion noted that “Plaintiff states have an interest in enforcing antitrust laws” and that allowing the transaction to go through would “eliminate competition between Paramount and Warner Bros. and enable the combined entity to raise prices and reduce output”. The Writers Guild of America has also filed a separate lawsuit against the merger, alleging it violates federal antitrust law and would cause specific harm to writers, who would have fewer opportunities and face lower pay rates as a result of such anticompetitive power in theatrical and basic cable tv markets. An additional lawsuit launched by Paramount+ subscribers requesting an injunction to prevent the merger from occurring at the end of the month was dismissed by a judge.

- Taco Bell announced it is temporarily removing certain ingredients from their restaurants in Midwestern states amid an increase in cases of Cyclosporiasis, a food-borne illness that causes, among other symptoms, explosive diarrhea. After extensive interviews with patients diagnosed with the illness it was determined the cause was likely pre-packaged shredded lettuce from a particular farm from which Taco Bell purchases its lettuce.

- NAMES, HASHTAGS, MEMES, AND TRENDS FROM THIS PAST WEEK –

Where is MITCH McCONNELL?; ERLING HAALAND; PITBULL concert bald cap world record; SASHA BARON COHEN’s Ali G character at Wimbledon; new monkey species

THIS PAST WEEK IN SPORTS -

- NFL: Tech billionaire VINOD KHOSLA and his family have reached an agreement to buy the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks NFL franchise for $9.6 billion. The deal is one of the largest ever for a sports team, just shy of the $10 billion price tag MARK WALTER paid to take ownership of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers. Indian-born Khosla is reportedly worth about $13.7 billion; he is purchasing the Seahawks from the estate of late owner PAUL ALLEN.

- ATP: Top-seeded Italian tennis player JANNIK SINNER bested German tennis player ALEXANDER ZVEREV, the world No. 2, in four sets to win the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Title. It is his second consecutive win at Wimbledon and is his first major trophy win since last year’s Wimbledon win.

- WTA: Czechian tennis player LINDA NOSKOVA best fellow Czechian tennis player KAROLINA MUCHOVA in three sets to win the Wimbledon Women’s Singles Title. Noskova is the third Czech woman in four years to win the grass-court major, following MARKETA VONDROUSOVA in 2023 and BARBORA KREJCIKOVA in 2024.

- MLB: St. Louis Cardinals’ right fielder JORDAN WALKER bested hometown hero, Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter KYLE SCHWARBER, to win the 2026 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby. Walker’s first Derby title in his first appearance and also became the first Cardinal to win the Derby. The following day, the American League defeated the National League in the 2026 All-Star Game 4-0; it was the first shut out in an All-Star game since 2013.

AWARDS UPDATE -

- The Daytime Emmy Awards: Nominations for the 53^rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced this week with CBS daytime drama series “The Young and the Restless” leading the pack with 18 total nominations followed by freshman CBS daytime drama series “Beyond the Gates” with 15 and ABC daytime drama series “General Hospital”, which is gunning for its third win in a row for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series, with 13. “The Kelly Clarkson Show” led all talk shows with 10 nominations. Winners will be announced in a ceremony held on October 30^th (the award show currently does not have any network or streamer attached to air; last year’s ceremony was only available to watch online). For a complete list of 2026 Daytime Emmy Award nominations, check out the following link: https://deadline.com/lists/daytime-emmy-nominations-2026/

GOVERNMENT 101 -

- US/Iran: Both the US and Iran have acknowledged their ceasefire, agreed to via the signed Memorandum of Understanding that was meant to cease hostilities between the two countries as they negotiated a deal to formally end the current conflict, no longer is in effect. The US has resumed its naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran began attacking boats attempting to go through the strait and bombing both in Iran and of US facilities and US-affiliated countries within the region. US President DONALD TRUMP already announced the US will likely begin to attack civilian infrastructure in Iran next week.

- US: The Department of Homeland Security announced it would pause most traffic stops by ICE agents following two fatal shootings by ICE agents occurred within the week - one of a Mexican national in Texas and the other of a Colombian national in Maine – both of whom were in the US legally, authorized to work in the US, and allegedly were not the actual targets of the agents’ operations. In both instances, none of the ICE agents involved were wearing body cameras despite funding for such cameras having already been approved by Congress. Officials from Mexico and Colombia are demanding answers to why the two men were killed by ICE and numerous members of Congress have called for thorough investigations into the shootings though it is unclear whether any evidence was gathered at the crime scenes or if the areas were even treated as crime scenes in the first place in order to properly gather such information. Just a day after the announcement, President DONALD TRUMP publicly reversed the decision to pause the traffic stops.

ON BROADWAY/ THE WEST END -

- Revamped musical revival “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” will end its Broadway run in August.

- The West End production of revisionist comedy play “Oh Mary!”, with creator COLE ESCOLA reprising the role of late First Lady MARY TODD LINCOLN, being staged at London’s Trafalgar Theatre will be filmed on July 28^th for a future, as-yet-undisclosed release.

THE BOOK NOOK -

- Former US President JOE BIDEN announced he will release his presidential memoir, “Promise Me, America” on November 17^th, two weeks after the midterm elections in November. Biden shared that the memoir would be “about the challenges we have faced as a nation, about the decisions I made, why I made them… It’s about why I chose to run for president and why I chose to step aside. Most of all, it’s about my faith in the promise of America.”

MOVIE NEWS:

- Actor DANNY MCBRIDE is set to make his directorial debut on a new feature film based on the classic Hasbro “G.I. Joe” toy franchise for Paramount Pictures. Plot details are being kept under wraps.

- Focus Features’ surprise hit romance/horror “Obsession” will be available to stream on Peacock as of July 17^th.

- MOVIE CASTING UPDATE -
- Actor XOLO MARIDUENA is set to reprise his role as the superhero Blue Beetle in the DC Studios’ “Superman” sequel “Man of Tomorrow”.

- Actor KEITH CARRADINE will join actors BRIE LARSON, JOHN GOODMAN, IONE SKYE, and more in the Sony Pictures thriller “Skeletons”.

- Actors JESSICA ALBA, TIM MEADOWS, TAYLOR ORTEGA, and DAN BUCATINSKY have joined the cast of Netflix’s reboot of “13 Going on 30”. The film is set to star EMILY BADER, LOGAN LERMAN, and ADELINE RUDOLPH.

TV NEWS:

- Fox announced its fall 2026 premiere schedule, which will kick into gear on September 21^st with the return of the game shows “Celebrity Name that Tune” and “Celebrity Weakest Link”. The network’s only live-action scripted hour-long shows, “Best Medicine” and “Doc”, will return the following day, while Wednesday and Thursday of that week will feature the premieres of four returning unscripted programs. The network’s Sunday animated comedies will return on September 27^th. For a look at the full Fox 2026 fall premiere date schedule, including the list of Fox shows being held for midseason, check out the following link: https://www.tvline.com/2215029/fox-2026-fall-premiere-dates-best-medicine-doc-the-simpsons-full-schedule/

- MTV reality competition series “The Challenge” is officially shifting to its new home at streaming service Paramount+ for season 42. The new season, dubbed “The Challenge: Cutthroat”, which will feature a mix of “The Challenge” vets alongside former stars of other reality shows including “Survivor”, “Big Brother”, and “Love Island”, will see its 24 challengers compete in teams for a chance at a share of the $500,000 grand prize. “The Challenge: Cutthroat” will premiere on Paramount+ on August 5^th.

- HGTV announced it will pit ‘90s stars BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN, BEVERLY MITCHELL, and JODIE SWEETIN against MELISSA JOAN HART, MATTHEW LAWRENCE, and KESHIA KNIGHT PULLIAM – with assistance from JOEY LAWRENCE – in a six-episode home renovation competition series dubbed “That ‘90s House”. The series, hosted by fellow ‘90s star JALEEL WHITE, will premiere on HGTV on August 26^th at 9pm.

- HBO announced the special “Euphoria: A Look Back”, a retrospective featuring interviews and never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage from former HBO drama series “Euphoria”, will premiere on HBO Max on July 24^th.

- TV CASTING UPDATE –

- Singer/“The Masked Singer” panelist ROBIN THICKE will replace music producer/musician RANDY JACKSON as the bandleader on Fox game show “Celebrity Name that Tune” when the show returns for season 6 later this year. Two remaining season 5 episodes featuring Jackson still in the bandleader role are still slated to air at a later, as-yet-unspecified date but otherwise Jackson will not appear on the series any further, though he will continue to serve as a consulting music supervisor behind the scenes. No reason was provided for the change.

- Fox announced the season 5 cast for reality competition series “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test”, which includes a mix of actors, reality stars, athletes, and more. The new season’s cast includes actors OLIVER HUDSON, DAVID CHARVET, and CANDACE CAMERON BURE, former “Jon & Kate Plus 8” star COLLIN GOSSELIN, “Real Housewives” alum BRANDI GLANVILLE, comedian HANNAH STOCKING, former Super Bowl champion LeSEAN MCCOY, former NBA champion MATT BARNES, and disgraced former Congressman GEORGE SANTOS. For the full cast list, check out the following link: https://www.eonline.com/news/1434032/special-forces-season-5-cast-collin-gosselin-candace-cameron-bure-more

- Comedian/actress CHLOE FINEMAN announced she is leaving NBC sketch comedy series “Saturday Night Live” ahead of season 52 after seven seasons as a cast member.

- Actress MELISSA GILBERT will not return for season 14 of Hallmark drama series “When Calls the Heart”. Gilbert has guest-starred as Georgie McGill since season 12 but according to the actress was told she would not be back due to “budget issues”.

- TV RENEWALS* AND PICKUPS/EXTENSIONS** -

* “House of David”, Amazon Prime Video, renewed for season 3

* “Sullivan’s Crossing”, The CW, renewed for season 5

* “Love Island: Beyond the Villa”, Peacock, renewed for season 3

* “Scrambled Up”, Syndicated, renewed for season 2

- TV CANCELLATIONS* AND TRIMMED/NOT-EXTENDED SEASONS** -

* “Colin From Accounts”, Paramount+, to end with season 3

MUSIC NEWS:

- Actor ANTHONY HOPKINS signed a record deal with classical music label Decca Classics to release a collection of recordings through the label next month. The album, titled “Life is a Dream”, will feature compositions written by Hopkins and performed by GUSTAVO DUDAMEL and the Philharmonica Orchestra. The compositions reportedly are works written across different periods of Hopkins’ life. The album was recorded in London in April; no release date was provided.

- Pop legend MADONNA set a new TikTok record thanks to a live video event on July 2^nd, the day before the release of her latest album, “Confessions II”. The singer/songwriter racked up 2.1 million global viewers on TikTok Live with the broadcast, dubbed “equal parts listening party, fan Q&A, club night, and confession booth”. More than 200 iHeartMedia stations also aired the audio of the event, which was hosted by former “RuPaul’s Drag Race” winner/former “The Traitors” contestant BOB THE DRAG QUEEN and also featured album producer STUART PRICE and Madonna’s daughter, music artist LOLA LEON, who is featured on the track “The Test”.

- An album of 10 previously unreleased songs recorded by late singer/songwriter DAVID BOWIE is set to be released later this year. The tracks on “David Bowie: The Shel Talmy Recordings” date back to the early ‘60s when the late musician was first starting out his career, prior to his adoption of his famous stage moniker. The previously unheard tracks feature contributions from guitarist JIMMY PAGE (then a member of the Yardbirds but later a founding member of Led Zeppelin) and pianist NICKY HOPKIN (who also worked with The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, and Jeff Beck). The new compilation will be released on September 18^th.

- LAST WEEK’S NEW #1 SINGLES AROUND THE WORLD –

Germany: “Dai Dai (FIFA World Cup Official Song)” by SHAKIRA x BURNA BOY

- LAST WEEK’S NEW #1 ALBUMS AROUND THE WORLD –

Australia/ Canada/ Greece/ Italy/ UK/ US: “Confessions II” by MADONNNA