Television

Coco Gauff loses argument with referee and match against Donna Vekic at the Olympic Games in Paris

Published

1 month ago

July 30, 2024

IAM

PARIS (AP) — The scene seemed all too familiar to Coco Gauff. A referee’s decision she was certain was incorrect. A referee who would not listen. Tears streaming down her cheeks. And, most disappointing of all, defeat, this time at the Paris Olympics.

Even the venue was the same: Court Philippe Chatrier was where the reigning U.S. Open champion was eliminated in the third round of the Summer Games by Donna Vekic of Croatia 7-6 (7), 6-2 on Tuesday. It’s also the fundamental stadium used annually for the French Open, where Gauff found herself in a virtually an identical decision, losing to eventual champion Iga Swiatek in the semifinals last month.

“It’s happened to me a lot this year — I felt like I always had to be my own advocate on the court,” Gauff said later, reiterating her call for video review for use in tennis, because it is in many other skilled sports.

“I figured he blew it before I hit it, and I don’t think the umpire disagreed with that,” she said. “I think he just felt it didn’t affect my swing, and I felt it did.”

Gauff, a 20-year-old American seeded No. 2 in singles at the Olympics, was already trailing by a major margin when the incident occurred with two games remaining.

She hit her serve, and Vekic’s return shot landed near the baseline. The linesman initially ruled Vekic’s shot out; Gauff didn’t keep the ball in play. Chair umpire Jaume Campistol ruled Vekic’s shot landed in the end zone and awarded her a degree, giving her a service time-out and a 4-2 lead.

Gauff went over to confer with the referee, which caused a several-minute delay in play.

“I never question those decisions. But he shouted it before I hit the ball,” Gauff told Campistol. “It’s not even perception; it’s principle.”

She easily won her first two singles matches, losing just five games in all. But her first singles tournament at the Olympics — she still plays in the women’s doubles and mixed doubles — ended with a performance that wasn’t her best on the hottest day of the Summer Games to this point, with temperatures topping 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius).

“Those points are big things. Usually they apologize afterwards. It’s a little frustrating. ‘I’m sorry’ doesn’t help when the game is over,” Gauff said. “I can’t say I would have won the game if I had won that point.”

Even before the umpire’s upset, Gauff struggled to get off to a superb start against Vekic, who reached the Wimbledon semifinals earlier this month.

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The American was leading 4-1 and inside a degree of taking a 5-1 lead and serving for the first set. But she couldn’t finish the hand and then wasted several set points at 6-4 in the ensuing tiebreak. Vekic stormed to the end of that set and then maintained her level in the second.

One piece of evidence of Vekic’s superiority this afternoon is the indisputable fact that she has 33 wins to Gauff’s only nine.

“I’m not going to sit here and say one point affected the outcome today,” Gauff admitted, “because I was on the losing side anyway.”

But the most memorable moment of the match was that second-set altercation. Gauff even mentioned Swiatek’s loss to Campistol and a supervisor who joined the conversation on court Tuesday.

“It always happens to me at the French Open. Every time,” Gauff said, holding a tennis ball in one hand and a racket in the other as she pleaded her case. “This is the fourth, fifth time this year.”

Vekic didn’t interfere, she stayed on her end of the court and played with the strings.

When Gauff gave up and returned to the pitch to proceed play, the fans loudly booed — expressing anger directed at the referee.

The first point in the next game went to Gauff, and the spectators gave her thunderous applause.

However, after about 10 minutes the match ended.

Gauff was set to return to the court with U.S. teammate Taylor Fritz for a first-round mixed doubles match Tuesday. She can be competing in the women’s doubles with Jessica Pegula at these Olympics.

Over the weekend, Gauff spoke of her intention to walk away with three medals—one in each event—in Paris. That won’t occur now.

“I want,” Gauff said Tuesday, “to come home with something.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com

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Television

Phaedra Parks and More Black Stars Join ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 33

Published

5 days ago

September 4, 2024

IAM

Some of your favorite Black stars are dusting off their dancing shoes and on the brink of compete on Season 33 of “Dancing with the Stars.” This week, the show revealed that the celebrity forged members will hit the dance floor in hopes of winning Len Goodman’s mirror ball trophy.

This 12 months’s competition will feature a bunch of familiar faces, from Olympians to reality stars, models, actors and even a convicted fraudster. Phaedra Parks can be taking to the dance floor with partner Val Chmerkovskiy ahead of her highly anticipated return to Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta.” Parks, who rose to fame on the Bravo show, has been moving on to latest ventures. Earlier this 12 months, the Georgia housewife was fan favorite on Peacock’s star-studded survival reality show, “The Traitors.”

But this fall, she’ll be competing against other black TV stars, including “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin” actress Chandler Kinney and “Family Matters” actor Reginald VelJohnson, best known for his role as Carl Winslow.

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In addition to the TV stars, the popular ballroom dancing reality series will feature a spread of athletes. From Team USA Olympians Ilona Maher and Stephen Nedoroscikva to NBA champion Dwight Howard, these athletes will explore skills outside of their disciplines in hopes of triumphing on the dance floor.

While the show is bringing in latest hopefuls, season 33 will even feature some familiar faces. Dancing with the Stars actors and veterans Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough will return to host the latest season, while Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough will return to the judging panel.

“Dancing with the Stars” Season 33 will premiere continue to exist ABC on September 17, 2024.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com

Television

Oprah Winfrey to Host and Produce ABC Special on Artificial Intelligence

Published

1 week ago

August 30, 2024

IAM

Oprah Winfrey delves into the world of artificial intelligence.

The media mogul has reportedly been tapped to host and executive produce an ABC special on artificial intelligence titled “AI and the Future of Us: An Oprah Winfrey Special,” which is able to premiere on the network on September 12. Hollywood Reporter. The special “will provide a serious, entertaining and meaningful foundation for every viewer to understand AI, and empower everyone to participate in one of the most important global conversations of the 21st century,” according to ABC, according to THR.

In this special edition, Winfrey will speak with leaders within the AI and technology industries, including Microsoft founder Bill Gates, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, technologist and YouTube tech reviewer Marques Brownlee, and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

Altman “will explain how AI works in everyday language and discuss the enormous personal responsibility that AI company executives must shoulder. Gates will outline the coming AI revolution in science, healthcare, and education, and warn of the once-in-a-century impact AI could have on the job market. Brownlee will guide Winfrey through stunning demonstrations of AI’s capabilities,” according to the discharge, per Deadline.

Winfrey will even speak to those skeptical of the brand new technology within the hour-long special, THR reports. Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin, co-founders of the Center for Humane Technology, who’ve warned concerning the dangers of AI, will appear within the special. The duo “will guide Winfrey through the emerging threats posed by powerful and superintelligent AI — sounding the alarm about the need to address these threats now,” reads a press release, according to Deadline.

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Author Marilynne Robinson, one other skeptical voice within the tech industry, will share her thoughts on “the threat AI poses to human values and the ways people might resist the comfort of AI,” ABC reports, according to THR.

“AI and the Future of Us: An Oprah Winfrey Special,” which is produced by Winfrey’s Harpo Productions, is Winfrey’s second special this yr. The “Color Purple” actress previously hosted a one-hour special concerning the rising popularity of Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegova and other weight-loss drugs in March.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com

Television

Glynn Turman and Nkechi Okoro Carroll honored at the 2024 AAFCA TV Honors

Published

2 weeks ago

August 27, 2024

IAM

Glynn Turman, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, Starz “Power” Universe, “UnPrisoned” and many other Black stars and projects were honored Saturday afternoon at the 2024 African American Film Critics Association TV Honors.

The sixth annual awards ceremony, held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, presented a complete of 15 awards recognizing achievements in television and streaming. Hollywood ReporterCarroll, showrunner of “All American” and “Found,” was honored with the Salute to Excellence Award.

The New York-born dancer spoke in her acceptance speech about her love of Dolly Parton’s 1982 musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, connecting her childhood fascination together with her current profession.

Nkechi Okoro Carroll attends the sixth Annual AAFCA TV Honors Presented by the African American Film Critics Association at The Hollywood Roosevelt on August 24, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images)

“I’m passing on this story because I refuse to listen when I hear people tell me our stories aren’t relatable. I refuse to listen when they tell me our stories don’t travel, that they’re too niche,” Carroll said. “The truth is, our stories aren’t just great television, they’re great business. They’re universal. Because if I, a seven-year-old Nigerian girl, can relate to Dolly and her ladies in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, then I know for a fact that there’s a way for the larger world to relate to our stories. And that’s why I refuse to budge.”

Turman received the Legacy Award in the final hour of the ceremony, in accordance with THR. The “A Different World” actor said in his acceptance speech that he was the last surviving actor from the 1959 Broadway solid of “A Raisin in the Sun,” which included Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee and Louis Gossett Jr.

“These people created this space and set such high standards for us to dedicate ourselves to this, and that’s always in my mind when I’m choosing parts, when I’m doing my job, when I’m dedicating productions or performances,” Turman said, in accordance with THR . “It’s for you, Sidney, it’s for you, Ruby, it’s for you, Douglas Turner, it’s for you, Lou Gossett. It makes it more than just me. It makes me have to dedicate a different part of what this journey is about, because I owe it to her.”

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“I owe it to you,” Turman added, pointing to his granddaughter, who was with him on stage. “It’s about life. It’s about life. It’s about the task that we’ve been given, and that I don’t take for granted. What an opportunity we have. What a journey we’re on… There’s only sacrifice. There’s no finish line.”

Other winners included “Black Twitter: A People’s History” for Best Documentary Feature, “Masters of the Air” for Best Ensemble, Ayo Edebiri for Best TV Actress for “The Bear,” Wendell Pierce for Best TV Actor for “Elsbeth,” “Unprisoned” for Best TV Comedy, and Universe’s “Power,” which won the Impact Award.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com