There were a lot of big discussions this week, and it was difficult to choose only three. So you get an extra one this week!
LA Kings
They did it! After waiting a long 45 years, the LA Kings have clinched the Stanley Cup. Here's a team that, very early this year was practically on nobody's radar. Then they started winning a lot of games and that got people interested. The Kings' ascension has shined an even more powerful spotlight on Los Angeles, as the city of the stars is usually only well known for the Lakers. Will the Kings make LA a sports haven to rival some of those on the east coast? I guess we'll have to wait until next year to find out.
Dallas
How long will it be until we're asking, "Who shot John Ross?" The classic TV drama Dallas is back after 21 years off the air. The show, a continuation of the old one, centers around J.R. and Bobby's sons, John Ross and Christopher, and promises to re-ignite the old family rivalry that made the original series popular. J.R. and Bobby are also back, and played by their original actors.
Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong is in the news again, and not for anything good. The seven-time winner of the Tour de France risks having every one of the titles stripped from him and being banned from cycling if it is proven that blood samples from 2009 and 2010 show evidence of doping. Armstrong denies the allegations, and is currently trying to clear his name.
NBA Finals
Should the ref have called a foul on LeBron James? That's the mini-controversy to come out of last night's Oklahoma City Thunder-Miami Heat game. The lack of a whistle from the officials, as expected by Kevin Durant of the Thunder, robbed the team of a chance to tie up the score at the free-throw line. In the end, the Heat won, 100-96. Check out more of our coverage on the final series: Game 1; Game 2.
That's it. Have a good weekend, everybody!
As you'll soon see, this edition of "What people are talking about this week" is more like "What people are talking about today," because there are a lot of great things being discussed today. Let's get to it.
The NFL draft
The first round of the NFL draft happened last night, and today people are searching for information about it, a lot. So much so that at the time we took the screenshot below eleven out of the first twelve Google Trends spots were dedicated to it, and it had most of the real estate on the page:
Complementing the discussion of who was picked is stats on how the NFL draft show fared. It did well, getting a Nielsen rating of 4.8, and doing better than last year. Its fortunes may have been to the detriment of some other shows, however. Not a great thing for those shows when networks are currently choosing which ones will be renewed and which will not be renewed.
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People often say that deaths happen in threes and what's exactly what happened this past week. Jonathan Frid, who played vampire Barnabas Collins on the hit mid-60s series Dark Shadows, died aged 87 on April 13; producer and game show host Dick Clark died aged 82 on Wednesday; and Levon Helm, a member of the classic roots rock group The Band, died aged 71 on Thursday.
All three were masters of their respective trades. Here are some highlights from their careers:
Dick Clark
Interview with ABBA on American Bandstand
American Bandstand was perhaps Dick Clark's best known work, and he spent over three decades shaping the program. What I think stands out in this clip is how conversational and informal he made his interviews. You don't often see that now-a-days.
Interview with Stevie Wonder on American Bandstand
He interviewed a young Stevie Wonder in 1969.
Dick Clark's New Years Rockin' Eve
For 40 years, Dick Clark counted us down to the new year. He still did it every year despite a 2005 stroke that severely impacted his health and saw the majority of his hosting duties pass on to Ryan Seacrest.
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For the past week, we have talked extensively about fanny packs and all their uses as part of our Bring Back the Pack Contest (Only 2 days left, click here enter!). The wonders of fanny packs have not gone unnoticed by celebrities who have been caught on camera rockin' some sweet fanny packs.
So that got me wondering...what do these celebrities put inside their fanny packs? I found pictures of some celebs and took my best guess at what they needed to keep with them at all times.
Julianne Hough
Items Include:
- Ryan Seacrest
- Dancing shoes
- Her self-titled album
- Bronzer
- Proactiv
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Spring is right around the corner and with the temperature warming up, so will the sports, concert and theater events in March. This month features plenty of great holidays including St. Patrick's Day, If Pets Had Thumbs Day and International Fanny Pack Day. Whatever you're into, there are plenty of great things going on in March. Check out an overview below.
Concerts
Bruce Springsteen: "The Boss" is back and about to embark on yet another tour with the E Street Band. The tour begins on March 18 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA.
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Straight No Chaser: The a cappella group that was originally created on the campus of Indiana University before becoming a YouTube sensation will head out on a North American tour starting March 6 in Winnipeg.
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Red Hot Chili Peppers: Having sold over 70 million albums during their storied career, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have fans worldwide. Those fans will have a chance to see RHCP in person when they start their tour March 29 in Tampa, FL.
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