For the first time in thirty years, the Oscars went forward without a host. There was much speculation about what the award ceremony would be like without a traditional emcee, but turns out it was handled: Three legends—Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, and Amy Poehler—were brought out to set the tone for the evening.
Taking the stage early in the show, Fey joked right away that the three were definitely, 100 percent not the evening’s hosts. “We are not your hosts, but we’re going to stand here a little too long so that the people who get USA TODAY tomorrow will think we hosted.”
This lead to all of us watching at home to wonder the same question: Why the hell weren’t they hosting the Oscars? One viewer even tweeted, “Maya Rudolph, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler should never be at an awards show not hosting it.”
Fey, Rudolph, and Poehler have been slaying the game together since they were all co-stars on Saturday Night Live. (Their famous “mom jeans” sketch from the show is worth a revisit, if you somehow haven’t seen it.) And it’s not like these women don’t have experience—Fey and Poehler have hosted the Golden Globes together multiple times, starting in 2013. Last year, after Rudolph presented at the Oscars alongside Tiffany Haddish, Twitter lead a campaign for the two of them to host the 2019 show together.
Imagine a world where we got more than just three quick minutes of Fey, Rudolph, and Poehler’s banter? Even better, what if that included a few incredible cameos from Haddish? Hello, ratings gold.
Instead, they revealed that they were simply on stage to present the Best Supporting Actress award—no surprise hosting twist here. The three then spoke out about how women always offer a supporting role in their work. While that included joking that they support each other’s boobs (because, of course) and that Rudolph dubs Fey’s lines overseas, their message rang true. After The Oscars suffered from a series of controversies leading up the ceremony—including the removal of original host Kevin Hart—these women still showed up and supported the Oscars, helping the show put its best food forward. Because that’s what women do.
Amy Schumer has never been afraid to get candid, so it’s no surprise that she’s being honest about her pregnancy struggles too. In an Instagram post this weekend, the comedian announced that she’s canceling the remainder of her stand-up tour to focus on her health after dealing with complications with hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition that causes severe nausea and vomiting in pregnancies.
“Due to complications from hyperemesis I am not cleared to fly for the next couple weeks,” she wrote in her post. “I am going to cancel the remainder of my tour. Refunds are available at point of purchase.”
“The baby and I are healthy and everything looks good. But I am in my third trimester and I am still nauseous all the time and vomiting,” she continued. “I vomit mostly every time I ride in a car even for five minutes. I have a pretty good attitude about it and some days I feel good for a couple of hours. But mostly it sucks.”
Schumer added that she was disappointed this meant canceling the tour. “I wanted to push through and do my shows. Because I hate letting people down and I love stand up and money! But more than that I have to think about my health and the baby. I know you guys get it and people are like. Bitch are you ok? Take it easy but it’s still embarrassing to have to cancel.”
Schumer announced that she and her husband, chef Chris Fischer, were expecting their first child back in October. She, of course, broke the news in a hilarious way, posting a photo of her and Fischer’s heads photoshopped over Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s bodies (Markle’s pregnancy news had surfaced just a few days before). She’s kept the Markle humor coming, cracking that she’s excited about “competing with [Meghan] Markle every step of the way.”
Still, she’s since paused the jokes to address just how she’s been feeling and how hard it’s been. While nausea and morning sickness are common in early trimesters, hyperemesis gravidarum can last for some women throughout the duration of a pregnancy. Given the symptoms, it’s pretty understandable why Schumer would want a break from so much traveling.
Fans responded with messages of support, encouraging Schumer to take time for herself and the baby. “HG is the worst mama. Hang in there and take care of yourself! You are almost to the end!” one person reminded her. “A momma’s gotta do, what a momma’s gotta do. Hope you’re feeling better ASAP,” another wrote.
On February 10, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) became the latest candidate to enter the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Klobuchar made her announcement during the height of a snowstorm in Minnesota.
Klobuchar began her career as a corporate lawyer, and then served as Minnesota’s Hennepin County attorney. According to the Daily Beast, as a prosecutor Klobuchar was known for being “tough on crime.” She jailed drug offenders for long stretches, increased the prosecution of repeat offenders, and launched campaigns against vandalism and graffiti—a stance that another democratic hopeful, Senator Kamala Harris (D–Calif.) , has come under fire for.
In 2006, Klobuchar was elected to the Senate, becoming Minnesota’s first-ever female to be elected United States Senator. Throughout her time in the Senate, she’s been known for her Midwestern roots and bipartisan stances. However, she’s also been criticized for the treatment of her staff. From 2011 to 2016, she had the highest staff turnover rate in the Senate, at 36 percent, according to Politico. Former Klobuchar staffers came forward to Buzzfeed News to say that her behavior “regularly left employees in tears.” Yahoo News has also reported that when former employees left Klobuchar’s office, she called their new employers to have their officers rescinded. Of the allegations she’s said, “Yes, I can be tough, and yes, I can push people. I have high expectations for myself. I have high expectations for the people that work for me. But I have high expectations for this country.”
Here we break down seven policies that will be central to Klobuchar’s bid.
Cyber Security
During her campaign launch, Klobuchar declared, “We need to put some digital rules into law when it comes to people’s privacy. For too long the big tech companies have been telling you ‘Don’t worry! We’ve got your back!’ while your identities are being stolen and your data is mined. Our laws need to be as sophisticated as the people who are breaking them.” This is a cause Klobuchar has championed ever since the 2016 election. Together with then-Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), she introduced the Honest Ads Act, which works to prevent foreign interference in elections and improve the transparency of online political advertisements. Because of the bill, Google, Twitter, and Facebook now all mark their political ads with a “paid for by X.” Klobuchar is critical of these companies and wants more public information on their privacy policies and political advertising. It seems Americans are on her side. According to a recent poll, 53 percent of Americans believe big tech companies should be regulated by the federal government, much like the big banks.
Additionally, Klobuchar has pledged to support net neutrality, a rule that says internet providers can’t slow down traffic or block websites for certain users. (For more information on net neutrality, check out this explainer on Vox). Klobuchar also wants to make sure every single American has access to the Internet. “We need to end the digital divide by pledging to connect every household to the internet by 2022, and that means you, rural America,” she said at her campaign launch.
Climate Change
During Senator Klobuchar’s campaign announcement, which she made during a heavy snowstorm in Minnesota, she outlined climate change as one of her top priorities. “In the first 100 days of my administration, I will reinstate the Clean Power rules and gas mileage standards and put forth sweeping legislation to invest in green jobs and infrastructure. And on day one, we will rejoin the international climate agreement,” she said. The Clean Power Plan was an Obama-era designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions, which Donald Trump replaced upon entering office. Trump has already criticized Klobuchar’s stance on climate change. After she announced her bid for president, Trump tweeted: “Well, it happened again. Amy Klobuchar announced that she is running for President, talking proudly of fighting global warming while standing in a virtual blizzard of snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Bad timing. By the end of her speech she looked like a Snowman(woman)!” Klobuchar would also rejoin the Paris climate accord, the international agreement on fighting global warming that Donald Trump pulled out of in 2017.
After last week‘s weird episode, The Big Bang Theory is back on track with the return of “Fun with Flags,” no mention of Leonard donating his sperm, and Sheldon powerfully sticking up for Amy (you tell ’em, Dr. Cooper). The episode also introduces Sean Astin and Kal Penn as physicists who could make or break Shamy’s Nobel prize hopes, though the Muppet’s Statler and Waldorf, two cranky obnoxious dudes, could have easily played the same parts.
Anyway, “The Confirmation Polarization” starts out on a high note when Amy receives an encouraging email from Dr. Pemberton (Astin) and Dr. Campbell (Penn) during a taping of “Fun with Flags.” They seem to confirm Sheldon and Amy’s theory about Super-Asymmetry, which sends Sheldon and Amy into a state of delirium. (They’re so excited that Penny, Leonard, and the rest of the gang hear them from across the hall and assume they must be having sex.)
Sheldon and Amy tell Professor Siebert their news, and he suggests they could be looking at a Nobel-winning achievement. If they do win, they’ll be the 39th and 40th Nobel Laureate winners from Cal Tech. Surprisingly Sheldon doesn’t ask for a statue of himself immortalized on the campus, but you know that’s coming. Later, Shamy meets with Drs. Pemberton and Campbell, who reveal this happened so fast because their experiment accidentally confirmed Super-Asymmetry. Sheldon and Amy are not amused. Pemberton and Campbell don’t even understand Super-Asymmetry, but they don’t care. They’re just excited to be in Los Angeles and have tickets to a taping of Ellen. “Look at the four of us,” Dr. Pemberton says, “changing the face of physics!”
Um, “the four” of you? Yep, apparently Pemberton and Cambell need to attach themselves to Sheldon and Amy’s theory if there’s any hope to win a Nobel.
PHOTO: Michael Yarish/Warner Bros. Entertainment
Later, Sheldon meets up with Leonard, Howard, and Raj to complain. Raj says he shouldn’t worry because, “Super-Asymmetry is your paper. Everyone knows you discovered it first.” Raj is right, Leonard says, but the Nobel committee has often favored scientists like Pemberton and Campbell. Either way, the whole thing is infuriating. (Not as infuriating, of course, as Leonard thinking of donating his sperm to Penny’s ex-boyfriend.)
Sheldon then tells Pemberton and Cambell not to steal his idea; they can come up with their own. Campbell’s all, “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.” Pemberton snidely says, “Wouldn’t that be something though!” Forget what I said about these two acting like Statler and Waldorf. They don’t belong in a nice theater balcony. They deserve to live in Oscar the Grouch’s trash can.
They eventually say they understand where Sheldon is coming from, but they’re going to be part of this submission anyway. Sheldon’s not thrilled—but if that’s what it takes to win a Nobel, he’s not going to say no. But that’s when Pemberton and Campbell drop another bombshell: Only three of them can be named to the discovery, not four. (Side note: When did this thing turn in to a ride at Disneyland, where there’s only room for a set amount of people in a row? Glad I never had Nobel ambitions.)
Sheldon wants Pemberton or Campbell to leave their name off the discovery, but neither’s willing to budge. They reason that they’re all physicists; since Amy is a neuroscientist, she doesn’t belong. Sheldon storms out, but first he makes Pemberton and Campbell think he’s on their side. Little do they know there’s still 10 minutes left in the episode, and Sheldon’s not going down without a fight.
Sheldon returns home for dinner with Amy and reluctantly tells her that only three people can share a Nobel prize. He explains that Pemberton and Campbell’s university is recommending the two of them and Sheldon, and they want Cal Tech to do the same. If they present a united front, they’ll have a better shot at winning. Amy reacts as if she’s had the wind knocked out of her. “That makes sense,” she says, still in shock.
Sheldon says he won’t leave her off the submission, but Amy says maybe he should. Now Sheldon’s shocked. “This has been your lifelong dream, and maybe you won’t get another chance,” she says. “I don’t want to be the reason you don’t win a Nobel.”
Then, in the blink of an eye, Sheldon turns into Mr. Romance and tells Amy she’s the only reason he even deserves a Nobel. Amy is touched but says if his best shot is to partner up with those idiots (my words, not hers), he should take it. “I just want you to be happy,” she says. Amy, we do not deserve you.
Sheldon makes it seem as if he’s going to move forward with this plan, but there’s one more surprise left. In the next scene he storms into Professor Siebert’s office and demands that Amy’s name be included on the submission. “I will not be part of an award that does not recognize the value of her contributions,” he says. “You either include both of us in the recommendation letter or don’t bother writing one.” More of this Sheldon, please!
PHOTO: Michael Yarish
Surprisingly, Siebert doesn’t stand in Sheldon’s way. Siebert acknowledges that it might cause a fight with the other team, but he also respects Sheldon’s decision. “You and Dr. Fowler have my full support.”
Sheldon’s shocked, but also impressed with himself. I’m impressed with him, too. Amy can fight her own battles, but Sheldon’s looked up to superheroes his entire life—it’s nice to see him kind of turn into one, too.
Ever since The Big Bang Theory introduced the concept of Super-Asymmetry at Sheldon and Amy’s wedding last May, I’ve been reluctant to embrace their enthusiasm. It had nothing to do with Sheldon and Amy working together as a team, but everything to do with feeling like I was back in high school chemistry struggling to understand the basics. It just wasn’t exciting.
The results on the show have been mixed as well; sometimes Super-Asymmetry has paved the way for important discussions; other times I’ve tuned out completely. But in tonight’s episode—titled “The Citation Negation”—I felt truly invested for the first time.
The episode opens with Sheldon and Amy recruiting Leonard to help them track down hundreds of citations before they publish their paper on SA. In an effort to keep their project secret, they ask Leonard to spend hours in a dark library doing the legwork. I’m not sure what Leonard gets out of this, but he already has Penny, so what more does the guy need in life?
Meanwhile, my favorite character, Anu, sadly isn’t in this episode, so the writers pair Raj with Leonard in the dungeon dimly-lit library. It’s as boring as that aforementioned chemistry class until Leonard and Raj discover something that doesn’t look quite right; apparently Sheldon and Amy may not have been the first to discover Super-Asymmetry.
Leonard and Raj bring their findings to Howard, who confirms that in 1978 a Russian scientist already disproved SA. As the findings read, “Super-Asymmetry is inherently flawed and does not bear the weight of further examination.” Yikes.
Leonard breaks the news to Sheldon and Amy, who are in complete and utter disbelief. Sheldon somehow manages to thank Leonard for relaying the news knowing that couldn’t have been easy for him. His maturity then turns to a childlike response as he destroys one of the boards on an easel. I can’t remember the last time I witnessed such profound anger from Sheldon. The moment aims to inject a bit of humor to the scene, but it’s too late; there’s nothing funny about it. Sheldon and Amy are devastated, and they have every right to be.
Sheldon retreats to the other room, rummaging through papers hoping to find something—anything—that could give insight into what just happened. Amy is equally depressed but wants to do what she can to help her husband. She even offers to sing him “Soft Kitty”—if that’s not love, I don’t know what is. Sheldon doesn’t understand how Amy can be so calm in the midst of professional turmoil, but she tells him she’s just trying to hold it together for his sake.
Sheldon tells Amy that her pretending to be OK actually makes him feel worse, which provides the opening Amy needs to come to terms with their disappointing reality. “Fine! I’m not OK!” she says, her voice quivering. “We came up with this idea at our wedding. We poured months of our lives into it. I thought we were changing the course of science, and now it’s all gone!”
Wow. Big Bang doesn’t usually go there, but that scene was nothing less than beautiful and heartbreaking at once.
The next day, a despondent-looking Sheldon and Amy don’t even go to work (who can blame them?). In fact, they don’t even know what day it is.
PHOTO: Sonja Flemming/CBS
“You had a setback,” Penny says before launching into the most ill-timed pep-talk. “This is the time you gotta dig in and try harder! It’s like halftime, and you’re down by 7!” Leonard tries to quell the mood with his own inspiring speech (“Individually you’re the smartest people I know! Together you can do anything!”), but it’s not well-received. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do,” Sheldon says, “but please stop. You can’t make this better.” Adds Amy, “I’m with Sheldon. We worked our butts off on this paper, and it was all for nothing. If you think some pep talk can help us, then you don’t understand.”
She’s right. Shamy needs time to grieve. This has been their baby for the better part of a year. Of course they’ll find their footing again, but they have to process their disappointment first. And no offense to Super-Asymmetry, but that’s the storyline I want to watch.
A baby is on the way for Amy Schumer and her husband, chef Chris Fischer. The comedian confirmed she’s pregnant on Monday (October 22) via her friend Jessica Yellin’s Instagram Story.
Here’s exactly how she broke the news: Late Monday afternoon, Schumer posted a meme to Instagram of her and Fischer’s heads Photoshopped over Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s bodies and captioned it, “About to announce some exciting news on @jessicayellin insta page. Please follow her for up to the minute #newsnotnoise she breaks down what’s really going on. She agreed to post a lil noise today for me! Follow her and VOTE!!” The photo featured Markle (who recently announced she’s pregnant) holding her stomach, which tipped fans off to what Schumer might’ve been announcing.
Yellin, a journalist who founded the media platform News Not Noise—aimed at helping readers cut through the clutter of 2018’s news cycle—opened up her Instagram Story with a shout-out to Schumer. “I wanted to share some news from our community, maybe it’s noise but it’s happy noise,” Yellin said. “So I’m not in the business of making voting recommendations, but these are the recommendations of Amy Schumer, one of the most consistent and earliest supporters of News Not Noise. Now read all the way to the bottom, you’ll see there’s some news down there. Congratulations, Amy.”
The next slide on Yellin’s IG Story shows Schumer’s list of congressional and gubernatorial recs, and at the bottom is just four words: “I’m pregnant – Amy Schumer.”
See the post for yourself, below:
PHOTO: Instagram
Schumer and Fischer tied the knot in February 2018 during an intimate ceremony in Malibu. The Trainwreck actress confirmed the nuptials on Instagram by posting a few photos from the day with a simple caption: “Yup.”
