SZA, Taylor Swift Win Big at Billboard Music Awards
Taylor Swift continues to shine. The singer entered the Billboard Music Awards with a staggering 20 nominations, and ultimately took home 10 trophies. Meanwhile, SZA was nominated in 17 categories and won 4, including top R&B artist and top R&B album. Beyoncé, Bad Bunny, Drake, and Miley Cyrus also received multiple awards in the Sunday night ceremony, which featured performances from Mariah Carey, Karol G., and more.
Sam Altman Heads to Microsoft After Shocking OpenAI Ousting
Sam Altman was out of work for approximately 48 hours before finding his new gig. The OpenAI board shocked its former CEO on Friday when it unexpectedly removed him from his duties. Despite rumblings over the weekend that the ChatGPT company was entertaining the prospect of bringing Altman back, he took a new job with Microsoft. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made the announcement on X early Monday morning, saying that Altman will lead the company’s new AI research team.
Drake, J. Cole Announce Additional Dates for Upcoming Tour
Drake made the rounds this weekend, celebrating the drop of his eighth solo studio album, Scary Hours 3. The Canadian rapper resumed his spot courtside at the Raptors/Celtics game and then serenaded an unsuspecting audience at Fat Joe’s karaoke party with a rendition of a Whitney Houston song. Now, the 6 God announced that he and J. Cole will add 10 extra dates to their upcoming “It’s All A Blur Tour – Big As The What?” run. The new shows include San Antonio, St. Louis and Kansas City, and extended the tour through late March.
Djokovic Sinks Sinner, Grabs $4.4M Prize for ATP Finals Win
Novak Djokovic will end 2023 on top. The superstar beat Italy’s Jannik Sinner on Sunday in straight sets to take home the ATP Finals title and its corresponding $4.4 million prize. Sinner dealt Djokovic a loss in the group stage just one week earlier; however, the Serbian was able to turn the tables in the event’s final, where he secured a record-setting seventh title. The win takes him over $180 million in total career earnings.
Jimmy Johnson Set to Join Cowboys’ Ring of Honor
Nearly 30 years after architecting two Super Bowl titles, Jimmy Johnson is heading to the Dallas Cowboys’ Ring of Honor. Jerry Jones made the announcement on Sunday, prior to Dallas’ 33-10 win over the Panthers. Johnson served as head coach from 1989-1993, during which he coached the likes of Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, and Emmitt Smith. The ceremony is set to take place on Dec. 30, prior to the franchise’s matchup against the Detroit Lions.
‘Hunger Games’ Returns with $44M Opening Weekend
Thanksgiving week is notoriously one of the biggest box office opportunities of the year. Heading into the holiday, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes posted a $44 million opening weekend — a bit behind industry projections. The Hunger Games prequel fell far short of past films, each of which took in over $100 million in their first weekends. Elsewhere, The Marvels continued its disappointing rollout, falling 78% to take in $10.2 million.