The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films has announced that actor and comedian Joel McHale (star of "Animal Control" and "Community") will return as host of the 51st Annual Saturn Awards on Sunday, February 4, at the L.A. Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel. The Saturns will once again be live-streamed on Electric Entertainment’s premium OTT app and FAST channel, ElectricNOW, and will include exclusive interviews from the red carpet, from the winner’s press walk, and from behind-the-scenes with genre luminaries.
In a joint statement, Academy president Robert Holguin and Saturn producers Bradley and Kevin Marcus shared, “We are thrilled to have Joel McHale host the Saturn Awards for the second year in a row. With his remarkable talent, dry wit, and acerbic humor, he embodies the spirit of the Saturn Awards tradition as Hollywood’s entertaining and irreverent awards show. The Academy is truly fortunate to have him as the host for this momentous 51st annual celebration.”
This year’s show is dedicated to the memory of the Saturn Awards’ dear friends, acclaimed actor and former Saturn Awards host, Lance Reddick (most well-known for his roles in “Bosch” and the “John Wick” franchise), and filmmaker William Friedkin, (Oscar winning director of “The Exorcist,” and “The French Connection”).
In addition to the annual award categories, the award show will present Special Saturn Awards honorees from past, present, and future winners. Christopher Nolan will receive The Visionary Award, presented by Emily Blunt at the awards show. Other special awards will be announced in the coming weeks.
California governor signs law to protect children from social media addiction
California will make it illegal for social media platforms to knowingly provide addictive feeds to children without parental consent beginning in 2027 under a new law Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Friday.
California follows New York state, which passed a law earlier this year allowing parents to block their kids from getting social media posts suggested by a platform's algorithm. Utah has passed laws in recent years aimed at limiting children's access to social media, but they have faced challenges in court.
The California law will take effect in a state home to some of the largest technology companies in the world. Similar proposals have failed to pass in recent years, but Newsom signed a first-in-the-nation law in 2022 barring online platforms from using users' personal information in ways that could harm children. It is part of a growing push in states across the country to try to address the impacts of social media on the well-being of children.
"Every parent knows the harm social media addiction can inflict on their children โ isolation from human contact, stress and anxiety, and endless hours wasted late into the night," Newsom said in a statement. "With this bill, California is helping protect children and teenagers from purposely designed features that feed these destructive habits."
The law bans platforms from sending notifications without permission from parents to minors between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m., and between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays from September through May, when children are typically in school. The legislation also makes platforms set children's accounts to private by default.
Opponents of the legislation say it could inadvertently prevent adults from accessing content if they cannot verify their... Read More