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    International TV Academy revokes Cuomo’s Emmy amid scandal, resignation

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1400 Views
    In this May 23, 2020 image taken from video provided by the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Gov. Cuomo updates the public on New York's coronavirus response. Hours after leaving office, scandal-tainted former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo suffered another defeat Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, losing the special Emmy Award he received last year for his daily, televised briefings on the coronavirus pandemic. (Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo via AP, File)
    NEW YORK (AP) --

    Hours after leaving office, scandal-tainted former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo suffered another defeat Tuesday, losing the special Emmy Award he received last year for his daily, televised briefings on the coronavirus pandemic.

    The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences said in a statement that given Cuomo's resignation amid a torrent of sexual harassment allegations it was taking away the prize and removing any reference to him in its official materials.

    A message seeking comment was left with Cuomo's lawyer.

    Cuomo left office at 12 a.m. Tuesday, two weeks after he announced he would resign rather than face an impeachment battle that seemed inevitable after a report by independent investigators — overseen by state Attorney General Letitia James — concluded he had sexually harassed 11 women.

    The report marked a stunning downfall for Cuomo, whose leadership during the COVID-19 crisis drew widespread praise and accolades, including from the television academy, and led to a book deal for him worth at least $5 million.

    The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, whose members include media and entertainment figures from over 60 countries and 500 companies, presented its Founders Award to Cuomo during a live-streamed ceremony in November.

    In 2017, the academy reversed its decision to give the Founders Award to actor Kevin Spacey after he was accused of sexual misconduct. Other recipients of the award over the years have included former Vice President Al Gore, TV icon Oprah Winfrey, and director Steven Spielberg.

    Cuomo used his more than 100 Powerpoint-driven slideshows and his sometimes emotional, sometimes acerbic style to provide daily updates and detail his administration's efforts to guide the state through the pandemic, which has left tens of thousands of New Yorkers dead.

    In announcing the award for Cuomo, International Academy President & CEO Bruce L. Paisner said his briefings "worked so well because he effectively created television shows, with characters, plot lines, and stories of success and failure."

    "People around the world tuned in to find out what was going on, and New York tough became a symbol of the determination to fight back," Paisner said at the time.

    Tags:Gov. Andrew CuomoInternational Academy of Television Arts & Sciences



    Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died

    Saturday, December 21, 2024
    Suchir Balaji poses for a photo in Hawaii in 2018. Balaji was a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who died in November 2024. (Balaji Ramamurthy via AP)

    Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26.

    Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI's strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products.

    "We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news and our hearts go out to Suchir's loved ones during this difficult time," said a statement from OpenAI.

    Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26 in what police said "appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation." The city's chief medical examiner's office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide.

    His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a "happy, smart and brave young man" who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends.

    Balaji grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and first arrived at the fledgling AI research lab for a 2018 summer internship while studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned a few years later to work at OpenAI, where one of his first projects, called WebGPT, helped pave the way for ChatGPT.

    "Suchir's contributions to this project were essential, and it wouldn't have succeeded without him," said OpenAI co-founder John Schulman in a social media post memorializing Balaji. Schulman, who recruited Balaji to his team, said what... Read More

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