Hollywood
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s debut performance in Mumbai cancelled
MUMBAI: Emmy and Golden Globe-winning stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s debut in India has been cancelled due to issues related to traffic and parking at the venue.
The actor, best known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the sitcom Seinfeld, was to perform his stand-up routines on 14 and 15 March.
The performance, a part of Stage42 festival, was supposed to be held at the Sardar Vallabhai Patel Stadium, Mumbai.
The stadium has a seating capacity of 4,000 people and was recently the venue for a charity fashion show attended by politician that led to traffic snarls. Police had been wary of the large turnout expected for Seinfeld’s shows.
“This cancellation is unavoidable due to circumstances beyond the artist’s and our control. Issues related to traffic and parking at the venue, which were brought to our attention only a couple of days ago, forced the cancellation of all artist travel arrangements pending a resolution of these logical issues,” a statement released by the organisers said.
The show’s tickets, which had a starting price tag of Rs 7500, will be refunded by 25 March, 2015.
Hollywood
WBD sets April 23 vote on $110bn Paramount Skydance merger
Investor approval key step, but regulators loom over mega media deal
NEW YORK: Warner Bros. Discovery has set April 23 as the date for shareholders to vote on its proposed $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, marking a crucial step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
The all-cash transaction offers WBD shareholders $31 per share, a hefty 147 per cent premium to its unaffected stock price, signalling strong intent to push the deal across the finish line. The company’s board has unanimously backed the merger and is urging investors to vote in favour.
Even if shareholders give the green light, the deal is far from done. Regulators in the United States and Europe are expected to scrutinise the merger closely, weighing concerns around competition and potential price impacts for consumers.
To keep investors on side, WBD has built in a safety net. If the deal is not completed by September 30, shareholders will receive a quarterly “ticking fee” of $0.25 per share until closure.
The proposed merger would significantly reshape the media landscape, combining the assets of Warner Bros. Discovery with those linked to Paramount Global and Skydance Media. It would also cement the growing influence of David Ellison, who has been steering Skydance’s aggressive expansion strategy.
“The WBD Board has been guided by the singular principle of securing a transaction that maximises the value of our iconic assets and delivers as much certainty as possible to our shareholders,” said Warner Bros. Discovery board chair Samuel A. Di Piazza Jr.. “This historic transaction will expand consumer choice and create new opportunities for creative talent.”
Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive officer David Zaslav added that the company is working closely with its counterpart to close the deal and unlock value for stakeholders.
With investor backing likely but regulatory hurdles ahead, the proposed merger is shaping up to be a defining moment for the global entertainment industry, where scale, content and competition are increasingly intertwined.
