Hollywood
Guinness Book of World Records 2015 to be star studded
MUMBAI: The Guinness Book of Records 2015 has announced a new list of personalities who broke and created new records this year and it appears to be filled with names of prominent musicians.
Metallica, Eminem, One Direction and Miley Cyrus are among the musicians who have found their way into Guinness World Records 2015 which will be published next week.
Eminem earned the honour for the ‘most words in a hit single’ with his song Rap God, which has him rapping 1,560 words in six minutes nine second. Eminem’s rapping skill has been applauded by the Guinness Book of World Records for the first time.
The band ‘One Direction’ was recognised for being the ‘First act to debut at No. 1 with first three albums’ on the standard-bearing American chart. Their album Midnight Memories debuted at top position last year following the chart-topping successes of Up All Night and Take Me Home in 2012.
While Miley Cyrus has been chosen for being ‘the most searched-for Pop Star on the Internet in a year,’ Shakira is officially the ‘Most liked person on Facebook’. Shakira reached 100 million likes in July on Facebook also making her the ‘First person to reach 100 million likes on Facebook’ and star singer Katy Perry boasts the most Twitter followers in the world, with a count of more than 56 million.
Thanks to their ‘Freeze ‘Em All’ show in Antarctica, Metallica became the first and only band to ‘perform a concert on each of the Earth’s seven continents’.
The band set the record after they entertained 120 scientists and competition winners in a transparent dome at Carlini Station in Antarctica in December 2013.
Among the television and film records listed in the book, the popular movie Frozen has also found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the ‘highest box-office earning for an animated movie’, HBO show Game of Throne is now officially the most copiously pirated show on television. Each episode of the show has been recorded to be downloaded at an average of 5.9 million times. The last show of the recently concluded season alone was downloaded 1 million times.
The DiCaprio-Scorcese movie The Wolf of Wall Street makes record for ‘Most swearing in one film’. The movie has at least 687 expletives at an average of 3.81 swear words per minute.
Guinness World Records 2015 marks the 60th anniversary of the book and will be available on stands from 9 September.
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
