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Stallone less than optimistic about ‘The Contender’ returning
MUMBAI: Even as the curtain comes down on the first season of US broadcaster NBC’s boxing based reality show The Contender tomorrow 24 May one of the show’s executive producers does not hold out much hope about the show returning for a second season.
Actor Sylvester Stallone who shot to fame with the boxing movie Rocky way back in 1976 has put the blame on NBC for the fact that the show has not quite excited audiences. He feels that the show should have had a better time slot.
Reports indicate that the episode which aired on 8 May saw 6.1 million viewers tuning in. By comparison, 14.8 million watched Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Each episode of The Contender cost $ two million. In India the show airs on AXN.
On a more positive note when tickets for the final Contender boxing match went on sale last month at a price of $100 to $300, they sold out immediately.
Meanwhile Yahoo! is trying to draw at-work boxing enthusiasts into the ring for an afternoon of live, Web-only bouts sponsored by Toyota and Intel.
In an extension of its deal with The Contender Yahoo! will host two exclusive bouts between contestants chosen by fans of the show. The fights will be streamed live from Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas tomorrow 24 May before the season finale.
Yahoo!’s regular Contender sponsors, Toyota and Intel, are the featured brands during the 24 May bouts. The companies will get play in a combination of pre-roll video and banner placements on the official site.
Yahoo’s senior VP of entertainment and content acquisition Jim Moloshok said, “The Internet is the television for the workplace. The nice thing about an event like this one is that we’re able to reach people during what is primetime for broadband use. From an advertiser’s perspective, it’s a great time to reach them, because they’re about to leave work and go to happy hour or to the grocery store.”
Yahoo! is calling the afternoon matches Fan Favourite bouts. During the two weeks leading up to the finale, viewers could go to the show’s official site on Yahoo! and vote for eliminated contestants who they would most like to see fight again.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
