Gen Z Actors Who’ve Been Working For Over A Decade

Gen Z Actors Who’ve Been Working For Over A Decade

Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/laurengarafano/under-25-gen-z-actors-whove-been-working-a-decade

Employee Naps Through Shift and Lives to TikTok About It

Jennifer Tisdale - Author

When it comes to sleep, we rather like what English poet William Blake once said. He said, “Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night.” That sounds like a pretty obvious way to live one’s life. But what if that schedule is accidentally shifted a bit?

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This happened to one TikToker who decide to rest her weary head for a late afternoon nap, only to awaken the following day. That’s right, she napped through the evening and her shift at work. Here’s the scoop — she documented it on TikTok.

This employee naps through her shift and didn’t get shift done.

TikTok user @queen_quteepey recently pulled an all-nighter and we don’t mean studying, though that was kind of involved. In a now viral TikTok she explained that while trying to take a cat nap, she slept through a shift at work. “I was supposed to go to work yesterday, at 5:00 p.m.,” she said looking extremely well-rested. “I woke up the next day!”

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@queen_quteepey

She went on to explain that her shift at work began at 5:00 p.m., but Queen was desperate for some sleep after class. “I have an exam to study for so I was like ‘Let me take a nap at 4:00 p.m.'” While hilariously and dramatically pulling down her window shades Queen exclaims, “I woke up right now, right the f–k now. It’s dark outside y’all. It’s the next morning!” Her immediate concern was the fact that she didn’t call or text her work. Thankfully, she provided two follow-up TikToks.

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In the first TikTok response, Queen shared a screenshot of a text her boss sent to her. “Hi Queen,” it read, “I noticed that you didn’t show up to work as scheduled yesterday… is everything OK?” Because Queen works the night shift she never sees her boss and wasn’t sure how to respond. Ultimately in the second TikTok, she revealed that the truth was the best option. Thankfully, her boss was very understanding.

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A few people in the comments told Queen to look up “sleep debt.”

Some folks left comments on Queen’s initial video about missing work, suggesting she look up “sleep debt.” According to the Sleep Foundation, sleep debt is “the difference between the amount of sleep someone needs and the amount they actually get.” For example, Queen slept for 12 straight hours. Let’s say she only slept four hours the night before, that would mean she accumulated eight hours of sleep debt.

Sadly, sleep deprivation can be very damaging to one’s health. “Being in a prolonged state of sleep debt or sleep deprivation on a regular basis increases the risk of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and stroke. Sleep deprivation is also linked to reduced immune function, metabolic dysregulation and weight gain, and a greater risk of falls and accidents. Prolonged sleep deprivation also affects memory and cognitive functions,” reported the foundation.

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The only way to battle sleep debt is to rest when your body needs it. That’s kind of a luxury for many people who just don’t have enough hours in the day to get things done. For Queen, she needed to borrow a few more hours in the night just to catch up. She even admitted that it felt good.

Source: https://www.distractify.com/p/employee-naps-through-entire-shift

Whoops! Ron DeSantis’ Anti-Media Crusade May Wind Up Harming Fox News Most Of All

Getty Image

On top of not officially running for president (yet) and terrorizing his state’s LGBTQIA+ residents and teachers, Ron DeSantis has somehow found time to go after another perceived enemy: the media. He doesn’t like that they report on what he and other shady Republicans are up to. He doesn’t even do press that he can’t control down to a T. And he wants to gut a key part of their first amendment rights. Trouble is, if he does that he’ll probably do the most harm towards the biggest GOP media empire out there.

A new op-ed in The Daily Beast pokes a hole in DeSantis’ perhaps not so air-tight logic. The Florida governor has floated overturning New York Times v. Sullivan, a landmark 1964 ruling that limits the American public’s ability to sue for defamation. That applies to the media, who to be successfully sued for defamation would have had to have had “knowledge that [a claim] was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.”

DeSantis recently held a vaguely worded presser about making it easier to sue journalists for libel. Meanwhile a state legislator went further, drafting a bill essentially criminalizing the use of anonymous sources and making “failure to validate or corroborate the alleged defamatory statement” the standard for malice.

Thing is, guess what Fox News is going through right now. They have a $1.6 billion lawsuit on their hands from Dominion Voting Systems, who took umbrage with them bringing on guests who floated voter fraud nonsense. To defend themselves, Fox News attorneys have floated…New York Times v. Sullivan.

There’s a problem there, too: In a deposition, Fox News honcho Rupert Murdoch admitted he knew his hosts were spreading misinformation. And his own hosts knew they were bringing on people they privately thought were wackos. So the ruling DeSantis’ wants to overturn so the press doesn’t report on him won’t save them there, at least. And Fox News thought ditching Trump for DeSantis would be good for them.

(Via The Daily Beast)

Source: https://uproxx.com/viral/ron-desantis-anti-media-crusade-harms-fox-news/

TikTok sets time limit of 60 minutes for teens. The move could create mindful social media use.

TikTok has been on the minds of teens and adults alike over the past few years. During the pandemic, the video social media app helped bored teens and adults pass the time learning viral dances or doing internet challenges. But recently, it has come under more scrutiny for security concerns as well as mental health concerns for its teen users.

Social media and the significant role it plays in the decline of adolescent mental health has been a prime discussion as study after study raises concern. Teens don’t just face cyberbullying via social media apps, they’re also susceptible to body image issues and feelings of low self-esteem based off of the images they see online.

It seems that TikTok has taken note of the concerns and is attempting to help teens set healthier boundaries around the use of the app. The social media giant announced that they would be setting a default time limit of one hour for app users under the age of 18. After the hour is up, teen users will have to make a conscious choice whether they want to keep scrolling by typing in a passcode. This obviously won’t solve all of the problems, but the tech company could be on to something.

Teenagers are generally more impulsive due to the way human brains develop. Our frontal lobes aren’t fully developed until we reach our mid to late 20s and since this is the part of the brain that controls impulses, it’s not a surprise teens are more likely to impulsively scroll. The reward factor is also high with fast-paced apps like TikTok. With each new video, dopamine is released in your brain, and if you couple that feel-good chemical reaction with low impulse control, you’ve got a recipe for endless engagement—unless it’s interrupted.

TikTok’s new feature will act as an interrupter for teens. sort of like when a person is daydreaming and someone snaps their fingers to break through to the daydreamer. The 60-minute notification will act as a virtual finger snap, giving teens a second to decide if it’s time to put down the phone.

The company also goes a step further for users under 13. In a press release, TikTok says that younger teens will still have the automatic hour time limit, but when their time is up, the parent/guardian will have to enter the passcode. This will only permit an additional 30 minutes of scroll time.

TikTok; TikTok time limit; social media; teen mental health; mental health

The time limits aren’t arbitrarily chosen by the social media powers that be. “While there’s no collectively-endorsed position on the ‘right’ amount of screen time or even the impact of screen time more broadly, we consulted the current academic research and experts from the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital in choosing this limit,” Cormac Keenan, Head of Trust and Safety said.

This move isn’t going to stop teens from overindulging in social media, but it’s something, and it shows that these big tech giants are at least taking note of the potential impacts on young users.

Source: https://www.upworthy.com/tiktok-teen-time-limit

Disneyland's Evil Queen hailed one of the good guys for making an autistic boy feel welcome

Disneyland is coined “the happiest place on Earth” thanks in no small part to people who work there—particularly the performers. Sure, the rides are fun, but a lot of the magic comes from being able to interact with real life versions of characters we’ve fallen in love with from the movies.

That’s why people are hailing the Evil Queen, who had a very special encounter with an autistic teen boy, as the park’s true hero. She is one of many performers going out of their way to make sure everyone gets to be part of the fun, reminding us of what makes Disney so special in the first place.

A now-viral TikTok video shows the Evil (or maybe not-so-evil) Queen approach 15-year-old Thomas to offer a feel of her soft cape.

“Sensory QUEEN🤌🍃💜😍” one person commented.

“She understands he likes to touch and feel things,” another user wrote.

Then, gently taking his hand, the two take a quick stroll through the kingdom while shooing away the peasants. She is a Queen, after all.

Watch:

@magicwiththomas The not so Evil Queen offering him to feel her cape #autism #autismawareness #autismacceptance #asd #specialneeds #disney #disneyparks #disneyland #disneytiktok #disney100 #snowwhite #evilqueen #fyp #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Magic With Thomas

By the looks of the follow-up video, Thomas and the Evil Queen became fast friends, as she showed off a “better angle” of Sleeping Beauty’s castle and suggested they take a picture together.

Thomas’ video got a lot of love online, including other parents who have had similar positive experiences, and those who had still been on the fence about taking their own autistic children to the park.

‘Why do you love Disney so much? This. This is why. I can take my autistic son, and he is loved and not an inconvenience to them,” one parent wrote.

Another added, “I haven’t taken my kids to Disney yet because I’m worried my autistic son will get overstimulated. I love [that] the cast members are so kind.”

Thomas’s TikTok account, which is run by his dad, is filled with all kinds of Disney characters making him feel welcome. The content is so pure and wholesome and leaves people with nothing but praise for the performers.

If you want to see Thomas chatting it up with the likes of Jack Sparrow, Winnie the Pooh, Cruella Deville and more, you can find his TikTok account here.

Source: https://www.upworthy.com/evil-queen-interacts-with-autistic-teen

Who Are ‘Creed III’ Star Michael B. Jordan’s Parents?

Source: Getty Images

Katherine Stinson - Author

It’s always a good month when Michael B. Jordan is back on our screens in some capacity. After a epic surprise return as Killmonger in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Michael is now reprising another one of his iconic film roles — Creed.

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The thing about Michael is the consistent intensity he brings to each and every one of his famous acting roles. But the other consistent thing about the star is how close he is to his parents.

So, who are Michael’s parents anyway? Were they actors too? Here’s what we know.

Michael B. Jordan, Donna Jordan, Michael A. Jordan
Source: Getty Images

Look up “wholesome’ in the dictionary and you’ll see this photo.

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Who are ‘Creed III’ star Michael B. Jordan’s parents?

On Feb. 9, 1987, a star was born to Donna Jordan and Michael A. Jordan in Santa Ana, Calif. It isn’t clear what Michael’s dad does for a living, however, it was thanks to him that we know the Creed star as Michael B. Jordan.

Michael A. Jordan actually started the Jordan family tradition of naming sons Michael, but changing their middle initial. Hence, Michael B. Jordan.

However, the Creed III star once told Ellen DeGeneres (via The U.S. Sun) that he intended to break that tradition with his first son. He said, “The pressure I had to live up to my dad’s name and I’m not gonna put that on my kid.”

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Michael B. Jordan and Donna Jordan

Source: Getty Images

Michael and his mom Donna are super close.

Spoiler alert — it was Michael’s mom Donna that the Creed III star felt like he had to apologize to after his steamy Calvin Klein ad dropped.

Michael joked to ET Canada that, “I was like, my mama [is going to] have to see this. Let me call her and be like, ‘I’m sorry. It’s out here. My business all out in the streets — literally.”

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Can you blame Michael for cringing a bit internally thinking about his mom seeing his (now viral) Calvin Klein ad? After all, she used to work at Newark Arts High School when Michael was a student there!

To make things even cuter regarding Donna’s love for her son, apparently she can’t stand to see him die onscreen, per an interview Michael sat down for with the Off Camera Show!

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Although Michael no longer lives with his parents (he was happy to finally have achieved a level of success where he could purchase them their own dream home and lived with them around 2018), he’s still super close to his mom and dad, even getting a pedicure with Donna before the premiere of Creed III.

Michael has also been an ambassador for Lupus LA ever since his mom was diagnosed with the disease in 2000. His parents and other family members were also present when Michael got his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Will Michael’s character Creed get one last victory in Creed III, which premieres in theaters on March 3, 2023? We don’t know just yet, but any actor who maintains a healthy and loving relationship with his parents is a winner in our book!

Source: https://www.distractify.com/p/michael-b-jordan-parents

Who Wins ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’? (SPOILERS)

Source: Fox

Gabrielle Bernardini - Author

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the Season 1 finale of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.

Fox’s newest reality series, Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, stripped away 16 celebrities of their lavish lifestyles and dropped them in the middle of the Jordanian desert to survive a 10-day Special Ops challenge. Throughout the 10 days, the celebs were pushed to their breaking points as they underwent real-life military exercises.

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While some contestants decided to withdraw from the competition on their own accord, others were forced to medically tap from the competition. In the Season 1 finale on Wednesday, March 1, only four recruits remained — and these celebs were forced to endure their toughest challenge to date, 12 hours of interrogation.

So, who completed the 10-day challenge? Keep reading to find out who wins Special Forces.

'Special Forces'

Source: Fox

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Who wins ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’ Season 1?

After being captured, Danny Amendola, Carli Lloyd, Hannah Brown, and Dwight Howard, are forced to undergo 12 hours of interrogation. Their mission from the Directing Staff is to stay alive, at any cost.

The four recruits are placed in a holding cell where they are forced to listen to uncomfortable sounds for hours. One by one they are brought to the interrogation room where they have to explain why they are in the desert at night, aka remember the cover story the DS gave to them the day prior.

After not believing the recruits’ stories, they are placed back into the holding cell. Though he only has five hours remaining in the challenge, former NFL star Danny Amendola decides to withdraw from the competition.

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'Special Forces'

Source: Fox

Since the interrogation officers do not believe the cover stories, the remaining three recruits are placed in a hole in the ground. The interrogators explain that they will let them go if they give them a valuable piece of information.

Dwight Howard struggles to understand the assignment, in which he is supposed to build a rapport with the opposing military personnel and “keep himself alive.” Because he is unable to comply with the interrogators’ demands, the DS stops the exercise and explains that he failed the final phase of the competition.

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As for Hannah Brown and Carli Lloyd, the recruits ultimately tell the interrogators that they are working with the United States Special Forces; therefore, passing the final test.

Upon completion of the interrogation challenge, the DS have to decide who has proven that they have what it takes, and has successfully completed all phases of the Special Forces challenge.

'Special Forces'

Source: Fox

Ultimately, the DS decide that both Hannah and Carli have passed the 10-day course. The two women walk away victorious as the winners of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.

You can stream Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test on Fox.com.

Source: https://www.distractify.com/p/who-wins-special-forces

The Pistons Lost To The Bulls After Jaden Ivey Called A Timeout They Didn’t Have

Bally Sports

The Pistons made a furious second half rally to turn a 21-point deficit into a tie game late in the fourth quarter against the Bulls, but they were never able to regain the lead.

Their best chance at a win came with nine seconds to play, when they got the ball after a Bulls missed shot and advanced it up the floor with their final timeout, trailing 114-112. Dwane Casey drew up a play to try and get the ball to Bojan Bogdanovic at the top of the floor, as he was 8-of-12 from three on the night and leading the Pistons with 34 points. Rookie Jaden Ivey was given the duty of inbounding the ball, and figured to be part of a secondary action in case the Bulls swarmed Bogdanovic, as he was the second leading scorer on the night with 19 points.

Unfortunately, Ivey didn’t get the message in the huddle that the Pistons did not have another timeout, and the youngster seemed to panic a bit after Bogdanovic didn’t pop free immediately and, terrified of a five-second call and a turnover, called for a timeout they didn’t have, leading to a technical and a turnover, effectively ending the game.

What makes it even worse is the ref was doing a very slow count and was only on her third count when Ivey called the timeout as Bogdanovic popped open near midcourt. You could see Ivey was distraught about making the error immediately after, with Bogdanovic trying to pick him up during the free throws on the other end. For Pistons fans who are also fans of the Michigan Wolverines, of which there are many, this has the added pain of ensuring that Chris Webber jokes and memes would hit the internet — on Webber’s birthday, no less.

While Detroit has all but locked up top-4 odds in the lottery, these are games that everyone wants to win — and arguably even moreso for a team desperate to build a little bit of positive momentum now that their place in the lottery is secured. In the end, it’s a tough learning experience for Ivey, who you can bet will be the most aware of the Pistons timeout situation in every game going forward.

Source: https://uproxx.com/dimemag/jaden-ivey-pistons-bulls-timeout-video/

Jon Favreau Says A ‘Return Of The Jedi’ Favorite Who’s Presumed Dead Could Always Come Back For ‘The Mandalorian’

Lucasfilm

There hasn’t been a new Star Wars movie in over four years, and the next one allegedly won’t arrive for another two years. But there are plenty of Star Wars shows. The ones that have aired have not been above fan service, bringing beloved characters back, even if it means making a young CGI Mark Hamill with an AI voice. Hell, you might even get one most people assume is long dead.

In a new interview with the Fade to Black podcast, The Mandalorian honcho Jon Favreau was asked about resurrecting a specific character: Salacious B. Crumb, the cackling Kowakian monkey-lizard from Jabba’s lair in Return of the Jedi, who really does look like a cross between a monkey and a lizard. Well, he wasn’t above the idea.

“I mean we had Max Rebo, right?” Favreau alluiding to the blue elephant keyboardist also presumed to have eaten it. “Max Rebo, many people thought that he met the end of his days in the sail barge right? But we never really saw, and then Bib Fortuna too, wasn’t Bib Fortuna on the sail barge? I think he was, and then he showed up at the end of Season 2 [of The Mandalorian]”.

In conclusion, “never say never,” Favreau added, who pointed out that some of Salacious’ species popped up in the Mandalorian’s pilot: one being spit-roasted over an open flame, another in his cage, bemoaning their likely fate.

In the meantime, there’s the show’s third season, which kicked off in high dudgeon Wednesday, complete with the return of a favorite from one of the least favorite Star Wars films.

(Via IGN)

Source: https://uproxx.com/tv/jon-favreau-salacious-b-crumb-mandalorian/

Where Is Curtis Edward Smith Now? Here’s What We Know

Jennifer Tisdale - Author

The Alex Murdaugh trial is a media circus. The disgraced South Carolina attorney is accused of murdering his wife Maggie and younger son Paul. Beyond that, he is also facing various financial criminal charges. But wait, there’s more. Three months after the death of his wife and son, Murdaugh allegedly tried to hire his drug dealer to kill him.

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Evidently Murdaugh’s plan was to get an insurance payout for his older son Buster Murdaugh. Obviously it never came to fruition and now his murder trial is coming to a close. What happened to Curtis Edward Smith, the man Murdaugh claimed was involved in a botched assisted suicide attempt? We’ve got answers.

Murdaugh assisted suicide attempt crime scene.

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Where is Curtis Edward Smith, the man known as Cousin Eddie, now?

According to the New York Post, Smith was “arrested and charged with assisted suicide, assault and battery of a high aggravated nature, pointing and presenting a firearm, insurance fraud, and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud,” in September 2021. After being released on bail, Smith told the outlet, “I know what they’re trying to say about me and it ain’t true.”

In November 2021, Smith was indicted by the Hampton County Grand Jury for “false claim for payment, filing a false police report, conspiracy, and pointing and presenting a firearm at a person, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, and assisted suicide.” He was also indicted a second time in June 2022 by a South Carolina grand jury for various drug-related charges as well as money laundering and forgery but was out on a $250,000 bond.

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Two months after his second indictment, a South Carolina judge revoked Smith’s bond for two violations. Per the filing to have his bond revoked, Smith was quoted as saying, “I ain’t got no money.” Apparently he was lying as prosecutors discovered Smith “received a $78,166.20 insurance settlement check and on the day of the bond hearing had $58,478.52 in his checking account,” as reported by the Greenville News. He also violated the terms of his house arrest 26 times.

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Smith claims he was set up by Murdaugh.

Smith described the events of that fateful day in great detail to the New York Post. “I get a call from Alex that Saturday afternoon to come to where he was and I thought it was maybe to fix something,” he said while pointing to his Chevy truck. “I had no idea what he wanted, I just went over there.” This wasn’t an unusual request as Murdaugh and Smith are distant cousins, hence the nickname “Cousin Eddie.”

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When Smith arrived to where Murdaugh was parked on Old Salkehatchie Road, he claimed the disbarred attorney got out of his car and began waiving a gun around. “I run over and we wrestled a minute together, me trying to get the gun away from him,” Smith shared. “Then the gun kind of went off above his head and I got scared to death and I ran to my truck and took off.”

Not only does Smith maintain he has never hurt anyone, but he vehemently denies being Murdaugh’s drug dealer. Despite the accusations Murdaugh lodged against him, Smith told the New York Post he doesn’t blame him. “I understand he’s in fight or flight mode and he wanted me to be the heavy weight in the water so he could fly.” But don’t think for a second Murdaugh can pull a fast one on Smith. “I wouldn’t advise him to try to set me up,” he said. “I’d strongly advise him against that.”

Source: https://www.distractify.com/p/curtis-edward-smith-now

Who’s in Love and What Did Jeff Say?

Source: CBS

Jeff Probst in ‘Survivor 44’

Brittany Frederick - Author

There’s plenty of cutthroat competition on Survivor, but occasionally contestants on the CBS reality series will form genuine bonds. Past seasons have seen not just alliances for the sake of the game, but genuine friendships and even the occasional reality TV romance!

The latter hasn’t happened in a very long time — but that’s about to change in Survivor 44.

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The new season kicked off March 1, and viewers already noticed chemistry between two of the Survivor 44 contestants. Fans immediately started to speculate that there would be a romantic subplot to the season.

Their instincts were spot-on, because host Jeff Probst has officially confirmed that a Survivor 44 showmance is coming! Keep reading to find out who the couple are and Jeff’s thoughts on their love connection.

Frannie Marin in 'Survivor 44'
Source: CBS

Frannie Marin in ‘Survivor 44’

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The ‘Survivor 44’ showmance is between Frannie Marin and Matt Blankinship.

After the Survivor 44 premiere aired on March 1, CBS wasted no time in teasing the potential showmance. The lucky contestants are Frannie Marin and Matt Blankinship, both members of the Soka tribe.

23-year-old Frannie is a research coordinator from Cambridge, Massachusetts, while 27-year-old Matt is a software engineer who currently lives in San Francisco, California.

Though the two live on opposite sides of the country, they developed a quick rapport upon their arrival in Fiji, where Survivor 44 was filmed. The season’s second episode title, “Two Dorky Magnets,” even seems like a reference to Frannie and Matt’s chemistry.

However, it’ll be a challenge for their budding relationship to survive the season. The hook of Survivor is that players never quite know what they might do. And while Frannie and Matt are on the same side now, they might not be later.

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Matt Blankenship in 'Survivor 44'
Source: CBS

Matt Blankenship in ‘Survivor 44’

Jeff Probst is excited for the ‘Survivor 44’ showmance between Frannie and Matt.

With the proverbial cat out of the bag, Survivor host Jeff Probst gushed about the showmance to TV Insider, though he stopped short of naming names. Instead, he focused on how Frannie and Matt have the first in-game connection since Survivor 37‘s Dan and Kara in 2018.

“[It’s] our first showmance in a very long time,” he enthused. “I won’t say anything other than if it lasted, it would make me very happy.”

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He also tipped his cap to Survivor 44 contestant Danny Massa, who’d previously hinted at a showmance to Entertainment Weekly. Danny is also a member of the Soka tribe alongside Frannie and Matt, so obviously he had some insider information!

“[Danny] might want to consider getting a crystal ball and doing this full-time, because his instincts were spot on!” Jeff quipped.

Audiences will have to keep watching to see if Frannie and Matt’s romance outlasts the competition (see what we did there?), but it’s a new milestone for Survivor and a welcome change of pace from the strategizing, arguing and sometimes outright backstabbing that takes place in each season.

Maybe there will be a happy ending beyond whoever wins the million-dollar prize!

Survivor airs Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET on CBS.

Source: https://www.distractify.com/p/frannie-matt-showmance-survivor