In Case You Haven’t Heard: ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’

A “Wheel of Fortune” contestant says she’s quitting her job after winning the million-dollar jackpot right in front of her boss, A-list actors, such as Tom Hanks and Scarlett Johannson, condemn the growing use of AI in entertainment, and scientists unsurprisingly confirm a woman who lived more than a century has good genes in this edition of “In Case You Haven’t Heard.”

A “Wheel of Fortune” contestant from Connecticut has won the biggest jackpot in the show’s history at a little over a million dollars. Christina Derevjanik told host Ryan Seacrest that if she won the million dollars she would put in her two weeks’ notice at work, at which point Seacrest reminded her that her boss was in the crowd. Derevjanik said she is going to pay off her student loans and buy a house with the money. She also won trips to Japan and Montana before winning the $1 million. In addition to that, she received a hug from the iconic Vanna White. You cannot put a price tag on that.

This one slipped past me a few days ago. After his recent suspension, Jimmy Kimmel gave an emotional and hilarious monologue upon his return to “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Not only was it highly rated on TV, but Kimmell’s monologue set a record on YouTube. The host’s opening segment reached almost 18,000,000 views on YouTube within 22 hours of being posted, making it the most watched monologue in the history of YouTube, according to Variety. 

Celebrities like Emily Blunt, Ben Stiller, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hanks, and Scarlett Johansson have all been vocal about their opposition to AI’s role in the entertainment business. Yesterday in the Beats, I mentioned Tilly Norwood, an AI actress who even has an Instagram account. The AI’s creator says Tilly might be signed by a talent agency. As you can imagine, that did not sit well with the acting community.

Melissa Barrera, who was part of the “Scream” franchise, recently said that any agency that signs an AI ‘performer’ should be boycotted. Two prominent agencies, the William Morris Endeavor and the Gersch Agency, have vowed to not sign the Tilly Norwood creation or other AI actors. According to Yahoo! News, a representative from William Morris says they only represent humans. That’s a very admirable stance, but I just wish they returned my calls quicker when they represented me. Seriously, although it is a small victory, I hope the momentum continues.

Maria Branyas Moriera lived to be 117 years old and made it into the Guiness Book of World Records. Scientific research on Maria showed that contributing factors to her longevity included low inflammation, good fats, gut health, and great DNA and RNA. At the time of her death in 2024, Maria was the world’s oldest living person and spoke to Guiness about her long life, saying it was due to six factors, which included “order, tranquility, good connection with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability, no worries, no regrets, lots of positivity, and staying away from toxic people.” 

That was actually about 10 things, but cut her some slack, she was 117… although, even at the time of her death, she could’ve easily passed for 112. The New York Post reported Moriera had three children and 13 great-grandchildren. I assume there were grandchildren in there somewhere as well.  

Editor’s note: For more movie and entertainment talk, join host Pete Schwaba weeknights from 6 to 8 p.m. for “Nite Lite” on the Civic Media radio network.