Tag Archives: Hollywood

Entertainment

Obamas Readying Film and TV Event ‘Blackout’ for Netflix – The Hollywood Reporter

Leave a comment

The Obamas’ Higher Ground and Fatherhood producers Temple Hill are re-teaming for a new project at Netflix.

The companies are developing Blackout, a film and TV “event” that is being adapted from six different love stories, each penned by a different writer. The project, Netflix notes, is being developed concurrently as a TV series and film adaptation. That means that some of the six stories could wind up in the film, while others are in the TV show. Sources caution that while this seems like a franchise in the making, it’s not a “multiverse” that will consist of multiple films and TV shows — at least not right now.

Blackout takes place in New York during a power outage on a hot summer night. It is told from the perspective of 12 teens with six shots of love. The six writers attached to pen stories for the film and TV project are Dhonielle Clayton (Tiny Pretty Things), Tiffany D. Jackson (Allegedly), Nic Stone (Dear Martin), Angie Thomas (The Hate U Give), Ashley Woodfolk (The Beauty that Remains) and Nicola Yoon (Everything, Everything).

Temple Hill will exec produce the project, which marks as a reunion with Netflix and Higher Ground following Kevin Hart feature Fatherhood. Higher Ground, which has an overall deal with Netflix, teamed with the streamer to release the Sony Pictures film this year after the pandemic stalled its theatrical release. Temple Hill, founded by Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen, counts features Twilight, Maze Runner, The Fault in Our Stars, Happiest Season, First Man and TV’s The Outsider, Dave and Love, Victor among its credits.

Blackout becomes the Obamas’ latest project for Netflix, joining features American Factory, Becoming, Crip Camp, kids-focused entry Ada Twist and We the People, with several others in various stages of development. The Obamas inked a Netflix producing deal in May 2018. The former first couple set an expansive first slate of film and TV projects in April 2019.

Here’s how Netflix describes Blackout: “Six prolific authors have written six Black love stories all taking place during a power outage on a sweltering summer night. From the perspective of 12 teens with six shots of love, Blackout takes place as a heatwave blankets New York City in darkness and causes an electric chaos. When the lights go out and people reveal hidden truths, love blossoms, friendships transform, and all possibilities take flight. An ex-couple must bury their rivalry and walk the length of Manhattan to make it back to Brooklyn in time to kick off a block party. Two girls search for a lost photograph and find something more. Two boys trapped on the subway come face-to-face with their feelings. A pair of best friends stuck in the NYPL and surrounded by love stories figure out if there’s one in their future. A trio of kids on a senior trip take over a double-decker tour bus as they try to have a little fun…and work out their messy love triangle. Two strangers debate the philosophical nature of identity and wonder if they can find something else between them.”

UTA brokered the deal on behalf of the six authors and Temple Hill.



Read original article here

Entertainment

Britney Spears closing in on veteran Hollywood lawyer to take over conservatorship case: report

Leave a comment

Britney Spears is taking a big legal step toward ending her conservatorship by trying to land a veteran Hollywood lawyer to represent her in the case going forward. 

The “Toxic” singer was first placed under conservatorship in 2008 and expressed her desire to have it end on June 23. However, a judge ruled that the pop star still under the conservatorship, forcing her to take renewed legal action. After her previous lawyer, Sam Ingham, resigned last week, the 39-year-old has reportedly already set her sights on a replacement.

TMZ reports that Spears is in early talks to hire powerful former federal prosecutor Mathew Rosengart to help her in her future endeavors to break away from the conservatorship of her father, Jamie Spears. The outlet notes that Rosengart previously represented high-profile Hollywood clients such as Steven Spielberg, Sean Penn, Ben and Casey Affleck, Eddie Vedder, Soledad O’Brien, Michael Mann and NBA star Jimmy Butler.

BRITNEY SPEARS’ SISTER SHARES HOLIDAY PHOTOS AS IT’S REPORTED SHE’S ONLY FAMILY MEMBER NOT ON STAR’S PAYROLL

Britney Spears is reportedly closing in on new legal representation. 
(Getty Images)

The New York Times, reported that Rosengart, 58, once served as a law clerk for former New Hampshire state judge David Souter before he was nominated to the Supreme Court. He worked at the Justice Department as a U.S. Attorney in the 1990s. Since leaving the Justice Department, he’s worked as a defense attorney and civil litigator, specifically for clients in the entertainment industry. 

BRITNEY SPEARS TELLS ‘HATERS’ TO KISS HER ‘A–‘ AFTER SOCIAL MEDIA DEBATES MISSING NECK TATTOO: ‘I EDITED’ IT

The latest developments in Spears’ conservatorship battle consist of Jodi Montgomery, the conservator of her person, requesting that the Spears estate pay for security following death threats she’s allegedly received amid the growing media coverage. Montgomery’s recent filing also led Spears’ father Jamie Spears, the conservator of her estate, to speak up about threats he’s also received for years.

Britney Spears’ previous lawyer resigned in July. 
(Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Jamie, however, disagreed and objected to Montgomery’s request for 24/7 live security services, estimated at over $50,000 per month. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Meanwhile, in addition to her lawyer for the past 13 years, Ingham, resigning, the singer’s longtime manager, Larry Rudolph, also resigned on Monday after Spears expressed her desire to go on an indefinite performing hiatus.

Read original article here

Entertainment

Richard Donner Honored by Gene Hackman With ‘Superman’ Story – The Hollywood Reporter

Leave a comment

Gene Hackman honored his Superman director Richard Donner on Tuesday with a hilarious tale from the iconic production.

The legendary Donner died Monday at the age of 91. Following the news, fans and colleagues took to social media to share their sorrow but also their appreciation for his vast filmmaking talent.

The retired and largely-now private Hackman is known for several beloved (and Oscar-winning) roles, among the top being Lex Luthor in Superman (1978). Mourning the late director, Hackman recounted a funny anecdote to The Hollywood Reporter.

“I showed up for the first day of make-up tests for Superman with a fine Lex Luthor moustache I’d grown for the role,” he began. “Dick, wearing his own handsome moustache, told me mine had to go. He bargained to lose his if I did mine. True to his word, he celebrated my last razor stroke by gleefully pulling off the fake whiskers he’d acquired for the occasion.”

Concluded Hackman, “Dick made it fun, and that’s why the films turned out that way, too.”

Another entertaining tidbit from the Superman production came from Donner himself, who said in a making-of feature years ago that he was aghast when he learned how much Marlon Brando was being paid for his role as Superman’s father, Jor-El ($3.7 million and 11.75 percent of the picture’s backend for 13 days of work).

“When I first came on the picture and I heard how much Marlon Brando was paid for it, I was really upset, because it seemed like much more money than anyone is worth,” Donner said then. However, he later admitted, “But then working with him and seeing him on film, to me, he is underpaid.”



Read original article here

Entertainment

Netflix Cancels Four Comedies, Including ‘The Crew’ – The Hollywood Reporter

Leave a comment

Netflix is canceling four comedies right before the holiday weekend.

The streamer has axed The Crew (ending with season one), Country Comfort (ending with season one), Mr. Iglesias (ending with part three) and Bonding (ending with season two).

In addition, Netflix closed a development deal with The Crew‘s Kevin James to develop a new single-camera comedy series for him to produce and star in.

The company also has another project with Mr. Iglesias’ Gabe Iglesias, with the third of a series of his stand-up specials slated to shoot this summer.

Netflix has also inked a development deal with Bonding creator Rightor Doyle.

Yet one comedy recently received a renewal from Netflix — The Upshaws will return for season two.

 

 



Read original article here

Entertainment

Shannon Lee responds to Tarantino: ‘Stop commenting’ on Bruce

Leave a comment

Bruce Lee’s daughter has spoken up to say she finds Quentin Tarantino’s take on her father exhausting. 

“I’m really f – – king tired of white men in Hollywood trying to tell me who Bruce Lee was,” Shannon Lee wrote in a Hollywood Reporter guest column response to the director’s comments about her dad made on Joe Rogan’s Spotify podcast. 

“Where I’m coming from is … I can understand his daughter having a problem with it, it’s her
f – – king father! I get that. But anybody else? Go suck a d – – k,” the 58-year-old auteur told Rogan in response to months of backlash about his controversial depiction of the late actor in “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.” 

Shannon Lee has responded to Quentin Tarantino’s comments about her dad, Bruce Lee.
Getty Images

“[While] I am grateful that Mr. Tarantino has so generously acknowledged to Joe Rogan that I may have my feelings about his portrayal of my father, I am also grateful for the opportunity to express this,” Lee responded Friday.

The auteur made the comments to Joe Rogan in response to months of backlash about his controversial depiction of the late actor in “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.”
Getty Images

“I’m tired of hearing from white men in Hollywood that he was arrogant and an a – – hole when they have no idea and cannot fathom what it might have taken to get work in 1960s and ’70s Hollywood as a Chinese man with (God forbid) an accent, or to try to express an opinion on a set as a perceived foreigner and person of color. I’m tired of white men in Hollywood mistaking his confidence, passion and skill for hubris and therefore finding it necessary to marginalize him and his contributions. I’m tired of white men in Hollywood finding it too challenging to believe that Bruce Lee might have really been good at what he did and maybe even knew how to do it better than them.” 

And in Tarantino’s case, she wrote, he never even met her father. Still, the director “happily dressed the Bride in a knock-off of my father’s yellow jumpsuit and the Crazy 88s in Kato-style masks and outfits for ‘Kill Bill,’ which many saw as a love letter to Bruce Lee. But love letters usually address the recipient by name, and from what I could observe at the time, Mr. Tarantino tried, interestingly, to avoid saying the name Bruce Lee as much as possible back then.”

In conclusion, she tells Tarantino, while “I really don’t care if you like him or not … in the interest of respecting other cultures and experiences you may not understand, I would encourage you to take a pass on commenting further about Bruce Lee and reconsider the impact of your words in a world that doesn’t need more conflict and fewer cultural heroes.”

Shannon Lee also called out Tarantino for having “happily dressed the Bride in a knock-off of my father’s yellow jumpsuit” in “Kill Bill.”
Alamy Stock Photo

Read original article here

Entertainment

Blumhouse Sues ‘Boss Level’ Producers, Hulu Over Recutting Deal – The Hollywood Reporter

Leave a comment

Blumhouse Productions says it was “swindled” by the producers of Boss Level after it was brought in to recut and salvage the film because the initial version failed to sell.

Boss Level, which stars Mel Gibson, Frank Grillo and Naomi Watts, was licensed by Hulu — but only after Blumhouse reworked the picture, which the Jason Blum-led company says had been “disappointing and lacking in commercial appeal.”

Blumhouse is suing Emmett Furla Oasis Films, The Fyzz Facility, and actress-producer Meadow Williams, alleging that instead of paying what the parties agreed upon they chose to “misappropriate the fruits of Blumhouse’s creativity and labor for their own unlawful benefit while leaving Blumhouse high and dry.”

According to the breach of contract suit, which was filed Thursday by Marty Singer and David Jonelis of Lavely & Singer, Blumhouse also fronted the cost of the recut (which amounted to more than $126,000). “Blumhouse agreed to ‘recut the Picture’ and to ‘bring its ideas and creativity to the process,’” states the complaint. “As consideration for Blumhouse’s valuable services, the EFO Defendants jointly and severally agreed that, inter alia, should the ‘New Cut’ of the Picture be ‘licensed in the first instance to a streaming service, e.g., Netflix, Blumhouse [would] be paid 5% of the license fee paid by such service, without deduction of any kind.’”

Blumhouse says the new cut of Boss Level “contains a substantial amount of new material and unique elements created solely by Blumhouse, including a completely new final shot to end the Picture” and contends the contract said the film couldn’t be licensed until it was paid for the work.

“[W]ithout any notice to Blumhouse, the EFO Defendants licensed the ‘New Cut’ of the Picture to Hulu for an all-in fee of $11,750,000, and then (when the concealed deal was discovered by Blumhouse after-the-fact) failed and refused to pay Blumhouse the $587,500 fee to which it is entitled under the Agreement,” states the complaint. “Notably, prior to Blumhouse’s creation of its ‘New Cut,’ Hulu had passed on the opportunity to license the Picture from the EFO Defendants. It was only as a result of Blumhouse’s valuable services that Hulu became interested in licensing the Picture.”

Hulu is also being sued. Blumhouse says it has sent multiple cease and desist notices demanding that the streamer stop exploiting the film.

Blumhouse is seeking more than $1.5 million in damages and a declaration that EFO had no right to license Boss Level and Hulu has no right to exploit the film until it is paid.

The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to reps for Emmett Furla Oasis, Williams and Hulu for comment.



Read original article here

World

Star Trek Icon William Shatner Spars With Journalists About His New Show on Kremlin TV

Leave a comment

Star Trek star William Shatner has taken to Twitter to trade blows with journalists who called him out for hosting a new show on the Kremlin’s notorious state-funded network, RT.

Earlier this week, the 90-year-old Canadian actor—known for taking on the legendary role Captain James Kirk in the Star Trek saga—announced he would be hosting a new general talk show on the American branch of RT called “I Don’t Understand,” where he’ll be posing questions to guests on a variety topics. The show is set to debut later this month.

Alexey Kovalev, an investigative editor for Meduza—one of the most popular independent Russian-language news outlets—had some choice words for Shatner on his work with the network.

“Quick reminder about [RT’s] views and editorial policies @WilliamShatner is now endorsing (whether he wants to or not),” he tweeted on Thursday, linking to a thread that ends with “Don’t go on RT, unless you are okay with sharing a mic with some of the most vile racist degenerates out there. It’s not a legitimate media platform. It has no redeeming qualities. And if no other platform will have you, then you really shouldn’t have *any* platform.”

Those comments seem to have hit a nerve with Shatner, who wrote back, “Perhaps instead of rebuking me with facts that have zero influence on my show, a better use of your time would be to move? It seems that you being in Moscow means you are directly supporting the very regime you are berating me about. #hypocrite.”

In response to another tweet backing up the Russian journalist, the actor suggested Meduza should “find better editors who can spend time on real issues & not berate an actor in a distribution deal, right? All he’s doing is showing how petty his professionalism is. He should watch the first episode & then tell me his thoughts if he thinks it’s propaganda.”

RT has long been dubbed a Kremlin “propaganda machine” by journalists and experts across the world. The various news shows featured on the network are largely packed with Putin loyalists dedicating significant amounts of airtime denigrating the U.S—and any Putin rivals, for that matter.

The head of RT, Margaret Simonyan, has warned of an “inevitable war” with the U.S., is a staunch supporter of a “sovereign” state-controlled Russian internet, and once tweeted that she was “jealous” of Belarus over their abhorrent nabbing of a dissident journalist mid-flight.

Responding to yet another jibe over his RT deal on Thursday, Shatner tweeted: “If you are berating me that the RT network picked up distribution rights to my show as a horrible thing while you are sitting in Russia, contributing to the economy & paying taxes to them: it is hypocritical.”

That tweet even caught the attention of exiled oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who was once the wealthiest man in Russia. “No regrets I’ve never watched #StarTrek,” he wrote.

And of course, there were those who had an altogether different reaction to the news of the American actor joining team RT—namely, the network’s editor-in-chief, Simonyan.

On Thursday, the infamous propagandist tweeted: “Captain Kirk went over to the good side.”



Read original article here

Entertainment

First Look at ‘Many Saints of Newark’ – The Hollywood Reporter

Leave a comment

The first new Sopranos content in 14 years has been released.

Below is the trailer for the long-awaited prequel movie The Many Saints of Newark:

The film has an ensemble cast that includes Michael Gandolfini (The Deuce) playing Tony Soprano, an uncanny young version of the iconic character played by the actor’s late father James Gandolfini.

The mob drama also stars Alessandro Nivola as Dickie Moltisanti (Christopher’s father), Jon Bernthal as Giovanni “Johnny Boy” Soprano, Corey Stoll as Junior Soprano, Vera Farmiga as Tony’s mother Livia Soprano, Billy Magnussen as Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri, John Magaro as Silvio Dante; plus there’s Leslie Odom Jr., Michaela De Rossi and Ray Liotta in undisclosed roles.

The New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures movie is set in 1967. Here’s the new description: “Young Anthony Soprano is growing up in one of the most tumultuous eras in Newark’s history, becoming a man just as rival gangsters begin to rise up and challenge the all-powerful DiMeo crime family’s hold over the increasingly race-torn city. Caught up in the changing times is the uncle he idolizes, Dickie Moltisanti, who struggles to manage both his professional and personal responsibilities — and whose influence over his impressionable nephew will help make the teenager into the all-powerful mob boss we’ll later come to know: Tony Soprano.”

The trailer is presented with the tagline, “legends aren’t born, they’re made,” and is perhaps more action-filled and intense than fans were expecting given the meditative quality of the final couple Sopranos seasons.

Sopranos creator David Chase wrote the film along with Lawrence Konner. Sopranos veteran Alan Taylor directed.

The Sopranos debuted in 1999 on HBO, ushered in a new era of prestige drama television and ran for six seasons before concluding with an infamous (and, seemingly, fatal to its protagonist) cut to black. Gandolfini won three Emmys for the role of a New Jersey mob boss and passed away from a heart attack in 2013.

The Many Saints of Newark will be in theaters on Oct. 1 and on HBO Max for 31 days following theatrical release.



Read original article here

Entertainment

Universal Studios Hollywood Reopening Before Disneyland With A Brand New Ride

Leave a comment

Once Disneyland Resort announced it would be opening once again at the , following a closure that lasted more than a year due to COVID-19, it was only a matter of time before Universal Studios Hollywood responded in kind. The California-based theme park will welcome guests beginning April 16–and even sooner if you’re an existing annual pass holder. What’s more, there will be a new ride when you get there.

Beginning April 16, guests will once again be able to visit Universal Studios Hollywood. And when they arrive, they’ll find that a new ride–The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash–has opened. That particular attraction was originally set to open just as the pandemic was beginning. There have also been upgrades to the Jurassic World ride, including a “spectacularly realistic new dinosaur, Indominus Rex.”

There will be some changes, though. Obviously, face masks and social distancing are required–much like other theme parks around the world. Universal has also noted that some shows, rides, and experiences will not reopen with the park, though no specific names are given.

Additionally, much like Disneyland previously announced, simply having a ticket won’t get you into the park. You’ll also have to make a reservation, assuring Universal Studios does not exceed the state-mandated guest capacity.

If you’re an existing annual pass holder to Universal Studios, you may not have to wait until April 16 to visit the park. There will be a “pass member preview” day on April 15, allowing those members who are able to obtain a reservation to be the first to visit the park.

Beyond that, Universal will have a series of “bonus days” between April 16 and May 16 for pass holders to reserve times to visit the park. Payments on existing passes will remain paused until the conclusion of the “bonus days.”

There is plenty more information available on ; however, the park doesn’t reveal what the capacity will be upon opening again. Instead, it’s just noted that it will be “significantly reduced.”

Meanwhile, the Disneyland Resort, which consists of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, will open on April 30. There will not be a preview event for pass holders at those parks. Previously, Disney announced it was at the California parks.

“,”480″:”“}},”siteType”:”responsive web”,”startMuted”:false,”startTime”:0,”title”:”What%20It%27s%20Like%20To%20Ride%20Star%20Wars%3A%20Rise%20of%20the%20Resistance%20At%20Galaxy%27s%20Edge”,”tracking”:[{“name”:”SiteCatalyst”,”category”:”qos”,”enabled”:true,”params”:[{“name”:”charSet”,”value”:”UTF-8″},{“name”:”currencyCode”,”value”:”USD”},{“name”:”siteType”,”value”:”responsive web”},{“name”:”trackingServer”,”value”:”saa.gamespot.com”},{“name”:”visitorNamespace”,”value”:”cbsinteractive”},{“name”:”heartbeatTrackingServer”,”value”:”cbsinteractive.hb.omtrdc.net”},{“name”:”heartbeatVisitorMarketingCloudOrgId”,”value”:”10D31225525FF5790A490D4D@AdobeOrg”},{“name”:”partnerID”,”value”:”gamespot”},{“name”:”siteCode”,”value”:”gamespot”},{“name”:”brand”,”value”:”gamespot”},{“name”:”account”,”value”:”cbsigamespotsite”},{“name”:”edition”,”value”:”uk”}]},{“name”:”ComScore_ss”,”category”:”qos”,”enabled”:true,”params”:[{“name”:”c2″,”value”:”31824268″},{“name”:”publishersSecret”,”value”:”2cb08ca4d095dd734a374dff8422c2e5″},{“name”:”c3″,”value”:””},{“name”:”partnerID”,”value”:”gamespot”},{“name”:”c4″,”value”:”gamespot”}]},{“name”:”NielsenTracking”,”category”:”tracking”,”enabled”:true,”params”:[{“name”:”host”,”value”:”https://secure-us.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/m?”},{“name”:”scCI”,”value”:”us-200330″},{“name”:”scC6″,”value”:”vc,c01″}]},{“name”:”MuxQOSPluginJS”,”category”:”qos”,”enabled”:true,”params”:[{“name”:”propertyKey”,”value”:”b7d6e48b7461a61cb6e863a62″}]}],”trackingAccount”:”cbsigamespotsite”,”trackingPrimaryId”:”cbsigamespotsite”,”trackingSiteCode”:”gs”,”userId”:0,”uvpHi5Ima”:”https://s0.2mdn.net/instream/html5/ima3.js”,”uvpc”:””,”videoAdMobilePartner”:”mobile_web%2Fgamespot.com_mobile”,”videoAdPartner”:”desktop%2Fgamespot.com”,”videoAssetSource”:”GameSpot”,”videoStreams”:{“adaptive_stream”:”https://gamespotvideo.cbsistatic.com/vr/2019/12/09/StarWarsRiseoftheResistance_700,1000,1800,2500,3200,4000,8000,master.m3u8″,”adaptive_dash”:”https://gamespotvideo.cbsistatic.com/vr/2019/12/09/StarWarsRiseoftheResistance_700,1000,1800,2500,3200,4000,8000,master.mpd”,”adaptive_hd”:”https://gamespotvideo.cbsistatic.com/vr/2019/12/09/StarWarsRiseoftheResistance_8000,master.m3u8″,”adaptive_high”:”https://gamespotvideo.cbsistatic.com/vr/2019/12/09/StarWarsRiseoftheResistance_2500,master.m3u8″,”adaptive_low”:”https://gamespotvideo.cbsistatic.com/vr/2019/12/09/StarWarsRiseoftheResistance_700,master.m3u8″,”adaptive_restricted”:”https://gamespotvideo.cbsistatic.com/vr/2019/12/09/StarWarsRiseoftheResistance_700,1000,1800,2500,master.m3u8″},”videoType”:”video-on-demand”,”watchedCookieDays”:1,”watchedCookieName”:”watchedVideoIds”}” data-non-iframe-embed=”1″>

You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos.

Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?

Sign up or Sign in now!

Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.

This video has an invalid file format.

Sorry, but you can’t access this content!

Please enter your date of birth to view this video

By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s

Terms of Use and
Privacy Policy

Now Playing: What It’s Like To Ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance At Galaxy’s Edge



Read original article here

Health

Hollywood Types Jump Vaccination Line, One Of Many Holes In System – Deadline

Leave a comment

“It has come to our attention that a registration link for this Thursday’s Pasadena Public Health Covid-19 vaccination clinic was shared with a large group of entertainment, news and production individuals,” read a statement from the Pasadena officials this week. “This group is NOT currently eligible to receive vaccine according to state criteria, which was also outlined in the verbiage attached to the registration link.”

“Due to the complexity of confirming legitimate, vaccine-eligible registrants in the system, our health department is forced to reschedule Thursday’s vaccination clinic.”

It’s not the first time that a group of relatively well-off Angelenos have jumped the line.

California Governor Gavin Newsom witnessed it firsthand at a recent East Los Angeles clinic.

Related Story

Unsteady Gavin Newsom In Full Campaign Mode In State Of The State Speech As Governor Faces Likely Recall Election

“I was down in East L.A. the other day at a public housing site exclusively Latino, and saw these Audis pull up, folks that look like me, wondering what was going on,” said Newsom.

The governor and local officials confirmed that outsiders were using vaccine codes intended specifically for underserved communities to get appointments. Some of those who improperly used the codes later said they didn’t realize it wasn’t allowed; they just got the code forwarded to them by a friend. State and local officials later said vaccine code system is being revamped to function via individual rather than group codes.

But line-jumpers don’t even need a code.

Pharmacies like CVS are vaccinating people based solely on their statements via an online eligibility form, which people can fill out any way they choose. All anyone has to do is click on an attestation that “I meet my county’s eligibility requirements.” When such person shows up for an appointment, the only verification they need provide is a driver’s license to prove they are the person they claim to be. There is no verification of eligibility.

There is also what might be called a “backdoor” path to vaccination.

State officials, desperate to scale up the vaccine rollout, are dangling the lure of vaccination in front of potential volunteers.

“Right now, volunteers who complete a shift of four hours or more at a vaccine site are considered community health workers and eligible for the vaccine,” said California’s Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday.

That’s right, for four hours of work, any adult in the state can get vaccinated.

City News Service contributed to this report.



Read original article here