(Reuters) - Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Fallon, John Legend and Eli Manning are among more than two dozen personalities who will offer words of wisdom via podcast to high school and college graduates sheltering at home due to the coronavirus outbreak, organizers said on Tuesday.
IHeart Media Inc said it will debut the podcast called “Commencement: Speeches for the Class of 2020” on May 15. Graduations that typically take place in May and June have been canceled as Americans stay home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Many of the podcast speakers are people who normally would appear in person at commencement ceremonies to offer inspiration to graduates. The lineup includes entertainers Tim McGraw, Kesha and Pitbull; journalist Katie Couric; college basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski; and retired General Stanley McChrystal.
“High school and college seniors are always in need of inspiration, reassurance and life advice as they head into the next chapter of their lives, and that is especially true this year,” said Conal Byrne, President of the iHeartPodcast Network.
The commencement podcast “brings together some of the most experienced and inspiring people in the country today to celebrate the resilience, strength and accomplishments of this year’s graduates,” Byrne added.
IHeart Media also has announced a “virtual prom” on May 1 with Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM for students who will miss that annual rite of passage. It will feature celebrity appearances including DJ sets by Joe Jonas, Dillon Francis and Loud Luxury.
Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Bill Berkrot
NEW YORK -- Eli Manning's run of 210 straight regular-season starts for the New York Giants will end Sunday when the struggling NFL team starts Geno Smith at quarterback against the Oakland Raiders.
"Geno will start this week," Giants coach Ben McAdoo said Tuesday, adding that over the final five games of the season the team would also give rookie quarterback Davis Webb a try.
"It's hard, hard day to handle this," the 36-year-old Manning admitted in comments to reporters.
His 210 straight starts date back to 2004, when he was traded to the Giants after his selection as the top overall pick by the San Diego Chargers.
Manning said he never considered an abbreviated start just to keep the streak going.
"Coach McAdoo told me I could continue to start while Geno and Davis are given an opportunity to play," said the two-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. "My feeling is that if you are going to play the other guys, play them," Manning said.
"Starting just to keep the streak going and knowing you won't finish the game and have a chance to win it is pointless to me, and it tarnishes the streak. Like I always have, I will be ready to play if and when I am needed. I will help Geno and Davis prepare to play as well as they possibly can."
The Giants started the season with a five-game losing streak and head into December at 2-9.
"This is not a statement about anything other than we are 2-9, and we have to do what is best for the organization moving forward, and that means evaluating every position," Giants general manager Jerry Reese said.
"I told Eli (Tuesday) morning that an organization could not ask for any more in a franchise quarterback. He has been that and more. Nobody knows what the future holds, but right now, this is what we think is best for the franchise."
source: news.abs-cbn.com
LOS ANGELES - New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning angrily denied accusations that he knowingly provided fake game-used memorabilia to collectors.
"I've done nothing wrong and I have nothing to hide," Manning told reporters on Thursday in his first public comments on the matter.
The two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback turned over a potentially incriminating email earlier this month in connection with a lawsuit that alleges Manning, the Giants and a team equipment manager knowingly provided memorabilia that was not worn in games.
Manning, 36, claims that the emails were "taken out of context" and that he's "more angry than anything" that his character is being called into question.
He said the pending litigation barred him from going into specifics.
"I will say that I've never done what I've been accused of doing," Manning said. "I have no reason, nor have I ever had any reason, to do anything of that nature. ... And I know that when this is all done, everybody will see it the same way."
The lawsuit, first filed in Bergen County Superior Court in New Jersey by collectors Eric Inselberg, Michael Jakab and Sean Godown three years ago, is to go to trial on September 25.
The lawsuit alleges an elaborate scheme to produce, pass off and sell memorabilia as game-used that was not.
bb/gph
source: news.abs-cbn.com
