City arts jobs took biggest COVID-19 hit
New York City’s arts, entertainment and recreation industry took the greatest hit from the COVID-19 pandemic, losing a larger percentage of jobs than in any other economic sector, a new state comptroller report has found.
The city saw a more than 60% drop in employment across the industry last year, from around 87,000 total jobs in February 2020 to around 34,100 jobs in April 2020 — losses that lasted through the end of December, the report says.
The “COVID-19 outbreak ... has forced facilities to close, thrust thousands into unemployment and pushed businesses to the brink of collapse,” said state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
“Direct relief from the federal government, and state and local programs to create safe venues for artists and entertainers, are steps in the right direction, but more help is needed to keep the lights on,” he added.
The City Council passed legislation in December allowing some organizations to host free or ticketed arts and cultural events at outside public venues from March to October.
Gov. Cuomo has also announced reopening of city movie theaters March 5 with 25% capacity, along with a new “arts revival” initiative aimed at jump-starting the performing arts through pop- up events.
The CARES Act — the federal stimulus package passed in December — also includes $15 billion for shuttered arts organizations across the country.
Yet the state comptroller urged all levels of government to extend unemployment relief, especially for freelancers and those who are self-employed, and to better facilitate the flow of federal funding to firms and not-for-profit organizations.
“Who’s going to pay enormous amounts of money to live in a tiny apartment on a noisy street, unless there’s terrific theater, poetry, music and comedy right down the block?” Nuyorican Poets Cafe Executive Director Daniel Gallant told the Daily News.
“The efforts of underpaid artists and arts professionals have always powered NYC, but in an ongoing crisis, NYC is turning its back on them,” he added.
“Our city and state officials are simply not doing enough to support the primary sector that can help NYC rebound from COVID. That strategy is catastrophically shortsighted.”
Vallejo, Calif.: Build a new Madison Square Garden on a deck over the western portion of the Hudson Yards, across the street from the convention center, with an underground pedestrian tunnel that connects to the 34th St. No. 7 train station. Then tear down the old Madison Square Garden and 2 Penn Plaza, leaving a completely leveled super-block from 33rd to 31st Sts. between Seventh and Eighth Aves. and build the new above-and-belowground Penn Station there. It’s a win-win situation. A new station on the original’s footprint and a new Madison Square Garden in the city’s hottest growing business and entertainment hub, all fully accessible by underground public transportation. All that stands in the way are the egos of Gov. Cuomo and his cronies!
Sam Kurshan
The latest guest host of “Jeopardy!” has a long history with the popular game show.
Now that popular contestant Ken Jennings’ six-week fill-in stint is over — following the recent death of Alex Trebek — the new interim host is none other than the show’s executive producer Mike Richards.
The 45-year-old Burbank, Calif.-native has won three Daytime Emmy Awards and garnered 17 nominations in a career that dates back 20 years, and a résumé of producing game shows such as “The Weakest Link,” “Let’s Make a Deal,” “Wheel of Fortune” and “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”
Although the photogenic Pepperdine University alum (top) has appeared in front of the camera as a host (“Beauty and the Geek”), background actor (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) and talking head (“Unsung Hollywood”) through the years, he’s made his bones behind the scenes.
For his high-wattage “Jeopardy!” gig, Richards did not know about it “until three days before” filming.
“I didn’t know I was going to be doing it until three days before, and so I had not prepared myself to host in the way that I know other guest hosts are,” Richards revealed to USA Today. “So there was just a lot to unpack.”
“Plus, I also only owned one suit, so there was a little bit of scrambling there,” he recalled.
“… ‘Humbling’ doesn’t begin to describe the feeling. It hit me like a ton of bricks when Johnny Gilbert announced my name. That’s of course the last thing you hear when you start to walk out. … and it was overwhelming in the moment.”
And he’s a hit.
Online fans are giving Richards the thumbs up to be the permanent host of the show.
“Mike Richards is A+ so far. Super palatable, just the right amount of jokes, not trying to bask in the limelight,” one Twitter user wrote. “Keep him!”
“Please keep Mike Richards on @Jeopardy for forever. He’s confident, charming, and easy on the eyes,” another user tweeted. “No one will replace Alex, but Mike is the next best thing.”
So far Richards has stood behind the lectern for two weeks worth of episodes, to be followed by the first batch of celebrity guest hosts.
Former “Today” anchor Katie Couric will start her fill-in role on March 8, followed by Dr. Mehmet Oz on March 22.
On April 5, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers fills in. The footballer is the 2015 “Celebrity Jeopardy!” champion,
Each guest will have a two-week stint and taped their 10 episodes over two days in January.
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, “Today” host Savannah Guthrie, “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whitaker and “The Big Bang Theory” star Mayim Bialik have also been announced as future hosts.