Famed Sports Commentator John Saunders Passed Away
John Saunders, who worked at ESPN for 30 years as a host of "SportsCenter" and "The Sports Reporters," passed away at age 61. He joined the network in 1986 following stints in Baltimore and Toronto, and was a founding member of The V Foundation for Cancer Research. ESPN president John Skipper described him in a statement as “an extraordinary talent” whose “friendly, informative style has been a warm welcome to sports fans for decades.” [Hollywood Reporter]
Let's Round Up Some of the Sexism Thus Far at Rio’s 2016 Summer Olympics
Olympic coverage of female athletes in the first week of the summer games has ignited fury on social media. One newscaster pointed out Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszú’s husband and trainer as “the guy responsible for” her success, while Katie Ledecky was referred to as the “female Michael Phelps,” among other comments. Internet trolls extended the sexism by fat-shaming 99-pound Mexican gymnast Alexa Moreno, while others critiqued gymnast Gabby Douglas’ hairstyle (again). [Mother Jones and Huffington Post]
If Donald Trump Can’t Win by Calling Obama 'The Founder of ISIS,' He Doesn’t Want to Win
When given the opportunity to clarify earlier comments that President Obama is the founder of ISIS, Trump went on to say, “He is the founder of ISIS, absolutely.” But he doesn’t seem to care whether or not his choice of words could cost him the election. “Whatever it is, it is,” he said. “I’m a truth teller.” [New York Magazine]
Chris Christie 'Lied' in Bridgegate Scandal, Aide Says
An aide to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says the governor “flat-out lied” to reporters when he told them he knew nothing about the shutdown of the George Washington bridge, which turned into the so-called “Bridgegate” scandal. [New York Times]
Arianna Huffington To Leave the Huffington Post
Arianna Huffington, 66, who co-founded the website bearing her name more than a decade ago, is stepping down as editor-in-chief and will leave the company to focus on on her new startup, Thrive Global. [Wall Street Journal]
Inside Twitter’s Failure to Stop Trolls
You know how the Twitterverse can sometimes seem like the meanest, most hateful place in the world? Here’s a look at how Twitter is falling down when it comes to stopping the harassment. [BuzzFeed]
Mobsters in Little Italy? Gentrifying NYC Enclave Scoffs
Once a bastion of mob activity, Little Italy is now a tourist attraction with gift shops, restaurants and artisanal shoes — and not the cement kind. Gentrification seems to have pushed even the most hardened mobsters out of the venerable neighborhood, with the former headquarters of the Gambino crime family, the Ravenite Social Club, now a shop for “handcrafted” footwear. [AP]
A Look at the Clintons' Homes Over the Years
Hillary and Bill Clinton moved from middle class to multimillionaire as they amassed a fortune of more than $50 million through the years. The couple’s shift is perhaps most pronounced in their homes. The New York Times took a look at their properties since the 1970s. [New York Times]
New FX Series 'Katrina' Will Follow Up on 'American Crime Story' Success
"American Crime Story" captured the nation with a 10-episode series on the O.J. Simpson case. This time, producer Ryan Murphy is focusing on 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. Murphy, who said he’s considering expanding future series to 13-15 episodes, said “Katrina” will ask “what do you do when you’re in a city and your government has abandoned you,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The Simpson series featured some familiar stars, including Sarah Paulson, Cuba Gooding Jr. and John Travolta, so expect to see the same in “Katrina” for portrayals of then-POTUS, George W. Bush and then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. [Hollywood Reporter]
U.S. To Loosen Rules on Marijuana Research
The federal government was expected to announce changes Thursday that will allow scientists to do more research on marijuana use — though the drug will remain classified as a “dangerous,” Schedule I drug. [Reuters]
Chinese Swimmer Wins the Rio Olympics Because She's Pretty Much the Best
Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui hasn’t won a gold medal, but her excitement at winning a bronze and just being at the Olympics has caught the media’s attention. The 20-year-old found out she won third place on the air and had an amazing reaction that went viral. [Huffington Post]
This column was compiled by DNAinfo reporters Nikhita Venugopal, Eddie Small, Gwynne Hogan, Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska, Shaye Weaver, Carolina Pichardo, Jeanmarie Evelly, Irene Plagianos, Allegra Hobbs, Noah Hurowitz and Dartunorro Clark.
