MetroNews Hotline

Entertainment reporter Kristyn Burtt joins Dave Weekley to break down a busy week in Hollywood. Ryan Gosling's Project Hail Mary opens to $80.6 million domestically, making it the second-best debut ever for a non-franchise film behind Oppenheimer and the best March opening in that category. Burtt and Weekley also dig into the canceled Bachelorette season starring Taylor Frankie Paul, whose history of domestic violence incidents — already known to ABC, Hulu, and Disney — became impossible to ignore once video footage surfaced on TMZ, with possible lawsuits from contestants adding another layer of fallout. The two close with a look at whether Taylor Sheridan is oversaturating television with Marshalls, The Madison, and Dutton Ranch all arriving in quick succession as he prepares to exit Paramount for Universal by 2029.

Dave Weekley, Coop, and Ryan Nicholson debate three Buy/Sell topics on the Hotline. Dave opens with Survivor's record-low-rated episode featuring an extended Zach Brown cameo, asking whether reality shows are simply no longer built for celebrity guests. Coop brings a viral Reddit manifesto from a self-described grilled cheese purist who argues that bread, butter, and cheese is the only true grilled cheese — anything else is a melt — sparking a passionate disagreement from Dave. Ryan closes with the 2007 Battle at Kruger, an eight-minute wildlife video from South Africa's Kruger National Park capturing a buffalo herd, a lion pride, and two crocodiles in a dramatic standoff, and asks whether nature sometimes just has to respect the narrative.

Ryan Nicholson returns with the Video Game Report, taking aim at Nvidia's newly released DLSS5 software, which uses generative AI to upscale in-game visuals. The technology drew near-universal criticism from gamers and developers after showcases revealed it overrides original character designs — altering appearances in ways that contradict the creative intent of game studios. Dave Weekley compares the controversy to colorizing classic black-and-white films, while Ryan argues the move strips artistic control from developers and hands it to a hardware manufacturer. The two also weigh AMD as an alternative and touch on rising graphics card prices before breaking down early NCAA Tournament results, including High Point's upset of Wisconsin that left just three percent of brackets intact.

Dave Weekley and producer Coop run through five rounds of Pick One, the forced-choice discussion game where two options are given and only one can be selected. Topics range from graham crackers versus saltines and the best Jada Pinkett Smith film to the superior yacht rock act between the Doobie Brothers and Hall & Oates, who has the rightful claim to Jack Hughes' Olympic golden goal puck, and a 1992 showdown between Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Lee. Coop fires back with questions covering Lollapalooza versus Mardi Gras, hosting Price Is Right versus competing on Sports Jeopardy, arm donations for Paul Skenes, and who to rescue from the sinking SS Minnow.

Entertainment reporter Kristyn Burtt joins Dave Weekley to break down the 97th Academy Awards. The two discuss Conan O'Brien's well-received hosting performance, the surprise of Michael B. Jordan winning Best Actor for Sinners over Timothée Chalamet, and the backlash over winners being played off the stage. Burtt reflects on the emotional Rob Reiner tribute and Barbra Streisand's rare live performance, while also covering the industry's shifting landscape — including the Buffy reboot being shelved by Hulu, Access Hollywood's cancellation after 30 years, and the continued decline of traditional entertainment news programs.

03-17-2026 MetroNews Hotline Presented by Salango Law Hour 3

03-17-2026 MetroNews Hotline Presented by Salango Law Hour 2

03-17-2026 MetroNews Hotline Presented by Salango Law Hour 1

Dave Weekly talks with Germain Lussier of Gizmodo about early buzz for the upcoming sci-fi film Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, and why the adaptation of Andy Weir's novel could be one of the year's most engaging space adventures. They also discuss the troubled reception of the film Mercy with Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson and how Hollywood often realizes problems only after production wraps. The segment wraps with a preview of Netflix's shark-disaster thriller Thrash and the continuing appetite for high-concept streaming movies.

Dave Weekly talks with entertainment journalist Kristyn Burtt about Pixar's strong opening for the original animated film Hoppers and what it means for the studio ahead of Toy Story 5. They also discuss the Oscar race momentum building behind Sinners and Michael B. Jordan after recent awards surprises. The segment also covers Drew Barrymore's daytime renewal, the critic-proof success of Wuthering Heights, and the Brady Bunch house earning official Los Angeles landmark status.