Legendary NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski was the subject of a “FOX NFL Sunday” prank that stunned him in a hilarious scene.

Whenever it comes time to break up tight ends, the star-studded crew will turn to Gronkowski, the four-time Super Bowl champion who should one day wear a gold jacket after being one of the best tight ends in NFL history .

But his Fox colleagues decided to ambush him during a fake segment that everyone except “Gronk” knew wasn’t real.

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“He thought we were going live with an additional segment,” Fox NFL Insider Jay Glazer said in a recap of the prank. “…The premise was I wanted to get the word out that the Cowboys were activating this great Pro Bowl tight end that doesn’t exist, and Gronkowski needs to talk about this tight end on live television.”

Gronkowski’s colleague, Hall of Famer Michael Strahan, suggested in the next clip that the team should talk about Russo. This is where the prank begins.

Glazer then started talking about Russo being activated by the Dallas Cowboys, but Gronkowski stayed very quiet while talking about the wrong player. Then Strahan entered.

ROB GRONKOWSKI ON WHETHER HE WEARED THE GUARDIAN CAP DURING HIS PLAYING DAYS

“It’s great because Russo completely changes the game and takes so much pressure off.” [Cowboys quarterback] Dak [Prescott]“He takes so much pressure off the running game, great blocker, great receiver,” Strahan said.

After that explanation, host Kurt Menefee asked Gronkowski for his input on Russo, and although he was confused, he simply cheered him on.

“Uh, he’s been out for a while so he might be a little rusty when he comes back, but I think they’ll give him the chances, that’s for sure, but they got them too.” [Jake] Ferguson too, so they’ll be a one-two combination,” Gronkowski said.

Gronkowski tried to shift the conversation to Ferguson, the Cowboys’ original tight end. However, another Hall of Famer, Terry Bradshaw, went straight back to Russo, and then things got really crazy.

“He is the only player in the league who is missing two fingers on his right hand. That’s why he was out and now he’s back,” Bradshaw said.

“Will that affect him when he catches a pass?” Gronkowski questioned Bradshaw.

The crew did their best to carry on, but after they could no longer keep a straight face, Menefee let Gronkowski in.

“Whoa! That’s what I was wondering,” said Gronkowski, shocked. “I was about to say when it was finished, ‘Guys, I’ve never heard of Rich Russo in my life.'”

When the show actually aired live this Sunday, Gronkowski let his team know that their “heads were spinning” as he tried to figure out how to know about Russo.

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But if there’s anything Gronkowski learned about this moment, it’s “that I’m always ready.”

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What’s the hardest way to follow up an incurably dark, billion-dollar, Oscar-winning blockbuster superhero movie without superheroes? Of course, add some live songs and dance routines. That’s what Joaquin Phoenix said the team behind expected Joker: Folie à Deux decided to make a decision that terrified the notoriously fearless actor from day one.

“How could we make the music as honest as possible?” he asked in a joint interview with co-star Lady Gaga and director Todd Phillips, which was broadcast further Good morning America on Friday (September 27) about the bold decision to have untrained singer Phoenix and Grammy winner Gaga sing together live on stage during the film’s fantasy sequences. “When we started, I didn’t want anything spontaneous and I wanted to sound as good as possible,” said Phoenix, who was previously described as “sick” and nervous about singing alongside Gaga.

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Phoenix noted that it was Gaga’s idea to do it live, which he said sounded great for her since that’s what she does for a living. “You were really cool and kind of made me feel good about it,” he said, and Gaga added, “I can assure you that Joaquin, with his natural voice, was just way more convincing than any lip sync would ever be.”

While Phoenix said he just didn’t want his Joker run to end after his Oscar-winning first appearance as down-and-out clown Arthur Fleck in 2019’s “Intense Movie.” jokerGaga said that the original film really interested her in entering the insane world of Phoenix and director Phillips. “I loved Arthur so much, like, who would be the love of his life?” The singer said she asked herself.

Plus, she added, there was something “completely liberating” about playing Quinn, including being able to sneak some parts of herself into the character that had always been a little embarrassing or private to her. “When I first saw the movie I thought, ‘Oh, that’s in there!’ “This part of me that I don’t want anyone to know about,” Gaga said of her third starring role in a major motion picture following her 2018 breakthrough A star is born and a strong performance in the all-star ensemble in 2021 House of Gucci.

Although she always seems poised and powerful, Gaga says that it’s the moments where she sees herself in Quinn, when her character “seems so uncomfortable…she’s like on the edge.” There have definitely been times in my life when in which I felt that way.”

What was even more challenging was that Gaga recorded a whole thing jokertheme album, harlequinis out today, voicing her character Harley Quinn on a series of classic covers and some originals. “Lee is not a performer and I am, and in a scene with another character it’s just completely different,” Gaga said of what separates the Joker’s equally unusual love from Gaga’s stage persona.

“It’s Lee’s reality, it’s their shared reality, it comes from this character, not from me as a performer,” she said. “I don’t just sing like that in this film, I also sing with my full voice.”

The 13-track album includes a number of Harley covers of “Good Morning” (by Singing in the rain), “If my friends could see me now” (Sweet charity), as well as a soul-funk version of “When the Saints Go Marching In” (here titled “Oh, When the Saints”), “That’s Entertainment”, “Close to You” by the Carpenters and “World on a String”. “ as well as two originals, “Folie à Deux” and the rocking “The Joker”.

The surprise companion album to the film was recorded alongside the sessions for Gaga’s upcoming, as-yet-untitled seventh studio album, due out in February. A first single will be released next month. Joker: Folie à Deux hits theaters on October 4th

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Keegan Bradley secured the winning point Presidential Cup and then confirmed that he intends to take a page from it Jim Furykis the playbook if he gets his own shot at the captaincy at next year’s Ryder Cup.

Bradley, 38, was originally selected as one of Furyk’s alternate captains for this year’s Presidents Cup.

The Chiefs lost their No. 1 receiver and found their new No. 1 running back — who also happens to be their old No. 1 running back.

Kareem Hunt had an important game for the Chiefs today, catching 14 balls for 69 yards and also catching two passes for 16 yards, giving the Chiefs a tough 17-10 win.

The bad news for the Chiefs is that they lost their No. 1 receiver, Rashee Rice, to a knee injury. Although no formal diagnosis has been announced, coach Andy Reid said it doesn’t look good.

More bad news is that Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes doesn’t play like the Patrick Mahomes we’ve come to know. The Chiefs continue to win, but Mahomes is putting up mediocre numbers – 19 for 29 for 245 yards with a touchdown and an interception today.

The struggling Chargers did what they could and made it competitive, but in the end they fell short, losing 2-2.

The Chiefs are 4-0. They’re not playing their best football but they keep winning.

NEW YORK – Francis Ford Coppola’s decades-in-the-making, self-financed epic “Megalopolis” was a flop with moviegoers, while the acclaimed DreamWorks Animation family film “The Wild Robot” debuted at No. 1 at the box office over the weekend.

“The Wild Robot,” Chris Sanders’ adaptation of Peter Brown’s bestselling novel, exceeded expectations with $35 million in ticket sales in U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. “Wild Robot” was on its way to success after critics raved about the story of a shipwrecked robot raising an orphaned gosling. Audiences agreed and gave the film an “A” box office rating. “Wild Robot” will likely have a long and lucrative run for release from Universal Pictures.

Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, predicts that “The Wild Robot” could “take a page from the ‘Elemental’ playbook by achieving respectable box office returns and then eyeing long-term playability.” Pixar’s “Elemental” like ” The Wild Robot, which wasn’t a sequel, opened with a modest $30 million but grossed nearly $500 million worldwide.

Family films, especially the biggest hit of the year “Inside Out 2”, have had a particularly strong impact on the box office this year. David A. Gross, a film consultant who publishes a franchise entertainment newsletter, said the genre is expected to reach $6 billion worldwide in 2024 — which, he noted, is “back to pre-pandemic levels.”

Megalopolis, Coppola’s vision of a Roman epic set in modern-day New York, was never expected to reach anywhere near this level. But the film’s $4 million debut was still sobering for a film that Coppola himself financed to the tune of $120 million. After its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, reviews of Coppola’s first film in 13 years were mixed. Audiences gave it a D+ CinemaScore.

From a financial perspective, “Megalopolis” was a mega-flop. But from the start, the 85-year-old Coppola maintained that it wasn’t about money for him. Coppola designed the film, which he began developing in the late 1970s, as a major personal statement about human possibilities.

“Everyone is so worried about money,” Coppola told The Associated Press in an interview before the film’s release. “I say: Give me less money and give me more friends.”

Studios passed on “Megalopolis” to Cannes. Lionsgate eventually stepped forward to distribute it for a fee. Coppola also covered the majority of the $15 million in marketing costs. The film, which stars Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel and Aubrey Plaza, was also shown in approximately 200 IMAX locations, accounting for $1.8 million of ticket sales.

After three weeks at the top of the box office, Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” slipped to second place with $16 million in its fourth weekend in theaters. The Warner Bros. sequel to 1988’s “Beetlejuice,” starring Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder, has collected $250 million domestically in a month of release.

Third place went to “Transformers One,” the Transformers prequel starring Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry. After last weekend’s debut fell short of expectations, the Paramount release collected $9.3 million in its second weekend.

Megalopolis was even surpassed by the Indian Telugu action film Devara: Part 1. It grossed $5.1 million in its opening weekend, good enough for fourth place.

Also debuting in theaters was Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night,” a loving dramatization of the sketch comedy institution on the night it first aired in 1975. That same weekend, the NBC series began its 50th season, and Reitman’s film opened in five New York shows and New York City Cinemas Los Angeles Theaters and collected $265,000, a strong average of $53,000 per theater. “Saturday Night” goes nationwide in two weeks.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday in U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. The final domestic figures will be published on Monday.

1. “The Wild Robot,” $35 million.

2. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” $16 million.

3. “Transformers One,” $9.3 million.

4. “Devara: Part 1,” $5.1 million.

5. “Speak No Evil,” $4.3 million.

6. “Megalopolis,” $4 million.

7. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” $2.7 million.

8. “My Old Ass,” $2.2 million.

9. “Never Let Go,” $2.2 million.

10. “The Substance,” $1.8 million.

ASHEVILLE – Although information about school closures in Western North Carolina is still sparse, several schools and universities have now issued warnings in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene.

Here’s what we know so far from educational institutions in the region, including WNC public school districts and colleges.

More:Asheville, NC flooding live updates: Delta and United Airlines are resuming flights Monday

WNC school closure

Asheville City Schools will be closed from Monday, September 30th to Friday, October 4th.

Buncombe County Schools will be closed all week, Monday September 30th to Friday October 4th. These are annual vacation days for staff. Previously, BCS required closures only Monday through Tuesday. In a recent statement, BCS officials cited the “tremendous impact on our families and neighborhoods” in deciding to extend the closures.

Also:

Avery County Schools remains closed Monday and Tuesday.

Cherokee County Schools will be closed on Monday, with an optional teacher workday.

Haywood County Schools remains closed Monday through Friday throughout the week, with Wednesday through Friday considered optional teacher work days.

Henderson County Schools remains closed until further notice.

The Kansas City Chiefs got off to a rough start Sunday against division rival Los Angeles Chargers, falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter and losing a key player to injury.

Wide receiver Rashee Rice went down and was carted off the field after trying to fend off quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ early interception on the sideline at Sofi Stadium.

Here’s the play that injured Chiefs WR Rashee Rice. Doesn’t look good at all.

I hope he’s well. He is carried to the locker room. pic.twitter.com/M0RMTRLJlv

– Arye Pulli (@AryePulli) September 29, 2024

After looking at the replay, it looks like his teammate Mahomes hit his right leg and forced his knee into hyperextension.

When asked by CBS Sports sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson about the severity of Rice’s injury, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid replied, “It’s not good.”

Despite losing Rice to a nasty injury and the extremely uncharacteristic start to the game, Kansas City just seems capable of bouncing back with anyone else stepping in in a player’s absence.

Mahomes needed just one play to fire a rainbow heat-seeking missile at rookie outside hitter Xavier Worthy for a 54-yard score, cutting Los Angeles’ lead to 10-7.

MAHOMES TOO worthy of a 54-YARD TD.

📺: #KCvsLAC on CBS/Paramount+
📱: pic.twitter.com/ZAYGWXNr1V

– NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024

Worthy, the fastest man in NFL Combine history, was drafted 28th overall by Kansas City after it traded with the Buffalo Bills to secure the Texas product.

Worthy had only recorded seven receptions in his rookie season, including this catch and score. With his first touch of the ball in Kansas City’s season-opening win against the Baltimore Ravens, he announced his promotion to the league.

XAVIER WORTHY, WELCOME TO THE NFL 🤯

1. CAREER TD.

(above @NFL)pic.twitter.com/AnHYFVR2OB

– Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 6, 2024

So maybe take a deep breath, Kansas City fans. There’s a reason you’re two straight Super Bowl champions, and unless the wheels come off soon, there doesn’t seem to be too much reason to panic (yet).

There’s always a worst-case scenario in which Rice is out for the season, tight end Travis Kelce remains a shell of his former self, and Worthy’s future flashes of brilliance fizzle out. But don’t think about it too long, it’s not good for your mental health.

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – The Habitat for Humanity Faith in Action Pumpkin Patch is officially open for the fall season, offering pumpkins, photo opportunities and the opportunity to make a difference.

The annual event runs September 29 through October 31 and invites the community to pick pumpkins of all sizes while raising funds for affordable housing projects in Bryan/College Station.

Faith in Action Committee member Connie Flickinger emphasized the importance of the pumpkin patch as a fundraiser for affordable housing.

“Our pumpkin patch is one of our largest fundraisers of the year for Habitat for Humanity,” Flickinger said. “Any pumpkin sales we do here, the money stays here to build homes locally.”

Located in Bryan near the intersection of East 29th St and East Villa Maria Road, the patch is run by volunteers and is a family-friendly event where visitors can enjoy the fall atmosphere while supporting Habitat’s mission.

Proceeds from every pumpkin sold go toward building homes for local families in need.

For more information, visit habitatbcs.org.

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