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In "Star Trek: Voyager" episode "Scorpion, Part I" (May 21, 1997) the USS Voyager knows they are approaching an area of the galaxy that is just lousy with the Borg. The ship is about to fly straight through Borg territory and will constantly be at risk of assimilation. The immediate future looks terrifying. And just as the ship passes into Borg space, giant Borg cubes fly directly toward them. Surprisingly, though, the cubes all fly straight past the Voyager. It seems the Borg were fleeing something even more terrifying behind them. The Voyager then sees a mysterious spacecraft, seemingly made of biological material, in pursuit. This bioship is easily able to attack and destroy 15 Borg vessels. 

The bioship belongs to a species that the Borg refer to as Species 8472 in their database. Species 8472 are powerful, psychic creatures that hail from a parallel dimension completely filled with fluid.

In the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Conspiracy", the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-d find that a mysterious species of intelligent brain parasites has infiltrated Starfleet. The parasites look like pink-shelled stag beetles and enter a host's body through their mouth. Once inside, the parasites completely take over their host's brains, using their bodies like puppets. Multiple higher-ups at Starfleet Command had been taken over, with the queen parasite inhabiting the body of a character named Lieutenant Commander Remmick (Robert Schenkkan).

Luckily, Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) figure out the conspiracy and use clever disguises to sneak into a secret dinner party attended only by infected officers. Picard and Riker get the drop on everyone, thank goodness, and begin firing their phasers. Everyone is knocked out and the parasites exit their bodies.

In the climax of the episode, our two heroes blast the infected Remmick in the face,...

The Visual Effects Society has named the first honorees who will be feted at a special event in October.

Avatar co-producer Brooke Breton, a former SVP Production at James Cameron’s effects house Digital Domain who also worked on three Star Trek movies from 1986-91, will receive the 2024 Ves Founders Award. The group also named Reid Paul and Ronald B. Moore as Lifetime Ves Members and posthumously will induct Tim McGovern, Thad Beier, Maya Deren and Dorothy Davenport into the Ves Hall of Fame.

Read more about them all below.

“Our honorees represent a group of exemplary and pioneering artists and innovators who have had a profound impact on the field of visual effects,” Ves Board Chair Kim Davidson said. “We are proud to recognize those who helped shape our shared legacy and continue to inspire future generations of VFX practitioners.”

The 23rd annual Ves Awards will be handed out Tuesday,...

Vera Drew’s debut feature The People’s Joker evades all easy descriptions. It’s a trans coming-of-age film constructed with deep knowledge and affection for DC comics (and their many film adaptations) that also takes aim at the male-dominated comedy community and the mechanisms that determine stardom. Combining comedy, action, drama and an impressive number of different animation styles, The People’s Joker is a self-conscious, intentional cult film, crafted with genuine love for everything in the margins. And it tells a story everyone can relate to, about a kid growing up and trying to find happiness and success in a dark, troubled world. And in this world, Batman is the villain. He rules Gotham with an army of drones, while using his power and influence to control every aspect of media and culture — even comedy.

But not for long. Joker (Drew) arrives in Gotham with one purpose: to become a...

Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Day of Blood: Shaxs' Best Day #1!

Star Trek just upgraded the Klingons’ iconic bat’leth by adding a deadly new feature to it. A violent and war-like race, the Klingons have perfected the art of combat and defense, culminating in the popular bat’leth. This weapon is a Klingon standard, and in Star Trek: Day of Blood: Shaxs’ Best Day #1, the Cerritos’ security officer shows them a new and novel use for the bat’leth.

Star Trek: Day of Blood: Shaxs’ Best Day #1 – written by Ryan North, with by Derek Charm – finds Shaxs using a bat'leth to fight his way through hordes of Red Path loyalists,

Collecting several of the blades along the way, a Klingon tells him the bat’leths are not his, so he offers to “return” them, throwing them like boomerangs, using the iconic Trek weapon like never before.

Related: The...

Star Trek: Picard season 3 is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and SteelBook, giving fans more opportunities to appreciate the work of production designer Dave Blass and his team. Blass and his team had little time to transform the sets of the USS Stargazer into the USS Titan-a for season 3, but they successfully pulled it off. Blass recruited legendary Star Trek creatives like John Eaves, Doug Drexler, and Michael and Denise Okuda to work on the final season, which included recreating the bridge of the USS Enterprise-d from scratch.

Star Trek: Picard season 3 is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and limited edition SteelBook, which means fans have even more opportunities to enjoy the heroic work of production designer Dave Blass and his team.

Dave Blass joined Star Trek: Picard season 2 as a production designer, and he led the creation of the show's hero ship, the USS Stargazer. With Picard seasons 2 and 3 shooting back-to-back,...

Species 8472 were introduced in Star Trek: Voyager as the deadly aliens that scared the Borg Collective, impressing viewers with their CGI design. Captain Janeway formed an alliance with the Borg to combat the dangerous Species 8472, who had the ability to wipe out all life in their galaxy. Peace was eventually negotiated with Species 8472, but their potential return as antagonists in the Star Trek universe remains a possibility, especially with the destruction of the Borg and Starfleet's presence in the Delta Quadrant.

Species 8472 were introduced in Star Trek: Voyager season 3, billed as the Star Trek villains that were deadly enough to scare the Borg Collective. Impressed by the advances in CGI that allowed Voyager's VFX team to realize the sentient macro viral life forms in "Macrocosm", plans were made to create a pure computer-animated alien species. Executive Producers Jeri Taylor and Brannon Braga, and CGI Effects Director Dan Curry are all...

“The wait is finally over. We broke a lot of hearts, sets, and famous people’s publicists to bring you our most chaotic season so far. We’ve barely recovered,” Eric Andre explains in a statement regarding the return of his absurdist, satirical deconstruction of the talk show that airs on Adult Swim. The Eric Andre Show is now set to return for season 6 and has established a premiere date on Sunday, June 4, at Midnight Et/Pt, according to Deadline.

In this new season, Andre will welcome guests that includes Natasha Lyonne, Jaleel White, Blac Chyna, Jon Hamm, Raven-Symoné, Diplo, Daymond John, Meagan Good, Rico Nasty, Waka Flocka Flame, Tinashe, Cypress Hill, and Lil Yachty among others. Felipe Esparza, Reese W, and Krft Punk will co-host.

The Eric Andre Show made its debut on Cartoon Network’s late-night block back in 2012. Per Adult Swim, the series takes place in a...

We’ll be right back. “The Eric Andre Show” has set a date for its long-awaited return to Adult Swim. The network announced Tuesday morning that Season 6 of the nightmarish talk show series will premiere on June 4 at midnight.

“Eric is back behind the desk like never before; ripped, shredded, full of energy, complete with beads of sweat dripping down from his taut nips onto his glistening six pack abs,” reads Adult Swim’s announcement. “Watch pampered celebrities regret their choices, rappers get the runaround and a slate of street pranks so egregious they collectively inspired a record 30 phone calls to 911.”

Billed as “sexy season six,” the series will welcome guests such as Natasha Lyonne, Jaleel White, Blac Chyna, Jon Hamm, Raven-Symoné, Diplo, Daymond John, Meagan Good, Rico Nasty, Waka Flocka Flame, Tinashe, Cypress Hill and Lil Yachty. The network also states that the season will also feature “a host...

Adult Swim will release Season 6 of The Eric Andre Show on Sunday, June 4 at Midnight Et/Pt.

Andre will be joined by special guests this season including Natasha Lyonne, Jaleel White, Blac Chyna, Jon Hamm, Raven-Symoné, Diplo, Daymond John, Meagan Good, Rico Nasty, Waka Flocka Flame, Tinashe, Cypress Hill, and Lil Yachty among others. Felipe Esparza, Reese W, and Krft Punk will co-host.

“The wait is finally over,” said Andre in a statement. “We broke a lot of hearts, sets, and famous people’s publicists to bring you our most chaotic season so far. We’ve barely recovered.”

Originally premiering in 2012, the series takes place on a “dingy public-access TV channel within an alternate reality, featuring an unpredictable mix of actual celebrities, ‘fake’ celebrities, and extreme real-life weirdos,” according to the network.

But before the show’s return, Andre will host an evening of live comedy at this year’s...

Ahead of Warner Bros. Discovery’s upfronts presentation, Adult Swim has made announcements including a series order for “Rick and Morty: The Anime” and the Season 6 renewal of “The Eric Andre Show.”

Based on the hit adult animated comedy, “Rick and Morty: The Anime” will debut with 10 episodes on Adult Swim and HBO Max. Takashi Sano serves as director, after previously directing the anime shorts “Rick and Morty vs. Genocider” and “Summer Meets God (Rick Meets Evil).” The series is from Telecom Animation Film.

“The multiverse-straddling exploits of Rick and the gang pose challenges to the family bond, but they always rise to the occasion,” Sano said. “It’s such a life affirming sight, and Jerry is no exception. I am honored to have been given an opportunity to tell a new story about this amazing family. I hope you enjoy their adventures!”

Adult Swim also greenlit animated series “Ninja Kamui.

Bird up! Adult Swim will get even more chaos from The Eric Andre Show, renewing the series for season six. The pick up was revealed during Warner Bros. Discovery’s Upfront presentation on Wednesday.

“Expect more deranged pranks, fire, and chaos in Season 666 with a jam-packed schedule of celebrities I can’t believe agreed to this,” said Andre.

The Eric Andre Show, set to debut on Adult Swim and HBO Max in 2023, will tout a “fresh era of radical deconstruction and self-examination.” Andre’s guests for season 6 will include Natasha Lyonne, Jaleel White, Blac Chyna, Jon Hamm, Raven-Symoné, Diplo, Daymond John, Meagan Good, Rico Nasty, Waka Flocka Flame, Tinashe, Cypress Hill and Lil Yachty.

The Eric Andre Show debuted on Adult Swim in 2012, and has since featured a number of viral and chaotic interviews and produced popular social media memes. Season 6 fo The Eric Andre Show, comes on the heels...

Peter Dinklage to Be Honored at Gotham Awards

The Gotham Film and Media Institute announced that Peter Dinklage will receive a Performer Tribute and the Actors Fund will receive the Gotham Impact Salute 2021 Gotham awards ceremony on Nov. 29 at Cipriani Wall Street.

Dinklage first gained notice in the 2003 film “The Station Agent” and he has received many accolades as Tyrion Lannister in “Game of Thrones” from 2011-2019. Through the series, Dinklage won four Emmy awards and a Screen Actors Guild award.

“The roots of Peter Dinklage’s extraordinary career are firmly grounded in independent film,” said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of the Gotham Film and Media Institute. “As his work has grown in major features and shows to reach audiences everywhere, Peter has remained a steadfast supporter of this community of independent artists.”

The Actors Fund provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals with emergency financial assistance,...

Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on The Eddie Volkman Show on Wssr-fm on March 26th, 2021, reviewing the new release “Bad Trip” streaming on Netflix beginning on Friday, March 26th.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Eric André portrays a loser named Chris, who with his best friend Bud (Lil Rei Howery) steals the car of Bud’s sister-in-prison Trina (Tiffany Haddish) to go to New York City so Chris ca visit the love of life (Michaela Conlin). So that’s the fictional movie part, but it also plays out in the real world around real people, with Eric André and his cast doing some incredibly bizarre and incredibly hilarious Candid Camera-style stunts.

“Bad Trip” is available to stream on Netflix beginning March 26th. Featuring Eric André, Lil Rei Lowery, Tiffany Haddish and Michaela Conlin. Story by Eric André, Kitao Sakurai, Kathryn Borel, Dan Curry and Jenna Park. Directed by Kitao Sakurai. Rated “R...

Note: This interview took place in early 2020, prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

Eric Andre is feeling nostalgic. He wistfully recalls a simpler, but arguably not any less crazy time in his life, as he anticipates the public’s reaction to his upcoming movie, Bad Trip.

“Back in like 2009, I’d dress up like Ronald McDonald and head into a McDonald’s,” Andre tells us about one of the earliest segments for his Adult Swim series. “I’d be drinking booze, crying and smoking cigarettes in there. That was all just with one mic and one camera on me.”

For over a decade, Andre and director Kitao Sakurai have been entrenched in the experimental comedy scene. But the team behind Adult Swim’s The Eric Andre Show has moved from killing time with a bare-bones setup in dingy New York City fast food joints to far higher production values in the feature film world.

It’s a romantic comedy cliché: Boy goes on outrageous quest to win back the girl of his dreams, an adventure fueled by derring-do and impassioned speeches that gain urgency as the violins swell. Onscreen, those manic you-complete-me moments make audiences swoon. But in reality, they’d look like “Bad Trip,” Directed by Kitao Sakurai and produced by “Jackass” co-creator Jeff Tremaine, “Bad Trip” hands lovelorn loser Chris a safe word (“popcorn”) and the keys to a hot pink Crown Victoria, and sets the comedian loose to terrorize unsuspecting bystanders along a northbound interstate from Florida to Manhattan, where he intends to profess his love to his middle school crush Maria (Michaela Conlin of “Bones”).

Riding shotgun is Lil Rey Howery as Chris’ best friend Bud, and on their trail storms a terrifyingly incognito Tiffany Haddish, tatted and volatile, posing as Bud’s older sister Trina, a sociopathic prison escapee...

Stars: Eric André, Lil Rel Howery, Tiffany Haddish, Anthony J. James, Michaela Conlin, Adam Meir, Charles Green, Cory DeMeyers | Written by Eric André, Kathryn Borel, Dan Curry, Jenna Park, Kitao Sakurai | Directed by Kitao Sakurai

Part scripted buddy-comedy road movie and part prank show, Bad Trip follows hot on the heels of the Impractical Jokers movie, mixing well-plotted laughs with the kind of comedy that only comes from the sheer terror of being in the middle of a well-planned prank… But then what else would you expect from Jeff Tremaine, both a star and a producer on only king of the prank shows Jackass, but also the Johnny Knoxville starring “Jackass Presents” movie Bad Grandpa – a film which is an obvious inspiration for this outing!

What I’d expect is a good movie. Bad Trip is Not a good movie. There’s a very good reason this is now – thanks...

Eric Andre has become an established player in the comedy scene in recent years, bringing his uniquely weird energy to shows like “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23” and “Man Seeking Woman.” But to really understand who he is, you need to watch “The Eric Andre Show.”

Read More: ‘Firefly’ Fan Creates Animated Tribute To The Cult Series, Earns Respect From Nathan Fillion

“It is like pure Id, the most creative freedom I’ll ever have,” he told IndieWire. “There’s no rules. It can totally be as surreal or absurd or nonlinear as it wants. If you hooked a tube up to my brain and fed it into a television, it would be the show, for sure.”

Returning to Adult Swim this month for a fourth season, “The Eric Andre Show” has the nominal look and feel of a talk show, but stands apart for no...

William Shatner is set to headline an all-star Star Trek panel at San Diego Comic-Con this year, and it will be moderated by Bryan Fuller, the man behind the upcoming new Star Trek series.

The panel will take place in Hall H on Saturday, July 23rd at 2 Pm, and some of the other Star Trek stars that will be in attendance will include Michael Dorn (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Brent Spiner (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Voyager), and Scott Bakula (Star Trek: Enterprise).

CBS is also using the opportunity to heavily promote their upcoming Star Trek series, which Fuller is an executive producer on. The series doesn’t have an official title yet, but it’s slated to run on the CBS All Access streaming service following its premiere on the CBS broadcast network in January of 2017.

This is just...

Star Trek invites fans to celebrate the iconic franchise's 50th anniversary at Comic-Con International 2016 in San Diego with a lineup of panels, events, activations and merchandise exclusives from July 21-24. Fans will be able to truly immerse themselves in a full weekend of Star Trek events and activities at the world-famous convention, including six panels, the first showing of the 50 Artists. 50 Years. art exhibit, a first look at Mac's new Star Trek makeup collection, and exclusive merchandise. Also, fans can join the conversation and celebration on social media using the hashtag #StarTrek50.

The weekend's featured panel presented by CBS is entitled Star Trek: Celebrating 50 Years}, which will take place in Hall H on Saturday, July 23 (2p.m. - 3p.m.). The legendary William Shatner (Star Trek) and Star Trek alumni Scott Bakula (Star Trek: Enterprise), Michael Dorn (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Jeri Ryan...

After finishing her freshman year, a woman who'd anonymously sued Kansas University in April for allegedly failing to properly address her sexual assault claims has come forward, disclosing her identity in a video posted to YouTube, People confirms. In the video, which was uploaded to the web on Thursday, Sarah McClure, who was attending the school on a rowing scholarship, says she's the student who filed legal action against the Lawrence, Kansas, school two months ago. "I was a freshman at Ku and a coxswain on the rowing team," she says in the video. "I was assaulted by the same...

After finishing her freshman year, a woman who'd anonymously sued Kansas University in April for allegedly failing to properly address her sexual assault claims has come forward, disclosing her identity in a video posted to YouTube, People confirms. In the video, which was uploaded to the web on Thursday, Sarah McClure, who was attending the school on a rowing scholarship, says she's the student who filed legal action against the Lawrence, Kansas, school two months ago. "I was a freshman at Ku and a coxswain on the rowing team," she says in the video. "I was assaulted by the same...

While it didn't get nominated for any awards that will be given out during the live broadcast next week, the series finale of "Star Trek: Voyager" did win two technical Emmys for the franchise in Saturday night's taped ceremony. "Endgame" took home two statuettes. Jay Chattaway won Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Dramatic Underscore) while the entire special effects crew of Voyager won for Outstanding Special Visual Effects For A Series. The crew that worked on "Endgame" included visual effects producer Dan Curry, visual effects supervisor Mitch Suskin and Ron Moore, visual effects coordinator Art Codron, visual effects compositor Steve Fong, matte artist Eric Chauvin, CGI supervisor Robert Bonchune, CGI artist John Teska and visual effects animator Greg Rainoff. Voyager ...

The second season of the expensive and exhaustively painstaking remaster of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" hits Blu-ray in a few hours following on from the highly successful launch of the first season back in July.

Aside from an audio glitch in early discs, which was quickly remedied with a replacement program, the remastering job performed on the first season was met with universal acclaim by reviewers and Trek fans alike.

Post-production house CBS Digital was widely, and deservedly, lauded for their work which is amongst the best restorative work ever done on a Blu-ray title in the history of the format. Same goes for Robert Meyer Burnett and his team who have been assembling some truly incredible extras for these sets.

As a result of the quality of all this hard work, many were keenly awaiting this second season set which contains some of the best early episodes of the season.

Tags: Morning BrewMegan RapinoeSarah WalshRutina WesleyTrue BloodIt Gets BetterBatgirlKung Fu LesbianIMDbJennifer Lopez

Good morning! It's Friday, get happy!

Congrats to the U.S. Women's basketball team for winning their semi-final game against Australia yesterday and to the soccer team for taking the gold. Here's a magic moment between Megan Rapinoe and girlfriend Sarah Walsh, sharing a gold-medal meal. How adorable is it that Sarah is wearing Megan's jersey?

Photo via Twitter

While we're on the topic, Espn wonders why openly gay athletes are still low in numbers. I do, too, because a lot of searches coming to AfterEllen.com lately are wondering if certain Olympians are gay. Inquiring minds need to know!

Rutina Wesley went on The Talk yesterday to discuss playing Tara on True Blood and how her grandma supports even her racy sex scenes.

More Sapphic lesbian sex, we say. Grandma's into it!

Rumor has it Jennifer Lopez...

BuzzFocus.com Presents Nerdy Secrets With Mo Fathelbab Episode 2 is up!!!! The latest show was recorded live, in front of a studio audience at The Nerdist Theatre at Meltdown Comics in Hollywood, California on Tuesday, Aug. 30th. We dubbed it The Ramadan Spectacu-allah! because Danielle Kramer, Dan Curry, “Nerdy Kid” Gil, and I cooked up an honest-to-goodness end of Ramadan feast for everyone. The always funny DC Pierson (“Mystery Team”) returned, this time as the special guest co-host. The show kicked off with a brilliant stand-up comedy set by Dan Curry. Then 9-year-old “Nerdy Kid” Gil T. Dominguez-letelier gave us a recap of his favorite summer films in a segment he called “The Summer of Mutants”. He schooled DC and I on how to make a great comic book movie (“more action, less talking”). Then DC and I have an incredibly funny exchange with the panel which consisted of: Azita Ghanizada...

The Klingon invasion is happening a bit earlier than expected, as one of the warriors is apparently trying to raise cash by robbing 7-Elevens in Colorado Springs, Colo. Police there say they are looking for a man who knocked off two of the convenience stores using a Klingon bat'leth, a weapon made famous after it was first introduced on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." The first robbery took place just before 2 a.m. local time, according to Kmgh in Denver, by a white male in his 20s wearing a black jacket, blue jeans and wearing a black mask who demanded money. Then just before 3 a.m., he hit a second store, demanding money from the clerk, but not getting any. No one was hurt in the robberies. The bat'leth was originally designed by Dan Curry, a visual effects supervisor on "Next Generation" ...