What's Trending
Encyclopedia
What's Trending is weekly, live, interactive television show hosted by Shira Lazar
. The show consists of two celebrity panelist discussing news that's currently trending or has been during the week. The show also showcases an interview with a top celebrity, one who has become influential through social media. Guests have included, Will.i.am
, Mark Cuban
, Lisa Kudrow
, Stan Lee
, Kevin Smith
, Drew Carey
, iJustine and Greg Grunberg
. Also during the program, Column Five Media creates info-graphics illustrating various topics such as, "How Something Goes Viral," and "The History of Video Games." The program showcases rising startups such as Games for Change
, Pencils of Promise
, Syyn Labs, and Getaround. The show also incorporates musical performances that have included The Gregory Brothers
, Kina Grannis
, Mike Relm
and Destorm
.
On June 7, rapper, producer Lupe Fiasco
was interviewed during the program and said, "My fight against terrorism, to me, the biggest terrorist is Obama in the United States of America." On June 20, Lupe Fiasco appeared on the Fox News show "The O'Reilly Factor
" defending the controversial comments he made on the show.
wrote on May 24, "What's really new about "What's Trending," and most of interest to Watchlist, is simply the fact that it's a live, scheduled half-hour Web show being done on the site of a major broadcast television network (and with a major corporate sponsor AT&T). That's revolutionary, whether the subject is social networking or retirement planning." Marshall Kirkpatrick of Read Write Web wrote, "It will all be run through the living experiment of multi-platform viewer engagement that What's Trending is using and building at the same time. It's an effort that could help illuminate some developments in the future of entertainment on the web and it's ambitious enough to be downright inspirational."
ended its relationship with Lazar and the show after a tweet was posted by a junior staffer claiming Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had died. A formal apology was issued live at the beginning of the September 13th show, Now the show carries on independently through partnerships with Ustream
and Livestream
. Marc Hustvedt of Tubefilter
wrote, "The show itself is still groundbreaking, and arguably the most polished half-hour live show on the internet right now. It brings intelligent people together to talk about top news stories in an informative way."
Shira Lazar
Shira Lazar is a Canadian television personality, actress, writer and video blogger who currently resides and works in Los Angeles....
. The show consists of two celebrity panelist discussing news that's currently trending or has been during the week. The show also showcases an interview with a top celebrity, one who has become influential through social media. Guests have included, Will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
, Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban is an American business magnate and investor. He is the owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theatres, and Magnolia Pictures, and the chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet....
, Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Valerie Kudrow is an American actress, best known for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the television sitcom Friends, for which she received many accolades including an Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards...
, Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
, Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
, Drew Carey
Drew Carey
Drew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
, iJustine and Greg Grunberg
Greg Grunberg
Gregory Phillip "Greg" Grunberg is an American television actor. He is best known from starring as Matt Parkman on the NBC television series Heroes. Other notable roles included the characters Sean Blumberg on Felicity and Eric Weiss on Alias , both created and produced by childhood friend J. J...
. Also during the program, Column Five Media creates info-graphics illustrating various topics such as, "How Something Goes Viral," and "The History of Video Games." The program showcases rising startups such as Games for Change
Games for Change
Games for Change is a movement and community of practice dedicated to using digital games for social change. An individual game may also be referred to as a "game for change" if it is produced by this community or shares its ideals...
, Pencils of Promise
Pencils of Promise
Pencils of Promise is a non-profit organization that builds schools and increases educational opportunities in the developing world. They are a 501 organization with school-building operations in Laos, Nicaragua and Guatemala.- History :...
, Syyn Labs, and Getaround. The show also incorporates musical performances that have included The Gregory Brothers
The Gregory Brothers
The Gregory Brothers are an American musical group who characterize their music as "Country & Soul, Folk & Roll". Members include Michael Gregory on drums and vocals, Andrew Rose Gregory on guitar and vocals, Evan Gregory on keys and vocals, and Sarah Fullen Gregory on bass and vocals...
, Kina Grannis
Kina Grannis
Kina Kasuya Grannis is a Japanese American guitarist and singer-songwriter. She is of Japanese, English, Irish, French, and German descent....
, Mike Relm
Mike Relm
Michael Wong , better known by his stage name Mike Relm, is an American disc jockey, turntablist, and VJ from San Francisco, California. He has performed with notable hip-hop artists Lyrics Born, Money Mark, Gift of Gab, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, and D-Sharp. In 1999 he won the International...
and Destorm
Destorm
DeStorm Power is an American YouTube personality. He is the 44th most subscribed user as well as the 8th most subscribed musician on YouTube.- History :...
.
On June 7, rapper, producer Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco , better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco , is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, Lupe is the CEO of 1st and 15th Entertainment. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his critically acclaimed debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food...
was interviewed during the program and said, "My fight against terrorism, to me, the biggest terrorist is Obama in the United States of America." On June 20, Lupe Fiasco appeared on the Fox News show "The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor, originally titled The O'Reilly Report from 1996 to 1998 and often called The Factor, is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often discusses current controversial political issues with guests.The program was the most watched...
" defending the controversial comments he made on the show.
Reception
Steve Rosenbaum of Huffington Post wrote an article that said, "It's clear that CBS is committed to this story -- jumping past the cheesy bluescreen or robo-set and building Lazar and her team a truly 'webified' set that is both high tech and modern. When the network springs for a set, you know they're in it for the long run." Mike Hale from The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
wrote on May 24, "What's really new about "What's Trending," and most of interest to Watchlist, is simply the fact that it's a live, scheduled half-hour Web show being done on the site of a major broadcast television network (and with a major corporate sponsor AT&T). That's revolutionary, whether the subject is social networking or retirement planning." Marshall Kirkpatrick of Read Write Web wrote, "It will all be run through the living experiment of multi-platform viewer engagement that What's Trending is using and building at the same time. It's an effort that could help illuminate some developments in the future of entertainment on the web and it's ambitious enough to be downright inspirational."
Departure from CBS News
On September 10, CBS NewsCBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
ended its relationship with Lazar and the show after a tweet was posted by a junior staffer claiming Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had died. A formal apology was issued live at the beginning of the September 13th show, Now the show carries on independently through partnerships with Ustream
Ustream
Ustream is a website which consists of a network of diverse channels providing a platform for lifecasting and live video streaming of events online. Established in March 2007, the site has over 2,000,000 registered users who generate 1,500,000+ hours of live streamed content per month with over ten...
and Livestream
Livestream
Livestream, formerly known as Mogulus, is a live streaming video platform that allows users to view and broadcast video content using a camera and a computer through the internet...
. Marc Hustvedt of Tubefilter
Tubefilter
Tubefilter, Inc. is a privately held company based in Los Angeles, California that operates media properties focusing on the online entertainment industry. Tubefilter is best known for Tubefilter News, a blog targeted at the producers and distributors of web television content where the best in...
wrote, "The show itself is still groundbreaking, and arguably the most polished half-hour live show on the internet right now. It brings intelligent people together to talk about top news stories in an informative way."