Macka Diamond endorses healthy eating as coronavirus prevention

Dancehall artiste Macka Diamond, has put in her two cents regarding coronavirus conversation. She is urging persons to focus on building their immune system to combat the virus.

“Eating healthy and building up your immune system is the best way to fight any infection and yet the government through the Health and Wellness ministry is not encouraging persons to start eating their fruits, vegetables and herbs, “ she explained

The artiste, who has been on a health journey over the last three years, champions the premise of changing your diet to improve your health. Macka has been endorsing fruits and vegetable consumption even in her music

“Herbs like Dandelion, Elderberry, Blue Vervain and Moringa, we have them all here to help us fight viruses. Jamaica is blessed with the good food and we should take advantage of that in this crisis to build our immune system,” she concluded

The artiste is also encouraging fans to exercise, and to build up their immune system as fitness and wellness is the first and last line of defence against these viruses.

Fast and Furious film, Mulan postponed due to virus

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Walt Disney Co officially postponed the theatrical release of Mulan , while Universal Pictures moved back the release of the ninth Fast and Furious film by a year amid the coronavirus outbreak. Mulan was set to come out at the end of the month and F9 had been scheduled for the end of May.

Disney also said Thursday that it is postponing the releases of The New Mutants and Antlers as well, citing an “abundance of caution”. The studio will announce new dates for a 2020 release later.

Earlier on Thursday, Universal Pictures decided that the Fast and Furious sequel F9 will now open next year, on April 2, 2021.

The Fast and Furious movies are always big earners at the domestic and international box office and the absence of F9 will impact the 2020 box office in a major way. The past two films have made over US$1 billion.

F9 is the first major summer movie to be delayed because of the outbreak. Other major movies that are still slated for release in the critical summer months include Warner Bros. Wonder Woman 1984, on June 5, Paramount’s Top Gun: Maverick, on June 24, and Disney’s Jungle Cruise, on July 24.

Thursday also saw the postponement of Paramount’s A Quiet Place Part II, in addition to The Lovebirds. The delays came after concerns about the virus and public safety prompted studios to postpone the releases of the James Bond film No Time to Die and Peter Rabbit 2.

The Walt Disney Company has not yet announced any changes to its plans to release Marvel’s Black Widow on April 24.

American comics adjust to shows without an audience

NEW YORK (AP) — Due to the new coronavirus, late-night comedians — Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Pete Buttigieg — are taking to the stage without the affirmation of adoring audiences.

Wait a second. Pete Buttigieg?

The former presidential candidate filled in for Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday night on ABC. It was prearranged, since Kimmel was taping episodes of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, but the timing was unfortunate. Each of the three shows decided only hours before taping on Thursday to go without an audience, save for handfuls of staff members.

“Everyone is spread apart at the CDC-recommended distance,” said Buttigieg, whose husband was sitting among the empty seats.

Buttigieg, a Democrat who sought the presidency, had the chief job qualification of a late-night host, circa 2020. He was more than willing to tell biting jokes about President Donald Trump.

“When you don’t have a real audience, you have to fake one,” he said. “Just like Trump’s inauguration.”

During his monologue, producers cut to film clips of enthusiastic audiences, from awards shows or the State of the Union address.

As an amateur, Buttigieg was more than willing to blame lame jokes on the writers. Colbert noted when a punchline got a response from his meagre audience that he was paying most of them. Questlove of the Roots was the chief arbiter of Fallon’s jokes that landed or were fed to a paper shredder.

Going without an audience “might be a good thing”, said Colbert, who was out-of-breath after a brief run through the empty seats. “In my mind, all of my jokes are perfect. The only person that ever disagrees with me right now is the audience.”

They were not the only television shows to dispatch with audiences. On The View, a meagre crew of staff members tried vainly on Thursday to replicate the noise that would normally come from a full crowd of tourists.

“You’re a great audience today,” Whoopi Goldberg said.

“All three of you,” Joy Behar tartly said.

Fallon took a serious turn to start his Tonight show monologue which, like Colbert’s, was performed seated behind his desk.

“Like you, I’m watching the news and I’m just as confused and freaked out as you are right now,” he said. “I know the (Trump) speech last night didn’t help. But I know that when we’re here for each other, we’re at our best, and I’m here for you.”

Both Fallon and Colbert brought on television doctors — Mehmet Oz and Sanjay Gupta — for sharp and informative segments, asking basic questions about the virus and preparedness that often go overlooked on news programs. Both doctors used hand sanitiser to instruct viewers on the thorough, most effective way to wash hands, reminding people not to forget their thumbs.