The Lede

Awkward Anniversary Former U.S. President Barack Obama has seen it all. Or so he thought. In a new teaser for the upcoming HBO sketch series LIFE, LARRY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, Obama bluntly states, “I have sat across the table from some of the world’s most difficult leaders, and wrestled with some of the globe’s most intractable problems. Nothing has prepared me for working with Larry David.” Obama and his wife Michelle are producers on the series, which has been comedically concocted to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Premiering June 26 on Crave, LIFE, LARRY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS sees David and a roster of guest actors – including some familiar faces from David’s CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, also on Crave – skewering many of the major events in U.S. history.

Changing of The Guard Is THE VOICE ready for a royal rumble? The coaching panel for the upcoming 30th season was completed this week with the news that GRAMMY®-winning singer, and EMMY®-winning and OSCAR®-nominated actress Queen Latifah is joining the fray. Queen Latifah will compete against returning coaches Kelly Clarkson and Adam Levine, as well as another rookie coach, country singer Riley Green. Season 30 of THE VOICE premieres this fall on CTV, while the just-completed 29th season is on Crave now. And speaking of Clarkson, she recently told a hilarious story about an odd side-effect of being famous, as evidenced by how all the friends of her two children (age 11 and 9) refer to her. “It is funny because kids will use my full name,” Clarkson explained. “They’ll be like, ‘hi, Kelly Clarkson.’ They’ll say my full name every time, like it’s a game show.”