Latest news with #Takedown
UPI
a day ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
'KPop Demon Hunters' cast says animation makes them 'way cooler'
1 of 5 | Huntrix are secretly demon hunters in "KPop Demon Hunters," on Netflix Friday. Photo courtesy of Netflix LOS ANGELES, June 20 (UPI) -- The cast of KPop Demon Hunters, premiering Friday on Netflix, say the animated film added impressive attributes to their characters. Arden Cho, May Hong and Ji-young Yoo voice a trio of K-pop stars who battle demons with their music. Cho, Hong and Yoo provide the speaking voices for Rumi, Mira and Zoey. In a recent Zoom interview with UPI, the actors marveled at recording artists EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI performing the film's songs combined with the animators creating their dance and battle scenes. "It's such a pleasure to see the musical element of it and just what we built together come together," Hong said. "Then you're like whoa, I'm even cooler than I thought." Cho agreed she felt "way cooler." "I feel like that's the magic of animation," she added. "There's just so many talented artists working together to create something and you're just mind blown when it comes out." Director Chris Appelhans said he and co-director Maggie Kang discovered animated choreography had to be "a little dialed up beyond real life" to make an impact in animation. "It really took a lot of analysis to be like, let's make this snappy move even snappier, this straight line perfectly straight, this S curve really pushed," Appelhans said. "That took us down a route to really having to understand the girls as performers, what their strengths were, how they moved differently." The three women make up the girl group Huntrix. Their latest enemies disguise themselves as a boy band to challenge Huntrix on the music charts. Huntrix even writes a diss track called "Takedown," which seems out of character for them. Cho said the lyrics betray how tough Huntrix thinks they are. "I feel like it's so cute," Cho said. "We can want to take them down. How dare those boys be so cute and try to steal the souls of our fans? How dare they? So we'll take 'em down." With a demon boy band creating tension, it becomes harder and harder for Rumi to hide a secret she's been keeping her whole life: she is actually half demon. To Cho, this is a good metaphor for anything young people may think they have to hide. "I feel like we, in different chapters of our life, all experience something that we might be ashamed of or embarrassed about or confused about," Cho said. "I love that this movie is really about her being true to herself and not being scared of who she is and accepting all of Rumi." Mira is the most aggressive of the trio. Hong feels, however, that Mira channels her anger in constructive ways. "I think she needs it, actually," Hong said. "I think that the energy that she has and brings to the table is fierce, not just purely angry." Zoey often tries to hold Huntrix together as a people pleaser. "Was it obvious?" Yoo joked. "Yes, she is but we love her. She'll get over it eventually, hopefully." Each role was recorded separately, with directors Appelhans and Kang playing the other two demon hunters in the studio. Cho, Hong and Yoo knew each other prior to the film through the industry, and now have a group chat together. They also confirmed their K-pop fandom, with Yoo asserting she has been in the BTS Army since 2015. Huntrix sings English-language songs, but Kang was proud to incorporate a few Korean words in the lyrics. "Ultimately, our songs had to carry so much story that a lot of the lyrics were too important to not be understood," Kang said. "We didn't want to go the route of subtitling things for the songs. So a lot of it is in English but we did manage to sneak some Korean in there." Reflecting on Huntrix's songs in the film, Yoo acknowledged that they have more success with the more positive song "What It Sounds Like" following "Takedown." "Choosing kindness will always take you farther than choosing to make someone feel smaller for no reason," Yoo said. "So I think that's a great message, especially for young people to learn how to handle conflict."
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Convoy of Gas Guzzling Trucks Imposes Blockade on Tesla Dealership
What happens when you combine an electric vehicle oligarch with coal rolling trucks, the Proud Boys, and a nation that confuses commerce with patriotism? A mind-boggling car dealership blockade, for starters. With Tesla Takedown protests entering their third consecutive month, a picket line near the Rocklin, California Tesla dealership isn't exactly an uncommon sight. The Northern California Tesla store had been picketed a handful of times before, mostly by peaceful protestors expressing their anger with the Trump administration and its DOGE appointee, Elon Musk. But this week's protest came with a kicker: a line of lifted — and decidedly gas-powered — trucks blocking the lane leading to the dealership. A video uploaded to X-formerly-Twitter by user "American AF" shows a convoy of over 20 non-electric trucks and SUVs — many sporting MAGA and American flags — lined up to block the showroom. Some counter-protestors erected awnings and chairs along the road, waving flags and munching on snacks. Even the Proud Boys, an occasionally violent neo-fascist group, were in attendance, according to Electrek. "MAGA patriots DEFEND a Tesla dealership from liberal terrorlsts [sic]," the semi-viral post reads. If their goal was to support Tesla — and by extension Musk — it's unclear how blockading the EV store with gas-guzzling pickup trucks accomplishes that. Tesla's sales are in the ditch these days, a detail apparently lost on the guys blocking customers from entering the dealership. "What an inviting retail experience," quipped one user, continuing that "it's telling that none of the trumps [sic] drive a tesla." Regardless, the patriots remained in their lane, maintaining control. "How all the little libs stay away when the big boys come out to play!" cheered user "@justusecomsense." "Tulsa Rocks!" saluted another. The Takedown protest, meanwhile, looked relatively calm, with picketers holding signs on the opposite side of the road, undeterred by the drama. As a whole, the Tesla Takedown protests have been overwhelmingly tame, often heavily attended by older liberals. The movement's campaign page on the platform Action Network goes out of its way to call itself a "peaceful protest movement," which opposes "violence, vandalism, and destruction of property." Though vandalism and arson have erupted around the world in retaliation to Elon Musk's role in the US government, organizers of Tesla Takedown have gone out of their way to distance themselves from the destruction. That might not stop Musk, Tesla, and the government from placing Takedown protestors under surveillance, however, as the FBI's Tesla Task Force busts down doors across the nation to crack down on property damage. Here's a thought: if the flag-wavers are so worried about Tesla that they'd take time off of work to defend a parking lot, maybe they could put a little skin in the game and trade their 4x4s for one of Musk's EVs. After all, it's the patriotic thing to do. More on Tesla: Tesla's Head of Software Departs as Robotaxi Reveal Looms
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Convoy of Gas Guzzling Trucks Imposes Blockade on Tesla Dealership
What happens when you combine an electric vehicle oligarch with coal rolling trucks, the Proud Boys, and a nation that confuses commerce with patriotism? A mind-boggling car dealership blockade, for starters. With Tesla Takedown protests entering their third consecutive month, a picket line near the Rocklin, California Tesla dealership isn't exactly an uncommon sight. The Northern California Tesla store had been picketed a handful of times before, mostly by peaceful protestors expressing their anger with the Trump administration and its DOGE appointee, Elon Musk. But this week's protest came with a kicker: a line of lifted — and decidedly gas-powered — trucks blocking the lane leading to the dealership. A video uploaded to X-formerly-Twitter by user "American AF" shows a convoy of over 20 non-electric trucks and SUVs — many sporting MAGA and American flags — lined up to block the showroom. Some counter-protestors erected awnings and chairs along the road, waving flags and munching on snacks. Even the Proud Boys, an occasionally violent neo-fascist group, were in attendance, according to Electrek. "MAGA patriots DEFEND a Tesla dealership from liberal terrorlsts [sic]," the semi-viral post reads. If their goal was to support Tesla — and by extension Musk — it's unclear how blockading the EV store with gas-guzzling pickup trucks accomplishes that. Tesla's sales are in the ditch these days, a detail apparently lost on the guys blocking customers from entering the dealership. "What an inviting retail experience," quipped one user, continuing that "it's telling that none of the trumps [sic] drive a tesla." Regardless, the patriots remained in their lane, maintaining control. "How all the little libs stay away when the big boys come out to play!" cheered user "@justusecomsense." "Tulsa Rocks!" saluted another. The Takedown protest, meanwhile, looked relatively calm, with picketers holding signs on the opposite side of the road, undeterred by the drama. As a whole, the Tesla Takedown protests have been overwhelmingly tame, often heavily attended by older liberals. The movement's campaign page on the platform Action Network goes out of its way to call itself a "peaceful protest movement," which opposes "violence, vandalism, and destruction of property." Though vandalism and arson have erupted around the world in retaliation to Elon Musk's role in the US government, organizers of Tesla Takedown have gone out of their way to distance themselves from the destruction. That might not stop Musk, Tesla, and the government from placing Takedown protestors under surveillance, however, as the FBI's Tesla Task Force busts down doors across the nation to crack down on property damage. Here's a thought: if the flag-wavers are so worried about Tesla that they'd take time off of work to defend a parking lot, maybe they could put a little skin in the game and trade their 4x4s for one of Musk's EVs. After all, it's the patriotic thing to do. More on Tesla: Tesla's Head of Software Departs as Robotaxi Reveal Looms
Forbes
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
'The Tesla Takedown': Tesla Q1 Deliveries Down 13%, As Protests Signal Growing Discontent
Tesla has just released its Q1 2025 production and delivery numbers. The electric vehicle (EV) automaker confirmed delivery of 336,681 EVs during the first three months of the year—far below expectations, and approximately 50,000 less than their Q1 deliveries of 386,810 EVs. While some of this was expected, it wasn't helped by recent unrest over the brand and the CEO. This past weekend, the streets of San Francisco and other cities across the nation (it's estimated that it topped 200) were alive with chants and banners, as protesters gathered for the 'Tesla Takedown,' a national day of action targeting Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his role in the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). What began as localized demonstrations outside Tesla showrooms has now evolved into a broader movement, uniting activists from diverse backgrounds in opposition to Musk's policies and his influence on the administration's sweeping cuts to government agencies, including the Veterans Administration (VA). These cuts have sparked outrage among veterans and their advocates, many of whom joined the protests to voice their concerns. The movement's organizers have made it clear that their goal is to hit Musk where it hurts most—his pocketbook. The Tesla Takedown movement is emblematic of a growing trend in activism: targeting corporations and their leaders as a means of influencing political decisions. By urging consumers to boycott Tesla, organizers hope to pressure Musk to reconsider his policies and their impact on vulnerable populations. The protests also highlight how consumer behavior can be leveraged to drive change. While Tesla has yet to release a statement addressing the protests, the company's decision to increase security at its dealerships and remove cars from showrooms suggests that it is taking the movement seriously. The 'Takedown' also seems to be affecting Tesla's stock price. Company shares (NAS:TSLA) are approximately 45% off their record high of 488.54, reached on December 18, with more than $500 billion being wiped off the company's value. The stock rebounded 3.6% on April 1 but is still stuck below the 200-day line. Despite the charged emotions fueling the Tesla Takedown, the peaceful nature of the protests underscores the movement's focus on constructive action rather than confrontation. With this strategy, the movement has managed to amplify its message without alienating potential allies or escalating tensions. This approach reflects a broader trend in modern activism, where peaceful demonstrations are increasingly seen as a more effective means of achieving long-term goals. Beyond the Takedown, other protests to date have not been so peaceful. Consumer and activist vandalism, such as spray-painting Tesla vehicles and using incendiary devices to set fire to showrooms and cars, has been happening since the inauguration on January 20, 2025. Those activists have vowed to continue their demonstrations, signaling that this movement has staying power. For Musk and Tesla, the challenge will be navigating the pressures of these critics seeking to tarnish Tesla's reputation. According to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll, over two-thirds of Americans now say they wouldn't consider buying or leasing a Tesla. That is a much different tune for the once beloved EV automaker. For the corporate world, the Tesla Takedown serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of intertwining business leadership with political agendas. The protests highlight the growing expectation that corporate leaders must be accountable not only to shareholders but also to the broader public, whose lives are impacted by their decisions. It also highlights that actively engaging in government in a polarized society makes you a lightning rod for criticism—on both the business side and the political side—serving as a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of business, politics, and social responsibility. In an era of heightened activism and consumer awareness, the line between corporate actions and public accountability is increasingly becoming blurred. And for companies of all sizes and the leaders who are tasked to drive growth, the message is clear: values matter. The public isn't just watching—they're participating with their voices, their wallets and their influence.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla Takedown peaceful protest takes place in Glasgow in global day of action
A TESLA Takedown protest took place in Glasgow today as part of a global day of action. Activists gathered outside Glasgow's Tesla Centre on Kennedy Street today (March 29) as part of a peaceful demonstration against Tesla CEO Elon Musk. They held signs with statements such as "honk if you hate Elon" and "Tesla funds fascism". READ NEXT: Number of rapes and domestic abuse crimes in Glasgow sees 'shocking' rise (Image: Robert Perry) (Image: Robert Perry) The protest is the latest in a series of demonstrations that began shortly after Donald Trump was inaugurated. The goal of the demonstrations is to send a message to the Trump administration that they are against what Musk is doing with the US federal government, including laying off thousands of workers and cutting department budgets in his role as a senior advisor to the President. The Tesla Takedown encourages Tesla owners to sell their cars and dump any stock they own in an effort to tank the company's stock price. READ NEXT: 'We don't want another Sauchiehall Street': Disappointment over George Square delay (Image: Robert Perry) (Image: Robert Perry) They say "stopping Musk will help save lives and protect our democracy". The movement opposes violence, vandalism and destruction of property. Similar protests are expected to take place at more than 200 Tesla locations worldwide today, including other cities in the UK such as Edinburgh and London.
