Why Shaun White, Chloe Kim and Omarosa Manigault-Newman Are TV’s Social Media MVPs of the Week
Two Olympic snowboarders and a celebrity houseguest had viewers talking passionately on social media this week
Fabric Media | February 14, 2018 @ 3:40 PM
Last Updated: February 14, 2018 @ 3:43 PM
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Check out the week’s most emotionally reacted-to TV personalities and characters.
Two Olympic snowboarders and a celebrity houseguest had viewers talking passionately on social media over the past seven days.
The Wrap has partnered with Canvs, the emotion measurement company, for a weekly look at some of the characters and personalities that have TV viewers the most worked up on social media. The data below covers Feb. 7-13 and is drawn from the most emotionally reacted-to television programs, including broadcast, cable, streaming and PPV.
When it comes to viewer emotion over the last week, there’s no doubt that the 2018 Winter Olympics (broadcast on NBC and its sister networks) take the gold. In fact, Olympics programming has inspired 1.8 million Emotional Reactions (ERs) during the period measured, with Shaun White being the most-mentioned Olympian so far. The American snowboarder landed a spectacular run during the men’s halfpipe, securing the third gold medal of his career. Viewers went wild, showering him with congratulations and messages of adoration. It’s worth noting that there have also been headlines about previous sexual harassment allegations made against by White, but the majority of the emotional conversation around him so far has centered on his Olympic performance.
Just behind Shaun White in Olympics conversation was Chloe Kim, another American snowboarder who also earned gold in Pyeongchang. The 17-year-old dominated the women’s halfpipe, setting a high score on her first run that the other competitors just couldn’t beat. Viewers tapped out messages of excitement and awe while watching her compete.
Outside of sports, the premiere of the new CBS spinoff series “Celebrity Big Brother” (13,484 ERs) had people talking about housemate and former White House aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman. Conversation around her was mixed, with some people complaining about how she is annoying and should be evicted ASAP, while others mused about what she may know about President Trump and the inner workings of the administration. And, of course, there were some fans who rejoiced when she was declared safe for another week.
8 Best Movies Set at the Winter Olympics, From 'Cool Runnings' to 'I, Tonya' (Photos)
The Summer Olympics are just a test of who can run fastest, jump highest or score the most goals. There's real danger in the Winter Games! Try skiing down a steep mountain at high speeds, taking a sled through an icy slide, jumping as far as you can and not breaking your legs on a massive ski jump. The best movies set at the Winter Olympics are about the underdogs who risked their lives and surprised the world...and Will Ferrell sliding crotch-first across the ice.
"Downhill Racer" (1969)
"Downhill Racer" came out when Robert Redford was at the peak of his fame and when Gene Hackman was just at the beginning of a run of sensational performances, so you know Michael Ritchie's film has to be good. The tense drama features some spectacular early skiing footage at high speeds.
Paramount Pictures
"The Cutting Edge" (1992)
It's the age-old love-hate story on ice. "The Cutting Edge" is a rom-com about a figure skater with a tough demeanor (Moira Kelly) and a brash, surly hockey player (D.B. Sweeney) who find their way to the Olympics by begrudgingly pairing up. It has a lot of love among thirtysomething women who have watched this movie way too many times on cable and still find themselves quoting the "toe pick" scene.
MGM
"Cool Runnings" (1993)
"Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme, get on up, it's bobsled time!" These Disney sports movies can certainly create a soft spot for a lot of people, not to mention a lot of '90s kids like myself who saw this way too many times as a kid. The characters and the touching ending where the racers carry their sled over the finish line are both fictional depictions of the real-life Jamaican bobsled team. But John Candy's salty humor helps make this still an inspiring underdog story that can rank among the best sports movies.
Disney
"Miracle" (2004)
"Do you believe in miracles?" Al Michaels' line has lived on in broadcasting legend, and it's a great basis for the patriotic story of how the 1980 U.S. hockey team, at the height of the Cold War, did the impossible by beating the formidable Soviet Russian squad. Kurt Russell gives a barking-mad performance as coach Herb Brooks in Gavin O'Connor's film.
Disney
"Blades of Glory" (2007)
I'd put "Blades of Glory" at No. 2 among the four Will Ferrell Plays Sports movies of the 2000s, right behind the glorious dumbness of "Talladega Nights." Ferrell stars as Chazz Michael Michaels opposite Jon Heder, i.e. that guy from "Napoleon Dynamite," as two rival male figure skaters who get banned from the sport but mount their comeback by forming the first male-male skating pair. The humor about being weirded out over these dudes grabbing each other's crotches wouldn't play well today, but there's a lot of outrageous costumes, Ferrell showing off his bod and Will Arnett clutching a giant fur rug.
DreamWorks
"Red Army" (2014)
Before "Icarus" exposed the Russian doping scandal, Gabe Polsky's documentary "Red Army" does a compelling job of examining the success of the Russian Olympic hockey team, how the Russians elevated the sport to something of an art form and made it an intrinsic part of Soviet life. The former players interviewed have a surprising mix of pride for their country's achievements while also acknowledging the incredibly harsh training and living conditions. It's a great documentary even if you're not a hockey fan, or if you're impartial to hearing about the team that lost to the American Miracle team.
Sony Pictures Classics
"Eddie the Eagle" (2016)
John Oliver recently joked that British people love to celebrate other Brits who fail miserably -- such as Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards (Taron Egerton). "A British guy just went, 'How hard could ski jumping be, and he f---ing learnt," Oliver said. "British people were so proud of him for just trying and doing something objectively stupid." Dexter Fletcher's film is yet another charming underdog story, with Hugh Jackman as Eddie's cynical coach.
Twentieth Century Fox
"I, Tonya" (2017)
Margot Robbie is incredible as disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding, channeling something out of "Raging Bull" as she cakes on makeup in front of a mirror before a pivotal Olympic performance. She shows her fire and vulnerability in Craig Gillespie's film that uses Scorsese-isms to tell the real story behind Harding's tabloid rivalry with Nancy Kerrigan while keeping tongue firmly in cheek.
Neon
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“Eddie the Eagle,” “Miracle” and more all tell the story of Olympic underdogs
The Summer Olympics are just a test of who can run fastest, jump highest or score the most goals. There's real danger in the Winter Games! Try skiing down a steep mountain at high speeds, taking a sled through an icy slide, jumping as far as you can and not breaking your legs on a massive ski jump. The best movies set at the Winter Olympics are about the underdogs who risked their lives and surprised the world...and Will Ferrell sliding crotch-first across the ice.