• LG's Crystal Sound OLED TVs don't have any traditional speakers.
• Instead, they produce sound by vibrating their display panels.
• They offer precisely directed sound, but the bass they produce is thin.
  

LAS VEGAS – Your next TV may be missing a long-standard feature — a traditional speaker.

In a private space at the CES trade show here, LG showed off a new television that can produce sound without speakers. As the new television — LG's Crystal Sound OLED TV — demonstrated, generating sound without speakers allows for ultrathin sets that deliver higher-quality, better directed sound than typical TVs.

Instead of producing sound with traditional speakers, the Crystal Sound TVs use their screens. The TVs have so-called exciters that are located behind their OLED panels that produce sound by vibrating the displays.

The technology has some big advantages.

The speakers on typical TVs are pointed down, meaning they send sounds toward the floor. Some sets do have speakers that face their audience, but they're usually located in chunky speaker enclosures at the bottom of their screens. 

By using their screens as speakers, Crystal Sound TVs can project their sound out to viewers without requiring an ugly speaker box.

What's more, the quality of the audio the new LG sets produce is noticeably better than that of traditional sets. As their name suggests, the sounds they generate are "crystal" clear, sharp, and bright. 

The Crystal Sound TVs also were able to create a surprising effect that I experienced when I saw them here. The sounds they produced seemed to come precisely from the objects on the screen associated with them. Bear with me here — the sounds were obviously coming from the TV, but I've never heard a TV that could direct sound so precisely.

For example, when the TV below showed that image of water dropping, the drop itself seemed to create the sound, rather than it coming from the general direction of the TV.  

Even though the TVs use the the vibration of their screens to produce sound, those vibrations were invisible. I didn't notice any image distortions at all.

Overall, the concept worked well, but it did have a big drawback — the bass the Crystal Sound TV produced is pretty thin. Without powerful bass sounds, the TV would likely offer a poor cinematic experience.

The thin bass is due to the limitations of the technology used in the sets. Their screens would have to vibrate much more powerfully to create bass frequencies, and those vibrations would likely distort the images they produce.

LG could potentially address the problem by including an external bass speaker with the TVs. That could bring them out of the concept stage and into commercial production.

SEE ALSO: Samsung's new 146-inch TV called 'The Wall' can change sizes

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Before we say anything, behold LG's 65-inch 4K OLED rollable TV emerge from this unassuming rectangular white box:

Hidden TVs that emerge from an enclosure aren't actually new. But a TV that rolls out like a poster from a relatively small rectangular box is new, and it's only possible with a flexible OLED display. 

There are two main benefits that LG's rollable TV concept brings to the table. 

First, no matter how much TVs are the center of the modern living room, some find them be eyesores against their living room's decor. Those who don't like the look of their TV when it's off will find value in LG's rollable TV that can roll itself into its rectangular home until it's needed again.

Of course, the giant, rectangular case might not be to everyone's taste, especially those who favor a classical or antique aesthetic.

Secondly, you can adjust the height of the TV for certain types of content – mostly movies – that aren't filmed in the typical 16:9 aspect ratio of most TVs. For example, you've surely come across something called "letterboxing." It's when a movie is sandwiched between two black bars above and below the picture. It happens because many movies aren't filmed in the typical 16:9 TV aspect ratio. 

LG's rollable TV can roll itself down to the native aspect ratio of the movie you're watching, thus eliminating those letterboxing black bars. It's true that letterboxing isn't a pressing problem to solve, but if it can be solved, then why not? Here it is after rolling down to eliminate letterboxing:

What's impressive, too, is that the rollable OLED panel looks just as good as a regular stiff OLED panel. You'd think that the rolling feature would come with some sort of compromise in picture quality, but that's apparently not the case.

LG invested in OLED technology decades before any other company. Now, with this giant, rollable TV, LG is showing the payoff of all that investment.

SEE ALSO: Samsung's new 146-inch TV called 'The Wall' can change sizes

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• Late-night hosts like Jimmy Kimmel, Trevor Noah, and Stephen Colbert were quick to deride President Trump's reported "shithole countries" comments on Thursday.
• Trump, in a Thursday meeting on immigration, reportedly referred to El Salvador, Haiti, and a handful of African nations as "shithole countries." 

The Washington Post reported Thursday that President Trump, in a meeting with bipartisan lawmakers on immigration, referred to El Salvador, Haiti, and a handful of African nations as "shithole countries," while questioning why the United States couldn't receive more immigrants from countries like Norway.

Late-night hosts were quick to deride Trump's comments on their respective programs Thursday night. 

"Daily Show" host Trevor Noah had one of the more incisive takes.

"I don't know how to break this to you, but I think the president might be racist," Noah said. "Hear me out, I know I sound crazy."

Noah, who is from South Africa, continued, "Personally, as someone from South Shithole, I'm offended, Mr. President. Because not only does he think brown countries are shitholes, he thinks, what, we're never going to know what he said? I mean, don’t get me wrong, it might take a few weeks, but once the news donkey reaches our village, we'll be so mad."

Jimmy Kimmel spent the majority of his monologue Thursday night dissecting Trump's comments.

"Listen, I'm sure the fact that the counties he described as 'shitholes' are mostly populated by people of color and the immigrants he wants from Norway are not is a coincidence," Kimmel said. "Because if it wasn't, it would mean we voted for a racist, like a real one. And we'd have to get pitchforks and chase him out of the White House."

"The only silver lining, and this is a small silver lining, is that we got to hear Wolf Blitzer say this all day," Kimmel joked, as a reel played of CNN host Wolf Blitzer repeatedly saying "s-hole," with the obscene word replaced by just the letter s. "What an s-hole," Kimmel continued. 

Stephen Colbert's "Late Show" monologue also took on Trump's latest controversy. 

"Sir, they're not shithole countries." Colbert said. "For one, Donald Trump isn't their president."

Colbert then imitated Trump while discussing the president's reportedly expressed desire to have more Norwegian immigrants:

"You know what I'm saying, Norwegian people?" he said, in a mock-Trump voice. "You catch my drift? People with blonde hair, who need a lot of sunscreen. You get what I'm saying? I'm saying that I'm a racist." 

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• Netflix's drama "Mindhunter"  is based on real events from the FBI's serial crime unit. 
• For its second season, "Mindhunter" might focus on the Atlanta child murders. 
• A new podcast series, "Atlanta Monster," is also exploring these murders. 
• The podcast team has interviewed FBI agents and police department officials familiar with the case. 

Netflix's hit crime drama "Mindhunter" is based on the real events of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit study of serial killers in the late 1970s. The first season introduced several real serial killers as part of the storylineand now the show is looking ahead to the Atlanta child murders.

"Mindhunter" creator David Fincher told Billboard last year that season two will likely focus on the Atlanta child murders — a string of killings carried out in Georgia from 1979 to 1981.

A new podcast, "Atlanta Monster," happens to also be exploring the Atlanta Child Murders this year. When INSIDER spoke with co-creator and host Payne Lindsey about the podcast series (produced by TenderfootTV and HowStuffWorks), we asked if he had heard about the coming "Mindhunter" storyline.

"Yeah, we've heard that, which we think is pretty cool and very exciting," Lindsey said. "It's interesting that all these different stories about this case are kind of coming around in the same year. It's kind of ironic."

Netflix's "Mindhunter" series is a fictionalized version of the nonfiction book written by former FBI agent John E. Douglas called "Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit." The book was co-authored by Mark Olshaker.

The Atlanta child murders are mentioned in the "Mindhunter" book when Douglas recalls his involvement with the case. A man named Wayne Williams was arrested and convicted for the murder of two adult men, and was subsequently blamed for the deaths and disappearances of over 22 young children. But Douglas seems to disagree with the police department's assessment.

Here's a quote from Douglas' "Mindhunter" book where he casts doubt on the assertion made by police:

"Despite what his supporters maintain, I believe the forensic and behavioral evidence points conclusively to Wayne Williams as the killer of eleven young men in Atlanta.

Despite what his detractors and accusers maintain, I believe there is no strong evidence linking him to all or even most of the deaths and disappearances of children in that city between 1979 and 1981."

Lindsey says the "Atlanta Monster" podcast team has spoken with FBI agents during the course of their own investigation into the Atlanta child murders.

"We've already interviewed countless members of the FBI and the local Atlanta police," Lindsey said. "We're really just aiming to tell the true version of this story. 'Mindhunter' is ... obviously a scripted adaptation of a real story, but ours would be the real voices of everybody here."

"We're reaching out to everybody, and we want everyone to be involved," Lindsey said. "We want the story to be told really by the people who were there and remember it [...] There's been tons of stories on this case, but none that goes in deep enough to make you feel like all your questions are answered, and that's what we're trying to do. We can only do that with the people who know the answers."

You can learn more about "Atlanta Monster" here, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes here. 

SEE ALSO: Critics cannot stop gushing about 'Paddington 2,' the best-reviewed movie of 2018 with an 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

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• Critics are lukewarm on the first episode of David Letterman's new Netflix talk show, which features Barack Obama. 
• The show currently sits at an early rating of 60% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Critics are responding to the premiere episode of David Letterman's new monthly Netflix talk show with generally lukewarm reviews. 

"My Next Guest With Needs No Introduction with David Letterman" currently sits at an early rating of 60% on the reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, after its debut, Barack Obama-featuring episode premiered Friday on the streaming service.

Around 40 minutes of the 56-minute-long episode are dedicated to an intimate and meandering conversation with the former president in a stripped-down, studio audience setting.

The Boston Globe's Matthew Gilbert described Letterman's talk with Obama as "a frustrating exercise in talking a lot but, ultimately, saying very little." Other critics had praise for the more personal anecdotes Obama shared, including a bit about helping his daughter move into Harvard. 

The remainder of the show consists of a solemn field segment with Letterman and Congressman John Lewis in Selma, Alabama. The two walk and converse on the bridge where Lewis endured a police beating in 1965, during a legendary Civil Rights march. 

In contrast to Letterman's previous 22 years of hosting comedy-centric, late-night shows (NBC's "Late Night" and CBS's "The Late Show"), the first episode of his Netflix series features a more thoughtful and laid-back approach to the talk-show genre.

Netflix made a previous run at a talk-show series with Chelsea Handler's "Chelsea," which it canceled in October after two seasons that failed to move the needle in a crowded landscape. In contrast to Letterman's monthly series, "Chelsea" initially aired three times a week before scaling back to weekly episodes in its second season.

While USA Today's Kelly Lawler called Letterman's premiere "a bit lackluster" and "halfhearted," others saw potential in the show's structure. Vulture's Matt Zoller Seitz wrote, "The looser and more structurally inventive things get here, the more fascinating the results could be."

The remaining guests on the show's first season include Jay-Z, Malala Yousafzai, Tina Fey, George Clooney, and Howard Stern. 

SEE ALSO: 19 Netflix original shows that both critics and audiences agree are amazing

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• "Stranger Things" actor David Harbour (Jim Hopper) is very active on Twitter.
• One fan asked him how many retweets it would take to get him to come and shoot her senior yearbook photos with her.
• Harbour said 25,000 — and fans hit over 50,000 in less than one day.
• Now, three months later, Harbour shared the senior photos on Instagram.
• "Voted most likely to hijack someone’s high school senior photos 24 years later," he wrote.
•  Keep scrolling to see the instantly iconic school pictures.

Just days after the premiere of "Stranger Things 2" on Netflix, actor David Harbour — who plays police Chief Jim Hopper — promised a fan he'd take senior yearbook photos with her. But only if she could garner 25,000 retweets.

Now, three months after high school senior Damaris had no trouble getting over 50,000 retweets, Harbour has followed up on his pledge.

"Voted most likely to hijack someone’s high school senior photos 24 years later," Harbour wrote in his caption on Instagram. "Many thanks to [Damaris] and her kind family and [Tommy Photography] for making a dream come true and proving my high school classmates right!!"

When INSIDER spoke with Harbour in October 2016, we asked about the Twitter storm surrounding his promise to Damaris.

"Seriously, someone should be in charge of my life," Harbour told INSIDER when asked about the Twitter promise. "I'm such an idiot."

"The idea of me in a small size sweatshirt of some high school, holding a trombone with this poor girl trying to take her high school photos seriously, I just thought that was so funny," Harbour said.

Harbour truly stuck to his word, and wore a large sweatshirt from Orestimba High School in Newman, California. He's also posing with a trombone in most of the photos (though we spy one picture featuring Harbour and pom-poms instead). 

As for Harbour, he's not easing off the social media any time soon. The platform gives him a cherished connection to his fans around the world.

"I have this weird relationship with Twitter where I'm sporadically on it," Harbour said. "So when the show drops, I find that the social media love for the show is so profound that I really do enjoy hearing what people have to say about it and engaging with them."

For more insights from Harbour, including his thoughts on the "Hopper Dancing" meme, read our additional interview segments here.

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• While appearing on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," Demi Lovato addressed haters who criticize her swimsuit posts. 
• This follows Lovato's recent swimsuit photo that she posted on Instagram, where she admitted that she's learning to overcome body insecurities.
• "I've been working on myself for the past year more so than I've ever worked on myself," Lovato said on the show. "I've really surrendered to the process of just loving yourself and I feel like it shows through my pictures."
• "I've taken away the power from the negative comments and the haters by not listening to them," she added.
• Watch the video below. 

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• Monday's "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" captured the moments just after Khloe Kardashian discovered she was pregnant with boyfriend Tristan Thompson's baby.
• Khloe is still reeling from the news when the E! reality show's cameras taped her holding up the positive pregnancy test to her assistant Alexa.
• "I'm pregnant!" Khloe, 33, said in a confessional interview. "I'm super nervous but really excited. There's a million different emotions that are going on in my brain, but I think I'm in a state of shock. I almost can't believe it, but good shock."
• The couple would later make the announcement at a barbecue to their family and friends.
• Us Weekly first broke the pregnancy news in September. That left fans and the media to speculate on the news for two months before Khloe confirmed her pregnancy with a heartfelt Instagram post in December.
• Watch Khloe react to finding out she's pregnant below.

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The coolest gadgets we saw at CES 2018.

1. This is LG's giant 65-inch 4K OLED TV. This rollable TV concept can emerge when you want it to. It goes back into its home box when not in use. You can adjust the height of the TV for certain types of content.

2. This is an $8,000 robotic umbrella. The Sunflower Shadecraft moves with the sun. It has a built-in entertainment system. It comes equipped with its own security camera.

3. Razer's "Project Linda" concept turns your smartphone into a laptop. It has a laptop-shaped dock for Razer's phone. This becomes the touchpad you'd normally have on a laptop. It will automatically display what is on your phone to the laptop screen.

4. Meet Samsung's new modular TV. They call it "The Wall." It can change sizes to best fit your environment. The one displayed at CES was a giant 146 inches.

5. Vivo tested the limits of a smartphone. They put a fingerprint sensor underneath the screen. This allows for more screen on the front of the phone.

6. Google's Lenovo Mirage Solo is a smartphone in VR headset form. It's their first standalone VR headset with high-tech hardware. It doesn't require a smartphone, PC, or video game console to render VR graphics.

7. This is Toyota's self-driving e-Palette concept vehicle. It will serve as a multi-purpose delivery vehicle, mobile office, or storefront. With Toyota's recent partnership with Pizza Hut, the vehicle could be used to deliver pizzas.

8. LG revealed their ThinQ AI TV. It's stunningly thin, OLED, and has 4K resolution. It can be controlled by Google Assistant.

What will be in store for 2019?

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"Black Lightning" enters a crowded superhero TV field, but it jumps in strong and proves that it belongs. 

The newest DC Comics addition to The CW stars Cress Williams as the titular character who has the ability to harness and control electricity. 

The cast includes China Anne McClain and Nafessa Williams as his daughters, Christine Adams as his ex-wife, James Remar as his friend and confidant, Damon Gupton as a veteran detective, and Marvin "Krondon" Jones III as the villainous leader of the 100 Gang.

Why you should care

"Black Lightning" has all of the elements that make it an exciting superhero show. There's someone with enhanced abilities; there's a threat to a community and the people our superhero loves; and there's wild fight scenes. But beyond the fantasy lore, there's a powerful story about family and advocacy. The show is about the battle for justice and equality and the strength of people to fight back against injustice and violence. 

What's hot

First and foremost, the cast is filled with a stunning level of talent. Cress brings Jefferson Pierce, aka Black Lightning, to life with an incredible strength and drive. He's a family man who wants to better his community. But when his crime-fighting ruins his marriage, he steps away from it. But the responsibility and duty he feels to channel and use his abilities, despite the issues it causes with his family, causes an internal struggle for the hero. Williams has a knack for making viewers feel that struggle. 

Nafessa and McClain embody the young adult experience as Jefferson's daughters Anissa and Jennifer, respectively. Anissa has a job, is in a relationship, is an activist, and is showing signs of superhuman abilities. Jennifer is also an activist. But as a young high schooler, she isn't immune to making teen mistakes. 

From Adams' portrayal as the caring mother to Remar's tough-love treatment of Black Lightning, the rest of the cast fits in seamlessly. 

Secondly, it's an incredibly smart show. Race is central to the story of "Black Lightning." It's about the formation of the community, the relationship between citizens and law enforcement, and the relationship between citizens and the violent gang threatening them. The cast is mostly black and the story is developed by and written with black characters in mind. In a culture and entertainment industry filled with white-washing, it's an important shift that indicates The CW is aware of its diverse audience and of the richness and significance of telling stories about people of color as the main focus. It's a powerful image to see on-screen.  

What's not

Honestly, the weakest part of the show is the superhero aspect. On the first two episodes, it's hard to see exactly how much of a threat the 100 Gang is when faced against a hero with the ability to shoot electricity out of his fingers. But the show is setting up a larger threat with Jones as Tobias Whale, a former politician-turned-100 gang leader.  

The bottom line

"Black Lightning" is the perfect addition to the superhero universe. It doesn't take itself too seriously with the superhero aspect, but it does tackle serious issues. The show is electric and magnifying and a must-see. 

Grade: A

"Black Lightning" premieres Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST on The CW.

Watch the trailer:

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Warning: Minor spoilers ahead for "The End of the Fxxxing World."

The opening premise of Netflix's "The End of the Fxxxing World" is deceptively simple: Two outcast teens, James and Alyssa, decide to run away together.

But little does Alyssa know that James (who has killed small animals and has been plotting to go after larger prey) is planning on murdering her.

"I'm James. I'm 17. And I'm pretty sure I'm a psychopath," he says in the opening scene the series.

And so, as Alyssa and James embark on a foolhardy runaway scheme, many things start to go wrong.

Why You Should Care

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings called it the "most engaging, addictive, original, wild show in a long time." Critics are almost unanimously applauding "End of the Fxxxing World." The series has a Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes (where 97% of critics are praising the show) and it's the most popular TV show currently on the review site.

"End of the Fxxxing" world is also a breakout series for writer Charlie Covell, an actress who has appeared on and written for British television but establishes herself as a true talent with this series.

And if you don't already recognize the show's stars, Jessica Barden and Alex Lawther, you're going to want to commit their names to memory.

Barden has made notable appearances in indie movies including 2015's "The Lobster" and the Showtime series "Penny Dreadful." Lawther was a standout in 2014's Oscar-winning movie "The Imitation Game," where he played young Alan Turing in several key heartbreaking scenes.

At only 25 and 22 years old, respectively, Barden and Lawther are young stars with promising careers ahead of them. 

What's Hot

Though on paper the plot of "The End of the Fxxxing World" sounds like a bizarre tale of attempted murder, the story winds up being a sweet romance threaded with deep revelations about how people learn to be vulnerable in relationships.

Barden and Lawther give masterful performances that build throughout the season's short eight episodes. Though neither Alyssa nor James begin as particularly sympathetic characters, they slowly evolve into recognizable archetypes of lonely teenagers trying to find a safe place in the world. 

"The End of the Fxxxing World" has a distinctive style, likely influenced by the original graphic novel by Charles Forsman upon which the show was based. 

The show's music is also spectacularly curated with classic love songs. This gives viewers the impression of a timeless Bonnie and Clyde love story while the visuals bring the plot into the 21st century. 

"Game of Thrones" actress Gemma Whelan is best known as Yara Greyjoy, but her supporting role on "The End of the Fxxxing World" as a detective trailing behind Alyssa and James is another standout performance. 

What's Not

The opening episode might be jarring to some viewers. It really leans into the quirky dark comedy vibe without preamble, which could throw people off. But you should really watch the first few episodes before deciding if it's for you or not, since it takes a little while for the plot to settle in.

We're betting that you'll be charmed by James and Alyssa by the time the credits roll on episode three, even though the series will have several more important twists and turns in the chapters ahead.

Aside from the tone — which might not be everyone's cup of tea — the series is near flawless.

The Bottom Line

"The End of the Fxxxing World" winds up being a love story with a strong moral backbone and surprisingly sentimental exploration of the way young men and women fall in love. 

With the total runtime of season one landing around 160 minutes, "The End of the Fxxxing World" is perhaps best categorized as an excellently self-contained indie movie. It's an easy-to-binge show that is well worth anyone's time.

Overall, "The End of the Fxxxing World" is an unexpected and unpredictable start to a promising year of television. Expect to see it on end-of-the-year lists rounding up the best TV of 2018. 

Grade: A

Watch the official trailer for "The End of the Fxxxing World" below:

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"Riverdale" puts a twist on classic Archie Comics characters.

The CW show introduced a series of characters from the comics — including Mr. Svenson and Toni Topaz— during the first half of its second season. As the show returns, fans already know that they'll get to meet Chic Cooper, Betty's brother. But there will be even more opportunities to squeeze in some iconic characters. 

Here are 12 Archie Comics characters who could make an appearance on "Riverdale." 

"Riverdale" returns Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on The CW. 

Adam Chisholm

In the comics, Adam competes with Archie for Betty's affections. On "Riverdale," Betty is currently stuck between Archie and Jughead, as well as Archie and Veronica, but what's the addition of another potential love interest? Betty is currently single. 

Forsythia "Jellybean" Jones

We've heard Jellybean's name but we have yet to see Jughead's sister on the show. In the comics, the two siblings are close. Seeing these two have a relationship would add another layer to Jughead's life and story. 

Gladys Jones

On that same note, Jughead's mother Gladys is only mentioned, never seen, on the show. She doesn't have to stick around, but it would be neat to see who could get to play her. 

• Ann Curry went on "CBS This Morning" Wednesday for her first TV interview since leaving "Today" in 2012.
• Curry was Matt Lauer's co-host when she left the morning news show.
• Reports have said Lauer was the reason for Curry's exit. 
• Lauer was fired from "Today" in November for "inappropriate sexual behavior,"according to a statement from NBC.  
• During the interview on CBS, Curry said that the conversation about sexual harassment is "overdue." 
• When asked if Lauer "abused his power," Curry said, "I am not surprised by the allegations."
• She added: "I would be surprised if many women did not understand that there was a climate of verbal harassment that existed. I think it would be surprising if someone said that they didn't see that."
• Watch the full interview below. Curry's comments on Lauer's allegations can be found at approximately 2:20 in.

SEE ALSO: Hoda Kotb says Matt Lauer texted her congratulations after she replaced him as 'Today' show coanchor

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• Apple has reportedly acquired a half-hour comedy series starring Kirsten Wiig and executive produced by Reese Witherspoon.
• It marks the first comedy series for the company's original scripted lineup.

Apple is bulking up its TV output with original comedy.

The tech giant has greenlit its first half-hour comedy series, which will star Kristen Wiig, marking her return to television after leaving "Saturday Night Live" in 2012.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Apple outbid multiple parties to nab a 10-episode series executive produced by Reese Witherspoon (she's also executive producer on the HBO award-winner "Big Little Lies"). The series inspired by the upcoming short story collection titled "You Think It, I'll Say It," by Curtis Sittenfeld. The short stories are described as upending "assumptions about class, relationships, and gender roles in a nation that feels both adrift and viscerally divided."

Former "30 Rock" producer Colleen McGuinness is the creator of the yet-to-be-titled series, and will be the showrunner. It's unclear when the series will begin production, as the show is not attached yet to a production studio. Apple will only be releasing the series, and will not own it, according to THR.

The series marks Apple's fifth scripted series that's in production. Others include the Steven Spielberg-produced "Amazing Stories" and the space drama, "See."

Apple is racing to compete with the likes of Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu in the original content streaming space. It was reported last summer that the company was ready to drop $1 billion in the next year to make originals. It also grabbed former Sony executives Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg to oversee its TV efforts.  

Business Insider contacted Apple but did not get an immediate response.

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• Ann Curry opened up to People about leaving "Today" in 2012.
• The former co-host said she was "hurt" by leaving.
• She says she had to "let go" of the resentment. 

Ann Curry is opening up about leaving the 'Today" show five years. 

In an interview with People, the former NBC co-host said having to leave "hurt like hell." 

"It hurt so much, but I learned a lot about myself," Curry said. "I can say I've done nothing wrong. I've been honest and true. I've tried to stay pure. I've tried to not respond in a knee-jerk manner, and I've stayed very close to who I am. So it hurt, but I'm also proud of myself."

The 61-year-old had a tearful exit from the morning news show in 2012. After leaving, reports said it was because of her co-host Matt Lauer. 

Lauer, 60, was fired from NBC in November for "inappropriate sexual behavior,"according to a statement from the network. 

In an interview with "CBS This Morning" Wednesday, Curry said she was "not surprised" by the allegations against Lauer. 

Since leaving "Today," Curry told People she tried not to dwell on the experience. 

"I'm not going to say it wasn't hard," she said. "But I had to let go. And I learned that when you not only let go but open your arms wide and learn the lessons that an experience — no matter how bad — can teach you, that's when you rise."

Read People's cover story with Curry here.

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• "Grey's Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about Patrick Dempsey leaving the hit show.
• She said ABC wanted her character to move on from her TV husband's death quickly.
  
• She said that they wanted to cast a new man as soon as possible.
• Pompeo added that she was surprised at how quickly they wanted to move on with a romantic love interest. 

"Grey's Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo did not want her character, Meredith Grey, to jump into a romance. 

In a candid conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, the 48-year-old actress discussed Derek Shepherd's (Patrick Dempsey) death and how ABC wanted to rush Grey into another relationship. 

"The truth is, the ink wasn't even dry on his exit papers before they rushed in a new guy," Pompeo said. 

Meredith and Derek's relationship was a staple on the medical drama. From an early back-and-forth relationship to an eventual marriage, the couple's tumultuous love story was a hit with fans. But then McDreamy was killed in a car accident during season 11.

During a Television Critics Association panel in 2015, creator Shonda Rhimes said that Dempsey's exit was a mutual decision.

"It wasn't easy or fun; it is never easy or fun," she said. "We've been working really hard for a long time together. We're family. Those choices and those decisions are never easy for any of us." 

According to Pompeo, the producers wanted Grey to have another man in her life as soon as possible.

"I was on vacation in Sicily, decompressing — it was a long working relationship and it was a tumultuous end and I needed a moment to just chill with some rosé — and they're calling me, going, 'What do you think of this guy?' 'What do you think of this guy?'" she said.

The actress was caught off guard. 

"I couldn't believe how fast the studio and the network felt like they had to get a penis in there," she added.

The network cast Martin Henderson as Nathan Riggs for season 12. Riggs and Grey developed a relationship through Henderson's three-season run on the show. 

Pompeo told The Hollywood Reporter that the network "didn't love the storyline."

Henderson left early into season 14. His character's former fiancée is found after being presumed missing for 10 years, and the two rekindle their romance.  

ABC didn't immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.

Read Pompeo's full cover story here.

"Grey's Anatomy" returns Thursday at 8 p.m. EST on ABC. 

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• "Grey's Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo is now the highest-paid actress on a drama TV show.
• But the journey to reach $20 million per year was complex.
• In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Pompeo says she was paid less than her male co-star (Patrick Dempsey) for some time.
• Pompeo says at one point she asked for $5,000 more than Dempsey — because her character was in the title of the show — but was denied.
• Pompeo credits her new sense of financial power to the series' creator, Shonda Rhimes, becoming more empowered herself.

Ellen Pompeo has starred as the titular character of Meredith Grey on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" since 2005. But it has taken the actress more than a decade to work her way up to being TV's highest paid female star in a drama. For a period of time, Pompeo's male co-star, Patrick Dempsey (aka Derek Shepherd aka Doctor McDreamy) was paid more than her.

"At one point, I asked for $5,000 more than him just on principle, because the show is 'Grey's Anatomy' and I'm Meredith Grey," Pompeo wrote for The Hollywood Reporter's new cover story. "They wouldn't give it to me."

According to Pompeo, ABC used Dempsey's presence on the hit medical drama as leverage against her during salary negotiations.

"'I don't know if they also did that to him, because he and I never discussed our deals," Pompeo wrote. "There were many times where I reached out about joining together to negotiate, but he was never interested in that." 

Pompeo is upfront about why the response to her request didn't result in her leaving "Grey's Anatomy."

"I could have walked away, so why didn't I? It's my show; I'm the number one," Pompeo said. "I'm sure I felt what a lot of these other actresses feel: Why should I walk away from a great part because of a guy? You feel conflicted but then you figure, 'I'm not going to let a guy drive me out of my own house.'"

ABC didn't immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.

According to Pompeo, her financial situation only changed once "Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes became more comfortable with her own power and passed that newfound agency onto the show's star.

"[Shonda Rhimes] got to a place where she was so empowered that she was generous with her power," Pompeo said. "Now, what did that look like? It looked like her letting me be the highest-paid woman on television, letting me be a producer on this show, letting me be a co-executive producer on the spinoff and signing off on the deal that the studio gave me, which is unprecedented."

As THR reports, Pompeo's new deal with ABC gives her $575,000 per "Grey's Anatomy" episode, "along with a seven-figure signing bonus and two full backend equity points on the series, estimated to bring in another $6 million to $7 million."

Read Pompeo's THR full cover story here to learn more about her rise to the top of cable and how the #MeToo movement has impacted her desire to make the process more transparent. 

"Grey's Anatomy" returns Thursday at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.

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Ellen Pompeo, the star of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," is set to make over $20 million a year after signing a new deal with the network, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

ABC has ordered a 15th and 16th season for the series as a part of its new deal with Pompeo, who will become a producer on the show for the first time while starring as the show's eponymous lead, Meredith Grey. 

Pompeo's new contract will also make her the highest-paid actress on a primetime drama series, according to THR. 

Her contract includes a $575,000 per-episode deal, along with a seven-figure signing bonus and an estimated $6 million to $7 million in backend equity for the series.

"I'm 48 now, so I've finally gotten to the place where I'm OK asking for what I deserve, which is something that comes only with age. Because I'm not the most 'relevant' actress out there," Pompeo told THR in an interview about her deal. "I know that's the industry perception because I've been this character for 14 years. But the truth is, anybody can be good on a show season one and two. Can you be good 14 years later? Now, that's a f---in' skill."

Pompeo told THR that she has had to fight for her pay over time. At one point, she said she was denied a raise by ABC after asking for $5,000 more than the salary of her costar Patrick Dempsey, whom she was making less than at the time.

"I asked for $5,000 more than him just on principle, because the show is 'Grey's Anatomy' and I'm Meredith Grey," Pompeo said. "They wouldn't give it to me."

In 2017, Pompeo ranked as the fourth highest-earning actress in TV, with $13 million earned between June 2016 and June 2017, according to Forbes.

Check out how Pompeo fared in the 2017 list from Forbes below: 

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10. Pauley Perrette ($8.5 million)

Perrette earned her six-figure salary from playing forensic scientist Abby Sciuto on "NCIS."

It looks as though playing Abby for the past 14 years has payed off.

9. Robin Wright ($9 million)

Thanks to her role on the acclaimed Netflix series "House of Cards," Wright has become one of the top female earners in television. 

Wright also had a role in "Wonder Woman," and the upcoming films "Justice League" and "Blade Runner 2049" this year.

8. Priyanka Chopra ($10 million)

The Bollywood actress' major sources of income this year came from her drama "Quantico," as well as her endorsement deals with Pantene, Lyf Mobile, and Nirav Modi. 

Chopra also had a role in the film "Baywatch" this year.

• Michael Wolff's book "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House" is being adapted into a TV series. 
• The deal for the rights to the book was reportedly in the seven-figures.

Michael Wolff's best-selling exposé of Donald Trump's White House, "Fire and Fury" will be adapted into a television series.

Endeavor Content has purchased the film and TV rights to the book in a deal that is in the seven-figures, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Endeavor Content — which is the financing and sales arm of William Morris Endeavor and IMG — has begun shopping the book to networks, according to the trade.

Wolff will be an executive producer on the series.

"Fire and Fury" looks inside the first year of the Trump administration and quickly became a sensation when juicy excerpts of it began coming out, topped by the on-the-record attacks made by Trump's former adviser Steve Bannon. Interest for the book reached a point where the book's publisher moved up the release date from January 9 to January 5 to capitalize on the growing demand.

The book debuted on the New York Times bestseller list.

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Warning: Spoilers ahead for season two, episode 10 of "Riverdale," titled "The Blackboard Jungle."

After a winter hiatus, "Riverdale" is back with some new characters. 

Wednesday's episode of the hit CW show finally introduced Betty Cooper's long-lost brother Charles, who goes by Chic. 

Betty gets the idea to find the son Alice gave up after she runs into Polly at home. Betty walks in on Polly, who has given birth to her twins, packing up a box of things to take back to the farm she is living on. She knows that her mother will be upset about her daughter choosing to stay away from the family. 

Alice does want to meet her son, so she and Betty go to the address a social worker gave them and find him.

Fans were excited to finally meet the other Cooper sibling.

But Chic, played by Hart Denton, reveals that he knows who Alice and Betty are, because the Sisters of the Quiet Mercy gave him the family address when he turned 18. The family meeting quickly turns sour as Chic gets angry and tells the two to leave because he is waiting for a client.  

Betty later returns to speak with Chic and finds him being attacked by a guy with a knife. She pepper sprays the man and takes Chic home to her parents. 

Chic is obviously into some trouble, and he could be putting his family in danger. 

As if that suspicious behavior isn't enough, Chic's final scene is him creepily entering Betty's room and watching her as she sleeps. Jughead's voiceover over the scene implies that Betty needs to be wary of Chic. 

"And Betty, the girl next door, had no sooner vanquished one monster, and she perhaps let another one into her family's lives," he says.  

At the end of the episode, Archie voices his concern to the FBI agent that they might not have caught the right Black Hood. Archie's suspicion fits in with the fan theory that Mr. Svenson was merely a set-up and not the actual killer terrorizing the town.

Some fans suspect that Chic may be involved with the Black Hood or he's at least super creepy. 

But others think this is all just a fake out. 

Fans will have to wait to see what Chic is really up to as the season progresses. And if our hunch is correct, "Riverdale" is not yet finished with the Black Hood. 

"Riverdale" airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on The CW. 

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