THE ROCK IS THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE

THE ROCK

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has a new award to add to his resume. This week PEOPLE MAGAZINE named him the "Sexiest Man Alive". This is just another accomplishment that The Rock has gained in 2016. In April of this year, FORBES named Johnson as the highest paid actor in Hollywood. With his appearances in the "Fast and Furious" franchise The Rock has become the biggest action star in Hollywood. Along with hits like Central Intelligence with Kevin Hart, Johnson has also cemented his place as an action-comedy star. 

Next year is shaping up to be another banner year for The Rock as he will star in three big movies. In April of 2017, Fast 8, comes out. In the Summer, the Baywatch movie, based on the 90's TV show will debut and around December of 2017, he and Kevin Hart will star in a reboot of Jumanji which starred the late Robin Williams. 

During his wrestling career Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson  always referred to himself as "The Most Electrifying Man in Sports and Entertainment" and I say Amen to that. 

Class Dismissed, 
THE PROFESSOR

CONOR MCGREGOR IS THE MAN

Conor McGregor as UFC Champion

Last night at UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden, Conor McGregor defeated Eddie Alvarez and became the Lightweight champion. McGregor won by KO in the second round.  Now McGregor holds two titles as the Featherweight champion and Lightweight champion. McGregor became the first MMA fighter to hold championships in two different weight classes at the same time. 

McGregor is the UFC's biggest star since Ronda Rousey. MMA Fighting reports that McGregor wants a stake in UFC now that its owned by WME-IMG. With his brash attitude and his willingness to talk trash to any opponent, he has become their biggest attraction. McGregor has four of the five biggest Pay-Per-View buys in UFC history. WRESTLEZONE reports that UFC garnered a live gate at MSG of over 17 million dollars at UFC 205 with McGregor in the main event. That is the highest gate that MSG has ever had at a live event. 

Conor McGregor is now the King of MMA. How long he remains on top in both divisions remains to be seen. Right now he is the biggest mainstream attraction in combat sports whether it's MMA or boxing. Long live the King. 

Class Dismissed, 

THE PROFESSOR

R.I.P. ROBERT VAUGHN

Robert Vaughn

Robert Vaughn, one of the most prolific actors in film and television died on November 11th at his home in Connecticut. He was 83 years old. Mr. Vaughn is probably most well known as Napoleon Solo, the main character in the TV show, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. which aired from 1964-1968. He also had a great career in movies. 

As a fan, I first became aware of Robert Vaughn when he starred with Christopher Reeve and Richard Pryor in Superman III as Ross Webster. In 1960, Mr. Vaughn came to prominence in The Magnificent Seven alongside Yul Brenner and Steve McQueen. McQueen and Vaughn would work together again in 1968 in Bullitt. 

Mr. Vaughn had a very lengthy career in television airing in many classic TV shows over the last 60 years. During his career he starred in shows like Bonanza, The A-Team, Hunter, Murder She Wrote, The Rifleman, and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues. In recent years Mr. Vaughn made guest appearances in Law and Order: SVU and Coronation Street which is the U.K.'s longest running soap opera. 

Thank you Mr. Vaughn for giving me so many great memories. Your presence and talent will never be forgotten. 

THE PROFESSOR

LEXA DOIG HAS BEEN CAST AS TALIA AL GHUL IN ARROW

LEXA DOIG

Talia al Ghul is coming to Arrow . TVLINE  reports that Lexa Doig has been cast as the eldest daughter of Ra's al Ghul. Ms. Doig is a favorite in many sci-fi circles as her credits include Andromeda, Continuum, Stargate SG-1 and Saving Hope. 



Talia al Ghul

Talia al Ghul is the eldest daughter of Ra's Al Ghul and usually works alongside her father in his quest for world domination. She has been a lover and enemy of Batman and his associates. Talia is also the mother of Batman's son Damian. 

The big question will be how Arrow will use Talia Al Ghul. In the comics Talia is the leader of the League of Assassins. In Arrow Talia's half-sister Nyssa has disbanded the League of Assassins. Will Talia have her own sect of the League attack Star City? Will she be looking for revenge on the Green Arrow since he killed her father in season 3?

We will find out when Lexa Doig makes her first appearance as Talia al Ghul on Arrow in episode 10. 

Class Dismissed
The Professor

KNIGHT RIDER REBOOT COMING IN 2017

KITT FROM KNIGHT RIDER

Michael Knight and KITT are returning in 2017. BLEEDING COOL  reports that Justin Lin who directed Fast Five and Fast and Furious 6 will be rebooting the classic 80's TV series as a digital web series in 2017 for NBC Universal. Lin is teaming up with Machinima which has produced many reboots of classic franchises such as Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat.

The original TV show which aired on NBC from 1982-1986 starred David Hasselhoff who played Michael Knight who worked for the Foundation for Law and Government (FLAG) taking down criminals with help from his talking Super car KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand). KITT had many special abilities. Not only could he talk, but he could operate himself, was impervious to injury, could jump over things, and run at super speed.

As a fan of the 80's TV show I will be interested on what aspects of the original show that this new reboot keeps and what it changes. With most of our technology mirroring KITT now some 30 years later it will be interesting to see how update KITT's technological advances.

It will also be interesting to see what they do with Michael Knight. In the original series he starts off as Michael Long a police detective and former Army ranger that is shot in the face while undercover and thought dead. He survives and receives a new face thanks to FLAG and takes on a new identity as Michael Knight, a "man who does not exist".

With Justin Lin and Machinima's great record of success, I think the Knight Rider franchise is in very good hands. 2017 should be a really good year. The year of the Knight Rider.

Class Dismissed,
THE PROFESSOR