Weekend Awesome News Quiz: Vanilla, Rawling-verse, and Tears

Exactly. Mads Mikkelsen is set to replace Johnny Depp in the third installment of the JK Rowling-scripted fantasy series, Fantastic Beasts. Mikkelsen was born in Denmark. His first English speaking role was in the James Bond film, Casino Royale (2006). 

• Watch Mikkelsen as Hannibal Lecter, on Hannibal.

R.I.P. Alex Trebek, who hosted the American quiz show Jeopardy! for over 30 years. Trebek announced in 2019 that he had advanced pancreatic cancer. He passed away Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020.  On Jeopardy!, contestants famously have to begin their answers with the phrase: ‘Who is’ or ‘What is.’

• Read and Listen: The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life, written and narrated by Alex Trebek.

That’s right. On Nov. 13, 1970,  Hafez Assad, AKA The Syrian Lion, launched a bloodless coup in Syria. 50 years later, the Assad family still rules Syria through his son, Bashar Assad.

• Read and listen: Assad or We Burn the Country: How One Family’s Lust for Power Destroyed Syria.

Jennifer Lopez won her Razzie Redeemer award for her 2020 movie Hustlers, which she also produced. It also won her a few critics awards this year. The Hollywood actress/singer/dancer and all-around-star was in tears after the 2020 US election was called for Biden and Harris.

“I’m just crying tears of joy. It is an amazing amazing day. God bless everybody.” – @JLo

Jennifer Lopez’s reaction to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris being announced at the next President and Vice President. pic.twitter.com/aM6V3xoquv

— The Cruz Show (@TheCruzShow) November 7, 2020

• Watch JLo’s electrifying performance on Hustlers.

Patrick Dempsey played Ellen Pompeo’s love interest, and then her husband in Grey’s Anatomy, TV’s longest-running primetime medical drama, ever. The beloved dead character made a surprise appearance in Grey’s Anatomy’s season 17 premiere – a season that centers around the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Watch Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 on Amazon Prime.

That’s right. Aung San Suu Kyi has been the chosen leader of Myanmar since 2016. According to official election results, her party is also the landslide winner of their 2020 elections. 

• Read A Political Biography of Aung San Suu Kyi: A Hybrid Politician.

Exactly. Abel Tesfaye is the musician behind the stage name of multi-grammy-awards-winner, The Weekend. Tesfaye will headline the 2021 Super Bowl Halftime Show.

• Check out The Weekend on Amazon Music.

In the 2020 US elections, some 60.2% of the eligible voting-age population voted. That’s the highest turnout since 1968 (60%) when Richard Nixon won the presidency – and a record-high number of voters.

A new research paper about Alexander Hamilton, “the abolitionist founding father,” is citing evidence he was a slave owner himself. For example, Hamilton’s cash books record a payment of $250 in 1796 for “2 Negro servants purchased for me,” and an inventory made of Hamilton’s property after his death, which includes “servants” valued at $400.

• Watch Hamilton: One Shot to Broadway