BTW: Headlines You May Have Missed the Week of 7/26

In this Bloomberg Weekend segment hosted by Christina Ruffini and David Gura, the team covers several lighthearted stories from the week. The segment opens with discussion of The Odyssey film, which is performing well at the box office with sold-out showings at premium formats like 70mm IMAX at Lincoln Square, with some screenings as early as 4 a.m. Despite extensive promotional presence, Zendaya appears in the film for only five minutes as the goddess Athena. Her massive social media following of nearly 200 million Instagram followers is attributed partly to her carefully curated red carpet appearances planned years in advance with stylist Laura Harrier. The hosts note that by year's end, Zendaya's three major projects—The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Dune Part Three—are each projected to earn over $1 billion at the box office. In the UK, she and her fiancé are viewed as the opposite of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

The segment then pivots to Willie Nelson, who at 93 years old continues touring with an amphitheater tour across the summer. The hosts share personal anecdotes about seeing him perform at Forest Hills, noting past confusion over billing order with Van Morrison. Nelson is currently vocal about pushing back against data centers, which he describes on social media as "loud, thieving, light polluting hubs that are invading our land." His activism extends to broader causes; he founded Farm Aid in 1985 with Neil Young and John Mellencamp to support American farmers, and last year advocated for immigrant support.

A European trend is highlighted where pop-up stores are selling misdelivered packages—items that were shipped to the wrong addresses. The appeal is described as creating an experience unavailable online, with the thrill of opening someone else's package providing surprise and novelty. This is positioned as sustainable retail, as returned items are given a second life.

Finally, the segment covers Dr. Daniel Bluhm Stein, a biologist who created an OnlyFans account called "Only Moms" to fund marmot research. Inspired by the show Shark Tank, he sought alternative funding due to federal cuts to scientific research. The account maintains G-rated content focused on wildlife research. Despite early technical issues with identity verification (the computer rejected his state ID photo for not matching the marmot images), the account was successfully established and had raised $650 in tips with 2,900 visits and 112 subscribers as of the previous week.