newsmakers

newsmakers

Football ratings down on weekend of boycott

NEW YORK

The National Football League is continuing a steady decline in audience, with its fourth week of games having the smallest audience on a weekend when some conservatives called for a boycott because some of its players used the national anthem to protest against police treatment of minorities.

The Nielsen company said Tuesday the weekend’s nationally televised games averaged 13.8 million viewers, down from 14.8 million the week before. Opening week registered 16.3 million viewers and the second week had 15.8 million.

CBS averaged 9.5 million viewers in prime time last week. NBC had 7.8 million viewers, ABC had 5.8 million, Fox had 3.1 million, Telemundo had 1.4 million, Univision had 1.38 million, ION Television had 1.1 million and the CW had 900,000.

For the week of Sept. 25-Oct. 1, the top 10 shows, their networks and viewerships: “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 17.66 million; “Young Sheldon,” CBS, 17.22 million; NFL Football: Indianapolis at Seattle, NBC, 16.73 million; NFL Football: Chicago at Green Bay, CBS, 14.61 million; NFL Football: Dallas at Arizona, ESPN, 13.7 million; NFL weather delay, CBS, 13.39 million; “NCIS,” CBS, 13.29 million; “This is Us,” NBC, 12.94 million; “Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick,” NBC, 12.72 million; “60 Minutes,” CBS, 12.46 million.

Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler talks health

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is disputing rumors about his health after an early end to the band’s tour, saying he “certainly did not have a heart attack or seizure.”

The 69-year-old Tyler says in a statement posted on the band’s website that he’s sorry for cutting the tour short, but he had to have a medical procedure that only his doctor in the United States could perform.

Aerosmith announced last week that it was canceling the tour’s final four shows in Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Mexico.

Tyler said in that announcement that his condition wasn’t life threatening, but it was something he needed to deal with immediately.

Foreman challenges Seagal to fight

LAS VEGAS

Former heavyweight champion George Foreman has challenged big-screen tough guy Steven Seagal to a real-life fight.

The 68-year-old Foreman posted a picture of the 65-year-old Seagal on Twitter on Monday, writing: “I challenge you One on one, I use boxing you can use whatever. 10 rounds in Vegas.”

When fans asked Foreman on Twitter why he wanted to fight Seagal, Foreman replied that the martial artist “really can fight” and is big enough to defend himself.

A representative for Seagal told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the star didn’t want to comment on Foreman’s offer.

‘Goodfellas’ actor Charles Low dies

ALLENDALE, N.J.

A real-estate developer whose friendship with Robert De Niro led him to an acting career that included a notable appearance in “Goodfellas” has died. Charles Low was 89.

Low, who went by Chuck, died Sept. 18 at a nursing home in New Jersey.

Low and De Niro developed a friendship after the actor became a tenant in a building Low owned in New York City. Low went on to act in several films and also appeared on the HBO series “The Sopranos.” Low’s most notable role came in “Goodfellas,” where he played wig salesman Morris “Morrie” Kessler.

Low’s family says his funeral was held Sept. 20.

Associated Press