There’s another changing of the guard at CBS’s FBI: International, as another one of its original stars is stepping down.
According to a statement published by Deadline, Luke Kleintank, who played Special Agent Scott Forrester on the Dick Wolf-produced series for three seasons, is turning in his badge.
The trade also notes that Meet the Parents franchise veteran Teri Polo is stepping onto the beat.
According to Kleintank, he made the decision “[a]fter much thought and consideration,” adding his change of heart “is driven by my unwavering commitment to my family, whose love and well-being are paramount in my life.”
The actor went on to say he’s “profoundly thankful for the extraordinary cast and crew of the show, who have not only been colleagues but also a family away from home. Their unwavering dedication and remarkable talents have made every moment on set an unforgettable journey that has enriched my life in countless ways.”
He also thanked the fans of the show “who have supported us through the first three seasons.” His last episode will air May 7.
Nothing is known yet about Polo’s role in the show, except she’ll join for the last two episodes of the current third season and will be a part of the show going forward if it is renewed.
At the beginning of season 3, another original cast member, Heida Reed, left the show; she played Kleintank’s superior, Special Agent Jamie Kellett.
Dora, the CG-animated reboot of the classic kids show Dora the Explorer, has been renewed by Paramount+ for a sophomore season, a month after its debut on the streamer.
The Nickelodeon Animation-produced show follows its plucky, titular bilingual heroine, voiced by Diana Zermeño, on all new adventures with her monkey pal Boots (Asher Colton Spence).
In the announcement, Paramount+’s executive VP of programming Jeff Grossman said he’s “thrilled that our audience has already embraced Dora,” calling the show “an incredible opportunity to introduce this beloved character and iconic franchise to a whole new generation.”
President of Paramount and Nickelodeon Animation Ramsey Naito enthused, “Our audiences have embraced the new Dora series with open arms, and it’s incredible how she continues to capture the imaginations of preschoolers around the world with her extraordinary rainforest adventures.”
Naito added, “We can’t wait for kids to discover all of the new fantastical places and colorful characters in the second season while learning and playing along with their good friend Dora.”
The original Dora the Explorer series ran on Nick from 2000 to 2014 and spawned a 2019 live-action movie starring Isabela Moner as the adventurer.
The new series features the original voice of Dora, Kathleen Herles, as Dora’s mom, Mami.
Jon Bon Jovi is going down memory lane as he looks back at his life as a rock and roll legend fronting one of the most successful bands of all time, Bon Jovi, with a career that spanned four decades, in a new Hulu docuseries, Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story.
Ahead of its debut, Jon sat down with Good Morning America anchor Michael Strahan for an ABC special, Michael Strahan x Jon Bon Jovi: Halfway There, to discuss his life and legacy.
GMA aired a sneak peek of the interview on Wednesday, April 23, in which the singer opened up about his career’s effect on his relationship.
Jon has been married to his high school sweetheart Dorothea Hurley for over 30 years. When Strahan mentioned that his success must have been “tough on a relationship,” Jon replied, “That’s nonsense.”
“I got away with murder. I say it again on camera,” he added. “I’m a rock and roll star. I’m not a saint. You know, I’m not saying that, that there weren’t a hundred girls in my life. I’m Jon Bon Jovi. It was pretty good.”
Despite all the attention he received from being in the spotlight, Jon said they weren’t worth being entertained.
“If you think I was ever gonna jeopardize anything for believing the narcissist in me was real? What a stupid thing to do,” he said. “What kind of excess does a man need that’s gonna fuel that fire. It is just not worth it. Not worth it.”
For a full interview, tune in to Michael Strahan x Jon Bon Jovi: Halfway There, which airs Sunday, April 28, at 10 pm E.T. on ABC.
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden said on Wednesday the U.S. will begin sending military equipment to Ukraine within “a few hours.”
Biden, in remarks from the White House, announced he signed the $95 billion foreign aid package that passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support.
“It was a difficult path [to my desk] and should have been easier and it should have gotten there sooner,” Biden said of the legislation, which was first requested by the administration and seemed all but dead due to GOP-led opposition in the House before the sudden reversal of Speaker Mike Johnson.
“But in the end, we did what America always does: we rose to the moment, came together and we got it done,” he continued. “Now, we need to move fast and we are.”
The package will provide roughly $61 billion for Ukraine in its fight against Russian invaders, marking the first time in over a year Congress has approved new aid for the war-torn ally.
In anticipation of the legislation passing, the Biden administration worked up a roughly $1 billion military assistance package for Ukraine with the first shipment arriving within days of approval, a U.S. official told ABC News on Tuesday.
The package will include artillery rounds, air defense ammunition and armored vehicles, according to the official. The weapons and equipment will be drawn from existing U.S. stockpiles under presidential drawdown authority (PDA).
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Congress for the approval of the “vital aid,” and emphasized how urgent the issue is.
“The key now is speed,” he wrote in a statement posted to X. “The speed of implementing agreements with partners on the supply of weapons for our warriors. The speed of eliminating all Russian schemes to circumvent sanctions. The speed of finding political solutions to protect lives from Russian terror. Every leader who does not waste time is a life saver.”
The legislation also includes $26 billion for Israel, currently at war with Hamas in Gaza, and $8 billion for allies in the Indo-Pacific. Plus, it includes sanctions on Russia, China and Iran as well as a provision to seize Russian assets to assist Ukraine in rebuilding after the war.
Also tucked into the package is a measure to force a U.S. ban of TikTok if its Chinese parent company doesn’t divest from the app within a year, though the company is likely to sue to try to block the law.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) — Good news for airline travelers: the Department of Transportation on Wednesday announced it is rolling out new rules that will require airlines to automatically give cash refunds to passengers for canceled and significantly delayed flights.
The delays covered would be more than three hours for domestic flights and more than six hours for international flights, the agency said. This includes tickets purchased directly from airlines, travel agents and third-party sites such as Expedia and Travelocity.
“This is a big day for America’s flying public,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at a Wednesday morning news conference. Buttigieg said the new rules — which require prompt refunds — are the biggest expansion of passenger rights in the department’s history.
Airlines can now decide how long a delay must be before a refund is issue — however, these new rules define “significant” delay standards that trigger refunds.
The DOT rules lay out that passengers will be “entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly changed, and they do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits offered.”
DOT will also require airlines to give cash refunds if your bags are lost and not delivered within 12 hours.
The refunds must be issued within seven days, according to the new DOT rules, and must be in cash unless the passenger chooses another form of compensation.
Airlines can no longer issue refunds in forms of vouchers or credits when consumers are entitled to receive cash.
Airlines will have six months to comply with the new rules.
“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them — without headaches or haggling,” Buttigieg said in a statement.
The DOT said it is also is working on rules related to family seating fees, enhancing rights for wheelchair-traveling passengers for safe and dignified travel and mandating compensation and amenities if flights are delayed or canceled by airlines.
Buttigieg said the DOT is also working to protect airline passengers from being surprised by hidden fees — a move he estimates will have Americans billions of dollars every year.
The DOT rules include that passengers will receive refunds for extra services paid for and not provided, such as Wi-Fi, seat selection or inflight entertainment.
The rules come after the agency handed Southwest Airlines a record $140 million fine for its operational meltdown during the 2022 holiday travel season.
Buttigieg said Southwest’s fine sets a “new standard” for airlines and passenger rights.
“To be clear, we want the airline sector to thrive. It is why we put so much into helping them survive the pandemic and honestly it’s why we’re being so rigorous on passenger protection,” he said.
Buttigieg reiterated that refund requirements are already the standard for airlines, but the new DOT rules hold the airlines to account and makes sure passengers get the “refunds that are owed to them.”
“Airlines are not enthusiastic about us holding them to a higher standard,” Buttigieg said, adding that he “knows they will be able to adapt to this.”
Airlines for America, the trade association for the country’s leading passenger and cargo airlines, told ABC News in a statement that its members “offer a range of options — including fully refundable fares.” Is said consumers are “given the choice of refundable ticket options with terms and conditions that best fit their needs at first search results.”
The group said the 11 largest U.S. airlines issued $43 billion in customer refunds from 2020 through 2023.
Scotty McCreery will return to American Idol on Sunday, April 28.
The season 10 winner shared the news on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday, writing “I’m returning to @AmericanIdol this Sunday as a performer! Catch me on ABC or stream on Hulu!”
It’s not yet known what song Scotty will be performing onstage.
Scotty recently got inducted into the Grand Ole Opry as its newest member by fellow Opry member Josh Turner; he was accompanied by Randy Travis and his wife, Mary.
On the music front, Scotty’s “Cab in a Solo” is currently #2 and approaching the top on the country charts. You can find it on his forthcoming album, Rise & Fall, dropping May 10.
(NEW YORK) — Former standout college football player and NFL running back Reggie Bush will have his 2005 Heisman Trophy reinstated, according to Bush’s attorneys and a statement posted on the Heisman website Wednesday.
Bush posted a photo on Instagram with the trophy captioned, “No one can take from you what God has for you.”
Bush forfeited the trophy in 2010 amid NCAA sanctions against his former school, the University of Southern California.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
girl in red has shared a cover of the Talking Heads song “Girlfriend Is Better,” recorded for the upcoming Stop Making Sense tribute album.
“Talking Heads is an iconic band that helped define my identity when I was a teenager and they continue to inspire young people all around the world,” girl in red says. “Being a part of this tribute is so sick and I’m super grateful I was given the opportunity.”
She adds, “Talking Heads forever!!!!”
You can listen to girl in red’s cover now via digital outlets.
The Stop Making Sense tribute, dubbed Everyone’s Getting Involved, is being put together by the film company A24, which released a theatrical restoration of the iconic 1984 concert film. It includes the previously released versions of “Burning Down the House” and “Take Me to the River,” recorded by Paramore and Lorde, respectively.
Everyone’s Getting Involved will be released May 17. The track list also features Miley Cyrus covering “Psycho Killer,” The National‘s take on “Heaven” and The Linda Lindas putting a spin on “Found a Job.”
Ahead of their upcoming Summer Road Trip 2024 tour, Train has released an upbeat new single.
Of “Long Yellow Dress,” Train frontman Pat Monahan says, “Have you ever had a dream more real than reality? Me too. There she was in a long yellow dress. Do I know her? It’s obvious that I’m supposed to find her so I can’t stop looking. She’s out there somewhere.”
The band plans to give the song its live debut at their upcoming performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall on April 30. The show, part of Train’s first U.K. tour in seven years, will be recorded and released as Train Live at Royal Albert Hall this summer.
After touring the U.K. and Europe, Train returns to the U.S. for the Summer Road Trip 2024 tour, a co-headlining trek with REO Speedwagon that starts July 8 in Somerset, Wisconsin. It’s currently scheduled through a September 11 show in Phoenix, Arizona.
Billie Eilish‘s upcoming album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is her third album, but she says it’s a throwback to her first one.
“I feel like this album is me,” she tells Rolling Stone. “It’s not a character. It feels like the When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? version of me. It feels like my youth and who I was as a kid.”
“It was the best time of my life,” Billie says of her debut album.
“This whole process has felt like I’m coming back to the girl that I was,” she adds of making HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. “I’ve been grieving her. I’ve been looking for her in everything, and it’s almost like she got drowned by the world and the media. I don’t remember when she went away.”
The album’s also meant to be experienced as a whole, FINNEAS says, so Billie isn’t releasing any singles.
“Every single time an artist I love puts out a single without the context of the album, I’m just already prone to hating on it,” she says. “I really don’t like when things are out of context. This album is like a family: I don’t want one little kid to be in the middle of the room alone.”
Rolling Stone notes that one track sure to inspire questions is “Lunch,” described as a “bass-heavy banger” about Billie crushing on a girl.
Regarding her sexuality, which became a headline in 2023, Billie tells Rolling Stone, “That song was actually part of what helped me become who I am, to be real. I wrote some of it before even doing anything with a girl, and then wrote the rest after. I’ve been in love with girls for my whole life, but I just didn’t understand, until last year…”
